Stuff Happens is an important series for boys about everyday challenges. Created by Susannah McFarlane, the series editor, the series includes stories by authors Tony Wilson, Andrew Daddo, Philip Gwynne, Will Kostakis, Oliver Phommavanh, Scot Gardner, Pat Flynn, Alex McDiarmid, Justin D'Ath, Adrian Beck, James Valentine and James Roy. Each book features a different character and follows them as they overcome a particular everyday challenge.

Aimed at boys aged between 7 and 11, the Stuff Happens series explores those everyday struggles in life that boys can sometimes be reluctant to express: quarrels with mates, a bad day at school, fear of disappointing mum and dad, rejection and not fitting in.

Stuff happens sometimes. Everyday stuff. At school, at home, with sport, with mates.

For Luke it happened on public speaking day.

Stuff Happens. Real-life stories for boys. Suitable for beginner and newly confident readers.

About the Author
James Valentine is a broadcaster, writer, MC and musician. Each afternoon from 1pm–3pm, he presents Afternoons on 702 for ABC Sydney. He writes regularly for all the major newspapers and feature magazines as well as a weekly column for the Northshore Times. He is currently the presenter of The Mix, an arts and culture television program, broadcast weekly on ABC News 24 and ABC TV.

James has been part of Australian media and entertainment his entire working life. He was a musician in the 1980s and a member of bands such as Models, Absent Friends and the Wendy Matthews Band. He toured and recorded with Jo Camilleri, Steve Cummings, Kate Ceberano, and a host of others.

On television, he's been the host of the children's program The Afternoon Show on ABC TV, presented Showtime Movie News for over ten years, been a regular on Sunrise, Midday and Good Morning Australia, a judge on It Takes Two and briefly a Playschool presenter – he struggled to make a spider out of pipe cleaners.

He's the author of six books. The JumpMan series is a science fiction trilogy for young adult readers, The True History of Stuff is for children and The Form Guide and Spotfull are two books of adult humour based on his radio show.

He lives in Sydney, is married to Joanne a clinical psychologist and they have two children.