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Surprises According to Humphrey (Humphrey the Hamster #4)
by Betty G. BirneySurprises can be good, like my brand new hamster ball or a surprise party. But surprises can be bad, like coming whisker to whisker with a cat (EEK!) or having an alien from another planet move into Room 26. All this and LOTS-LOTS-LOTS more happens in my new book of adventures, Surprises According to Humphrey.
School According to Humphrey (Humphrey the Hamster #7)
by Betty G. BirneyJoin much-loved Humphrey the hamster for a new adventure! After a fur-raising holiday at Camp Happy Hollow, Humphrey returns to Room 26, eager to see his old friends. He is shocked to find the classroom full of strangers, like Rolling Rosie, Hurry-Up-Harry and Forgetful Phoebe. Where have all his old classmates gone? But the charming Humphrey soon learns that these new students could really use a helping paw from their classroom pet. In the end, even a small hamster can never have too many friends!
Mysteries According to Humphrey: Mysteries According To Humphrey; Winter According To Humphrey; Secrets According To Humphrey; Imagination According To Humphrey (Humphrey Ser. #8)
by Betty G. BirneyTo celebrate his tenth birthday the whole Humphrey series has a smart new livery, repositioning him alongside perennial favourites such as Winnie-the-Pooh and Paddington.When Humphrey's teacher, Mrs Brisbane, doesn't come to school, he is unsqueakably worried. Then a supply teacher, the mysterious Mr E, arrives and everything changes. Class is fun, but are Humphrey's classmates learning anything? And what had happened to their wonderful teacher? Humphrey has his paws full as he tries to gather clues to solve the mystery, and then, on Halloween, everything is revealed . . .Praise for Humphrey:'An effective exploration of the joys and pains of making and keeping friends, which will strike a chord with many children.' Daily Telegraph'A charming, feel-good tale.' Irish Times'Humphrey's matter-of-fact, table-level view of the world is alternately silly and profound and Birney captures his unique blend of innocence and earnestness.' Publisher's Weekly'Humphrey, a delightful, irresistible character, is big hearted, observant and creative.' Booklist
Wormwood
by G.P. TaylorIt is London, 1756. In his Bloomsbury attic sits Dr Sabian Blake - astronomer, scientist, and master of the Cabala. Dr Blake is in possession of the Nemorensis, an ancient leather-bound book that holds the secrets of the universe. Scribbled into one of its margins is a mysterious prophecy, and deciphering it could prove the key to saving London from a catastrophic fate. But there are others interested in the Nemorensis too, for more sinister reasons . . . This tale of sorcery, treachery, intrigue and supernatural strife from the author of the international bestseller Shadowmancer is set against a rich historical backdrop and will enthrall readers to the very last page.
The Eddie Dickens Trilogy (The\eddie Dickens Trilogy Ser. #1)
by Philip ArdaghAWFUL ENDWhen both of Eddie Dickens's parents catch a disease that makes them turn yellow, go a bit crinkly round the edges and smell of hot water bottles, it's agreed he should go and stay with relatives at their house Awful End. Unfortunately for Eddie, those relatives are Mad Uncle Jack and Even-Madder Aunt Maud, and it doesn't look as if the three of them are ever going to reach their destination ...DREADFUL ACTSEddie Dickens narrowly avoids an explosion, a hot-air balloon and arrest, only to find himself falling head-over heels for a girl with a face like a camel's, and into the hands of a murderous gang of escaped convicts who have 'one little job for him to do'.TERRIBLE TIMESEddie had been given the task of travelling to America to look after his family's interests there. But his life is never that simple; especially with a potential stowaway in his trunk, and Lady Constance Bustle at his side. She's a professional 'travelling companion', whose previous employers seem to have died under the most remarkable and unfortunate circumstances ...
The Windvale Sprites
by Mackenzie CrookWhen a storm sweeps through the country, Asa wakes up the next day to find that his town is almost unrecognisable - trees have fallen down, roofs have collapsed and debris lies everywhere. But amongst the debris in his back garden Asa makes an astounding discovery - the body of a small winged creature. A creature that looks very like a fairy. Do fairies really exist? Asa embarks on a mission to find out. A mission that leads him to the lost journals of local eccentric Benjamin Tooth who, two hundred years earlier, claimed to have discovered the existence of fairies. What Asa reads in those journals takes him on a secret trip to Windvale Moor, where he discovers much more than he'd hoped to . . .Charming and utterly unforgettable, The Windvale Sprites is Mackenzie Crook's debut children's novel, containing his own exquisite illustrations.
