‘Funny, sensitive, and insightful – the perfect book to turn to at the end of a long day’ Bonnie Garmus

Alex has perfected the art of dodging responsibility during her almost 40 years – until an unexpected letter turns her life upside down.

She’s inherited a crumbling sheep farm in wildest, wettest Wales. This was not her life plan. Not at all.

Now, her closest companion is a stubborn Welsh terrier, she’s speed-reading The Idiot’s Guide to Farming, and her arrival has set the village gossip mill spinning. With the farm near collapse, Alex sets out to uncover the truth behind her mysterious inheritance.

But as secrets surface, Alex finds her heart pulling her in a direction she never saw coming.

Will she pack her bags – or has she landed exactly where she’s meant to be?

Brimming with the warmth and wit that has made Clare Balding one of our best-loved TV personalities, Pastures New is a joyful celebration of new beginnings, community, and the delightful surprises of rural life.

Acclaim for Clare Balding’s books:

‘The reading equivalent of snuggling by the fire with a labrador’The Guardian

‘Funny and moving, James Herriot meets David Sedaris’The Times

‘Forthright, thoughtful, funny ? reads like a Jilly Cooper novel’Sunday Times

There’s nothing the British love quite as much as their dogs – but did you know that our canine companions have also shaped the history of this sceptred isle? From hunting to our hearths, and from herding to heavy industry, our dogs have accompanied us through centuries of social and economic change, and our relationship is still evolving today.

In this fascinating alternative history of Britain, Clare Balding takes us on a journey across the length and breadth of the home nations, exploring our unique heritage of canine tradition and meeting the people who still live, work and innovate with their dogs. A story of companionship, loyalty and good old-fashioned hard work, Isle of Dogs is an unmissable read for anyone whose life has been transformed by a faithful hound.

“Truly engrossing… a very enjoyable read” – PA review
“The perfect gift for sport and animal lovers” – Lancashire Evening Post

Who would win in a race . . . the Australian tiger beetle or the peregrine falcon?
Who is the strongest . . . the extraordinary ant or the grumpy gorilla?
Who has the best superpower . . . the headless cockroach or the jet-powered squid?

From speed, agility and strength to super-sensory prowess, these animal all-stars will compete to set incredible animal records. Perfect for animal lovers and packed full of TRUE animal facts, stats and world records, this is a funny guide to the world’s most fascinating animals.

The perfect gift for kids who love animals and sport. With laugh-out-loud commentary and incredible animal facts throughout, and rib-tickling illustrations by The Boy Fitz Hammond.

Dogs are never just pets. Not for the British. We love them as members of the family. They work with us, sleep with us, eat with us, help us live our daily lives and come on holiday with us. Some parents will freely admit to enjoying the company of their dogs more than their children while many couples would choose the dog over their partner. So what is it that makes our bond so special?

In this fascinating adventure across Britain, Clare Balding explores the many roles dogs fulfil and the history of how they became such an intrinsic part of our lives. She talks to people whose everyday survival depends on their dog, those whose experience of life has been transformed by them and what dogs have meant to her.

From the mysteries of extinct breeds to the ancient dogs still thriving today, she journeys from Battersea to the Orkney Islands via Buckingham Palace to tell a moving and humorous tale of loyalty and partnership. Isle of Dogs is an unmissable read for anyone whose life has been transformed by a faithful hound.

Discover how . . .

Able Seacat Simon rescued the crew of HMS Amethyst

Bobby the Wonder Dog crossed a continent to find his family

Galipolli Murphy carried 250 wounded soldiers to safety

Pickles tracked down the stolen World Cup

And the Tamworth Two managed to save their bacon

Clare Balding’s stories of daring, courageous, remarkable creatures who changed our world for the better: from the dog that inspired Lassie to the bear that fought the Nazis.

Life is slowly getting back to normal for Charlie after her reluctant racehorse, Noble Warrior, won the Derby and saved her family from financial ruin. But drama soon returns to Folly Farm when thieves break into the farmyard in the dead of night and kidnap Noble Warrior! With the police baffled and no trace of the prizewinning thoroughbred to be found, Charlie launches her own investigation…

Charlie Bass is a horse-mad ten-year-old who dreams of owning her own pony. So when she accidentally manages to buy a racehorse, Charlie is thrilled.

The horse she buys, Noble Warrior, looks the part: strong, fit and healthy. There’s just one problem – he won’t gallop. In fact, he won’t even leave his stable without his best friend, a naughty palomino pony called Percy.

Charlie is convinced that Noble Warrior has what it takes to be a champion. But can she prove it? Derby Day is fast approaching and only a win can save the family farm from being repossessed.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Basses. Can Charlie turn her chaotic family into a top training team? Can Noble Warrior overcome his nerves? Will Percy the pony ever stop farting?

Find out in this classic, funny animal story, perfect for fans of Dick King-Smith and Gerald Durrell.

The horse they buy, Noble Warrior, looks the part: strong, fit and healthy. There’s just one problem – he won’t gallop. In fact, he won’t even trot round the field without his best friend, Percy, a naughty palomino pony, at his side.

But Charlie is convinced that Noble Warrior has what it takes to be a champion – he just needs the right motivation…

A classic, funny animal story perfect for fans of Dick King-Smith and My Family and Other Animals.

Then, in 1999, Clare took a call from a BBC producer looking for a presenter for a new radio series. ‘Do you walk?’ she asked. ‘Well, I walk the dog . . .’

That series, Ramblings, is still going strong – and Clare’s caught the walking bug. Now she wants her family to share some of that pleasure. Her and her brother Andrew are determined to conquer the Wayfarer’s Walk, a 71 mile route. What could possibly go wrong?