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The Boy who Biked the World Part One: On the Road to Africa (Boy who Biked the World #0)
by Alastair HumphreysDiscover Africa by bicycle in book one of a delightful children's adaptation of Alastair Humphrey's journey around the world. In this charming caricature of Alastair Humphreys' infamous circumnavigation of the world on his bike, children are swept along with the character of Tom, an adventurous boy who feels there must be more to life than school. The first part of The Boy Who Biked the World follows Tom leaving England, cycling through Europe and all the way through Africa to the tip of South Africa. Along the way, young readers are introduced not only to the various fascinating landscapes he passes through, but also to the various people who so happily embrace him as he traveled on his journey. With engaging illustrations and journal entries throughout, this book provides an immersive experience for any young adventurer.
The Boy who Biked the World Part Two: Riding the Americas (Boy who Biked the World #0)
by Alastair HumphreysTom dreamed of being an adventurer. But people told him he was crazy, so he decided to prove them wrong by cycling round the world! The first book followed Tom across Europe and through the mysterious landscapes of Africa. In Part Two, Tom pedals north from the tip of South America up through the Americas towards Alaska. Based on the author's personal experiences and with engaging illustrations, maps and handwritten journal entries throughout, this book provides an immersive experience for any young adventurer. He must contend with deserts, jungles and the massive mountains of the Andes. He meets grizzly bears, fascinating locals, and even a memorable guinea pig. Tom learns about the world, and himself, as he tackles this epic journey.
Friends and Enemies: Friends And Enemies Part Ii (Friends And Enemies Ser.)
by David FieldMomentous events await fifteen-year-old Tommy when he goes on holiday to a chateau in the south of France near Toulouse. He sees a strange picture of an unknown and beautiful young woman and is magnetically drawn to her image. Suddenly, he's 400 years back in the past, in the France of 1599. In that faraway time he finds the living likeness of the picture in the form of Eloise. They run off for a series of hair-raising adventures together, falling in love in the process. Dynastic struggles, power-hungry bishops, outlaws living in the marshes, demonic caves, murderous clergymen and strolling players form the stock-in-trade of this wonderful historical romance. Its swift action and bubbling humour are matched by the author's canny portrayal of two teenagers meeting across four centuries. And how does Tommy resolve the culture clash? With his mobile phone, of course - another hero of the tale! Read on, and look out for more adventures from the masterful pen of David Field as the story of Tommy and Eloise spills over into the twenty-first century in a volume to follow. David Field lives with his wife and two children in Aarhus, Denmark
The Burying Beetle (Gussie #1)
by Ann KelleyIt was after I ate King that everything started to go wrong in our entire family, as if someone had put an evil spell onto us, a hex - like a bad fairy godmother had said at my birth, when you are eleven you are going to be struck by a sorrow so big it will be like a lightning bolt. There will be grief like a sharp rock in your throat. Twelve-year-old Gussie was born with a rare, life-threatening heart disease, but it hasn't hampered her curiosity. When she reads about the Burying Beetle, which has the unusual habit of burying dead birds, mice, and other small animals by digging away the earth beneath them, it becomes her mission to find one. As she searches the Cornish coast for the elusive insect, Gussie learns to be like the Burying Beetle, to bury things past and to live. BACK COVER Meet Gussie. Twelve yhears old and settling into her new ramshackle home on a cliff top above St Ives, she has an irrepressible zest for life. She also has a life-threatening heart condition. But it's not in her nature to give up. Perhaps because she knows her time might be short, she values every passing moment, experiencing each day with humour and extraordinary courage. Spirited and imaginative, Gussie has a passionate interest in everything around her and her vivid stream of thoughts and observations will draw you into a renewed sense of wonder. Gussie's story of inspiration and hope is both heartwarming and heartrending. Once you've met her, you'll not forget her. And you'll never take life for granted again.
The Bower Bird (Gussie #2)
by Ann KelleyWinner of the 2007 Costa award This title continues the story of Gussie, a precocious young girl diagnosed with a rare heart condition. Despite her health problems, she is determined to live life to the fullest, experiencing typical adolescent woes such as love and strained relations with her parents. Never complaining, she offers a direct and honest insight about herself and the world around her, bringing this poignant, charming and oddly optimistic tale to life. REVIEWS 'Brilliant' THE MAIL ON SUNDAY 'I'm pleased to be able to announce that Gussie has lived to see another day with Kelley capturing so beautifully Gussie's optimism and hope.' SUE BAKER'S PERSONAL CHOICE, PUBLISHING NEWS 'The world of life and death, beauty and truth seen through the eyes of a 12 year old girl. A rare and beautiful book of lasting quality - we felt this is a voice that needs to be heard and read.' COSTA AWARD JUDGES 'It's a lovely book - lyrical, funny, full of wisdom. Gussie is such a dear - such a delight and a wonderful character, bright and sharp and strong, never to be pitied for an instant.' HELEN DUNMORE, author of 'Ingo' BACK COVER Gussie is twelve years old, loves animals and wants to be a photographer when she grows up. The only problem is that she's unlikely to ever grown up. 'I had open heart surgery last year, when I was eleven, and the healing process hasn't finished yet. I now have an amazing scar that cuts me in half almost, as if I have survived a shark attack'. Gussie needs a heart and lung transplant, but the donor list is as long as her arm and she can't wait around that long. Gussie has things to do; finding her ancestors, coping with her parents' divorce and keeping an eye out for the wildlife in her garden.
