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Junior Book Group Reading List
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Junior Book Group
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| Abrahams, Peter | Down the Rabbit Hole |
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When Ingrid accidentally leaves her favourite football sneakers at a murder scene, she is sucked into the mysterious case. It's all her fault that the police are on the wrong track, so Ingrid swears to hunt down Cracked-up Katie's killer herself. But Ingrid's life is full of distractions - Joey, the son of the local police chief; portraying Alice in the Prescott Players new production; not failing maths. When the clues lead her to the new member of the theatre group, Vincent, she doesn't realize the danger until it's too late - and suddenly she's battling for her life, about to be pushed over the edge of Echo Falls... |
| Aiken, Joan | The Witch of Clatteringshaws |
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Malise, the Witch of Clatteringshaws, lives in Scotland in a disused Ladies Convenience at the end of a coach park in Caledonia overlooking Loch Grieve (inhabited by Hobyahs and a monster). Down in London, Simon Battersea has inherited the throne of England and although accompanied by his friend Dido he is not happy with his lot. There are other possible claimants to the throne and Dido departs to Scotland in order to find them. There she gets help from the Witch of Clatteringshaws. Abandoned children, murderers, and monsters confront Dido as she goes north; old legends are revived and Simon is called upon to defend his country against invading Wends. But Malise proves an invaluable ally and a swarm of bees and a song provide the key to a roller-coaster climax. |
| Allison, Jennifer | Gilda Joyce and the Ladies Lake |
 |
Gilda is not exactly thrilled when she gets accepted on Scholarship to the prestigious Our Lady of Sorrows school for girls. But then she finds out about Dolores Lambert, the ex-pupil who drowned mysteriously in the lake in the grounds of the school. Now Gilda can't wait to start at the school. She plans to begin solving the mystery straight away. But certain people are trying to thwart her investigation. There's the intimidating Ladies of the Lake clique for a start, not to mention eccentric headmistress Ms McCracknell. But Gilda isn't going to let anything get in the way of truth, or the completion of her gothic novel. With so many strings to her bow, Gilda Joyce can't possibly fail ...can she? |
| Almond, David | Fire eaters |
 |
There he was, below the bridge,
half-naked, eyes blazing. He had a pair of burning torches. He ran them
back and forth across his skin. He sipped from a bottle, breathed across a
torch, and fire and fumes leapt from his lips. The air was filled with the
scent of paraffin. He breathed again, a great high spreading flag of fire.
He glared. He roared like an animal. That summer, life had seemed
perfect for Bobby Burns. But now it's autumn and the winds of change are
blowing hard. Bobby's dad is mysteriously ill. His new school is a cold
and cruel place. And worse: nuclear war may be about to start. But Bobby
has a wonder-working friend called Ailsa Spink. And he's found the
fire-eater, a devil called McNulty. What can they do together on Bobby's
beach? Is it possible to work miracles? Will they be able to transform the
world?
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Introduction to Fire Eaters Read an excerpt |
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| Arbuthnott, Gill | Winterbringers |
|
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St Andrews, Fife - not known for its glorious
weather, but even so, Josh hadn't expected the sea to start to freeze and
ice to creep up the beaches ...His summer holiday isn't looking too
promising, especially as his only companions are a strange local girl,
Callie, and her enormous dog Luath. Then they uncover the journal of an
eighteenth-century girl who writes about a Kingdom of Summer, and suddenly
they find themselves thrown headlong into a storm of witches, ice creatures,
magic and the Winter King. A permanent winter threatens unless they can help
restore the natural balance of the seasons. Can they stop the Winterbringers
once and for all?
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| Arnold, Louise | The invisible friend |
 |
Grey Arthur is a ghost. Not a chain-rattling, dramatic-wailing type of ghost. He's a hazy, grey and not very ghost-like at all. Discover what happens to him in this funny first novel by new talent Louise Arnold, when he decides to become lonely Tom's Invisible Friend...Grey Arthur is a very normal ghost. Too normal for his own liking. He's so normal he doesn't even know what group he belongs to: not scary enough to be a Screamer, or naughty enough to be a Poltergeist...each different thing Arthur tries to be, he fails. One afternoon, when Grey Arthur is thinking very despondently how unfair life is, he senses the exact same emotion coming from a boy far away. And as he follows his instincts he reaches Tom's house. Tom is a very normal boy, with brown hair and brown eyes and normal parents. But somehow people at school don't seem to think that. He doesn't fit in. People call him weird. When Grey Arthur senses Tom's unhappiness he realises they're not so different after all. He doesn't feel he fits in with the other ghosts, either; and that is when he realises what he is going to be. He's going to be Tom's official Invisible Friend and help him solve his problems. |
| What the Book Group said | |
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CBBC Newsround | UK | Is this the next JK Rowling? |
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| Beddor, Frank | The looking-glass wars |
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Alyss, born in Wonderland, is destined to be a warrior queen. After a bloody coup topples the Heart regime, Alyss is exiled to another world entirely, where she is adopted into a new family, renamed Alice and befriended by Lewis Carroll. At age 20 she returns to Wonderland to battle Redd and lead Wonderland into its next golden age of imagination. |
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Egmont Books Website - Frank Beddor |
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| Blacker, Terence | Parent Swap |
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Danny Bell isn’t
happy with his family - his mother is busy with her new life as a real
estate agent, a life that doesn’t involve her old family. His dad is an
aging musician who hasn’t left the house in years. Then a ParentSwap notice
ends up in Danny’s backpack - offering kids the choice of a whole new
family. Danny decides to go for it, but things don’t quite work out like he
would expect. Everything seems a little too planned, too directed, too
watched? It’s up to Danny to try his hand at a little directing of his own,
and in the process see if he can’t fix his old family - at least a little.
The story is particularly timely with today’s reality TV obsessed world. I
really enjoyed the little "interview" sidebars with all the people in
Danny’s life and the unique insights they offer to the story. I also enjoyed
seeing a quiet, dreamy kid portrayed as interesting and clever. The plot is
fast-paced and offers plenty of twists. Definitely fun with a few very nice
moments.
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| Bloor, Thomas | Worm in the blood |
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Sam's family are cursed with a dark and terrible secret. A secret that has its origins in a remote island off the coast of China and has haunted every generation of his family for hundreds of years. Now the curse is about to claim Sam as its next victim. It starts with an itchy rash that spreads all over his body. Then the feeling of something changing within him, coming alive. And why has he become obsessed with the marshes and their cool, muddy waters? Why has he stopped seeing his friends and going to school? As rumours begin to spread about sightings of a sinister creature on the outskirts of town, Sam is forced to face a horrifying truth. One that could destroy him... |
| Bowler, Tim | Apocalypse |
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Caught in a storm
on their sailing boat, Kit and his parents are driven to the shores of a
small island. But there is no safety here. The intense, enclosed community
is hostile and Kit soon realizes that he and his parents are in terrible
danger. Then suddenly his mother and father disappear. Kit finds himself
alone, faced with a desperate struggle. He must stay alive and search for
his parents. And he must deal with the frightening new arrival - the
mysterious wild man who seems to have come from the sea itself. The man
whose face bears an uncanny resemblance to his own...In his terrifying
battle to survive and find out what has happened to his parents Kit will
face trials and dangers beyond anything he could have imagined. He will also
encounter the one thing he never expects.
