World renowned New Zealand author, Joy Cowley has used her many years of experience to create texts that both empower and delight the reader, with beautiful picture book quality illustrations.

  • An excellent foundation for early readers aged 5-7
  • Quality fiction titles from respected children’s author Joy Cowley; students will love the engaging characters and rhythm featured in each story
  • Easy to incorporate into any current reading program providing Shared, Guided, and Independent Reading opportunities for the whole class

Miss Doll and Friends    Big Bear and Little Bear    Joy Cowley Plays    About the Author 



The original Mrs Wishy-washy book, first published in 1980, with more than 40 million copies sold worldwide.


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Miss Doll and Friends


Introducing fifteen new titles from Joy Cowley, much-loved author of Mrs Wishy-Washy. Each 8-page reader features Miss Doll and her playroom friends and is ideal for guided reading, reading recovery and remedial programs, including ELL, ESL and other special needs.

Just like people, Miss Doll and her friends all have different personalities. Children will love to read about their playroom antics!

Additional Formats:

  • Teacher’s Notes on the inside back covers of all titles
  • Big Book Editions of three favorite titles
  • Audio CD with audio content for all 15 titles in the series.
  • eBook Editions for all 15 titles with 24 hour online access on 12 month subscription.

Big Bear and Little Bear


Introducing fifteen new titles from Joy Cowley, much-loved author of Mrs Wishy-Washy. Each 8-page reader features two new favorite characters – Big Bear and Little Bear, and is ideal for guided reading, reading recovery and remedial programs, including ELL, ESL and other special needs.

Enjoy the charming exploits of Big Bear and Little Bear as they learn about the world around them, and help your young readers expand their world, too.

Additional Formats:

  • Teacher’s Notes on the inside back covers of all titles
  • Big Book Editions of three favorite titles
  • Audio CD with audio content for all 15 titles in the series.
  • eBook Editions for all 15 titles with 24 hour online access on 12 month subscription.

View All Titles in the Bookshop



View All Titles in the Bookshop


The Joy Cowley Plays

Plays are an interactive, inclusive, and enjoyable way for students to develop their reading fluency. This exciting series provides 10 plays by the renowned and much-loved children’s author Joy Cowley.

The Joy Cowley Plays are a unique collection of Shared Reading texts for ages 6–9, and will be a resource you and your students will use over and over again.

  • Delightful texts by Joy Cowley and illustrated by talented New Zealand and Australian artists
  • Designed for multi-leveled groups to ensure dynamic group sessions
  • Assists in developing comprehension and interpretation skills
  • Ideal for whole class and small group presentations
  • Free downloadable Teacher’s Notes

    Free to download (list hidden if not logged in).

    About the Author: Joy Cowley


    Joy Cowley is one of New Zealand’s most prolific and successful writers of children’s books. She has written more than 600 titles for all ages and her books are available in most countries where English is a first or second language.

    Perhaps best known in education for her work in early literacy, Joy Cowley’s books can be found in 75% of schools in the USA. She is the author of the much-loved Mrs Wishy Washy series.

    Written specifically for children with reading difficulties, the Mrs. Wishy-Washy stories use the “rhyme, rhythm, and repetition” style of learning. This has been exceptionally effective in helping early readers learn to phonetically sound out words, resulting in increased vocabulary and excitement towards reading.

    In 2006, the National Institute for Early Education Research cited Mrs. Wishy-Washy as a quality learning material, and used it as an example of the importance of early literacy in young children. In addition, Education.com named the original book as one of the “10 Best Books to Read with your Toddler”.

    “Children need to find affirmation in a story. The story should empower children in several ways: helping them to see themselves as successful readers; helping them to feel good about their ability to make cognitive connections and to solve problems; helping them to see their own worthiness in the characters.”

    Joy Cowley