Shortlisted for the Independent Bookshop Week Book Award, Children’s category
YA stars Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan join forces to break readers' hearts in this contemporary story of star-cross'd lovers.
Jess would never have looked twice at Nicu if her friends hadn't left her in the lurch. Nicu is all big eyes and ill-fitting clothes, eager as a puppy, even when they're picking up litter in the park for community service. He's so not her type. Appearances matter to Jess. She's got a lot to hide.
Nicu thinks Jess is beautiful. His dad brought Nicu and his mum here for a better life, but now all they talk about is going back home to find Nicu a wife. The last thing Nicu wants is to get married. He wants to get educated, do better, stay here in England. But his dad's fists are the most powerful force in Nicu's life, and in the end, he'll have to do what his dad wants.
As Nicu and Jess get closer, their secrets come to the surface like bruises. The only safe place they have is with each other. But they can't be together, forever, and stay safe – can they?
An extraordinary, high-impact, high-emotion collaboration between two stars of YA. Perfect for fans of Patrick Ness, Malorie Blackman, Rainbow Rowell and John Green.
Sona Sharma, who lives in India, learns all about school elections, the ups and downs of best friends, and how to choose what matters most in life.
""Warmly loving and evocative"" The Guardian
When Miss Rao announces that there's going to be an election for Class Leader, Sona is excited to stand as a candidate – until she finds herself competing against her best friends, Joy and Renu.
When the three girls fall out, Sona must decide what matters most – winning the election or proving herself to be a true friend indeed. With the support of her wise family, perhaps Sona can learn that there is often more than one way to be a winner.
At Mrs Mothwick’s Magic Academy, Sparky and Carl have been trying really hard to learn magic, but it’s just not working. To make matters worse, the Grand Council of Wizardry and Witchiness are coming to inspect the school. Unless Sparky can master his magic tricks, he will get in big trouble – and the school could even be forced to close.
But then a mysterious witch appears, and offers Sparky and Carl the solution to all their troubles. But is Miss Daisy really who she says she is? Something wicked is in the air . . .
Sixth grader Emme deals with tension in her parents' marriage and finds a new coping mechanism and passion in helping out at a local bakery with a hint of magic.
In a land trapped by fate, only courage can re-write the future.
In the magical village of Everspring, everyone receives a fate card before their twelfth birthday, sent down from the mysterious Mount Never. It tells them their purpose, their profession and how old they'll be when they die.
Nearly 12-year-old Ember Shadows has always believed she is destined for great things. But when her fate card arrives, it's blank. What does that mean? Then, worse still, her sister's card decrees she will die before her next birthday. No way is Ember's going to let that happen.
Determined to challenge what - or who - is responsible for these cards, Ember sets off up the mountain, a place no one is allowed to go. She encounters forbidden realms full of magic, trickery and curious creatures. In a thrilling race through a magical landscape, Ember Shadows must uncover the secret behind the fate cards in order to save her sister ...
But will Ember like what she finds at the top of the mountain?
With hints of Alice in Wonderland, shades of The Phantom Tollbooth and echoes of Pixar's Inside Out, this a thrilling, warm-hearted race through magical realms - a classic magical adventure.
(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Guard Your Heart is the Carnegie shortlisted debut novel from Sue Divin.
Boy meets girl on the Northern Irish border.
Derry. Summer 2016. Aidan and Iona, now eighteen, were both born on the day of the Northern Ireland peace deal.
Aidan is Catholic, Irish, and Republican. With his ex-political prisoner father gone and his mother dead, Aidan’s hope is pinned on exam results earning him a one-way ticket out of Derry. To anywhere.
Iona, Protestant and British, has a brother and father in the police. She’s got university ambitions, a strong faith and a fervent belief that boys without one track minds are a myth.
At a post-exam party, Aidan wanders alone across the Peace Bridge and becomes the victim of a brutal sectarian attack. Iona witnessed the attack; picked up Aidan’s phone and filmed what happened, and gets in touch with him to return the phone. When the two meet, alone and on neutral territory, the differences between them seem insurmountable.
Both their fathers held guns, but safer to keep that secret for now.
Despite their differences and the secrets they have to keep from each other, there is mutual intrigue, and their friendship grows. And so what? It’s not the Troubles. But for both Iona and Aidan it seems like everything is keeping them apart , when all they want is to be together . . .
From award-winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.
