Recommended Reads for Year 7

Classics

Northern Lights

“Without this child, we shall all die.” Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford.

The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world…

The Hobbit

The Hobbit is the unforgettable story of Bilbo, a peace-loving hobbit, who embarks on a strange and magical adventure. A timeless classic. Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home; then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services – as a burglar – on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon.

Bilbo’s life is never to be the same again.

Treasure Island

Rediscover the Puffin Classics collection and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this epic edition of Treasure Island complete with a bold new cover. When an old sea Captain named Billy Bones leaves behind a mysterious chest at Jim Hawkins' parents inn, Jim discovers a map to the legendary Treasure Island! Jim sets sail to Treasure Island with Long John Silver and his ragtag crew but can they be trusted?

Goodnight Mister Tom

Tom tucked a blanket round him, drew up a chair by the fire and watched Willie fall asleep. The tales he had heard about evacuees didn't seem to fit Willie.

'Ungrateful' and 'wild' were the adjectives he had heard used, or just plain 'homesick'. He was quite unprepared for this timid, sickly little specimen. Britain, 1940.

With World War Two raging all around, young children are being sent from their homes in the city to the countryside for safety. When eight-year-old Willie Beech first arrives on Tom Oakley's doorstep, neither are quite sure what to make of each another. Brought up in terrible poverty, Willie is terribly shy, and totally unprepared for village life - but the gruff-but-gentle 'Mister Tom' quickly takes him under his wing.

Neither he nor Willie could ever have predicted the journey they will go on together - nor the unbreakable bond that will be formed.

Journey to the River Sea

A joyous Amazon adventure set in the lush nature of Brazil, Journey to the River Sea is filled with mystery and extraordinary characters. Maia, an orphan, can't wait to reach her distant relatives a thousand miles up the Amazon.

She imagines a loving family with whom she will share great adventures. Instead she finds two spiteful cousins who see the jungle as the enemy and refuse to go outdoors. But the wonders of the rainforest more than make up for the hideous twins and their parents.

And when Maia meets a mysterious boy who lives alone on the wild river shores, she begins a spectacular journey to the heart of an extraordinary and beautiful new world

The Box of Delights

And now, Master Harker, now that the Wolves are Running, perhaps you could do something to stop their Bite?' A magical old man has asked Kay to protect the Box of Delights, a Box with which he can travel through time. But Kay is in danger: Abner Brown will stop at nothing to get his hands on it. The police don't believe Kay, so when his family and the Bishop are scrobbled up just before Christmas, he knows he must act alone … John Masefield’s classic children’s book is considered to be one of the great works of modern children’s fiction.

Flour Babies

When the annual school science fair comes round, Mr Cartwright's class don't get to work on the Soap Factory, the Maggot Farm or the Exploding Custard Tins. To their intense disgust they get the Flour Babies - sweet little six-pound bags of flour that must be cared for at all times.

Funny and poignant, Flour Babies is a brilliant depiction of secondary school life.

Fantasy

Fireborn: Twelve and the Frozen Forest

By turns exciting, funny and heart wrenchingly sad, it introduces an unstoppable new voice in children’s storytelling. A FIERCE HEROINE RISES Twelve has spoken the Pledge and now she is a Huntling. She has given up her name to train in the art of fighting monsters, and she won’t choose a new one until she has earned it.

But when her friend is taken, Twelve sets off on a dangerous journey to rescue her. Teaming up with Dog, the stone Guardian of the Hunting Lodge, Twelve ends up on an epic adventure that will change her life, her name – and her entire world.

The Girl of Ink and Stars

Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella dreams of the faraway lands her cartographer father once mapped. When her friend disappears, she volunteers to guide the search.

The world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself. A beautifully written, multi award-winning story of friendship, discovery, myths and magic.

Inkheart

The Independent Meggie loves stories, but her father, Mo, hasn't read to her since her mother disappeared. When a stranger knocks at their door, Mo is forced to reveal an extraordinary secret – when he reads aloud, words come alive, and dangerous characters step out of the pages.

Suddenly Meggie is living the kind of adventure she has only read about in books, but this one will change her life for ever ... A thrilling and magical adventure about stories and the imagination they inspire.

The School for Good and Evil

A dark and enchanting fantasy adventure for those who prefer fairytales with a twist… The first in the bestselling series. Every four years, two girls are kidnapped from the village of Gavaldon. Legend has it these lost children are sent to the School for Good and Evil, the fabled institution where they become fairytale heroes or villains.

With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White at the School for Good. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black dresses and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil. But the two girls soon find their fortunes reversed – Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.

But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are?

The Infinite

Leaplings, children born on the 29th of February, are very rare. Rarer still are Leaplings with The Gift - the ability to leap through time.

