Recommended Reads for Year 4

Classics

How to Train Your Dragon

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is a smallish Viking with a longish name. Hiccup's father is chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe which means Hiccup is the Hope and the Heir to the Hairy Hooligan throne - but most of the time Hiccup feels like a very ordinary boy, finding it hard to be a Hero. In the first How to Train Your Dragon book Hiccup must lead ten novices in their initiation into the Hairy Hooligan Tribe.

They have to train their dragons or be BANISHED from the tribe FOR EVER!But what if Hiccup's dragon resembles an ickle brown bunny with wings? And has NO TEETH? The Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus is stirring and wants to devour every Viking on the Isle of Berk . . .

Can Hiccup save the tribe - and become a Hero?

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory

Greetings to you, the lucky finder of this Gold Ticket from Mr Willy Wonka! Tremendous things are in store for you! Charlie Bucket's life is about to change forever, thanks to one miraculous moment! Willy Wonka, chocolate maker extraordinaire, has hidden five golden tickets in five ordinary bars of chocolate, and any child who finds one will get the chance to visit his incredible factory. And Charlie has found one…

The Queen’s Nose

Harmony's uncle sends her on a treasure trail - which disappointingly ends in her finding a 50p piece. But the coin is a magic one, and when you rub the queen's nose, your wishes will come true!

The Demon Headmaster

When Dinah is fostered by the Hunters she thinks her biggest problem will be fitting in with her foster-brothers, Lloyd and Harvey. However, once she starts at her new school it's clear that there's more to worry about. All the children, apart from a handful including Lloyd and Harvey, are too well-behaved - robotic almost - and oddly keen to please the creepy headmaster.

The three children set out to discover the nature of his influence over everyone… but then Dinah finds herself saying and doing things she has no power over. Soon they uncover the headmaster's wicked plan. Controlling the school is just a practice run. He has set his sights on dominating the entire nation! The children must foil him before he succeeds… but with Dinah under his spell they've got a challenge on their hands.

Stig of the Dump

he Thing sitting in the corner seemed to be interested. It got up and moved towards Barney, into the light. Barney was glad to see it was Somebody after all. Funny way to dress though, he thought, rabbit-skins round the middle and no shoes or socks. Barney spends a lot of time by himself, and often goes wandering off alone.

One day he is exploring by the edge of an old chalk-pit, when it gives way. Finding himself in some sort of cave, Barney is astonished to discover a 'somebody' living there: somebody with a lot of shaggy hair and two bright black eyes, wearing a rabbit skin and speaking in grunts. Barney names him Stig, and the two quickly become best friends. Of course nobody believes Barney when he tells his family all about Stig. But Barney doesn't care. He and Stig are far too busy having a brilliant series of unforgettable adventures.

Fantasy

The Land of Roar

Believing is just the beginning … When Arthur and Rose were little, they were heroes in the Land of Roar, an imaginary world that they found by climbing through the folding bed in their grandad’s attic. Roar was filled with things they loved – dragons, mermaids, ninja wizards and adventure – as well as things that scared them (including a very creepy scarecrow…) Now the twins are eleven, Roar is just a memory. But when they help Grandad clean out the attic, Arthur is horrified as Grandad is pulled into the folding bed and vanishes.

Is he playing a joke? Or is Roar … real?

Willow Moss and the Lost Day

Willow Moss, the youngest and least powerful sister in a family of witches, has a magical ability for finding lost things – like keys, or socks, or spectacles. Useful, but not exactly exciting… Then the most powerful witch in the world of Starfell turns up at Willow’s door and asks for her help. A whole day – last Tuesday to be precise – has gone missing. Completely.

And without it the whole universe could unravel. Now Willow holds the fate of Starfell in her rather unremarkable hands… Can she save the day – by finding the lost one?

The Wizards of Once

This is the story of a young boy Wizard and a young girl Warrior who have been taught since birth to hate each other like poison; and the thrilling tale of what happens when their two worlds collide. Perfect for boys and girls who love fantasy adventure...

Once there was Magic, and the Magic lived in the dark forests. Until the Warriors came... Xar is a Wizard boy who has no Magic, and will do anything to get it.

