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Topic: Reading for Pleasure

Non-fiction

The Big Book of Belonging is for all the children who like to climb trees, run barefoot, splash in paddles, search for bugs, sing with the birds, taste snowflakes and count the stars. By placing children at the heart of the natural world, the book celebrates our connection with planet Earth and reveals the often surprising similarities between humans, animals and plants.

Illustrated in Yuval Zommer’s inimitable style and packed with quirky natural history facts, readers will discover that sea otters hold hands just like humans do; hermit crabs have homes; and that butterflies also have bedtimes. They’ll learn that just as humans have unique fingerprints, zebras have different stripes, cowrie shells have distinct spots and that no two snowflakes are identical.

The book’s uplifting message will inspire environmentalists young and old alike – we all belong to nature, and nature belongs to us all.

Picturebook

Hom is the last of his kind. I don’t know what kind of creature he is, and nobody knows he exists… apart from me. When a boy washes up on a desert island, he is sure he’s on his own in the world. But there’s someone else living there: Hom, a peace-loving creature who has lost his family, too. Alone on the island together, they learn from each other and become the best of friends. So when a rescue ship appears on the horizon, the boy has a big decision to make…

Chapter book

Heart-stopping fantasy from the Costa-shortlisted and critically acclaimed author of the bestselling The Midnight Guardians.

Step into a world of faerie tricks and hidden danger…

When an evil faerie steals Yanni’s baby sister and swaps her for a changeling, Yanni is swept into a dangerous race against time to get her back.

For faeries delight in tricks and rescuing her won’t be easy. With the help of his cousin, Amy, and the reluctant changeling, Yanni must travel to goblin palaces and battle-swept oceans, discovering ancient treasures and secrets along the way.

Yanni will need every drop of courage and even a few tricks of his own, if he’s to outwit the faerie and save his sister…

Ross Montgomery brings the magical world of British folklore to life in this contemporary fantasy novel . Bursting with Ross’s trademark charm, humour and heart, and with echoes of David Bowie’s Labyrinth , The Chime Seekers is perfect reading for fans of Emma Carroll, Piers Torday and David Solomons.

Chapter book

What if you could befriend a cloud? What weather would you choose? What if the weather matched itself to your mood, whether you wanted it to, or not?

11-year-old Stella has returned home to Shetland to spend the summer with her Grandpa, but it’s nothing like she remembers. Grandpa is lost in his grief for Gran, the island is bleak and Stella feels trapped, until she encounters an old woman, Tamar, who can spin rainbows and call hurricanes.

With the help of Nimbus, a feisty young storm cloud, Stella begins to learn the craft of weather weaving. But when her cloud brain-fogs Grandpa and The Haken (a sea witch) starts to close in, she realises that magic comes with big responsibilities. It will take all her heart and courage to face the coming storm…

THE WEATHER WEAVER is essentially a Moana tale for Shetland; a coming of age story, intertwined with island myths and hidden magic. At its heart, the novel tackles the following themes: independence, the meaning of home, and the fallibility of grown-ups.

Chapter book

A record-smashing, feel-good adventure packed with heart, humour and Guinness World Records from Costa Award-shortlisted JENNY PEARSON, and Kid Normal illustrator Erica Salcedo

Lucy is a fixer of broken things. But there’s one thing she can’t fix and that’s her unhappy mum. Until she comes up with an INCREDIBLE plan. Along with her best friend, Sandesh, Lucy is going to SMASH a world record.

Because she’s convinced that starry Paul Castellini – Record Smashers TV host and singing legend – is the answer to her mum’s problems. But breaking a world RECORD when watermelons, kumquats, two baddies and a 30 cm shatter-resistant school ruler are involved isn’t quite as easy as Lucy thought. Can she learn that sometimes happiness doesn’t come with a plan?

Non-fiction

Dive into this stunning guide that explores the underwater world, its wildlife, the challenges it’s facing and how you can help to protect it.

Join your sea turtle guide as you navigate every inch of our oceans, from the sunlit surface to the deepest, darkest depths.

This beautiful book will help you explore the five oceans on our planet, meeting the creatures who live there and finding out just how their incredible surroundings work. From tides and currents, to migrations and conservation, see our oceans in action and learn how you can help to save them. This is a great follow-up to the very successful A Cat’s Guide to the Night Sky , as it introduces young readers to our oceans, the underwater wildlife and the natural phenomena that take place as well as discussing the challenges we’re currently facing and what we can do to help save our big blue world. The book contains a glossary and is suitable for children aged 6+.

Written by expert author Catherine Barr, who previously worked as the Greenpeace Sea Turtle campaigner, and with gorgeous artwork from celebrated illustrator Brendan Kearney, this is a must-have for all young readers.

Chapter book

Otherland is a dangerous magical underworld – a place where appearances can be deceiving and anything can happen. A world of gods, vampires, and fairies. It’s also… horrible.

When life-long friends Myra and Rohan discover that Rohan’s baby sister Shilpa has been stolen and taken to Otherland, the only way to rescue her is by taking part in a deadly game – three impossible challenges set by the Fairy Queen of Otherland. Win the game, and Rohan and Myra can go home with Shilpa – but lose, and they’ll be trapped in Otherland forever…

A darkly funny, action-packed fantasy adventure, perfect for fans of The Strangeworlds Travel Agency, Malamander, and The Land of Roar, from the author of the highly-acclaimed Dragon in the Library series.

Chapter book

Have you ever thought what it might be like if you were famous in the future? A brilliant adventure for fans of Ross Welford – a story about friendship, courage and embracing our talents even when they make us stand out.

On the day Alex was born, crowds surrounded the hospital. On her first day of school, people spied from the gates. And recently, strangers came to watch her perform in her school play … as the llama.

But why? Alex has always been a nobody.

Then a mysterious boy named Jasper starts at school and he alone seems to know the answer. But before he can tell Alex, he disappears … into the future. Can Alex brave traveling into the future to discover what’s happened to him and to unravel the secret of her own astonishing destiny … before time runs out?

Chapter book

In a remote Nigerian village, thirteen-year-old Simi is desperate to uncover a family secret…

WINNER OF THE 2019 TIMES/CHICKEN HOUSE CHILDREN’S FICTION COMPETITION

City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village. There’s no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside.

Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she’s tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what?

Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring. Caught in the sinking red quicksand of a forbidden lake, her fantastical journey begins …

A richly imagined magical fantasy adventure set in West Africa by a prize-winning new voice in children’s writing.

Introduces readers to Yoruba myths and legends whilst showcasing the wealth of culture, traditions, adventure, fun, joy, celebrations, music, pride and love found in Nigeria.

Beautifully explores themes of grief and belonging.

Efua is the winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2018.

Chapter book

A brilliantly imagined new 8+ adventure about resilience, family and hope. From the bestselling and Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlisted author of BOY IN THE TOWER. Perfect for fans of Ross Welford, Lisa Thompson and Onjali Rauf.

Rule number one: Always be prepared . . .

Billy’s mum isn’t like other mums. All she wants is to teach him the Rules of Survival – how to make fire, build shelter and find food . She likes to test Billy on the rules until one day she goes too far, and Billy is sent to live with a dad he barely knows.

Then the world changes forever as people begin to be infected with a mysterious virus that turns their skin grey. As chaos breaks out, Billy has to flee the city. Suddenly he realises that this is what his mum was preparing him for – not just to save his family, but to save the whole world.

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