Joseph Delaney used to be an English teacher, before becoming the best-selling author of the Spook's series, which has been published in 30 countries and sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. The first book, The Spook's Apprentice, was adapted into a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

Joseph Delaney

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Jeanne Birdsall

The Penderwicks: four sisters, as different as chalk from cheese, yet as close as can be. 
 
The eldest, Rosalind, is responsible and practical; Skye, stubborn and feisty; dreamy, artistic, budding novelist, Jane; and shy little Batty, who doesn't go anywhere without her butterfly wings. And not forgetting Hound, their large lumbering lovable dog. 
 
The four girls and their absent-minded father head off for their summer holidays, but instead of the cosy tumbledown cottage they expect, they find themselves on a huge estate called Arundel, with magnificent gardens ripe for exploring. It isn't long before they become embroiled in all sorts of scrapes with new-found friend, Jeffrey - but his mother, the icy-hearted Mrs Tifton, must be avoided at all costs. Chaotic adventures ensue, and it soon becomes a summer the sisters will never forget...

The Penderwicks

Jonathan Kebbe

Bright, sporty and popular, Lorcan Lynch seems to have it all. But when his heroic dad is jailed, Lorcan is sent off to an eccentric aunt in the West of Ireland. Here the city boy faces thorny challenges - a new school and its spiteful bullies, and a girl called Blaise who's looking for someone to help save ill-treated animals on a neighbouring island. Plagues by asthma attacks and self-doubt, has No-Flinch Lynch the courage - or the lungs - to lead a perilous rescue mission?

No-Flinch Lynch

Chris Riddell

Paul Stewart

Corby Flood and her family are about to set sail on the rather ramshackle cruise ship, the S.S. Euphonia. Her boisterous brothers might not have noticed that anything is wrong, but Corby is highly observant and has a lot of time for note-taking and eavesdropping. Onboard, amongst all the odd passengers and eccentric crew, there is a strange group of men in bowler-hats who call themselves The Brotherhood of Clowns. There's also a melancholy wailing sound coming from the hold. It's strictly out of bounds but Corby can't help investigating. What could be inside the crate she discovers down in the hold? As the ship arrives at its destination, Corby must enlist the help of some very well moustachioed locals to uncover the contents of the crate and the dark secrets of the menacing Clowns...

Corby Flood

Annie Barrows

Miri has a few problems: 
- She's the middle child, stuck between two sets of twins. 
- She's been sent to her room for smacking one of her brothers over the head with a shovel. 
- Her room has the ugliest wallpaper in the world. 
 
But when Miri sees a little piece of glass taped to her bedroom wall and decides to take a peek through it, she finds she has a much bigger problem to deal with . . . Suddenly, she's not in her bedroom anymore. Instead, she's face to face with Molly, a girl who insists that the room is hers, that the year is 1935, and that Miri has come to save her. 
 
Undaunted by the barest of clues, the meanest of cousins and the mystery of time itself, Miri and Molly find that magic is really just a way of setting things right.

The Magic Half

Keith Gray

Jason has had enough of his parents' arguments. He's running away to stay with his brother in Liverpool. On the train journey he meets a 'runner' called Jam, who lives on the monster Intercity trains and stations. His carefree and adventurous life sounds so exciting that Jason begins to think he might join Jam. Then Jason discovers Jam's secret.

The Runner

Joel Stewart

Stanley Wells is an ordinary boy, who happens to be quite curious. His friends are the mysterious Dr Moon and his canine companion Morcambe. Together they seem to stumble upon strange happenings and trip over mysteries that just need solving... 
 
Stanley is sleeping in the caravan at the bottom of the garden of his new house. He awakes at the sound of an odd whooooomphing noise and goes to investigate. There appear to be new trees in the garden... very odd. And now his mum and the twins are missing - could these things be connected. And what about Jim, the old man who lives in the woods with his parrot telling tales of the sea? Could he be involved somehow. Dr Moon is the only person who can help Stanley with this puzzle and luckily he's on his way...

Tree Soup: A Stanley Wells Mystery

Jacqueline Wilson

Nick Sharratt

Verity adores her cat, Mabel, and is desperately sad when she dies. Remembering her recent school lessons about the Ancient Egyptians, Verity decides to mummify Mabel and keep her hidden. Verity's dad and grandparents can't bear to talk about death, having lost Verity's mum several years ago - but when they eventually discover what Verity has done, the whole family realises it's time to talk. 
 
A superb handling of bereavement in Jacqueline Wilson's uniquely accessible and enjoyable style, for younger readers.

The Cat Mummy

Sandi Toksvig

When Amber, the littlest Viking, set out from Scandinavia to seek her fortune she must have got lost on her way! Now she's in Pegwell Bay with no one but her pet squirrel for company. When Katie, Gary and Joshua find her stranded on the beach, they decide to look after her. Now there's a Viking living in their garden! 
 
Having a Viking in the family isn't always easy. But when the garden is threatened by a nasty neighbour, Amber has some unusual - and hilarious - solutions to their problems . . .

The Littlest Viking

K M Peyton

Ros falls instantly in love with the beautiful black and white pony that she discovers tethered in a field near her home. She has always longed for a pony of her own. If only he belonged to her . . . 
 
