Young Adult Book Group List

Ashley, Bernard	Smokescreen
	This is an electrifying thriller about the highly topical subject of people-smuggling, from one of the UK's leading children's authors. Ellie has been scared of water since her mum drowned, so when her dad decides to move to a pub by a canal in East London, Ellie is afraid. But she soon thinks there's something more disturbing about the pub than just its setting. Something is going on at the weekly music night and Ellie and new friend, Flo are determined to find out what, despite warnings to back off. The music night is clearly a smokescreen for something, but what? Bundled from country to country on a harrowing journey from a tiny Chinese village with the false promise of a better life in England, Song Fang Yin knows the truth. If she can escape her captors, she could help Ellie expose it.

Bertagna, Julie	Zenith
	The world is gradually drowning, as mighty Arctic ice floes melt, the seas rise, and land disappears forever beneath storm-tossed waves...Sixteen-year-old Mara and her ship of refugees are tracking the North Star, desperate to find a homeland in the melted ice mountains of Greenland. The vast, floating city of Pomperoy is just one of the shocks that are not in their navigation plans. Unwittingly, the refugees bring catastrophe in their wake for Tuck, a gypsea pirate-boy, and also for Ilira - a land whose inhabitants exist in a state of terror at the top of the world. Back in the drowned ruins at the feet of the towering sky city, Fox is beginning his battle with the cruel, corrupt forces that rule the New World. But separated from Mara, his resolve begins to waver... The Story behind the Story Read an Extract
Boyne, John	The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
	The story of "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book on the cover, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about. If you do start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy called Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence. We hope you never have to cross such a fence. Look out for the movie coming to cinemas soon. Author Interview Extract Teaching resources 1 Teaching Resources from NATE Teaching Pack Pupils Notes Book Review from Newsround Group Reading notes Write Away - teachers Notes
Broach, Elise	Desert Crossing
	Fourteen-year-old Lucy Martinez is taking a road trip with her older brother, Jamie, and his friend, Kit. They're on their way to Arizona, to visit Lucy's father. But they never make it. During a blinding rainstorm, their car hits something. At first, they think it's an animal - until they discover the body of a girl. What happens when three teenagers can no longer pretend innocence?
Browne, N M	The Spellgrinder's Apprentice
	An orphaned boy escapes from the terrible dark cellar where he is apprenticed to grind spellstones, stones which can be shaped to wield great magical power. Escaping this shadowy world is punishable by death, but when captured the boy claims a stay of execution under an old and almost forgotten law. If he can reach the coast and flee the country within eight days, he will be free. But the boy's daring escape has also come to the attention of the most powerful man in the land, the Protector, and he believes there must be far more to the boy than his humble spellgrinding background. The Protector is convinced that the boy possesses some skill in earth magic, the magic which the Protector tried to eradicate and replace with the unnatural and unstable spellstone wizardry of his own. If this boy can wield earth magic, then maybe others can too. The boy must be captured at all costs - the Protector must learn what the boy knows, and whether he is the harbinger of the Protector's downfall. The chase begins. Interview
Burgess, Melvin	Blood Song
	Sigurd has a fabulous but frightening future predicted: even to start, he must leave everything he knows to go and fight a dragon, and from there descend into the Underworld. Sounds bad enough, but when you know that the dragon lives on a futuristic, industrially-ruined moonscape that was once Hampstead Heath, the scene is set for a staggeringly brutal fight on an epic scale. Unhappily for him, he meets the love of his life in the underworld, and Sigurd's efforts to rescue his lover will cause huge heartache and grief for both of them, and also far everyone who ever meets them. Profile of Melvin Burgess
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Cole, Stephen	Thieves Like Us
	Arrested and put in a young offender's institute for using his precocious code-solving skills to steal money, things are looking bleak for Jonah Wish. Then, in the dead of night, a gang of four teenagers break him out. They work for Nathaniel Coldhardt, debonair master criminal and leader of a team of highly trained teen-thieves. Kids with amazing skills but no one who will miss them. Jonah, a genius at cryptology, is their newest recruit. His talents are perfect for the next assignment Coldhardt has in mind - his most daring yet. But before Jonah can turn his thoughts to deciphering the complex Egyptian symbols and the treasures - or secrets - they hide, he has to decide if this is what he wants for himself. Coldhardt may have chosen him, but will he choose Coldhardt? And does he have any choice... Read an Extract Thieves Website
Dunwoodie, Helen	The Tarot Reader's Daughter
	Rosa is surprised to discover tarot cards hidden in the wardrobe of her down-to-earth mum. Inextricably drawn to the cards, Rosa is rather shocked to find that she has a talent for using them, but even more shocked by her mother's fierce reaction to this. Unable now to resist the temptation to discover more, Rosa delves into her mother's background and finds it weirdly tangled with that of the mother of her new friend, Andy. As the two of them investigate what happened when their mothers were young, they tentatively develop their own feelings for each other too.
