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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Hans Richter

Friedrich and his best friend were growing up in Germany in the early 1930s. At first, Friedrich seemed to be the more fortunate, but when Hitler came to power, things began to change. Friedrich was expelled from school and became an orphan when his mother died and his father was arrested and deported. 
 
This is a terrifying story of the destruction of a single Jewish family.

Friedrich

Beverley Naidoo

The Mau Mau &ndash; the name of a secret society that once struck terror into the hearts of British settlers in Kenya. An episode in history that ended in a State of Emergency, with violent and brutal acts dividing a nation. 
 
This is an intensely personal and vivid story of two boys: one black, one white. Once they were friends even though their circumstances are very different. But in a country riven by fear and prejudice, even the best of friends can betray one another . . . 
 
Internationally acclaimed and award-winning author Beverley Naidoo explores new territory in this beautifully realized and moving story set in Britain's colonial past.

Burn My Heart

Eve Edwards

1584 - Surrey, England 
 
When Lady Jane Rievaulx begins service to the Queen at Richmond Palace, she is thrilled at the court's newest arrival . . . Master James Lacey. 
 
Despite her previous courtship with his older brother, James is the man she truly loves. And for his part, he cannot deny his fascination with her. However, James is setting sail on a treacherous journey to the Americas, seeking absolution for what he sees as past sins. 
 
But when Lady Jane is forced into a terrible situation by her own family, there is only one man to save her. Will Master James return to his lady &shy;- before it's too late?

The Queen's Lady

Aidan Chambers

Jacob arrives in Holland, aged 17, travelling alone for the first time.  He is there for the commemoration of the Second World War Battle of Arnhem, where his grandfather had fought. Jacob's exploration of contemporary Amsterdam and the fascinating people he meets there interweaves with the passionate story about his grandfather he learns from Geertrui, an elderly lady whose family is linked to Jacob's in a way he never suspected.  A beautiful, multi-layered novel about love, discovery and betrayal, which will enrapture young adult readers.

Postcards from No Man's Land

K M Grant

Will longs to be a knight, like his older brother Gavin. Then he could ride a charger, fight bravely in the Crusades for King Richard, and win the heart of a fair maiden. All he needs is a horse. And when he chooses one, he chooses well - a small chestnut stallion with a blaze on its forehead. There's something different about Hosanna - but Will doesn't know how important Hosanna will be to him, to his family, even to Saladin. 
 
In the Holy Land, Will learns that being a knight is bloody, brutal and often terrifying. His father is killed, his brother desperately injured, and Will finds himself closer to his enemy than he ever expected - but his small chestnut horse teaches him what it really means to be brave, to be noble, and to be fair.

Blood Red Horse

Spring 1193 
 
Just returned from the Crusades, brothers Gavin and Will find home changed more than they'd expected - in fact home is a very dangerous place indeed. 
 
Ellie is reluctantly preparing for her wedding to Gavin. He's not the problem - marriage is. To Ellie, it means a) servitude, b) no independence and c) certain death in childbirth before she's 18. But marriage, it turns out, is the least of her worries. King Richard has been declared dead and his brother John is claiming the throne. Hartslove castle is attacked on the day of the wedding - and Ellie is kidnapped by one of Prince John's supporters. Gavin knows he should try to rescue her - but can't help thinking that a one-armed knight is no use to anyone, especially a beautiful girl like Ellie. It's left to William and his horse Hosanna to rescue Ellie and prove that King Richard is still alive - but success in both is marred by a tragedy that none of them will ever forget. 
 
The heartbreaking sequel to K. M. Grant's brilliant debut novel, BLOOD RED HORSE

Green Jasper

Esther Hautzig

Esther Rudomin was ten years old when, in 1941, she and her family were arrested by the Russians for being 'capitalists' and transported to the endless steppe of Siberia. This is the very moving true story of the next five years spent in exile, of how the Rudomins kept their courage high, though they went barefoot and hungry.