Wish is a Warrior girl, but she owns a banned Magical Object, and she will do anything to conceal it. In this whirlwind adventure, Xar and Wish must forget their differences if they're going to make it to the dungeons at Warrior Fort. Where something that has been sleeping for hundreds of years is stirring...

Race to Imagination Island

Observers! Dreamers! Inventors! Explorers! The time has come to crown four new Protectors of Imagination Island. Do YOU have what it takes to win the Race? Mario Kart meets The 13 Storey Treehouse in this thrilling new series from the author of The Christmas Carrolls. The time has come for four children to be named the new Protectors of Imagination Island.

Children all over the world scour the globe in search of lightstreams (portals) to the magical island where anything they imagine comes to life. To become a Protector, they must compete in teams and complete a series of challenges to prove they have what it takes. Dreamy 10-year-old Luca is afraid of everything, not least the lightstream he stumbles into by accident.

Imagination Island is everything that he’s terrified of. But there’s no way out. So he hits on a plan. Work out how to come LAST, and get sent home. That’s what he really wants. Isn’t it? The Race is ON!

Alex Vs Axel The Impossible Quests

Alex is a normal, everyday kid, living in a normal, everyday city. Axel is a monster-slaying hero, living in a world of magic.

Unfortunately, when the two boys mysteriously swap places, each of them ends up being mistaken for the other. With zero experience of heroism, Alex is thrust into an epic quest to defeat the evil Felonius Gloam, who has stolen the Book of Lifetales and is using it to unravel the very fabric of the world of Aërth. Meanwhile, Axel is faced with double maths, a gran who's six months behind on the rent, and a crucial chess tournament he's got to win – when he doesn't even know how to play.

Can the two boys complete their Impossible Quests and find a way back to their own lives, or will they both discover they don't have a life to come back to…

Adventure

The Creakers

Lucy wakes up one morning to discover something very strange indeed. All the grown-ups in her town have disappeared.

All the other kids in Whiffington are so excited! No more grown-ups means no more school! No more bedtime! No more rules!But Lucy wants her mum back - and nothing is going to stop her. So - along with her friends Norman and Ella - Lucy sets off on an unbelievable adventure into a topsy-turvy, back-to-front and inside-out new world… The world underneath her bed. The world of… The Creakers!

The Beast Beyond the Fence

There's something fishy going on at school… When twelve-year-old Marcus kicks his favourite football over the school fence, he knows he's never getting it back.

Nothing that goes over that wall ever comes back. But when Marcus gets a mysterious note inviting him to join the Breakfast Club Investigators, he is soon pulled into an exciting adventure with his new mates Stacey, Lise and Asim to find out what is lurking on the other side of the fence – and get his football back!

Peanut Jones & the Illustrated City

Some legends are born, some are drawn… Drawing feels like magic to Peanut Jones.

But art can't fix her problems. Her dad has gone missing, and she's stuck in a boring new school. Until the day she finds a unique pencil turbo-charged with special powers. Suddenly she's pulled into a world packed with more colour, creativity, excitement and danger than she could ever have imagined. And maybe, just maybe, she might find out what happened to her dad.

Frostheart

Way out in the furthest part of the known world, a tiny stronghold exists all on its own, cut off from the rest of human-kin by monsters that lurk beneath the Snow Sea. There, a boy called Ash waits for the return of his parents, singing a forbidden lullaby to remind him of them … and doing his best to avoid his very, VERY grumpy yeti guardian, Tobu.

But life is about to get a whole lot more crazy-adventurous for Ash. When a rescue attempt reveals he has amazing magical powers, he's whisked aboard the Frostheart, a sleigh packed full of daring explorers who could use his help. But can they help him find his family…?

The Beast & the Bethany

Ebenezer Tweezer is a youthful 511-year-old. He keeps a beast in the attic of his mansion, who he feeds all manner of things (including performing monkeys, his pet cat and the occasional cactus) and in return the beast vomits out presents for Ebenezer, as well as potions which keep him young and beautiful.

