Usborne Complete Fiction Guide 2025

New Fiction Guide

Middle Grade Fiction

Grumpfort Jamie Hammond, author-illustrator

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A monstrously funny illustrated adventure from super-talented debut author-illustrator Jamie Hammond, for fans of Loki, Grimwood and Monster Hunting for Beginners.

An instantly engaging story about hunting monsters and finding friends in unexpected places, filled with scares, laughs, fights, booby-traps and unforgettable characters.

Engaging illustrations on every spread make this the perfect book for emerging middle-grade readers.

Meet Mo–the worst monster hunter ever.

Mo never wanted to be a Warden–protecting the village of Bogfoss from the terrifying monsters in the woods is way too scary. But when he’s beaten up by a goblin on his first patrol, he knows he has to prove himself.

So, he sets out into the forbidden woods to catch himself a monster and make himself a hero . Instead, he stumbles into GRUM PFORT , a secret monster fortress with a very big problem. The fearsome Grumpsnatcher is kidnapping the other monsters–and suddenly Mo’s on a monster-hunt with a troll, a gnome and a fire-breathing snotwoggle to stop it! £7.99 8 years + Extent: 288pp Pub date: 27 February 2025

9781835400951

As well as writing and illustrating his own books, Jamie Hammond is a designer of many famous children’s books. He grew up in Sheffield but now lives in Cambridgeshire with his husband and his pug. Grumpfort is his first book, which he wrote to celebrate bravery, friendship, being kind and being unique, and to reflect the characters he wished he’d grown up with.

27 February 2025

Cruise Ship Kid: Thief at Sea! Emma Swan. Illustrations by Katie Saunders

First title in the fresh and funny new cosy crime series for 8+ readers set on a cruise ship, from debut author and West-End actress, Emma Swan.

Perfect feel-good fiction to enable even the most reluctant readers to read for pleasure.

Pamela Butchart meets Tom Gates, filled with laugh-out-loud moments and interactive magazine-style elements for child-friendly fun.

Jump on board with Silver, the Cruise Ship Kid, in the hilarious new detective series from debut author and West-End actress, Emma Swan.

There's 4 things you should know about me: 1. I live on a cruise ship 2. My name is Silver . Yes, really 3. I've never had a best friend my own age  4. I’m definitely not a detective Somehow, though, I'm now investigating the CASE OF THE MISSING MEGA-EXPENSIVE WATCHES. But I've got a plan. If I can solve the crime, then surely everyone will want to be friends with me. Right?

I've got lots of help from the gang, but I won't tell you about them because they are all over 80 and prefer playing bingo to solving crimes.

Do you want to be definitely-not-a-detective too and help me catch the thief at sea ?

THIS BOOK IS: - 50% crime-solving + 50% friendship = 1 00% FUN !

- Written in diary form - Filled with doodles, activities and lots of space to scribble!

£7.99 8 years + Extent: 384pp Pub date: 03 July 2025

9781835409954

Emma Swan is a writer, actor, award-winning comedian and West-End star of Horrible Histories.

Originally from Rotherham, she also has a slightly unhealthy Yorkshire tea addiction! Her theatre work has been performed at the Arcola, the Soho Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East. She is also a lyricist and won Best Newcomer at the Musical Comedy Awards. In the West End, she has performed at the Garrick, Apollo and Barbican theatres and her other acting credits include the RSC and Doctor Who. Emma also narrates many audiobooks and has a very professional studio in her flat that may or may not be made out of sofa cushions and a duvet.

Proof copies available

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The Big Bad Wolf Murder P.G. Bell. Illustrations by George Ermos

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The second gripping fairy-tale murder mystery from bestselling author P.G. Bell, this is Red Riding Hood meets Alex Rider.

A super-pacy standalone mystery romp with solid boy appeal, including epic chase scenes, gangsters, brawls and sporting rivalry turned deadly.

PG Bell's The Train to Impossible Places series has sold 170k copies and his previous fairy-tale murder mystery The Beanstalk Murder has won rave reviews: "Perfect for any young readers who enjoy a spot of cosy crime." The Sunday Express.

THE BIG BAD WOLF IS DEAD! And what's worse, he was murdered! Alarick was a sporting superstar, top wolf in the Tooth & Claw games, and his death in the middle of the championship game against the Reds is a huge scandal.

When his rival, Ruby Red, realizes she has been framed for the crime she goes on the run, determined to clear her name. But with a dogged detective and a wolf assassin on her tail, she's going to need more than a little help from her new wolf-cub friend Fillan.

Only her Tooth & Claw skills will help her evade capture and nail the real murderer.

£7.99 9 years + Extent: 224pp Pub date: 11 September 2025

9781805312536 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 320pp

P.G. Bell is a native of South Wales, where he was raised on a diet of Greek mythology, ghost stories and Doctor Who. He's had all sorts of jobs over the years, from lifeguard to roller-coaster operator, but has always wanted to write stories. He lives in Wales with his wife Anna and their two children. The Train to Impossible Places, P.G.'s debut series, has enjoyed widespread success, including shortlistings for the Branford Boase Award, the Crimefest Awards and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize.

9781836040743

Alex Neptune, Dragon Champion • • •

The fifth and final instalment, Dragon Champion is filled with action and adventure of the highest order, leaving readers with a powerful environmental message about looking after the oceans.

