Hana joins the Moonlight Mystery Agency to help Spark the bionic unicorn find her missing birthday cake in the first of an exciting new series from bestseller Vashti Hardy.
9781781125748
Funny, pets, family
Polly has set up a pets’ holiday home for the summer and with a house full of greedy guinea pigs, pesky parrots and slithering snakes, Mum is getting more fed up by the day! Especially when Doris the snake goes missing...
RECEPTION - YR 2 / NURSERY - P3
9781800903234
Real life, tennis, determination
Lottie Dod leads the way to sporting victory in this inspiring Little Gem from bestselling author Katherine Woodfine.
9781800901902
Party, friends, compromise
Sidney and Carrie’s friendship is being put to the test. Can Lisa Thompson’s uplifting duo learn to compromise in time for their joint birthday party?
9781800901407
Community, kindness, friends
A missing budgie inspires an unlikely friendship between a young boy and his elderly neighbour in this touching Little Gem from award-winner and Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho.
9781800901285
Early reader, celebrations, winter
Superstar illustrator Nick Sharratt takes inspiration from a celebration of the winter solstice in this charming and colourful Little Gem.
9781800902152
Funny, pets, mystery
Mysterious miaowing from the empty flat upstairs sets Liam and Sav on a quest to find the ghost cat in this charming gem from award-winning author Pamela Butchart.
9781781128503
Football, friends, superstition
Ridiculous injuries … strange illnesses … cancelled games … Everything’s going wrong for the Saints this season, and Stanley’s team-mates believe they finally know why. Their football kit is cursed!
9781800902411
Rabbits, mistake, peril
Can Annie find her missing bunny before it’s caught by the neighbourhood fox? A gentle and heartwarming animal story from worldwide bestseller Holly Webb.
9781800902145
Puppies, differences, rescue
A sausage dog discovers that, despite being small, she has strengths of her very own in this adorable gem from bestselling author Pip Jones, perfect for dog lovers.
Part of a series
Part of a series
Recommended For 7 to 8 Year Olds
9780008695637 | RA 7
Grandparents, rules, deception
Skye and Harry discover Gran isn’t quite as strict as Dad makes out in this funny family story from multi-award-winning author Anne Fine.
9780008770006 | RA 7
Winter, storm, community
As autumn turns to winter on Gull Haven Island, a snow goose crash-lands amidst a storm. Tia and Nat jump to the rescue in this heartwarming tale from Gill Lewis.
9781781129586 | RA 7
Mudlarking, pets, family fun
Granny’s hunt for the perfect pet brings some unexpected results in this goofy adventure of family, mudlarking and mayhem.
9781800902190 | RA 7
Creature, new school, crafting
New girl Hattie hopes a scarecrow will protect her den at school, but she soon realises she can’t control him … A darkly comic tale from acclaimed author Nicola Skinner.
KS1 YR 3 / P4
9781800901865 | RA 7
Friendship, repairs, treasure
A smashed china dragon helps Tyra to bond with her new classmates in this touching tale from bestselling author Karen McCombie.
9781800902015 | RA 7
Egypt, time-slip, adventure
Seth learns some important life lessons when he’s transported back to Ancient Egypt in this absorbing time-slip adventure.
9781800900851 | RA 7
Horses, friendship, wishes
Award-winning author Tanya Landman brings a fresh perspective to horse-riding stories with the first in a heart-warming new series about friendship and dreaming big.
9781800901032 | RA 7
Funny, politics, power
When the Prime Minister begins making Ted’s great ideas a reality, he suddenly has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders … A hilarious comedy caper from Waterstones Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
9781800902572 | RA 7
Urban, wildlife, rescue
When wild animals stray into the park and get into difficulties, Hassan and his mum are there to help in two heartwarming tales from animal-story maestro Helen Peters.
9781800900523 | RA 7
Sadness, family, funny
A thoughtful and playful story exploring empathy, kindness and mental health, from global bestselling author Eoin Colfer.
Part of a series
Part of a series
Recommended For 8 to 9 Year Olds
9781781128244 | RA 8
Cats, magic, friendship
A cautionary tale of brats, cats and a little bit of magic from much loved and best-selling author Malorie Blackman.
