The Wolf Road Richard Lambert A tale of loss that is also a gripping thriller, a realistic study of grief that skirts the margins of fantasy, it walks wolf-like between worlds and genres. Richard Lambert writes with a poet’s eye; he has created something magical here. The storytelling is as bold, sinewy and uncompromising as the beast that shadows Lucas […] Adventure, Bullying, Emotion/ Feelings, Family, Fear, Fiction, Grief/Loss, Mental Health and Wellbeing AGES: 12-14 AGES: 14+ Jimmy Coates: Killer Joe Craig An eleven-year-old boy discovers he has strange powers, and a future that holds mystery, adventure – and death! Bending his knees, Jimmy let go of the windowsill and slowly tipped backwards. Surely this is impossible, he thought, even as he could feel himself doing it. He pushed out with his legs and the thrust sent […] Adventure, Crime/ Thriller, Fiction, Mystery/murder AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 Dinosaur in Danger Paul Geraghty ‘The volcano burst into the sky and soon the mountain was leaping with flames…’ Talon, a young raptor, finds herself alone in a hostile world of giant carnivores and dangerous gangs. She must find food or soon she will starve, but to do so she must win over the enemy pack… Meticulously researched, this realistic […] Adventure, Animals, Fiction, Picture Books AGES: 3-7 Act Normal And Don’t Tell Anyone About The Dinosaur In the Garden Christian Darkin ✓A girl who loves science. ✓A boy who loves chaos. What could possibly go wrong in this hilarious series of chapter book mystery adventures? Learning to read independently has never been so much fun! Every adventurous child deserves to be introduced to Jenny and Adam – two clever kids who have the weirdest adventures. Jenny’s […] Adventure, Animals, Dinosaurs, Fiction AGES: 10-12 AGES: 6-9 AGES: 7-10 Dragon Detective: Catnapped Gareth P Jones “The Dragon Detective Agency. Dirk Dilly speaking.” When detective Dirk Dilly gets a call from Holly, a young girl whose pet cat has gone missing, the dragon ends up with not only a new case to solve but also a self-appointed partner-in-solving-crime. And it turns out that Holly’s cat is just the beginning! As the […] Adventure, Crime/ Thriller, Mystery/murder AGES: 6-9 The Gruffalo Axel Scheffler & Julia Donaldson Walk further into the deep dark wood, and discover what happens when a quick-witted mouse comes face to face with an owl, a snake …and a hungry Gruffalo! Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s The Gruffalo is an undisputed modern classic and has become a best-selling phenomenon across the world with over 13.5 million copies sold. This […] Adventure, Animals, Fiction, Monsters AGES: 3-7 The Girl who Speaks Bear Sophie Anderson Found abandoned in a bear cave as a baby, Yanka has always wondered about where she is from. She tries to ignore the strange whispers and looks from the villagers, wishing she was as strong on the inside as she is on the outside. But, when she has to flee her house, looking for answers […] Adventure, Fairy tales and folk tales, Folklore & Folk Tales AGES: 10-12 AGES: 12-14 The Castle of Tangled Magic Sophie Anderson The magical bestselling adventure book by acclaimed author Sophie Anderson. Magic awaits, all you have to do is believe… When thirteen-year-old Olia, steps through a magical doorway, she discovers another land. A land tangled by magic, where hope is lost, and a scheming wizard holds all the power. Soon Olia learns that she is destined […] Adventure, Fairy tales and folk tales, Family, Fiction AGES: 10-12 AGES: 12-14 The Day I Fell Into a Fairytale Ben Miller Lana loves stories. Especially the ones she and her brother, Harrison, share in their make-believe games. But when Harrison decides he’s too grown-up to play with Lana she finds herself feeling lonely. Until something magical happens … Hidden in the strange new supermarket in town, Lana discovers a portal to a fairytale world! But […] Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction AGES: 7-10 Cookie and the Most Annoying Girl in the World Konnie Huq In her second brilliantly funny story, science-mad Cookie is ready