Inchworm (Gussie #3)
by Ann KelleyGussie is a twelve year old girl from St. Ives in Cornwall. She is passionate about learning, wildlife, poetry, literature, and she wants to be a photographer when she grows up. But her dreams were put on hold as she struggled with a serious heart condition. Now she has got what she needed: a heart and lung transplant. But it isn't working out quite the way she thought. Firstly she has to leave her beloved Cornwall to live in London and in the months following her operation she is unable to do very much except read and adopt a stray kitten, but she could do that when she was sick. She craves adventure and experience beyond her four walls, until, that is, she hits upon a plan - she is going to get her divorced parents to fall in love again. It's not going to be easy, her mum is still dating her doctor boyfriend and despises Gussie's father, who happens to be living with his new girlfriend - the Snow Queen. But Gussie is a determined girl and there is only one thing that could stop her now. REVIEWS 'Not many books around that you can give to anyone of any age and be sure of an appreciative audience, but Kelley does it beautifully in this, the third in the Gussie series, following the well-deserved Costa Category award for The Bower Bird.' SUE BAKER's Personal Choice, PUBLISHING NEWS' A great book.' THE INDEPENDENT 'You have to read it, and it will stay with you forever!' TEEN TITLES BACK COVER I ask for a mirror. My chest is covered in wide tape, so I can't see the clips or incision but I want to see my face, to see if I've changed. Gussie wants to go to school like every other teenage girl and find out what it's like to kiss a boy. But she's just had a heart and lung transplant and she's staying in London to recover from the operation. Between managing her parents' love lives, waiting for her breasts to finally start growing, and trying to hide a destructive kitten in her dad's expensive bachelor pad, Gussie makes friends with another cardio pation int the hospital, and finds out that she can't have everything her heart desires...
The Tattoo Fox: Makes New Friends (The Tattoo Fox #1)
by Alasdair HuttonThe Tattoo Fox is the story of a young fox who makes her home at Edinburgh Castle. Intrigued by everything she hears about the Tattoo, she endeavours to find out more. Her quest takes her to some of Edinburgh's most famous landmarks as she befriends the local animals and sees the local sights. But nothing can prepare her for the fantastic spectacle of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. BACK COVER The Tattoo was a brilliant sight The fox went back there every night. A little fox makes her home by Edinburgh Castle and with the help of her new friend, the Castle Cat, she settles in well. But there is one question the Castle Cat refuses to answer. What is the Tattoo? 'Just wait and see,' he tells her. Will she ever find out? This heart-warming tale was inspired by a real-life encounter between the Producer of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and a fox, late one night on the Castle Esplanade.
Beetle Boy (The Battle Of The Beetles Ser.)
by M. G. LeonardDarkus is miserable. His dad has disappeared, and now he is living next door to the most disgusting neighbours ever. A giant beetle called Baxter comes to his rescue. But can the two solve the mystery of his dad's disappearance, especially when links emerge to cruel Lucretia Cutter and her penchant for beetle jewellery? A coffee-mug mountain, home to a million insects, could provide the answer - if Darkus and Baxter are brave enough to find it .
The Boundless
by Kenneth OppelWill Everett always wished for an adventure... but he wasn't expecting it to start the moment he boarded the Boundless, the largest and most magnificent train ever built. After a murder is committed, Will finds himself in possession of a key that has the potential to unlock the train's hidden treasures. Together with Maren, a gifted escape artist, and Mr Dorian, a circus ringmaster with amazing abilities, Will must save the Boundless before someone else winds up dead. With villains fast on his heels and strange creatures lurking outside the windows, the train hurtles across the country as Will flees for his life. His adventure may have begun without his knowing... but how it ends is now entirely up to Will.'
Thirteen Chairs
by Dave SheltonJack stands in the dark on the landing of the old house, and looks at his feet... He has been here for minutes, his hand on the door handle, debating whether or not to go in. A high-ceilinged room lit only by candles. Thirteen chairs, one empty. Twelve mysterious storytellers, waiting to begin. Come in! Take your place. We have been expecting you. Do you dare to listen to our stories? Do you dare to tell your own? Jack is a curious boy. Are you curious too?