The first Alex Neptune adventure was Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month August 2022 Perfect for Fans of Percy Jackson and Dragon Realm, these are short punchy adventures with huge appeal for boys.

Brineblood the pirate is back on the high seas with a dastardly plan - he's going to steal every drop of sea magic and use it to raise an all-powerful monster from the bottom of the ocean. If Alex, Zoey and Anil can't stop him, the monster could flood the entire world.

Teaming up with the water dragon, they use a home-made submarine to journey deep into places no human has been before. But they have one crucial problem: Alex has lost his magic. Can he still lead his crew to victory? Or will Haven Bay - and the rest of the world - be lost for good?

£7.99 9 years + Extent: 288pp Pub Date: 02 January 2025

Having worked as a freelance games journalist and taught on a BA Creative Writing 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 Neptune is his first series for younger readers, born of his love for nail-biting heists, fantastical monsters and heartfelt friendships.

9781805316824

Alex Neptune Meet Alex Neptune, the boy with the power of the ocean in his hands – a brand-new hero for fans of Percy Jackson and Dragon Realm!

Waterstones Book of the Month August 2022

9781474999236 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 256pp

9781474999274 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 272pp

9781474999298 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 304pp

9781805316817 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 272pp

9781805316824 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 288pp

Having worked as a freelance games journalist and taught on a BA Creative Writing 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 Neptune is his first series for younger readers, born of his love for nail-biting heists, fantastical monsters and heartfelt friendships.

Speedwheels 3000: The Race Against Crime Jenny Pearson. Illustrations by Katie Kear and Nick East

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This is a non-stop, laugh-out-loud mystery adventure with an unforgettable cast of characters, and a touching father-daughter relationship at its heart, hilariously illustrated throughout.

Jenny Pearson has fast cemented herself as the queen of storytelling with bags of heart and humour, perfect for fans of Frank Cottrell-Boyce, David Baddiel and Jacqueline Wilson.

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.

Strap yourselves in for the crime-solving adventure of a lifetime.

Evie Clutterbuck is on the starting line of the most famous, most extraordinary car race in the whole world - the Speedwheels 3000.

There are just two small problems: * Evie's not supposed to have snuck into her dad's car boot. * And four million pounds worth of stolen gold isn't supposed to be in there either…

With both cops and robbers on their tail, can Evie and her dad solve the mystery of the missing gold before it's too late? Or are their hopes of becoming the Ultimate Speedwheels Racing Champions about to go speeding by… £7.99 9 years + Extent: 352pp Pub date: 13 February 2025

Jenny Pearson 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. Her debut novel, The Super-Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award, selected as a Waterstones Book of the Month and was the winner of the 2022 Laugh Out Loud Book Award.

9781801315128

Shadowhall Academy: Ghost Story Society Phil Hickes. Cover illustration by Keith Robinson.

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

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

Child-centred, adventure-packed storytelling with unforgettable characters and just the right level of scares.

As if Shadowhall Academy wasn't creepy enough, Lilian and her friends have started a Ghost Story Society. It's all harmless fun, until one girl warns of a sinister book hidden somewhere in the school that can bring your darkest secrets to life.

So, when Lilian finds a mysterious book that seems like the one from the story, her friends warn her not to mess with dark magic. But she's never been one to resist an adventure. And when she writes her deepest secrets in the book, she unleashes a danger far worse than she could ever imagine…

£7.99 9 years + Extent: 176pp Pub date: 13 February 2025

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

9781805314912

9781805314905 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 224pp

The Spectaculars: Battle of the Stars Jodie Garnish. Illustrations by Nathan Collins

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The thrilling and magical end to the trilogy, which began with 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.

There's magic in the air as Harper begins her third year as a Spectacular at the Wondria her magical travelling theatre school.

An immersive theatre show is touring the Hidden Peaks, bewitching everyone with its starry charms. But when the show's fortune-teller predicts danger in Harper's future, Harper is suddenly pulled into a terrifying battle of powerful spells and sinister figures.

With her friends, Harper must uncover who is behind it all - because if they can't, it will be closing night for the whole of the Hidden Peaks…

£8.99 9 years + Extent: 352pp Pub date: 13 March 2025

9781803708102 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 384pp

9781801312561 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 384pp

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.

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Shrapnel Boys Jenny Pearson. Cover illustration by Tom Clohosy Cole

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A boy-focused historical novel packed with action and adventure from an award-winning novelist.

Publishing to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, this is the perfect book to bring history to life for today’s young readers. The Second World War is on almost every primary syllabus, and the historical content of this book has been reviewed by the Imperial War Museum.

From bestselling author Jenny Pearson, who has been shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Week Junior Book Award, and was the winner of the Laugh Out Loud Book Award.

There’s a war going on out there, and I’m missing it.

When war comes to London in 1939, Ronnie Smith is scared and excited: scared of the bombs that fall at night, but excited to race his friends to collect the best bits of shrapnel every morning.

But for Ronnie, the battles aren't just in the sky and on the streets. They're at school and at home too. His little brother is up to no good with a secret job and dangerous new friends, and Ronnie's worried he's getting himself into big trouble.