to save the planet! When Cookie finds herself with two tickets to see popstar Aliana Tiny, Suzie Ashby suddenly wants to be her best friend. One small problem – Suzie is the most annoying girl in the world. UGH! So how is that Cookie manages […] Adventure, Fiction, Friendship, Funny AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 Lilliput Sam Gayton Inspired by Gulliver’s Travels, Lilliput is an exhilarating adventure filled with cunning escape plans, evil clockmakers and very talkative parrots. Join Lily as she travels over rooftops, down chimneys and into chocolate shops on a journey to find the one place in the world where she belongs . . . Home. Adventure, Fantasy/ Supernatural, Fiction, Historical, Historical Fiction, Magic AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 Marius and the Band of Blood: Book 4 – Tales from Schwartzgarten Christopher William Hill A gruesomely funny series for fans of Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket. Meet Marius Myerdorf, the newest recruit of Schwartzgarten’s most secret of societies. His is a tale of adventure and abduction, friendship and fearlessness, as The Band of Blood race against time to unmask two of the foulest fiends in the history of the […] Adventure, Fiction, Mystery/murder AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 Embassy of the Dead: Book 1 – Embassy of the Dead Chris Mould & Will Mabbitt Welcome to the Embassy of the Dead. Leave your life at the door. (Thanks.) When Jake opens a strange box containing a severed finger, he accidentally summons a grim reaper to drag him to the Eternal Void (yep, it’s as fatal as it sounds) and now he’s running for his life! But luckily Jake […] Adventure, Fiction, Monsters, Mystery/murder AGES: 7-10 Invasion of the Supervillains (Raps and Rhymes to Worry the Galaxy) Chris White & Neal Zetter A follow-up to the popular first comic book in the series, Here Come the Superheroes. This time it s the turn of the galaxy s supervillains to feature in top performance poet Neal Zetter s witty, acute poems. Meet Stink Bomb (who s got an aroma, that will put you in a coma?), Red […] Adventure, Fantasy/ Supernatural, Funny, Poetry AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 Here Come the Superheroes (Raps & Rhymes to Save the Galaxy) Chris White & Neal Zetter Get disengaged boys (and girls) into reading with this unique full-colour comic book format collection of raps and rhymes celebrating the galaxy’s newest superheroes, by top performance poet Neal Zetter. Additional secret data includes the protagonists’ top powers, planets of origin, deadliest enemies and other fascinating facts. Meet Captain Polystyrene (“Weedy as a tiny […] Adventure, Fantasy/ Supernatural, Funny, Poetry AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 The Vikings: Raiders, Traders and Adventurers! Marcia Williams Meet legendary warriors, daring explorers and clever kings in this colourful introduction to the Vikings. Join Marcia Williams and discover incredible stories of Viking raids, voyages of discovery and conquered kingdoms. Told in comic-strip style and packed with jokes and facts, this is the perfect guide to the Viking world. Adventure, Graphic Novel/ Comic, Historical, Non-fiction, Travel, Vikings / Anglo-Saxons, Water AGES: 7-10 Together We Win Daniel Ido & Marcus Sedgwick A mysterious narrator witnesses three change-making moments of rebellion and revolution – and one of them is now. Writer Marcus Sedgwick’s short story uses the past to illustrate how humanity is once again at a pivotal moment in time. Is now the time for a revolution? And what part will youplay in making change? Features […] Adventure, Fiction, Historical, Politics/human rights, Power AGES: 10-12 Mistaken for a Bear Jamie Beard & Philip Ardagh In the melting pot of London in 1839, two young dock workers chase a tiger on the loose – a dangerous splash of colour in a world of soot and grime! Written by Philip Ardagh, Mistaken for a Bear is a true story about mistaken identities, brought vividly to life by debut illustrator Jamie […] Adventure, Animals, Fiction, Historical, Identity, Multicultural/international