Fiction Guide January to June 2024

Fi i Guide

Welcome to the Usborne Fiction Guide for January to June 2024

I am thrilled to share with you this stunning line-up of fiction titles from Usborne. In this guide, we invite you to go on incredible adventures and enter amazing worlds with our latest line-up of new protagonists, destined to be readers’ new, favourite characters.

Go on an epic quest with Anise Star to save the world’s daemons, in Rowan Foxwood’s stunning debut Heartseer. Join the titular siblings of Clare Povey’s The Wanderdays as they set out to save their mum from a villainous lair on a secret island, in a tale about exploration and the wonder of the natural world. Race through Europe in a one-of-a-kind car race with Evie and her dad, solving a mystery along the way, in Jenny Pearson’s Speedwheels 3000. Enrol at boarding school, fight with goddesses, fall in love, fight for your rights, solve mysteries, learn to control your magical powers and much more besides, in this fabulous collection of books from a selection of outstanding storytellers.

We hope you enjoy your adventures and all the new places they take you to - happy exploring!

Rebecc Hill

Fic on Editorial Director

Younger Fiction

Izzy the Inventor

Zanna Davidson, Illustrated by Elissa Elwick

• A funny adven re story for aspiring scien sts and fans of fairy tales.

• An exc ng new chapter book series, packed full of illustra ons, comic strips and beau fully wri en text, starring female scien st Izzy the Inventor and a lovable unicorn.

• Includes fun step-by-step science experiments and a QR code which leads you to even more experiments and science videos, online.

Zanna writes fic on and non-fic on for Usborne. Her favourite things to write about are small monsters and talking animals. She used to live in London but now lives in a co age on the edge of some woods. She is only sorry there are no bears or witches in them.

Billy and the Mini Monsters

Zanna Davidson, Illustrated by Melanie Williamson

• Original series of laugh-out-loud fic on for newly independent readers with easy reading text.

Perfect for bridging the gap from pic re books to chapter books.

• Packed with comic strips, maps and speech bubbles, with an ac on-packed plot, to appeal to even the most reluctant reader.

• Selected for The Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge for three years in a row.

Over 300K copies sold!

Zanna writes fic on and non-fic on for Usborne. Her favourite things to write about are small monsters and talking animals. She used to live in London but now lives in a co age on the edge of some woods. She is only sorry there are no bears or witches in them.

Tiny the Secret Adven rerThe Mystery Visitor

Aisha Bushby, Illustrated by Kübra Teber

• Introducing a relatable, bold and ny character for a new genera on of young readers to get to know and love.

• Some great messaging about belonging, finding friends and looking out for each other - messages that seem more vital than ever.

You don’t have to be big to be brave!

The second story in a brand new inclusive series full of heart-warming adven re, perfect for young readers.

One day a scary mystery visitor with large paws, sharp fangs and shining eyes arrives in the school garden where Tiny lives with her animal friends. The animals are scared, but brave Tiny realises this young crea re needs help...

9781801314138

• £5.99 • PB • 6 years+

• Not available in USA, Canada and Philippines.

for

9781801314121

• £5.99 • PB • 6 years+

readers

The Guardian

Aisha Bushby was born in Bahrain and has lived in Kuwait, England and Canada. The first novel she ever worked on was a piece of fan fic on, based on her favourite book series, which she stayed up all night to write when she was thirteen. She now writes children’s books and this series is her first for younger children.

“Ideal

younger

looking for adven re close to home.”

Middle Grade Fiction

Countdown to Yesterday

Shirley Marr

• A beau fully sens ve and nuanced depic on of divorce and the complex es of parental separa on from a child’s perspec ve.

• A s nning new middle-grade standalone from the author of the cr cally-acclaimed A Glasshouse of Stars, which won the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award: Younger Readers.

James is s ck in the present and that’s the last place he wants to be. His parents have suddenly separated, and he has to get used to living two completely di erent lives. Now, he has two homes to stay in, two bedrooms to divide his things between, and two di erent routes to take to school. Unfor nately, nothing is adding up to the one great life James used to have and he wishes he could go back to the past, to his Top Six good memories with Mum and Dad.

Then during Science Week, James meets the enigma c Yan, a girl who looks at the world with x-ray eyes, and he discovers that travelling back in me might not be impossible a er all. But are his best memories as perfect as he remembers?