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| Boyce, Frank Cottrell | Framed |
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Dylan is the only boy living in the tiny Welsh town of Manod. His parents run the Snowdonia Oasis Auto Marvel garage - and when he's not trying to persuade his sisters to play football, Dylan is in chrge of the petrol log. And, that means he gets to keep track of everyone coming in and out of Manod - what car they drive, what they're called, even their favourite flavour of crisps. But, when a mysterious convoy of lorries trundles up the misty mountainside towards an old, disused mine, even Dylan is confounded. Who are these people - and what have they got to hide? This is a story inspired by a press cutting describing how, during WWII, the treasured contents of London's National Gallery were stored in Welsh slate mines. Once a month, a morale-boosting masterpiece would be unveiled in the village and then returned to London for viewing. This is a funny and touching exploration of how Art - its beauty and its value - touches the life of one little boy and his big family in a very small town. |
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Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Review: Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce |
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What the Book Group Said |
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| Millions | |
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Comedy is blended with real life drama in perfect balance, in the story of brothers Damian and Anthony who suddenly have to spend ‘millions’ in seven days before the euro takes over from the pound. A gripping read with an exciting plot that you will find irresistible. |
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Millions Extract by Frank Cottrell Boyce Teachit's English teaching resources CILIP | In the frame for writing Millions - an interview with Frank Cottrell Boyce |
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| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| Choldenko, Gennifer | AL Capone does my shirts |
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Moose Flanagan
lives with his family on Alcatraz Island home to a high security prison
and the famous gangster, Al Capone. But living next door to Al Capone is the
least of his problems. He has a new school to get used to, new friends to
make and also has to cope with his sister’s autism. A deeply felt and
remarkable tale of family and friendship.
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Cheeky Monkeys - Carnegie 2005 Group Reviews Al Capone does my shirts BloomsburyMagazine.com - Children's Area Literature Circle Guide |
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| Cooper, Susan | Victory |
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Two children cross
an ocean, two hundred years apart. One is Sam Robbins, a powder monkey
aboard H.M.S.Victory, the ship in which Lord Nelson will die a hero's death
at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The other is Molly Jennings, a
present-day English girl transplanted from London to America, fighting a
battle of her own against loss and loneliness. This extraordinary
time-shifting adventure tells the interwoven stories of Sam and Molly,
linked by a mystery. Sam is a farm boy, kidnapped by the "press gang" to
serve in the Royal Navy. At first terrified and seasick, he is transformed
gradually into a sailor. In the rowdy, dangerous world of a warship enduring
the Napoleonic Wars, he meets both cruelty and kindness, and survives a
fearsome battle whose echoes reach through the years to involve Molly as
well. Like him, she has lost her childhood, but will find her future with
help, from a much unexpected source. Separate yet together, Sam and Molly
struggle through fear and excitement to a final ordeal, which terrifyingly
tests their courage. And the moving climax of the book shows two lives
joined forever, by the touch of Nelson, one of the greatest sailors of all
time. |
| Craig, Joe | Sabotage |
|
Jimmy Coates seems
like an ordinary boy, but he's not. He's genetically engineered to grow into
the perfect government assassin. Speed, strength and deadly instinct - it's
all in his blood. He has to fight not to kill ... while his government
fights to kill him. Jimmy Coates embarks on his fourth adventure in his
ongoing mission to out-think / out-manoeuvre and outwit NJ7. If you think
it's over, think again! "Jimmy closed his eyes, searching for that power
inside him. He had to forget that he was terrified -- that was only the
human part of him, the 38 per cent that was a normal, frightened boy. He
willed the assassin to take him over. He knew that somewhere within him was
enough strength, resilience and expert knowledge to survive this crisis."
The cold and calculating Miss Bennett has had enough of Jimmy Coates. NJ7's
greatest invention has turned into it's greatest enemy, and it's time
someone put an end to him. But Jimmy's next mission is to foil a secret plan
-- and who could be better at this than someone who officially doesn't
exist! |
| Creech, Sharon | Love that dog |
 |
Love That Dog is the story of Jack, his dog, his teacher, and words. The
story develops through Jack's responses to his teacher, Miss Stretchberry,
over the course of a school year. At first, his responses are short and
cranky: "I don't want to" and "I tried. Can't do it. Brain's empty." But as
his teacher feeds him inspiration, Jack finds that he has a lot to say and
he finds ways to say it. Jack is both stubborn and warm-hearted, and he can be both serious and funny. Although he hates poetry at first, he begins to find poems that inspire him. All year long, he is trying to find a way to talk about his beloved dog, Sky, and the poems his teacher offers him eventually give him a way to do that. Jack becomes especially fond of a poem by Walter Dean Myers titled "Love That Boy," and it is this poem that finally gives Jack a way to tell the whole story of his dog, Sky. In gratitude, Jack invites Walter Dean Myers to visit his class. |
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| Dahl, Roald | The Eejits |
 |
Mr Eejit wis an eejit. He wis boarn an eejit. And noo at the graund auld age o sixty, he wis a bigger eejit than ever. For the first time, the wonderful world of Roald Dahl appears in the Scots Language. In The Twits, Roald Dahl's story about the world's most revolting couple, Mr Twit was horrible and hairy and his wife Mrs Twit was just plain ugly. Now in The Eejits they are honkin, mawkit, bowfin and clarty and Mrs Eejit's hackitness is revealed in all its manky glory |
| Dale, Anna | Whispering to Witches |
|
|
"A short holiday with his mother turns out very differently for Joe than he could have imagined when he left home. Soon he is embroiled in a world of witchcraft, a world where the kind and innocent witches of Britain are facing a wicked foe. Can Joe and his young friend Twiggy put an end to the cunning plot, or will they, like their witchy friends, find the baffling mystery too hard to solve?" |
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What the Book Group said Extract
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| Delaney, Joseph | Spook's Apprentice |
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A wonderful and terrifying series by a new writer about a young boy training to be an exorcist. Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and has been apprenticed to the local Spook. The job is hard, the Spook is distant and many apprentices have failed before Thomas. Somehow Thomas must learn how to exorcise ghosts, contain witches and bind boggarts. But when he is tricked into freeing Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the County, the horror begins . . . |
| Kids at Random House - Spook's by Joseph Delaney | |
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CBBC Newsround | Press Pack Reports | Your Reports | I met a famous author
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| Doherty, Berlie | Children of Winter |
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Catherine and her family are out for a walk when a sudden storm blows up, and they are forced to take shelter in a deserted barn which they have never seen before but which seems strangely familiar. The children find that they have slipped back to the time of the Black Death. |
| Elliott, Patricia | Murkmere |
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Aggie's life in
the village is as normal and dull as any girl's; she has never questioned
the rule of the Ministration or the power of the divine beings --- the
birds. Then, the crippled master of the nearby manor, Murkmere, sends for
Aggie to become a lady's companion to his ward, Leah. Aggie accepts and even
starts to befriend the wild and strange girl who seems to want nothing but
to escape Murkmere and its powermongering steward, Silas. As preparations
begin for the ball celebrating Leah's sixteenth birthday, Aggie finds
herself more deeply involved in the sinister plots that surround Murkmere,
Leah, and the mysterious Master. |
| Author! Author! Article: Patricia Elliott | |
| Fardell, John | The 7 Professors of the Far North |
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Ampersand is one of The Seven Professors involved in a project to develop a university on the island of Nordbergen off the coast of Norway and Russia. Thirty-five years earlier the dream turned sour as one of the group destroyed the university, stranded the other six members and fled without trace. Now, he has returned to finish the job. Ampersand summons the rest of the group and, with the help of the children, becomes embroiled in a race to unravel the mysterious secret that lies deep within the island of Nordbergen... |
| Fisher, Catherine | Darkhenge |
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Darkhenge,
the unearthly novel from Catherine Fisher is one full of history, mystery, myth
and magic. Drawing on the author’s passion for archaeology, and set against a
landscape steeped in legend near her Wye Valley home, she creates an atmospheric
narrative that is every bit as spooky as it is dramatic. Rob’s sister Chloe lies
in a coma in hospital after a riding accident and he is an uncomfortable weekly
visitor to her bedside. In an effort to distract himself from the trauma in his
personal life, Rob uses his skill at art to get a job on a secretive local dig.
