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Age Group: KS2

Chapter book

A gripping football-filled adventure based in the Romani community of 19th-century Sheffield.

This action-packed story is told through the eyes of young Lijah, as he navigates life and discovers football and the legendary Rab Howell.

In this heart-stopping adventure, Richard O’Neill shows us an important and intriguing time in Britain that’s sure to fascinate young readers.

Chapter book

Summer was supposed to be Ginika’s time for fun, friends and fairs. But instead she’s been sent to live at the dead-end seaside boarding house her grandparents run. Even though her parents say it’s just for a little while, she can’t help feeling abandoned and heartbroken to be missing out on everything she loves back home.

And then she meets Peri. He leaps and dives through the water like a dolphin and he talks like a burst of bubbles. He’s not exactly a mermaid, but he’s definitely something Ginika’s never seen before.

His family is far away too, but unlike Ginika, he loves his independence. As Ginika shows Peri her world, she starts to feel free as well. They don’t need anyone else when they’ve got each other. But then the lights and noise of the human world start to change Peri. And when things spin out of control, Ginika must be the bravest she’s ever been to face her fears and make the hardest decision of her life.

Join Ginika and Peri as they dive beneath the waves and walk the lands that will take them into each other’s worlds on an adventure they will never forget and a life-changing friendship.

Picturebook

This magical story follows three children living in a tower block, as they embark on a fantastical adventure which helps them see their home in a new light.

A deeply personal story written by multi-award winning poet and Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho , drawn from his own experience growing up in a tower block and looking for adventure. This story is a celebration of, and a reclaiming of tower blocks as a place where magic and adventure can happen.

It’s a modern-day fable that shows the children of a tower block travelling to a strange, magical world inside a tree and meeting an old man with supernatural powers, only to realise that the magic they’d been looking for had been in their tower all along.

Beautiful illustrations complement the poetic narrative, creating an enchanting story which children and adults alike will fall in love with.

This powerful story is about how society separates ‘urban’ spaces from the countryside, but the reality is that nature is everywhere, and everyone should have access to it.

Chapter book

The Lake District, 1899

The Earl is dead and cruel Cousin Clarence has inherited everything.

Twelve-year-old Lady Agatha Asquith is cast out of Gosswater Hall to live in a tiny, tumbledown cottage with a stranger who claims to be her father.

Aggie is determined to discover her real identity, but she is not alone on her quest for the truth.

On the last day of the year, when the clock strikes midnight, a mysterious girl of light creeps through the crack in time; she will not rest until the dark, terrible secrets of the past have been revealed …

Chapter book

The brand new must-read middle-grade novel from the author of super-spookyCrater Lake. Perfect for 9+ fans of R.L.Stine’s Goosebumps.

Angelo and his friends know that together they can handle any pretty much anything – including giant mutant spiders or snake-like parasites that burrow into your brain. But when a terrifying new enemy attacks from above it seems they have met their ultimate match . . . how can they defeat giant vampire birds that are after BLOOD?

With summer term in full force – and sports day and prom night on the horizon – the whole school is in danger. The gang need a plan to bring safety to the skies!

Picturebook

In this enchanting book, Jackie Morris conjures a world where everyone has their own dragon, exploring all their variety through lyrical text and beautifully realised illustrations. This children’s classic is now available in this larger, high-quality production format for full enjoyment of the art work and the wonderful creatures it presents.

Non-fiction

Discover the weird and wacky history of the kingdom of Benin!

Did the kings of Benin really keep pet leopards? Did spirits live in the African rainforest? And did bicycles REALLY destroy the Benin kingdom? A Question of History: The Kingdom of Benin answers all these questions and much more.

With an engaging question and answer format, this series draws young readers into the fascinating, sometimes gruesome, world of famous peoples and civilisations through history. Each spread opens with a simple question, opening up an exploration of an aspect of the life of a people or civilisation and busting some popular myths along the way!

Non-fiction

Which genius ideas and inventions began in the Benin Kingdom? What did the people of the Benin Kingdom develop that we use to this day? Find out how a collection of separate villages and communities grew into a strong, united kingdom and developed a network of successful trading relationships. Discover the brilliant developments in town planning, language, art and medicine that have influenced the way we live today.

Non-fiction

Benin was an important kingdom in West Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. Find out about Benin’s magnificent capital city, the objects that Benin traded with Europe and their intricate bronze plaques and statues.

Read about food and farming, armies and weapons, the life of a craftsman and how to make a leopard statue!

Packed with fascinating information, the Explore! series inspires children’s curiosity to find out more about the past. A useful tool for readers age 8+ or teachers looking for books to support the curriculum.

Non-fiction

This book explores what life was really like for everyday people in Ancient Benin. Using primary sources and information from archeological discoveries, it uncovers some fascinating insights and explodes some myths. Supported by timelines, maps and references to important events and people, children will really feel they are on a time-travelling journey when reading this book.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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