But Badger (as Ros and her friend, Leo, name the pony) belongs to someone else, and Ros watches with mounting horror as she sees the way his real owners treat him. At first it is just neglect, but worse is to come and, as the long cold winter nights draw in, Ros knows that she can no longer bear to stand by and see the once-beautiful pony suffer. Together with Leo she hatches a desperate plan – a plan to rescue poor Badger . . .

Poor Badger

A brilliantly inventive, fabulously illustrated addition to the Far-Flung Adventure series from the award-winning, bestselling author and illustrator team, Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. Set in the same world as Fergus Crane and Corby Flood's stories, this is the tale of a small boy, Hugo Pepper, and his amazing exploits. Raised in the Frozen North by reindeer herders, his parents eaten by polar bears when he was just a baby, Hugo discovers that the sled they arrived in has a very special compass - one that can be set to 'Home'. And so Hugo arrives in Firefly Square - to discover a group of very special friends, and a dastardly enemy... With three-toed snowmen, a secret buried treasure and a host of fabulous stories, this is a fantastic new tale in this series.

Hugo Pepper

Linda Newbery

Tomas wants to be like his father – strong, brave and fearless. Pappi is a mountain guide, often away from home. He has taught Tomas to love the mountains, but also to fear their dangers – the winds and blizzards, the treacherous paths, the giddying slopes. 
 
Above all, Tomas fears the Brockenspectre – a huge, shadowy creature that lives alone in the heights, waiting for unwary climbers. Its looming figure haunts his thoughts and his dreams. 
 
When Pappi goes out one day and fails to return, Tomas knows it’s up to him to search – up on the high mountain passes, where dangers await. 
 
Will Tomas find his father . . . or will the Brockenspectre find him?

The Brockenspectre

Anne Fine

Tuffy doesn't feel wanted at home any more. His owners just don't appreciate him. So what if he broke the new TV? Got fur on all Dad's clean clothes? Ate Tinkerbell the kitten's special kitten-food? All accidents! But they're making such a fuss! 
 
So Tuffy decides to make a break for it. He bids farewell to the gang - Snowball, Tiger and Bella - and runs away. But starting a new life isn't easy, and soon Tuffy starts to wonder if he's made a terrible mistake . . .

The Killer Cat Runs Away

FERGUS CRANE! YOU ARE IN GREAT DANGER! I AM SENDING HELP. Signed T. C., your long-lost Uncle Theo 
 
Fergus Crane has an almost ordinary life - having lessons taught by rather odd teachers on the school ship Betty Jeanne, helping his mother in the bakery. But then a mysterious flying box appears at the window of his waterfront home - and Fergus is plunged headlong into an exciting adventure! The box is followed by a winged mechanical horse that whisks him off to meet his long-lost uncle and his penguin helpers, Finn, Bill and Jackson. Fergus finds out that his teachers are not quite what they seem - they're actually pirates! Can Fergus and his winged horse save his schoolmates from the far-off Fire Island? And who else will he find there...?

Fergus Crane

Dave Shelton

A boy and a bear go to sea, equipped with a suitcase, a comic book and a ukulele. They are only travelling a short distance and it really shouldn't take long. But their journey doesn't quite go to plan . . . 
 
Faced with turbulent storms, a terrifying sea monster and the rank remains of a very dangerous sandwich, the odds are against our unlikely heroes. Will the Harriet, their trusted vessel, withstand the violent lashings of the salty waves? And will anyone ever answer their message in a bottle? 
 
Brilliantly funny and tender, this beautiful book maps the growth of a truly memorable friendship and explores how, when all else is lost, the most unexpected joys can be found.

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat

Nicola Davies

Michael, a young boy growing up on the tropical island of Rose Town, has been saving up for his own fishing boat for years. But when a terrible storm wrecks his home, Michael is forced to take a job working for a rich, mysterious newcomer named Spargo. 
 
Spargo asks Michael to search for one thing in the deep waters around Rose Town - whales . . .

Whale Boy

Stanley Wells is a very ordinary boy. But one day he finds himself caught up in a very strange adventure. He meets the mysterious Dr Moon and his canine companion Morcambe - and encounters the terrifying effects of a Wenlock. After being thrown from a train, he realises he's just going to have to get on with things and somehow unravel the mystery of Sorrows, Wenlocks, the blank-faced children he sees all around him . . . and the captivating Umiko. 
 
A truly original work, filled with fascinating characters and strange happenings, from this unique talent. Features Joel's original artwork on every spread.

The Trouble with Wenlocks: A Stanley Wells Mystery

Malorie Blackman

Imagine that a small, furry alien who has crash landed on Earth appears on top of your wardrobe. What would you do? Ben isn’t sure about Whizziwig at first, but when he discovers her ability to grant wishes, he is keen to help her. There is one catch however; she can only grant wishes made by accident, so pretty soon some rather strange things begin to happen. You have to be careful what you say around her, or all your wishes might just come true!

Whizziwig is a small, furry alien who has crash-landed on Earth and ended up on top of Ben's wardrobe. Once Ben has recovered from the shock of this unexpected arrival he's delighted to learn that Whizziwig is a 'wish-giver' able to turn wishes into reality. But it's not as straightforward as it sounds. The wishes have to be made for someone else, and by accident, so it isn't long before some very strange, and very funny, things start happening.

Whizziwig and Whizziwig Returns Omnibus

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