His new employer, Dr Kavanagh, is desperate to preserve the operation’s
anonymity and warns Rob not to reveal what they are up to. If news leaked that
they had found the remains of a prehistoric wooden circle, the media blitz would
be catastrophic. |
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http://www.geocities.com/catherinefisheruk/catherine.html Darkhenge, Catherine Fisher - HarperChildrens Doncaster Book Award Bucks CC - Book Reviews - Review Details |
|
| Funke, Cornelia | Dragon Rider |
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Firedrake, Ben, and their family friend, Sorrel, are in search of the mythical place where dragons can live in peace forever. Together they embark on a journey that takes them to magical lands where they meet marvelous creatures - and one ruthless villain. |
| Dragon Rider quiz -- free game | |
| Inkheart | |
 |
Mo, a gentle bookbinder with an extraordinary secret, and his daughter Meggie love books, yet he has not read aloud to her since her mother disappeared years ago. After a mysterious stranger visits them, Mo tells Meggie they must go into hiding. But why? - and from whom? |
| What the Book Group said | |
| Inkheart - Extract | |
| Gantos, Jack | Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key |
|
At school they
say I'm wired bad, or wired nad, or wired sad, or wired glad, depending on
my mood and what teacher has ended up with me. But there is no doubt
about it, I'm wired.Joey is undoubtedly a handful: his tendency to literally
spin down the school halls or bounce around the kitchen can, understandably
drive the adults in his life insane. But Joey has Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder and he really has no control over his actions. He
just does whatever pops into his head. And if that includes swallowing a
key, then so be it... Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
is one of the most unusual and absorbing books any child, or adult, is ever
likely to read. Joey's story is at once wildly funny and despairingly sad,
but most of all totally convincing. Jack Gantos writes with a dead-pan style
that avoids patronising either the readers or Joey himself, and takes us
into a world that swings from being breathtakingly wild and exciting to
unbelievably confusing.
Read an Extract
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| Gardner, Lyn | Into the Woods |
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Taking inspiration from numerous
fairytales and weaving them into a wholly original story, "Into The Woods"
is a whirlwind of a novel, full of imaginative happenings, dastardly deeds
and thrilling adventure. Our guides are three sisters: Storm, Aurora and
Anything Eden. Accidentally orphaned and left to fend for themselves in a
decaying mansion on the edge of the wilds, they come to the very much
unwanted attention of the sinister Dr DeWilde: a scar-faced gentleman with a
pied waistcoat and an unhealthy interest in rats. He's after a tiny little
musical pipe that Storm has inherited, and he'll stop at nothing to get it.
Fleeing into the woods, our courageous and eccentric sisters evade kidnap
(almost), resist the temptation of sweet-filled orphanages (nearly!), and
begin a treacherous journey across raging rivers, over mountains of ice,
through deathly silent ghost towns and beyond the lairs of child-eating
ogresses. With ravenously hungry wolves snapping at their heels every step
of the way! Featuring wonderful illustrations by award-winning illustrator
Mini Grey, "Into The Woods" is a classic tale with a very modern twist and
will delight readers of every generation. |
| Gilman, David | The Devil's Breath |
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Max Gordon, a sporty 15-year-old boy, is a pupil at Dartmoor High, "a private school that concentrated on vigorous physical pursuits and no-nonsense education". Jogging across the moors, he is attacked by an assassin with a pistol. For some reason, someone wants to kill him. Is it connected to the mysterious disappearance of his father, somewhere in Namibia? |
| Gleitzman, Morris | Once |
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For three years and eight months, Felix has lived in a convent orphanage high in the mountains in Poland. But Felix is different from the other orphans. He is convinced his parents are still alive and will come back to get him. When a group of Nazi soldiers come and burn the nuns' books, Felix is terrified that his Jewish, bookseller parents will also be in danger. After escaping from the orphanage, Felix embarks on a long and dangerous journey through Nazi occupied Poland, befriending a little orphan girl called Zelda and a kindly dentist, Barney, who hides and cares for Jewish children. But when the Nazis discover them, Barney makes the ultimate sacrifice for the children. |
| Golding, Julia | Secrets of the Sirens |
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When Connie is sent to live with her aunt, she knows it's going to be one more place where she doesn't fit in. But soon she realises how wrong she is. The seaside town is full of adults and children who have strange links to creatures. It's the heart of the secret Society for the Protection of Mythical Creatures, a group of people sworn to ensure that mythical beasts are kept safe. Normally the creatures and their chosen humans work in harmony. But something abnormal is happening here. The Sirens, who for generations have kept their deadly song to themselves, are once again luring humans to their deaths. It doesn't take long for Connie to realise that the victims are oil workers. The Sirens are fed-up with their seas being polluted, but should the Society protect the Sirens or the oil industry? Connie doesn't think she has a role to play, until it becomes clear that she's a Universal - the first person in over a century who can communicate with every type of beast on earth and in the air. Her power is immense. It corrupted the previous Universal ...and now he's back.And he'll use any means he can - from violence to the terrifying Storm Giants - to turn Connie to the dark side. |
| Goodheart, Pippa | Raven Boy |
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This work is set in London 1666. Young Nick Truelove blames King Charles II for the death of his parents, and vows to get revenge. He forms a special friendship with a young raven and inspired by its bold behaviour and wily cunning bluffs his way into the centre of the King's power, the Tower of London. But the Great Fire and an encounter with the King himself will change Nick's life for ever. Pippa Goodhart's novel is firmly rooted in history and vividly describes the horror of the Plague and the Great Fire. At its heart though is a thrilling adventure about a boy, his battle with injustice, and his special relationship with a wild animal. |
| Grenfell, Gus | Woodenface |
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Meg is a Maker, pouring life into the wooden dolls she carves. Accused of witchcraft, she flees to Halifax, only to find her father in jail, facing death by the gibbet. Desperate to save him, she must first learn what being a Maker really means - and confront the demons that stalk her. |
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| Julie Hearn | The Merrybegot |
 |
This is the story of Nell who lives with her grandmother, the local cunning woman and healer, in a west country village in the seventeenth century. When one of the minister's daughters falls pregnant, she and her sister attempt to conceal it by accusing Nell of putting a curse on them. The witchfinder general, Matthew Hopkins, is called in and in an atmosphere of fear, the local villagers turn nasty and Nell's grandmother falls victim to their hatred. Nell is all alone, and in great danger. |
| Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Review: The Merrybegot by Julie Hearn | |
| Hesse, Karen | The Stowaway |
 |