But the beast grows ever greedier, and soon only a nice, juicy child will do. So when Ebenezer encounters orphan Bethany, it seems like (everlasting) life will go on as normal. But Bethany is not your average orphan …

Mystery

Anisha, Accidental Detective

HELP! My super-dramatic Aunty Bindi is getting married tomorrow and she's having a mega meltdown. But sssh! I've just found a ransom note, pushed through the letter box, saying Uncle Tony, Bindi's husband-to-be, has been kidnapped, and will only be freed if the wedding is cancelled! I have to keep this a secret otherwise it'll be panic-central...

I guess it's up to me - Anisha, ACCIDENTAL DETECTIVE, to save the day.

The Highland Falcon Thief

First stop is The Highland Falcon Thief, a breathless train journey full of deceptions, puzzles and clues to solve. Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat are enjoying the final journey of the Highland Falcon, Britain's most famous steam train. But when a precious jewel goes missing, Harrison and his new friend Lenny find themselves at the centre of the investigation.

Can they solve the mystery and catch the culprit before they reach the end of the line?Hear whispers in the dining car, find notes in the library and unknown passengers among the luggage, as you help Harrison solve the mystery aboard one of the world's grandest trains.

The Wonder Brothers

It's… SHOW TIME!Drum roll please for Nathan (that's me) and Middy (that's her). We are… The Wonder Brothers!Cousins Middy and Nathan love magic, the on-stage, cape-swirling, bunny-out-of-a-hat kind.

So, when the famous Blackpool Tower dramatically vanishes the night of the Big Switch-On, showman Nathan announces live on TV that they will magic it back home. With a stick of rock, a spangly cape, and a bit of misdirection, they end up lost in Las Vegas, home to the grand master of illusion, and magic legend, Perplexion. But, with a great illusionist, comes great mystery – and , in Las Vegas, nothing is as it seems.

Tamarind & the Star of Ishta

Tamarind never knew her Indian mum, who died soon after she was born.

So when she arrives at her ancestral home, a huge mansion in the Himalayas surrounded by luxuriant gardens, she's full of questions for her extended family. But instead of answers, she finds an ominous silence – and a trickle of intriguing clues: an abandoned hut, a friendly monkey, a glowing star ring, and a strange girl in the garden who calls herself Ishta. Slowly, Tamarind unravels a mystery at the heart of who she is...

Vi Spy

Divorce is tough for any kid. But when – like Vi's parents – your mum is ex-secret service and your dad is a retired bad guy, 'till death do us part' takes on a whole new meaning.

And with her parents' focus on each other, the real super-villains are having a field day. To save her family – and the world – from evil domination, Vi must turn spy…

Funny

Grimwood

Fox cub siblings Ted and Nancy are on the run from Princess Buttons, the scariest street cat in the Big City. They flee for Grimwood, expecting to find refuge in the peaceful countryside.

Instead, they are met with thieving eagles, dramatic ducks, riotous rabbits and a whole host of unusual characters. Grimwood is… weird. But when Princess Buttons tracks them down, Nancy and Ted and the animals of Grimwood must unite in a mind-bending race against time .

Planet Omar Accidental Trouble Magnet

Welcome, readers, to the imaginative brain of Omar! You might not know me yet, but once you open the pages of this book you'll laugh so hard that snot will come out of your nose (plus you might meet a dragon and a zombie - what more could you want?). My parents decided it would be a good idea to move house AND move me to a new school at the same time. As if I didn't have a hard enough time staying out of trouble at home, now I've also got to try and make new friends.

What's worse, the class bully seems to think I'm the perfect target. At least Eid's around the corner which means a feast (YAY) and presents (DOUBLE YAY). Well, as long as I can stay in Mum and Dad's good books long enough...

How to Survive Without Grown Ups

Mum and Dad have left – gone to Mars, and they’re never coming back… FREEDOM AT LAST! But this isn’t one of Dad’s weird jokes; it’s REAL. It’s up to ten-year-old Eliza and her genius little brother, Johnnie, to find out what’s going on, and launch a rescue…

Can they handle vampire squids, a suspicious villain, a secret island full of traps and a trip into space? And – more importantly – will they ever get their parents back?

