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Format: Chapter book

The Middler

Chapter book

“I was special. I was a hero. I lost the best friend I ever had.”

Eleven-year-old Maggie lives in Fennis Wick, enclosed and protected from the outside world by a boundary, beyond which the Quiet War rages and the dirty, dangerous wanderers roam.

Her brother Jed is an eldest, revered and special. A hero. Her younger brother is Trig – everyone loves Trig. But Maggie’s just a middler; invisible and left behind. Then, one hot September day, she meets Una, a hungry wanderer girl in need of help, and everything Maggie has ever known gets turned on its head.

Narrated expertly and often hilariously by Maggie, we experience the trials and frustrations of being the forgotten middle child, the child with no voice, even in her own family.

This gripping story of forbidden friendship, loyalty and betrayal is perfect for fans of Malorie Blackman, Meg Rosoff, Frances Hardinge and Margaret Atwood.

The Wizards of Once

Chapter book

This is the story of a young boy Wizard and a young girl Warrior who have been taught since birth to hate each other like poison; and the thrilling tale of what happens when their two worlds collide.

Perfect for boys and girls who love fantasy adventure…

Once there was Magic, and the Magic lived in the dark forests. Until the Warriors came…

Xar is a Wizard boy who has no Magic, and will do anything to get it. Wish is a Warrior girl, but she owns a banned Magical Object, and she will do anything to conceal it.

In this whirlwind adventure, Xar and Wish must forget their differences if they’re going to make it to the dungeons at Warrior Fort.

Where something that has been sleeping for hundreds of years is stirring…

betsey biggalow book

Betsey Biggalow is Here

Chapter book

Betsey Biggalow is here! She may be small but she’s full of bright and shiny ideas about new trainers, winning at marbles and even helping the world! Join Betsey on four short, sun-filled adventures as she learns you don’t have to be big to make a big difference.

This book is one of five short story collections featuring the lively and likeable Betsey Biggalow from Children’s Laureate, Malorie Blackman. Beautifully illustrated by Jamie Smith, these stories are ideal for building confidence in readers aged 7 and over, whether reading aloud or reading alone.

The Train to Impossible Places

Chapter book

All aboard for the first journey in the bestselling Train to Impossible Places Adventures, with magic at every stop.

Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Branford Boase Award and the IBW Book Awards, with dazzling illustrations from Flavia Sorrentino, join Suzy on this magical adventure, where the journey will never, ever take you where you expect it to.

When Suzy hears a strange noise in the middle of the night, she creeps downstairs to find a train roaring through her house. But this is no ordinary train. This is the magical delivery express for The Union of Impossible Places.

Whisked onboard by a troll-boy, Suzy’s world is turned upside down when she’s asked to deliver a cursed package to a fearsome sorceress. And quite suddenly, Suzy realizes the fate of the Impossible Places is in her hands…

The Legend of Podkin One-Ear

Chapter book

Podkin is the son of a warrior chieftain. He knows that one day it will be up to him to lead his warren and guard it in times of danger. But for now, he’s quite happy to laze around annoying his older sister Paz, and playing with his baby brother Pook. Then Podkin’s home is brutally attacked, and the young rabbits are forced to flee. The terrifying Gorm are on the rampage, and no one and nowhere is safe. With danger all around them, Podkin must protect his family, uncover his destiny, and attempt to defeat the most horrifying enemy rabbitkind has ever known.

Guardians of Magic

Chapter book

Guardians of Magic is the first title in a brilliant magical adventure series from the Costa Award-winning creator of Goth Girl, Chris Riddell. This fantastic quest is fully illustrated in black and white throughout.

Meet the Guardians of Magic: Zam, Phoebe and Bathsheba, three children who don’t yet know how powerful they are…

In a place where fairy tales don’t behave, and magic brings danger, enemies of magic are working together to destroy it. Unless the three brave Guardians fight back and believe in the impossible, soon magic and the mysterious cloud horses will be gone…

Erica’s Elephant

Chapter book

When Erica Perkins wakes up on the morning of her tenth birthday, the last thing she expects is to find a very confused elephant sitting on her doorstep. So begins an unlikely friendship.

But can a small girl and a rather large elephant learn to live together in a tiny terraced house?

And when the dastardly owner of the local zoo plots to steal the elephant, will Erica be able to outsmart him?

Illustrated with heartwarming and engaging line drawings. Sylvia’s writing has a wonderfully classic feel while the offbeat humour makes it contemporary and fresh.

The Hundred-Mile-An-Hour-Dog

Chapter book

The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog by Jeremy Strong has become a children’s classic!

From The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog to karate princesses and hot cross bottoms, there’s a Jeremy Strong story to suit every child’s sense of humour. Jeremy’s readers range from 7 to teen, perfect for fans of Roald Dahl and Morris Gleitzman.

Streaker is a mixed-up kind of dog…with quite a bit of Ferrari and a large chunk of whirlwind.

Streaker is no ordinary dog. She’s a rocket on four legs with a woof attached, and Trevor has got until the end of the holidays to train her. If he fails, he’ll lose his bet with horrible Charlie Smugg, and something very, very yucky involving frogspawn will happen…

The Adventures of Harry Stevenson

Chapter book

Meet Harry Stevenson. He doesn’t live in a castle, or a witch’s cottage, or anywhere exciting like that. His home is in a flat with seven-year-old Billy and his mum and dad. And at first glance, Harry doesn’t seem any different from your average guinea pig. He has ginger fur and sparkly black eyes and likes nothing more than snacking on a piece of broccoli.

But don’t be fooled! Harry may just want to sleep and eat (and then eat some more) but somehow he always manages to get swept up in adventures: whether it’s surfing the Pacific on a picnic plate or accidentally attaching himself to a helium balloon.

The Twits

Chapter book

Mr Twit is a foul and smelly man with bits of cornflake and sardine in his beard.
Mrs Twit is a horrible old hag with a glass eye.
Together they make the nastiest couple you could ever hope not to meet.
Down in their garden, the Twits keep Muggle-Wump the monkey and his family locked in a cage. But not for much longer, because the monkeys are planning to trick the terrible Twits, once and for all…

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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