In 1767, 11-year-old Nicholas Young stowed away on Captain James Cook's "Endeavour." Cook's three-year mission was secret: he was charged by the British Navy to search for a lost continent, believed to be located between the southern tip of South America and New Zealand. Young's journal charts the voyage and with every port of call a new adventure awaits. This is the story of a great voyage of discovery seen through the eyes of a boy who was actually there. |
| Higgins, F E | The Black Book of Secrets |
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When Ludlow Fitch's parents cruelly betray him, he steals away on the back of a carriage and leaves behind the stinking City. He arrives in the dead of night at a remote village, where he crosses paths with the tall and limping figure of Joe Zabbidou - a pawnbroker with a difference. For Joe trades secrets, not goods, for cash. Ludlow is employed to record the villagers' fiendish confessions in "The Black Book of Secrets" - bodysnatching; thievery; and murder. The people of Pagus Parvus have much to hide. But is Ludlow Fitch ready to release his own skeletons? And will he ever learn to trust his mysterious master? |
| Hightman, Jason | Saint of Dragons |
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"An ambitious fantasy adventure that is always pacy, never dull, and consistently interesting. Imagine waking up one day to find that you are descended from an ancient line of dragon hunters? That’s exactly what happens to Simon St. George in The Saint of Dragons and how he goes about adjusting to his new existence is the stuff of great entertainment." |
| What the Book Groups said | |
| The Saint Of Dragons extract | |
| Horowitz, Anthony | Raven's Gate |
 |
Matt has always known he has unusual powers. Raised in foster care, he is sent to Yorkshire on a rehabilitation programme, only to find himself in the midst of sinister goings-on. Matt investigates and uncovers a terrible secret - eight guardians are protecting the world from the evil ones, beings banished long ago by five children. But devil worshippers want to let the evil ones back in... |
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First Chapter - The Power of Five: Raven's Gate - Walker Books Raven’s Gate by Anthony Horowitz | Scholastic |
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| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| Ibbotson, Eva | The star of Kazan |
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Set in Vienna in the late 19th Century, this is the story of Annika. No one knows who she really is. Adopted by a cook and housekeeper after she was found on the steps of church as a baby the story follows her quest to discover her true identity. An atmospheric and exciting tale, this story offers classic storytelling. The plot and characters are absorbing: a real page-turner. |
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Cheeky Monkeys - Carnegie 2005 Group Reviews Excerpt from The Star of Kazan Author of the month: Eva Ibbotson | By genre | Guardian Unlimited Books |
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| Kemp, Gene | Nothing Scares Me |
|
I suppose it's a gift. But, I didn't ask for it, did I? Any more than you ask for brown eyes instead of blue. I often wish it would go away. I don't want to be different...Petra has a sixth sense - she can predict events that haven't happened yet. It's a talent that she's grown to hate. People think she's weird and she knows that if she wants her classmates to like her she will have to keep her gift a secret. Until her visions take a sinister turn. George, the ghost-boy who lives in her house, seems to be trying to give her a desperate message. And, why is she being plagued by the image of a dark-haired girl walking her dog? What does it all mean? When a pupil from her school goes missing, it becomes horrifyingly clear that Petra's visions may hold the key to the disappearance - and the suspected murder of a schoolgirl ten years before. But, as she soon discovers, danger lies closer to home. Petra's sixth sense may be the only thing that can protect her from becoming the next victim... |
| Laird, Elizabeth | The garbage king |
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This is the story of children who live on the very edge of destitution. Dani and Mamo, and the gang of street boys that they join, have nothing and share everything. Their courage, loyalty and determination enable them to survive in the harshest of worlds. |
| The Garbage King quiz -- free game | |
| Landy, Derek | Skulduggery Pleasant |
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Get ready for the biggest NEW children's publishing phenomenon, now in paperback! "So you won't keep anything from me again?" He put his hand to his chest. "Cross my heart and hope to die." "Okay then. Though you don't actually have a heart," she said. "I know." "And technically, you've already died." "I know that too." "Just so we're clear." Stephanie's uncle Gordon is a writer of horror fiction. But when he dies and leaves her his estate, Stephanie learns that while he may have written horror, it certainly wasn't fiction. Pursued by evil forces intent on recovering a mysterious key, Stephanie finds help from an unusual source -- the wisecracking skeleton of a dead wizard. When all hell breaks loose, it's lucky for Skulduggery that he's already dead. Though he's about to discover that being a skeleton doesn't stop you from being tortured, if the torturer is determined enough. And if there's anything Skulduggery hates, it's torture! Will evil win the day? Will Stephanie and Skulduggery stop bickering long enough to stop it? One thing's for sure: evil won't know what's hit it. |
|
Skulduggery Pleasant Website Video Interview with the Author from Amazon Interview with Derek Landy |
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| Langrish, Katherine | Troll Fell |
 |
A secret kingdom of trolls, and their legendary gold, lies in the mysterious shadows of Troll Fell. It is to this eerie and dangerous place that Peer must go after his father's sudden death, to live with his greedy uncles, Baldur and Grim, at their mill. When Peer discovers his uncles' plan to sell children to the trolls, he has to bury his fears and set out to stop them somehow. In a world filled with magic and mystery, Peer has only his bravery, his wits, and two new allies -- a daring girl looking for adventure and a mischievous house spirit looking for a good meal. Their story will become part of the legends and lore that fill this extraordinary land by the sea. |
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What the Book Groups said Troll Fell Extract |
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| Lingard, Joan | Sign of the Black Dagger |
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When Will and Lucy's dad disappears, their life changes for ever. They uncover a trail of secrets and lies - but hidden in a fireplace in their old Edinburgh house, there's a clue that might lead them to the truth. A journal that tells the story of another pair of twins, William and Louisa, who lived in their house two-hundred years before. Their own father was in serious financial trouble and took sanctuary - as all debtors could - in the grounds of Holyrood Abbey. A place full of French aristocrats fleeing revolution; a haven of intrigue and spies. In 1796, a mysterious black dagger helped the children save the life of an exiled French Count. And now it will lead Will and Lucy to find their own dad - and the truth about why he's disappeared. |
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Read
Hayocks PS reviews on the BRAW website Holyrood Abbey Edinburgh's Old Town History of Edinburgh The Royal Mile |
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| MacPhail, Catherine | Underworld |
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Five misfits are among a group of children chosen for an adventure holiday in Scotland. None of them is glad to go, and none of them likes each other. When they are trapped by a rock fall in a vast network of caves they know that they need to work together to survive, yet none of them wants to lose the power struggle. |
