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Secret Seven: The Secret Seven: Book 1

Enid Blyton

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

Solve the mystery with the Secret Seven - everyone's favourite detective club! These timeless stories are perfect for young fans of mystery, adventure or detective series. Also available in audiobook! It's their first adventure and the Secret Seven super-sleuths are already on the trail of a mystery! The gang are dressed in disguise, following a lead to a spooky old house in the snow... Solve the mystery! Cover and inside illustrations are by the brilliant Tony Ross, illustrator of David Walliams's books. The story was first published in 1949. This edition features the classic text and comes with a Bonus Blyton section at the back with quizzes, puzzles and other bonus extras! Enid Blyton ®, The Secret Seven ® and Enid Blyton's signature are Registered Trademarks of Hodder and Stoughton Limited. No trademark or copyrighted material may be reproduced without the express written permission of the trademark and copyright owner.

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

Lemony Snicket

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (260 reviews)

Dear reader, There is nothing to be found in Lemony Snicket’s ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ but misery and despair. You still have time to choose another international best-selling series to read. But if you insist on discovering the unpleasant adventures of the Baudelaire orphans, then proceed with caution… Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky. In The Bad Beginning, the siblings encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune and cold porridge for breakfast. In the tradition of great storytellers, from Dickens to Dahl, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Despite their wretched contents, ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ has sold 60 million copies worldwide and been made into a Hollywood film starring Jim Carrey. And in the future things are poised to get much worse, thanks to the forthcoming Netflix series starring Neil Patrick Harris. You have been warned. Are you unlucky enough to own all 13 adventures? The Bad Beginning The Reptile Room The Wide Window The Miserable Mill The Austere Academy The Ersatz Elevator The Vile Village The Hostile Hospital The Carnivorous Carnival The Slippery Slope The Grim Grotto The Penultimate Peril The End And what about All the Wrong Questions? In this four-book series a 13-year-old Lemony chronicles his dangerous and puzzling apprenticeship in a mysterious organisation that nobody knows anything about: ‘Who Could That Be at This Hour?’ ‘When Did you Last See Her?’ ‘Shouldn’t You Be in School?’ ‘Why is This Night Different from All Other Nights?’ Lemony Snicket was born before you were and is likely to die before you as well. He was born in a small town where the inhabitants were suspicious and prone to riot. He grew up near the sea and currently lives beneath it. Until recently, he was living somewhere else. Brett Helquist was born in Ganado, Arizona, grew up in Orem, Utah, and now lives in New York City. He earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Brigham Young University and has been illustrating ever since. His art has appeared in many publications, including Cricket magazine and The New York Times.

Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape: Book 1

Dermot O'Leary, Nick East

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (255 reviews)

From bestselling children's author and TV broadcaster, Dermot O'Leary, comes an action-packed new adventure from Toto the ninja cat - a snake has escaped London Zoo and it's up to her to find it! Purrfect for fans of The Aristocats, The Secret Life of Pets and Atticus Claw Breaks the Law. Toto the cat and her brother Silver live footloose and fancy-free in a townhouse in London. Toto is almost totally blind, and learned to trust her senses from a ninja cat-master who taught her back in Italy where they were born. By day, Toto and Silver seem to be ordinary cats, but by night, they love to have adventures! One evening, news reaches Toto that a king cobra has escaped from London Zoo! Together with help from a very posh cat and two hungry tigers, Toto and Silver must investigate. Can they find the giant snake, before it's too late? Ideal for reading aloud or for children to curl up with and read alone, the story features brilliant black and white illustrations throughout by Nick East. With gentle themes of friendship, inclusivity and winning in the face of adversity, this is a hilarious must-read for all animal-loving kids! Dermot says: 'The idea for Toto first came to me when my wife and I rescued two stray cats from an olive grove in Italy. One of them, Toto, has been blind from birth, but we quickly realised she had ninja-like reactions. Like a lot of cat owners (or cat servants), we like to imagine our pets having secret lives when we're out or asleep. So before I knew it I was writing about Toto and her brother Silver's nocturnal adventures around London. I really hope that children who pick it up enjoy reading the adventures of our little Italian underdog (cat).' Have you seen Toto's other adventures? The Incredible Cheese Heist, The Superstar Catastrophe, The Mystery Jewel Thief and The Legend of the Wildcat are out now, and make perfect gifts for young readers. For more animal adventures, discover Wings of Glory. Can one tiny bird help to win a world war? A funny action-adventure story with a feathery twist, from the bestselling children's author of Toto the Ninja Cat, Dermot O'Leary, with glorious illustrations throughout by Claire Powell.