My Name's Not Friday
by Jon WalterSamuel's an educated boy. Been taught by a priest. He was never supposed to be a slave. He's a good boy too, thoughtful and kind. The type of boy who'd take the blame for something he didn't do, if it meant he could save his brother. So now they don't call him Samuel anymore. And the sound of guns is getting ever closer...Jon Walter's second novel is a beautiful and moving story about the power of belief and the strength of the human spirit, set against the terrifying backdrop of the American Civil War.
She Wolf
by Dan SmithA young Viking girl is swept by a storm on to a desolate English beach. Cruelly orphaned there, Ylva becomes set on revenge, tracking a killer through dangerous hinterland. She wants only the favour of the Norse gods and the comfort of her stories. But when a stranger decides to protect Ylva – seeming to understand her where others cannot – Ylva must decide if her own legend will end in vengeance or forgiveness.
The Icarus Show
by Sally ChristieAlex has worked out a foolproof way to avoid being picked on. Don't React. It's so simple, it's brilliant! David does react and becomes an outcast, nicknamed Bogsy. He's branded a weirdo and Alex is determined to avoid the same fate. But one day, Alex gets a note in his bag that forces him out of his safe little world. Who sent the note? And is it true - will a boy really fly? A powerful story about friendship, loneliness and a strange kind of genius.
Wild Lily
by K. M. PeytonIt's the 1920s - cars and aeroplanes are new. Lily Gabriel is 13 years old - she's scruffy and confident and takes no nonsense from anyone. Antony is 17 - he's rich, spoiled and arrogant and Lily is completely and utterly - no nonsense! - in love with him. So join Lily as she falls... Falls in love... Falls out of the sky... Falls through time... And effortlessly, inescapably, falls into her future. Life is never what you expect or what you predict. But if you're lucky, you hold onto exactly what you need - a young and wild heart.
Eden Summer
by Liz FlanaganShy, gothy Jess and stunning and popular Eden are best friends. They've supported each other through some of the hardest things you can go through – death, bullying, love, heartbreak. They know everything about each other.But then Eden goes missing and Jess knows she has to find her, and fast, because the longer someone is missing, the more likely it is they won't be found. So Jess starts exploring her memories, things Eden said and did in the last few months and she starts to realise that maybe they don't know each other as well as she thought.Set in the beautifully described stunning countryside of West Yorkshire, an incredibly pacy page turner as the clock runs down on the likelihood of finding Eden alive.
Potter's Boy
by Tony MittonIn a small village, a long time ago, young Ryo is desperate for excitement and adventure. When he sees a lone warrior chase bandits away from his home, he realises how he can find it. He learns the man is from a secret group of warriors known only as the ‘Hidden Ones’. He decides immediately that he is going to leave home, to train to become a fighter.Setting out on his journey to find his way in the world, Ryo will meet brave warriors, wise hermits, and heart- breaking tragedy. His quest and the people he meets along the way lead him to an understanding of what it means to follow his dream, and where his place in the world truly lies.
Wed Wabbit: SHORTLISTED FOR THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2018
by Lissa EvansSHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD 2017.You're called Fidge and you're nearly eleven.You've been hurled into a strange world.You have three companions: two are unbelievably weird and the third is your awful cousin Graham.You have to solve a series of nearly impossible clues.You need to deal with a cruel dictator and three thousand Wimbley Woos (yes, you read that sentence correctly).And the whole situation – the whole, entire thing – is your fault.Wed Wabbit is an adventure story about friendship, danger and the terror of never being able to get back home again.And it's funny. It's really, really funny.Praise for Lissa Evans Carnegie Medal shortlistBranford Boase shortlistCosta Book Award shortlist Guardian Children's Book Award longlist Praise for Wed Wabbit 'A classic in the making' The Times'A future classic - really, really funny' Nina Stibbe'Inventive, funny and not a word out of place.' Charlotte Eyre, The Bookseller'So funny, and so sharp and dark and beautiful and un-guessable. What a book' Katherine Rundell'Evans is the real deal; a hilariously funny writer whose effortless storytelling will capture the imagination of any child. Wed Wabbit deserves a place on every bookshelf' The Guardian
The Wrong Train
by Jeremy de QuidtImagine you've just managed to catch your train and you realise it's the wrong one – you'd be annoyed of course, but not scared... Yet.Imagine you get off the wrong train at the next station hoping to catch a train going back the way you came but the station is empty. Again you'd be annoyed, but not scared... Yet.Imagine someone comes to the station, someone who starts to tell you stories to help you pass the time, but these aren't any old stories... Scared yet? You will be.
Against All Gods (Who Let The Gods Out? Series #4)
by Maz EvansIn the series finale, Elliot faces his darkest period yet. As well as facing up to his fears, he knows that the future of mankind – and of everything he holds dear – is at stake. But can a bunch of misfit gods, a lost constellation and a mortal boy stand up to the daemon hordes?
