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Topic: Branching Out: The Famous Five

Chapter book

Lucy, Max, Charlie and Joe aren’t looking for new friends – they have too many of their own problems to worry about. But when the four of them, and Charlie’s faithful dog, Sherlock, spot a phantom figure on Southwold beach one winter’s night, they are thrown together to unravel a mystery that none of them expected.

The deeper they dig, the bigger the adventure becomes – motorboats and tracking devices, bedroom breakouts and daring sea rescues are all in a day’s work for the After-School Detective Club. But when their investigations lead them into trouble with the police, there is only one thing left to do – they must go undercover for a final showdown with a ruthless gang of smugglers who will stop at nothing to get what they want.

best books for fans of the famous five

If you like The Famous Five, try these…

The Famous Five series by Enid Blyton has been charming readers for generations and is one of the best selling children’s series of all time. Fans enjoy the stories of unravelling mysteries, innocent adventures and the power of teamwork – not to mention lashings of ginger beer!

We’ve put together a list of ten similar books for fans of The Famous Five. Readers who love a good mystery to solve might enjoy The London Eye Mystery or The Mystery of the Whistling Caves – or for something with more of an interactive element, try Solve Your Own Mystery: The Monster Maker. Some children are drawn to stories about outdoor adventures and good clean fun, and we recommend the Clifftoppers series or Kat Wolfe Investigates. If you want a new full series to get stuck into after reading the Famous Five books, we recommend the Adventures on Trains series or the Demon Headmaster. For more stories about children working together and saving the day, try The Misfits Club or The Case of the Smuggler’s Curse.

Browse the full list below of books for children looking for what to read next after The Famous Five…



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Chapter book

When Brian, Hannah, and twins Chris and Sam start their summer holidays, they know it’s going to be the end of an era. The Misfits Club is disbanding and they still haven’t managed to solve any real mysteries. But when they persuade new club member, Amelia, to go and investigate a spooky old house, they unexpectedly discover some stolen goods. Could this be The Misfits’ chance for one last adventure as they try to track down the crooks behind the theft . . .?

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For Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh, holidays at their grandparents’ cottage mean wild beaches, no curfew, Bella the dog, and most of all – adventure!

A picnic at a stately home takes a suspicious turn when the cousins discover a jewel heist unfolding around them. But how can they take down a gang of clever thieves when all they’ve got is their bikes and a very risky plan? By being braver, smarter, and sneakier than the villains they’re chasing. . .

Fleur Hitchcock is famous for her excellent “thrillers for beginners”. This action-packed series takes 7+ readers on fantastic, realistic adventures.

 

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Secrets, mystery and bravery meet in this bestselling, gripping historical adventure, from critically-acclaimed Ann-Marie Howell.

OCTOBER, 1916.

Clara has been sent to stay with her aunt and uncle while England is at war. But when she reaches their cottage on an enormous country estate, Clara is plunged into a tangle of secrets… A dark, locked room, a scheming thief, and a mysterious boy who only appears at night.

Clara has a secret of her own too – a terrible one about her brother, fighting in the war. And as the secrets turn to danger, Clara must find the courage to save herself, and those around her…

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When Scott and Jack Carter have to stay with their great aunt for the summer they steel themselves for the most boring holiday ever. But then they meet Emily Wild and her loveable dog, Drift. Emily shows them the lighthouse, the castle – and the amazing whistling caves. Legend has it that when the caves stop whistling the castle will be attacked – and that’s exactly what happens!

Priceless treasures are stolen and Emily and the boys are determined to investigate. But how was the treasure smuggled out of the castle? Why did the caves stop whistling? And can the friends solve the mystery in time to catch the thief?

The first in an exciting new adventure series – with five more gripping mysteries to follow!

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Join brave Kat Wolfe and her animal sidekicks in this first mysterious adventure filled with friendship, freedom and a fierce wild cat!

Kat Wolfe loves her new home in idyllic Bluebell Bay, especially as it comes with a resident wildcat. But when she starts pet-sitting for pocket money, she finds that beneath the town’s perfect surface lie some dark and dangerous secrets . . .

After a pet owner vanishes from his clifftop mansion, Kat turns to her new friend, Harper Lamb, for help. What began as mystery-solving holiday fun quickly turns deadly for Wolfe and Lamb. Can they count on their unruly animals to save their lives?

Kat Wolfe Investigates is the first in a compelling middle-grade mystery series from bestselling author Lauren St John. Continue the adventures in Kat Wolfe Takes the Case .

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St Trinians and Lauren St John collide in this hilarious and thrilling bestselling adventure from Natasha Farrant!

When Alice Mistlethwaite is shipped off to boarding school in Scotland it’s nothing like she imagines. Run by the mysterious Major, there are no punishments and the students are more likely to be taught about body painting or extreme survival than maths or English!

Then Alice’s dad goes missing and she must run away to find him. Can she persuade her new friends to help?

So begins an epic quest across wild Scottish highlands and islands, where friendships will be made and broken, lies will be untangled and the children will face danger and excitement at every turn…

Both hilarious and heartfelt, this is the classic adventure story brought bang up to date, and told in Natasha’s inimitable voice.

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Katherine Woodfine’s bestselling debut novel. A fast-paced historical mystery adventure for readers aged 9+, with gorgeous Edwardian period detail. Perfect for fans of Enid Blyton, Chris Riddell’s Goth Girl and Robin Stevens’ Murder Most Unladylike series.

You are cordially invited to attend the Grand Opening of Sinclair’s department store!

Enter a world of bonbons, hats, perfumes and MYSTERIES around every corner. WONDER at the daring theft of the priceless CLOCKWORK SPARROW! TREMBLE as the most DASTARDLY criminals in London enact their wicked plans! GASP as our bold heroines, Miss Sophie Taylor and Miss Lilian Rose, CRACK CODES, DEVOUR ICED BUNS and vow to bring the villains to justice…

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The first marvellous murder mystery in the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series!

At Deepdean School for Girls, Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong have set up their own detective agency. But they are struggling to find any real crimes to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t.)

Then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. To add to the mystery, when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now Hazel and Daisy not only have a murder to solve: they have to prove one happened in the first place.

Determined to get to the bottom of the crime before the killer strikes again Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects and use all the cunning and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test?

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