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

PublicationStatus

Brand

Format

AgeRange

Series

Imprint

CategoryLabel

They heard shouting, and cries of fear. Crafty looked down the slope and realised what had happened to cause so much panic. Without warning, the dark wall of the Shole had advanced. 
 
Crafty can't remember a time before the Shole - the terrifying mist that has engulfed most of Britain, leaving those trapped in it to either die or be transformed into horrifying monsters: the aberrations. Crafty has been stuck in his family's cellar for nearly a year, his only companions his restless, whispering dead brothers, and an unusually friendly aberration he names the Bog Queen. 
 
But then Crafty's life abruptly changes. He is ordered to report to the Castle, where he will train as a gate grub - operators of magical portals that allow the mysterious guild of Gatemancers to explore within the Shole. It is a dangerous job, with a very short life expectancy... 
 
To survive, Crafty will have to use every inch of his cunning - whatever the cost.

The Beast Awakens

We are entering a new age of darkness. Hell has grown in power and neither priest nor Spook can do anything about it. So go home now while you can . . . 
 
Years have passed since Wulf and Tilda vanished from the County. Alice and Tom have given up hope of ever seeing them again - until a terrible enemy from the past forces them to take drastic action, and reach out through time in a bid for help. 
 
Now Wulf faces the greatest and most powerful demon who has ever walked the Dark: the Fiend. He will have to use all his powers - and gather some new ones - to have even a chance of survival . . .

Brother Wulf: The Last Spook

Crafty halted, his heart lurching with fear, his mouth dry. There were bare footprints in the white snow, and each one was smeared with red, as if the owner of those clawed feet had stepped in a puddle of blood . . . 
 
Crafty and his friends have already faced dozens of horrifying aberrations during their time as Castle Gate Grubs - assistants to the mysterious guild of Gatemancers, who fight against the terrifying Shole. But the real battle is only just beginning. New and even more dangerous aberrations are appearing all the time, and worse yet, it seems someone from within the Castle is helping them attack. And when an old enemy returns to give Crafty a disturbing warning, it seems time might be running out for all of them . . .

The Witch's Warning

Sibéal Pounder

The night Joe Bones spots a cloaked figure leaving his gran’s house, he's sure that something is afoot. So, when he hears that his gran has passed away he’s convinced the mysterious man has something to do with her death . . . 
 
Then Joe discovers that his gran was keeping a secret . . . she was part of an ancient society called Fright Club, investigators of crimes in supernatural hidden worlds ­– from Clinks, the world of skeletons, to the ghostly Veilooo and demon-filled Devilbend. So, Joe convinces his three best friends, Hal, Debbie and Rose to revive the club and track down the mysterious figure to find out what really happened to his gran. 
 
What Joe doesn’t know is that each of his friends has a supernatural secret of their own and starting their own Fright Club could unleash a whole heap of trouble . . . 
 
A spooky new Middle-Grade series from Sibéal Pounder, bestselling author of Witch Wars, Bad Mermaids, with a fun choose-your-character twist!

Fright Club: Let's Boo This!

Clare Harlow

Ista Flit and her friends Nat and Ruby have foiled a dastardly plot by the Hettle family to take control of the town of Shelwich, but Ista still needs to find her missing father. 
 
A magical key transports her to the mysterious Glass Island, where a sinister monster haunts the reed-beds, and the local inhabitants are falling under the seductive spell of the marsh spinners. 
 
Boldly venturing into the marsh spinner court, Ista and her friends will need all their wits and Tidemagic to resist its magical pull. Can they find Ista’s father, or will they be lost forever to the power of the spinners’ sinister music . . . ?

Tidemagic: Ista Flit and the Impossible Key

John Robertson

Louis Ghibault

In a town surrounded by deadly mist, and filled with oddities, two young siblings become orphans. 
 
And that's the best thing that's happened to them all day. 
 
Howard Howard was a Wrecker (a brute and bully by profession) who was brutal and bullish to his children - Aubrey and Aubrey's Sister. Howard Howard deserved to be turned into mince, and thanks to a mysterious duo called The Grinders, that's exactly what happened to Howard Howard. 
 
Hunted by the police and their father's gang of Wreckers, the siblings find some new friends to help keep them safe: a talented burglar named Charlie (who has no bones, but a great moustache) and a sword-wielding assassin named Calo (who has a sword, duh.) 
 