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Read the Book Group Reviews Catherine MacPhail CV at PFD |
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| Mark, Jan | Useful Idiots |
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This is a
fascinating thriller based in a future where the seas have risen to claim
back the land, the past has been buried and archaeology is considered the
most dangerous science. Set in a highly realistic dystopic future, where the lowlands of Britain are flooded, this beautifully realised novel explores a world where archaeology is controlled for fear of social unrest. One bleak morning, a storm across the North Sea unveils a human skull, which leads to a series of events that changes the lives of those involved. Merrick, a young graduate archaeology student becomes embroiled in the task of discovering the origins of the skull. His interest in this bizarre case brings him into contact with the Inglish, a remnant tribe eking out an existence on the edge of Europe. In this wildly progressive new world, it is they who will be affected the most. This is a compelling vision of England as it could be in the not-so-distant future. |
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Back from the future | By genre | Guardian Unlimited Books Independent Online Edition > Obituaries |
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| Matthews, Andrew | The shadow garden |
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'Like cold fingers reaching from the grave, a chilling atmosphere of mystery and suspense seeps through this haunting ghost story. Matty's sixth sense tells her that Tagram House harbours a dark secret. Her fears lead Matty to the eerie Shadow Garden where she discovers what's buried there. Now she must untangle the mystery before disaster engulfs everyone.' |
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What the Book Groups said Usborne Fabulous New Fiction: Shadow Garden: Extractes |
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| McAllister, Margaret | The life shop |
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Buyer beware! The price of a bargain may be higher than you think. Everyone is thrilled by the Life Shop catalogue. It sells everything - from cat baskets to cruises to career plans - and all a great price. Lorna alone cannot understand why her friends, neighbours and even her normally sensible Mum are obsessed by the Life Shop. She realises that its customers seem to be losing their individuality. Are the enticing products costing more than is apparent? More importantly, Lorna is also concerned about her disabled brother - how does he fit into the Life Shop's all too perfect world? An original and compelling novel for 10s to young teens. |
| Bloomsbury.com - Children's Authors | |
| McCaughrean, Geraldine | Not the end of the world |
 |
Everyone knows the story of the Flood, the men God chose to survive, the animals that went in two-by-two. But what about the others that sailed on the Ark, the women and the children? This adventure story asks what it was really like when the heavens opened and the world drowned - and what might have happened in the days that followed. With a frighteningly zealous and single-minded Noah; Japheth and his young wife, Zillah concerned for the welfare of the animals; the stowaway boy and baby found by Noah's daughter, Timna; and the animals themselves, continuing to act as animals do, whatever their surroundings, this is an extremely compelling and at times very frightening story, beautifully written as ever by Geraldine McCaughrean. |
| What the Book Group said | |
|
Review: Not the End of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean | By genre |
Guardian Unlimited Books It's Official: Geraldine McCaughrean is the Best Children's Writer Ever |
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| McCaughrean, Geraldine | Plundering Paradise |
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Nathan loves pirates - his days are spent dreaming about them and wondering what it would be like to be one. Anything to brighten up his grey and dreary existence. So when Tamo White, the son of a real-life pirate, suggests that Nathan go home with him to Madagascar, it is too good a chance to miss. There's just one problem ...Nathan's sister, Maud. He can't leave her behind but will she really be able to survive in a strange land full of pirates? You never know - perhaps she'll adapt better than Nathan, or even she herself, could ever have imagined ...Plundering Paradise will whisk you away to a distant land and fill your senses with amazing sights, sounds and beautiful colours. You will feel as though you've really visited Madagascar and have lived among the pirates and the islanders. |
| Robin McKinley | Beauty |
 |
When the family business collapses, Beauty and her two sisters are forced to leave the city and begin a new life in the countryside. However, when their father accepts hospitality from the elusive and magical Beast, he is forced to make a terrible promise - to send one daughter to the Beast's castle, with no guarantee that she will be seen again. Beauty accepts the challenge, and there begins an extraordinary story of magic and love that overcomes all boundaries. This is another spellbinding and emotional tale embroidered around a fairytale from Robin McKinley, an award-winning American author. |
| What the Book Group said | |
|
Kids at Random House : Book extract from Beauty |
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| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| Michael, Livi | The Whispering Road |
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"A moving and powerful story about brother and sister, Joe and Annie, who flee from a pitiful existence as servants. They embark on a tough and perilous journey to Manchester in search of their mother who was forced to leave them at the workhouse when they were very young. Their future is tainted by the horrors of their past and as Annie is increasingly troubled by spirits, Joe is forced to make a tough decision." |
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What the Book Group said Review: The Whispering Road by Livi Michael | By genre | Guardian Unlimited Books |
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| Mieville, China | Un Lun Dun |
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Zanna and Deeba are two
girls leading ordinary lives, until they stumble into the world of UnLondon,
an urban Wonderland where all the lost and broken things of London end up
...and some of its lost and broken people too. Here discarded umbrellas
stalk with spidery menace, carnivorous giraffes roam the streets, and a
jungle sprawls beyond the door of an ordinary house. UnLondon is under siege
by the sinister Smog and its stink-junkie slaves; it is a city awaiting its
hero. Guided by a magic book that can't quite get its facts straight, and
pursued by Hemi the half-ghost boy, the girls set out to stop the poisonous
cloud before it burns everything in its path. They are joined in their quest by a motley band of UnLondon locals, including Brokkenbroll, boss of the broken umbrellas, Obaday Fing, a couturier whose head is an enormous pincushion, and an empty milk carton called Curdle. The world of UnLondon is populated by astonishing frights and delights that will thrill the imagination. |
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Read an
Excerpt |
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| Molony, Rowland | After the death of Alice Bennet |
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Before mum died, she told Sam
that she would always be with him. On the day of mum's cremation, his sister
Becky receives a text from a friend: 'Thinking about you. X'. Sam becomes
convinced that the text is from their mother. Imagine if he could text back!