9780008700522 | RA 8
Lighthouse, rescue, history
Award-winning Hilary McKay brings the childhood of Victorian heroine Grace Darling to life in this heartfelt reimagining of her life up to and including the Forfarshire shipwreck.
9781800901766 | RA 7
Magic, mishap, misunderstanding
An accidental luggage swap with a witch conjures a series of mishaps for Zahra in this charming magical adventure from acclaimed children’s author Aisha Bushby.
9781800902695 | RA 8
Magic, friendship, funny
Marvellous Marvin braves the stage to showcase the magic that can be found in true friendship in this hilarious and heartfelt tale from bestselling author Jenny Pearson.
KS2 YR 4 / P5
9781800902770 | RA 7
Nature, conservation, friends
Tia must show visitors to Gull Haven Island how to respect the environment and protect the animals who live there in this charming tale from award-winning author Gill Lewis.
9780008715779 | RA 8
Egypt, treasure, discovery
Uncover the incredible true story of Howard Carter’s world-changing discovery in this fun and informative retelling of the secrets of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
9780008723712 | RA 8
Sci-fi, tech, aggression
When Danny reveals the dark underside of a company making a new fighting toy gadget, he has no idea of the danger he’s in. A gripping sci-fi mystery from Alastair Chisholm.
9780008680701 | RA 8
Judgement, grief, friendship
Hayley discovers the importance of giving people a chance in this thought-provoking tale from critically acclaimed author Lesley Parr.
9780008726201 | RA 8
Eco protest, family, split
Troublemaker Noah reveals hidden depths as he teams up with goodie-two-shoes Grace to save a majestic local oak tree in this uplifting tale from bestselling author Lisa Thompson.
9781781129531 | RA 8
School trip, labradoodle, mayhem
The first in a delightful series following the mischievous canine antics of a classroom pet, from World of Norm author Jonathan Meres.
Part of a series
Part of a series
Part of a series
Recommended For 9 to 10 Year Olds
9781800902763 | RA 7
Vet, animals, island life
Tia and her mum start an adventurous new life on Gull Haven Island, finding lots of animals who need their help along the way.
9780008698102 | RA 8
Wilderness, friendship, funny
Average Joe takes to the wilderness to track down Bigfoot and become a school legend in this brilliantly funny adventure from Lollie Award winning author Jenny Pearson.
9780008688516 | RA 7
Witch, quest, friendship
A shop-witch and a hero must work together to fulfil an important quest in this magical adventure from award-winning children’s author Aisha Bushby.
9781800902756 | RA 8
School test, stress, resilience
Try as he might, Arun simply cannot wriggle his way out of taking the maths test at school. Instead, he must learn to face his fears in this encouraging and relatable school story.
KS2 YR 5 / P6
9781800901872 | RA 7
WWII, family, shortages
As World War ll drags on, Susan sets out on a mission to cheer up her mum in this heartwarming wartime tale from award-winning historical fiction writer Tony Bradman.
9781800902541 | RA 8
Football, community, Sikhism
A young Sikh footballer reaches out across the generational divide to help a lonely old man in an uplifting story from acclaimed author Bali Rai.
9781800902299 | RA 7
Sci-fi, survival, technology
Stranded and alone on the moon, Luna is running out of time … Chris Bradford crafts The Martian for younger readers in this gripping outer-space survival story.
9780008680732 | RA 8
Quest, mystery, inventions
Embark on an action-packed quest to find the lost town of clockwork in the first of a new fantasy adventure series from Vashti Hardy, packed with her trademark STEM inventions.
9781800903241 | RA 8
Fathers, separation, football
A young boy’s relationship with his struggling dad is strained when he is forced to choose between playing football and quality time in this sensitively told story from award-winning writer Tony Bradman.
9781800902121 | RA 8
History, civilisation, Vikings
From traders to raiders, embark on an incredible voyage through Viking life and history in the first in an exciting new series from bestselling non-fiction writer David Long.
Part of a series
Part of a series
Part of a series
Recommended For 10 to 11 Year Olds
9781800903210 | RA 7
Sci-fi, survival, space
When disaster strikes on the International Space Station, Stella needs a whole galaxy of luck to return safely to Earth. Bestselling author Chris Bradford crafts Gravity for younger readers in this gripping outer-space thriller.
