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Binny for Short
Hilary McKay

Hodder Children's Books

ISBN 9781444900545

Hilary McKay excels at exploring familial relationships and settings and, as we have come to expect from her work, Binny for Short is a sensitive, funny and perceptive look at how children find their place within their family and the forces that help shape their identity. In this story, Binny and her two siblings experience their father's death, as well as their grandmother's demise. Most painful for Binny, however, is the despatching of her beloved dog by her aunt to another owner. Her family have miscalculated as Binny's stubbornness means she refuses to accept the loss of her dog and it is her continued attempts to find out what happened to him that, eventually, both helps save her life and restores her perspective on the father she has lost. As well as a story about love, loss and identity, Binny for Short is a great adventure story as the family explores its new seaside home and the siblings develop new friendships. Funny, moving and beautifully delivered. Ages 9+ /304 pages.

Binny for Short
Crown of Dreams
Katherine Roberts

Templar Publishing

ISBN 9781848778528

Crown of Dreams is the third in a series of stories based loosely on the Arthurian myths, in which King Arthur's daughter, Rhianna Pendragon, sets out on a quest to find four objects - the Lance of Truth, Excalibur, the Crown of Dreams and, in the fourth and last book, the Grail, in order to bring Arthur back to life. Author Katherine Roberts is an Arthurian enthusiast and she has expertly introduced some of the key elements of the myths into these stories. These include the villains, Mordred (firmly under his mum's thumb), and places such as Camelot and Avalon. The young heroine is, however, pleasingly robust unlike a true Medieval princess, the time when the novel is set. In the Crown of Dreams, Rhianna faces dragons, magic, rock falls and of course Mordred in the pursuit of her latest quest, to find the Crown of Dreams. This is a well-paced, atmospheric adventure story with plenty of great characters to enjoy. Ages 9+ / 452 pages

Crown of Dreams
Killing Rachel: the Murder Notebooks
Anne Cassidy

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

ISBN 9781408815519

The second book in The Murder Notebooks series, Killing Rachel is the kind of atmospheric, psychological crime thriller for teenagers that Anne Cassidy creates so well. In this series, step siblings Rose and Joshua are investigating the disappearance of their parents who were both police officers working on 'cold cases'. Each book follows this story arc but also contains a distinct investigation, in this case involving one of Rose's former school friends, Rachel. The two girls previously fell out but Rachel then contacts Rose, out of the blue, asking for her help. When Rachel is found dead, Rose visits her former boarding school to try to find out why. In the process, she and Joshua uncover more about her missing parents. While it is part of a series, the book can easily be read as a stand-alone story. The mystery of the missing parents easily runs alongside this more detailed investigation which delivers a brooding suspense to the story. It also gives us a realistic sense of the intense friendships girls can form at this age. Ages 11+. 336 pages.

Killing Rachel: the Murder Notebooks
Rat Runners
Oisin McGann

Corgi Childrens

ISBN 9780552566209

In this futuristic story about a 'watched world', Oisin McGann immediately takes us to the centre of the action - the dark underworld that, despite the society's watchful state, still thrives. While the nature of the surveillance makes it hard to carry arms in this world, the dark undercurrent of violence permeates the story. In it, teenagers Nimmo, Scope, Manikin and FX are recruited by a criminal overlord to find a box that belonged to a dead scientist. The problem is, Nimmo already knows where the box is but he's unwilling to hand it over until he gets a better idea of what's inside, and what makes it so powerful. Before they know it, the young criminals are way over the heads in threats, reprisals and danger. This is an exciting story that also carries an interesting perspective on our increasingly surveyed society. Ages 11,12+ / 400 pages

Rat Runners
The Disappeared
C. J. Harper

Simon & Schuster Childrens Books

ISBN 9780857076984

This dystopian thriller by CJ Harper explores the idea of a divided world where children are either channelled into 'Academies' that prepare them only for factory work, or are sent to elite boarding schools where they are expected to enter the professions or 'leadership' roles (politicians). While the premise is not unfamiliar, CJ Harper's skill is in developing the reality of these two very different worlds - the elite school that Jackson finds himself brutally excluded from, contrasted with the chilling and brutal 'Academy' to which he is sent, where teachers teach from iron-bard cages and where pupils are encouraged to fight among themselves for supremacy. Through this setting, we explore themes of discrimination, the power of language and the nature of identity, so it packs a powerful punch. The ending is satisfying, but we know that Jackson has much more work ahead of him to disrupt the regime that has created this world. Ages 10+ / 384 pages