Fine, Anne	The Road of Bones
	Told who to cheer for, who to believe in, Yuri grows up in a country where no freedom of thought is encouraged - where even one's neighbours are encouraged to report any dissension to the authorities. But it is still a shock when a few careless words lead him to a virtual death-sentence - sent on a nightmare journey up north to a camp amidst the frozen wastes. What, or who, can he possibly believe in now? Can he even survive? And is escape possible ...? Anne Fine Website Author Profile - Walker Books Teachers Notes
Forde, Catherine	Firestarter
	An edgy and raw thriller from award-winning author Catherine Forde. Keith's new next-door neighbour Reece is strange and obsessed with fire. Reeesss who pronounces his name like gas leaking. Reece who makes three-year-old Annie laugh. Then burns her favourite rag doll. Keith knows he should ignore Reece but Reece is like smoke: he pervades every aspect of Keith's life. One night Keith wakes up choking on thick black smoke... About the Author Video Interview with the Author Story Starter - tips for writing
Francis, Pauline	Raven Queen
Back to top	This is a powerful historical novel that brings to life an unforgettable story of love, hope and royal duty, from a hugely talented new author. The life of Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Day Queen, is all too often remembered as just a line in a history book, but this stunning debut novel reveals the full fascinating and tragic story - a tale of treachery, power struggles, and religious turmoil in the Tudor court. Intricately woven and passionately written, "The Raven Queen" is also a sensitive story of love against all odds that will enchant readers.

Glatshteyn, Yankev	Emil and Karl
	Yesterday, everything was normal. Today, they've taken your parents. Even your school isn't safe. Who can you trust? By the time you find out, it'll be too late..."Emil and Karl" was first published in February 1940, at the very beginning of the Second World War and before Auschwitz was established. Yankev Glatshteyn had seen life under the Nazis, and his book chillingly anticipates the Holocaust that was about to unfold
Glover, Sandra	Don't Tell
	Simon found his mother stabbed to death when he was seven - and his father is in prison due to his evidence. But, supposing his seven-year-old eyes had been too unperceptive? Suppose his father was actually innocent, as he vehemently claims to be? The uncertainty has made Simon moody and violent, and it seems that no-one can help. But then, he runs into Kirsty, who is prepared to be persistent and to ask the questions that matter. Is the real killer still out there? Are all the near-fatal accidents happening to Simon extreme attention seeking, or is the killer after him now? What is it that he knows? About me - Sandra Glover
Golding, Julia	The Diamond of Drury Lane
	Set in 1790's Covent Garden this book whisks you back to a bygone era and into the magic of the theatre. Cat Royal's colourful slang and confident I'll-tell-you-how-it-really-is, makes the story sparkle off the page. Cat Royal is an orphan who lives at the back of the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. She mingles with the high and low of society, from the actors on stage to the lords and ladies in the stalls to the barrow boys in the grimy marketplace. The tale is packed with local colour and authentic detail. And of course there is a gripping diamond mystery.