9781805073628

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

• Not available in the US, Canada, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand.

9781474991087

•

9781803704326

•

Shirley Marr is a first-genera on Chinese-Australian author living in sunny Perth. Shirley describes herself as having a Western mind and an Eastern heart and likes to write in the space in the middle where both collide, basing her stories on her own personal experiences of migra on and growing up. Arriving in mainland Australia from Christmas Island as a seven-year-old in the 1980s and experiencing the good, the bad and the wonder that comes with cul re shock, Shirley has been in love with reading and wr ng from that early age.

“Gentle yet powerful, truly a book to treasure.”

Sophie Anderson

Heartseer - The Tale of Anise Star

Rowan Foxwood

• Full of strange, wonderful creatures, evocative settings and heartfelt characters, this beautiful and confident debut is the first in a series of standalone adventures set in the same fantasy world.

• For fans of Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman and Studio Ghibli, it is shaped by Celtic and Asian mythology and the author’s childhood travels.

There are more deities and daemons in the world than stars in the sky. But only Heartseers like Anise Star can see them –because only they still believe...

Anise’s job is to help humans and daemons live happily together. But when the villainous Mr Babbitt tries to steal her home in the White Woods and drive the daemons out, she is forced to travel to the capital to ask the High King for help. First, though, she’ll have to convince him that daemons still exist.

Accompanied by loyal daemon-dog Wolf, Anise sets out on a spellbinding and treacherous journey, meeting runaway musician Robin and fox god Whin, and facing the cunning Magpie Queen and a deadly poisonous ink monster. In the midst of her battles she learns that it’s not just the daemons of the White Wood she must save, but all the daemons of the world.

Rowan Foxwood is a Lec rer of Crea ve Wr ng, and holds a Masters in Wr ng for Children. Born into a family of globe-tro ers, her world-wide travels as a child inspired a deep love of mythology, fairy tales and folklore that has sa rated her wr ng. Se led now in the south of England, Rowan con nues to indulge her wanderlust whenever possible, seeking out new myths and legends wherever she goes. She can be easily ensnared with the promise of books, cats and a nice cup of tea.

9781803707372

Shadowhall AcademyThe Whispering Walls Phil Hickes

• Ghost stories meet boarding school adventures, in this chilling new series from the author of the acclaimed Aveline Jones series.

• Murder Most Unladylike meets Lockwood & Co with a dash of Stranger Things.

When Lilian Jones starts at creepy, cold and bewilderingly large Shadowhall Academy, she’s nervous about making friends and finding her way around, but those turn out to be the least of her worries when strange things start happening at school.

There’s tapping in the walls in the dead of night, followed by unsettling tales of missing students, and rumours that the school is haunted... When mysterious figures start appearing, looking exactly like the girls themselves, Lilian suspects there may be more to the bizarre happenings than just stories, and her school is hiding real secrets.

Realising her new friends could be in danger, Lilian sets out to solve the mysteries of Shadowhall Academy once and for all.

9781474972147

•

•

•

•

•

• 9 years+

Born in the UK, Phil now lives with his wife in Oregon, where he works as an adver sing copywriter. He has a passion for horror, ghosts and all things that go bump in the night.

9781805314905

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+ • Not available in USA, Canada and Philippines.

£7.99 • PB

9 years+

9781474972161

£7.99 • PB

9781474972154

£7.99 • PB

9 years+

Cover not final

The Fights That Make Us

Sarah

Hagger-Holt

• A completely compelling and accessible read tackling timely issues, from the winner of the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award for radical fiction.

• An incredible insight into Section 28 and the history of LGBT rights, including exploration of what history means and how it’s remembered, and the importance of protesting and standing up for what you believe in.

Maybe there was a place in history for people like me, not on the edges of the story, but right in the centre.

Jesse has recently come out as non-binary, and is struggling to find their place at school, and ideas for their project on lost stories from history.

Thirty-five years earlier, Jesse’s cousin Lisa is falling for her best friend, but with new laws being introduced to restrict LGBT people’s rights, they’ll have to fight for the world to accept who they are.

When Jesse stumbles across Lisa’s teenage diary, they are fascinated and horrified by her stories of living a secret life and protesting in the streets. Now it’s Jesse’s turn to find a way to shine a spotlight on a history that mustn’t be forgotten.

9781801315791

• £7.99 • PB • 10 years+

• Not available in the US, Canada, the Philippines.