The Disappeared
Quantum Drop
Saci Lloyd

Hodder Children's Books

ISBN 9781444900828

In QUANTUM DROP, Anthony vows to avenge a fatal attack on his girlfriend, but first he has to enter the underground world of the Drop to discover her killer. Thus begins a quest to discover who her killer is, and who and what lies within the Drop - a shadowy, online world where the real trading is done as the physical world slides into a deep decline.... Author Saci Lloyd explains, "Usually I write about some kind of undetermined near future, I suppose I call it 'future fiction' as Margaret Atwood described it. I think the reason I like it is because it takes reality and nudges it one degree, so you don't have to make up completely different worlds; it's very close to what you know but with a twist or change. "I think that the best dystopian fiction acts like a lens to look at society, for example Orwell's 1984. That is set in a future world but first it is about communism, fascism and contemporary issues of the day. At its best, dystopia takes one future of the world and follows that one path so the rest of the world remains recognisable." Read the full interview here: http://www.turn2page1.com/index.php?page=author_zone_feature2&author_id=c60694ed78b8a458014ff42fbc3940b0

Quantum Drop
Unleashed: Bk. 2: Mind Over Matter
Ali Sparkes

Oxford University Press

ISBN 9780192756077

In UNLEASHED: MIND OVER MATTER, twins Gideon and Luke are meant to be enjoying a relaxing week's holiday, but their special powers make them a target and they are soon deep in trouble. Ali Sparkes' Unleashed series features young people with special powers, who until now have been safely and secretly closeted away at a government-run boarding school set up for these children. It will be enjoyed by adventure-lovers aged 9+ (through to teen) and fans of Ali Sparkes' Shapeshifter series.

Unleashed: Bk. 2: Mind Over Matter
Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles: Book I
Colin Meloy

Canongate Books Ltd

ISBN 9780857863256

The Wildwood fantasy stories carry strong themes of friendship, nature and travel for readers aged 9+ and are supported by intricate illustrations by author Colin Meloy's wife, Carson Ellis. The story follows Prue McKeel whose baby brother is abducted by crows and hauled off to the woods beyond the city. It is up to Prue to bring him back. On her mission she is plunged into the world of Wildwood and there she meets more trouble - and magic - than she ever thought possible. A range of free resources have been made available to tie in with the book Wildwood and its sequel, Under Wildwood by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis. The resource kit and lesson ideas include a range of fun activities and insight into the world of an author and illustrator.

Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles: Book I
Raining Fire
Alan Gibbons

Indigo (an Imprint of Orion Children's)

ISBN 9781780620275

Alan Gibbons' latest thriller could be an everyday story about gun crime. The novel highlights how gun crime is an everyday reality for some young people, even though for most of us it lies well beneath our radars. In Raining Fire, two brothers Alex and Ethan are growing up on an estate where there life choices are narrowed to gun crime, or sport. Ethan turns to sport - but his brother is not so lucky and things are soon spiralling out of control for both of them as feuds set in with the gun at its heart. Explosive, gritty and all too real.

Raining Fire
Infinite Sky
C. J. Flood

Simon & Schuster Childrens Books

ISBN 9780857078025

In Infinite Sky, we learn what happens one summer to a family whose mother has left them to go travelling. Teen siblings Iris and Sam are left to their own devices and Sam, angry at his mother's departure, gradually falls in with the wrong crowd. His sister Iris, meanwhile, has grown curious about the family of travellers that has set up camp in their field and she gradually forms a bond with one of the travellers, a teenage boy called Trick. But as the summer passes, anger, discrimination and boredom spark a terrible tragedy.

Infinite Sky
How to Fall
Jane Casey

Corgi Childrens

ISBN 9780552566032

When Jess's cousin, Freya, falls from a cliff everyone thinks she has killed herself but no one knows why. Jess, though, is convinced that she was murdered and begins to ask questions - questions that the people of Port Sentinel are strangely reluctant to answer... She begins to uncover a web of jealousies and malice surrounding Freya and to unravel the mysteries of Freya's life in the last few weeks before she died. Can Jess find out what really happened to Freya and in doing so, will she arouse those jealousies and dangers herself?