Elle Bíbi-Imbelé Ifíè has The Gift, but she's never used it. Until now. On her twelfth birthday, Elle and her best friend Big Ben travel to the Time Squad Centre in 2048. Elle has received a mysterious warning from the future. Other Leaplings are disappearing in time - and not everyone at the centre can be trusted. Soon Elle's adventure becomes more than a race through time.

It's a race against time. She must fight to save the world as she knows it - before it ceases to exist . .

Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun

Onyeka has a lot of hair – the kind that makes strangers stop in the street. When she makes the important discovery that she can control her hair with her mind, she's whisked off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari – children with superpowers – are trained But Onyeka and her new friends at the Academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves caught up in an epic battle… one that puts the future of all Solari at risk.

The Polar Bear Explorers Club

It sounded like a respectable and worthy enough death for an explorer - tumbling from an ice bridge to be impaled upon a mammoth tusk - but Stella really, really didn't want that to happen, just the same. Join Stella Starflake Pearl and her three fellow explorers as they trek across the snowy Icelands and come face-to-face with frost fairies, snow queens, outlaw hideouts, unicorns, pygmy dinosaurs and carnivorous cabbages… When Stella and three other junior explorers get separated from their expedition can they cross the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale?

Sci-Fi/Dystopian

Mortal Engines

In a dangerous future, huge motorized cities hunt, attack and fight each other for survival. As London pursues a small town, young apprentice Tom is flung out into the wastelands, where a terrifying cyborg begins to hunt him down. Mortal Engines launched Philip Reeve's brilliantly-imagined creation, the world of the Traction Era, where mobile cities fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic future.

After

Kenny uses artificial intelligence and the abuse of power through technology as a lead-in to the more important issues ... and how we not only survive, but thrive through our connections to each other.

I will definitely be recommending After to young readers." Eilish FisherThe Last of Us meets Wall-E in this post-apocalyptic tale of family, hope and survival from a multi-award-winning authorJen and her father are making their way across a deserted world after a technological collapse brought civilization as people knew it to an end. The Flood took out all all technology, but also many people who were connected to a central information hive. Those who are left behind must find each other and build a new life.

But Jen's father isn't related to her by blood – he is a human-appearing AI, a glitch in the system, and a secret that must be kept, even from those she wishes she could trust... Exploring themes of what it means to be human, the value of every individual and where true danger lies – in our technological creations, or the ones who create them – this is a powerful and hopeful dystopian adventure

Where the River Runs Gold

Two children must risk everything to escape their fate and find the impossible… bold adventure, timely climate change themes and breathtaking writing, from award-winning author Sita Brahmachari.

Themba, live in Kairos City with their father, Nabil. The few live in luxury, whilst the millions like them crowd together in compounds, surviving on meagre rations and governed by Freedom Fields - the organisation that looks after you, as long as you opt in. The bees have long disappeared; instead children must labour on farms, pollinating crops by hand so that the nation can eat. The farm Shifa and Themba are sent to is hard and cruel. Themba won't survive there and Shifa comes up with a plan to break them out.

But they have no idea where they are - their only guide is a map drawn from the ramblings of a stranger. The journey ahead is fraught with danger, but Shifa is strong and knows to listen to her instincts - to let love guide them home. The freedom of a nation depends on it .

I Am Wolf

Coll belongs to Wolf. He lives with his crew on a Construct, a huge technological "creature" driven by the crew's combined willpower.

Together they roam their world, fighting other Constructs and absorbing them into their own. But when a new and dangerous Construct attacks them, Coll is thrown clear from Wolf and left behind. Now he must survive life on ground and get back to his crew.

He is helped by Rieka, a "Tock" who makes the Constructs work. She promises Coll a way to return, but can she be trusted? And what is she really trying to do...?When Coll uncovers the truth, it destroys everything he thought he knew about Wolf, the world they live in, and even himself. In a world full of danger, and suddenly without meaning, can he find a way back?

Reek

Climate catastrophe leaves the people of Earth fighting for oxygen in this gripping dystopian thriller from bestselling sci-fi author Alastair Chisholm. Sparrow lives in the world after the Reek. The atmosphere is toxically polluted, and Axel Brodie, the tech billionaire behind Zephyr Industries, is cashing in as the only supplier of clean air.

Sparrow is struggling to help her family survive until her brilliant inventor friend, Miriam Fenn, comes up with a new form of technology that could break Zephyr’s stranglehold on the air supply. But men like Brodie are hard to defeat, and he will do everything in his power to stop Miriam and Sparrow. Who will triumph in this battle to breathe?