AGES: 10-12 Indigo Takes Flight Chris Riddell & Krista M. Lambert Indigo has a secret – and it’s growing too big to hide! An enchantingly illustrated tale about coming to terms with who you are, and finding acceptance from those you love. Indigo Takes Flight is a deeply moving parable about the inner conflict involved in coming out as LGBTQ+ to family and friends. […] Adventure, Family, Fiction, Identity, LGBT/ Gender, Personal/social issues AGES: 7-10 Cloud Soup Elina Braslina & Kate Wakeling Cloud Soup is a collection of children’s poems by Kate Wakeling, illustrated by Elīna Brasliņa. Cloud Soup is the sequel to Moon Juice, the 2017 CLiPPA Best Children’s Poetry Book award-winner. “Bodies, bodies everywhere” knees and noses, hands and hair, bodies big and bodies small, bodies keen on volleyball, hairy nostrils, lengthy shins, juicy ear […] Adventure, Animals, Funny, Poetry AGES: 7-10 When Secrets Set Sail Sita Brahmachari Usha is devastated when her grandmother Kali Ma passes away. Then straight-talking Imtiaz arrives – her new adoptive sister – and the two girls clash instantly. They both feel lost. That is until Kali Ma’s ghost appears…with a task for them. Immy’s and Usha’s home is full of history and secrets. Many years ago it […] Adventure, Family, Fiction, Government, law and crime AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 Vi Spy Maz Evans A hilarious new adventure from the author of the bestselling Who Let the Gods Out? series! Divorce is tough for any kid. But when – like Vi’s parents – your mum is ex-secret service and your dad is a retired bad guy, ’till death do us part’ takes on a whole new meaning. And […] Adventure, Fiction, Funny, Government, law and crime, Mystery/murder AGES: 7-10 The Garden of Inside-Outside Chiara Mezzalama & Regis Lejonc & Sarah Ardizzone Inspired by the childhood of the author, whose father was appointed Italian ambassador to Tehran in 1980, this picture book is a beautiful evocation of a country struck by war, where friendship arises despite the rising walls. In the summer of 1981, Chiara and her family join their father in Iran. At their beautiful palace, […] Adventure, Family, Fiction, War AGES: 10-12 AGES: 12-14 AGES: 7-10 Saving Stella Bassel Abou Fakher & Deborah Blumenthal & Nadine Kaadan For fans of Two Bobbies comes a moving, true story about a young man and his dog who escape the violence of the Syrian War. Some bonds are stronger than war . . . Life for musician Bassel and his dog Stella in Damascus, Syria, has changed since the civil war began. Instead of enjoying […] Adventure, Animals, Emotion/ Feelings, Family, Migration/ Refugees, Non-fiction, Picture Books, War AGES: 3-7 River of Ink: Genesis: Book 1 – River of Ink H.L. Dennis What if a teenage boy washed up on the banks of the River Thames, soaked to the skin and unable to explain who he is? What if the only clue to the boy’s identity is a sketch he made of a strange symbol? Who would help him? Who would hunt him? Who is River Boy? […] Adventure, Family, Fiction, Government, law and crime, Magic, Mystery/murder, Social Care Homes AGES: 10-12 Noor Inayat Khan – My Story Sufiya Ahmed My Story: Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan is the thrilling story of British-Indian World War Two heroine, Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan. It’s 1940 and hundreds of families are being forced to flee Nazi-occupied France. Noor refuses to stand by while Nazi forces invade her home and terrorise her people, so she travels to England and signs up to […] Adventure, Fiction, Historical, Mystery/murder, Politics/human rights, War AGES: 10-12 Mohinder’s War A thrilling World War II adventure set in occupied France, featuring an Indian RAF pilot. Great for fans of Michael Morpurgo and John Boyne, and those who want diverse historical fiction. Thirteen-year-old Joelle Breton stumbles across Indian-born RAF pilot Mohinder Singh when his plane crashes in occupied France and it’s up to her and her […] Adventure, Family, Fiction, Historical Fiction, World Wars 1&2 AGES: 10-12 AGES: 12-14 Just Like Tomorrow Faiza Guene & Sarah