The Creakers

Tom Fletcher, Shane Devries, Shane Devries

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (261 reviews)

A magical, mischievous adventure into an incredible new world, from Tom Fletcher, number-one-bestselling author of The Danger Gang and The Christmasaurus. Lucy wakes up one morning to discover something very strange indeed. All the grown-ups in her town have disappeared. All the other kids in Whiffington are so excited! No more grown-ups means no more school! No more bedtime! No more rules! But Lucy wants her mum back - and nothing is going to stop her. So - along with her friends Norman and Ella - Lucy sets off on an unbelievable adventure into a topsy-turvy, back-to-front and inside-out new world . . . The world underneath her bed. The world of . . . The Creakers! The number one bestseller, packed with amazing illustrations by Shane Devries. Praise for The Creakers: 'Stonkingly good . . . A compelling adventure and a nuanced celebration of friendship and family love' The Guardian '10 out of 10 bum trumps!' Guff the Creaker

Daisy and the Trouble with Chocolate

Kes Gray, Nick Sharratt, Garry Parsons, Garry Parsons, Nick Sharratt

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (226 reviews)

Daisy is SO excited! She's been picked to look after the class hamsters, Pickle and Pops, over the Easter holidays - AND her mum's taking her to Chocolate Land!!! Trouble is, the two things probably shouldn't mix... The totally troublesome and laugh-out-loud funny tale from the bestselling Daisy series.

Amelia Fang and the Barbaric Ball (The Amelia Fang Series)

Laura Ellen Anderson

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (264 reviews)

‘The perfect mix of funny, foul and fearful’ Metro ‘Brilliantly imagined … laugh-out-loud funny’ Sunday Express The first book in the bestselling, gorgeously gothic and wickedly funny Amelia Fang series – perfect for readers of 7+ Meet Amelia Fang! Everyone’s favourite little vampire. Welcome to the world of Nocturnia, where darkness reigns supreme, glitter is terrifying, and unicorns are the stuff of nightmares! Amelia Fang would much rather hang out with her pet pumpkin Squashy and her friends Florence the yeti (DON'T CALL HER BEAST!) and Grimaldi the reaper than dance at her parents' annual Barbaric Ball. And when the King’s spoiled son Tangine captures Squashy, Amelia and her friends must escape the party to plan a daring rescue! In their race against time, they begin to realise things in Nocturnia may not be quite what they seem … Join Amelia on her very first adventure. She won't bite! This gloriously ghostly series from the creator of EVIL EMPEROR PENGUIN is perfect for 7-9 year olds and fans of THE WORST WITCH and WITCH WARS. Amelia Fang is a modern Wednesday Addams – but much more loveable! Praise for Amelia Fang and the Barbaric Ball: 'Brilliantly imagined … laugh-out-loud funny' Sunday Express 'The perfect mixture of funny, foul and fearful' Metro Also in the gorgeously gothic AMELIA FANG series: AMELIA FANG AND THE BARBARIC BALL AMELIA FANG AND THE UNICORN LORDS AMELIA FANG AND THE MEMORY THIEF AMELIA FANG AND THE HALF MOON HOLIDAY AMELIA FANG AND THE LOST YETI TREASURE AMELIA FANG AND THE NAUGHTY CATICORNS AMELIA FANG AND THE TROUBLE WITH TOADS

The Land of Roar (The Land of Roar series, Book 1)

Jenny McLachlan, Ben Mantle

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (225 reviews)