The Last Wild

This is a story about a boy named Kester. He is extraordinary, but he doesn't know that yet. All he knows, at this very moment, is this:

1.There is a flock of excited pigeons in his bedroom.

2. They are talking to him.

3. His life will never be quite the same again... Kester lives in a land in quarantine.

A deadly virus has killed all the animals except pests and it's expected to be equally dangerous to humans. But when Kester realises he can talk to the pests, he finds they have great hope invested in him.

The Middler

"I was special. I was a hero. I lost the best friend I ever had."Eleven-year-old Maggie lives in Fennis Wick, enclosed and protected from the outside world by a boundary, beyond which the Quiet War rages and the dirty, dangerous wanderers roam.

Her brother Jed is an eldest, revered and special. A hero. Her younger brother is Trig - everyone loves Trig.

But Maggie's just a middler; invisible and left behind. Then, one hot September day, she meets Una, a hungry wanderer girl in need of help, and everything Maggie has ever known gets turned on its head. Narrated expertly and often hilariously by Maggie, we experience the trials and frustrations of being the forgotten middle child, the child with no voice, even in her own family.

Thriller/Adventure

Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms

The Book of Chidani, cherishing stories about the fabled kingdom that cut itself off from the world to save the Igbo people from danger. Passed down over generations, the Book is Cameron’s only connection to his parents, who disappeared one fateful night two years ago.

Ever since, his grandmother has kept the Book locked away, but it calls to Cameron. When he and his best friends, Zion and Aliyah, decide to open it again, they are magically transported to Chidani. Instead of a land of beauty and wonder, they find a kingdom in extreme danger, as the queen’s sister seeks to destroy the barrier between worlds.

The people of Chidani have been waiting for the last Descendant to return and save them … but is Cameron ready to be the hero they need?Inspired by West African and Igbo history and mythology, this adventure-filled fantasy introduces readers to Cameron Battle as he begins his journey to greatness.

Tell Me No Lies

Gemma longs for her lost mother, taking comfort from the cuttings in her scrapbook; pictures of mothers who loved their children come what may. Mike is new to the area; a boy with a terrible secret to hide. A secret about his missing mother.

Gemma and Mike - two kids hurt by their past and now inextricably linked. Their effect on each other's lives will be explosive.

High Rise Mystery

The detective duo everyone is dying to meet! Summer in London is hot, the hottest on record, and there's been a murder in THE TRI: the high-rise home to residentknow-it-alls, Nik and Norva. Who better to solve the case? Armed with curiosity, home-turf knowledge and unlimited time - until the end of the summer holidays anyway.

Robin Hood

A town. A forest. A hero.

You can't go far without a quick brain and some rule-bending in a place like Locksley. After its vast car plants shut down, the prosperous town has become a wasteland of empty homes, toxic land and families on the brink. And it doesn't help that the authorities are in the clutches of profit-obsessed Sheriff of Nottingham, in cahoots with underworld boss Guy Gisborne.

When his dad is framed for a robbery, Robin and his brother Little John are hounded out of Locksley and must learn to survive in the Sherwood forest, stretching three hundred kilometres and sheltering the free spirits and outlaws. But Robin is determined to do more than survive. Small, fast and deadly with a bow, he hatches a plan to join forces with Marion Maid, harness his inimitable tech skills and strike a blow against Gisborne and the Sheriff.

Foul Play

Danny is obsessed with two things: football - especially City Football Club - and investigating crimes. So when England and City footballing hero Sam Roberts is reported missing the day after Danny saw him being taken, blindfolded, into the bowels of the City FC stadium late at night, he's determined to get to the bottom of it. But is Danny getting into something he can't handle?

I Am Rebel

I’m Tom’s dog, and he’s my human. We belong to each other.” Rebel is a good dog, and he loves his simple, perfect life on the farm with his owner Tom – until one day the war comes too close… Now Tom is determined to join the rebellion to defeat the king’s men.

But Rebel knows war is dangerous, and he will stop at nothing to save the human he loves. Rebel must bring Tom home before it’s too late.

Crook Haven: The School for Thieves

"So this is really a school for criminals." It was meant as a question, though it came out more as an accusation. "We are so much more than that," Caspian said, sitting in a plush leather chair and gesturing for Gabriel to sit in a similar one across the table. "We are a home for the forgotten, a sanctuary for the lost and ... yes, a training ground for the greatest crooks of the future."13-year-old Gabriel is a brilliant pickpocket, a skill which he uses to keep his often empty belly not quite so empty. And then one day, he's caught.

But instead of being arrested, he is invited by the mysterious Caspian Crook to attend Crookhaven - a school for thieves. At Crookhaven, students are trained in lock-picking, forgery and 'crim-nastics', all with the intention of doing good out in the world, by conning the bad and giving back to the innocent.

