Children 9+
Reggie Houser Has the Power, Helen Rutter ( paperback Feb 2024)
£7.99
Reggie Houser has ADHD and struggles to make friends at school, plus his mum and teachers seem constantly weary about his erratic, high-energy ways. But when he sees a hypnotist perform on stage at the holiday park he visits, Reggie becomes obsessed with learning the skills of mind control - and he discovers he has an incredible talent for it! First of all he hypnotises the dog to think he's a frog, then makes his headmaster cluck like a chicken in assembly in front of the whole school - but then a group of mean kids supposedly take him under their wing and make him use his hypnosis talents for bad: stealing a chocolate bar from a shop and escalating to a bigger theft. Reggie must decide to use his skills for good only and come to trust his own brain to make decisions.Packed with brilliant jokes and one-liners to make kids roar with laughter A book to encourage empathy and kindness in young readers, it's funny and joyful.
Rules For Vampires , Alex Foulkes ( PB, Sept 2021)
£7.99
Straighten your cape and sharpen your claws . . . being a vampire is harder than it looks! The spookiest story you'll read this Halloween from Alex Foulkes, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie. 'A wickedly fun debut, with a wonderfully strong girl hero' Cressida Cowell, Children's Laureate
There are highs and lows to being a vampire. On one claw, you get cool powers like beastly strength and hypnotism and the ability to GRIMWALK.
On the other claw, however, vampires are bound by the Vampiric Laws: rules to protect the balance between the worlds of the Living and the Undead. And unfortunately, 11-year-old Leo has just forgotten rule number one . .
. The Rules for Vampires don't tell you what to do when you make a ghostly enemy, or accidentally restart an ancient war. But Leo and her very unusual family are more than up to the job.
Safe Harbour, Marita Conlon-McKenna ( Paperback May 2023)
£8.99
Sophie (9) and Hugh (7) are evacuated to Greystones in Ireland when their house is bombed during the London Blitz. Their mother is seriously injured and their father is away fighting in the war, so the children are sent to their grandfather in Ireland. They know very little about him, except that his letters cause trouble at home and their dad never speaks of him.How will they live with a gruff old man who probably hates them? How will they manage in a strange country where they know nobody? And, most of all, will the family ever be together again?
Skander And The Phantom Rider, AF Steadman ( paperback 1 Feb 2024)
£7.99
Don't miss this second book in the international bestselling SKANDAR series, an unmissable adventure for readers age 9 to 99 and fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Eragon. The Island shall have its revenge .
. . Skandar Smith has achieved his dream to train as a unicorn rider.
But as Skandar and his friends enter their second year at the Eyrie, a new threat arises. Immortal wild unicorns are somehow being killed, a prophecy warns of terrible danger, and elemental destruction begins to ravage the Island. Meanwhile, Skandar's sister, Kenna, longs to join him - and Skandar is determined to help her, no matter what.
As the storm gathers, can Skandar discover how to stop the Island tearing itself apart - before it's too late for them all? Get ready for more action, unforgettable characters, and mesmerizing world building.
Pacy, enthralling and epic, a gripping read.' - Louie Stowell, author of Loki and Otherland 'A dazzling feat of imagination. I loved every breathless moment of it!' - Cat Doyle, author of The Storm Keeper's Island and co-author of Twin Crowns'The best book I've ever read.' - Patrick, age 10'My book of the year.
Splash, by Charli Howard ( paperback)
£7.99
A much-needed book that will strike a chord with so many girls - and help them dare to be different." - Jacqueline Wilson
Molly is in her final year of primary school, with secret dreams of becoming an Olympic swimmer. Having always lived in the shadow of her manipulative friend, Chloe, Molly finally has the chance to compete in a regional swimming contest and define herself on her own terms. But with the pressure of fitting in, and the sudden arrival of her mysterious mum, will she give up on her dreams for a shot at popularity?A hugely exciting debut with a classic underdog story, a wonderfully relatable protagonist, and an important message of friendship, body positivity, and celebrating who you are.