In a town already revelling in its own chaos and with new dangers around every corner, Aubrey's Sister and Aubrey stumble into a world of secrets, myths and monsters.

The Little Town of Marrowville

Steve Rogers

'Welcome to Fright Night! Tonight&rsquo;s destination is . . . Ireland: at the Shrieking Stones of Bray.' 
 
The cast and crew of Fright Night are roaming the country in search of all things spooooooky. Just when it seems the ghosts and ghouls are staying hidden, twins Adam and Lana make a chilling discovery, which leads them to an eerie circle of standing stones. 
 
Something very sinister awaits them &ndash; and the question isn&rsquo;t what, but WHO is lurking inside? 
 
First in a brilliantly creepy new series. Perfect for boys and girls of 8+ who love to be seriously spooked!

Fright Night: The Shrieking Stones

Sam Copeland

Sarah Horne

Greta Woebegone did not believe in ghosts until the day she was knocked over by a car and almost died. Then everything changed... 
 
Now Greta can not only see the spirits that haunt her ancestral home - she can talk to them too, from her grumpy Grandpa Woebegone and Percy the poo-pushing plague victim, to the sinister spook in the cellar. 
 
Can Greta help the ghosts avoid being exorcised (a fate worse than undeath)? Can the ghosts help Greta stop her beloved Grandma being put in a home? And can they all help each other overcome the pain in their past that's holding them back from the future? 
 
From the acclaimed author of Charlie Changes Into a Chicken comes a touching and side-splitting new story guaranteed to delight readers of nine and up.

Greta and the Ghost Hunters

Joan Aiken

A series of children's modern classic novels by renowned 20th century children's writers. All the titles in this series have the A Puffin Book logo, contemporary-style covers, and child-friendly endnotes.

Rediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this thrilling edition of The Shadow Guests. 
 
Following the double disappearance of his mother and older brother, Cosmo Curtoy is sent to live with his strange cousin in England. 
 
When he arrives, Cosmo decides to explore the ancient Mill House on his cousins' estate - where he meets the Mill's spirited guests. . . 
 
But can he trust them? 
 
Join Cosmo on this supernatural time-travelling adventure and break the Curtoy's curse!

The Shadow Guests

Allan Ahlberg

The Burrell family could never have foreseen the consequences of adopting the tiny stray kitten that appeared when David was twelve. But the sweet cat is not as harmless as it seems, and soon has them completely under its sinister spell. The only one unaffected, David concocts a plan to rescue his family - but will it work?

The Improbable Cat

Hayley Hoskins

Gloucester, 1918. 
 
Nin and Lemon Esmond share a special bond. They're sisters - twins - whisperlings. Which means they have the power to speak with ghosts. 
 
Britain is at war, and Lemon - the more daring of the pair - is frustrated that they have to stay at home. Surely they can use their special gift to help in some way? 
 
Nin doesn't share her sister's need for adventure, but when they see reports of missing whisperlings in the papers, the twins know they must work together to solve what's happening...before they're next. 
 
Yet what awaits them on the dark streets of Gloucester isn't simply an adventure, but a battle of their very own... 
 
Praise for The Whisperling: 
 
'A thrilling Gothic page-tuner' - Jacqueline Wilson 
 
'One of the best debuts I've read in years!' - Emma Carroll

The Whisperling Twins

Malorie Blackman

Dapo Adeola

A rip-roaring picture book adventure from superstar pairing Malorie Blackman and Dapo Adeola. 
 
 
Over the shimmering ocean, up the huge, high mountain, through the deep, dark forest . . . WE'RE GOING TO FIND THE MONSTER! 
 
 
Join two intrepid adventurers as their imaginations transform their house into a wild wonderland - and their big brother becomes a mighty monster. A joy to read-aloud with its cumulative refrain, and full of funny, relatable characters, this is a contemporary celebration of creativity, fantasy and family. 
 
 
Written by bestselling author of Noughts &amp; Crosses, Malorie Blackman, this story was originally published as Marty Monster. This new version has been stunningly brought to life by the award-winning illustrator of Look Up!, Dapo Adeola.

We're Going to Find the Monster

Freddie Kölsch

The first book in a gripping new series, perfect for fans of The Swifts, Murder Most Unladylike, Lockwood and Co and Wednesday. 
 
Lilac Black does not believe in ghosts. So she’s rather surprised to learn she comes from a long line of gifted Seers, all of whom attended Spindlewood: a top-secret boarding school for children with the power to see, hear and communicate with spirits. 
 