Ronnie's desperate to help his little brother. But he isn't expecting to uncover secrets that could change the fate of the whole war… £7.99 9 years + Pub date: 08 May 2025 Extent: 384pp

Jenny Pearson 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. Her debut novel, The Super-Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award, selected as a Waterstones Book of the Month and was the winner of the 2022 Laugh Out Loud Book Award.

9781805312963

Adia Kelbara and the High Queen's Curse Isi Hendrix. Cover illustration by Godwin Akpan

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The second book in the addictive middle-grade adventure series about discovering the hero within, bursting with magic, imagination, heart and action-packed.

Featuring an immersive and inclusive fantasy world inspired by the author's work with shamanic tribes in the Amazon and Gabonese rainforests.

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

Adia may have defeated the power-hungry god Olark and saved Zaria, but now she must face something even more terrifying: her first semester as a student at the Academy of Shamans. But when a strange affliction starts making everyone except Adia, Thyme and Darian fall asleep and corpses start climbing out of the ground, Adia realises school is the least of her worries.

Someone is draining energy from the living to resurrect corpses, creating cracks between the realms of the living and the dead. Adia has to push her powers to the limit and travel to the tomb of the ancient High Queen in search of answers.

But rising corpses aren't the only thing in Adia's way–there's a new enemy out there, and if she can't defeat them, Zaria may soon become another realm of the dead.

£7.99 9 years + Pub: 05 June 2025 Extent: 368pp

9781803706559 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 368pp

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.

9781803706566

Spirit Warriors Ashley Thorpe

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A pacy and filmic high-stakes standalone fantasy with huge boy appeal from a brilliant new talent: "Children's fiction at its finest.

Thorpe is a talent to watch!" Lizzie Huxley-Jones on Ashley's debut The Boy to Beat the Gods.

A story of ancient magic and new heroes in a battle between the lands of the living and the dead, filled with deadly adventure, spirits, duppies (demons) and lagahoos (werewolves), balanced with friendship and humour.

Inspired by the author's ancestry and set in an alternative historical version of Jamaica, the story draws on the practise of Obeah, a tradition and culture too rarely seen in children's books.

When her island home is overrun by demons, Evie is saved only by the powerful gemstone her parents entrusted to her. Her best friend Arthur is not so lucky - caught in the magical crossfire, he finds himself in the body of a cat.

On a mission to return him to his body and defeat the demons, Evie and Arthur team up with Cai, a trainee shaman, who helps them discover the truth. The terrifying Blackheart Man is plotting to steal the island's four magical gemstones and use their power to destroy the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead. It will take all of Evie's magic, Cai's bravery and Arthur's talent for thievery to stop him.

£7.99 9 years + Extent: 336pp Pub date: 14 August 2025

9781805075639 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 272pp

Ashley Thorpe is a Black British author who works as an editor at Storymix, where he helps other writers to create epic stories. His greatest wish is to bring diverse characters to life that he would have loved to have seen, but sorely missed, as a young reader. When he isn't writing or reading, Ashley enjoys making music, outdoor pursuits, indulging in anime and gaming. He lives in Manchester. The Boy to Beat the Gods is his first book.

9781805075653

How to get Magically Popular Radhika Sanghani. Cover illustrations by Mimi Moffie

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A character-centred story about making friends and embracing your true self with a sprinkle of magic which children will genuinely love reading.

From award-winning journalist and author Radhika Sanghani. Perfect for fans of Geek Girl, Lottie Brooks and Dork Diaries.

An important but light-hearted insight into mindfulness and understanding how your emotions can impact your actions, inspired by Radhika's experience as a yoga teacher.

Sabina Patel has never been popular. And in her new school, in a new town where she doesn't know anyone and everyone has more money and fancier clothes than her, Sabina feels even more out of place than ever.

When she accidentally unlocks magic powers during a meditation class in PE and starts to see visions of the future, Sabina worries that she'll be even more unpopular than ever before. But she quickly becomes one of the most popular girls in school, with everyone desperate for her to predict their test answers, prom dates and class election results.

But when she starts seeing futures she'd rather not know about, Sabina's not sure if she's unlocked a gift or a curse. How can she learn to be happy in the present, when the future keeps trying to take over her life?

£7.99 9 years + Extent: 304pp Pub date: 14 August 2025 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 304pp

Radhika Sanghani is an acclaimed author and screenwriter, an award-winning journalist and an influential campaigner on body positivity. When she isn't sprinkling her magic writing books for children, she's giving TEDx talks, writing for the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Elle, Guardian, Grazia, Glamour and Cosmopolitan, appearing on Sky News and Good Morning Britain, running a charity initiative with AgeUK fighting loneliness in older women and teaching yoga.

9781805318286

The Book of Stolen Dreams: The Final Battle David Farr. Cover illustrations by Kristina Kister

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The stunning conclusion to the Stolen Dreams Adventures series -The Book of Stolen Dreams was an instant modern classic, shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize.

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

A timeless adventure of courage and wonder, for fans of Philip Pullman, Katherine Rundell and Eva Ibbotson.

When a famous actor returns alive and well after weeks lost in the desert, everyone is thrilled!

Everyone, except Rachel Klein. Something about the actor doesn't feel quite right, and Rachel soon realises the horrifying truth: he isn't who he says he is. He's really the evil tyrant Malstain, back from the dead and hungry for revenge.