Ffangs the Vampire Bat and the Kiss of Truth
by Ted HughesNewly re-jacketed, this is the strange tale of a vampire who longs to be human.Ffangs lives with the other vampires on Vampire Island, but he is different from the rest - he can't stand the sight of blood!When he arrives in London, everyone is too frightened to listen when he explains that he only wants to be human. And soon he finds himself alone in Buckingham Palace to face Thomas the Vampire Hunter . . .
Rooftoppers
by Katherine RundellWinner of the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, and shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. Already being proclaimed a classic in children's literature and compared to the likes of Roald Dahl and Eva Ibbotson, Katherine Rundell's Rooftoppers merges fantasy and historical fiction with sophisticated lyrical prose and vivid imagery that will delight middle grade readers, tweens, teens, and parents and teachers alike. Join plucky heroine Sophie, her eccentric guardian Charles, and her intrepid orphan allies on the rooftops of Victorian Paris, as they encounter suspense and adventure that will keep kids of all ages on the edge of their seats right to the heartwarming end.My mother is still alive, and she is going to come for me one day.Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. Found floating in a cello case and swaddled in a Beethoven score, she is the only recorded female survivor of a shipwreck on the English Channel. But Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help...Charles, a fellow survivor and an eccentric scholar, finds Sophie and brings her home to his London bachelor flat. Raised in a quirky home filled with music, words and love (though questionable diet), Sophie grows into a free-spirited tomboy with a taste for Shakespeare and the unshakeable belief that anything is possible. And you should never ignore a possible.So when the child welfare agency in its bureaucratic wisdom threatens to send Sophie to an orphanage, the optimistic girl and her odd guardian flee to Paris on a quest to find her mother, starting with the only clue she has - the address of the cello maker.Secured in an attic to evade the French authorities, Sophie escapes through the skylight and meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers - homeless urchins who tightrope walk above the busy streets below, dining on pigeons and snails alongside the gargoyles and bell tower of Notre Dame. Together they set out on an unimaginable adventure, scouring the city for Sophie's mother before she is caught and sent back to London - and most importantly, before she loses hope.Readers who enjoyed the Lemony Snicket books, Ellen Potter's The Kneebone Boy, Cornelia Funke's The Thief Lord, and Sally Gardner's I, Coriander will want to put Rooftoppers on their "Must Read" list.
Secrets According to Humphrey: Mysteries According To Humphrey; Winter According To Humphrey; Secrets According To Humphrey; Imagination According To Humphrey (Humphrey the Hamster #9)
by Betty G. BirneyThe next in the bestselling According to Humphrey series, Humphrey and his friends in Room 26 learn about ancient Egypt. Mummies, pharaohs, pyramids and plenty of SHH-SHH-SHH secrets abound! Will Humphrey be able to solve the mysteries of the pharaohs...?From award-winning author Betty G. Birney.
Atticus Claw Settles a Score (Atticus Claw: World's Greatest Cat Detective #3)
by Jennifer GrayBook 2 in the much-loved Atticus Claw series: the hilarious and eagerly-awaited sequel to Atticus Claw Breaks the Law. Perfect for readers age 7+, children will love Atticus's second adventure which takes him from tea with the Queen to the dungeons of the Tower of London.Atticus Grammatticus Cattypus Claw, the world's greatest reformed cat burglar is back. This time, the tabby with talent is on the right side of the law. And when Jimmy Magpie and his gang are busted out of jail by a mysterious villain and an evil cat called Ginger Biscuit, Atticus knows from bitter experience he's going to need all his skill and courage to catch them.Can Atticus overcome his murky past with the help of the Cheddar family in order to prevent the biggest crime in history and settle a score of his own?
The Iron Woman: A Sequel To The Iron Man
by Ted HughesMankind for has polluted the seas, lakes and rivers. The Iron Woman has come to take revenge.Lucy understands the Iron Woman's rage and she too wants to save the water creatures from their painful deaths. But she also wants to save her town from total destruction.She needs help. Who better to call on but Hogarth and the Iron Man . . .?A sequel and companion volume to Ted Hughes' The Iron Man, this new, child-friendly setting will be treasured by a new generation of readers.