The Endless Steppe

Mildred Taylor

A sequel to the universally acclaimed Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, continuing in the story of the Logan family in Mississippi during the Depression. The children, especially Cassie, are happy in their warm, stable family but outside is a climate of fear and tension. Their friend T.J. goes on trial for murder and stands before an all-white jury. Cousin Suzella tries to pass for white, with humiliating consequences. And when Cassie's neighbour stands up for her right to vote she and her cousin are driven from their home. Cassie is realising what it means to grow up black and powerless, but her family stand together, proving that courage, love and understanding can defy even the deepest prejudices.

Let the Circle be Unbroken

Martin Booth

Nicholas Highgate, separated from his parents during the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong, is smuggled to the mainland by his Chinese nurse and disguised as a Chinese boy. As he grows to manhood he witnesses the atrocities and deprivations of the Japanese occupation and is himself drawn into the Communist resistance activities. The book ends when the Japanese surrender and Nicholas is reunited with what remains of his family.

Music on the Bamboo Radio

1586 - London, England 
 
Sixteen-year-old Mercy Hart is the daughter of one of London's richest - and strictest - cloth merchants. 
 
Kit Turner is an actor and the illegitimate son of the late Earl of Dorset. A chance encounter finds Kit falling for the beautiful Mercy's charms, but their love is forbidden. A merchant's daughter and a vagabond - it simply cannot be. 
 
If Mercy chooses Kit she must renounce her family name and leave her home. Will she favour duty over true love, or will she give Kit his heart's desire?

The Rogue's Princess

Ruta Sepetys

The haunting and powerful Second World War novel by Ruta Sepetys that inspired the major feature film, out now. 
 
One night fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother and young brother are hauled from their home by Soviet guards, thrown into cattle cars and sent away. They are being deported to Siberia. 
 
An unimaginable and harrowing journey has begun. Lina doesn't know if she'll ever see her father or her friends again. But she refuses to give up hope. 
 
Lina hopes for her family. 
For her country. 
For her future. 
For love - first love, with the boy she barely knows but knows she does not want to lose . . . 
 
Will hope keep Lina alive? 
 
Set in 1941, Ashes in the Snow, originally published as Between Shades of Gray, is an extraordinary and haunting story based on first-hand family accounts and memories from survivors.

Ashes in the Snow

Previously Between Shades of Gray

John Boyne

This ELT Graded Reader is made for people learning English as an additional language. The short, simple text is also perfect for anyone looking for an easier read. It is an adapted version of the original story. 
 
In this story, Bruno's father gets a new job, and the family have to move from Berlin, Germany, to a new place. There is a strange camp at the end of the garden. Bruno is very unhappy and bored until he meets Shmuel. The two boys become very good friends. But why is Shmuel in the camp? And why is he wearing striped pyjamas? 
 
Our Penguin Readers books include: 
<ul><li>Simple text (CEFR-levelled)</li><li>Pictures to help you understand the story</li><li>Fun exercises to help you learn and practise English</li></ul> 
With the print book, you can get even more help online: 
<ul><li>Read the book online</li><li>Listen to the book being read out loud</li><li>Get lesson plans for teachers</li><li>Find answers to check your understanding</li></ul> 
Note: online resources not available with the eBook.

Penguin Readers Level 4: The Boy in Striped Pyjamas (ELT Graded Reader)

Abridged Edition

Ngadi Smart

There are things you can't back down on, things you gotta take a stand on. But it's up to you to decide what them things are. 
Cassie Logan can't understand why her father is so proud of his land and farming his own crops. Her family refuses to sell their fields to a local man despite persistent pressure to do so, but for her parents the land is a symbol of sanctuary. 
 
Over the course of a year, Cassie must learn about standing up for what's right and picking your battles whilst she and her family navigate racism in its various forms; from the 'night riders' that terrorise her community, to the everyday prejudice that permeates life in 1930s Mississippi. 
 
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a powerful story of family, self-respect and strength, set against the turbulent backdrop of the Jim Crow South.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

England, 1582 
 
ELLIE - Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime - is in possession of a gold-seeking father, a worthless title and a feisty spirit that captivates the elite of the Queen's court, and none other than the handsome new Earl of Dorset . . . 
 
WILLIAM LACEY has inherited his father's title and his financial ruin. Now the Earl must seek a wealthy heiress and restore his family's fortune. 
 