With their lives and the fate of Krasnia at stake, Rachel, her brother Robert and their loyal dog Bobby must return to the Hinterland, expose the truth and put an end to Malstain's evil plans once and for all.

£ 8.99 9 years + Extent: TBC Pub date: 11 September 2025

9781801315135 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 400pp

9781805076360 £8.99 9 years + Extent: 368pp

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 productions of The Winter's Tale, King Lear and The Homecoming all opened to critical acclaim. David is known for his work on Spooks and his 2016 BBC adaptation of The Night Manager, starring Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston. He completed his first feature film, Hanna, in 2009, and has since adapted it into a hugely successful series for Amazon Prime and has also adapted The Midwich Cuckoos for Sky.

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The Midnight Sweet Factory: A Wanderdays Adventure Clare Povey. Cover illustration by Ben Mantle

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A hugely exciting follow-up to The Wanderdays: Journey to Fantome Island, which can be read as a sequel or standalone, from Waterstones Book of the Month author, Clare Povey.

Wonka meets Spy Kids – a deliciously dangerous mouth-watering mystery, perfect for fans of Roald Dahl, Christopher Edge, M.G. Leonard and Thomas Taylor.

An action-packed, sugar-fuelled adventure full of brilliant baddies, bravery, friendship and passion for protecting the natural world.

Draws on timely STEM themes such as environmental action and the dangers of deforestation.

When Flo and Joseph Wanderday unwrap a Midnight Treats gobstopper, they're expecting to find a sugary sweet…not a mysterious message that kickstarts the adventure of a lifetime.

With adventure in their hearts and sugar in their stomachs, the Wanderdays must find the Midnight Forest, journey through its sweet-themed tricks and trials, and face their greatest threat yet: sweet-factory workers who aren't in control of their own minds…

£7.99 9 years + Extent: TBC Pub date: 11 September 2025

9781803708089 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 320pp

Clare Povey is an author, avid language learner and the proud owner of four Blue Peter badges. She wanted to be a marine biologist when she was younger but found science difficult and so decided to create stories about the wonders of the natural world instead. Her first novel for younger readers was a Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month. She has dealt with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) her entire life and now writes stories about characters who have adventures and are forever curious about the world, despite their intrusive thoughts.

9781803708096

Spooksmiths Investigate: The Circus of Shadows Alex Atkinson. Cover illustration by Miriam Serafin

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The second title in the brilliantly spooky and child-friendly horror-mystery series for fans of Hocus Pocus, Dread Wood, Aveline Jones and Goosebumps.

Featuring a squabbling brother and sister who can talk to ghosts, these are creepy, pacey, funny and accessible adventures for all middle-grade readers, filled with deliciously spooky details. inspired by the real-life London Necropolis Railway, which was used to transport corpses out of London in the Victorian era.

Indigo and Rusty may have defeated the Cinderman, but their new Spooksmith skills are about to face their most terrifying test so far.

When Indigo and Rusty's parents are spirited away on a real ghost train by the terrifying Hell Mary, they must travel to Necropolis Ghost City to get them back.

But phantom ringmistress Hell Mary has a sinister plan; desperate to reclaim the glory days of her Victorian circus, she needs Indigo and Rusty to hunt down her Show Stone so she can control her star performers for all time. And if they don't help her, Indigo and Rusty's parents will be trapped in Necropolis City forever.

With the clock ticking, Indigo and Rusty must use all their Spooksmith skills, as well as the help of a Ghost boy and a new rat sidekick, to defeat Hell Mary before their parents' time runs out… £7.99 9 years + Extent: TBC Pub date: 09 October 2025

Alex Atkinson loves scary books filled with oddball characters. She blames her idyllic North Yorkshire childhood spent playing murder-in-the-dark and listening to her dad’s bloodcurdling bedtime stories. After studying English and Politics at Newcastle University, she worked as a website content editor. She now lives in a village in Hertfordshire with her husband, kids, dogs and tortoise, but dreams of abandoned buildings, ghosts and zombies. Spooksmiths Investigate: The Cinderman is her debut novel.

9781835400999

9781835400937 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 240pp

Dominique Valente, illustrations by Eleonora Asparuhova

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A major new magical middle-grade series from the acclaimed author of Starfell, which was a Waterstones Book of the Month.

Encanto meets The Hatmakers, this is an enchanting magical world filled with rebellious hope, quirky historical fantasy, wondrous adventure and characters kids will love.

Features a disabled protagonist written from lived experience, as well as gorgeous chapter artwork and interior spot illustrations.

Eglantine Bury's magical house can't stop sneezing. Each "ACHOO!" causes total chaos, with one powerful sneeze even sending her tumbling through time.

Meanwhile, Princess Victoria is facing a disaster of her own as the royal family installs a magicblocking system within the palace.

As if that wasn't enough to worry about, Eglantine's home isn't the only magical being falling mysteriously ill. With dragons and gargoyles and gnomes getting sicker and sicker, the witches will have to risk everything to uncover the truth…before it's too late.

£8.99 9 years + Extent: TBC Pub date: 09 October 2025

9781805314998 £8.99 9 years + Extent: 336pp

Dominique Valente is the author of the bestselling Starfell series, and her unique voice and brand of quirky magic has found fans amongst readers and booksellers across the globe. She lives in Suffolk, in a (sadly non-magical) house with her husband and dog.