But… can you ever really trust a thief?With a school wide competition to be crowned Top Crook and many mysteries to uncover, Gabriel's first year at Crookhaven will be one to remember... An irresistible series about chosen family, high stakes thievery, and what it really means to do good.

Historical Fiction

Windrush Child

In this heart-stopping adventure, Benjamin Zephaniah shows us what it was like to be a child of the Windrush generation.

Leonard is shocked when he arrives with his mother in the port of Southampton. His father is a stranger to him, it’s cold and even the Jamaican food doesn’t taste the same as it did back home in Maroon Town. But his parents have brought him here to try to make a better life, so Leonard does his best not to complain, to make new friends, to do well at school – even when people hurt him with their words and with their fists.  How can a boy so far from home learn to enjoy his new life when so many things count against him?  

The Week at World’s End

1962, London during the Cuban Missile CrisisWhat would you do if there was a real possibility that the world might end?Ray, aware of his parents' building worry, decides to take matters into his own hands. He builds a shelter in the woods behind his house in the hope that he never has to use it. Only to discover that someone else needs it more than he does.

An American girl, reported missing, has turned up there... Why is she hiding? And with neighbour turning against neighbour, will Ray be willing to help her? Set over the six days when the Cuban Missile Crisis became public knowledge, this tense, clever thriller might just be Emma Carroll's best book yet!

When Life Gives You Mangoes

Nothing much happens in Sycamore, the small village where Clara lives - at least, that's how it looks. She loves eating ripe mangoes fallen from trees, running outside in the rainy season and escaping to her secret hideout with her best friend Gaynah. There's only one problem - she can't remember anything that happened last summer.

When a quirky girl called Rudy arrives from England, everything starts to change. Gaynah stops acting like a best friend, while Rudy and Clara roam across the island and uncover an old family secret. As the summer reaches its peak and the island storms begin, Clara's memory starts to return and she must finally face the truth of what happened last year.

The Bletchley Riddle

Remember, you are bound by the official secrets act... It is the summer of 1940. The world is at war. These days, you don’t know who you can trust or who might be a secret spy… Maths whizz Jakob Novis has been recruited to the secret codebreaking centre at Bletchley Park.

As Jakob works to crack the Nazi’s Enigma cipher, his younger sister Lizzie is busy on an undercover mission of her own: to find their mother. Filled with codes to decipher and mysteries to unravel, this is the unputdownable historical adventure that will have you on the edge of your seats.

Safiyyah’s War

War comes to the streets of Paris and Safiyyah’s life changes for ever. Her best friend’s family have fled, and the bombing makes her afraid to leave the mosque where she lives.

But when her father is arrested by the Nazis for his secret Resistance work, it falls to Safiyyah to run the dangerous errands around the city. It’s not long before hundreds of persecuted Jews seek sanctuary at the mosque. Can Safiyyah find the courage to enter the treacherous catacombs under Paris and lead the Jews to safety?

Wolf Road

Tuuli is a prehistoric girl, travelling with her tribe through the seasons – making camp, hunting for food and protecting themselves against the many hazards that the climate throws at them. Tuuli knows there’s a bigger world out there, and when she spots a strange boy lurking outside their camp, she realises that he might hold the adventure she is looking for.  He is from another tribe, sent to find safer ground and as he and Tuuli strike up an unlikely friendship, they set out on a journey that will impact the rest of human history.  A vast adventure with a very human heart, full of wild animals, huge scenery and heart-stopping danger and inspired by real anthropological discoveries.

Once

My name is Felix. This is my story. Felix has been living in an orphanage for three years and eight months when the men in armbands arrive to burn the books.

Going on the run in search of his parents, Felix soon learns that Poland in 1942 is not a safe place for Jewish boys. But can his gift for storytelling keep him one step ahead of the Nazis and help him find his parents?After all, everybody deserves to have something good in their life at least once.

Around the World

Turtle Moon

Silver Trevelon’s parents aren’t happy.

They haven’t been happy since the nursery they decorated started gathering cobwebs, waiting for the baby brother or sister that never came. So when Silver’s dad is invited to paint at a turtle rescue centre in Costa Rica, she hopes it’ll be just the adventure the family needs. Under the hot tropical sun, Silver settles into life at the animal centre.

She even witnesses a rare sighting of a leatherback turtle nesting on the beach. But when the turtle’s eggs are stolen, events take a dark and dangerous turn. Can Silver and her new friends track them down before it's too late? It’ll mean journeying into the heart of the jungle …

Kick

Budi's plan is simple. He's going to be a star.