Hanley, Victoria	The Seer and the Sword
	Flame-haired Princess Torina knows nothing of battles and conquest, until her father, the king of Bellandra, returns home with an orphaned prince from the neighbouring enemy kingdom. The boy prince is offered to Torina as a slave, but she frees him from his bonds and their unusual friendship develops in the years that follow. But Torina faces terrible danger - she has an amazing gift that many would kill for, and when her father is brutally murdered, she is forced to flee for her life. An evil usurper takes over her rightful throne, and the kingdom is ruled by cruelty and fear. Can Torina's gift - to look into the future of others - help her win back what is rightly hers? This is an epic fantasy of extraordinary scope and vision. Its twists and turns will leave readers breathless Author's FAQ's
Hayes, Rosemary	Mixing It
	Fatimah is a devout Muslim. Steve is a regular guy who has never given much thought to faith. Fatimah and Steve happen to be walking in the same street when a terrorist bomb explodes. Steve is badly injured and when the emergency services arrive, Fatimah is cradling his head in her lap, talking to him, willing him to stay alive. But, the Press is there, too, and next day, their picture appears in every newspaper. 'Romeo and Juliet', scream the headlines, 'Love across the divide.' Then, the threats and anonymous phone calls start. Can the two young people rise above the hatred and learn to understand one another? But, while Steve and Fatimah are trying to break down barriers, the terrorists have another target in mind...
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Jauncey, James	The Witness
	I'm the only one who saw what they did. From the shelter of the pine trees, through the falling snow, John watched as the men kicked down doors, shattered windows and fired their first shot. It was a long time before he stopped trembling, before he dared to return and see if anyone needed his help. Among the ruins, he found a small boy, too terrified to tell John his name. Now the only witness and the sole survivor are running for their lives. John knows how to look after himself, how to live off the land and his wits. But now, he's looking after someone else and every choice he makes could mean the difference between life and death. "The Witness" is set in the Scottish Highlands in the near future, when the disastrous nationalization of the land has led to a violent uprising. Read chapter 1 Discussion Ideas
Keaney, Brian	Jacob's Ladder
	A boy wakes up to find himself lying on the ground in the middle of an enormous field. There is cropped grass beneath him, dotted here and there with tiny white flowers which seem to glow in the twilight. Ahead of him, in the distance, he can see a line of trees. Nothing is moving in any direction. He tries to recall how he got here and why he has been lying on the ground fast asleep but he can remember almost nothing. Only one thing remains in his memory: his name is Jacob. About the author Read an extract
Kuijer, Guus	The Book of Everything
	Thomas Klopper sees amazing things that no one else can see: tropical fish swimming in the canal, sparrows playing bright trumpets and frogs wriggling through the letter box. When his father hits his mother, Thomas sees the angels cover their eyes and weep. He writes it all down in "The Book of Everything", including his wish: When I grow up, I am going to be happy.
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Lassiter, Rhiannon	Bad Blood
	In an abandoned house in the Lake District, a cupboard door opens into a playroom. Buried in dust is a collection of children's books in which the names of characters have been savagely crossed out. Here three children played a make believe game, sacrificing their dreams and wishes to make what they believed come true. But the game was never finished and in the woods behind the house something waits, hungry for the only food it knows. Now a new family has come to the house. Soon they will discover themselves in the game. But they do not know the rules. And they are the pawns, not the players ...A story with the terror and suspense of The Blair Witch Project About the author
Lynch, Chris	Me, Dead Dad and Alcatraz
	Fourteen-year-old Elvin Bishop, whom readers previously met in SLOT MACHINE and EXTREME ELVIN, is at peace with his life...sort of. He has two good friends and a supportive mom, he can play a mean tuba (even if he often forgets his instrument on band day), and no one can beat him at bowling. Most of the time he doesn't think (too much) about his weight problem, his lack of popularity, or his dead father.
