- This title presents three brilliant stories for young readers by a much-loved, award winning author. In The Marble Crusher, does Mr. Manners, the headmaster, really have a machine that crushes marbles? Albert thinks so. In Colly"s Barn, Colly the owl and Screecher the swallow band together to save the barn. In Conker, Nick beats the bully, Stevie Rooster, and becomes Conker king. But can he rescue a mistreated dog while searching for the best conker?