And now, Lilac has an invitation to Spindlewood herself. The only problem? There's been a huge misunderstanding. Lilac does not have the gift. 
 
Reluctant to disappoint her proud uncles, and curious to see this mysterious school for herself, she decides to play along. But as Lilac’s web of lies becomes more tangled, one thing is clear: there is something wrong at Spindlewood. Something ancient and sinister, hidden beneath the library. Something connected to the long-ago disappearance of Lilac's parents. 
 
Something waiting for her...

Spindlewood

Shirley Hughes

Down by the railway a white face looks out of a spooky old house, and Jim and Arthur hardly dare investigate.

It's Too Frightening for Me!

Charlie Higson

The sickness struck everyone over fourteen. First it twisted their minds, next it ravaged their bodies, now they roam the streets - crazed and hungry. A jaw-dropping zombie horror series for teens.

They'll chase you. They'll rip you open. They'll feed on you . . . 
 
The Enemy (Book 1) 
 
When the sickness came, every parent, police officer, politician - every adult - fell ill. The lucky ones died. The others are crazed, confused and hungry. 
 
 Only children under fourteen remain, and they're fighting to survive. 
 
 A gang of children begin their quest across London, where all through the city - down alleyways, in deserted houses, underground - the grown-ups lie in wait. 
 
The Dead (Book 2) 
 
Jack and Ed are best friends, but their battle to stay alive tests their friendship to the limit as they go on the run with a mismatched group of other kids. And one adult. Greg, a butcher, who claims he's immune to the disease. 
 
 As a fresh disaster threatens to overwhelm London, they realize they won't all survive... 
 
The Fear (Book 3) 
 
DogNut and the rest of his crew want to find their lost friends, and set off on a deadly mission from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace and beyond, as the sickos lie in wait. But who are their friends and who is the enemy in this changed world?

The Enemy Series, Books 1-3

Eoin Colfer

Will's brother Marty is always playing practical jokes. But when he tells the bloodcurdling story of the cutthroat pirate Captain Crow, Will is terrified. Is it another one of Marty's tricks, or could Captain Crow's ghost really be out to get him? 
 
Spooky, funny fiction &ndash; brilliant for boys and girls aged 7&ndash;9. Now available in paperback! 
 
Fabulous, witty illustrations by Tony Ross throughout.

The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth

They'll chase you. They'll rip you open. They'll feed on you . . . 
 
The Sacrifice (Book 4) 
 
 Small Sam and his unlikely ally, The Kid, have survived. They're safe with Ed and his friends at the Tower of London, but Sam is desperate to find his sister. 
 
 Their search for Ella means Sam and The Kid must cross the forbidden zone. And what awaits them there is more terrifying than any of the horror they've suffered so far . . . 
 
The Fallen (Book 5) 
 
The Holloway crew are survivors. They've fought their way across London and made it to the Natural History Museum alive - just. But the fight will never end while the Enemy lives . . . 
 
The kids at the museum are looking for a cure. All they need are medical supplies. To get them means a journey down unknown roads. Suddenly it's not so clear who - or what - they're fighting. 
 
The Hunted (Book 6) 
 
The others had promised that the countryside would be safer than the city. They were wrong. Now Ella's all-alone except for her silent rescuer, Scarface - and she's not even sure if he's a kid or a grown-up. 
 
 Back in London, Ed's determined to find her. But getting out of town's never been more dangerous- because coming in the other direction is every SICKO in the country.

The Enemy Series, Books 4-6

Rebecca Orwin

Oriol Vidal

Sunny waited until her mother was asleep before she went back for the monster . . . 
 
All her life, Sunny has known three things about the creatures that prowl the seas off her tiny coastal town. They are dangerous. They are violent. They are monsters. 
 
But when a chance encounter leads to an unexpected connection, Sunny discovers just how wrong she has been. The monster she meets – Mo – is intelligent, gentle, and searching for his lost brother. 
 
Sunny desperately wants to help, and to keep her new friend a secret. But other people are keeping secrets too. And as hunger grips the town, new truths will emerge about the real monsters in Seawaren . . .

The Monsters at the End of the World

Arden Jones

The start of a spellbinding, new illustrated series featuring Witchy Boo, a little ghost with a BIG magical secret! Perfect for fans of Isadora Moon and Kitty’s Superhero Adventures. 
 