Space Oddity
by Christopher EdgeYou might think that this story is going to be an intergalactic adventure filled with UFOs, black holes, killer robots and some very foul-smelling aliens. And you’d be right. But it’s mostly about a boy called Jake, his embarrassing dad, and the mindboggling question … are we really alone in the universe?
Xanthe And The Ruby Crown
by Jasbinder BilanXanthe loves visiting her Nani in her tower block flat. Then, Nani is diagnosed with dementia. Xanthe is determined to help but doesn’t know how – until a mysterious cat leads the way to the truth about Nani’s refugee past …
A Secret Of Birds And Bone (paperback)
by Kiran Millwood HargraveIn Renaissance Siena, a city ravaged by plague, Sofia's mother carves beautiful mementoes for the grieving from the bones of their loved ones. But one day, she doesn't return home. Sofia and her friends follow clues carved in bone until they find the terrible truth ...
Chasing a Rugby Dream: Impact (Chasing a Rugby Dream #2)
by James Hook David Brayley‘A portrayal of a young person following their dream in the game, a cracking read’ – Alun Wyn Jones, Wales and the British & Irish Lions'This is such a great story, I loved it. It’s so authentic about how young people chase their rugby dreams . . . just like I‘ve done. A must have book for all aspiring young rugby players' – Louis Rees-Zammit, Wales and the British & Irish Lions‘I loved this fantastic book! A thrilling rugby story and great to see such a strong female character as Kitty at the heart of the action! A must for any rugby fan – boy or girl’ – Jasmine Joyce, Wales and Team GB 7s‘Another fantastic rugby adventure from James Hook. Packed with positivity, it’s a story about the importance of never giving in, fighting to overcome life’s problems and remaining loyal. An inspirational read’ – Paul Williams, Rugby World ‘A tale of heart, friendship and never giving up…the perfect rugby book. Beautifully written and essential reading for rugby fans young and old’ – Bryan Habana, South Africa‘Loyalty, excitement, humour, plenty of rugby action and a masterclass of rugby tips makes this the perfect book for any rugby fan. Every chapter is a cliffhanger which makes you want to read on and on. I can’t recommend this inspirational book highly enough’ – Justin Tipuric, Wales and the British & Irish Lions'Everything that’s good about rugby is in this book! The joy of playing for the love of the game but also with a view to making it as a pro. A must read' – Rhys Webb, Wales and the British & Irish Lions ‘Superb! A great story that will inspire every child who reads it. Full of positive messages and tips to improve your game, this book ticks every box if you’re looking for an entertaining story about trying to succeed in sport’ – Jonathan Davies, Wales and Great Britain‘Such a great and inspirational read. James captures the joys and challenges of schools rugby perfectly, with a story that is packed full of positive messages for young readers. A must read for anyone interested in rugby’ – George North, Wales and the British & Irish Lions‘A great book that upholds all the important life messages that make rugby the great game that it is. A fantastic story that emphasises the respect that is key to the game of rugby. Inspirational’ – Nigel Owens, international referee'Another instant rugby classic! Impact is the perfect follow up to Kick-Off – great, realistic rugby storylines which promote great resilience, loyalty and the deep joy of playing rugby' – Lee Byrne, Wales and the British & Irish LionsJimmy Joseph is enjoying a long, hot summer with his friends, counting down the days until he attends his first ever training camp at the Eagles Academy, the youth section of his local pro club. He hopes this is going to be the first major step on his journey to being a professional rugby player . . . but a heavy tackle in training and cruel behaviour from his nemesis, Mr Kane, leads to Jimmy suffering a complete loss of confidence. How can he ever regain his love of the game – and fulfil his rugby dreams – if he is too afraid to tackle? In this new rugby adventure for Jimmy and his friends, James Hook and David Brayley examine concussion, tackling, friendship, loyalty and the true bravery that’s needed to overcome your fears.
Oh Maya Gods! (Gods Squad #1)
by Maz EvansMeet the brand-new Gods Squad led by Vesper, the bossy, football-mad adopted daughter of Elliot Hooper. Along with Virgo’s son, Aster, she heads to ancient Mesoamerica to save the world from Maya immortals messing with astronomy, chocolate and human sacrifice . . .
Little Women
by Louisa May AlcottBeloved classic Little Women is about the March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—and their childhood and teenage years in Massachusetts during the Civil War. They live with their Mother, Marmee, and are close with their neighbours, especially the young man next door, Laurie. Through various struggles, experiences, and romances the girls or "little women" learn who they are and grow into adults. Written in 1868, Little Women was followed by two sequels, Little Men and Jo's Boys. All of these books have found their way into popular culture through film, television and stage adaptaptions, but it is Little Women that remains the most popular.