The first in a new children’s fantasy adventure series, full of imagination, humour and heart, and with echoes of Peter Pan, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Neverending Story and Jumanji. The Land of Roar is perfect for children aged 8 to 12, and can sit on their bookshelf next to Nevermoor, Wizards of Once and How to Train Your Dragon. Readers can bring their fantasy world to life and meet dragons, unicorns, mermaids and more in this beautifully illustrated children’s book. Believing is just the beginning … When Arthur and Rose were little, they were heroes in the Land of Roar, an imaginary world that they found by climbing through the folding bed in their grandad’s attic. Roar was filled with things they loved – dragons, mermaids, ninja wizards and adventure – as well as things that scared them (including a very creepy scarecrow…) Now the twins are eleven, Roar is just a memory. But when they help Grandad clean out the attic, Arthur is horrified as Grandad is pulled into the folding bed and vanishes. Is he playing a joke? Or is Roar … real? 'This funny, captivating story is filled with the painful pangs of growing up and the transporting qualities of imagination' Guardian 'A vividly imagined adventure, […] full of heart, humour and a terrifying villain' Fiona Noble, The Bookseller ‘This is proof, not that it’s needed, that Jenny McLachlan is a writer of enormous heart and versatility. I’m a really big fan’ Phil Earle, award-winning author of Being Billy and co-author of Get Me Out of Here! with Andy McNab ‘Roar is an exhilarating, hilarious, vividly drawn tribute to the power of the childhood imagination, the love of family and the magic we risk losing as we grow up. If you plan to visit one new place in 2019, make it Roar’ Sarah Driver, author of The Huntress trilogy Jenny McLachlan is the author of several acclaimed teen novels including Flirty Dancing, Stargazing for Beginners and Truly, Wildly, Deeply. Before Jenny became a writer, she was Head of English in a secondary school; she now loves visiting schools as an author and delivering funny and inspiring talks and workshops. When Jenny isn’t thinking about stories or writing stories, she enjoys living by the seaside, cycling and running over the South Downs. The Land of Roar is Jenny’s middle-grade debut. Ben Mantle began his illustration career early, picking up his first award in a local library colouring-in competition aged seven. He went on to study Animation at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design before working as an animator. Ben has illustrated a number of children’s books including Rudey’s Windy Christmas (HarperCollins) and Callum’s Incredible Construction Kit (Egmont) which won the 2013 Bishop’s Stortford Picture Book Award. He is also the creator of the award-winning The Best Birthday Present Ever! and The Best Christmas Present Ever! published by Macmillan Children’s Books. Ben lives and works in Brighton.

Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!

David Walliams, Tony Ross

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (210 reviews)

‘Walliams balances high comedy with an emotional message’ Daily Mail ‘Walliams does comedy with profound, genuine heart’ Guardian The new children’s book from No. 1 bestselling author David Walliams – an extraordinarily brilliant and rollicking mystery adventure illustrated by artistic genius, Tony Ross, and the sequel to the much-loved and bestselling Gangsta Granny. Ben is getting used to life without his beloved granny. She was a cabbage enthusiast, a Scrabble partner… and an international jewel thief known as The Black Cat. Now, only the memory of their extraordinary adventure to steal the Crown Jewels lives on. Then something inexplicable happens. World-famous treasures are stolen in the dead of night and the clues point to none other than The Black Cat? But that’s impossible…? Expect the unexpected in this wonderfully entertaining and laugh-out-loud adventure, which will have readers on the edge of their seats as they join Ben on his quest to unravel the mystery of the return of The Black Cat. This first ever sequel from David Walliams will delight new fans, as well as the millions of readers that have loved Gangsta Granny.

What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside

Julia Donaldson, Lydia Monks

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (189 reviews)

Join everyone's favourite crime-busting ladybird on a trip to the seaside! With a cast of wonderful sea creatures, including a magical mermaid, and plenty of beach fun, What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside is a brilliant rhyming adventure from the bestselling picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks. The clever little ladybird is off on a trip to the seaside, but those two bad men, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, are up to their wicked ways again. This time they're planning to steal the mermaid's hair and sell it to a famous star. Luckily, the crime-busting ladybird has a clever plan to stop the thieves . . . The fourth title in the number one bestselling What the Ladybird Heard series – perfect for young children to read aloud! Enjoy more stories from Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks: The Singing Mermaid, Sharing a Shell, and What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday.

Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot

Dav Pilkey

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (180 reviews)

CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS returns! George and Harold, and their doubles, Yesterday George and Yesterday Harold, have a good thing going. Two of them go to school, while the other two hide in the tree house and play video games all day -- then they switch! But when their malicious gym teacher, Mr. Meaner, creates a method of mind-control that turns their fellow students into attentive, obedient, perfect children, the future of all humanity will be in their hands!

Pugs of the Frozen North

Philip Reeve (, Devon, England), Sarah McIntyre (, London, England)

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (202 reviews)

Winner of the Independent Bookshop Week Book Award 2016. The Race to the Top of the World! It comes around once in a lifetime, and the prize? Your heart's desire. Shen and Sika can't resist the chance to win, but competition is fierce. The path to victory is littered with snow trolls, sea monsters, and a gang of particularly hungry yetis. But Shen and Sika have something the other contestants don't have. Actually, they have 66 other things; pugs to be exact. That's a 264 paw-powered sled. Let the race begin! This beautifully illustrated story by the award-winning team of Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre will enchant fans of their previous books, 'Oliver and the Seawigs' and 'Cakes in Space'.

Code Name Bananas

David Walliams, Peter Serafinowicz, Sarah Alexander, Genevieve Gaunt, Toby Jones, Nina Wadia, Wayne Forester, Adjoa Andoh, Nitin Ganatra

Subjects

Funny Stuff - rib ticklers to make you fall off your chair
Animal Tales - bundles of fur, fluff and fun
Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
Sporty Stories - games, goals and gold medals

Average rating

5 out 5 (221 reviews)

Go back in time with No. 1 bestselling author David Walliams for a whizz-bang epic adventure of action, laughter and secret plots – and the extraordinary friendship between a little boy and a huge gorilla that just might save the day… 1940. Britain is at war with Nazi Germany. Eleven-year-old Eric spends his days at the place that makes him most happy: London Zoo. And there’s one animal in particular he loves: Gertrude the gorilla. With bombs falling all over London, Eric must rescue Gertrude. Together with his Uncle Sid, a keeper at the zoo, the three go on the run. But while hiding out at the seaside they uncover a top-secret Nazi plot… Join David Walliams on this action-packed, laugh-out-loud adventure for all the family!

Book Sorter

Books sorted! Take a look at these top recommendations, or...

Secret Seven: The Secret Seven: Book 1

Enid Blyton

Secret Seven: The Secret Seven: Book 1

Subjects

Average rating

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

Lemony Snicket

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

Subjects

Average rating

Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape: Book 1

Dermot O'Leary, Nick East

Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape: Book 1

Subjects

Average rating

The Creakers

Tom Fletcher, Shane Devries, Shane Devries

The Creakers

Subjects

Average rating

Daisy and the Trouble with Chocolate

Kes Gray, Nick Sharratt, Garry Parsons, Garry Parsons, Nick Sharratt

Daisy and the Trouble with Chocolate

Subjects

Average rating

Amelia Fang and the Barbaric Ball (The Amelia Fang Series)

Laura Ellen Anderson

Amelia Fang and the Barbaric Ball (The Amelia Fang Series)

Subjects

Average rating

The Land of Roar (The Land of Roar series, Book 1)

Jenny McLachlan, Ben Mantle

The Land of Roar (The Land of Roar series, Book 1)

Subjects

Average rating

Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!

David Walliams, Tony Ross

Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!

Subjects

Average rating

What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside

Julia Donaldson, Lydia Monks

What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside

Subjects

Average rating

Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot

Dav Pilkey

Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot

Subjects

Average rating

Pugs of the Frozen North

Philip Reeve (, Devon, England), Sarah McIntyre (, London, England)

Pugs of the Frozen North

Subjects

Average rating

Code Name Bananas

David Walliams, Peter Serafinowicz, Sarah Alexander, Genevieve Gaunt, Toby Jones, Nina Wadia, Wayne Forester, Adjoa Andoh, Nitin Ganatra

Code Name Bananas

Subjects

Average rating

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