Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

Time Travelling with a Hamster

Chapter book

For readers who loved Wonder and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time this extraordinary debut will make you laugh and cry.

A story that crosses time and generations, for adventure-loving readers young and old.

“My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty nine and again four years later when he was twelve.”

On Al Chaudhury’s twelfth birthday his beloved Grandpa Byron gives him a letter from Al’s late father. In it Al receives a mission: travel back to 1984 in a secret time machine and save his father’s life.

Al soon discovers that time travel requires daring and imagination. It also requires lies, theft, setting his school on fire and ignoring philosophical advice from Grandpa Byron. All without losing his pet hamster, Alan Shearer…

Time Travelling With a Hamster is a funny, heart-warming race-against-time – and across generations – adventure that you will won’t be able to put down.

Shadow Chaser

Simon Tudhope & Tom Knight

Chapter book

This magically illustrated gamebook plunges you into a story with a difference – one where the hero is YOU. Woken one night by a bang at the door, you creep to the window and see five hooded strangers below. The leader looks up and beckons you down. What do you do? Open the door, play for time, or escape through the window out back? The choice is yours…

From this point onwards you are in control of an epic adventure, and your survival depends upon the decisions you make. Who to fight? Who to trust? In a book where nothing is as it seems, even the pictures hold secrets that must be unlocked. But as you race across land, sea and sky, one thing becomes clear: it’s not just your fate that hangs in the balance – it’s the fate of the entire kingdom.

Bringing together a sweeping story, beautifully illustrated picture puzzles and an exciting combat system (with a link to an online dice-roller), this is an adventure that will have you gripped from beginning to end.

The Boy Who Met a Whale

Nizrana Farook

Chapter book

We love the sumptuous Sri Lankan setting and adventurous heart of this fast-paced tale. The story follows Razi, who has avoided the ocean since his father’s death, until a mysterious traveller named Zheng washes ashore. Joined by his twin sister Shifa, Razi is swept up in a mission while outrunning a pair of ruthless villains.

Farook’s writing is rich with island details and the joys of the natural world. The setting is so evocative it makes you want to visit! Encounters with majestic turtles and a giant whale help Razi find his courage once again, and many readers will love the animals in the story as much as Razi.

A thrilling tropical treasure hunt with plenty of emotional depth, this is a top recommendation for KS2 classrooms.

Noughts and Crosses

Malorie Blackman

Chapter book

Sephy is a Cross: she lives a life of privilege and power. But she’s lonely, and burns with injustice at the world she sees around her.

Callum is a nought: he’s considered to be less than nothing – a blanker, there to serve Crosses – but he dreams of a better life.

They’ve been friends since they were children, and they both know that’s as far as it can ever go. Noughts and Crosses are fated to be bitter enemies – love is out of the question.

Then – in spite of a world that is fiercely against them – these star-crossed lovers choose each other.

But this is love story that will lead both of them into terrible danger . . . and which will have shocking repercussions for generations to come.

Divergent

Veronica Roth

Chapter book

She turns to the future in a world that’s falling apart.

The No. 1 New York Times bestseller Divergent – also a major motion picture.

For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice. Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs.

Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her. The hardest choices may yet lie ahead….

The first book in the Divergent series that has swept the globe – selling millions of copies world-wide.

The Last Wild

Piers Torday

Chapter book

From the winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize

This is a story about a boy named Kester. He is extraordinary, but he doesn’t know that yet. All he knows, at this very moment, is this:
1. There is a flock of excited pigeons in his bedroom.
2. They are talking to him.
3. His life will never be quite the same again…

Kester lives in a land in quarantine. A deadly virus has killed all the animals except pests and it’s expected to be equally dangerous to humans. But when Kester realises he can talk to the pests, he finds they have great hope invested in him.

A captivating animal adventure destined to be loved by readers of all ages.

Tin by Padraig Kenny

Pádraig Kenny

Chapter book

Christopher is ‘Proper’: a real boy with a real soul, orphaned in a fire.

He works for an engineer, a maker of the eccentric, loyal and totally individual mechanicals who are Christopher’s best friends.

But after a devastating accident, a secret is revealed and Christopher’s world is changed for ever …

What follows is a remarkable adventure, as Christopher discovers who he really is, and what it means to be human.

A heartfelt tale of humanity, adventure and belonging, from the bestselling author of Pog and The Monsters of Rookhaven.

Pinocchio meets The Wizard of Oz with a hint of Northern Lights as a boy and his mechanical friends discover the truth about his past.

A thought-provoking and timely novel, with strong themes of friendship, war and what it really means to be human.

The Offline Diaries

Elizabeth Uviebinene & Yomi Adegoke

Chapter book

A universal story of friendship, falling out and unforgettable characters that will resonate with all readers of 9 and up – from the authors of Slay in Your Lane

Ade is about to start at a new school. She is NOT happy with her stepdad for making them move here. Shanice has been at the school for a year already. Since her mum died, she’s been living with her dad and annoying older brother, spending most of her time outside school in her dad’s hair salon.

When Ade and Shanice meet in the salon, and spot each other’s diaries, an instant friendship is formed, and they start to chat online… but offline is a whole other story!

The Offline Diaries is a fresh, funny and contemporary story of friendship, told in the captivating voices of Ade and Shanice – two utterly unforgettable Year 8 girls who will seize the hearts and imaginations of readers everywhere.

Nature is the Answer!: A Toolkit for Eco-Positivity

Chris Packham

Non-fiction

In a world where children are increasingly exposed to worries about the future (from climate change to endangered animals and deforestation) it’s no surprise that many young people are beginning to experience what Chris Packham calls ‘eco‑anxiety’. While the challenges facing our planet can feel overwhelming, ‘Nature Is the Answer’ offers its readers reassurance, hope and practical tools to help children navigate their worries.

This book brings together short stories, real‑life anecdotes and fascinating facts to inspire and uplift its readers. Chris Packham blends activities, scientific insights and powerful examples from around the world to show children that their concerns can be transformed into positive action. The book teaches strategies to help young people manage their feelings and channel them into something constructive.

The book is filled with engaging illustrations, simple toolkits and bite‑sized sections that make it easy to dip into little and often. It’s exactly the kind of gentle positivity so many young people need in today’s fast‑changing world. This is a perfect read for any child who cares about the planet and has worries about its future.

Crow: Thief of Magic

Fiona Dixon

Chapter book

This story is a fresh, new addition to the popular magical world genre and stands out within this with its brilliant world building, dream magic and loyal protagonist.

When Crow is rescued by Victor, the Dreamcatcher, his underworld life with The Reavers seems to be over. Victor teaches him to harness Dream Magic, to create dreams and to develop his own magical abilities. But when Crow finds out his two best friends are alive and he receives a mysterious warning, he is unsure who to trust.

The story is set under the atmospheric countdown to the comet Oros being at its strongest, heightening all things magical and potentially enabling the devastating nightmare, ‘The Mara’ to unleash it’s devastation and despair across the city. This combination of fear and mistrust creates great tension, suspense and pace in the storytelling. Key themes include: friendship, courage, loyalty, magic, the balance between light and dark and moral choices. I particularly like the portrayal and duality of the flawed characters and the relationship between Crow and the sorcerer’s cat Nakima. A superb read aloud.

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