Books beginning with: F
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F2: Galaxy of Football - Attack of the Football Cyborgs
Author: Dan Watters and Alex Paknadel Illustrator: Amrit Birdi & Co
Publisher: Blink Publishing
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 10+F2Freestylers Billy Wingrove and Jeremy Lynch present a fantastical graphic novel that will enthral young readers with its tale of a race through time to save the beautiful game.
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Fabio the World’s Greatest Flamingo Detective: The Case of the Missing Hippo
Author: Laura James Illustrator: Emily Fox
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 7-9
Reading age: 7+Fabio is the world’s greatest flamingo detective, and the new head judge of the local talent show. But then Julia – a fabulous singing hippo – disappears from the stage right in the middle of her audition. A bright and jazzy young reader’s chapter book.
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Fablehouse
Author: EL Norry
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+This is a wonderful book, full of hope and magic. Heather and her friends don’t feel special, they don’t feel like the ‘chosen ones’. But through the magic of friendship they grow strong – discovering maybe being chosen isn’t something you are but something you become. So this is a book about making your own destiny, being the architect of your own life and …
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Face Painting
Author: Monica Hughes
Publisher: Pearson Education
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 4+'I am a clown, I am a pirate', there’s a face painting design every child will enjoy in this fun non-fiction book, from a beautiful butterfly to a fearsome pirate and a scary monster.
Full of colourful photos of children with their faces painted, your child will enjoy engaging with this book by describing what they see and reading the words they know. -
Faces
Author: Jan Pieńkowski; lettering by Caroline Austin
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 2-3
Reading age: N/AHappy, sad, angry, shy: Jan Pieńkowski explores all manner of facial expressions and emotions in this bright and original book for toddlers, full of his trademark bright, thick-outlined illustration.
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FactFeed: The Ultimate Book of Randomly Awesome Trivia
Author: Penelope Arlon
Publisher: Scholastic Children’s Books
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+This bright and highly illustrated large format paperback is chock full of facts about everything - from computer viruses to weather, weird foods to gross jobs. Its interactive quizzes should ensure it is picked up, read and enjoyed many times.
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Factopia
Author: Kate Hale Illustrator: Andy Smith
Publisher: Britannica Books
Interest age: 10-14
Reading age: 10+The perfect book for any fact-lover, Factopia contains 400 different facts to discover and be wowed by, covering almost anything from nature to robots to the human body to space. Did you know that around 12% of people dream in black and white? That the Earth hums? That there is a hotel in America shaped like a potato?
Each fact is presented as a snippet on t…
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Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Interest age: 14+
Reading age: 13+Wren is excited about starting a new life at college, but twin sister Cath is much more comfortable in the world of the fan fiction she writes, preferring to write about romance than to experience it for herself.
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Failosophy: a handbook for when things go wrong
Author: Elizabeth Day
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 12-14
Reading age: 10+Written by the award-winning author and podcaster Elizabeth Day, this is a sensible, kind and practical tool for all teenagers (and adults!) showing how to re-frame supposed failures into essential parts of life that we can learn from.
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Fairytale Ninjas: the Glass Slipper Academy
Author: Paula Harrison Illustrator: Mónica de Rivas
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 5+A charming story that puts fairytale girls at the heart of the action. Readers will love the cute wolf pup, talking frog and contrary flying carpet. The illustrations – and map – are delightful too.
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Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate
Publisher: Corgi Children's
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 12+Luce has been falsely implicated in the mysterious death of a school friend, and much to her despair, has been sent to reform school. But one student, Daniel, seems curiously familiar.
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Fallen Grace
Author: Mary Hooper
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 12+Grace is desperately poor, struggling to evade the workhouse – she has also had an illegitimate child. And the sinister Unwin family are scheming to blight her life again...
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Falling to Ash
Author: Karen Mahoney
Publisher: Corgi
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 12+Moth, a newly-made Vampire, used to be a normal teenage girl called Marie. Now, she is trying to juggle the demands of her living family with her new, secret, night life, knowing that soon she will have to forgo daylight and her true family forever.
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Fallout
Author: Lesley Parr
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+If people think you are bad news, what do you have to do to prove them wrong? And if they think you’rebad news regardless of what you do, what’s the point in trying to be better?
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Fame Thing
Author: Jonathan Meres Illustrator: Jake McDonald
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 10-14
Reading age: 8+The 'bad boy' reputation of teen footballing sensation Dean Johnson is already known when he moves into a huge house in a quiet village. But should you really believe everything you read in the papers? Funny, intelligent and revealing.
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Families, Families, Families!
Author: Suzanne and Max Lang
Publisher: Corgi
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 5+Sheep, pigs, koalas, pandas, chickens, walruses all feature in this hilarious photo album of different family shapes and sizes.
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Fanatical About Frogs
Author: Owen Davey
Publisher: Flying Eye
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+The fifth in Owen Davey’s wonderful non-fiction series about animals adds frogs to the ranks of clear, fascinating reads, accompanied by truly amazing graphic illustration and just the right level of information to inspire all primary school kids.
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Fancy Dress Christmas
Author: Nick Sharratt
Publisher: Alison Green Books
Interest age: 1+
Reading age: 5+Today is the Christmas Party, and all the animals have come in fancy dress!