9781805316800

The Snow Girl Sophie Anderson. Illustrations by Melissa Castrillón

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A pitch-perfect wintry story inspired by The Snow Maiden - for fans of Narnia, Frozen and Leila and the Blue Fox. From award-winning and critically acclaimed Sophie Anderson, comes a fairy-tale story of friendship, belonging and bravery, in an adventure through a winter wonderland.

I wish the snow girl would come to life. Then I would have a friend, a real friend I could trust, and I wouldn't feel so alone.

When Tasha builds a snow girl with her grandpa, all she wants is for her to be real. If only wishes on snow could come true… Then Tasha meets Alyana, a friend made of wishes, starlight, snowfall and magic. But when your best friend is made of winter, what do you do when spring comes?

£7.99 8 years + Extent: 336pp Pub date: 06 November 2025

9781474940665 £7.99 8 years + Extent: 352pp

9781474940672 £7.99 8 years + Extent: 416pp

9781474978491 £7.99 8 years + Extent: 416pp

9781474979061 £7.99 8 years + Extent: 416pp

Sophie Anderson was born in Swansea and now lives in the Lake District with her family. Her writing is most often inspired by folk and fairy stories, especially the Slavic tales her Prussian grandmother told her when she was young. Across her bestselling novels, Sophie has won the Independent Bookshop Book of the Year Award and the Wales Book of the Year Award, and been shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal twice, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the Blue Peter Book Award, the British Book Awards' Children's Fiction Book of the Year, the Andersen Prize, and the Branford Boase Award. Sophie's books have been translated into over twenty-five languages, and The House with Chicken Legs has been adapted for the stage by Les Enfants Terribles.

9781836042532

Younger Fiction

Pia’s Pet Club: Puppy Problem Serena Patel. Illustrations by Emma McCann

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The second instalment of a new illustrated series for 7+ readers which pairs the cuddle appeal of Holly Webb's Animal Stories with the fun and humour of Wigglesbottom Primary.

The Anisha, Accidental Detective series has sold more than 160,000 copies and won a host of awards, including The Week Junior Book Award, as well as being shortlisted for the British Book Awards and the Lollies.

The perfect series for animal-loving kids, filled with fun and facts and a large cast of diverse characters.

Pia LOVES pets, but no matter how much she begs her parents for one, the answer is always NO! But Pia doesn't give up easily…

She decides to help her friend Hari train his troublesome puppy, Luna, to show her parents that she can look after one of her own. But when Luna continues to cause CHAOS, Pia will need to work really hard to show her how to behave.

It's time to join forces with her animal-loving friends, and form Pet Club! But will Pia ever get a pet of her very own? £7.99 7 years + Extent: 224pp Pub date: 08 May 2025

9781805312468 £7.99 7 years + Extent: 224pp Pub date: 12 February 2026

9781805312475 £7.99 7 years + Extent: 224pp Pub date: 02 July 2026

Serena Patel is the author of the Anisha, Accidental Detective series which won the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award for Fiction and has been optioned by the BBC. She lives in the West Midlands with her family and believes all children deserve to feel seen in the stories they read and that books are an important tool for empathy. When she's not writing Serena enjoys watching movies, reading and eating cake. Chocolate cake preferred.

9781805312437

Anisha, Accidental Detective: Christmas Chaos!

Serena Patel. Illustrations by Emma McCann • • • •

An extra-special festive mystery from rising star and co-editor of The Very Merry Murder Club anthology Serena Patel–the perfect Christmas gift for fans of the Anisha series and for any young mystery lovers.

Eighth book in this fresh and funny detective series for 7+ readers, which has won multiple awards and is being developed for television.

Fills a huge gap in the market: Reflecting Realities survey concluded that only 8% of children's books have Black, Asian or minority ethnic main characters, but 33.5% of school age children are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Features laugh-out-loud illustrations from Emma McCann and extra festive content including a Christmas jokes section.

IT'S CHRISTMAAAAAAS! My family LOVE Christmas and this year their excitement levels are off the charts because, drum roll with extra jingle bells...Dad has been put in charge of the festive fayre! Everyone's ready to help–my friend Milo and I have loads of SPARKLY ideas, Aunty Bindi's got a mountain of TINSEL, and we've even got a BIG RED SLEIGH for Santa's grotto!

Well, we did have a big red sleigh, until someone STOLE IT in the middle of the night. So now I'm on the case to track down the THIEF before they ruin Christmas. I just wish I didn't have to dress as an ELF to do it!

Looks like a case for me, Anisha, accidental Christmas detective! £7.99 7 years + Extent: 256pp Pub date: 06 November 2025 9781474959520 £6.99 7 years + Extent: 256pp

9781474959537 £6.99 7 years + Extent: 256pp

9781474959544 £6.99 7 years + Extent: 256pp

9781474989756 £6.99 7 years + Extent: 256pp

9781801310901 £6.99 7 years + Extent: 256pp

9781801310895 £7.99 7 years + Extent: 256pp

9781805311935 £6.99 7 years + Extent: 256pp

Serena Patel is the author of the Anisha, Accidental Detective series which won the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award for Fiction. She lives in the West Midlands with her family and believes all children deserve to feel seen in the stories they read and that books are an important tool for empathy. When she's not writing Serena enjoys watching movies, reading and eating cake. Chocolate cake preferred.

