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Emma Laybourn

Goodreads Author

Born

The United Kingdom

Website

https://www.megamousebooks.com

Genre

Children's Books, Ebooks, Classics

Member Since

June 2012

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/emmalaybourn

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I'm an author based in the north of England. Although I've spent most of my working life in schools and libraries, I've also had seven children's books published, as well as about 60 short stories in various magazines in the UK and Australia.
In 2012 I set up a child-friendly story website, Megamousebooks.com, to offer free online children's stories, downloadable ebooks and puzzles. It's proving a full-time job, but a very enjoyable one.
I've also been slowly producing free, abridged ebook versions of classic English novels, and selections of well-known poetry. These are now available from my second website, Englishliteratureebooks.com. ...more

45 posts
Emma Laybourn's Blog

Which is the bleakest house in Dickens's 'Bleak House'?

While I was abridging Charles Dickens's Bleak House, one thing kept bugging me: why did Dickens give the book that title?

Indeed, why did he give the house in the book that name? For Bleak House is not bleak at all; it is a haven of comfort and affection for the orphaned heroine, Esther. But it is only so because of the kindness and care of its owner John Jarndyce, who has transformed it from its p Read more of this blog post »

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Published on April 30, 2020 02:36 • Tags: charles-dickens, classic-novels-abridged, victorian-fiction

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Emma Laybourn’s books

Average rating: 4.03 · 188 ratings · 40 reviews · 52 distinct works

	Missing Magic 3.82 avg rating — 89 ratings — published 2006 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Monster Shoes really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 1999 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The King of Custard Castle 4.57 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Petrol Paws (WHEElers #1) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Bundle of Dinosaurs: Three Dinosaur Stories 4.20 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Ghost of Custard Castle it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	One Thousand Lollipops 3.80 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Save the Unicorn! 4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Robopop by Emma Laybourn (Goodreads Author), Nick Sharratt (illustrator) 3.50 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 2000 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cold Cuthbert's Journey 4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Series by Emma Laybourn

WHEElers (2 books)
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Emma Laybourn (Goodreads Author)

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7 ratings

Emma is Currently Reading

Emma is currently reading

A is for Ox: A Short History of the Alphabet

by Lyn Davies

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Jan 01, 2026 04:01AM

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The Land in Winter

by Andrew Miller

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Dec 31, 2025 07:27AM

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Moonfleet

by John Meade Falkner

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Dec 11, 2025 03:19AM

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Emma and 69 other people liked Christy fictional_traits's review of The Land in Winter: "'There's always a bloody price tag...Nobody gets away with anything'. As 1962 draws to a close in rural southwest England, we're introduced to four people who make up two neighbouring couples. As couples, they have two very different dynamics: one mor" Read more of this review »
Jan 05, 2026 04:01AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Emma rated a book liked it Shroud for a Nightingale (Adam Dalgliesh, #4) by P.D. James	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 02, 2026 09:17AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Shroud for a Nightingale by P.D. James. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Shroud for a Nightingale by P.D. James <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Emma wants to read The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Emma is currently reading A is for Ox: A Short History of the Alphabet by Lyn Davies	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Emma rated a book it was amazing The Slowworm's Song by Andrew Miller	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 31, 2025 07:28AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Slowworm's Song by Andrew Miller. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Slowworm's Song by Andrew Miller <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Emma wants to read Now We Shall Be Entirely Free by Andrew Miller	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Emma rated a book liked it Meet Me at the Surface by Jodie Matthews (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dec 31, 2025 07:27AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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