The Day My School Got Famous

Since Ferris Foster’s dog got famous, life has taken another surprising turn:1. Ferris’s new foster brother, Nile, has arrived with a BANG, causing mischief wherever he goes!2. An unexploded Second World War bomb has been discovered under Ferris's school, causing it to CLOSE DOWN!.

Ferris is still a cartooning genius, but between temporary homeschooling and Nile’s noisy science experiments, it's practically impossible to draw anything!When the headteacher sets the school a design challenge, Ferris realizes he MUST find a way to work with Nile. But can the boys put their differences aside in order to win the once-in-a-lifetime prize? Or will this partnership have EXPLOSIVE consequences?!

You and Me and the Land of Lost Things

What are you waiting for? Come on in!Remember the time we flew to the moon without a rocket? And the time we went to the bottom of the ocean and fought a high-voltage octopus? And how about the time we got lost in the Land of Lost Things? That was one of our most exciting adventures yet! It all started like this…

Historical Fiction

The Roman Invasion

Twins, Scarlett and Thomas, are learning about the Romans at school. So Grandad uses his time machine to send them back to Roman Britain. Scarlett finds herself in a Roman camp and is chosen as a slave by the Emperor Claudius’s daughter, Antonia.

The two become friends and Scarlett sees first hand the glamour and treachery of the Roman court. Thomas joins a rabble of local kids who hate the Romans. Their leader is a small red-headed girl called Boudicca. Even when the kids are overwhelmed and taken as slaves, Bou hatches another plan to attack the Romans. Will the twins find each other and escape, or will they both be stuck as Roman slaves for ever?

Secrets of a Sun King

London, 1922. A discovery from ancient Egypt… A cursed package… The untold story of a young pharaoh…

When Lilian Kaye finds a parcel on her grandad's doorstep, she is shocked to see who sent it: a famous Egyptologist, found dead that very morning, according to every newspaper in England! The mysterious package holds the key to a story about a king whose tomb archaeologists are desperately hunting for. Lil and her friends must embark on an incredible journey - to return the package to its resting place, to protect those they love, and to break the deadly pharaoh's curse .

The Fire Cats of London

Young wildcats, Asta and Ash, find themselves captured and taken from their home in the forest to an apothecary's shop in the heart of London in the summer of 1666, when fear and superstition are rife.

Asta's determination to escape London and return to the wild takes her on a perilous race against time to foil a dangerous plot that threatens the city and her brother, Ash, as the flames take hold. Asta and Ash will take you on an inspiring journey around London during the most infamous fire in British history.

Loki A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good

Wry, witty and very funny diary-style story packed with doodles and comic strips about the frustration trickster god Loki feels at having to live trapped in the body of a weedy eleven-year-old boy. After one trick too many, Loki is banished to live on Earth as a "normal" school boy. Forbidden from using his AWESOME godly powers, Loki must show moral improvement.

As he records his lies THE TRUTH in his magical (judgemental) diary, it becomes clear Loki hasn’t a clue how to tell good from evil, trust from tricks, or friends from enemies.

The Wild Way Home

When Charlie’s longed-for brother is born with a serious heart condition, Charlie’s world is turned upside down. Upset and afraid, Charlie flees the hospital and makes for the ancient forest on the edge of town. There Charlie finds a boy floating face-down in the stream, injured, but alive.

But when Charlie sets off back to the hospital to fetch help, it seems the forest has changed. It’s become a place as strange and wild as the boy dressed in deerskins. For Charlie has unwittingly fled into the Stone Age, with no way to help the boy or return to the present day.

Or is there?

Our World

The Girl Who Lost a Leopard

Selvi is a wild child who loves climbing in the beautiful mountains behind her home. She is often joined by Lokka, a leopard with a beautiful coat and huge golden eyes.

When hunters come for Lokka, Selvi is determined to fight. But what can she do against such powerful enemies? Turn to her friends, of course! Now they just need the perfect plan...

Kensuke’s Kingdom

I heard the wind above me in the sails. I remember thinking, this is silly, you haven’t got your safety harness on, you haven’t got your lifejacket on. You shouldn’t be doing this … I was in the cold of the sea before I could even open my mouth to scream.’ Washed up on an island in the Pacific, Michael struggles to survive on his own. With no food and no water, he curls up and closes his eyes ready for the end.

