Publisher: Chicken House Ltd

Death by Chocolate

Chapter book

Packed full of humour and chocolate, this mystery is the perfect gift for middle-grade readers this Easter!

Coco’s parents have poured everything into a struggling French hotel.

But the hotel is haunted by a bitter old ghost, Monsieur Framboise, a chocolatier who met a sticky end.

He agrees to share his legendary skills with Coco and her new friend Louis in exchange for their help in uncovering the truth behind his murder.

Can Coco and Louis save the family hotel and solve the mystery by Easter?

The Great Chocoplot meets Chocolat, with a dash of Murder Most Unladylike.

Humour, mystery and chocolate – just in time for Easter!

An older middle-grade debut from the hilarious author Anna Brooke.

Wishbound

Clemency Brown

Chapter book

What if the price of magic was your best friend?

Leonie can make wishes come true, a rare gift on her tiny island of Onske.

But when she finds out that her magic will cost her freedom, she runs away to our world.

Here, she finds a new life, a new family and a best friend, Cress.

However, danger is lurking.

As Leonie’s enemies close in, is her only hope of keeping her friend safe a wish that will tie them together for ever…?

A Million Tiny Missiles All At Once

Lucas Maxwell

Chapter book

Being a teen’s a tough gig, but what if one gig could save your family?

Elias’s brain is a swamp of fears and bad things.

His once-loving brother Bo has become a stranger, and his parents are at breaking point.

When Bo falls in with dangerous people, Elias decides he’s the only one who can bring his family back together.

But what begins as a simple pizza-night plan quickly spirals into chaos.

Can Elias find a way to reach the people he loves the most before it’s too late?

The stunning debut novel from Lucas Maxwell, winner of the Times/Chicken House Competition 2024 Set in wintry Nova Scotia, Canada and inspired by the author’s childhood, this special novel explores themes of family addiction and growing up neurodivergent Perfect for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece and Orbiting Jupiter.

The Galaxy World Cup

Alan Joyce

Chapter book

From wormholes to bouncy pitches, this side-splitting wacky story will appeal to ages 7-11 and any football fans!

When aliens mistake schoolboy Nick and his fellow misfits for the world’s greatest football players, they are whisked across the Milky Way to compete in an intergalactic football tournament against REAL ALIENS.

The only problem?

They are NOT the greatest football players on Earth – they’re the WORST!

But if they want to go home, they’ll have to lace up their boots and try to actually score a goal …

The debut novel from the 2024 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition shortlistee, Alan Joyce.

This intergalactic story, with themes of friendship and team spirit, is the perfect underdog story.

A fun and original football book just in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup!

Aliya to the Infinite City

Laila Rifaat

Chapter book

A sparkling magical debut, set in a fantastical Egypt full of flying carpets and mythical creatures!

At home in Cairo, an unexpected gift arrives for Aliya, promising to grant her greatest wish – to know more about her lost parents.

To her surprise, she’s whisked off by flying carpet to a parallel Egypt, where she’s enrolled at an academy for … time-travellers!

But while she’s there, an enemy is watching – a master of forbidden magic.

If they can unlock Aliya’s inherited talent, they can change history forever …

A stunning adventure story for readers aged 9 and up Shortlisted for the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition 2021 For fans of Nura and the Immortal Palace and The Kingdom Over the Sea ‘An epic adventure packed with richness, history and a brilliant new magical school!

Silent Night by Emma Read

Emma Read

Chapter book

On Christmas morning, Masen, his younger brother Jos and their cousin Connor wake to find the rest of their family is missing from their holiday cottage on the Gower, Wales. All that is left behind is a small, peculiar Christmas tree with a mushroom-like fungus growing on it but even that has shrivelled and turned black.

Masen, Jos and Connor set out to find out what has happened to their family and other local people, and seek shelter and safety from the winter storm that has blown over South Wales. On their travels, they meet different groups of young people and soon Masen has a difficult choice to make: head for the safety of the Friary with Jos or leave to seek help with Connor. His decision will impact them all.

A fantastically paced, thrilling story that combines the genres of horror, adventure and sci-fi that will keep you questioning who can be trusted throughout. If you are looking for a dark Christmas story with plenty of twists and turns, this fits the bill perfectly.

The Girl of Ink & Stars

Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Chapter book

Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella dreams of the faraway lands her cartographer father once mapped.

When her friend disappears, she volunteers to guide the search. The world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a fire demon is stirring from its sleep.

Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself.

A beautifully written, multi award-winning story of friendship, discovery, myths and magic for any age – perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Frances Hardinge or Katherine Rundell

From the author of Julia and the Shark and The Mercies, chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club

Set in an extensive and stunningly-imagined parallel world imbued with magical realism

A gorgeous gift with intricate star-chart illustrations throughout – a present for young and old, which will stay with you long after reading

The Last Bard

Maz Evans

Chapter book

Maz Evans has crafted a story brimming with humour, heart and unforgettable characters in The Last Bard. From the very first page, readers are swept into a world where friendship and hope shine brightly, even when the odds seem stacked against them.

The premise of the story is a boy (the last living relative of William Shakespeare) with befriends a larger-than-life cast of Shakespeare characters who have jumped right out of the pages of an inherited copy of The Complete Works of Shakespeare.

The main characters are wonderfully drawn; flawed, funny and full of life. Their struggles and triumphs feel real, whether it’s their witty banter, moments of vulnerability or the courage they show when faced with daunting challenges. At its core, this is a story about friendship and hope in dark times. Maz Evans balances these heartfelt themes with her signature humour and fast-paced storytelling, making the book both deeply emotional and entertaining.

Livia in Rome

Bruna De Luca

Chapter book

Could Rome be where the heart is? Sixteen-year-old Scottish–Italian Livia feels like an outsider, spending the summer in her grandmother’s bar in Rome.

Smug local boy Giulio works there too, and quickly becomes Livia’s nemesis. She is not going to be the cliché foreign girl who has a summer romance.

But as Livia navigates family drama, new-found friendships and . . . Giulio, she starts to see the city – and herself – in a new light . . .

Perfect for fans of Love and Gelato, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Anna and the French Kiss.

Think ice cream dates, gorgeous Italian boys and sightseeing on a Vespa!

Scottish Italian author, Bruna De Luca, draws on her own experiences of growing up as a third culture ‘Scotalian’ kid.

Princess BMX

Flavia Sorrentino & Marie Basting

Chapter book

Trust me, the fairy tales have it so wrong.

Dingy towers and wicked step-mums are the least of my worries: it’s the boredom that will kill me. Honestly, apart from the endless supply of cupcakes, being a princess is pretty rubbish.

I used to think about locking myself in a tower and throwing away the key. Thank the good goblin I discovered BMX. If it wasn’t for BMX, nothing would have changed …

A brilliantly funny adventure from a fantastic new voice for readers aged 7+

Follows a pampered but rebellious princess as she travels from another world, finds her true talents in BMX and brings her brand-new powers back home

For fans of Enchanted – with even more laughs!

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Publisher: Chicken House Ltd

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