When he finds mum's mobile phone and a 'contact number' in her handwriting,
Sam his heart pounding, sends a message. It is received by a kind but lonely
lorry driver, Tony. Unthinkingly, Tony responds. Before he knows it, the boy
is texting regularly, and Tony is replying. Sam thinks he's in contact with
mum and forms a plan. He's going to find her and bring her back for
Christmas. By the time Tony realises what's happening, he can't bring
himself to tell Sam that it's not his mother on the end of the phone, but
neither can he just stop texting or, worse, let the child turn up. He also
realises that he's come to rely on Sam's messages because they make him feel
less alone. As Sam sets out on his journey, Tony must try to find him. But
how will he explain to this little boy that his mother is really dead? And
how will Sam cope when confronted with the truth? |
| Morpurgo, Michael | Private Peaceful |
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A stunning novel of World War 1. It is so absorbing and atmospheric that you will want to keep reading to the end. Told through the voice of a young soldier it captures in 24 hours the memories of his life - with the harsh realisation that he is also facing an unknown future! |
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Teaching Notes Private Peaceful CBBC Newsround | UK | Private Peaceful wins top award Teachit's English teaching resources |
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| Morpurgo, Michael | Kensuke's Kingdom |
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"I heard the wind above me in the sails. I remember thinking, this is silly you haven't got your harness on, you haven't got your lifejacket on. You shouldn't be doing this. Then the boat veered violently and I was thrown sideways. I had no time to grab the guardrail. I was in the cold of the sea before I had time to scream." Washed up on an island in the Pacific, Michael struggles to survive on his own. He can't find food, he can't find water. In the end he curls up to die. When he wakes, there is a plate of fish beside him and a bowl of fresh water. He is not alone... |
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Teachit's English teaching resources Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo: book review |
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| Morpurgo, Michael | Twist of Gold |
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This work takes the reader on an epic journey through famine, hope and survival by a much-loved, award winning author. Sean and Annie have one chance to escape the potato famine and plague in Ireland. They survive a shipwreck and land safely in America searching for their father. But their new land is one of hardship and they live in poverty on the streets of Boston. However, their adventure is just beginning...they live on a steamboat and then join pioneers travelling across the prairies. Their music and dancing bring joy to all they meet, but their family torc brings both blessings and curses and thieves prowl to get hold of it. Annie and Sean must hang on to their torc - their family's survival depends on it. |
| Mowll, Joshua | Operation Red Jericho |
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"First in a groundbreaking trilogy, this is no ordinary tale, no ordinary book. Shanghai, 1920. While on board the "Expedient", Doug and Becca MacKenzie stumble across an amazing secret. What unfolds is a story of two young people caught up in an astonishing adventure and a story of an ancient order created to protect the world from evil...Using a remarkable archive of documents, the extraordinary events that took place over 85 years ago have been painstakingly reconstructed for the very first time… this fiction adventure comes from a startling new talent." |
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What the Book Group said Flaps and maps | By genre | Guardian Unlimited Books Extract |
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| Muchamore, Robert | The Killing |
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When a small-time crook suddenly has big money on his hands, it's only natural that the police want to know where it came from. James' latest Cherub mission looks routine: make friends with the bad guy's children, infiltrate his home and dig up some leads for the cops to investigate. But the plot James begins to unravel isn't what anyone expected. And it seems like the only person who might know the truth is a reclusive eighteen-year-old boy. There's just one problem. The boy fell from a rooftop and died more than a year earlier. |
| World Book Day Promotion | |
| Murray, Peter J | Mokee Joe is coming |
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Hudson Brown always knew he was different but when he receives the sinister message ‘Mokee Joe is Coming!’ he quickly finds out just how different he really is. No one, but no one, would want to be in his shoes; his ultimate nightmare is out there, lurking in the shadows, and it’s coming to get him!’ |
|
Mokee Joe is coming! by
Peter J Murray Mokee Joe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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| Back to top | A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
| Nelson, D A | DarkIsle |
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For 10-year-old Morag, there's
nothing magical about the cellar of her cruel foster parents' home. But
that's where she meets Aldiss, a talking rat, and his resourceful companion,
Bertie the dodo. She jumps at the chance to run away and join them on their
race against time to save their homeland from the evil warlock Devlish, who
is intent on destroying it. But first, Bertie and Aldiss will need to stop
bickering long enough to free the only guide who knows where to find Devlish:
Shona, a dragon who's been turned to stone.
Together, these four friends begin their journey to a mysterious dark island beyond the horizon, where danger and glory await - along with clues to the disappearance of Morag's parents, whose destiny seems somehow linked to her own...
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| Newberry, Linda | Catcall |
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It's a time of change for everyone is Josh's
family - a relatively new stepdad and a brand new baby sister. For Josh's
younger brother Jamie, the family upheaval has deeply disturbing
consequences: he refuses to speak, and after a vivid, frightening dream
develops an obsession with wild cats. With his parents so preoccupied,
it's up to Josh, who's always been the quiet one, to keep the family
together - to be the peacemaker, the healer - and to unravel and find a cure
for his brother's strange behaviour. In helping Jamie to recover his voice,
Josh discovers an unexpectedly resonant one of his own. CATCALL is a tense,
gripping and atmospheric novel, full of powerful ideas, and blending deep
psychological tension with fast-paced action - highly-acclaimed author Linda
Newbery at her most compelling and insightful. |
| Nye, Alex | Chill |
|
This title is the winner of the Royal Mail Awards for Scottish Children's Books 2007 (8-11 year old category). "He stared up at the dark mass of the house. Then he thought he saw movement in the library window to the right of the drawing room. A shadow moving, backwards and forwards ...then it was gone". Samuel is trapped by huge snow drifts in an old, remote house. And that's not the only thing causing a cold shiver to creep down his spine. He feels like the ghostly figure in the locked library has a message ...but who is it for? Fiona lives in the big house, but will that help the two of them to break the curse on her family? As the ice sets in, they uncover a centuries-old tale of betrayal and revenge. Set on bleak Sheriffmuir near Stirling, this is a spooky tale of the past coming back to haunt the present. |
| Parkinson, Siobhan | Blue Like Friday |
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To Hal, Fridays are blue, and tangy, like blue lemon sherbert. Olivia thinks he's crazy. Friday is just Friday, isn't it? Olivia is pretty sure that Hal's mysterious plan to get rid of his not-quite-stepfather, Alec, is even weirder. But things don't go quite as either Hal or Olivia expect. Maybe the real problem is even closer to home than anyone ever imagined ...This gorgeously written voyage of self-discovery will entrance boys and girls aged 9+. |
| Philbrick, WR | Lobster Boy |
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12-year-old Samuel 'Skiff' Beaman is a boy with incredible determination in the face of adversity. Since the death of his mother, his father has sunk into an alcoholic depression, and now Skiff's pride and joy, their boat the Mary Rose has sunk too. If only he can raise and fix Rose, Skiff is sure he'll be able to get the family business, and his dad, back on track. But to fix the boat he need $5000. With his father penniless and hopeless, Skiff is determined to raise the money himself-by going out on the open ocean all alone, on a dangerous mission to harpoon a prize giant tuna. |
| Read an extract | |
| Priestly, Chris | The white rider |
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It is London, 1716. The streets are full of spies and buzzing with intrigue. Jacobite rebels are being rounded up and hanged at Tower Hill, and on the outskirts of London the roads are haunted by a mysterious Highwayman known only as The White Rider; a robber so fierce that he kills his victims simply by pointing at them! Tom Marlowe, caught in the fascinating heart of events, is resolved to get to the bottom of them. With the help of his mentor, Dr Harker, Tom is determined to discover who is behind the White Rider's gruesome mask. But Dr Harker seems to be keeping secrets of his own. Who is the mysterious stranger with the Scottish accent seen at Harker's house, and why does the Doctor lie when questioned about him? Highly atmospheric, with a gripping plot this historical adventure will fascinate and engage readers. |
| Purkiss, Sue | The Willow Man |
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When his younger sister Sophie has a stroke, twelve-year-old Tom feels jealous and guilty, impatient and scared all at the same time. His mate Ash is the only one that seems to understand. But Ash has problems of his own. His Dad has unexpectedly returned after years in and out of jail, and the fragile balance of Ash's family crumbles. Sophie believes that the willow man is magical, that he can help them all: her to walk and Ash to read. But the willow man is burnt to the ground, taking with it all her dreams. Only by helping each other can the children mend their fractured lives. |
|
News story on the
Willow Man fire Photographs of the Willow Man |
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| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| Rayban, Chloe | My Life So Far |
