Five tales, where the heroines come from different countries around the world - England, Ireland, Norway, the Ukraine and Egypt. But Mary, Fionna, Kari, Maruysa and Zaina have one very important quality in common: they are all very smart. Afraid of nothing, alive to everything, these girls can outwit anyone - a crafty king, a mean old farmer, an angry squire, a sultan's son and a ghost. All the stories are based on old folk-tales. Robert Leeson's books include "It's My Life", "Jan Alone" as well as five stories about Grange Hill school, based on the popular television series. In 1985 he received the Eleanor Farjeon Award for his services to children's literature.