But Will's head has been turned by the gorgeous Ellie, yet their union can never be. Will is destined to marry a worthy Lady so the only question is - which one . . . ?

The Other Countess

Morris Gleitzman

Loyal Creatures is the deeply moving story of war horse Daisy and her 15-year-old owner Will, sent from the Australian outback to the gruelling Middle Eastern campaign of the First World War. Their skill in finding water is vital to their regiment in the desert, but their devotion to each other is what keeps them alive in an overwhelmingly hostile environment. Is their unwavering loyalty enough to determine their destiny? 
 
This superbly affecting and fascinating story was inspired by Michael Morpurgo's international bestseller War Horse. Morris Gleitzman is the author of the highly acclaimed war novels Once, Then, Now and After.

Loyal Creatures

Smucker Barbara

There's a place the slaves been whisperin' around called Canada. The law don't allow no slavery there. They say you follow the North Star, and when you step onto this land you are free . . . 
 
Taken away from her mother by a ruthless slave trader, all Julilly has left is the dream of freedom. Every day that she spends huddled in the slaver trader's wagon travelling south or working on the brutal new plantation, she thinks about the land where it is possible to be free, a land she and her friend Liza may reach someday. So when workers from the Underground Railroad offer to help the two girls escape, they are ready. But the slave catchers and their dogs will soon be after them . . .

Underground to Canada

Time is running out for William de Granville. King Richard is captive, his country in jeopardy and the future of both lie in Will's hands. But deceit lurks even in the most unexpected places. Can Will complete the dangerous journey to rescue the king? And will he ever find true happiness with Ellie, his childhood sweetheart? 
 
Epic, romantic adventure that works brilliantly for girls and boys aged 11+.

Blaze of Silver

Lensey Namioka

Set in China in 1900s the story of a young girl who defied tradition by refusing to have her feet bound and in doing so changed the course of her life forever.

Ties That Bind, Ties That Break

The Mississippi of the 1930s was a hard place for a black child to grow up in, but still Cassie didn't understand why farming his own land meant so much to her father. During that year, though, when the night riders were carrying hatred and destruction among her people, she learned about the great differences that divided them, and when it was worth fighting for a principle even if it brought even worse hardships.

Lauren Wolk

'Harper Lee has a worthy successor. Wolk is a big new talent' - The Times 
 
'Lyrical, timeless . . . A luscious, shivery delight' Kirkus 
 
1933. When Ellie and her family lose everything, they flee to Echo Mountain. Ellie runs wild, exploring the mountain's mysteries. But the one she can't solve is who's leaving the gifts for her: tiny wooden carvings of animals and flowers, dotted around the mountain for her to find. 
 
Then Ellie's father has a terrible accident. When she sets out to find a cure for him, she discovers Cate, the outcast witch, and Larkin, a wild mountain boy. From them she learns about being a healer, being brave - and how there can be more to a person than first meets the eye. 
 
An unforgettable novel from the award-winning author of Wolf Hollow and Beyond the Bright Sea. 
 
'It is a magical thing to step into a world created by Wolk . . . Captivating' Booklist

Echo Mountain

Anna Godbersen

It's a brand-new year and in this dramatic conclusion to the Luxe saga, the future of Manhattan's favourite socialites is looking decidedly different from the ones they had imagined for themselves. 
 
With old ties being broken and new ones formed, every decision comes at cost. And who knows who can afford it . . .

Splendour

A Luxe novel

The fabulous sequel to Bright Young Things. 
 
Scandal, intrigue, and romance follow three beautiful young women, Letty, Cordelia and Astrid, as they each try to find love and fortune in glamorous Jazz Age New York.

Beautiful Days

Philip Pullman

Brought to you by Penguin. 
 
Tick, tock, tick, tock! Some stories are like that. Once you've wend them up, nothing will stop them ... 
 
A tormented apprentice clock-maker, a deadly mechanical knight in armour - and the sinister Dr Kalmenius, who some say is the devil ... Wind up these characters, fit them into a story on a cold winter's evening, with the snow swirling down, and suddenly life and the story begin to merge in a peculiarly macabre - and unstoppable - way. 
 