How to Fall
Into That Forest
Louis Nowra

Egmont Books Ltd

ISBN 9781405266437

The theme of children being 'adopted' by animals and brought up in the wild isn't a new one but in Louis Nowra's Into that Forest, it is developed into a story that is both startling and powerful; it is an outstanding novel. The story centres on two girls, Hannah and Rebecca, who are adopted by a pair of Tasmanian Tigers after the girls become lost in the Tasmanian bush. An elderly Hannah describes, in broken English, their years spent with the tigers and the tragedy that unfolded when they are brought back to their old lives. Despite their hardships, for Hannah looking back, their time with the tigers was one of freedom and happiness. The novel is at times shocking but always believable, told without sentiment and always with dignity. The meaning of family and identity, finding our place in the world, communication and language are just some of the themes that are explored.

Into That Forest
Far Rockaway
Charlie Fletcher

Hodder Children's Books

ISBN 9780340997338

When Cat Manno and her grandfather are knocked down and left unconscious on the streets of Manhattan, they both begin a journey that takes in three classic adventures - The Last of the Mohicans, Treasure Island and Kidnapped. While it is in parts a literary fantasy, it is also a story rooted in the present and Cat and Victor's desperate attempts to cling to life. This is a book about lies, truth, family dynamics and growing up.

Far Rockaway
From What I Remember...
Stacy Kramer

Electric Monkey

ISBN 9781405264112

In From What I Remember, teens Kylie and Max haven't spoken to each other during their whole school careers - so why have they just woken up together in a small town in Mexico wearing wedding rings?! The story is told from Kylie's perspective as she and Max are whisked away from their last day of school, hidden in a speeding truck that has stolen goods on board. They are headed over the border of Mexico and end up in a small town across the boarder. Kylie, who is used to being in control and in charge, gradually learns to let go and gives Max, the school heartthrob, the chance to be himself. This is a great coming-of-age road trip story for readers aged 14+.

From What I Remember...
The Weight of Water
Sarah Crossan

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

ISBN 9781408830239

Kasienka, who is 12, has arrived in Coventry from Poland with her mother. They are searching for her father, who left Poland two years previously. The novel is written in verse and narrated by Kasienka, who describes how she sees the world around her, her struggle to communicate, make friends and move on with her life. When she discovers swimming, Kasienka begins to forge her own identity through her successes and to overcome bullying, her mother's despair and her father's betrayals. The Weight of Water is an outstanding novel aimed at readers aged 12+. It is now available in paperback.

The Weight of Water
Hysteria
Megan Miranda

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

ISBN 9781408834848

Mallory has killed her boyfriend, Brian, but she can't remember what happened. Now there are threats and recriminations so she is being sent to boarding school for a new start, but when a girl at the school dies, suspicions are raised and point in her direction. Mallory knows that something is amiss, she hears whispers and strange voices, but where are they coming from and where will they take her next....?

Hysteria
How to Save a Life
Sara Zarr

Usborne Publishing Ltd

ISBN 9781409546757

Best-selling author Sara Zarr has written a contemporary story about love and loss, grief and survival, based around two seventeen year old girls from opposite backgrounds. Jill is the daughter of a well-to-do family but her life lost all meaning when her dad died. Friends, boyfriend, college - nothing matters any more. Then her Mum decides to adopt a baby. Mandy, meanwhile, is 17, pregnant and leaving home, wanting nothing but a better future for her child. The characters couldn't be more different and the book is written, very effectively, from both their perspectives as they come to understand their loss and grief and to find hope in themselves and in their future.

How to Save a Life
Pigeon English
Stephen Kelman

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

ISBN 9781408828205

Pigeon English was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2011 and for the Guardian First Book Award 2011, and publisher Bloomsbury has now re-published it in a young adult edition, including a Q&A with the author, Stephen Kelman, and a piece about what inspired him to write Pigeon English. 11-year-old Harrison Opoku, the second best runner in Year 7, has moved to England from Ghana with his mother and sister and they are waiting for their father and younger sister to join them. Harri describes life in a strange and often bewildering city, from the array of Haribo sweets available to gang culture. Then a boy he knows is murdered and the police ask for information. When they are greeted by a wall of silence, Harri decides to investigate it himself but in doing so, endangers the fragile safety net that his mother has built around her family. Harri is a hugely likeable main character - energetic, cheery and curious - and the story raises many questions that lend themselves to group discussions.