Even though she’s a ghost, Boo has never liked being scary – not like her brothers Shock and Shriek. 
 
But when a witch’s hat finds its way onto her head, Boo learns that not all ghosts have to be scary. Some ghosts can be . . . witchy! 
 
Follow Witchy Boo on her magical journey, as she learns to accept herself—with the help of some very cute friends. 
 
Perfect for 5-7 year-olds, reading independently or with assistance.

Witchy Boo: Casts Her First Spell

Jamie Littler

Way out in the furthest part of the known world, a tiny stronghold exists all on its own, cut off from the rest of human-kin by monsters that lurk beneath the Snow Sea. There, a little boy called Ash waits for the return of his parents, singing a forbidden lullaby to remind him of them... and doing his best to avoid his very, VERY grumpy yeti guardian, Tobu. 
 
But life is about to get a whole lot more crazy-adventurous for Ash. When a brave rescue attempt reveals he has amazing magical powers, he's whisked aboard the Frostheart, a sleigh packed full of daring explorers who could use his help. But can they help him find his family . . . ?

Frostheart

Rick Riordan

The first book in the bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Now with a new cover look! Discover the story behind the Disney+ series. 
 
HALF BOY - HALF GOD - ALL HERO. 
 
Look, I never asked to be the son of a Greek god. I was just a normal kid. . . until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. 
 
Percy Jackson is having a bad week. His life has gone from totally normal to monsters-from-Greek-mythology-randomly-appearing kind of strange. Worse still, the king of the gods thinks Percy has stolen his all-powerful lightning bolt - and it seems making Zeus angry is a very bad idea. 
 
Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to catch the true lightning thief and stop all-out war from erupting on Mount Olympus. . . 
 
What could possibly go wrong? 
 
Return to the World of Percy Jackson in the best-selling, brand-new adventure featuring the original hero in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Chalice of the Gods – out now! 
 
And don't miss the trio's next adventure in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess, coming soon!

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Book 1)

The bestselling Frostheart trilogy concludes with this epic story of bravery, loyalty and friendship. 
 
Ash faces his greatest challenge yet as the EVIL Wraith leader Shaard unleashes the DREADED Devourer from its centuries-long imprisonment. 
 
Only by uniting can the peoples of the Snow Sea hope to stand against the monster's wrath, but as the Devourer targets the stronghold of Aurora, the tribes remain as divided as ever. 
 
In a last desperate move, Ash and the crew of the Frostheart journey to the yeti lands, where humans are forbidden, in search of the truth about the Devourer's origins, and the one weakness that may prove its undoing&hellip; 
 
Discover what readers are saying about Frostheart: 
 
'A feast for the eyes and the imagination!' Laura Ellen Anderson, bestselling author of Amelia Fang 
 
'A rip-roaring action adventure, full of humour, heart and unforgettable characters, all enhanced by Littler's wonderfully detailed black and white line drawings . . . expect big things.' The Bookseller

Frostheart 3

Rise of The World Eater

Jeremy Strong

Charlie and his great mate Ben have landed in a spooky House of Horror - all because of Charlie's new pyjamas! The mean old Stitcher and her stinky sidekick Grumpfart are planning to take revenge on the entire world . . . Can Charlie and Ben survive the scary house or will they be struck by Stitcher's MONSTERPIECE?!

Krankenstein's Crazy House of Horror

Mary Pope Osborne

Jenny Laird

Kelly Matthews

Nichole Matthews

Magic. Mystery. Time-travel. Mummies!! 
 
Visit ancient Egypt with Jack and Annie in this full-colour graphic novel adaptation of a children’s classic, perfect for readers aged 5–7. 
 
Be careful what you wish for in the magic tree house – it might just come true! This time, Jack and Annie have been whisked away to ancient Egypt. 
 
After getting lost inside a pyramid, the siblings meet a real-life mummy who needs their help solving a centuries-old riddle. Join Jack and Annie as they learn about the past and try to solve the ancient mystery – if only they can find their way through the pyramid’s maze! 
 
This adventure-filled series of graphic novel adaptations teaches kids about the past and helps them develop reading confidence, all while solving exciting magical mysteries alongside Jack and Annie. Perfect for young readers aged 5–7

Magic Tree House: Mummies in the Morning

(A Graphic Novel)

The fourth book in the bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Now with a new cover look! Discover the story behind the Disney+ series. 
 