"I loved the voice in this accomplished debut, which touches on important issues of bullying and body dysmorphia." - Fiona Noble, The Bookseller
Super Sunny Murder Club, Summer edition ( paperback, June 2024)
£8.99
A collection of sizzling summer-themed crime and mystery stories by thirteen of the most popular and exciting children’s book authors! Co-edited by Serena Patel, the award-winning author of the Anisha: Accidental Detective series and by Robin Stevens, author of the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series. This gorgeous summery collection brings back together thirteen bestselling, award-winning and exciting authors: Abiola Bello, Annabelle Sami, Benjamin Dean, E.L. Norry, Elle McNicoll, Dominique Valente, Maisie Chan, Nizrana Farook, Patrice Lawrence, Robin Stevens, Roopa Farooki, Serena Patel and Sharna Jackson.
With stunning illustrations by Harry Woodgate. Grab your sunnies and your magnifying glass, and join the Murder Club for more sensational short stories as they lead you on a journey of foul play and murderously magnificent mysteries! Including sun-thieves, fantastical creatures of the deep, airport mayhem, weddings gone wrong, tropical resort travesties, and a very sticky situation at a berry picking farm. This is the prefectly entertaining collection to pack in every young reader’s summer holiday bag.
Tales of the Greek Heroes, Roger Lancelyn Green (hardback Sept 22)
£14.99
Roger Lancelyn Green's classic retelling of the adventures of the Greek Heroes has been in print for over 60 years and now a stunning Puffin Clothbound edition is available for readers and collectors. Discover the mysterious and exciting legends of the gods and heroes in Ancient Greece, from the adventures of Perseus, the labours of Heracles, the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, to Odysseus and the Trojan wars.
The Asparagus Bunch, Jessica Scott-Whyte ( paperback July 2022)
£7.99
A fresh and irreverent comedy starring a cast of neurodiverse characters - guaranteed to be one of the funniest novels you'll read this year. Leon John Crothers is 4779 days old (thirteen years and one month, if you're mathematically challenged). He has been 'moved on' from six different schools and most people think he has an attitude problem.Leon doesn't care for the label, in the same way that he doesn't care for Tim Burton, supermarket trolleys, train fanatics or Bounty bars. This time, however, things may turn out differently, as help comes from where he least expects it - Dr Snot, a physician at pains to help Leon navigate 'normal' and classmates, Tanya and Lawrence, who both face their own challenges. When school bully Glen Jenkins humiliates Leon in the school canteen and almost destroys Lawrence, Leon very reluctantly agrees to the formation of a club, The Asparagus Bunch.
How Leon manages to navigate school woes and family drama - and astonishingly ends up with not one but two friends - is nothing short of a miracle, or maybe just simply down to being different. Shortlisted for the AN Post Irish Book Awards 2022 Shortlisted for the Juniper Book Awards 2023
The Battle for Perfect ( 3) Helena Duggan ( paperback 2019)
£7.99
Who is the evil genius plotting revenge in the town that used to be Perfect? Things are quiet in the town that used to be Perfect until Violet receives a strange note and she catches Tom sneaking about. When Violet and Boy follow Tom they uncover a lot more trouble brewing. Town is about to be taken over by a huge zombie army.Can Violet and Boy save themselves and their friends? It's a matter of life or death! A reissue of the highly charged finale to the bestselling series that began with A Place Called Perfect. Fans of Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman and Tim Burton will love this quirky, creepy and unforgettable adventure series.
The Body In the Blitz, Robin Stevens (paperback October 2023)
£7.99
The second thrilling and unputdownable mystery starring a new generation of the Detective Society, from the million-copy-bestselling author Robin Stevens.
March 1941. Britain is at war, and a secret agency called the Ministry of Unladylike Activity is training up children as spies - because grown-ups always underestimate them.
Enter May, Eric and Nuala: courageous, smart, and the Ministry's newest recruits. May's big sister Hazel has arranged for them to stay on a quiet street close to the Ministry, home to an unlikely collection of people thrown together by the war. And it is in the basement of the bombed-out house at the end of that street that they discover something mysterious.
Something that was not there when the Blitz wreckage was first combed through. Something that has been placed there recently. A body...
Could this be the missing Ministry spy that Daisy Wells is on a dangerous mission in France to find? Or could it be someone else - someone a resident of the street wanted silenced . . .