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Having fought attempts to turn her into a mini-me popstarlett in book 1, Holly finds herself subjected to her mother's egomaniac schemes once again. Plucked from life and friends in London, Holly is transplanted to a 'designer' but far-from-homely penthouse in New York (the convenient epicentre for her mother's music tour). Holly is not impressed. But then when she starts to take stock of her situation, Holly realises it may not be as entirely awful as she first thought: she'll be able to see more of her dad who also lives in Manhattan, it should (officially) be the start of the summer holidays, and there's always a chance that teenage boys in New York will be more enlightened to her charms than boys in England...If she can find a way to get rid of her personal tutor, give her bodyguard the slip, and keep her mother from coming up with any new crazy schemes in the immediate future (no easy job), then maybe things could even start to be fun... |
| Rees, Celia | Ghost Chamber |
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The Goodman children are spending their first proper holiday with their estranged archaeologist father since their parents divorced - looking forward to seeing what his new house in the country is like. They know it's a crumbling old pub, which he is renovating, but not long after they arrive, they realise their dad bought the pub for a reason, because of what is said to be buried beneath it. Objects move in the night, strange noises can be heard coming from the cellar, and a creepy looking guy is hanging around the village asking sinister questions about their dad, and the old pub...13 year old Hugh Goodman is intrigued, and digs a little deeper into the mysteries of the house than he should. Before he knows it he and his siblings are caught up in a horrifying secret, and the discovery of an ancient chamber, where lies the restless ghost of a buried templar knight. Will the ghost avenge his own death using innocent children, or can they manage to beat evil forces? |
| Reeve, Philip | Mortal Engines |
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This is what happened to Tom. And now he's stranded - marooned in a desolate wasteland with a savage, disfigured girl, abandoned by the city he's grown up in, separated from the girl he's fallen in love with, worst of all, betrayed by his hero. This is the world of Mortal Engines - the stunning first novel from Philip Reeve and a book which defies easy categorisation. It is a gripping fantasy and astonishing, page-turning thriller peopled with engaging and totally believable characters. Will London survive? Will Tom be re-united with Katherine? Will Hester be avenged? And what will become of Valentine? Get drawn into the dark and utterly original world of Mortal Engines and prepare to be astounded by a most impressive fiction debut. |
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Scholastic
Children's Books: Philip Reeve Mortal Engines quiz -- free game |
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| Ridley, Philip | Zip's Appollo |
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Zip Jingle has lived most of his life in the forest with his family. So his recent move with his mum and little brother to Yet To Be Named Street in New Town, where even the trees and grass are plastic, is a shock. The magic has gone out of their lives and none of them know how to get it back. Until one day, Zip and his baby brother Newt bring home a shopping trolley from the supermarket and 'Apollo', as Newt names the trolley, starts to communicate with them ... Through Apollo, Zip and his family learn to see the magic in life again and come to terms with the loss that has affected them all. |
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Author of the month: Philip Ridley | Books. | Guardian Unlimited Shopping CBBC Newsround | UK | Philip Ridley: When I was 12 Zip's Apollo | Books For Keeps |
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| Roberts, Katherine | I am the Great Horse |
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From the moment the battle-scarred horse Bucephalas, allows a prince and a runaway girl to sit on his back, he is bound to them for ever. The prince is the young Alexander, who he proudly carries into battle, blazing a trail to the very edge of the world in his master's search for glory and adventure. The girl, Charm, is a lowly stable girl, who brushes away the ghosts Bucephalas sees and forgives his arrogant ways. But unlike the golden Alexander, Charm has darker reasons to stay by his side. Through the eyes of the horse, history, mystery and adventure unfold. |
| Rose, Malcolm | Kiss of Death |
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This is a chilling mystery reaching from the present into the plague-ridden past. A school trip turns into a nightmare when Kim and Wes leave the plague-village of Eyam with more than they bargained for, and a stolen artifact wreaks revenge. Historical facts blend with ghosts and ancient curses in the latest offering from acclaimed thriller-writer Malcolm Rose. |
| Ruby, Laura | The Wall and the Wing |
|
Strange stories and creepy characters unite in this most weird and wonderful adventure of the year. In a vast and sparkling city where nearly everyone can fly, 12-year-old Gurl is trapped. Orphaned and lonely, she believes she is nothing more than a flightless "leadfoot", until one fateful night, when she discovers that she has the power to make herself invisible. But even with this newfound talent, Gurl can't hide from a giant rat man with a taste for cats, a manipulative matron with a penchant for plastic surgery, and a belligerent boy named Bug. Gradually, Gurl learns to control her power and teams up with Bug to figure out who and what she is. Their quest takes them on a wild ride where they confront mind-bending monkeys, an eccentric genius with a head full of grass and a pocket full of kittens and the handsome but lethal Sweetcheeks Grabowski - the gangster, who holds the key to Gurl's past and the world's future! |
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Readers Guide Read an Excerpt |
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| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
| Sedgwick, Marcus | The Forshadowing |
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It is 1915. 17 year old Sasha Fox is the
privileged only daughter of a respected doctor living in the wealthy seaside
town of Brighton. But her brothers, Edgar and Tom, have gone to war and
Sasha has a terrible gift. She can see the future. Her premonitions show her
untold horrors on the battlefields of the Somme, and worse still, what will
happen to Edgar and Tom. Like the prophetess Cassandra, who foretold the
tragedies of Troy, Sasha is trapped by power. No one will believe her. Her
family have lost faith in her. She is determined to win them back, whatever
the price. And it is a high one - seeing the future is a fate almost too
awful to contemplate - for who wants to see the end of their own story...? |
| Shan, Darren | Cirque du Freak |
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If you heard that
an old-fashioned "freak show" were coming to your town, showing in an old
theater the middle of the night, would you be brave enough to go? And if when you got there you saw the object of your dreams --- a deadly tarantula named Madam Octa --- would you be crazy enough to steal her from her owner, a vampire? If you said "yes" to both of these questions, you'll love this spine-tingling story. |
| Kidsreads.com - A LIVING NIGHTMARE (Cirque du Freak #1) by Darren Shan | |
| Shearer, Alex | The Hunted |
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In a future world where people live to be 150, humans have paid the price for their longer lives - the cost being their fertility. Children have become a commodity: they are bought and sold, won and lost, and worst of all, are hunted by the 'kiddernappers' keen to make a quick buck on a big sale. When Deet wins Tarrin in a card game he rents him out to childless couples. They pay for Tarrin to play in their houses, and they pretend he's their child for an hour or two. But as Tarrin gets older, Deet is keen to secure his future and his interest in 'The Peter Pan' operation grows. By having 'The Peter Pan', Tarrin would stay a boy for ever. He would grow old inside the body of a young boy. While Tarrin faces a difficult dilemma, someone is watching him. Someone who has plans of his own. |
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Hodder Literature -
inspiring readers for today's classroom... There's magic in the air | Special Reports | Guardian Unlimited Books |
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| Shearer, Alex | Bootleg |
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The Good for You Party is improving the health of the nation. Fruit and vegetables are compulsory and chocolates are banned. When best friends Smudger and Huntly discover an overlooked stock of cocoa and sugar, their secret chocolate-making business takes off fast. Can they stay ahead of the law? |
| HIgh Point Television | Bootleg | |
| Somper, Justin | Vampirates |
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Conor and Grace are twins, recently orphaned after their widowed father's death. Rather than being adopted by the town's busy-bodies, they decide to set sail for new pastures in their father's last single possession, his sailing boat. But a vicious storm sees their boat capsize and the twins are separated. Two mysterious ships sail to their rescue - each picking up one twin before disappearing into the mist. Conor wakes to find himself on a pirate ship and is soon being trained up with a cutlass. Meanwhile Grace finds herself locked in a darkened room, as the vampirates wait for night to fall and their feasting to begin...Determined to find each other, yet intrigued by their new shipmates, the twins are about to embark on the biggest adventure of their life. |
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Kidsreads.com - VAMPIRATES: Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper PBC Extracts: Vampirates: Tide Of Terror |
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| Jerry Spinnelli | Milkweed |
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He's a boy called Jew. Gypsy. Stopthief. Runt. Happy. Fast. Filthy son of Abraham. He's a boy who lives in the streets of Warsaw. He's a boy who steals food for himself and the other orphans. He's a boy who believes in bread, and mothers, and angels. He's a boy who wants to be a Nazi some day, with tall shiny jackboots and a gleaming Eagle hat of his own. Until the day that suddenly makes him change his mind. And when the trains come to empty the Jews from the ghetto of the damned, he's a boy who realizes it's safest of all to be nobody. Newberry Medalist Jerry Spinelli takes us to one of the most devastating settings imaginable--Nazi-occupied Warsaw of World War II--and tells a tale of heartbreak, hope, and survival through the bright eyes of a young orphan. |
|
What the Book Group said Jerry Spinelli on Milkweed (Reference) - TeacherVision.com Newspapers in Education Teachers' Guide |
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| Stargirl | |
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She's as magical as the desert
sky, and as mysterious as her own name. Nobody knows who she is or where
she's from. But everyone loves her for being different. And, she captures
Leo's heart with just one smile. "Stargirl" is a classic of our time that
celebrates being true to ourselves and the thrill of first love. It is a
life-changing read that touches souls of all ages.