Budi's going to play for the greatest team on earth, instead of sweating over each stitch he sews, each football boot he makes. But one unlucky kick brings Budi's world crashing down. Now he owes the Dragon, the most dangerous man in Jakarta.

Soon it isn't only Budi's dreams at stake, but his life. A story about dreaming big, about hope and heroes, and never letting anything stand in your way.

Front Desk

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets:

1. She lives in a motel, not a big house.

2.Her parents hide immigrants.

3. She wants to be a writer.

It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, and go for her dreams?

Boy 87

Shif is just an ordinary boy who likes chess, maths and racing his best friend home from school. But one day, soldiers with guns come to his door - and he knows that he is no longer safe. Shif is forced to leave his mother and little sister, and embark on a dangerous journey; a journey through imprisonment and escape, new lands and strange voices, and a perilous crossing by land and sea.

He will encounter cruelty and kindness; he will become separated from the people he loves. Boy 87 is a gripping, uplifting tale of one boy's struggle for survival; it echoes the story of young people all over the world today.

The Island at the End of Everything

Amihan lives on Culion Island, where some of the inhabitants – including her mother – have leprosy. Ami loves her home – with its blue seas and lush forests, Culion is all she has ever known. But the arrival of malicious government official Mr Zamora changes her world forever: islanders untouched by sickness are forced to leave.

Banished across the sea, she's desperate to return, and finds a strange and fragile hope in a colony of butterflies. Can they lead her home before it's too late?

Running on the Roof of the World

Join 12-year-old Tash and her best friend Sam in a story of adventure, survival and hope, set in the vivid Himalayan landscape of Tibet and India. Filled with friendship, love and courage, this young girl's thrilling journey to save her parents is an ideal read for children aged 9-12. There are two words that are banned in Tibet.

Two words that can get you locked in prison without a second thought. I watch the soldiers tramping away and call the words after them. 'Dalai Lama.' Tash has to follow many rules to survive in Tibet, a country occupied by Chinese soldiers.

But when a man sets himself on fire in protest and soldiers seize Tash's parents, she and her best friend Sam must break the rules. They are determined to escape Tibet - and seek the help of the Dalai Lama himself in India. And so, with a backpack of Tash's father's mysterious papers and two trusty yaks by their side, their extraordinary journey across the mountains begins.

The Wolf Wilder

Feodora and her mother live in the snowbound woods of Russia, in a house full of food and fireplaces. Ten minutes away, in a ruined chapel, lives a pack of wolves. Feodora’s mother is a wolf wilder, and Feo is a wolf wilder in training.

A wolf wilder is the opposite of an animal tamer: it is a person who teaches tamed animals to fend for themselves, and to fight and to run, and to be wary of humans. When the murderous hostility of the Russian Army threatens her very existence, Feo is left with no option but to go on the run. What follows is a story of revolution and adventure, about standing up for the things you love and fighting back.

And, of course, wolves.

Comedy

Geek Girl

My name is Harriet Manners, and I am a geek.” Harriet Manners knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a “jiffy” lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. But she doesn’t know why nobody at school seems to like her. So when Harriet is spotted by a top model agent, she grabs the chance to reinvent herself.

Even if it means stealing her best friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of impossibly handsome model Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. As her old life starts to fall apart, will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

Millions

Funny, exciting and brilliantly clever, Frank Cottrell-Boyce's Millions is a fantastic adventure about two boys, one miracle and a million choices. Perfect for boys and girls of 8 to 12. What would you do with a million pounds? Buy a thousand pizzas? Give it to charity?When a bag stuffed full of money drops out of the sky, Damian and Anthony And themselves rich.

Very rich indeed. Suddenly the brothers can buy anything they want. They've got millions - but only seventeen days to spend it.

An incredible tale of brothers and lots and lots of pizza, Millions won the CILIP Carnegie medal and is celebrating twenty years of bestselling success.

Madame Doubtfire

Madame Doubtfire by bestselling author Anne Fine is a wonderfully funny, punchy story about family life. Lydia, Christopher and Natalie are used to domestic turmoil. Their parents' divorce has not made family life any easier in either home.

The children bounce to and from their volatile mother, Miranda, and their out-of-work actor father, Daniel. Then Miranda advertises for a cleaning lady who will look mind the children after work - and Daniel gets the job, disguised as Madame Doubtfire.

Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths

Eleven-year-old Danny Chung loves drawing more than anything - certainly more than maths, which, according to his dad and everyone else, is what he is 'supposed' to be good at. He also loves having his own room where he can draw in peace, so his life is turned upside down when a surprise that he's been promised turns out to be his little, wrinkly, ex-maths-champion grandmother from China. What's worse, Nai Nai has to share his room, AND she takes the top bunk!Nai Nai can't speak a word of English, which doesn't make things easy for Danny when he is charged with looking after her during his school holidays.