9781805312420

Teen/YA Fiction

Mondays are Murder

Ravena Guron. Cover illustration by Daniel Prasad

• • •

Slick, highly commercial and expertly-plotted, perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus and Holly Jackson.

Ravena Guron is the bestselling, award-winning author of highly-original YA killer thrillers. Her novels combine pacy, twist-packed plots with deeper themes, including race, privilege and class.

Ravena's bestselling YA thrillers have been shortlisted for the YA Book Prize, the Diverse Book Awards and many more, while This Book Kills was the bestselling YA debut thriller of 2023 and a World Book Night pick.

Seventeen-year-old Kay left her sleepy hometown after the devastating death of her friend, Ivy. But when Kay is forced to come back, she receives an anonymous letter that turns her life upside down.

The letter tells her that there will be a thrill on Tuesday, a wreckage on Wednesday, treachery on Thursday, a fire on Friday, sabotage on Saturday, a stabbing on Sunday–and her murder on Monday.

And if Kay can't figure out who is behind the threats, the worst day of the week is about to get deadly…

£8.99 12 years + Extent: 448pp Pub date: 13 February 2025

9781803705415 £8.99 12 years + Extent: 384pp

9781803705422 £8.99 14 years + Extent: 432pp

Ravena Guron is the bestselling author of YA thrillers This Book Kills, Catch Your Death and Mondays Are Murder. Growing up, Ravena always read the last page of books first, but discovering Agatha Christie in her early teens stopped that habit, igniting a love of twisty murder mysteries with jaw-dropping endings the reader never saw coming. A born and bred Londoner, she is a lawyer with a degree in biochemistry and uses the knowledge she's gained to plot perfect murders (only for her books, of course). Ravena's bestselling YA thrillers have been shortlisted for the YA Book Prize, the British Book Awards' Children's Fiction Book of the Year and many more.

9781805075707

Under a Fire-Red Sky Geraldine McCaughrean. Cover illustration by Keith Robinson

• • •

Geraldine McCaughrean is a New York Times bestselling author, two-time winner of the prestigious Carnegie Medal, and one of the most highly regarded children's authors of our time.

Publishing in the lead-up to the 80th anniversary of the end of the second World War, this is a powerful survival story that is brutal yet beautiful in its imagery and depictions of war-torn London.

Full of heartbreak and hope and inspired by the author's firefighter father and his experience of the London Blitz, Under a Fire-Red Sky is a celebration of endurance and friendship during the darkest times.

With the Second World War looming, four young people sit on a train waiting to be evacuated to a safer place…but they don't want to go. They climb out of the carriage and head back home to Greenwich, forming an unlikely friendship.

They spend their days trying to be useful. Laurence is building a secret machine. Gemmy searches bombed-out homes for things of value–only to find an adorable mutt she can't even give away. Franklin wants to join the Fire Service, although it means lying about his age. Olive looks after her father, who is broken by the deaths of his fellow firefighters.

And together, the four roam the streets of London, discovering their resilience amongst the secrets of the city.

But as the Blitz unleashes a barrage of bombs on London, turning the sky ragged with flame, can the friends keep each other safe and survive? £8.99 12 years + Extent: 288pp Pub date: 10 April 2025

9781409570516 £7.99 12 years + Extent: 304pp

9781474943437 £7.99 12 years + Extent: 336pp

9781474970686 £8.99 12 years + Extent: 416pp

Geraldine McCaughrean is one of today's most successful and highly regarded children's authors. She has won the CILIP Carnegie Medal twice: first in 1988 with A Pack of Lies and again in 2018 with Where the World Ends.

She's won the IBW Book Award 2018, the Whitbread Children's Book Award three times, the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Smarties Bronze Award four times, the prestigious U.S. Printz Award and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award. Geraldine lives in Berkshire with her husband John and the lingering shades of all those characters she has invented in her books.

9781836040774

I Dare You Tamsin Winter. Cover illustration by Amy Blackwell

• • •

With regular news stories on children and teens hurt or killed while involved in online dares, I Dare You tackles an incredibly important issue in a teen-friendly way; perfect for parents and teachers to raise discussions on the subject.

Drawing on her experience as a teacher, Tamsin Winter knows exactly what teens want to read about and explores those subjects in a way that is unfailingly funny, authentic and heartfelt, perfect for fans of Holly Smale and Jacqueline Wilson.

An unforgettable story about friendship tested to its limits, the pursuit of online fame that goes horribly wrong, and the importance of owning up to our mistakes.

Willow and Alma are best friends, sharing a love of the spotlight. All they want is fame and fortune, and Willow is determined that the best way to get it is to go viral. So, they start filming dares. Okay, so getting stuck in a basketball hoop doesn't get them the sort of attention they were hoping for, but as their challenges get more extreme, their fan base grows. Duct-taping themselves to a wall? No-brainer. Eating super-hot chillis? Of course! Waxing an eyebrow off? Super funny! And if they get in a bit of trouble, it's worth it.

But if they really want to prove themselves, they have to go all-out. So, they come up with the perfect idea. An idea that causes more than just a bit of trouble. An idea that might destroy not just their ambitions but their entire friendship for good.