Winner of the Li le Rebels

Children’s Book Award 2022

978147496623

• £6.99 • PB • 9 years+

9781474966245

• £6.99 • PB • 9 years+

9781801315784

• £7.99 • PB • 10 years+

Sarah Hagger-Holt lives with her partner and two daughters in Hertfordshire. She is the author of two adult non-fic on LGBTQ+ books and has wri en for the i paper, the Hu ngton Post, and spoken on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour about LGBTQ+ paren ng.

Speedwheels 3000 - The Race Against Crime

Jenny Pearson, illustrated by Ka e Kear

• A non-stop, laugh-out-loud adventure with an unforgettable cast of characters, from the queen of storytelling with bags of heart and humour.

• Jenny Pearson has been shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and was the winner of the Laugh Out Loud Book Award.

Evie Clutterbuck is ready for the adventure of a lifetime! She’s joining her dad on the Speedwheels 3000 - the most exciting, most famous, most bonkers car race in the whole world, driving through seven countries and competing in challenges in their trusty car, Toots.

There are just a few small problems:

• Evie’s not supposed to have snuck into the car boot.

• She and her dad have been accused of stealing £4 million worth of gold.

• Their car is currently dangling off the edge of a cliff.

9 years+

• Not available in USA, Canada and Philippines.

Can Evie solve the mystery of the gold robbery, get the race back on track and connect with her distant dad, so that together, they can become the Ultimate Speedwheels Racing Champions?

has been awarded six mugs, one fridge magnet, one wall plaque and numerous cards for her role as Best Teacher in the World. When she is not busy being inspirational in the classroom, she would like nothing more than to relax with her two young boys, but she can’t as they view her as a human climbing frame.

Jenny

Pearson

The Spectaculars - The Wild Song Contest

Jodie Garnish

• The sequel to Indie bestseller and Book of the Month

The Spectaculars.

• A major middle-grade series, set at a magical boarding school with a theatrical twist! Perfect for fans of Nevermoor, The Train to Impossible Places and Carrie Hope Fletcher.

• Rising star author Jodie Garnish is a playwright and performer, whose passion for performance and children’s literature has found its perfect match in The Spectaculars.

Harper can’t wait for her second year of Spectacular training, where a song can send you on a rollercoaster, a dance can lift you into the air, and you can send notes to your friends via a mechanical dragon.

This year, her school at the Wondria is hosting the Spectacular Song Contest, where theatres from across the Hidden Peaks will compete to win the Wild Song, a powerful piece of music that can cause chaos.

When the Song Contest is sabotaged, it’s down to Harper and her friends to find the culprit and make sure the show can go on, before the wild magic destroys everything...

9781801312561

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

• Not available in USA, Canada and Philippines

9781803708102

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

Jodie Garnish is a playwright and performer, usually based in London. She studied Drama at the University of East Anglia before going on to train at Drama Studio London. She has had plays produced at various London theatres and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which were critically acclaimed. Her career as a performer, including in shows designed for young people, has allowed her to shape the world of The Spectaculars, as well as giving her good insight into what young people love.

Alex Nep ne Zombie Fighter

David Owen

• This fourth adventure adds a spooky new twist alongside all the funny animal characters, sea magic, high-octane adventure and strong friendship and eco themes loved by fans of the bestselling series.

• Short, pacey, action-packed adventures with illustrations by George Ermos, perfect for reluctant readers and fans of Percy Jackson and Dragon Realm.

When an ominous sea fog rolls in to Haven Bay, Alex, Zoey and Anil are ambushed by mysterious crab-legged creatures, searching for the glowing skull of the notorious pirate Brineblood.

Escaping to crumbling Argosy Manor with the skull, the friends must enter three magically trapped and deadly dangerous bottled worlds, to retrieve the prongs of a powerful trident that can stop Brineblood’s zombie army. All they have to do is face a cataclysmic eruption, a flood of evil and a forsaken town - while trying not to die horribly. Oh, and if they fail Brineblood will rise from the dead...

9781805316817

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

• Not available in USA or Canada.

9781474999236

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

9781474999274

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

9781474999298

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

Having worked as a freelance games journalist and taught on a BA Crea ve Wr ng course for three years, David Owen’s debut novel, Panther, was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal, and was followed by three further highly acclaimed YA novels. Alex Nep ne is his first series for younger readers, born of his love for nail-b ng heists, fantas cal monsters and heartfelt friendships.

