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Age Group: KS2

Chapter book

Twelve-year-old Eli is an apprentice librarian at the largest library in the world. But when his grandmother falls ill, he enters the Glorious Race of Magical Beasts to raise money for her treatment.

This annual race is always held in the most perilous places and is full of spiky dangers. Most participants seek out unicorns and dragons to help them on their conquest. But not Eli. He embarks on this journey with his trusted pet and friend, Humphrey, his moon tortoise. Moon tortoises aren’t suited to racing and Eli is no natural adventurer. But he soon finds himself in an unlikely partnership with Raven, a rule-breaker and skilled archer, and her ice hare – one of the fastest animals in the world.

If the two children put aside their differences and work together, they might just reach the finish line!

Graphic Novel

A brand-new early reader graphic novel series about finding friendship in unexpected places! This fun and funny buddy comedy is perfect for fans of Narwhal & Jelly, emerging readers, and all kids who love comics.

Ally the alligator is perfectly happy being alone . . . until one day a noisy bird named Beak lands on her snout.

Beak thinks Ally is lonely and needs a friend. He has all sorts of friendship goals in mind, like riding bikes together, going to the movies together, and even solving mysteries together! But when a Long-Billed Party Pooper crashes Beak’s nest-warming party, Ally decides to show Beak something important to her: sticking up for what’s right.

Picturebook

A stunningly illustrated gift book of ancient Indian fables, retold by bestselling poet Nikita Gill.

The stories of the Panchatantra have been read aloud and shared for thousands of years, kept alive by generation after generation of storytellers. In this captivating collection of ten animal tales, reimagined with warmth and wit by Nikita Gill, you’ll meet mighty elephants and courageous mice, cunning crocodiles and clever monkeys, talkative tortoises and little lapwing birds. Discover a world of wonder, wisdom and friendship, of helping others, speaking out and finding courage.

With vibrant, irresistible colour artwork by Chaaya Prabhat on every page, and sumptuous high-end finishes, including a jacket, foiled cloth binding and a ribbon marker, this is a timeless gift book for every child to enjoy and treasure.

Chapter book

An extraordinary destiny unfolds . . .

Twelve-year-old Zhi Ging has always been an outcast. Until she receives an invitation to Hok Woh, an underwater school that offers her the chance to become immortal, and to finally belong.

There, she battles in hair-raising boat races, meets age-shifting tutors and competes in thrilling trials.

But there are rumours of a growing dark force . . . and students who fail the trials are disappearing. Can Zhi Ging uncover the truth before it’s too late?

The first in the unmissable magical fantasy series of 2024, set to take the world by storm. Perfect for fans of Nevermoor and Dragon Mountain.

Picturebook

Hana has a humongous collection of hijabs and accessories – and her hijab is always styled superbly. But when her overflowing collection gets a little out of hand, Hana knows something needs to be done . . . and comes up with a clever plan for sharing her talents and possessions with her community! Young makers will chuckle along with this humorous tale of creative problem-solving and learning to help others.

Picturebook

During her town’s Ganesha Chaturthi festival, young Prema comes up with an innovative plan to save the river from pollution. Persevering through multiple obstacles, she convinces her friends to help her create natural clay Ganesha statues to replace the plaster ones that harm the river when they dissolve. Created by an author and artist from different parts of India and set in modern-day India, this inclusive tale of activism, ingenuity and sustainability is sure to inspire young readers. Endnotes include information about Ganesha Chaturthi, a recipe for homemade sculpting dough and instructions for making an earth-friendly statue

Non-fictionPicturebook

Explore Christmas traditions from 13 different countries! Rhyming text and detailed illustrations make the book accessible to younger readers, while educational endnotes about the 13 celebrations add interest for older children. Gold ink and festive illustrations capture the joy of the season and make this book a beautiful gift in itself. Engaging and informative for anyone who wants to learn about the holiday.
Features Christmas traditions from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Australia, Italy, Serbia, Mexico, India, Iceland, Egypt, Argentina, Philippines, Lebanon, Canada

Picturebook

Based on a true story, the author humorously recounts the time his grandfather got stranded with a friend on Surtsey, a brand new volcanic island in Iceland. The adventurers face epic challenges like molten lava, melted eyeglasses and scant supplies before finally getting rescued. Graphic novel-like layouts and spirited text invite readers to search for the one thing that’s not actually true in this thrilling yet light-hearted tale of adventure. Endnotes include information about volcanoes, Icelandic culture and Norse mythology.

Chapter book

Clare Balding’s second brilliant adventure for Charlie Bass and her funny family of humans and animals.

Life is slowly getting back to normal for Charlie after her reluctant racehorse, Noble Warrior, won the Derby and saved her family from financial ruin. But drama soon returns to Folly Farm when thieves break into the farmyard in the dead of night and kidnap Noble Warrior! With the police baffled and no trace of the prizewinning thoroughbred to be found, Charlie launches her own investigation…

Non-fiction

It’s the Second World War as you’ve never seen it before – discover the hidden stories of incredible human spirit during the world’s darkest hour.

Everyone knows what Adolf Hitler, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill were doing during World War II, but what about ordinary people? In this beautifully illustrated book, war historian Hattie Hearn reveals some of the most incredible true tales from the war, including:

– The Canadian cabin boy who avoided German U-boats crossing the Atlantic
– The Navajo soldiers who developed a secret code to outfox their enemies
– The African-American jazz singer who worked as a spy for the French Resistance

Beautifully illustrated by Margarida Esteves and featuring stories from all over the world, Tales of World War II also contains jaw-dropping tales including the dog used to find survivors in the London Blitz, the champion cyclist who carried secret messages to help Jews escape the Nazis, and the bear who was recruited by the Polish army!

Interspersed throughout the stories are pages explaining the key events of the war – from Pearl Harbor and Dunkirk to D-Day and the Holocaust.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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