 
HALF BOY - HALF GOD - ALL HERO. 
 
SURE, AS A DEMIGOD I’VE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF NEAR-DEATH DISASTERS. BUT HEY, I’M STILL HERE TO TELL THE TALE . . . 
 
Percy Jackson’s enemies are back, and looking for a way to destroy Camp Half-Blood. 
 
To stop them, Percy and his friends must take on a new quest through the mysterious labyrinth – a sprawling underground world with deadly surprises at every turn. 
 
But the labyrinth was built to keep heroes out, and secrets safe within. 
 
As time runs out and the Titans draws near, can Percy save the day once more? 
 
Return to the World of Percy Jackson in the best-selling, brand-new adventure featuring the original hero in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Chalice of the Gods – out now! 
 
And don't miss the trio's next adventure in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess, coming soon!

Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth (Book 4)

The three skeletons go out in their car one night in search of a mystery. They discover that lots of things look mysterious in the dark, including a black cat on a roof and a ghost on a train in a dark tunnel.

Funnybones: Mystery Tour

Edgar Allan Poe

Thirteen stories of horror, suspense and the supernatural. 'The Pit and the Pendulum', 'The Fall of the House of Usher' and 'The Black Cat' are just three of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous tales in this chilling collection.

The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Stories

Percy Jackson tells you everything you need to know about the Greek Gods, in this companion piece by the global bestselling author Rick Riordan. 
 
Everything you think you know about the Greek Gods is a lie. 
 
In this totally factual retelling of the greatest Greek myths, Percy Jackson walks you through what really happened. 
 
Want to know how Zeus came to be top god? How many times Kronos ate one of his own kids? How Athena literally burst out of another god's head? 
 
It's all here in black and white. . .narrated by the world's literal saviour, Percy Jackson. 
 
 
Front cover may vary

Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods

Andre Amstutz

In a dark dark street 
There is a dark dark house 
And in the dark dark house . . . 
 
In this FUNNYBONES story, the big skeleton and the little skeleton go - "CLONK!" - bump in the night and have to send for Dr Bones to be put back together again!

Funnybones: Bumps in the Night

Philip Pullman

All Souls' Eve is a night when nobody in the village of Karlstein dares to leave their homes. For that is the night that Zamiel, the Demon Huntsman, prowls through the forests in search of his prey . . . 
 This year, however, the Huntsman doesn't need to go searching. He knows exactly where to find his human prey. Ten years ago, he made a deal with the Count of Karlstein - and now the Demon Huntsman has come to collect his prize . . . 
 
 Count Karlstien has offered up the lives of his two young nieces, Lucy and Charlotte. Lucky for the orphaned sisters, the Count's maid, Hildi, has heard his evil plan and is determined that they will not be this year's prey - not on her watch . . . 
 
 The very first children's novel by Philip Pullman the creator of His Dark Materials, Count Karlstien is a deliciously terrifying, wickedly funny adventure.

Count Karlstein

biblio.categories.code

biblio.publicationStatus

biblio.brand

biblio.workEditions.format

biblio.ageRange

biblio.series.seriesName

biblio.imprint.description

biblio.type

About us

About Us (Header 4)

Best-Jane-Austen-quotes_Online-Desktop_Penguin

James-Baldwin

Marian-Keyes

haruki-murakami-320×320-1

Richard-Osman

Lisa-Jewell

Charlie-Mackesy

Authors (Header 3)

Children&#039;s

Company

Discover

Fiction

Non-fiction

Penguin Classics

Penguin Shop (Header 5)

Useful links

Work with us

Search Results

The Fall of the West

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Fight or Flight (Book 21)

The Mortons

Little Black Classics Box Set

Watch a trailer for The Spook's Blood

A photograph of Ben Barnes in character for Shadow and Bone Netflix series.

Interviews

Shadow and Bone’s Ben Barnes on tear-jerking books and what he’s reading

An image showing a selection of adventure stories for 9-12 year olds on a bright yellow background with orange doodles that include a hashtag, flag, danger sign and speech bubble

Children's reading lists

16 books for 9 to 12-year-olds that love adventures

An image of a selection of books for 9-12s on a blue background with a large splodge and striped print

24 must-read books for 9-12-year-olds

A picture of several different children's books on a pink to blue ombre background; each book has a bright yellow shadow

Showing results for: ‘joseph delaney’

Filters

Category

Age

Publication Date

Format

Series

Imprint

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter