Shayla can't wait to see her cousin Michael again. Last time, they had great fun chasing Granny's chickens and playing hide-and-seek in the bamboo by the river. But Michael thinks everything in London is better than in Trinidad where Shayla lives, which makes him better than her, doesn't it? Soon everything's a competition, especially when there's hot pepper sauce involved!
Perfect for reading together or for children who are just starting to read alone. Filled with gorgeous illustrations. Willow Valley is a very special place. Nestled in a hidden valley, trees of all shapes and sizes grew on the rolling green hills and pretty flowers dance in the meadows. Riley the mouse, Starla the badger and Horatio the hedgehog are getting all ready for a visit from the Hoppity Bunny. Every year they wake up to find painted eggs all over the valley and there's a treasure hunt to find them. It's going to be such fun! More WILLOW VALLEY stories are available: BIRTHDAY FUN (9781407124742), SPOOKY SLEEPOVER (9781407124759), THE BIG BIKE RACE (9781407124766), HIDE AND SEEK (9781407124773) and ONE SNOWY DAY (9781407134833).
Calling all Dirty Bertie fans! Dirty Bertie - the boy with nose-pickingly disgusting habits - is back for another helping of comic chaos! With ever-increasing madcap schemes and crazy capers, Bertie continues to delight his legions of fans who revel in his revolting ways.
Join Bertie in Jackpot!, his 25th adventure, as he wins the lottery (or thinks he does), cooks up a storm in the kitchen and finds himself face-to-face with a demon dolly!
Dirty Bertie is a hugely popular series created by award-winning illustrator, David Roberts (Tyrannosaurus Drip, The Wind in the Willows, The Troll, Eddie Dickens Trilogy). With each hilarious story approximately thirty pages long and split into chapters with illustrations on nearly every spread, Dirty Bertie is ideal for confident readers to enjoy by themselves, or for sharing with your child.
'A writer of comic genius – he has something of Roald Dahl's magic, but more heart' – The Sunday Telegraph
The perfect crime - it's a work of art, in bestselling, award-winning Frank Cottrell Boyce's funny, touching story, Framed.
Dylan has accidentally been caught up in the crime of the century. Up until now he's been bored stiff, as the only boy living in the tiny Welsh town of Manod, with only his chickens for company.
Until one day, he spots a mysterious convoy of lorries heading straight for the disused mines. They're carrying a very precious cargo and when Dylan decides to investigate, he is quickly thrown headlong into the greatest art heist in history . . . probably.
A laugh-out-loud story about a very unlikely crime, shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie medal and the Blue Peter Book Award.
'Ingeniously comic' – Independent
A warm and thought-provoking tale from a master storyteller, winner of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award and author of the Carnegie Medal-winning Skellig.
“Mam, did you think George was,” I say, “a bit … weird?”
“Weird? Yes, I suppose so. But you kids are all a bit weird if you ask me. And to tell the truth, it’d be weird if you weren’t.”
When a new boy joins the class, everyone thinks he’s a bit strange, but he’s brilliant at football and loves crisps, and that’s all that matters to Dan and Maxie. However, the truth about George is stranger than anyone could have imagined ... and more sinister, too. Can his new pals help him to become truly free?
The landmark new novel from Ross Welford, one of the fastest-growing and most critically acclaimed middle grade authors in the UK, this funny, moving and brilliant sixth book cements his position as the most exciting storyteller around for readers of 10+.
When eleven-year-old Malky and his younger brother Seb become the owners of a “Dreaminator”, they are thrust into worlds beyond their wildest imagination.
From tree-top flights and Spanish galleons, to thrilling battles and sporting greatness – it seems like nothing is out of reach when you can share a dream with someone else.
But… impossible dreams come with incredible risks, and when Seb won’t wake up and is taken to hospital in a coma, Malky is forced to leave reality behind and undertake a final, terrifying journey to the stone-age to wake his brother…
From the author of Ultimate Football Heroes comes the first book in the new Johnny Ball series, perfect reading for football-mad kids
Johnny Ball LOVES football. He loves reading about it, talking about it, watching it – and he loves playing it too. He’s a good player, but not quite good enough to make the Tissbury Primary School team for the super-huge Under-11s County Cup. But never mind, because their clueless coach, Mr Mann, has a special role for Johnny: ASSISTANT MANAGER! With only Grandpa George’s old scarf, a ‘pocket’ notebook and his brilliant football brain, can Johnny lead the Tissbury Primary team all the way to County Cup glory?
The first in a new laugh-out-loud series about three 12-year-old best friends who set up a babysitting business.
When Bree, Malia and Dot find an old copy of the book The Babysitter's Club, they come up with a totally original idea – to set up their own babysitting business. I mean, they are 100% unqualified and don't really like kids, but those are just details! And barring the odd disaster when the kids run riot and cover Bree in paint, it’s going well, until Malia’s evil older sister and her friends start up a rival business … the battle is on to see who will be crowned Best. Babysitters. EVER.
Perfect for 8+ fans of Dork Diaries and Meg Cabot.
