RESULTS

Colin is in many ways an ideal citizen. But neither his family nor collegues know about his other secret life. What Colin doesn't know is that, thanks to a house insurance policy incorrectly filled in by his mother, his two lives are set to collide, and there is nothing he can do to stop them.

Mel is the class bookworm. She prefers books to people and doesn't want to be a first-week minder for new girl Imogen. But there's something very strange about Imogen and, as Mel slowly uncovers the truth, she begins to realize that stories can happen in real life, too.

Poor Ellie is horrified when Tuffy drags a dead bird into the house. Who will be the next victim to come through the cat-flap? Can soft-hearted Ellie manage to get her pet to change his ways? The antics of Tuffy and his family are told by the killer cat himself.

Guilt's in the eye of the beholder. So you tell me what you think you'd have done. You be the judge. When, like her cold and indifferent husband, Lois' old life vanishes into thin air, she can't help snatching at the opportunity to come alive. There's only one fly in the ointment: Janie Gay, the feckless and spiteful mother of her wayward son's child. But as Lois takes her second - and redeeming - chance at love, she finds herself on a collision course with a society that claims to support and protect. She lays her plans, and suddenly it seems that all those years of nurturing her own deep-frozen heart may not have been so wasted after all...

Lots of children find it difficult to sleep on Christmas Eve, usually because they are so excited about the presents Santa is going to bring. But Pip Parker is not excited, he's scared. Every night for a week he has been lying awake watching the horrible skull shape gleaming from his bedroom wall. What is it? Why is it haunting him? When will it go away? The answer turns out to be reassuringly simple - the shape is caused by the light from the landing passing through the keyhole and casting a skull" shadow on the wall!

Clever clogs Chester Howard has started at a new school and his teacher sits him next to a boy with learning difficulties. In his own way, Chester agrees to help Joe, and so begins a partnership which brings a priceless reward to both boys.

Once best friends, always best friends. That's the way it is with Jamie and his toy Highland bull, Angus. Join them as they tackle a lively play mate, get muddled in a pretend game, and discover that playing isn't fun unless they're doing it together. These six heartwarming stories are complemented by black and white illustrations, and reveal the intricacies and ultimately the importance of friendship.

An out of work father (played by Robin Williams in the screen version) finds himself divorced from his wife, and without custody of his children. In order to see more of them he hatches an ingenious plan, which involves disguising himself as an old Scottish nanny, and getting hired by his ex-wife to look after his own kids. But how long can he keep up the pretence?

Boggle hats are the latest thing. Everybody at school wants one - but only Lola actually has one. So she decides to form a club to show the other children how best to nag their parents into buying them one. Tactics rang from the 'Oh, please, please, please' Nag to the Huffy Nag and the Blazing Tantrum. However, when the children try some of these nags out, they get mixed results - and discover that the best way of all is either to just be pleasant and polite and say please, or even earn a bit of money and buy one for themselves!

Lovers, colleagues, family - Tilly has always been brilliant at pushing people in and out of her life exactly as it suits her. Then along comes Geoffrey, gentle, compassionate, generous to a fault, with his miserable little children and his manipulative ex-wife Tilly's own expertise in the arts of deception and avoidance should be enough to make sure she's always one step ahead of Geoffrey's shitty, crumbling family. But time and again she finds herself staying, brought down by their cowardly backsliding and their barefaced lies. How has she managed to stay so long in a relationship she knows perfectly well has to be doomed? More importantly, how can Tilly plan her permanent escape? Anne Fine's sixth novel is a coruscating comedy written with her trademark wit, insight and grimly dark humour about the ties that bind more savagely than any other - those of families.