Pigeon English
A World Between Us
Lydia Syson

Hot Key Books

ISBN 9781471400094

An epic story of love and war, set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. Felix, a young nurse, decides to travel to Spain to help the cause of the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. She is also following Nat, a passionate young man who has gone to fight Franco, and she in turn is followed by George who is in love with her. This love triangle is set against the ongoing civil conflict and the author Lydia Syson delivers a full but not over-burdened picture of the realities of war at that time, including some fascinating glimpses into their field hospitals. There are many twists and some shocking turns in the plot as we move to the point where Lydia has to decide where her heart lies... This is a beautifully written story about love and loss that will appeal equally to adults as to teenagers.

A World Between Us
Maggot Moon
Sally Gardner

Hot Key Books

ISBN 9781471400049

Standish, the narrator of Maggot Moon, lives in an alternative 1950's totalitarian state where the citizens struggle to survive against hunger, ideology and betrayal by their neighbours. Standish is severely dyslexic but is anything but stupid and the author, dyslexic herself, allows us to understand that seeing and understanding the world differently is a positive asset and the loyalty, affection and heroic idealism of Standish will leave an indelible impression. This is a remarkable book and a challenging one - grim and horrifically violent at times, but also leavened with humour, beauty and hope for the human condition. Reviewed by Joy Court, Librarian.

Maggot Moon
Time Between Us
Tamara Ireland Stone

Doubleday Children's Books

ISBN 9780857531155

This is an enjoyable time-travel story with romance at its heart and the pleasure and pain of first love. 17 year-old Bennett has a gift, he can travel through time, although as the story bears out, this can also be a curse as it takes him away from those he loves. When Bennett leaves 2012 and meets 16 year-old Anna in 1995, they are instantly attracted but he knows it can't last. Then tragedy strikes and leads him to question whether he can use his gift to change the past...

Time Between Us
Eve and Adam
Michael Grant

Egmont Books Ltd

ISBN 9781405264341

16-year-old Eve Spiker is left with life-threatening injuries after a freak road accident, but her injuries heal impossibly quickly when she is sent to recuperate at the lab run by her geneticist mother. Then Eve meets Solo, a teen lab assistant who seems to know more about what's going on at Spiker Biotech than he should do. They decide to investigate and uncover a secret so huge it could change the world completely. Because Terra's research is about more than just saving human lives. It's about creating them... This is the first book in a new series from that master of YA fiction Michael Grant, in partnership with his wife Katherine Applegate. Tense and thrilling with believable characters and a fast-paced plot.

Eve and Adam
The Grimm Legacy
Polly Shulman

Oxford University Press

ISBN 9780192793102

Imagine a library that lends objects, not books, and not just any old objects but magical objects. Elizabeth, whose home life includes an appropriately unpleasant step-mum and step-sisters, lands herself a job at just such a library and so begins a new chapter in Grimm's traditional fairy tales. For among the library's most precious collections is the Grimm Collection - a number of the most precious items from the Grimm's fairy tales, including the magic mirror from Snow White and the Dancing Princess's magic slippers. But the objects are disappearing and seem to be losing their magic - can Elizabeth discover the thief before it's too late? This is a well-crafted and well-imagined contemporary fairy tale that will be enjoyed by readers aged 11+.

The Grimm Legacy
Liar and Spy
Rebecca Stead

Andersen Press Ltd

ISBN 9781849395076

Georges' family is downsizing after his father loses his job and moving to an apartment where Georges worries about school and bullies and the parents he loves who seem to be going through a particularly difficult time. But Georges is far from a whiny moaner and he bravely faces up to things and takes chances on new friendships including with the intriguing Safer who is strange in both name and behaviour and the leader of the Spy Club Georges is invited to join. This author seems to specialise in beautifully simple narrations that are in fact multi layered and complex plots. There are secrets here but not necessarily the 'murderer' supposedly living on the 4th floor. There are lies too, but not just the obvious ones. We do not get to the truth of these characters until the very satisfying conclusion. Subtle and emotionally convincing without any sentimentality and with prose that is a pleasure to read. Reviewed by Joy Court, Librarian

Liar and Spy
The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket
John Boyne

Doubleday Children's Books

ISBN 9780857531469

The Brockets, who cling to convention and the norm, are horrified when their child Barnaby defies all laws of gravity and floats. Barnaby does his best to meet his parents' expectations of normality but struggles to keep his feet on the ground and one day, unable to cope any longer, his parents cut him loose - and Barnaby floats off into the world. For Barnaby, betrayed and frightened, it's the beginning of amazing adventures with some extraordinary characters. Barnaby is a very likeable hero and this quirky, poignant and also uplifting story is an exploration of being true to yourself and accepting differences.