9781800902473 | RA 8
Historical, opportunity, peril
Lucy Strange interweaves the Industrial Revolution with gripping Greek mythology in this atmospheric tale.
9780008695705 | RA 7
Football, friends, courage
Kian has to face his fears of footballing failure in order to support a friend in this action-packed sports story from bestselling and award-winning author Tom Palmer.
9780008698096 | RA 8
Sloth bear, captivity, rescue
Puloma must summon immense courage to rescue a captive bear in this gripping adventure from award-winning author Jasbinder Bilan.
KS2 YR 6 / P7
9781800900905 | RA 8
Digital detoc, camping, family
A quest for screen-free family time leads to camping chaos in this hilarious and heartwarming comedy from the author of Anisha, Accidental Detective
9781781129227 | RA 8
Historical, true story, slavery
9780008700539 | RA 8
History, civilisation, Egyptians
From sacred cats to the invention of toothpaste, Blue Peter Award winning author David Long takes readers on an intriguing investigation into the ancient Egyptian civilisation.
9781800901001 | RA 8
Dogs, hospital, family
9780008672928 | RA 8
Family, anxiety, mental health
With help from his grandma, Josh finds a way to quieten his overactive ‘Brian’ in this gently humorous and empathetic tale about family and mental health by bestseller Helen Rutter.
9781800903142 | RA 8
Football, friendship, psoriasis
From the horrors of the slave trade to a book that changed the world, Catherine Johnson celebrates the incredible life of Olaudah Equiano in this gripping true story.
Letters from a longed-for pet provide comfort and entertainment for a lonely boy in a heartfelt and gently humorous tale from bestselling author Piers Torday. R
Facing up to fears of bullying, Eva finds the courage to take to the field in this heartwarming tale from acclaimed author Eve Ainsworth.
Part of a series
Part of a series
Recommended For 11 to 12 Year Olds
9781800902480 | RA 7
Peril, judgement, understanding
A dramatic coach crash forces Hailey to re-examine her relationships with her fellow singing-club members in this gripping drama from queen of teen thrillers Sophie McKenzie.
9781800903203 | RA 8
Relocation, comical, friendship
Can friendships survive as Denny relives the good times and rewrites the bad? A comic and compelling tale from award-winning author Keith Gray.
9780008732141 | RA 7
Funny, friendship, quest
Former bestmates Kit and Hamza must deliver a cooked turkey across town, but can they tolerate one another for that long? A hilarious caper from bestseller Simon James Green.
9780008712785 | RA 8
Ghost, Gothic, grief
Will Hugo heed the pleas of the fog-shrouded figure at the window and welcome him inside?
A spine-tingling ghost story from bestselling author Lucy Strange.
KS3 YR 7 / S1
9781781129685 | RA 8
Dogs, football, homelessness
A four-legged hero risks it all to make his best friend’s dream come true in this touching adventure of family, football and beating the odds.
Part of a series
9781800902589 | RA 8
Cli-fi, dystopia, greed
Climate catastrophe leaves the people of Earth fighting for oxygen in this gripping dystopian thriller from bestselling sci-fi author Alastair Chisholm.
9781781129388 | RA 8
Space, survival, resilience
A thrilling and captivating retelling of one of history’s most famous space missions, from Blue Peter Book Award winning author David Long.
9781781128404 | RA 8
Exploration, prejudice, hero
A thrilling fictionalised account of the life of Matthew Henson, the first African-American man to travel to the North Pole, from the Carnegie-nominated author Catherine Johnson.
9781781129494 | RA 8
Teen life, high school, humour
Hilarity follows disaster in this sharp-witted tale of the trials of pre-teen life, from award-winning and critically acclaimed Crongton author Alex Wheatle.
9780008722296 | RA 9
Nature, family, quest
Anthony McGowan pens an environmental tale packed full of grit, heart and humour, as Kyle and his grandad execute a plan to save the local beck.