The Iron Man (Wordsmith (literacy Service) Ser. #21)
by Ted HughesA beautiful new edition of The Iron Man, the bestselling classic by Ted Hughes.The Iron Man came to the top of the cliff.Where had he come from? Nobody knows.How was he made? Nobody knows.Mankind must put a stop to the dreadful destruction by the Iron Man and set a trap for him, but he cannot be kept down. Then, when a terrible monster from outer space threatens to lay waste to the planet, it is the Iron Man who finds a way to save the world.'Gripping . . a classic.' Phillip Pullman'A visionary tale.' Michael Morpurgo'One of the greatest of modern fairy tales.' Observer
The Mouse and His Child (Faber Children's Classics Ser. #3)
by Russell Hoban'Brilliantly plotted . . . a spellbinder . . . it has a style that glows and crackles.' Spectator'Hugely funny, provocative, pathetic and heroic.' TLS'What are we, Papa?' the toy mouse child asked his father. 'I don't know,' the father answered. 'We must wait and see.'So begins the story of a tin father and son who dance under a Christmas tree until they break the ancient clockwork rules and are themselves broken. Thrown away, then rescued from a dustbin and repaired by a tramp, they set out on a dangerous quest for a family and a place of their own - the magnificent doll's house, the plush elephant and the tin seal they had once know in the toy shop.
The Odd Squad: Bully Bait
by Michael FryNick is stuffed in his locker. Again.It's not so bad. Lockers are roomier than you'd think.Especially when you're the shortest kid on the planet, which is exactly why Bully-Boy Roy stuffed him in there in the first place: he fits.The school counselor says Roy has issues. The only issue Nick can see is that Roy is a mutant troll.Nick's friends Molly and Karl think the troll needs to be defeated.Together, they are THE ODD SQUAD.If you want to laugh out loud, watch them beat the bullies and see some cool pictures, READ THIS BOOK!
The Big Bazoohley (Faber Children's Classics Ser.)
by Peter CareySam Kellow is nine. His father is a compulsive gambler, pursuing the 'big bazoohley' - the jackpot to end all jackpots. But it is Sam who sets out to win it - against all the odds, he enters the Perfecto Kiddo Competition . . .'Carey has written a novel in the mould of Roald Dahl, rich in pathos, humour, wacky plot twists and curious characters . . .' Independent'An absolutely enchanting first children's book.' Good Book Guide
Archie Greene and the Magician's Secret (Archie Greene #1)
by D. D. EverestArchie Green receives a mysterious present on his birthday. Deep within an ancient wooden box he finds an old book, written in a language he doesn't recognise. With the book comes a Special Instruction - Archie must travel to Oxford to return the book to the Museum of Magical Miscellany.Soon Archie will meet family that he never knew he had, and discover the world of the Flame Keepers - a community devoted to finding and preserving magical books. But the magical book under Archie's protection is dangerous, and dark spirits hunt it out. With the help of his cousins, Archie must do everything he can to uncover the book's hidden powers and save the Flame Keepers from evil.Welcome to a wonderful, magical world where bookshelves are enchanted, librarians are sorcerers and spells come to life.
The Outside Child
by Nina Bawden'I am an outside child. That is what Plato Jones calls me.'Jane Tucker is thirteen years old when she discovers she has a half-brother and sister, a revelation which promises to bring both excitement and succour to her ordinary life.But obstacles lie in her path when, for unknown reasons, she is prevented from meeting them. Aided by her friend Plato, Jane tracks down her brother and sister to their home in the East End of London. There she finds still more surprises lie in store for her.Can Jane at last be part of a 'proper' family, or must she always remain the outside child?This is the story of a girl and her family and the secrets they keep from one another. Both funny and poignant, The Outside Child is a beautifully drawn study of adolescence from one of Britain's most skilled writers for children.
Archie Greene and the Raven's Spell (Archie Greene #3)
by D. D. EverestArchie and the Alchemist's Club have been rewriting the magical spells contained within books, but someone is drawing on their power for evil purposes. The museum Elders confirm that their worst fears have come true - the Dark Flame is rising, and they can only stop it by uncovering Fabian Grey's prophecy. Archie vows to help - but is he more closer to the prophecy than he knows? And who is behind the mysterious notes for him, labelled F. G, and with the sign of a raven? With traitors at the museum, and dark magic on the rise, it will be up to Archie to uncover his destiny, protect his friends, and save magic as he knows it.
The Midnight Fox (World Of Reading, 1991world Of Reading, 1989)
by Betsy ByarsThe Midnight Fox is an atmospheric and heartfelt story, and one of Betsy Byars' best-loved classics.And then, this afternoon,' Uncle Fred said to me, 'you and I'll go after the fox.'Tom, a town boy, is horrified when his parents tell him he has to stay on Aunt Millie's farm while they are away. He finds country life every bit as strange and uncomfortable as he feared. But soon, he discovers a rare black fox with green eyes, living with her cubs in the forest. Suddenly, the summer is full of excitement. That is, until Uncle Fred decides to go after the fox - will Tom save her and her family in time?'I would recommend this book to anyone who loves animals and an adventure story.' Josh, age 10, Toppsta'A stand-out.' Kirkus
The Further Adventures of Eddie Dickens (The\further Adventures Of Eddie Dickens Ser. #Bk. 2)
by Philip ArdaghEddie Dickens finds himself far from home in the heathery highlands of Scotland for some Further Adventures embracing a whole host of new characters and firm favourites such as Malcolm the stuffed stoat. Including Dubious Deeds, Horrendous Habits and The Final Curtain, fans of Philip Ardagh will gobble up this great gift edition.