|
| Stewart, Paul | Curse of the Night Wolf |
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Barnaby
Grimes is a tick-tock lad, running errands in his city, day and night, and
'high-stacking' around the rooftops in search of new mysteries to solve. In
this first adventure, Barnaby is attacked one night by an enormous dog. He
kills it - but that's not the end of this particular mystery . . . as
Barnaby finds himself swept up in a world of crooked doctors, poor and
ill-advised patients, strange tonics and very expensive furs... Could there
be more to the seemingly respectable Dr Cadwallader and the tonics he doles
out to the poor? Is there a link between the tonic and the huge dogs - or
possibly wolves - that are roaming the city at night? When Barnaby's old
acquaintance Benjamin goes missing, Barnaby fears the worst for him, and
decides to dig deeper... |
| Barnaby Grimes Site | |
| Stroud, Jonathan | The last siege |
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Emily, Simon and the enigmatic Marcus break into the forbidden interior of the keep of a castle and lay themselves open to the lure of its past history, mystery and timelessness. Despite the freezing conditions, they decide to spend the night there. |
| Swindells, Robert | Ruby Tanya |
 |
This is a contemporary tale about two friends -
one of whom, Asra, is an asylum seeker from an unnamed Eastern European
country. The other, Ruby Tanya, is the daughter of a local man who is
campaigning against the presence of asylum seekers in his community. During
a dramatic explosion at the girls' school, a young teacher is killed. The
asylum seekers at the local camp are blamed, and local people begin to argue
that they should be deported. A branch of the National Front gets involved
and demos are planned. Asra and her parents are due to be deported, but Asra
runs away at the last minute so her parents have to return without her. She
hides in a nearby derelict building and is helped by Ruby Tanya. |
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Heinemann Resources |
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| Back to top | A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
| Taylor GP | Shadowmancer |
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"Written to include such elements as magic, witchcraft, superstition, sorcery, history, folklore and smuggling, Shadowmancer has become a book that simply cannot be ignored. Despite such fierce competition as JK Rowling's mighty bestseller Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Reverend Graham Taylor's debut children's novel has nevertheless garnered impressive media coverage." |
|
Shadowmancer The good book | The Guardian | Guardian Unlimited BBC - Cult Television - Shadowmancer http://www.faber.co.uk/media/documents/press_release_27089.pdf |
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| Tulloch, Jonathan | I am a Cloud, I Can Blow Anywhere |
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The only difference between fear and courage is hope. This is a fresh and powerful story about one girl's strength of character and her journey of hope. Mulumbe's village is plagued by marauders, and then an elephant eats the last of her family's crop. She determines to save her family, and embarks on an adventure fraught with danger: travelling to the famed City of Gold to be reunited with her brother, Tom, and save her family by earning some money. Grandmother tells her many riddles and it is these life lessons that carry her through the obstacles and dangers she encounters: 'Mulumbe, the river of our ancestors flows most strongly through you. Girl, remember your riddle, real strength is found in those who might be thought to be weak.' This story is in part the Africa we know from TV: famine, unrest and refugee camps. But, it also encapsulates the strength of family and hope, and wonderfully portrays the landscape and animals: elephants, hyenas, hares, Mumbo snakes and honey birds. |
| Update, Eleanor | Montmorency |
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Fleeing across a roof on a dark night in Victorian London, a thief crashes through a skylight to almost certain death. But a young doctor reconstructs his shattered body, and unwittingly provides him with the key to a new existence. On his release from prison he begins to lead a double life, becoming both the respectable, wealthy Montmorency and his degenerate servant, Scarper. Meanwhile, the police are baffled by a wave of mysterious thefts...But Montmorency must be on his guard at every moment. The smallest mistake could reveal his secret and destroy both his lives. |
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Scholastic
Children's Books: Montmorency http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3/downloads/en_novel_montmorency.doc |
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| Williams, Alex | The Talent Thief |
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Wealthy orphans Adam and Cressida Bloom couldn't be less alike. Adam can't seem to help being exceedingly ordinary whereas Cressida, his glamorous sister, has a magnificent talent - when she sings, even the birds stop to listen. Then Cressida is invited to perform at Fortescue's festival of young talents and Adam tags along. But, once the children arrive at the festival, in a mountain-top hotel, their terrific talents begin to mysteriously disappear. A piano virtuoso suddenly forgets how to play, a maths genius finds she can no longer multiply. There's a sinister shadow that only Adam ever sees, a strange glow emanating from behind closed doors...With the help of an erratic ex-racing driver, dashing Amy Swift, Adam and Cressida rip-roar off through the mountains in Amy's shiny racing car, the Silver Swift. They are in perilous pursuit of the dastardly talent thief! But, from a hair-raisingly close shave with an avalanche to crash landing a plane on a runway the size of a table, Adam never gives up. Perhaps he isn't as ordinary as he first thought! |
| Read an extract | |
| Willis, Jeanne | Shamanka |
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What is magic? What is illusion? What is real? Step into the extraordinary world of Sam Khaan, who has just discovered a witch doctor's notebook in her attic. Convinced that it belongs to her long-lost father - the son of a witch doctor - she sets out on a journey to discover the answers to these questions. In her encounters with diviners and healers, conjurers and mystics, Sam learns the truth about magic the hard way. Here is your chance to take a far easier route. |
| Wynne-JonesTim | The boy in the burning house |
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Ruth Rose, the wild stepdaughter of the local preacher, thinks she knows the truth behind the disappearance of Jim Hawkins' father. Jim doesn't want to believe her crazy theories but he and Rose find themselves caught up in a dangerous web of secrets from the past. |
| Usborne Fabulous Fiction: The Boy in the Burning House |
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