Almost like clockwork ... 
 
© Philip Pullman 1996 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Clockwork

Sasha Gould

Laura della Scala knows nothing beyond the convent walls which have trapped and bound her since she was twelve years old. 
 
A single night will change her life. 
 
She will soon learn the difference between an arranged marriage and true, reckless love. 
 
Venice is a dangerous city. Intrigue, romance and power lie at its heart and secrets run through the blood of its rulers. 
 
They call Laura 'La Muta'. The Silent One. She is about to break her silence . . .but at what cost?

Cross My Heart

R J Palacio

From the bestselling author of Wonder comes White Bird: now a major film starring Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, Bryce Gheisar, Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson. 
 
Sara Blum lives an idyllic life. But her world comes crashing down when the Nazi occupation arrives in her small French town, separating her from her parents and forcing the young Jewish girl into hiding. Sara's classmate Julien and his family will risk everything to ensure her survival, and together, Sara and Julien manage to find beauty in a secret world of their creation. 
 
Originally published as a graphic novel, and featuring characters from the multi-million-copy-selling phenomenon Wonder, Sara and Julien's powerful, heartbreaking and timeless story is told here for the first time as a novel, and shows the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives in the darkest of times.

White Bird

A Wonder Story

Ladybird

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
Sundiata the Lion King and Other Royal Tales, a Level 2 Reader, is A1+ in the CEFR framework. Sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the future tenses will and going to, present continuous for future meaning, and comparatives and superlatives. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages. 
 
The people in these four stories come from different places. But they have many of the same hopes and problems. They have to be brave, and they often have to fight for their family or kingdom.

Penguin Readers Level 2: Sundiata the Lion King and Other Royal Tales (ELT Graded Reader)

Anthony McCarten

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
Darkest Hour, a Level 6 Reader, is B1+ in the CEFR framework. The longer text is made up of sentences with up to four clauses, introducing future continuous, reported questions, third conditional, was going to and ellipsis. A small number of illustrations support the text. 
 
It is May 1940. Western countries are falling into Nazi hands. Britain must prepare to be invaded any day. The future of the world lies on the shoulders of one man. This is the story of how British Prime Minister Winston Churchill changed history over twenty-five difficult days during World War II.

Penguin Readers Level 6: Darkest Hour (ELT Graded Reader)

'Harper Lee has a worthy successor. Wolk is a big new talent' The Times 
 
Several months have passed since devastating events changed the sleepy community of Wolf Hollow forever. 
 
Annabelle, still trying to make sense of her own part in them, is caught in a wild and sudden summer storm - and struck by lightning. She wakes with a memory: a fist, pounding on her heart, bringing her back to life. But there is no sign of whoever saved her, and Annabelle cannot understand who would do such a thing and then flee. 
 
To her surprise, Annabelle's brush with lightning leaves her with a strange and beautiful gift: an uncanny connection with the animals around her, and an ability to understand their deepest fears and feelings. And when several newcomers arrive in her life - as well as a figure from the past - Annabelle must use her heightened senses to discover the truth about them all. 
 
A stunning coming of age novel about forgiveness, friendship and our powerful connection with the natural world, from the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of Wolf Hollow, Beyond the Bright Sea and Echo Mountain. 
 
'It is a magical thing to step into a world created by Wolk' Booklist

My Own Lightning

Karyn Parsons

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
How High the Moon, a Level 4 Reader, is A2+ in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, introducing more complex uses of present perfect simple, passives, phrasal verbs and simple relative clauses. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear regularly. 
 
Ella lives in a small, Southern town in the 1940s. In the USA at this time, black people are treated badly by white people. Ella's mother lives in Boston, but Ella does not know who her father is. When Ella visits her mother, she learns more about herself and the world.

Penguin Readers Level 4: How High The Moon (ELT Graded Reader)

NO TURNING BACK is the powerful and moving story of Sipho and his struggle to survive on the city streets of South Africa in the 1990s. Society is on the brink of a huge change but will it make any difference to the tough life of Sipho and the other street kids? When Sipho is befriended by a white shopkeeper and his daughter it feels as though his luck might be about to change but is he really safe?

No Turning Back

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