Babysitting Nai Nai is NOT what he wants to be doing! Before long though it becomes clear to Danny that there is more to Nai Nai than meets the eye, and that they have more in common that he thought possible...

The Kid Who Fell Through Time

‘Angus had never been very interested in history until he visited it by accident one Tuesday night.’History has always seemed pretty boring to Angus. Who cares about things that happened thousands of years ago? Totally pointless! That’s what Angus thinks until the day he accidentally falls into a shopping trolley and ends up travelling through time with Marge, the lady who runs the cheese counter at the local supermarket, and who is also FROM THE FUTURE. And so begins the most epic adventure of his life – exploring a market in Roman Britain, hanging out with Shakespeare, making new friends in Ancient Egypt.

Oh, and trying to escape the Evil Emperor Kragg from the 99th Century who is determined to destroy the planet. Can Angus and his new friends make it out of the past unscathed and, more importantly, is camel cheese really as bad as you imagine? Only time will tell!

The Beanstalk Murder

Trainee meadow witch Anwen is having a bad day - which gets much worse when a dead giant falls from the sky and destroys her village.

But when she examines the body she discovers something interesting. This giant was murdered, which means a killer is on the loose!Tasked with sending a message to the giant kingdom via beanstalk, Anwen and her nemesis, trainee sorceress Cerys, accidentally find themselves whipped up into the sky and deposited in the giants' royal palace - where the king is missing. Using their perfect spy-size and witchy skills, the girls must track down his killer.

But how can you investigate a murder mystery when you risk being stepped on by your suspects?

The Last Life of Lori Mills

Eleven-year-old Lori is home alone for the first time in her life, and she’s immediately done all the things she’s TOTALLY NOT allowed to do:

1.Turned the heating up to the max.

2. Built a GIANT blanket fort in the living room.

3. Switched on Voxminer, aka the greatest game in the historyof the universe. But quickly, Lori realises something is wrong.

She can hear strange whispers coming from the screen – and soon, they’re in the house with her. Could it be Voxminer’s most terrifying legend: Shade Girl? Trapped in her home as the doors and windows start to vanish and her phone goes dead, Lori must use all her bravery, wits, gaming skills – and the love and deep bond she shares with her BFF, Shoelace – to survive until Mum gets home…

Coming of Age

Quiet Storm

No matter how quiet it is, you've got a voice, Storm. You should use it to speak up for yourself. Storm has never liked to stand out from the crowd, but ever since she started Year 7, her life has been full of people telling her she needs to speak up, make friends and be more like her popular big brother.

Then Storm breaks a school record, and finds herself the new star of the athletics team. But as she's thrust into the spotlight, her home life and friendships start spiralling out of control, and it's time for Quiet Storm to show that she has something to say. A tender, empowering novel about family, friendship and finding confidence in who you are.

Some Places More Than Others

Some of the places I am still getting to know, some of these places I have known all my life. All of these places made me, are making me.' All Amara wants for her birthday is to visit her father’s family in New York City – Harlem.

She can’t wait to finally meet her Grandpa Earl and cousins in person, and to stay in the brownstone where her father grew up. Maybe this will help her understand her family – and herself – in a new way. But New York City is not exactly what Amara thought it would be.

It’s noisy, crowded, confusing, and her cousins can be mean. Plus her father is too busy working to spend time with her and too angry to fix his relationship with Grandpa Earl. Amara can't help wondering, even if she does discover more about where she came from, will it help her know where she belongs?

Boy, Everywhere

This debut middle-grade novel chronicles the harrowing journey taken by Sami and his family from privilege to poverty, across countries and continents, from a comfortable life in Damascus, via a smuggler's den in Turkey, to a prison in Manchester. A story of survival, of family, of bravery ... In a world where we are told to see refugees as the ‘other’, this story will remind readers that ‘they’ are also ‘us'.

Keedie

Set in Juniper five years before A Kind of Spark comes a powerful coming-of-age story from award-winning author Elle McNicoll. As Keedie and her twin Nina approach their fourteenth birthday, they seem to only be growing further apart. Keedie instead feels drawn to, and fiercely protective of, their quiet younger sister Addie - who on the surface is the opposite of loud and fiery Keedie, but in fact they have more in common than anyone knows.

Ghost

Running. That's all Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But Ghost has been running for the wrong reasons -until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medallist who sees something in Ghost: crazy natural talent.

If Ghost can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed, or will his past finally catch up to him?