When he wakes, there is a plate beside him of fish, of fruit, and a bowl of fresh water. He is not alone …

Agent Asha Mission Shark Bytes

Joshi has the perfect excuse not to finish her homework. She's just been recruited to join the top-secret Children's Spy Agency. Her first mission: SAVE THE WORLD.

Can she do it? Asha's a coder so she should be able to hack into the biggest tech company in the world, fight deadly sharks and figure out why the Internet has stopped working. All before bedtime. Easy, right?

The Biggest Footprint

Meet the mega human: colossal, clueless … and the biggest hope for life on earthThere are eight billion of us humans. All breathing, eating, fidgeting and thinking deep thoughts. It's an unimaginably large number.

Or is it? The mega human is the result of smooshing all the people in the world together into one spectacular giant (don't try this at home). Even though the mega human is not the smartest of creatures, it is slowly beginning to understand the problems it has created for Planet Earth's future… and how it might be able to fix them.

Making use of brain-bending stats and smoosh theory, The Biggest Footprint is a journey of self-discovery suitable for anyone and everyone identifying as human.

Kay’s Incredible Inventions

Do you ever wonder where the stuff around you all came from? No, not from eBay. I mean, who had the amazing idea of making a mobile phone or the annoying idea of building a school? For example, did you know that Velcro was invented by a dog and WiFi by a movie star? (Spoiler alert - it wasn’t Zendaya.)In the fourth laugh-out-loud book from Adam Kay and Henry Paker, you’ll learn all about the coolest, grossest and most ridiculous inventions in the world. You’ll meet the queen who used the first ever toilet, learn why margarine used to be full of maggots and find out why Ancient Greeks wiped their bums on dinner plates.

Oh, and hopefully some slightly more useful facts as well…An A to Kay to Z of the random, ridiculous and revolutionary inventions that changed our lives. (And some that definitely didn't…)

Sports

Fantastically Great Women Sports Stars and their Stories

Travel to Greece and watch Cynisca, a Spartan princess, become the first ever woman to win at the ancient Olympic Games. Or touch the heavens with Junko Tabei as she carves her path through history and mountain ranges with little applause but a lot of bravery. In this book Kate Pankhurst, descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst, tells the fascinating stories of some of history's most talented female sports stars.

From football superstars to trailblazing Olympians, women throughout history have fought for the right to take part, win or lose, in sports across the globe. Whether they were making impassioned pleas for support on the football pitch, or working behind the scenes to set up rival games when the Olympics said ‘NO’, these women are all sporting heroes. Including diary entries, postcard messages, maps and more, Fantastically Great Women Sports Stars and Their Stories is a celebration of just some of the women whose tenacity and skill have made a mark on the world.

Football Academy: Boys United

Jake loves football and dreams of becoming a professional footballer. He's worried about his height though - what if he's too small for football? But on the day of his trial Jake is quick on the ball and scores - he's made it! Jake can't wait to pull on his shirt and join the team. But someone at the club wants to make his life difficult.

Can Jake face up to the bullies and become man of the match again?

The Wonder Team and the Forgotten Footballers

!It's time to kick off a new adventure!Loosely based on one of Leah Williamson's big inspirations, the Dick Kerr Ladies and their brave protest against the ban on women's football, The Wonder Team and the Forgotten Footballers is a fun adventure that comes from the heart. When Leah discovers a mysterious time capsule with her two best friends, she opens up a whole new world of adventure! Transported a hundred years back in time, Leah, George and Mimi make an unexpected discovery – women’s football has been banned!Along with their new friend Dot, Leah and the team must work together to make sure the all-important Championship Cup final still goes ahead.

But with a mysterious figure working hard to ruin the team’s chances, Leah is in a race against time to put the clues together and catch the culprit before it’s too late!

Gold Medal Mysteries: The Thief on the Track

Hannah, Maria, and Seb are at the World Championships in Tokyo, bonding over their excitement at watching their favourite athletes compete.  But Jesse Marks, a star runner on the US relay team has had his gold medal stolen! The sport park is alive with gossip and as the three new friends begin to investigate, several suspects begin to emerge.  With time running out before the final race is run, can the detectives uncover who is out to sabotage the team?

