false 119357 2 2 She grew up as an only child in Glasgow, and when young began drawing and writing stories. She started writing children's books in 1976, and attended art school in Edinburgh from 1979 to 1984. She then received a travelling scholarship award to go to Milan, and worked as a freelance from 1984 onwards.
She is the author/illustrator of many books for children including Mr Bear, the winner of a Children's Book Award. She is best known for her black comedy Pure Dead series for older children, which display strong elements of family lives amid dark and fantasy-based plots.]]> Glasgow 1959/01/01 444357 0440418496 9780440418498 30 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174837822m/444357.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174837822s/444357.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/444357.Pure_Dead_Magic 3.44 162
This seriously over-the-top, gothic romp is sure to have readers clamoring for the next Strega-Borgia adventure.


From the Trade Paperback edition.]]> 119357 3.76 684 145 2001 727334 0440419360 9780440419365 7 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1177704700m/727334.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1177704700s/727334.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/727334.Pure_Dead_Wicked 3.58 83 First their roof collapses, forcing them into the Auchenlochtermuchty Arms–the only local hotel that will accomodate three mythical beasts and one crocodile. Then Titus accidentally creates 500 tiny naked pink clones. And 500 tiny naked pink clones are not easy to manage. But not surprisingly, this isn’t the biggest Strega-Borgia dilemma–there’s also a few evil contractors plotting to destroy their home forever. Perhaps the miniature kilted warriors arising from the spilled magic potion can help. . . .


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 119357 3.76 684 145 2002 727329 0440420067 9780440420064 3 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1177704676m/727329.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1177704676s/727329.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/727329.Pure_Dead_Brilliant 3.84 51 il grande parmigiano, or "the big cheese," is about to make Titus the sole heir of the family fortune; Signora Strega-Borgia has invited her flaky classmates at the Institute of Advanced Witchcraft to spend a week at the castle practicing their spells; Ffup, one of the house dragons, is sulking about her diaper-changing responsibilities as a teenage single mom; and grouchy Marie Bain, possibly the worst cook in the British Isles, has created an accidental specialty of kippers in raisin and rat pee sauce. Worst of all, word has gotten around in demonic circles that the long-lost Chronostone is secreted someplace in the castle, and the sinister Astoroth, Second Minister of the Hadean Executive, is hot on its trail, as is another demon, Flamma d'Infer, who is disguised as one of the apprentice witches. Events take a decidedly random turn when the family's wise and comfortable magical nanny, Mrs. McLachlan, discovers that the baby Damp is an infant magus. And that's only the beginning of this gothic romp that can only be described as, well, pure dead brilliant. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell]]> 119357 3.76 684 145 2003 727327 0747563314 9780747563310 9 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1177704674m/727327.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1177704674s/727327.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/727327.No_Matter_What 4.41 39 </div>]]> 119357 3.76 684 145 1999 565437 0375833161 9780375833168 4 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175840578m/565437.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175840578s/565437.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/565437.Pure_Dead_Batty 4.06 33 119357 3.76 684 145 2006 565442 0440420709 9780440420705 0 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175840582m/565442.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175840582s/565442.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/565442.Pure_Dead_Trouble 3.85 34
Only Nanny McLachlan realizes the truth: Whatever it was that came for Latch is coming back. And when it does, will she alone be strong enough to protect the family?


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 119357 3.76 684 145 2005 565438 037583317X 9780375833175 7 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175840579m/565438.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175840579s/565438.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/565438.Pure_Dead_Frozen 3.73 33
They've just welcomed a newborn boy Strega-Borgia into the world, but before they can give him a name, heÕs snatched and replaced with a demon baby. Mrs. McLachlan, the super-efficient (and supernatural) nanny is back, safe and sound—but so is the demon Isagoth, and he hasn't forgotten what he wants from the Strega-Borgias. And evil Uncle Lucifer has resurfaced, but this time he has the added ammunition of a pact with S'tan the First Minister of the Headen Executive—otherwise known as His Imperial Inflammableness, his S'tainless Steeliness, and the Arch-Fiend. And S'tan himself is desperate to find the Chronostone, because. . . well, to put it bluntly, Hades is starting to freeze over, and without the Chronostone, he may never regain his power.

The family's got to be ready—because this will be the final battle between good and evil, the battle where winner takes all. And they're going to need all the help they can get. . . .]]> 119357 3.76 684 145 2007 2655076 0747595402 9780747595403 10 http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2655076.The_Trouble_with_Dragons 3.56 27 119357 3.76 684 145 2008 727328 0439455901 9780439455909 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1177704675m/727328.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1177704675s/727328.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/727328.Flora_s_Surprise 4.07 14 </div>]]> 119357 3.76 684 145 2003 1515949 0531303055 9780531303054 3 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1184559731m/1515949.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1184559731s/1515949.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1515949.Flora_s_Blanket 4.50 10 119357 3.76 684 145 2001