Permanent Rose is the third book in Hilary McKay's laugh-out-loud, award-winning Casson Family series.It's a long hot, never-ending summer, with no letters for Rose.Tom went back to America, and Rose hasn't heard from him since. No phone calls, no messages, nothing at all. New friend David, however hard he may be trying, is no replacement.And home doesn't offer relief either: Dad's left Mum for a young model, Caddy is questioning her imminent wedding and Saffy is trying to find her real father.Rose is determined to find Tom in New York. But what else will she find on the way?Follow the family's adventures in the rest of the beloved series: Saffy's Angel, Indigo's Star, Caddy Ever After, Forever Rose and Caddy's World.

So good it almost hurts . . . charming, affectionate and perfectly written, From the opening scene ... McKay's third story about the vibrant Casson family is entrancing, Permanent Rose is the antidote to everything that's bad in children's books and, indeed, everything that's bad in life... there are no hard edges but no sentimental slop either, in this beguiling story, Realistic dialogue and irresistible characters enliven the tale, McKay's strength lies in her ability to craft an unputdownable story from everyday happenings, and to handle serious issues and emotions with real lightness. She evokes the whole Casson family so vividly that the reader can imagine their lives going on uniterupted even after the book has been closed. Highly recommended

Hilary McKay won the Costa Children's Book Award for The Skylarks' War, the Guardian Fiction Prize for The Exiles, and the Smarties and the Whitbread Award for The Exiles in Love and Saffy's Angel respectively. She is also the author of Straw Into Gold, A Time of Green Magic and The Swallows' Flight, a companion novel to The Skylarks' War, among many critically-acclaimed titles. Hilary studied Botany and Zoology at the University of St Andrews, and worked as a biochemist before the draw of the pen became too strong and she decided to become a full-time writer. Hilary lives in Derbyshire with her family