Caroline Cala worked as an editor at Penguin Random House before pursuing her lifelong dream to write. Her work has been featured by Vogue, Refinery29, ELLE, Bustle, the Huffington Post, Design*Sponge, A Cup of Jo, and many others. Caroline lives in New York and Best Babysitters Ever is her middle grade debut.
Enter the Grishaverse with the second book of the Shadow & Bone bestselling trilogy and international Netflix sensation by no. 1 New York Times bestselling author, Leigh Bardugo. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Laini Taylor.
Praise for the Grishaverse:
""This is what fantasy is for."" The New York Times Book Review
Now with exclusive bonus material: Nikolai Lantsov character art and a Q&A with Leigh Bardugo.
Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Alina Starkov's power has grown, but not without a price. She is the Sun Summoner - hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Shadow Fold. But she and Mal can't outrun their enemies for long.
The Darkling is more determined than ever to claim Alina's magic and use it to take the Ravkan throne. With nowhere else to turn, Alina enlists the help of an infamous privateer and sets out to lead the Grisha army.
But as the truth of Alina's destiny unfolds, she slips deeper into the Darkling's deadly game of forbidden magic, and further away from her humanity. To save her country, Alina will have to choose between her power and the love she thought would always be her shelter. No victory can come without sacrifice - and only she can face the oncoming storm.
Read all the books in the Grishaverse!
The Shadow and Bone Trilogy
Shadow and Bone
Siege and Storm
Ruin and Rising
The Six of Crows Duology
Six of Crows
Crooked Kingdom
The King of Scars Duology
King of Scars
Rule of Wolves
Demon in the Wood (a Darkling prequel story)
The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic
The Lives of Saints
Praise for the Grishaverse
""A master of fantasy."" -The Huffington Post
""Utterly, extremely bewitching."" -The Guardian
""The best magic universe since Harry Potter."" -Bustle
""[A] world that feels real enough to have its own passport stamp."" -NPR
""The darker it gets for the good guys, the better."" -Entertainment Weekly
""Sultry, sweeping and picturesque. . . . Impossible to put down."" -USA Today
""There's a level of emotional and historical sophistication within Bardugo's original epic fantasy that sets it apart."" -Vanity Fair
""Unlike anything I've ever read."" -Veronica Roth, bestselling author of Divergent
""Bardugo crafts a first-rate adventure, a poignant romance, and an intriguing mystery!"" -Rick Riordan, bestselling author of the Percy Jackson series
AJ's grandfather has always been the one to keep his unusual family together, so when he dies things start to unravel at the edges. AJ is worried about his parents but they don't really seem to notice. In order to deal with his grief and to keep his anxiety at bay, AJ does what he and his grandfather did best: running. Round and round the Olympic Park, aiming for the cross country trials. Running to escape, AJ only seems to be heading ever closer to disaster.
Running On Empty is a beautiful book about false starts and emotional journeys, with hope as the ultimate finishing line.
From the author of Little Bits of Sky and Talking to the Moon
Cover illustration by Rob Biddulph.
Winner of the Student Vote, UKLA Book Award 2019
Highly Commended, UKLA Teachers Book Award 2019
Nominated for the 2019 CILIP Carnegie Medal
Shortlisted for the 2018 North Somerset Teachers' Book Awards
Shortlisted for the Little Rebels Award 2019Shortlisted for the Warwickshire Book Award 2019
Shortlisted for the Tower Hamlets Book Award 2019
Lyrical, moving and realistic, SE Durrant's Running on Empty is about the struggle of an 11-year-old carer who is starting secondary school and wants to run like Usain Bolt. With a rich and diverse cast, it sings."" - Sunday Times""Running on Empty is one of the best children's novels of the year."" - Express
""Beautiful writing about family, loss, dreams and small pleasures that packs a real emotional punch."" - The Bookseller
""I absolutely love this book!...it's a light-hearted, tender book, as warm and funny as AJ himself."" - Official Jacqueline Wilson Magazine
""Running on Empty is a deeply moving story of one young carer's struggle to keep his family together... It is beautifully written and thought provoking. A really special book."" - North Somerset Teachers' Book Award
""AJ's situation is described with powerful realism, and yet with the very lightest of touches. He is essentially a young carer, whose parents have learning difficulties, but there is never a sniff of a stereotype or call for pity. Durrant makes important points about avoiding assumptions with huge subtlety, sensitivity and humour. Convincing, uplifting and immensely readable."" - BookTrust
Flo Brown is watching a fairytale unfolding in front of her eyes.
Her mum is in the finals of the 'Big Dreams' talent show. At home
millions of TV viewers are tuned in, waiting for the nation's favourite
to give another spine-tingling performance. Their lives
will change forever. Just NOT in the way Flo and Queenie expect.
Life is never boring now that Jams and his family have a monkey to look after. Jams and his mum love Thimble, but Dad is determined to get rid of him - to a zoo, a school, even a demolition site. But when Jams and his dad are in mortal danger, Thimble proves once and for all why he is a Monkey Superstar! Thimble is very clever and very naughty - and just the best friend Jams has been waiting for. Illustrated by Martin Chatterton