Madley, Thom	Marco's Pendulum
	When Marco is dumped in Glastonbury to stay with his weird hippy grandparents for the summer, he's sure he's going to hate it. But he soon starts to recognise the magic of the place - the magic that a development company is planning to exploit and, his grandparents are sure, destroy the process. With his mysterious new found talent for dowsing, Marco is quickly drawn into the dangerous struggle to protect the ancient mysticism of Glastonbury. Also writes for adults under the names Phil Rickman and Will Kingdom.
Magrs, Paul	The Exchange
	Following the death of his parents, 16-year-old Simon moves into his grandparents' claustrophobic bungalow, which quickly becomes a refuge from his bullying peers. United by their voracious appetite for books, Simon and his grandmother stumble across the Great Big Book Exchange - a bookshop with a difference. There they meet impulsive, gothic Kelly and her boss, Terrance - and the friendships forged in the Great Big Book Exchange result in startling and unsettling consequences for all of them. Author profile on Wikipedia
Marks, Graham	Tokyo
	Asakusa, Tokyo , 11pm . A whole world of neon, and one lost teenager. Adam can't think how it had ever seemed like a good idea to come to Tokyo , and kind of not mention it to his parents But his sister's missing, last seen here, and with everyone at home apparently doing sweet FA about it, he didn't have much choice. With only five days to get his act together, Adam has got to sift through the seedy back-street hostess bars, dodge the local yakuza and find out where the hell Charlie is in the craziness that is Tokyo. Read an extract Graham Marks website
McKenzie, Sophie	Girl, Missing
	Lauren has always known she was adopted but when a little research turns up the possibility that she was snatched from an American family as a baby, suddenly Lauren's life seems like a sham. How can she find her biological parents? And are her adoptive parents really responsible for kidnapping her? She manages to wangle a trip across the Atlantic where she runs away to try and find the truth. But the circumstances of her disappearance are murky and Lauren's kidnappers are still at large and willing to do anything to keep her silent... Blue Peter book Club Read chapter 1
Morgan, Nicola	The Passion Flower Massacre
	Eighteen-year-old Matilda longs for freedom, to escape from her over-protective parents and the pain of her brother's death. Working on a farm in the idyllic countryside seems to offer the perfect opportunity. Paradise, in fact. But is it too perfect? Perhaps she should be suspicious of the nicer-than-nice people who run the farm, but Matilda doesn't care. She willingly lets herself be drawn in by the warmth they seem to offer, longing to be loved and understood. She doesn't want to question, or think, or worry. But these people have a shocking plan. By the time Matilda realizes it, will it be too late? A dramatic new novel of faith, forgiveness, and retribution by the author of Fleshmarket—a 2004 American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults. Q & A's About Me
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Rai, Bali	The Last Taboo
	Simran likes Tyrone from the moment she spots him in the crowd. He's gorgeous and he won't take no for an answer. There's just one problem. Tyrone is black and Simran's not sure how her family will react. Even though her parents were a 'love match' and married each other against the wishes of their families, Simran doesn't think they will approve of her having a black boyfriend, and her nightmare uncles and aunts certainly won't. Like her cousin Ruby says, it's the last taboo. But Simran likes Tyrone too much to walk away, so they face the problems their relationship causes together. But it becomes harder than either of them predicted and when the hatred they encounter escalates into violence, with families and friends turning against each other, Simran and Tyrone are forced to question whether they are strong enough to fight for what they believe in.