Five Children on the Western Front
by Kate SaundersAn epic, heart-wrenching follow-on from E. Nesbit's Five Children and It stories. The five children have grown up and World War I has begun in earnest. Cyril is off to fight, Anthea is at art college, Robert is a Cambridge scholar and Jane is at high school. The Lamb is the grown up age of 11, and he has a little sister, Edith, in tow. The sand fairy has become a creature of stories ... until, for the first time in 10 years, he suddenly reappears. The siblings are pleased to have something to take their minds off the war, but this time the Psammead is here for a reason, and his magic might have a more serious purpose. Before this last adventure ends, all will be changed, and the two younger children will have seen the Great War from every possible viewpoint - factory-workers, soldiers and sailors, nurses and ambulance drivers, and the people left at home, and the war's impact will be felt right at the heart of their family.
The Land of Neverendings
by Kate SaundersAs hilarious as it is heartbreaking, another future classic from Costa Winner Kate Saunders (Five Children on the Western Front).Emily watched, in a trance of astonishment, as the bear opened the picnic basket, took out a tartan rug and spread it on Holly's bed. And then the penguin spoke. Actually spoke. 'What's going on? This isn't Pointed End!'The bear said, 'It looks like a human bedroom. We must've come through the wrong door.''But there aren't any doors to the hard world in Deep Smockeroon! And we don't have a human bedroom any more. We're in a box in the attic.'What if there exists a world powered by imagination?A world of silliness, where humans and their toys live on long after they've left the Hard World . . . and what if the door between that world and this one was broken?Welcome to the Land of Neverendings.Moving, raw and funny in all the right ways, The Land of Neverendings is a rip-roaring adventure, but it also gives an honest portrayal of grief for young readers, and shows us that whilst sadness does exist in the world, it doesn't have to cancel out happiness, or silliness, even when you lose someone you love.'This is written from the heart and can't fail to make yours sing.' The Times'Imagination, memories and new beginnings triumph.' The Sunday Times'A beautiful and often very funny book about imagination, family and love.' BookTrust'Funny and tender, heartbreaking and life-affirming.' Bookseller
The Imagination Box: A Mind Of Its Own (The Imagination Box #3)
by Martyn FordThere is a box. Anything you imagine will appear inside. You have one go, one chance to create anything you want. What would you pick?"That's exactly the question ten-year-old Timothy Hart gets to answer after discovering The Imagination Box. The greatest toy on earth.The top-secret contraption transforms his life but when the box's inventor, Professor Eisenstone, goes missing, Tim knows he has to investigate.With the help of a talking finger monkey called Phil, he sets out to find the professor. In order to rescue his friend, he must face his darkest fears and discover the true potential of his own mind.This stunning debut is first in an exciting new trilogy for readers aged 9+.
The Imagination Box: Beyond Infinity (The Imagination Box)
by Martyn FordTimothy Hart is getting used to the good life with his new imagination box. Anything he can imagine, he can create! There's only one rule - the box mustn't leave Tim's room.But Tim has never been good at following rules - especially when there's the opportunity to 'imagine' his homework into being without actually having to do it. Tim is feeling rather pleased with himself...Until he notices the strange people following him, and then chasing him, and then his beloved imagination box being ripped from his hands.He'll need the help of a top secret scientific institution if he's going to save the imagination box from corruption of the worst possible kind.Sequel to the critically acclaimed debut, The Imagination Box.
Faery Tales
by Carol Ann DuffyOnce upon a time, there was a rich merchant who had three daughters. The girls were just as clever as they were bella and none more so than the youngest, whose name was Beauty.Disappear to faraway lands of wicked witches, evil monsters and brave heroines in Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy's stunning collection of fairy tales. Including her beautiful and haunting retellings of the Grimm classics Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and the Pied Piper, as well as other tales from around the world, and new stories of her own, this book will make you think again about once upon a time . . . With ethereal illustrations by Tommi Tomislav, this uncommonly beautiful book is a very special introduction to - or reminder of - many classic fairy tales.