The Boy Who Saved A Bear, Nizrana Farook ( paperback April 2023)
£7.99
A boy and a bear meet, become friends and have the adventure of their lives! From the author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant comes another brilliant escapade. The fourth thrilling adventure set in a fictional Sri Lanka is jam-packed with peril, thieves and a terrifying bear!Nuwan works at the library, delivering books. One day, he accidentally takes away a very valuable key that's been hidden inside one of the books, and in the process thwarts the plans of some very dangerous thieves.On the run, he hides in a cave, only to discover in the middle of the night that he is sharing it with a big, hairy, terrifying bear! After some hair-raising moments, he and the bear reach an understanding and they travel on together, evading the bad guys and hoping the key will unlock the answers to the mystery so that they can stop running and return home... Cover and inside illustrations by David Dean.
The Boy Whose Wishes Came True, Helen Rutter ( pb, Feb 2022)
£6.99
Archie Crumb is having a tough time.Picked-on at school, picked last for any team; his home has been sad and quiet since Dad left and his luck feels like its run out. But things start looking up when Archie bumps his head and literally sees stars: his favourite famous football player standing in front of him, granting him nine wishes. This is INCREDIBLE! Unlimited ice cream, a whole day of eating pizza and playing on the X-Box, revenge on the bullies, becoming the star player in a televised football tournament: finally, all his dreams can come true! Will Archie wish his way to happiness? Or will he realise that magic wishes may be wonderful, but only he has the true power to change his life? Perfect for fans of Lisa Thompson, David Baddiel and Jacqueline Wilson Helen Rutter's debut novel The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh was chosen as a Waterstones Children's Book of the Month Funny, moving, inventive, uplifting children's fiction at its finest.
Praise for The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh 'Very funny, very touching, very truthful - a total delight to read.' Jacqueline Wilson 'Amazing' Noel Fielding 'This incredibly debut tugs at your heartstrings and makes you laugh out loud in equal measure. I guarantee you'll be cheering along in the final pages!' Lisa Thompson '
The Dangerous Sisters of Indigo McCloud, John Hearne ( PB 2021)
£7.99
Indigo McCloud's sister Peaches is every adult's favourite child: pretty, golden-haired, polite and charming. But the children of Blunt know better: Peaches and her sisters are a gang of bullies who will stop at nothing to get their way. This is the story of Indigo's battle to stop his sisters.
Leaping across the rooftops of Blunt, he tries to keep one step ahead of their wicked schemes -but he has to tangle with 437 hungry geese, an avalanche of toilets, curry farts, bungling policemen, vicious eels, a pig in a witch's hat, a three legged spider with a toilet brush and a dangerous villain in odd socks ...
A very clever, funny book for fans of Roald Dahl, Terry Pratchett. 9- 12 ish.
The Detective Society Presents: The Most Unladylike Puzzle Book, by Robin Stevens ( paperback Sept 2024)
£9.99
Could you be a detective? Do you love puzzles and mysteries? Do you see patterns where no one else does?In this book you can really put your problem-solving to the test as you work alongside characters from bestselling series, Murder Most Unladylike and The Ministry of Unladylike Activity. From codebreaking with Hazel, to logic and reasoning with Daisy, and problem-solving with Beanie and Kitty, test your sleuthing skills with pages of playful puzzles and riveting riddles, before using what you’ve learned to crack a brand-new case!From the imagination of award-winning author Robin Stevens, The Most Unladylike Puzzle Book features a fabulous flip-book design and over 100 puzzles to solve, making it the perfect activity book for keen detectives age 9+.
The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree, by Paola Peretti
£7.99
A simply told, bitter-sweet story, with a powerful poetic message'
Nominated for the CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2019. A novel for all ages about a young girl losing her sight, inspired by the author's own life story. For fans of Wonder, or The Little Prince. Mafalda is a nine-year-old girl who knows one thing: some time in the next six months her sight will fail completely.
Can Mafalda find a way through a seemingly dark future and still go to school, play football and look after her beloved cat? With the help of her family, and her friends, Mafalda needs to discover the things that will be important to her when her sight has failed. A moving, empowering tale of courage and determination that will inspire young and old. It's uplifting and not depressing!