“I loved it!”

L.D. Lapinski

Mysteries at Sea - The Royal Jewel

Plot

A.M. Howell

• Book two of this exciting and bestselling new series from A.M. Howell - combining the glamour of historical nautical travel with twisty and compelling mysteries.

• Impeccably researched and packed full of fascinating historical insights that will resonate with modern readers.

• Perfect for fans of Emma Carroll, Robin Stevens and Adventures on Trains.

Alice and Sonny are excited for their summer trip, sailing on the luxurious yacht the Lady Rose. They’re even more excited when they find out the King of England himself is going to be onboard too!

There’s also a precious jewel on the boat - a rare opal, kept in a tank protected by a poisonous octopus. Until one morning, Alice discovers that the opal and octopus are both missing. The search is on to retrieve the priceless gem, before the ship reaches its destination, and everyone on board finds themselves in serious trouble.

9781801316750

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

• Not available in US, Canada or the Philippines.

A.M. Howell has always been inspired by the stories around her, and how imagina on can unlock the secrets of the past. Her thrilling historical mysteries have garnered great cr cal acclaim, winning both the Mal Peet Children’s Book Award, and the East Anglian Book of the Year Award, as well as being shortlisted for lots of other prizes. A.M. Howell lives in Su olk with her husband and two sons.

“A thoroughly modern thriller.”

Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans

Isi Hendrix

• An addictive action-packed middle-grade adventure about discovering the hero within and carving your own path in the world, bursting with imagination, heart and humour, from a bright new talent.

• Perfect for fans of magic school stories like School of Good and Evil and fast-paced fantasy such as Nevermoor and Amari and the Night Brothers.

Life in the Swamplands is tough for twelve-yearold orphan Adia. Her aunt and uncle believe she is an ogbanje, a demon-possessed child thought to bring misfortune. And when Adia manifests mysterious powers, accidentally destroying her village, she starts to think they might be right.

Adia flees to the faraway Academy of Shamans, hoping someone at the school can figure out what is wrong with her and fix it. But she doesn’t expect to stumble across a bunch of squabbling deities with a secret...

9781803706559

Joining forces with a snarky Goddess, a 500 year old warrior girl and a status-obsessed soldier boy, Adia goes on a mission through hidden realms to save her kingdom. But if she is to succeed, she must learn to wield her mysterious powers and figure out who she really is.

Isi Hendrix is a Pitch Wars 2020 mentee and an Avengers of Colour 2020 mentee. She has degrees in anthropology and psychology from USC and has spent many years living in the Amazon and Gabonese rainforests working with shamanic tribes. She is a Black feminist, avid gardener, and, to the horror of her goat meat-loving Nigerian mother, a vegan since kindergarten.

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

• Not available in US, Canada or the Philippines.

“An immersive, funny, clever fantasy with real emo onal depth. I couldn’t put it down!”

A.F. Steadman

The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie

Radhika Sanghani

• The first book in a new set of standalones from Radhika Sanghani - contemporary, character-centred stories with a little sprinkle of magic!

• An uplifting, hilarious middle-grade debut that kids will genuinely love reading, from an award-winning journalist, adult author and body positivity campaigner.

Priya Shah lies. A lot. She pretends everything in her life is perfect, so she doesn’t disappoint anyone.

But when she puts on a bangle left to her by her Ba - the one person she was always honest with - she finds herself unable to tell a lie.

Priya is mortified. She tells her dad she hates his cooking, she tells Dan Zhang about her huge crush on him, she shares her best friends’ secrets at school. She can’t get the bangle off, and she can’t stop the truths pouring out of her.

9781805316749

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

• Not available in USA, Canada and Philippines.

As more things go wrong, and Priya’s truth-telling spirals out of control, can Priya learn to be honest without hurting the people she loves?

Radhika Sanghani is an award-winning fea res journalist, acclaimed author, screenwriter, influen al body pos v campaigner and a 2020 BBC Writers Room graduate. Radhika writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Elle, The Guardian, Grazia, Glamour and Cosmopolitan Vogue as well as on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour and is a regular guest on Sky News and Good Morning Britain. She is also a TedX speaker on body pos v , a yoga teacher and runs a char in a ve with AgeUK figh ng loneliness in older women.