Running My Own Race

Kofi's mum is determined he's going to be 'somebody'. But when Kofi is given a place at a prestigious private school because of his athletic ability, everything changes. Kofi dreams of being a professional athlete - but he soon finds following your heart isn't an easy road.

Under pressure from his mum to make the most of his academic opportunity, his best friend who doesn't want him to change, his community to make them proud, and a rival who will do anything to make sure Kofi doesn't outshine him - Kofi isn't sure where to turn. Can Kofi find a way to follow his own path?

Non Fiction

MEGA: The Most Enormous Animals Ever

A fascinating celebration of the world's most enormous animals!Discover the magnificent megafauna that have shaped our planet - from the mighty megalodon, sabre-toothed cats and giant birds that existed millions of years ago, to the elephants, giraffes and whales that live today. But why did some of the largest creatures on Earth go extinct? What do we know about their lives from the clues they left behind? And how can we protect the megafauna that roam our planet today? Unearth these secrets and many more in this captivating compendium.

The Horrible History of the World

Discover all the blood-curdling stories with: The Horrible History of the World. The master of making history fun, Terry Deary, turns his attention to the foul but fascinating story of humans, from brain-nibbling Neanderthals to terrified teenage soldiers in the twentieth century. From gory stories of what smelly sport was played by samurais to who baked their enemies a cake made from poisoned bath-water, it's all in Horrible Histories: The Horrible History of the World: fully illustrated throughout and packed with hair-raising stories.

How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?

In this uproariously funny and charmingly illustrated book, readers are introduced to incredible animals and the bizarre things human scientists do to understand them. Did you know that crows never forget a face? Or that jaguars have a favourite perfume? Have you ever wondered how to pet a yeti crab? Or whether dogs can tell if you're smiling? And just what is a burrowing bettong?From crafting fake poo to slurping up bugs with a straw, there's nothing these amazing scientists won't do to help us learn more about the animals around us. Packed with fascinating facts, this hilarious book reveals secrets like why roosters crow and how meerkats make decisions as a group - and how humans can better understand the wild creatures we share the planet with.

The Bacteria Book

Meet the bacteria, viruses, and other microbes that are all around us, but are too small for us to see. This book explains bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes simply for kids aged 7-9 by bestselling author and science communicator Steve Mould. What do glowing squid, mouldy bread, and soil creatures all have in common? They're all part of the world of microbiology! In this awesome introductory book for budding scientists, the big world of tiny organisms is revealed with remarkable photography, kooky characters, and lots of fun facts.

Survive in Time: The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Choose your path as you explore the past, in this interactive adventure through time!Ever wondered what it would be like to explore the Great Pyramid of Giza and almost get eaten by a mummy? Or to sneak into the Hanging Gardens of Babylon while being chased by a bunch of angry guards?Thanks to the time machine in this book, you can visit all Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. But this is no ordinary time-travelling adventure. This is one where YOU get to make the decisions and choose where to go, what to do and how to survive in time.

Buckle up. Your safe return is absolutely not guaranteed.

Poetry

Courage Out Loud

These waltzing verses for reading aloud were written to comfort and inspire! With his third read-aloud poetry book, Coelho focuses on building kids’ courage! It follows Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud, books that have inspired thousands of little readers to harness the power of their own voice. This new collection contains mantras to be true to yourself, to help you feel brave, project happiness, conjure a smile, make you laugh and cheer others up.

I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree

Winner of the Waterstones Children's Gift of the Year 2018, this lavish poetry collection is a perfect present for any age. I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree: A Nature Poem For Every Day Of The Year is a beautifully illustrated gift book treasury of 366 animal poems - one for every day of the year, including leap years. Filled with familiar favourites and new discoveries, written by a wide variety of poets, including John Agard, William Blake, Emily Brontë, Charles Causley, Walter de la Mare, Emily Dickinson, Carol Ann Duffy, Eleanor Farjeon, Robert Frost, Thomas Hardy, Roger McGough, Christina Rossetti, William Shakespeare, John Updike, William Wordsworth and many more, this collection of daily poems is the perfect poetry anthology for children (and grown-ups!).