The Forest Yet To Come, Sam Thompson (paperback October 2024)
£9.99
Book 3 in Sam’s Wolfstongue Saga
( Wolfstongue and The Fox’s Tower )
Faolan and Sally have no memory of their lives before they arrived at the Land ten years ago. In this self-sufficient community, good fortune comes from mysterious beings known as the shapes, and no one is to venture into the Forest; a dangerous place full of fearsome wolves. When a strange gentleman named Reynard emerges from the Forest, he quickly befriends Faolan and Sally.
But the community are both suspicious and enthralled by his storytelling. In the wake of a terrible attack, the shapes seem to abandon their people. Faolan flees into the Forest seeking the wolves that have always fascinated him, and Reynard and Sally are banished.
Their pursuit of Faolan leads them to uncover many mysteries. As they are drawn further in, the community they once knew begins to fracture. There is no keeping the Forest out any longer, and nothing will ever be the same again.
The Girl with All the Gifts, M.R. Carey ( paperback)
£9.99
Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her.
She jokes that she won't bite. But they don't laugh. Melanie is a very special girl.
Emotionally charged and gripping from beginning to end, THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS is the most powerful and affecting thriller you will read this year. 'If you only read one novel this year, make sure it's this one' Martina Cole'As fresh as it is terrifying' Joss Whedon'A great read that takes hold of you and doesn´t let go' - John Ajvide Lindqvistv
The Good Turn - Sharna Jackson ( paperback May 2022)
£7.99
Josephine Williams is a future-focused, internet-loving eleven-year-old who is desperate to explore the world beyond her cul-de-sac - and her browser. When she learns about Josephine Holloway - a woman who started the first Girl Scout Troop for Black girls in America - she's certain she must start her own.Enlisting her friends Margot Anderson and Wesley Evans, the trio begin their quest for their Camping Badge. Drawn to an abandoned factory nearby, they stumble across something strange. A square, ancient television and two tatty armchairs.
Beside it, a wooden sideboard with an old photograph of a young, happy couple. What is this? Who, or what, lives here - and why? 'An intriguing mystery adventure . .
The Horse Who Came Home, Olivia Tuffin ( paperback June 2023)
£7.99
Heartbreak, betrayal, and a breathtakingly daring rescue: Olivia Tuffin's fresh and thrilling novel about a girl's fight for justice at her family's stables will have 9+ readers gripped. Hannah's dad, a former Olympic show jumper, runs a highly respected stables where they buy, train and sell ponies on for huge sums of money. The whole family helps, especially Hannah's older sister, Millie - a social media star on the rise.But when Hannah rescues Bella, a beautiful Connemara pony, and begins to piece together her tragic history, she discovers that not everything at Heartwood stables is as perfect as it seems. Love of ponies, or loyalty to family? Now that Hannah knows the truth, she faces an impossible choice.
The Letter With the Golden Stamp, Onjali Rauf ( paperback April 2024)
£7.99
'I can't remember how old I was when I first started collecting stamps. But I've got a whole shoebox full of them now. Mam used to help me collect them ...Before she got so ill that she lost her job, her friends...everything. Now it's my job to take care of her and protect her - and my little brother and sister too. But to do that, I have to make Mam a Secret.
A secret no-one can ever find out about. Not even my best friends at school, or Mo, our postman. Or the stranger living in the house across the street.
Deep in the heart of Swansea, Wales, lives a small girl with some big secrets to keep. Secrets that make her one of the best actresses on the planet - because no-one would ever think that, away from school, Audrey is the sole carer for her increasingly sick mam and her two younger siblings ...
With her worlds threatened by the arrival of a mysterious, invisible neighbour, behind whose closed curtains and shut front door may lie a spy, Audrey must take matters into her own hands to save her family. Inspired by her beloved collection of stamps, her friendly neighbourhood postman (and fellow stamp collector), and her two best friends, off Audrey must go: on an adventure that will lead her to places - and hearts - she never knew existed.