; was recently fea red in Italian

The Secret of the Blood Red Key

The Book of Stolen Dreams

an instant modern classic which was shortlisted for the

One of the UK’s leading screenwriters and directors, David Farr is an astonishing new talent in children’s fiction, bringing his skill for creating riveting drama to a new audience.

Rachel and Robert have defeated the tyrant Malstain and become the heroes of Krasnia, but all is not how it should be. Robert is swept away with his new friends, leaving Rachel alone to take care of her ailing father, who’s lost without their beloved mother.

From nowhere, a boy appears knowing the secrets of the hidden blood-red key. For the key is a way into the Hinterland - and Rachel must promise that, as a new key keeper, she will answer when it calls. When a young girl, Elsa Spiegel, is illegally smuggled into the Hinterland, Rachel has no choice but to use her key to save Elsa. But her fate is linked with Krasnia, and Rachel must battle to save her home as she knows it.

, King Lear and The Hanna

David Farr is one of the UK’s leading screenwriters and directors for film, TV and theatre. In 2009, he was appointed Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, where his produc ons of The Winter’s Tale, all opened to cr cal acclaim. David is known for his work on Spooks and his 2016 BBC adapta on of The Night Manager, starring Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston. He completed his first fea re film, , in 2009, and has since adapted it into a hugely successful series for Amazon Prime, and has recently adapted The Midwich Cuckoos for Sky.

“A new and important voice for young people.” Michael Morpurgo

The Wanderdays - Journey to Fantome Island

Clare Povey

• A hugely exciting new middle-grade series from Waterstones Book of the Month author, Clare Povey, perfect for fans of M.G. Leonard and Thomas Taylor.

• Pitched as Spy Kids meets Indiana Jones, this is a wildly exciting adventure, jam-packed with intrigue, humour and plenty of wonder for the natural world.

Meet The Wanderdays in their first thrilling adventure, perfect for 9+ readers.

Nellie Wanderday, one of the greatest explorers the world has ever known, has gone missing on her latest expedition. When a mysterious stranger appears, Flo and Joseph Wanderday don’t expect to discover sinister secrets about the real reason for their mother’s trip.

Realising that this was no ordinary expedition, and that supposed Earth-Hero, Sir Frederick Titan, is not all he claims to be, Flo and Joseph must team up with investigative journalist Marianne de la Mer and their friends Funmi and Isaac.

9781803708089

• £7.99 • PB • 9 years+

• Not available in USA and Canada

It’s time for them to set out on their own quest across the ocean to save their mother, expose Titan’s crimes against nature and bring down the Titan empire once and for all.

9781474986489

Clare Povey is an author and the editorial and commun es manager of the Writers’ & Ar sts’ website. She fell in love with reading as a child, inspired by the stories in her local library, and also discovered a passion for French, when her parents bought her Usborne’s First Thousand Words in French. Clare did a degree in French and Francophone S dies, and her first book The Unexpected Tale of Bas en Bonlivre was Waterstones Book of the Month.

Young Adult Fiction

The Eternal Ones

Namina Forna

• The highly-anticipated finale to The Gilded Ones series, the epic YA fantasy, which was an instant NYT bestseller, and featured on Cosmo, Buzzfeed, BookRiot and Refinery 29.

• Set in a West-African-inspired world, The Gilded Ones is The Handmaid’s Tale meets Black Panther from stand-out voice Namina Forna - the second bestselling YA debut author in the UK in 2021.

Deka is a goddess-in-wa ng with the poten al to save her people from the brutal ancient goddesses who terrorize her kingdom of Otera. But first she must find her celes al essence - and if the Gilded Ones find it before she does, they will drain her power and tear Otera apart.

Alongside her army of friends, Deka faces the hardest ba le of her life - not just with the goddesses but with her own doubts. What if becoming a goddess makes her as evil as the Gilded Ones? And is she ready to leave her earthly life and loves behind?

9781474959599

• £8.99 • PB • 14 years+

• Not available in the US, Canada and the Philippines.

9781474959575

• £8.99 • PB • 14 years+ Not available in the US, Canada and the Philippines.

9781474959582

• £8.99 • PB • 14 years+ Not available in the US, Canada and the Philippines.

