ACL Book Group Titles

Book Groups 8-11 years

The titles selected for the 8-11 years book groups have been specifically chosen with an interest age of between 9-13 years.

Click on the book image to view a book trailer, or to hear the author talk about their book.

Some titles are available as either an eBook or as an eAudiobook . Head to BorrowBox to find a digital copy!

Aberdeen City Libraries are always looking for ideas for new titles, so please speak to your book group leader to tell us about books you think would make a great addition to the collection.

[Reviews from the Peters website.]

‘The sing walker’ by Zillah Bethnell When a young girl wakes up in the middle of the desert, she has no idea who she is. She's wearing one shoe, a silky black dress, and she's carrying a strange, heavy case.

"There are three questions that I need to find the answers to: Where am I? What am I doing here?

And... Who am I?"

‘Count’ by Melvin Burgess Brandon is a boaster - he says he is brilliant at lots of things.

Then he is challenged to count up to ten million. So Brandon starts: one, two, three... and before long he is up to one thousand. Brandon can't stop counting. And the higher he counts, the more everyone takes an interest.....

‘The little match girl strikes back’ by Emma Carroll After an incident leaves her with only three matches left, the magical strike of each one sees Bridie tumble into visions of a brighter future.

Realising she has the power to change her own fortune, Bridie leads the match factory workers out on strike.

‘Danny Chung does not do maths’ by Maisie Chan Danny Chung loves drawing more than anything - certainly more than maths.

So his life is turned upside down when a surprise that he's been promised turns out to be his little, ex-mathschampion grandmother from China.

‘Which way to anywhere’ by Cressida Cowell K2 has a secret gift - he draws maps of worlds that are beyond the wildest of imaginations. What K2 doesn't know, is that the maps he draws are real. They are worlds beyond the world we know, and the maps he draws make up an Alternative Atlas.

‘When the sky falls’ by Phil Earle It's 1940, and Joseph has been packed off to stay with Mrs F. To Joseph's amazement, she owns the rundown city zoo where Joseph meets Adonis, a silverback gorilla - Joseph finds he has an affinity with the lonely beast. But when the bombs begin to fall, it is up to Joseph to guard Adonis's cage.

‘The book of stolen dreams’

by David Farr When Rachel and Robert are passed a stolen book by their librarian father, they have to go on the run and protect it at all costs. With their father captured and everyone hunting for the Book, they must uncover its secrets and track down the final, missing page.

‘The last bear’ by Hannah Gold There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that's what April's father tells her when his scientific research takes them to the Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving...determined to save him.

‘The final year’ by Matt Goodfellow Life can be tough in your last year of primary school, preparing for ge to high school.

When Nate is put into a different class from his best friend he finds a new friend in Turner, the school bully, Nate's world turns upsidedown.

‘Wildoak’ by C. C. Harrington Sent to stay in the depths of Cornwall with a grandfather she barely knows, Maggie discovers an abandoned snow leopard, Rumpus.

Maggie and Rumpus build an understanding, but when the creature is spotted by others, danger follows.

‘Clutch’ by M. G. Leonard There's an egg snatcher in Aves Wood - the Twitchers are on the case!

It's spring, and Aves Wood is alive with migrating birds returning to build their nests.

But eggs are going missing.

Could someone be stealing from the nests of the wild birds?

‘A kind of spark’ by Elle McNicoll A kind of spark tells the story of 11-year-old Addie as she campaigns for a memorial in memory of the witch trials.

Addie knows there's more to the story of these 'witches', just like there is more to hers.

Can Addie challenge how the people in her town see her?

‘When fishes flew’ by Michael Morpurgo Nandi travels to her ancestors' home in Ithaca, and discovers the extraordinary story of her great-aunt Elena; of how she fell in love and how of how she became an unsung hero of World War Two. But Elena has gone missing, and Nandi has to find her. .

‘Armistice runner’ by Tom Palmer Lily has been struggling to compete in fell-running races and, worse, she's losing her gran to Alzheimer's.

She discovers her great-greatgrandfather's diaries from the First World War. Could his story of bravery help her reconnect with her gran?

‘The boy at the back of the class’ by Onjali Rauf There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it. He's nine years old (just like me), but he's very strange. He never talks and never smiles...But then I learned the truth.....

‘The night bus hero’ by Onjali Rauf 'The boy's an absolute menace.'

'He's a bully. A lost cause!'

I've been getting into trouble for as long I can remember...But recently it feels like no one believes me about anything...

‘Wolf Road’ by Alice Roberts Tuuli is a prehistoric girl, travelling with her tribe protecting themselves against the many hazards that the climate throws at them.

When she spots a strange boy lurking outside their camp, she realises that he might hold the adventure she is looking for.

‘The boy who made everyone laugh’ by Helen Rutter Billy Plimpton is an 11yrs old with a big dream. He wants to be a stand-up comedian; delivering pinpoint punchlines and having audiences hang on his every hilarious word. A tough career for anyone, but surely impossible for Billy, who has a stammer.