The Light in Everything, Katya Balen ( paperback Jan 2023)
£7.99
From the author of October, October, winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal 2022, comes a life-affirming story about blended families and learning to find room in your heart for new life and new love. Tom is still quiet and timid, even though his dad has been gone for nearly two years now.Zofia has a raging storm that makes her want to fight the whole world until she gets what she wants. And what she wants is for scaredy-cat Tom to get out of her life. Tom hates loud, unpredictable Zofia just as much, but he's moving into Zofia's house.
Because his mum and Zofia's dad are in love ... and they're having a baby. Tom and Zofia both wish the stupid baby had never happened.
But then Tom's mum gets ill, and it begins to look horribly like their wish might come true ... A story of learning to trust, trying to let go and diving into the unknown with hope in your heart.
The Light Thieves, Helena Duggan
£7.99
Clever, quirky and hugely imaginative, discover the eagerly anticipated new eco-adventure series from the bestselling author of A Place Called Perfect. Who would you trust to save the world...a boy or a billionaire?The earth has shifted on its axis and a mysterious dark mark has appeared on the sun - the whole world is in peril! But billionaire tech genius Howard Hansom has a plan... When Grian's sister goes missing he's convinced she has run off to Hansom's new city to help save the world.But when Grian and his two friends Jeffrey and Shelli track her there they find that nothing is quite as it seems. Why is everything so secret? Where is the mysterious Area 13? What does Howard Hansom want with all the people he has enticed to live in his city?The days are getting darker but what's really happening to the sun?
The Lost Girl King, Catherine Doyle ( paperback Sept 22)
£7.99
** shortlisted for An Post Childrens Book of the Year in Ireland 2022 **
The Lost Girl King echoes Lord of the Rings and Narnia, whilst being original and fresh. It's sure to become a classic of its own' - Aisha Bushby, author of A Pocketful of Stars'A glorious gulp of a summer adventure' - Piers Torday, author of The Lost Wild'Nobody writes peril, wit and wonder as well as Catherine Doyle ... a modern Diana Wynne Jones' - Dave Rudden, author of Irish Children's Book of the Year, Knights of the Borrowed Dark**********From the author of the bestselling Storm Keeper trilogy comes a new, spellbinding adventure...
Amy and Liam Bell have been packed off to stay at Gran's house in the wilds of Connemara for the summer. Out for a walk on the first morning of their holiday, they trace the flight of a hawk to a nearby waterfall - only to watch the bird disappear through it. Intrigued, the children follow and soon realise they've discovered the entrance to Tir na nOg, the legendary land of eternal youth.
But they've been tricked. Almost immediately Liam is captured by a troop of headless horsemen who take him to Tarlock, the ruling sorcerer of Tir na nOg, who is seeking the bones of a human child for a sinister new spell. Packed with edge-of-your seat adventure, incredible imagination, humour and warmth, The Lost Girl King is the rare kind of story that has you reading long past lights out.
The Mega Complicated Crushes of Lottie Brooks, Katie Kirby ( paperback August 2022)
£7.99
Lottie Brooks is BACK for more extremely embarrassing adventures as she goes on holiday and gets her very first boyfriend! THINGS THAT ARE RUBBISH IN MY LIFE:* Have the most disgusting little brother in the entire world* Have to get braces when am on the brink of having my first kiss* Mum is making cottage pie for dinner. VOM. Finally summer has arrived and Lottie has BIG plans - scrolling through Instagram, dreaming about MEGA-crush Daniel and sunbathing by the pool on their family holiday to France.Then Lottie meets new CRUSH Antoine. The language is a tiny bit of a barrier but does it matter when he's THAT good looking?Readers LOVE Lottie Brooks:My daughter couldn't put it down and read it in 2 days. Read at breakfast, walking downstairs, tea time, in the bath.
My 9-year-old daughter devoured it in two nights, and all I could hear from her was giggling and the occasional "Mum! Listen to this! This is SO me!". My 12 year old reluctant reader took this book, read 100 pages in one night and proclaimed it 'the best book ever 'Katie has managed to capture the essence of what this group think and feel in a positive, life-affirming fashion.