Namina Forna is the author of the epic fantasy YA series The Gilded Ones. Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, she moved to the US when she was nine and has been traveling back and forth ever since. Namina loves building fantas cal worlds and telling stories with fierce female leads.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

• The unputdownable new YA contemporary mystery/thriller from the breakout sensation and New York Times bestselling author of Ace of Spades, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

• Dark academia at its best, Where Sleeping Girls Lie is an impossibly compelling page-turner dripping in secrets, with a dark heart.

Sade Hussein is the new girl at Alfred Nobel Academy, a prestigious mixed boarding school. She’s always been home-schooled, and has no idea what to expect when she steps through the doors of her imposing new home. But she certainly didn’t imagine her roommate, Elizabeth, going missing on her first night. Or for people to think Sade had something to do with it.

With sinister secrets rising to the surface of Alfred Nobel Academy, Sade and her new friends must uncover the truth surrounding Elizabeth’s disappearance and bring the culprits to justice... before Sade’s own secrets catch up to her.

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is the instant New York Times, interna onal bestselling and award-winning author of Ace of Spades. She is an avid tea drinker, a collector of strange mugs and a recent graduate from a univers in the Sco ish Highlands where she s died English Litera re. When she isn’t spinning dark tales, Faridah can be found examining the deeper meanings in Disney Channel original movies.

“Strong Gossip Girl vibes and a whole lot of mystery.” Buzzfeed

Royal Scandal

Aimée Carter

• Second in the Royal Blood series, with even more deadly scandals and secrets: The Princess Diaries meets One of Us is Lying.

• Fun, slick, commercial YA: the scandal and secrets come thick and fast and the insight into the luxury, glamour and seedy underbelly of high society is as addictive as the gorgeous romance.

American-girl-turned-most-hated-royal Evan Bright might have shed her “killer princess” nickname, but somehow the media attention around her has only got worse.

From desperate clickbait articles about her and the President’s son, to headlines pitting her against her half-sister Princess Maisie, it seems everyone is dying for Evan to go back to America for good. But scarier still are the mysterious threats from someone determined to reveal her real story. And when there is an attempted assassination with no suspects, Evan starts to believe the person stalking her is within the palace walls.

9781803701745

• £8.99 • PB • 12 years+

• Not available in USA, Canada and Philippines.

They say what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger...but what if it’s the royal family who wants you dead?

“An addic vely fun one-si ing read for 14+ fans of Karen McManus.”

9781803701721

• £8.99 • PB • 14 years+ Not available in the US, Canada and the Philippines.

The Guardian

Aimée Carter is a graduate of the Univers of Michigan and the award-winning author of more than a dozen books, including the Goddess Test series, the Blackcoat Rebellion series, and the Simon Thorn series for middle-grade readers, now a #1 interna onally bestselling series under the tle Die Erben der Animox.

Four Eids and a Funeral

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Adiba Jaigirdar

• A gorgeous, bright and swoony Muslim rom-com from two bestselling, award-winning stars of YA.

Said Hossain hates Tiwa Olatunji. And Tiwa would happily never see Said again in her life. Growing up, the two were inseparable, but they have barely spoken since the incident many Eids ago and both of them would like to keep it that way. But when Said comes home for a funeral and the town’s Islamic Centre burns down on the same day, they have to face each other again and sparks fly.

Both of them want to see the Islamic Centre rebuilt. For Tiwa, it represents the community that she loves and a way to keep her fractured family together. For Said, it’s an opportunity to build his portfolio for his secret application to art school, where he hopes that he’ll be able to pursue his dreams of becoming an artist, rather than a doctor.

Working with your sworn enemy is never easy, and this could be the hardest thing that Said and Tiwa have ever done. Can they save the Islamic Centre, Eid - and their relationship?

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is the instant New York Times, interna onal bestselling and award-winning author of Ace of Spades. She is an avid tea drinker, a collector of strange mugs and a recent graduate from a univers in the Sco ish Highlands where she s died English Litera re. When she isn’t spinning dark tales, Faridah can be found examining the deeper meanings in Disney Channel original movies.

Adiba Jaigirdar is the award-winning, cr cally-acclaimed and bestselling author of The Henna Wars, Hani & Ishu’s Guide to Fake Da ng, A Million to One, and The Dos and Donuts of Love. A Bangladeshi/Irish writer and former teacher, she is the winner of the YA Book Prize 2022 and the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards 2021. When not wr ng, she is probably ran ng about the ills of colonialism, playing video games, or expanding her overflowing lips ck collec on.

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