£8.99 12 years + Extent: 368pp Pub date: 08 May 2025

9781474979078 £7.99 12 years + Extent: 384pp

9781474978484 £8.99 12 years + Extent: 352pp

9781474927284 £7.99 12 years + Extent: 400pp

Tamsin Winter grew up in a tiny village in Northamptonshire where there was nothing to do. She spent her childhood reading books and writing stories, mostly about cats. She has a degree in English literature and creative writing, and has been teaching, travelling the world and daydreaming for most of her adult life. She currently lives in Leicestershire with her son.

9781805075721

9781474927277 £7.99 12 years + Extent: 384pp

Circle of Liars Kate Francis. Cover illustration by Daniel Prasad

• • •

Set against the hot baking sun of the Californian desert, CIRCLE OF LIARS will publish in July 2025 as the ideal summer thriller that is as gripping as it is slick, perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus and E. Lockhart.

Packed with "OMG" twists and secrets simmering at every turn, this is a hugely commercial offering that will have readers clamouring to discuss THAT ending… This is a m ust - re a d , m ust - t a lk- a b out a nd m ust - sha re - IMMEDIATELY. CIRCLE OF LIARS is the debut YA thriller from Kate Francis.

Se ve n lia rs in t he c irc le . Only one c a n survive …

Seven teens arrive for a school retreat–only to find an abandoned motel and a sinister text message waiting for them: I kno w wha t you d id a ye a r a g o .

Each of the seven buried a guilty secret about their tragic school fire.

And now someone is out for revenge.

Every hour they must choose the guiltiest one among them to cross over the white line that circles the motel and be killed. Otherwise, they all die.

But who deserves to live, and who to die? Because only one of them can survive… £8.99 14 years + Extent: 352pp Pub date: 03 July 2025

Kate Francis is an English-American writer and architect. She graduated from Edinburgh University and the Bartlett School of Architecture and worked as an architect for several top design firms in London. She now lives in California with her three kids. When she's not building something, she enjoys kayaking, walking the dog, and crafting interesting ways to kill off fictional teenagers.

9781836042389

Girls of Dark Divine E. V. Woods

• • •

Cursed ballerinas fight back against the puppet master who controls them in this gripping read about ballet, bodily autonomy and female rage, from a hugely talented UKYA debut.

A page-turner which combines theatrical glamour with a storming thriller pace, a swoony romance and a brutally dark magic.

Compelling, fresh, accessible fantasy for fans of Caraval, The Night Circus and Adalyn Grace, with shades of The Phantom of the Opera and Black Swan.

A p up p e t m a st e r wie ld ing a d a rk c urse .

A b oy m a d e of sha d ows.

And a g irl who m ust se ve r t he st ring s a nd se t he r sist e rs fre e …

Emberlyn is a Marionette - one of a troupe of hauntingly beautiful girls who have been cursed to perform until they turn to dust… When another one of her sisters falls, Emberlyn decides she must fight back against their Puppet Master and free them from this violent dance.

Whisked away to a new theatre, Emberlyn seizes the chance to escape but instead brings dark secrets and a boy made of shadows to light… As her strings tighten, Emberlyn realizes the only way to break free is to end the Puppet Master once and for all. Except tearing the life out of his veins might destroy the Marionettes too… £8.99 14 years + Extent: 384pp Pub date: 14 August 2025

E.V. Woods has been writing for almost as long as she can remember. She graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in English Literature with Creative Writing and worked in marketing for several years. She currently lives close to the countryside with her husband and two adorable rescue cats. She loves all things fantastical and loves to write tales threaded with both darkness and magic, curses and hope.

9781805077633

h

Am I Normal Yet? Holly Bourne

• • •

With over 120 copies sold, Am I Normal Yet? Is back with a fresh cover, author’s note and forward, and ready to be devoured by the new YA generation.

Raw and powerful, this YA sensation tackles timeless teen issues like OCD, anxiety, peer pressure and feminism with sensitivity.

Holly Bourne’s books with Usborne have sold over 650k copies, been shortlisted for the YA Book Prize four times, featured on the BBC Radio 2 Book Club, selected for World Book Night and nominated for the Carnegie Medal.

Evie just wants to be normal. She wants to stop obsessing over germs, wash her hands just once (instead of a dozen times), and maybe even kiss a boy without mentally calculating how many billions of bacteria must be on his tongue.

But being a normal teenager isn't easy when you've just been sectioned and diagnosed with OCD. And with new friends and cute-but-confusing boys in the mix, will Evie be able to keep it together...or is she about to spiral out of control?

9781801315135 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 400pp

£ 8.99 9 years + Extent: TBC Pub date: 11 September 2025

Holly Bourne is a bestselling and critically acclaimed author. Inspired by her work with young people, and her own experiences of everyday sexism, Holly is a passionate mental health advocate and proud feminist.

9781409590309

9781805076360 £8.99 9 years + Extent: 368pp

How Hard Can Love Be? Holly Bourne

• • •

With over 80k copies sold, How Hard Can Love Be? is back with a fresh cover and author’s note, ready to be devoured by the new YA generation.

The follow-up to Am I Normal Yet?, this YA sensation tackles timeless teen issues like first loves, fallouts and feminism.