Felix Love has never been in love - and, yes, he's painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it's like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What's worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he's one marginalisation too many - Black, queer and transgender - to ever get his own happily-ever-after.
When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages - after publicly posting Felix's deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned - Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn't count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi-love triangle . . .
But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.
Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognising the love you deserve.
'Definitely not a book to be missed.' Buzzfeed
'This book is a gift, from start to finish.' Becky Albertalli, bestselling author of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
'An intricate love story for the ages.' CNN Underscored
'A firecracker of a book. Teens need this one.' Casey McQuiston, bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue
'Bold, empathetic coming-of-age story.' The Bookseller
'Perfectly balances hardship, hope and happiness.' Nic Stone, bestselling author of Dear Martin
'An essential purchase.' SLJ (starred review)
'Boldly empathic, hopeful, and full of love.' Publisher's Weekly
'Beautiful.' justin a. reynolds, author of Opposite of Always
'An unforgettable story.' ALA Booklist (starred review)
'Smart and engaging.' Horn Book Magazine
A classic, fun-filled family summer holiday adventure from one of the world's best storytellers, Enid Blyton!
Mike, Belinda and Ann are going to spend six whole spring and summer months in their caravans, on the beautiful Buttercup Farm with their aunty and uncle. They are very excited!
With every creature you could possibly imagine from the noisy ducks and chickens to the enormous cows and horses and even gorgeous baby lambs, the Buttercup Farm family are in for a world of adventure, mischief and fun!
The perfect holiday story for readers of all ages!
Also available:
The Caravan Family
The Seaside Family
The Queen Elizabeth Family
Enid Blyton is arguably the most famous children’s author of all time, thanks to series such as The Wishing-Chair, The Faraway Tree, The Mysteries, The Famous Five and The Secret Seven. Her fantasy books, including The Adventures of the Wishing-Chair, are among her most popular creations and they promise to enchant boys and girls for generations to come.
Enid Blyton takes her place alongside Roald Dahl, Beatrix Potter, and A. A. Milne as one of Britain’s true heritage children’s authors.
'Her books were terrific page-turners in the way no others were' Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse.
Sometimes the night of your dreams can be a total nightmare.
The prom. It's supposed to be one of the best nights of your life.
Or, at least, you're supposed to have a good time. But what if
you'd rather be going with your best friend's date than your own?
What if a sinister underground society of students has spiked the
punch? What if your date turns out to be more of a frog than a
prince? Or what if he's (literally) an ape?
There are ways you can fight it. You can protest the silliness of
the regular prom by hosting a backwards prom - also known as a morp.
You can throw a prom for fat girls. You can stay at home to
watch old teen movies and get your cute neighbor and his cuter brother
to join you. You can dance to your own music.
Here, 21 of the funniest, most imaginative writers today create their
own kind of prom stories. Some are triumphs. Some are disasters.
But each one is a night you'll never forget.
A classic children’s story from one of our best-loved authors, former Children’s Laureate Anne Fine.
Lancelot’s lovely teacher, Miss Mirabelle, is in big trouble. She’s told a giant whopper and unless she can come up with a brilliant plan, she’s going to look very, very silly. Can Lancelot help this damsel in distress? Little does he know that Ivan will leave a lasting influence, and that he himself will never enjoy listening to nursery rhymes ever again …
Anne Fine’s fun school stories have been delighting children for more than 20 years, winning her awards such as the Smarties Book Award and Carnegie Medal along the way.
Winner of the CrimeFest award 2022 for Best Crime Fiction Novel for Young Adults!
AN INSTANT NUMBER 1 NYT BESTSELLER AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER!
WINNER of the CrimeFest award for Best Crime Fiction Novel for Young Adults!
‘A blisteringly good standalone thriller.’
The Observer, YA Books of the Year, 4/12/2022
‘A thrill ride.’
The Guardian
Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break.
It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realise that this is no accident.
There’s a sniper out there. He’s watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.
As a game of cat-and-mouse plays out, the group desperately tries to get help. Buried secrets are forced to light and tensions within the group reach deadly levels. Only one thing is for sure. Not everyone will survive the night . . .
Five Survive reached number one in the New York Times Young Adult Hardcover Besteller list, week commencing 19/12/2022.
Five Survive reached number four in the Sunday Times Children’s and YA Fiction chart, week commencing 12/12/2022.