Rees, Celia	Witch Child
	Mary's grandmother is executed for witchcraft, and Mary is forced to leave her home to avoid the same fate. At first she flees to the English countryside, but when the atmosphere of superstition and suspicion becomes all consuming she leaves on a boat for America in the hope that she can start over and forget her past. But during the journey, she realises that the past is not so easy to escape. Witch Child is a complex, absorbing novel, told in the form of pages from a journal found loosely sewn into an old quilt many years later. From the moment the story begins, the tension is tangible, and the reader is drawn into a world of mistrust and uncertainty that shakes to the core. All this is cleverly conveyed through the eyes of Mary, whose first sense of wide-eyed wonder gradually develops a mature understanding of her situation, drawing the reader in to a dark and dangerous world where the tiniest slip could mean death. Witch Child website Celia Rees website
Reeve, Philip	Here Lies Arthur
	Gwyna is just a small girl, a mouse, when she is bound in service to Myrddin the bard - a traveller and spinner of tales. But Myrddin transfroms her - into a lady goddess, a boy warrior, and a spy. Without Gwyna, Myrddin will not be able to work the most glorious transformation of all - and turn the leader of a raggle-taggle war-band into King Arthur, the greatest hero of all time. Read an extract Interview with Philip Reeve Video of Philip Reeve
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Sedgwick, Marcus	My Swordhand is Singing
	In the bitter cold of an unrelenting winter Tomas and his son, Peter, arrive in Chust and despite the in hospitability of the villagers settle there as woodcutters. Tomas is churlish - taciturn at the best of times. He digs a channel of fast-flowing waters around their hut so they have their own little island kingdom. Peter doesn't understand why his father has done this, nor why, all his life they've moved from place to place, or why his father carries a long battered box everywhere they go, and why he is forbidden to know its mysterious contents. But when a band of gypsies comes to the village Peter's drab existence is turned upside down. He is infatuated by the beautiful gypsy princess, Sofia, intoxicated by their love of life and drawn into their deadly quest. For these travellers are Vampire Slayers and Chust is a dying community - where the dead come back to wreak revenge on the living. Amidst the terrifying events that follow, Peter is stunned to see his father change from a disillusioned man, old before his time, to the warrior hero he once was. Marcus draws on his extensive research of the vampire legend which permeates traditions throughout the world and sets his story in the forbidding and remote landscapes of the 17th century. Written in his usual distinctive voice, this is also the story of a father and his son, of loss, redemption and resolution. My Swordhand is singing website Author Q&A
Simpson, Craig	Resistance
	It is Norway in September 1943. For brothers Marek and Olaf, a hunting trip out on the frozen Hardanger plateau offers a brief chance to escape the German occupation. But returning home they witness the horror of their father's arrest by the Gestapo and the start of a brutal regime under the evil Lieutenant Wold. When their daring plan for revenge goes horribly wrong, they are forced to seek refuge in the vast and unforgiving Norwegian wilderness. Saved from an icy grave by Resistance freedom-fighters, fourteen-year-old Marek is captivated by their courage and determination. He may not be a crack shot like his brother, but he is quick-thinking, resourceful and a talented mechanic. With youth on his side, the Germans probably won't suspect him - perfect for a part in the ambitious sabotage attack planned by the group. But can he keep his nerve, especially when the final assault throws his friends and family into the path of the enemy?
