Every story is superb, Leigh Bardugo has an honest, vibrant voice that's capable of unfolding her imaginings with true skill. Sara Kiplin's beautiful illustrations grow in complexity . . . making this a sumptuous feast for the mind and eyes
Told with heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class is a child's perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn't always make sense. There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it. He's nine years old (just like me), but he's very strange. He never talks and never smiles and doesn't like sweets - not even lemon sherbets, which are my favourite! But then I learned the truth: Ahmet really isn't very strange at all. He's a refugee who's run away from a War. A real one. With bombs and fires and bullies that hurt people. And the more I find out about him, the more I want to help. That's where my best friends Josie, Michael and Tom come in. Because you see, together we've come up with a plan. . . With beautiful illustrations by Pippa Curnick
NEVERMOOR - WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2018 YOUNGER FICTION CATEGORY Return to the magical world of Nevermoor, where Morrigan Crow's adventures continue. The most anticipated sequel of the year - a treat for all fans of magic and 'wunder'. A stunningly designed package - with gold foil, hidden artwork under the jacket and beautifully designed interiors - a perfect gift for all young readers. Morrigan may have defeated her deadly curse, passed the dangerous trials and joined the mystical Wundrous Society, but her journey into Nevermoor and all its secrets has only just begun. And it's important to remember that not all magic is used for good . . . Perfect for fans of the Harry Potter series and His Dark Materials, this series takes readers into an extraordinary world, setting hope and imagination alive.
A beautiful hardback gift edition of the beloved children's book BALLET SHOES, featuring the classic illustrations by Ruth Gervis. Elegantly designed with a cloth-bound cover and ribbon embellishment, this is the perfect present for young dancers and readers, or for any lover of classics . BALLET SHOES is the story of Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil, three very different girls who were each adopted as an orphaned baby by the eccentric explorer, Gum. After leaving the children in the care of his niece Sylvia in London, he returns to exploring, promising to come back in five years' time. At first, the girls lead privileged and sheltered lives in the comfort of wealth. But after five years go by and Gum fails to return, Sylvia's money starts to run out. Things begin to look bleak for Sylvia and the Fossil girls until they hit on an inspired idea: Pauline, Petrova and Posy will take to the stage. But it's not long before the Fossils learn that there's more to being a star than they thought. Originally published in 1936, Noel Streatfeild's BALLET SHOES is a story of family, friendship and growing up that stands the test of time and is loved by generations.
'A gripping, heart-wrenching coming-of-age story' - Guardian In her first YA novel, Costa-shortlisted Kit de Waal responds to classic Moby Dick by tearing the power away from obsessive Captain Ahab and giving it to a teenage girl. Dinah's whole world is upside down, dead things and angry men and cuts all over her head that are beginning to sting.... Seventeen-year-old Dinah needs to leave her home, the weird commune where she grew up. She needs a whole new identity, starting with how she looks, starting with shaving off her hair, her 'crowning glory'. She has to do it quickly, because she has to go now . Dinah was going to go alone and hitch a ride down south. Except, she ends up being persuaded to illegally drive a VW campervan for hundreds of miles, accompanied by a grumpy man with one leg. This wasn't the plan. But while she's driving, Dinah will be forced to confront everything that led her here, everything that will finally show her which direction to turn... In her first YA novel, Costa-shortlisted author Kit de Waal responds to the classic Moby Dick with entirely new characters, a VW campervan, and by tearing the power away from obsessive Captain Ahab and giving it to a teenage girl who's determined to find a new life, far away from her unconventional upbringing. 'An emotionally charged book' - Daily Mail 'Fresh and defiantly original ... what a beautiful book' - Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
Pack your suitcase for a magical adventure! Perfect for fans of The Train to Impossible Places and The Polar Bear Explorers' Club . At the Strangeworlds Travel Agency, each suitcase transports you to a different world. All you have to do is step inside . . . When 12-year-old Flick Hudson accidentally ends up in the Strangeworlds Travel Agency, she uncovers a fantastic secret: there are hundreds of other worlds just steps away from ours. All you have to do to visit them is jump into the right suitcase. Then Flick gets the invitation of a lifetime: join Strangeworlds' magical travel society and explore other worlds. But, unknown to Flick, the world at the very centre of it all, a city called Five Lights, is in danger. Buildings and even streets are mysteriously disappearing. Once Flick realizes what's happening she must race against time, travelling through unchartered worlds, seeking a way to fix Five Lights before it collapses into nothingness - and takes our world with it. A magical adventure for 9+ readers that will take you to whole new worlds.