The Monkey From The Future, Ross Welford ( paperback March 2023)
£7.99
The hilarious, moving and adventure-packed new novel for readers of 9 and up from Ross Welford, the bestselling and Costa-shortlisted author of Time Travelling with a Hamster The year is 2425. Centuries after a catastrophic meteor collision, nature has retaken the earth. In a small town in what was once England, young Ocean Mooney and the monkey-owning Duke Smiff have just dug up a 400 year-old tablet computer.Meanwhile, in the present day, Thomas Reeve and his genius cousin Kylie create the Time Tablet - a device which they hope will allow them to communicate with the future. But when the Time Tablet malfunctions live on television, Thomas and Kylie are sucked into the year 2425 - and have only 24 hours to return home, and save the future of humanity...
The Monkey Who Fell From the Future, Ross Welford ( paperback Feb 2023)
£7.99
The latest hilarious, moving and adventure-packed new novel for readers of 9 and up from Ross Welford.
The year is 2425. Centuries after a catastrophic meteor collision, nature has retaken the earth. In a small town in what was once England, young Ocean Mooney and the monkey-owning Duke Smiff have just dug up a 400 year-old tablet computer.
Meanwhile, in the present day, Thomas Reeve and his genius cousin Kylie create the Time Tablet - a device which they hope will allow them to communicate with the future. But when the Time Tablet malfunctions live on television, Thomas and Kylie are sucked into the year 2425 - and have only 24 hours to return home, and save the future of humanity...
The Night Animals, SarahAnn Juckes ( paperback Jan 2023)
£7.99
Uncover the ghost animals within in this moving and uplifting story about finding help where you need it, from the highly acclaimed author and illustrator of The Hunt for the Nightingale. Nora's mum has good days and bad days, but the bad days are getting worse. It's been just the two of them for always, and they don't need anyone else.When the rainbow-shimmering ghost animals Nora used to see when she was small start to reappear, she's convinced that they hold all the answers. Along with new friend Kwame, Nora follows a glittering ghostly fox, hare, raven and otter on the adventure of a lifetime, helping her to find the strength she needs to help her family. In a heartbreaking and hopeful narrative, Sarah Ann Juckes' stunning novel, illustrated by the award-winning Sharon King-Chai sees a brave young girl face down her ghosts.
For fans of The Last Bear and Julia and the Shark. Praise for Hunt for the Nightingale 'Full of hope, beauty & ultimately a healing song to nature' Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear
The Perfect Parent Project, Stewart Foster ( pb Jan 2021)
£7.99
From the award-winning author of THE BUBBLE BOY comes a heart-warming and unforgettable story that follows one boy's search for the perfect family, with surprising and unexpected results. Perfect for fans of Onjali Q. Rauf and Lisa Thompson.'Friendship, laughter, suspense and more!' - Ross Welford, author of TIME TRAVELLING WITH A HAMSTER and THE 1000-YEAR-OLD BOY THINGS MY PERFECT PARENTS MUST HAVE: 1. A mega mansion like the ones footballers live in 2. A garage wall with a basketball hoop 3.
No gerbils 4. Holidays to Disneyland All Sam wants is a family of his own, a home instead of a 'house' and parents he knows will still be there when he wakes up. Because Sam has been in and out of foster care his whole life and he can't imagine ever feeling like he truly belongs.
Then his best friend Leah suggests that rather than wait for a family to come to him, he should go out and find one. So begins The Perfect Parent Project ... But Sam may just discover that family has a funny way of finding you.
The Philosophy Resistance Squad, Robert Grant ( paperback 2021)
£7.99
Milo (He's about 11) is thrilled to be starting at the country's fanciest, shiniest, most prestigious school. But it soon becomes clear that something sinister is going on. The headmaster, Dr Pummelcrush, is bent on brainwashing the students and turning them into mindless, unthinking human robots.
When Milo stumbles across a bright and colourful secret garden and meets its joyous gardener, he and his friends begin to open their minds to a whole new way of thinking: philosophy. Can the Philosophy Resistance Squad use their new questioning skills to resist Pummelcrush's evil project and save their classmates from being zombified?
An exciting and witty, dystopian story - if you like this you'll enjoy The Hunger Games, Terry Pratchett and Philip Reeve when you're a little older!