The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket
The Complete Rainbow Orchid
Garen Ewing

Egmont Books Ltd

ISBN 9781405263856

Tintin fans will enjoy this Rainbow Orchid adventure, complete with dastardly villains and a feisty female antagonist. Set in the 1920's, the comic strip has a nostalgic feel as adventurer Julius Chancer and his friends attempt to stop the villainous Urkaz Grope getting his hands on the mysterious Rainbow Orchid - a mythical flower last mentioned by the ancient Greek philosopher and botanist, Theophrastus. The plot is intricate and slow-burning with many different stories playing out alongside the main adventure. It is good to have all three volumes gathered together in this one edition.

The Complete Rainbow Orchid
How to Seize a Dragon's Jewel
Cressida Cowell

Hodder Children's Books

ISBN 9781444908794

Cressida Cowell's wonderful series about Hiccup, the reluctant Viking warrior (for ages eight years plus), has grown from a series of stories into an epic tale of bravery, loyalty and betrayal. This is the tenth book in the series and sees Hiccup alone and in exile, searching for the last of the King's Lost Things that would help restore the human and dragon worlds to order. If you've not yet seen the series, we thoroughly recommend it. The books, which are well paced and illustrated by the author herself, are great for reluctant as well as confident readers.

How to Seize a Dragon's Jewel
The Fire Chronicle: The Books of Beginning 2
John Stephens

Doubleday Children's Books

ISBN 9780857530851

The Emerald Atlas, the first in The Books of Beginning Series, published last year to great interest and The Fire Chronicle is the follow-up. It is perfect for Harry Potter fans, or children looking for an adventure story with magical elements. Three orphans, Kate, Michael and Emma, are destined to be the ones who bring together the three books of magic that were created thousands of years ago by the great magicians of the age. In The Emerald Atlas, we saw Kate fulfilling her destiny and securing the first of these books; The Fire Chronicle is about Michael's battles with elves, trolls and the 'screechers' to rediscover the second book. The Fire Chronicle is deftly plotted and has plenty of emotional engagement as Michael's journey is also one of growth and forgiveness for his past mistakes. Confident readers aged 9+ will find plenty to enjoy in both these books.

The Fire Chronicle: The Books of Beginning 2
Ghost Knight
Cornelia Funke

Orion Children's Books (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd )

ISBN 9781444008234

11-year-old Jon Whitcroft dreads being sent to boarding school in Salisbury, but it turns out to be even worse than he feared when he is set upon by a pack of vengeful ghosts threatening to murder him... Can his friend Ella and the ghost of the late knight Longespee save him? This story, set in Salisbury and the Cathedral, is rooted in historical fact and weaves very real characters from the past into a contemporary story of ghosts, revenge and family relations. It is aimed at readers aged nine/ten years plus and provides an intelligent, atmospheric adventure story that doesn't stint on ghosts and scary moments.

Ghost Knight
The Teenage Years
Jamie Thomson

Orchard Books

ISBN 9781408315118

Not a recent title, but as it has just (and worthily) won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, we wanted to feature it and give you an extract to read. When the Dark Lord, supreme ruler of the Darklands and leader of great armies of orcs and warriors, intent on destruction and bloody devastation, finds himself trapped in the body of a puny 13-year-old human child, things look pretty, well, dark for him. He has soon been named Dirk Lloyd by the adults and is packed off to foster parents (the Purejoies, disaster!) and school (torture!). But Dirk Lloyd still has ambitions to dominate Earth and return home and sets about some strategic planning involving goths, sporting heroes and a detached arm..... A clever and funny read for 10 years plus - especially if they happen to be Dungeons and Dragons fans....

The Teenage Years

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