Stargirl

Before ELEANOR AND PARK, there was STARGIRL. The seminal life-affirming YA novel celebrating first love and self-acceptance - now in a beautiful new edition for the next generation of readers. She's as magical as the desert sky.

As mysterious as her own name. Nobody knows who she is or where she's from. But everyone loves her for being different.

And she captures Leo's heart with just one smile. STARGIRL is a classic of our time that celebrates being true to ourselves and the thrill of first love.

The Boy With Big Decisions

red can't make a decision about anything - his parents always tell him what to do, from what to eat every day to which secondary school to choose. that's how Fred has found himself a pupil at the high-pressure, strict Gains School, when he'd much rather be going to Browtree, with its brilliant art department and kind teachers. As Fred waits for the bus to his new school, he sees the bus for Browtree pull up - and a wild, thrilling, thought strikes him.

Should he jump on this bus and pretend he's a new student at Browtree? Will he be brave enough to follow a different path for once? You, the reader, will stand in Fred's shoes and make decisions alongside him throughout this story. You'll help him stand-up for what he believes in, learn what he truly loves to do, make good friends and face choices about whether to swerve or walk into drama. YOU are in charge of The Boy With Big Decisions! An interactive book with multiple pathways for kids to follow

Non Fiction

Moving Up

Moving up from primary to secondary school can be scary. Going from being the bosses of the benches, to the youngest in a massive playground is hard.

The classrooms are bigger, older students look like adults and don't even start on the piles of homework, stressful exams and complicated friendships. Whether you're heading to secondary school next year, or you've just started and still adjusting, Moving Up is here to help you on your journey. From choosing your new school and your first day all the way up to your final exams and your leaving party or prom, this handy guide book will be the perfect companion for transitioning to secondary, and get you feeling confident, building strong friendships, achieving great things and generally being the greatest that you can be.

Covering topics from: Leaving primary school Going to big school Getting lost Homework Exams New challenges Older kids Friendships Relationships Bullying Social media and more.

Black and British

A short, essential introduction to Black British history for readers of 12+ by award-winning historian and broadcaster David Olusoga. When did Africans first come to Britain?Who are the well-dressed black children in Georgian paintings?Why did the American Civil War disrupt the Industrial Revolution?These and many other questions are answered in this essential introduction to 1800 years of the Black British history: from the Roman Africans who guarded Hadrian’s Wall right up to the present day. This children's version of the bestseller Black and British: A Forgotten History is illustrated with maps, photos and portraits.

Deborah Meaden Talks Money

Finance made fun? YES, REALLY! Dragons' Den investor and entrepreneur, Deborah Meaden, makes finance exciting, relatable and personal – AT LAST! Money is such a huge part of our lives, so learning how to make it work best for YOU is a crucial skill. Knowledge is power! Whether you want to earn money, save money, set goals, or set up and grow a business, Deborah will be your personal guide, demystifying the world of finance, and sharing the knowledge and insights that have made her one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs.

Pocket Shakespeare

The ultimate beginner’s guide to the magic of Shakespeare, from the award-winning Michael Rosen and Chris Riddell. Step inside a sparkling celebration of the wonderful words of William Shakespeare. With former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen as your guide, discover how Shakespeare explores love and heartbreak, magic and superstition, jealousy, beauty and much more in a collection of quotes and speeches taken from his plays – plus a selection of Shakespearean insults and one-liners! Michael Rosen’s commentary illuminates the Bard for beginners alongside sumptuous illustrations by Chris Riddell, making this the perfect book to bring Shakespeare to life for all ages.

Graphic Novels

The Sad Ghost Club

Welcome to the Sad Ghost Club - a club for anyone who has ever felt sad or lost. We can all feel anxious and alone sometimes. Like you're almost… invisible.

But at the Sad Ghost Club, you can find your kindred spirits and know you're not alone. In this graphic novel, discover the Sad Ghost Club's rules for taking things one day at a time. With heartwarming and very relatable comic illustrations, discover how to make it through the day, grow through the hard stuff and look out for your fellow ghosties.

Illegal

This is a powerful and timely story about one boy's epic journey across Africa to Europe, a graphic novel for all children with glorious colour artwork throughout. From Eoin Colfer, previously Irish Children's Laureate, and the team behind his bestselling Artemis Fowl graphic novels. Ebo: alone.

His sister left months ago. Now his brother has disappeared too, and Ebo knows it can only be to make the hazardous journey to Europe. Ebo's epic journey takes him across the Sahara Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless sea.

But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a reunion with his sister.

White Bird

To the millions of readers who fell in love with R J Palacio's Wonder, Julian is best-known as Auggie Pullman's classroom bully. White Bird reveals a new side to Julian's story, as Julian discovers the moving and powerful tale of his grandmother, who was hidden from the Nazis as a young Jewish girl in occupied France during the Second World War.