Ardizzone Fifteen-year-old Doria isn’t in a good place. Or to be precise: she’s in the sadly misnamed Paradise Estate on the outskirts of Paris. Her father has gone off back Morocco to find a wife who can give him a boy, and her illiterate, non French-speaking mother is having to fend for herself with a cleaning […] Adventure, Communication, Emotion/ Feelings, Family, Fiction, Funny, Government, law and crime AGES: 14+ How I Saved The World in a Week Polly Ho-Yen A brilliantly imagined new 8+ adventure about resilience, family and hope. From the bestselling and Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlisted author of BOY IN THE TOWER. Perfect for fans of Ross Welford, Lisa Thompson and Onjali Rauf. Even when you can’t believe what you’re seeing, you’d better get ready to run for your life, because […] Adventure, Emotion/ Feelings, Family, Fiction, Government, law and crime, Illness / Hospitals AGES: 10-12 AGES: 12-14 Good Dog, Bad Dog: The Golden Bone Dave Shelton Kirk Bergman and Duncan McBoo are pedigree police: the finest canine cops in all Muttropolis. And they’re never short of work. The Golden Bone of Alexandria has been stolen by malevolent mongrels and our doggy duo are the perfect pooches to take on the case… CRIMINALS BEWARE: Bergman and McBoo are on your tail! Adventure, Animals, Fiction, Graphic Novel/ Comic AGES: 10-12 AGES: 12-14 Buck ‘n’ Bronco: Hit the Road! Guy Bass & Steve May When the Happy Ranch theme park closes down to make way for a futuristic new adventure land, park mascots Buck and Bronco are out of a job and out of a home. While Buck thinks its time for them to spread their wings and take the show on the road, Bronco wants nothing more than […] Adventure, Crime/ Thriller, Fiction, Funny AGES: 7-10 Ash Mistry and the World of Darkness – The Ash Mistry Chronicles Book 3 Sarwat Chadda Book three in the incredible action-adventure trilogy about Ash Mistry, reluctant hero and living weapon of the death goddess Kali. Ash Mistry is in a world of pain. A parallel world in fact, where another version of him seems to be living his life, and the evil Lord Savage – now all-powerful and adored by […] Adventure, Family, Fantasy/ Supernatural, Fiction, Friendship, Myths and Legends, Religion AGES: 10-12 Arrowhead Ruth Eastham When thirteen-year-old Jack moves to Norway, he’s sure there’s no truth in the local myths and legends. But then he comes face to face with one: the body of a Norse warrior boy, frozen in the ice, and carrying with him an ancient arrowhead – that contains a terrible curse. If Jack’s going to survive, […] Adventure, Fantasy/ Supernatural, Fiction, Friendship, Historical, Myths and Legends AGES: 12-14 Saving Hanno: A Refugee Boy and His Dog Karin Littlewood & Miriam Halahmy Nine-year-old Rudi and his beloved dog Hanno escape from Nazi Germany, but Rudi soon learns he’ll have to protect Hanno from an entirely new threat in this thrilling reimagining of a little known World War II event. What if you had to leave your dog behind when you fled? Nine-year-old Rudi has a chance to […] Adventure, Fiction, Growing Up & the Facts of Life, Historical, Historical Fiction, Personal/social issues, Religion, World Wars 1&2 AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 Katie meets the Impressionists James Mayhew Five Impressionist paintings come to life when Katie jumps through the frame and into the picture! It’s Grandma’s birthday – wouldn’t it be lovely if Katie could give her some flowers like those in the painting by Mr Monet …or Mr Renoir …or Mr Degas! Learn all about three Impressionist painters with Katie as she […] Adventure, Creating art/ Imagination, Family, Fiction, Historical, Picture Books AGES: 3-7 Indigo Donut Patrice Lawrence Seventeen-year-old Indigo has had a tough start in life, having grown up in the care system after her dad killed her mum. Bailey, also seventeen, lives with his parents in Hackney and spends all his time playing guitar or tending to his luscious ginger afro. When Indigo and Bailey meet at sixth form, serious sparks […] Adventure, Crime/ Thriller, Family, Fiction, Friendship, Love, Personal/social issues, Romantic