Singer, Nicky	The Innocent's Story
	When Cassina is blown-up by a suicide bomber in a station in England, life, as she knows it, is over. Except that she doesn't die. And - miraculously - neither does the bomber. Cassina survives as something that can live in the heads of humans, knowing their thoughts but powerless to change them. Cassina ends up in a variety of minds - her mum's, her dad's, a mad old lady's, a bigot's - but most scarily of all, she ends up in the head of the man who murdered her. It's an experience that challenges every single one of her beliefs and preconceptions, that terrifies her and frustrates her but, most of all, that changes her. Can it change him too...? This is Cassina's story, in her voice - a voice that will grip you and goad you, make you laugh and make you cry. It is a voice you will never forget. Interview with author Read a review
Tomlinson, Theresa	Wolf Girl
	Anglo-Saxon England and Cwen, a poor weaver woman, employed at the newly built abbey of Whitby, is accused of possessing a valuable necklace belonging to the royal family. If found guilty, the punishment could be death by stoning, burning or hanging. Wulfrun, Cwen's daughter, is desperate to prove her mother's innocence, but wherever she turns for help, she encounters lies and treachery. In this time of political turbulence in the north-east of England, everyone has something to hide or is fighting for a cause in particular the beautiful Irminbergh who, entrusted with the care of the king's daughter, Princess Elfled, is determined to keep Wulfrun from influencing her charge. But it is Elfled who, after a stormy start, becomes Wulfrun's staunchest ally. Together they undertake journeys on horseback, battle against wind and weather, trace people from the past and remain undaunted by the imminent threat of danger from marauding armies. Their determination is rewarded by its results. Here is a superb storyteller at her best - "Wolf Girl" is a novel that will hold the reader turning the pages, until the last twist of the plot is revealed. About the author
Turnbull, Ann	Forged in the Fire
	London 1665-66. With the Plague raging and the scent of smoke upon the wind, Will and Susanna, separated by class and distance, struggle to re-unite. Will has become a Quaker and broken with his father. Leaving Susanna behind in Shropshire, he travels to London, swearing to send for her once he is settled. But Will is arrested and thrown in jail for standing up for his beliefs. This, along with the rapidly spreading plague and a dire misunderstanding, conspire to keep them apart. A powerful story about how love and belief can overcome even the most terrifying twists of fate, this beautifully written tale will capture the imaginations of readers of all ages. Author interview Information on the author
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Valentine, Jenny	Finding Violet Park
	This is a quirky and original voyage of self-discovery triggered by a lost urn of ashes. The mini cab office was up a cobbled mews with little flat houses either side. That's where I first met Violet Park, what was left of her. There was a healing centre next door, a pretty smart name for a place with a battered brown door and no proper door handle and stuck-on wooden numbers in the shape of clowns. The 3 of number 13 was a w stuck on sideways and I thought it was kind of sad and I liked it at the same time. Sixteen-year-old Lucas Swain becomes intrigued by the urn of ashes left in a cab office. Convinced that its occupant -- Violet Park -- is communicating with him, he contrives to gain possession of the urn, little realising that his quest will take him on a voyage of self-discovery and identity, forcing him to finally confront what happened to his absent (and possibly dead) father! Review in the Guardian Interview with the Author
Valentine, Jenny	Broken Soup
	An intriguing, compelling and moving new novel from the award-winning author of Finding Violet Park. When the good-looking boy with the American accent presses the dropped negative into Rowan's hand, she's sure it's all a big mistake. But next moment he's gone, lost in the crowd of bustling shoppers. And she can't afford to lose her place in the checkout queue -- after all, if she doesn't take the groceries home, nobody else will. Rowan has more responsibilities than most girls her age. These days, she pretty much looks after her little sister single-handedly -- which doesn't leave much time for friends or fun. So when she finds out that Bee from school saw the whole thing, it piques her curiosity. Who was the boy? Why was he so insistent that the negative belonged to Rowan? Read an extract
Wooding, Chris	Storm Thief
	A darkly thrilling new novel from master storyteller Chris Wooding. The city of Orokos has stood untouched on a rocky island for so long that history has forgotten it. The its inhabitants no longer question what exists beyond its walls and are plagued by probability storms, bringing chaos to everything in their path… until a boy, a girl and a golem of metal and flesh make a discovery that might change their world for ever. Read an extract
Wray, Sarah	The Forbidden Room
	It takes just one tragic moment for Jenny's life to change forever. Taken to live at Oak Hall Children's Centre, Jenny begins a very different life, confined to a wheelchair and dreaming of an earlier time filled with love, family and friends. Then Helen and John Holland offer her a foster home with their adorable 5-year-old son, Stephen. The model of a perfect family, Jenny dares to hope that she will at last find some happiness. But when she discovers an old diary beneath a floorboard in her new bedroom, she begins to unravel a horrifying secret. A secret that lies within the padlocked cellar under the house. A secret with mind-blowing consequences. And suddenly Jenny's perfect new life has turned into a deadly nightmare - in which right and wrong no longer exist...

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