R R
Recommended For 12 to 13 Year Olds
9780008739522 | RA 7
School, anixety, understanding
Ellie battles feelings of anxiety about school that she can’t explain in this sensitively told tale from acclaimed author Eve Ainsworth.
9781800902961 | RA 8
Cli-fi, disability, poverty
The terrifying impact of global warming on vulnerable lives is laid bare in this gripping tale of survival from internationally bestselling author Steve Cole.
9780008736736 | RA 7
Relationships, rivalry, anxiety
Cousins Yasmin and Ruby have always been rivals, but both sides of the story are exposed in this cleverly composed clean-teen novella from Karen McCombie.
9781781124222 | RA 8
Football, dreams, romance
Baljit dreams of football stardom, so when the chance of a lifetime comes along, he can’t let it slip through his grasp – even if it means a chain of lies to his parents … A witty and warm sports drama from teen favourite Bali Rai.
KS3 YR 8 / S2
9780008726218 | RA 8
Historical, true story, resilience
Catherine Johnson celebrates the incredible life of Josephine Baker, chronicling her journey from an impoverished childhood to beloved actress, dancer and wartime heroine.
9780008748517 | RA 8
Halloween, ghosts, horror
Bored with trick-ortreating, three friends venture into the woods on Halloween night to hunt for the haunted McBride House in this spine-tingling horror story from Phil Hickes.
9781800902039 | RA 8
First love, music, funny
From award-winning author Phil Earle comes the hilariously agonising account of one teenage boy’s disastrous attempts to win the heart of the cool new girl at school.
9781800900899 | RA 8
Environment, angst, quest
Marcus Sedgwick crafts a characteristically unsettling mystery exploring teen relationships and our connection to the world around us in this suspenseful and eerie drama.
9781800902725 | RA 8
Tech, thriller, manipulation
Bestselling YA author Melinda Salisbury exposes the dark underbelly of new technologies in this gripping thriller.
9780008739034 | RA 9
Nature, struggles, growing up
Carnegie Medal winning author Anthony McGowan weaves a bleakly poetic tale about one boy’s determination to save a badger cub from the destructive hands of a local gang.
Part
TOP PICKS BY AGE RANGE AND SCHOOL YEAR GROUP
KS3 YR 9+ / S3+
9781800902534 | RA 7
Racism, Sikhism, violence
An innocent night out to celebrate a sixteenth birthday turns to tragedy in this powerful story of racial intolerance from award-winning author Bali Rai.
MATURE CONTENT
9781800901087 | RA 8
Fascism, poverty, prejudice
Elsie witnesses the rise of antisemitic fascism in 1930s London in this gripping historical drama from award-winning author Tanya Landman.
9781800901926 | RA 8
Family, trauma, ghosts
A grim discovery brings disturbing revelations in this chilling ghost story from the phenomenal late Marcus Sedgwick.
9781800902701 | RA 8
Tech, thriller, manipulation
Bestselling YA author Melinda Salisbury exposes the dark underbelly of new technologies and online friendships in this gripping thriller.
9781800901919 | RA 8
Escape, betrayal, friendship
The complicated nuances of teenage friendship are captured perfectly in this story of summer adventure and exploration by award-winning author Keith Gray.
9781800902282 | RA 8
Thriller, mystery, horror
Bestselling YA horror writer Cynthia Murphy crafts a spine-chilling thriller about a summer camp gone deathly wrong.
9781800901018 | RA 8
Remorse, foster care, justice
A powerful and heart-rending exploration of a teenager’s journey through grief, rage and getting caught in the criminal justice system from award-winning author Patrice Lawrence.
9780008739065 | RA 9
Brothers, danger, loss
Nature’s fury tests a brother’s courage and a dog’s loyalty in this Carnegie Medal winning ending to the story of the beloved brothers of the Truth of Things series.
9781800902428 | RA 8
LGBTQ+, romance, prom
Alfie Parker has bagged the hottest date to prom … hasn’t he?
A life-affirming teen romance from bestselling author Simon James Green.
9780008700492
Horror, sci-fi, conspiracy
Master of sci-fi horror
Dan Smith delivers an action-packed adventure as secret organisation The Night House exposes the terrifying truth behind the Alpine Heights disaster.