Find Peace in a Poem

This is a book of poetry for everyone. Inside is a treasure trove of writing celebrating mindfulness. Read the poems aloud or curl up with them in a quiet corner.

Begin your journey into a lifelong love of poetry. This beautifully illustrated collection features powerful poems written by a wide range of contemporary voices. They share their unique perspectives on the topic of mindfulness, from listening for silence and living in the moment to the colour of our dreams and what the trees can teach us.

Let Sleeping Cats Lie

A hilarious collection of pet poems by wordplay wizard Brian Bilston. When you've got a bad case of the 'mews' and are in desperate need of a 'pup'-lifting read, this book is the 'ulti-mutt' remedy. The perfect gift for a dog person, cat person and every pet lover in between.

Please don’t think me lazy,I’m not trying to slack –it’s just that I’m stuck, you see,under this cat. Let Sleeping Cats Lie is a collection of poems following the funny lives of our furry – and not so furry – friends. Stars include Wilf, the hypnotist Labracadabrador, a philosophically inclined goldfish penning a profound haiku, a hen named Barbara receiving an adoring tribute, and an 'octopussy' cat that seems to have all its paws in plenty of odd little pies.

Carnival of the Animals

A stunning gift collection of animal poems from master storyteller Michael Morpurgo, celebrating with heart and humour the creatures with whom we share our planet. Collaborating with iconic artist, Michael Foreman, Morpurgo's poems are inspired by The Carnival of the Animals – a humorous musical by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. Building on this classic framework, Michael has added many more animals – they speak in their own voices, full of humour and brio, to tell of their lives and the impact of humanity on their habitats.

Graphic Novels

Unicorn Boy

he first few years of Brian's life were unremarkable - nothing weird about this kid, no sir. Then he found a bump on his head.

And it grew ... And grew ... And grew...

Into a full-blown, sparkling, SINGING unicorn horn! It was the last thing a shy kid like Brian could ever want - but destiny waits for no Unicorn Boy. And when shadowy creatures from another realm kidnap his best friend Avery, Brian must accept his fate as a hero and go on a perilous journey to try and save the day!Can Unicorn Boy save his best friend from the underworld?!

The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks

Lottie Brooks is 11 ¾ and her life is ALREADY officially over. Not only is she about to start secondary school without any friends or glamorous swooshy hair, but she's just discovered she's too flat-chested to even wear A BRA!She might as well give up now and go into hibernation with her hamsters, Sir Barnaby Squeakington and Fuzzball the Third. Lottie navigates the perils of growing up in this fantastically funny new illustrated series for pre-teens filled with friendship, embarrassing moments and, of course, KitKat Chunkys.

Rune A Tale of a Thousand Faces

Best friends Chiri and Dai stumble into a forgotten realm, tormented by the evil Shadow King who yearns to spread terror and unleash wild magic on everyone. But will these best friends, with the help of the druids, warriors, and magical goats they encounter be able to find their way home? And more importantly, can they evade the darkness that was awoken on their arrival and seal the pathway between worlds before it is too late?

Arthur and the Golden Rope

Welcome to Professor Brownstone's vault - containing ancient relics from around the world, all collected by his famous ancestors! This fan favourite is coming to shelves in paperback! Follow the epic journey of Brownstone's earliest ancestor, Arthur, and travel back to the age of the Vikings where this bookish young adventurer must find the courage to save his village and defeat the mighty beast Fenrir...

Alan, King of the Universe

ALAN IS KING OF THE UNIVERSE. Well, not yet. But he WILL be.

An orange cat blessed with opposable thumbs, Alan is convinced he was born to rule and spends his days scheming up brilliant plans to fulfil his destiny - from creating a brand-new country, Alanland, to cloning himself in an attempt raise an entire army of Alans. And his slobbery dog sidekick Fido is just happy to be along for the ride!Join these two accident-prone characters on their hilarious adventures as they try to take over the universe - as long as they're home in time for tea, of course.