The Rescue of Ravenwood, Natasha Farrant ( paperback March 2023)
£7.99
From the Costa Award winning author of Voyage of the Sparrowhawk comes an epic adventure with a call to arms: we must fight to save the most treasured things on our planet. On the top of the hill, overlooking the sea, that's where you'll find a magical place . .. To Bea and Raffy, Ravenwood is home. In its own way, the house rescued them, even if it did have a fallen-down tree taking up most of the kitchen.
So the idea that it could be sold. Demolished even. Well, that's unthinkable.
Then again, it's not like the children get a choice. But the truth is, we can all make our own choices, especially if we care enough . .
. A beautiful, soulful, exciting story about holding onto what's precious, and guarding the extraordinary nature that surrounds us.
The Skylark’s War, by Hilary McKay ( paperback, 2018)
£7.99
Winner of the Costa Book Award 2018 - Children's category.
The Skylarks' War is a beautiful story following the loves and losses of a family growing up against the harsh backdrop of World War One, from the award-winning Hilary McKay. Clarry and her older brother Peter live for their summers in Cornwall, staying with their grandparents and running free with their charismatic cousin, Rupert. But as they grow older, and the War encroaches ever more on their lives, how will Clarry cope?
I loved this book, it's warm, funny and touching - suits everyone from 8 to 80 I think!
The Space We're In, Katya Balen (paperback 2020)
£7.99
Frank is ten. He likes cottage pie and football and cracking codes.
Max is five. He eats only Quavers and some colours are too bright for him and if he has to wear a new T-shirt he melts down down down. Sometimes Frank wishes Mum could still do huge paintings of stars and asteroids like she used to, but since Max was born she just doesn't have time. When tragedy hits Frank and Max's lives like a comet, can Frank piece together a universe in which he and Max aren't light years apart?
If you liked Wonder, or Marley and Me, this debut author will move and inspire you.
The Stolen Lives, Sharada Keats ( paperback April 2024)
£8.99
Filled with suspense and romance, ideal for fans of Noughts & Crosses, The Hunger Games and Shatter Me. Six years ago, seventeen-year-old Mora survived the terrifying Skøl invasion.They stole her land. They took her family. And now not even her life is her own.
Skøl culture revolves around one motto: Life is Golden. You must pay the government for the right to survive. If you can't, you're cast out at best - at worst, culled.
Records of every citizen are held at the hallowed, highly secured Life Registry, which tracks who lives and who dies, who pays and who fails. Colonized survivors like Mora face endless servitude, repaying the 'debt' of their years lived before the invasion. Mora is resigned to her fate, finding glimmers of joy in her tentative friendship with another repayer, the handsome, elusive Kit.
But then she finds out that twelve-year-old Zako, the closest thing she has to a brother, is to be put to death by the dangerous new Skøl Governor. Finding the courage to fight back, Mora and Kit conspire to smuggle Zako to safety. But their plan draws them into a dark mystery - and to a heart-pounding mission at the Life Registry itself.
They must ultimately ask themselves: what are we worth to each other? Gripping, moving and suspenseful storytelling with a friends-to-lovers romance that crackles with tension. A girl driven by unthinkable grief. A boy targeted for his unimaginable ability.
A compelling story exploring the power of hope, courage and connection from a stunning new voice in YA.
The Storm Keeper’s Battle, Catherine Doyle ( pb, Mar 2021)
£7.99
book 3 in the trilogy:
Fionn Boyle, Storm Keeper of Arranmore, is facing the fight of his life. The terrifying all- powerful sorceress Morrigan has been raised from the dead and has sealed off the island from all help. Fionn is the only thing that stands between her and a dark future.
He's got to find a way to defeat her. But there are some terrible choices in store for Fionn as the dark sorcerer begins to take his nearest and dearest for her own. With only two candles left to burn, will Fionn master his powers in time to stop her?
The Storm Swimmer , Clare Weze ( paperback Jan 2023)
£7.99
Summer was supposed to be Ginika's time for fun, friends and fairs. But instead she's been sent to live at the dead-end seaside boarding house her grandparents run.Even though her parents say it's just for a little while, she can't help feeling abandoned and heartbroken to be missing out on everything she loves back home. And then she meets Peri. He leaps and dives through the water like a dolphin and he talks like a burst of bubbles.