Holly Bourne’s books with Usborne have sold over 650k copies, been shortlisted for the YA Book Prize four times, featured on the BBC Radio 2 Book Club, selected for World Book Night and nominated for the Carnegie Medal Amber just wants a bit of love, and six weeks working at an American summer camp might be the perfect place to find it.

Two years ago, her alcoholic mum abandoned her for California and never looked back. This trip is their chance to reconnect, but the reunion is nothing like Amber hoped.

Then there's Kyle, the all-American Prom King. Falling for him was never part of the plan, but neither was having her heart broken.

Will Amber find the love she deserves? Or will her American dream turn into a nightmare... £ 8.99 9 years + Extent: 480 Pub date: 11 September 2025

9781801315135 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 400pp

Holly Bourne is a bestselling and critically acclaimed author. Inspired by her work with young people, and her own experiences of everyday sexism, Holly is a passionate mental health advocate and proud feminist.

9781409591221

9781805076360 £8.99 9 years + Extent: 368pp

What’s A Girl Gotta Do? Holly Bourne

• • •

With over 65k copies sold, What’s A Girl Gotta Do? is back with a fresh cover and author’s note, ready to be devoured by the new YA generation.

The follow-up to Am I Normal Yet? and How Hard Can Love Be?, this YA sensation tackles timeless teen issues like first loves, fallouts and feminism.

Holly Bourne’s books with Usborne have sold over 650k copies, been shortlisted for the YA Book Prize four times, featured on the BBC Radio 2 Book Club, selected for World Book Night and nominated for the Carnegie Medal Lottie Thomas has had enough. She's tired of being sexually harassed, interrupted and dismissed. So, for one month, she decides to call out every bit of sexism she sees - no matter the consequences.

With the reluctant help of film-student Will (who's annoyingly cute for an anti-feminist), her project goes viral. But as the backlash intensifies both online and off, Lottie starts to wonder: can one girl really make a difference? And more importantly, will speaking up cost her more than she ever imagined?

£ 8.99 9 years + Extent: TBC Pub date: 11 September 2025

9781801315135 £7.99 9 years + Extent: 400pp

Holly Bourne is a bestselling and critically acclaimed author. Inspired by her work with young people, and her own experiences of everyday sexism, Holly is a passionate mental health advocate and proud feminist.

9781474915021

9781805076360 £8.99 9 years + Extent: 368pp

The Transition Logan-Ashley Kisner

• •

From the critically-acclaimed author of Old Wounds comes an extraordinary YA werewolf body horror that serves jump scares and gore in the best tradition of teen horror cinema, while also shedding a cutting light on the trans experience.

As a trans and queer author, Logan-Ashley writes with a focus on putting trans characters at the centre of "traditional" horror narratives, while providing catharsis for young trans and queer readers.

"That's when something barrels into me from behind. I go down hard on my face. There's something on top of me. Something heavy. As I start to lift my face up, it growls. A low, wet hum. Then it clamps down on my leg. I scream."

Having spent his winter break recovering from top surgery, seventeen-year-old Hunter is excited to spend his last months of high school in a body he can feel comfortable in. That is until one night, when a wild animal comes out of the woods and nearly kills him.

Although initially just happy to be alive, Hunter quickly realizes that his injuries are turning his body into something horrible… A werewolf.

But with time running out, Hunter must race to keep his friends safe and to save himself, before the body he's fought so hard to have slips away from him for good… £8.99 14 years + Extent: TBC Pub date: 11 September 2025

Logan-Ashley Kisner is a trans and queer author born, raised and still residing within Las Vegas, Nevada. He has a BA in Creative Writing and minored in Film Studies at UNLV. On top of being an author, he is also a transgender horror historian, cat dad, and horror addict (his favourites include Ginger Snaps, the Evil Dead series and Sleepaway Camp).

9781835401026

Witchlore Emma Hinds

• • •

Her Majesty's Royal Coven meets The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue for YA readers; a unique twist on a witch fantasy and queer romance in a contemporary setting that YA readers are bound to become obsessed by, from a homegrown UK author.

Publishing simultaneously with St Martins, Macmillan US, who acquired North American rights in a significant six-figure pre-empt.

A spellbinding romantasy where the passion is as real as the magic, with an addictive concept: how would you cope if your body switched between male and female forms with no warning? And what would you do if your new crush said they could raise your first love from the dead?

At Demdike College of Witchcraft, Orlando is an outcast. Not just for being the only shapeshifter in a college of witches. Not just for being a really bad shapeshifter, with no control over their magic or when their body switches between male and female forms.

But because their girlfriend Elizabeth died–and it was Lando's fault.

And then charming new boy Bastian arrives with a proposition: he knows a spell that can raise Elizabeth from the dead. It's dangerous but Lando will try anything. But as Lando's attraction to Bastian grows, questions start to arise. Who is Bastian? What does he really want? And who will survive the resurrection spell?

£8.99 12 years + Extent: 368pp Pub date: 09 October 2025

Emma Hinds is a queer writer living and working in Manchester who is passionate about writing queer fantasy that explores the depth of British magical folklore. She has a Masters degree in Theology and the Arts from the University of St Andrews and is the author of the well-known fan fiction series, The Heir to the House of Prince, which currently runs at over a million words and over a million hits. Her debut adult novel, The Knowing, is a gothic fantasy published by Bedford Square (January 2024). Witchlore is her first novel for YA readers.

9781835409589