AGES: 14+ Diver’s Daughter: A Tudor Story Patrice Lawrence Eve Cartright is a young black girl growing up with her mum in London in the late 16th century. Life is tough, Eve is almost always hungry, and they always seem to be just one step away from gruesome poverty, despite her hard-working mum’s best efforts. When Eve nearly drowns and her mum’s expert diving to […] Adventure, Family, Fear, Fiction, Friendship, Historical Fiction, Migration/ Refugees, Politics/human rights AGES: 10-12 Are You The Pirate Captain? Gareth P Jones Illustrated by Garry Parsons. First mate Hugh has got the whole crew and the pirate ship ready, but they can’t set sail until they find a captain! Come on this salty adventure as Hugh and his scurvy seadogs try to find the perfect pirate for the job. Rather than a peg leg or a […] Adventure, Crime/ Thriller, Picture Books, Pirates, Travel, Water AGES: 3-7 Pet Defenders: Escape from Planet Bogey Gareth P Jones Illustrated by Steve May The Pet Defenders Code: 1. The safety of Planet Earth depends on you. 2. Humans MUST NOT know the truth. GOOD LUCK – you’ll need it… Animals are disappearing from Nothington-on-Sea and the Pet Defenders suspect alien activity. Secret agents Biskit and Mitzy find themselves caught up in the Planet […] Adventure, Animals, Crime/ Thriller, Fiction, Funny AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 The Elephant’s Garden Jane Ray A humorous fantasy story of greed set in a small Indian village, stunningly illustrated and retold by award-winning artist Jane Ray. Jasmine’s garden has the most delicious fruit in the village–but someone is eating all her beautiful apples and apricots, kiwis and kumquats, papayas and peaches. Determined to discover the thief’s identity, Jasmine waits . […] Adventure, Animals, Fairy tales and folk tales, Food, Magic, Nature/ Outdoors, Picture Books AGES: 3-7 The Snow Merchant Sam Gayton Lettie Peppercorn hasn’t left her house-on-stilts for over ten years. She dare not. Her mother left a very specific warning on the day she left – stepping outside could kill her. But when a mysterious, frozen man, who claims to be an alchemist, arrives at the door with a miraculous invention, Lettie’s life is changed […] Adventure, Fantasy/ Supernatural, Fiction, Magic AGES: 10-12 AGES: 7-10 Aya Takeo No.1 Sonia Leong Aya.Takeo is a story of Space, Time, Civilization and Star-Crossed Love. Set in a distant wrinkle of space where some things are familiar and others are forever surprising. Noblewoman Aya perseveres with her love for the lowly warrior Takeo amidst a backdrop of a neo-classical Japan under invasion by spider mecha… but who is the […] Adventure, Graphic Novel/ Comic, Love, Space/ Rockets AGES: 12-14 The Last Zoo Sam Gayton Pia lives on the last zoo: a floating armada that houses the strangest collection of creatures the world’s ever seen, from genies to mirror-orangutans to hummingdragons. Collectively called ‘voilas’, they each have a special ability, and everyone hopes these will help save the world from environmental catastrophe. Pia looks after the angels, their greatest hope. […] Adventure, Animals, Fantasy/ Supernatural, Fiction, Friendship, Funny, Magic, Mystery/murder AGES: 10-12 AGES: 12-14 Hercufleas Sam Gayton Greta needs a new hero to defeat Yuk, a giant who keeps returning to her town to eat people. Many heroes have tried and failed in the past. Then she discovers Hercufleas who, more than anything, would love an adventure. Trouble is, Hercufleas is tiny, but what he lacks in brute strength he makes up […] Adventure, Animals, Fairy tales and folk tales, Family, Fiction, Friendship AGES: 7-10 His Royal Whiskers Peter Cottrill & Sam Gayton The bloodthirsty Czar of Petrossia is boiling mad. Despite the protection of his poodle Bloodbath, and his fearsome War Council, two scruffy children have turned his son into a fluffy-wuffy kitten. But Pieter and Teresa are no ordinary children – Pieter is a master mathemagician and Teresa an imaginative alchemist. Their second potion makes the […] Adventure, Fairy tales and folk tales, Fantasy/ Supernatural, Fiction, Friendship, Magic AGES: 10-12