He's not exactly a mermaid, but he's definitely something Ginika's never seen before. His family is far away too, but unlike Ginika, he loves his independence. As Ginika shows Peri her world, she starts to feel free as well.
They don't need anyone else when they've got each other. But then the lights and noise of the human world start to change Peri. And when things spin out of control, Ginika must be the bravest she's ever been to face her fears and make the hardest decision of her life.
Join Ginika and Peri as they dive beneath the waves and walk the lands that will take them into each other's worlds on an adventure they will never forget and a life-changing friendship.
The Swallows' Flight, Hilary McKay ( paperback April 2022)
£7.99
From the Costa Award-winning author Hilary McKay, comes a moving World War II story of family and friendship on opposite sides of a devastating conflict. The Swallows' Flight is the stunning companion novel to The Skylarks' War. 'It's not necessary to have read The Skylarks' War (though many beloved characters make reappearances) to be instantly and joyfully lost in this evocative, moving novel, showing McKay at the very top of her game.' - Imogen Russell-Williams, The Guardian' Funny, poignant, wise and emotional.Full of achingly real characters (and also an excellent dog) . . . I absolutely love Hilary McKay's writing.
The Swallows’ Flight, Hilary McKay (paperback March 2022)
£7.99
From the Costa Award-winning author Hilary McKay, comes a moving WWII story of family and friendship on opposite sides of a devastating conflict. The Swallows' Flight is the stunning companion novel to The Skylarks' War. Erik and Hans are German boys.
Ruby and Kate are English girls. They grow up in worlds that would never meet, until war tumbles their lives together. Then one September afternoon there are choices to be made.
How is courage lost, and found? Who is really the enemy?And what does friendship truly mean, in the middle of a war? Meanwhile Rupert and Clarry work secretly for peace - and a brighter future for them all . . .
These are wonderfully written, with wit and warmth - if you enjoy family dramas these are brilliant books - Linda
The Swallow’s Flight, Hilary McKay ( hardback May 2021)
£12.99
Separately and together, The Skylarks' War and The Swallows' Flight are pinnacles of children's literature.' Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times Book of the Week'
Funny, poignant, wise and emotional. Full of achingly real characters (and also an excellent dog).....I eked out the final pages, not wanting it to end.' Fiona Noble, The BooksellerFrom the Costa Award-winning author Hilary McKay, comes a moving WWII story of family and friendship on opposite sides of a devastating conflict. The Swallows' Flight is the stunning companion novel to The Skylarks' War. Erik and Hans are German boys.
Ruby and Kate are English girls. They grow up in worlds that would never meet, until war tumbles their lives together. Then one September afternoon there are choices to be made.
How is courage lost, and found? Who is really the enemy? And what does friendship truly mean, in the middle of a war? Meanwhile Rupert and Clarry work secretly for peace - and a brighter future for them all . . .
The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues by Beth Lincoln ( paperback April 2025)
£8.99
When the famous criminal gang Ouvolpo target Swift House and swap a valuable painting for an exploding inflatable bird, Shenanigan sets off in pursuit, determined to make them pay.
The trail leads to Paris, home of her eccentric French cousins, the Martinets. The two sides of the Family have been squabbling for centuries, but when a body is discovered at the scene of Ouvolpo's latest robbery, the quarrelsome cousins must join forces to solve the mystery. Did Ouvolpo kill hotel caretaker Bernard? Why is Uncle Maelstrom wearing an earring again? And what does it all have to do with a disappearing clown. Can Shenanigan uncover the answers and set right a century-old injustice?
Book 2 in the gleeful gothic mystery The Swifts.
The Tall Man, Mary Cathleen Brown ( paperback, August 2024)
£8.99
The village is alive with rumours about the Tall Man and Tom lives in his house. Tom hears a boy in the cellar offering a 'special' acorn to a rat, Captain Rat, whom he begs to find the key to his leg-iron. The cellar is empty but Tom knows that the boy is real and he's convinced that he is trapped in a brutal past and the Tall's Man's prisoner.
Each time Tom tries to help the boy, the Tall Man's ghostly presence intensifies. Who is the boy in the cellar and can they escape Tall Man?
