Winter Mini Challenge: Reading Heroes

This reading list is full of heroes to inspire, challenge and entertain you!

These books have been specially chosen by publisher Knights Of for the Everyone Is A Hero Winter Mini Challenge.

Visit your local library or bookshop online or in person to start your own heroic reading adventure this winter!
 

 

The Bumblebear by Nadia Shireen

Norman is a hero of disguise!

There’s a new bee at Bee School. But that bee is not a bee… It’s a BEAR!

Cheeky, sneaky Norman has a cunning plot to trick the bees and steal their honey.

In his best bee onesie, Norman makes quite a convincing bee – but how long will his disguise last?

And when the hive is endangered can he finally discover his true destiny and become The Bumblebear?

 
Where’s Lenny? by Ken Wilson-Max

Lenny is a hide and seek hero!

If there’s a corner or a cupboard to hide in, there’s a high chance Lenny is hiding there.

Lenny plays hide and seek with his dad…Is he in the cupboard? No. It’s empty.

Or in the sitting room? No, it’s only Wilbur the dog.

He’s not in the kitchen either. But, what about on the stairs? Blobs of jam are a clue.

At last Dad and Mum see a little giggly lump under the bedclothes in Lenny’s bedroom. Here is Lenny, ready for a tickle and a hug!

 

Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall

Jabari is a hero of inventing!

Jabari is inventing a machine that will fly all the way across the yard!

But making it go from CRASH to WHOOSH will take grit, patience, and maybe even a little help from his sister.

 

The Girls by Lauren Ace and Jenny Løvlie

The Girls are heroes of friendship!

Four little girls meet under an apple tree and form a bond that grows as they share secrets, dreams, worries and schemes.

Through their kindness and love they show just how important friends are, no matter your age.

 

Granny Ting Ting by Patrice Lawrence, illustrated by Adam Larkum

Michael and Shayla are heroes of fun!

Everything is a competition for the pair, and they’re determined to outdo each other in eating the hottest pepper or climbing the tallest tree. 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!

 

Knights and Bikes by Gabrielle Kent and Rex Crowle

Nessa and Demelza are heroes of adventure!

Adventure awaits Demelza and her new best friend in the whole world, Nessa, as they uncover the mysteries of the Penfurzy Knights.

With a pet goose sidekick, quirky islanders and legendary treasure to find, it’s up to Nessa and Demelza to ride their bikes, solve the mystery, and face down danger with Frisbees and water-balloons.

 

When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten

Clara is a hero for facing her fears!

Nothing much happens in Sycamore, the small village where Clara lives – at least, that’s how it looks. She loves eating ripe mangoes fallen from trees, running outside in the rainy season and escaping to her secret hideout with her best friend Gaynah.

There’s only one problem – she can’t remember anything that happened last summer.

When a quirky girl called Rudy arrives from England, everything starts to change. Gaynah stops acting like a best friend, while Rudy and Clara roam across the island and uncover an old family secret. As the summer reaches its peak and the island storms begin, Clara’s memory starts to return and she must finally face the truth of what happened last year.

Clara’s courageous and determined character help her to find new friends and put together the missing pieces of the past.

 

High-Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson, illustrated by by Wumzum

Nik and Norva are detective heroes!

Summer in London is hot, the hottest on record, and there’s been a murder in THE TRI: the high-rise home to resident know-it-alls, Nik and Norva. Who better to solve the case?

Armed with curiosity, home-turf knowledge and unlimited time – until the end of the summer holidays anyway…

Nik and Norva will put their super-sleuthing skills to the test.

 

Patina by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Selom Sunu

Patina is the hero of her own story!

It’s not the taking part, it’s the winning that counts for Patina!

Patty, as she’s known to her friends and family, has lost a lot in her life – her dad died when she was young, her mum has lost her legs and now she has to live with her uncle and his wife.

On top of that Patty has to go to the poshest school that ever existed. Now her running team has become a relay team and independent “I can do everything by myself” Patty has to work with her team mates to win.

With so many responsibilities – family, running and school – Patina’s greatest strength is in the way she works with others.