From bestselling author of SIX OF CROWS, Leigh Bardugo, comes a lavishly illustrated collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice and love. Inspired by myth, fairy tale and folklore, THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS will transport you to both lands familiar and strange that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse. Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns. Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price. Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, no. 1 New York Times- bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love. Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans of the Grishverse. This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them beautifully illustrated with art by Sara Kiplin that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.
NEVERMOOR - WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2018 YOUNGER FICTION CATEGORY Return to the magical world of Nevermoor, where Morrigan Crow's adventures continue. The most anticipated sequel of the year - a treat for all fans of magic and 'wunder'. A stunningly designed package - with gold foil, hidden artwork under the jacket and beautifully designed interiors - a perfect gift for all young readers. Imagination, discovery and friendship await Morrigan Crow when she escapes her deadly curse and joins the Wundrous Society. It promises her protection and belonging for life - but then Morrigan doesn't receive the welcome she hoped for... Morrigan is a much-feared Wundersmith. So, instead of the Society helping Morrigan to embrace her power, she is only taught that all Wundersmiths are evil and she must suppress her mysterious ability at all costs. To make things worse, Nevermoor is quickly turning from a place of safety into one of danger. Society members are going missing, someone is blackmailing Morrigan's new friends, turning them against her. And Ezra Squall, the evillest man ever to have lived, is determined to lure Morrigan from the Society by promising to reveal the true nature of the Wunder that calls to her, which is becoming ever harder to resist... Has Morrigan's dream of escaping her cursed life ended before it truly began? Perfect for fans of the Harry Potter series and His Dark Materials, this series takes readers into an extraordinary world, setting hope and imagination alive.
Marianne has been training to be the Viper for her entire life - to serve and protect the King and the citizens of The Twelve Isles - but to become the Viper and protect the islands she loves she must find the strength to defeat her father. A new fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Sara J Mass. The Viper and his crew exist to serve and protect the King and the citizens. Traversing the seas of the Eastern Isles in a well-equipped war ship, they use sometimes brutal tactics to ensure the greater good: safety for law-abiding citizens of the islands. But the current Viper has chosen to forsake his duties in favour of power and corruption, savagely attacking the very people he's supposed to keep safe. Only one person is brave enough to stand against him: his daughter and heir, Marianne. Whilst she desperately wishes to restore peace to the islands that she loves, Marianne must question whether she is willing to play a dangerous game, and find within herself the lethal strength, and power, to defeat her father. So begins the Isles of Storm and Sorrow, a story of revenge, political intrigue, magic and self-discovery.
'I've always wanted to be a Star Hunter. But I don't want to be the kind that looks for old stars that have already been burning for millions of years. I want to find the brand new ones - the ones that have only just been born and are searching for the people they've left behind...' Following the disappearance of her mum, 10-year-old Aniyah suddenly finds herself living in foster care. With her life in disarray, she knows just one thing for sure: her mum isn't gone for ever. Because people with the brightest hearts never truly leave. They become stars. So when a new star is spotted acting strangely in the sky, Aniyah is sure it's her mum, and she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to make sure everyone else knows too -- an adventure that involves breaking into the Royal Observatory of London, a mischievous scurry of squirrels and the biggest star in Hollywood... Told through the innocent voice of a child, this is a story that explores the subtle faces and endless impacts of domestic violence, and celebrates the power of hope and resilience, from Onjali Rauf, the award-winning author of The Boy at the Back of the Class.