An unforgettable, unputdownable story about strength, courage and the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives, from the globally bestselling author of Wonder.

Mexikid

Pedro is a Mexikid, a kid born in America to parents from Mexico: a kid who doesn't quite belong in either place... So he's not sure what to expect when his dad announces that the whole family (all 11 of them!) will be piling into their Winnebago to drive to Mexico with one mission: to bring home their abuelito – their legendary crime-fighting grandfather, who was once part of the Mexican revolution.

Allegedly – but their grandfather has a mission of his own and he won't leave Mexico until it's complete. This deeply personal and hilarious graphic memoir captures an unforgettable journey filled with cousins, comics, heartbreak and family history ... The road trip of a lifetime!

Poetry

Let’s Chase Stars Together

Perfectly reflecting the thoughts, feelings and imaginings of young people, these beautifully crafted poems are poignant, playful, heartfelt and hopeful. From friendship, family and separation to school experiences and fitting in, this moving collection touches on the relatable aspects of growing up.

It delicately balances emotion with light relief and humour, and is sure to captivate.

The First Year

Nate’s eleven and has just finished Primary School. After a challenging final year, life is looking up. His brother has recovered from a life-threatening heart condition, he’s got the love of his mum, brothers and Auntie San, and he’s off to Secondary School with his two best mates.

But while he's making new friends and avoiding the fists of Turner, his old nemesis, and struggling to come to terms with a strict new teacher and a sense of isolation from his brothers, a sudden surprise appearance in Nate's life threatens to throw him completely off course. And The Beast - the anger he tries so hard to control - reappears. Will Nate find a way to keep himself and his family together?

The Weight of Water

Sometimes I want to tear off my clothes And show them I'm the same Underneath –Maybe better. Life is lonely for Kasienka. She misses her old home in Poland, her mother's heart is breaking, and at her new English school friends are scarce.

But when someone new swims into her life, Kasienka learns that there is more than one way to stay afloat. This stunning novel from Carnegie Medal winner Sarah Crossan explores how to pick up the pieces when everything you know is turned on its head and you have to start all over again.

And Everything Will Be Glad to See You

A forceful, passionate and uplifting collection of poems by women and girls that is guaranteed to inspire, delight and empower. From well-loved poets, including Maya Angelou, Wendy Cope, Lucille Clifton and Christina Rossetti, to newer voices such as Amanda Gorman, Yrsa Daley-Ward and Ada Limón, this outstanding collection from talented anthologist Ella Risbridger has poems for every mood and every moment. Ella's selection is wide-ranging but accessible and will appeal to poetry lovers both young and old alike.With sumptuous finishes including cloth binding, full colour illustrations throughout, textured paper jacket, ribbon marker, and head and tail bands.

Horror/Paranormal

The Haunting of Aveline Jones

Turn on your torches and join Aveline Jones!Aveline loves reading ghost stories, so a dreary half-term becomes much more exciting when she discovers a spooky old book. Not only are the stories spine-tingling, but it belonged to a girl called Primrose Penberthy, who vanished mysteriously, never to be seen again. Intrigued, Aveline decides to investigate Primrose's disappearance, with some help from her new friend, Harold.

Now someone...or something, is stirring. And it is looking for Aveline. The first in a deliciously spine-tingling, spooky new series, where mysteries are always solved, spirits are always laid to rest, and everybody gets to bed on time.

Room 13

Somebody was in there. Somebody - or some thing… There is no room thirteen in the creepy Crow's Nest Hotel, where Fliss and her friends are staying on a school trip. Or is there? For at the stroke of midnight, something peculiar happens to the door of the linen cupboard next to room l2.

And something is happening to Ellie-May Sunderland, too - something very sinister . . .

21% Monster

When Darren Devlin is arrested for destroying his school with his bare hands, it's not just the police who are after him. Enter Marek Masters, 14 years old, 19% alien, and the most intelligent, most wanted "almost human" alive.

Marek is here to tell Darren the truth - he is 21% monster, and together they must take down the secret organisation that created them. Darren and Marek are wanted, powerful and dangerous. And now it's payback time.

The Witch in the Woods

Welcome to Hazard.

An ordinary town where strangeness is a way of life. A town where sink holes appear with no warning, where people go missing way too often and where things really DO go bump in the night … To Travis and his classmates, Hazard is home. But when they’re set a school project to investigate the history of the town, they soon realise that something strange and alien lies beneath Hazard.

What can they learn from their investigations into the mysterious witch in the woods? And – if the witch really does exist – will they make it home to tell the tale …?