The Extincts

George loves helping out at Wormestall Farm, a secret sanctuary for exinct and mythical beasts, where unlikely things are always happening. The farm is the home of a whole host of weird and wonderful wild creatures - from a dodo in the dog bed to the dinosaurs in the duck pond, and Grissel the dragon watching TV in the stables. But when Mortifer the giant basilisk goes missing, the farm and its creatures are in danger. It's up to George to team up with annoying new girl Prudence to find Mortifer before Prudence's wicked stepmother, the evil taxidermist Diamond Pye, finds him first and adds him to her stuffed animal collection.

Packed full of fun, adventure and wacky humour, this riotous debut also has a touch of Dahl-esque darkness. Cossanteli has created a colourful cast of characters and creatures, and the lollipop-licking Diamond Pye, with her ever-changing hair colour and obsession with taxidermy makes a particularly brilliant villain. Ideal for children at upper primary level, this entertaining story will particularly appeal to animal lovers, and also has a serious message about protecting endangered species and importance of respecting the animals around us.