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Fancy Dress Farmyard
Author: Nick Sharratt
Publisher: Alison Green Books
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 6+This simple, engaging story is told in just four lines of rhyme on each page
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Fantastic Football Poems
Author: John Foster and Korky Paul
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Interest age: 6-10
Reading age: 6+Famous children's poems and lesser-known gems are featured in this imaginative, funny and engaging collection of poems for footie fans.
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Fantastic Footballers
Author: Jean-Michele Billioud Illustrator: Almasty
Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 7+This Madam Tussauds of the footballing world showcases 40 legends from the beautiful game. Ideal for fact-hungry football fans but also stylishly designed to create the perfect coffee table book. A great book to read together as a family.
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Fantastic Mr Dahl
Author: Michael Rosen Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 8+This new biography of Roald Dahl, written especially for children by former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen, has been much anticipated - it's been ten years in the making!
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Fantastic People who Dared to Fail!
Author: Luke Reynolds Illustrator: M S Corley
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+This book's premise is that failure is a necessary part of success as it builds resilience, determination and perseverance. It explores the setbacks that inspiring people have overcome to achieve their goals and tries to motivate children to have more self-belief.
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Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World
Author: Kate Pankhurst
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 6-9
Reading age: 7+Written and illustrated by a direct descendant of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, this colourful picture book is full of facts about 13 inspirational women from history, showcasing their achievements in a fun and accessible way.
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Fantastically Great Women: Sports Stars and their Stories
Author: Kate Pankhurst
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+This inspirational non-fiction book celebrates the achievements of eight fantastically great women from the word of sport.
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Fantasy Sports
Author: Sam Bosma
Publisher: Nobrow
Interest age: 7-12
Reading age: 7-9Magic and sport are rarely combined in stories for children, especially with a girl protagonist you can root for from the first page – and all this presented in a bright, stylish, engaging graphic novel format make Fantasy Sports a winner.
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Fantasy Sports 3: The Green King
Author: Sam Bosma
Publisher: Nobrow
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 7-8The third in the Fantasy Sports graphic novel series, following the adventures of Mug and Wiz through sports-based challenges. This one focuses on golf and has a great sense of humour, reminiscent of Indiana Jones and TV cartoons.
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Far From Home
Author: Na'ima B Robert
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 11+This moving tale describes the violent history of Zimbabwe as seen through the eyes of two very different young girls.
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Far From Home
Author: Berlie Doherty
Publisher: HarperCollins
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 7+A parallel volume to Doherty’s powerful 2009 story set in the 1860s around Jim Jarvis, Dr Barnado’s inspiration for the orphanages he set up.
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Far Rockaway
Author: Charlie Fletcher
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 10+A clever and unusual observation of love, life and death explored through fantastic and dangerous adventures with larger than life characters
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Farewell Floppy
Author: Benjamin Chaud
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 6+This funny and bittersweet story about growing up and friendship is a thoughtful and mature read for any child that loves animals - reassuring us all that we don't have to be too grown-up too soon.
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Farm Boy
Author: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Michael Foreman
Publisher: Harper Collins
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 8+Rich with historical detail and beautifully illustrated, this is a touching and inspirational portrayal of farming life and familial ties.
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Farmer Duck
Author: Martin Waddell Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 6+There once was a lazy farmer who spent his days in bed eating chocolate while his duck did all the hard work around the farm.
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Farmyard Friends: Portly Pig
Author: Axel Scheffler
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 1-3
Portly Pig is worried about being too clean. The grass is too pristine and the flowers and trees are too neat, so he goes to find somewhere muckier. Yet when Portly finds a nice muddy puddle to roll in, grey clouds appear and Portly gets washed clean again. What’s a pig to do?
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FArTHER
Author: Grahame Baker-Smith
Publisher: Templar Publishing
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 7+Words and pictures combine beautifully to tell a moving story about fathers and sons
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Fashion Conscious: Change the World With a Change of Clothes
Author: Sarah Klymkiw and Kim Hankinson
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 12-14
Reading age: 12+This stylish and practical guide to ethical fashion offers tips on mending and recycling clothing, facts about the environmental impact of fast fashion, and empowering ways to become an eco-fashionista.
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Fast Forward: The World's Most Famous Race Tracks and Race Cars
Author: Adam Skinner Illustrator: James Gilleard
Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+This remarkable, colourful guide to car racing will thrill little petrolheads: expect technical details, history, and fascinating personal interest stories.
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Faster, Faster! Nice and Slow!
Author: Sue Heap Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
Publisher: Penguin
- This book is an introduction to simple opposites.
- Friendship is a central theme.
- The story's full of Nick Sharratt's funny and bright illustrations.
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Fat Boy Swim
Author: Catherine Forde
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 10+This is a wonderful story, brilliantly told in the Glaswegian dialect, and despite containing distressing accounts of bullying, it also reveals the complexities of human nature
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Father Christmas
Author: Raymond Briggs
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 5+For poor Father Christmas, December 24th is the hardest night of work in the year. Raymond Briggs follows him on his wonderfully grumpy and funny journey, revealing some beautifully illustrated moments of joy.
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Father Christmas Goes on Holiday
Author: Raymond Briggs
Publisher: Puffin Books
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 5+Raymond Briggs' classic comic book has all of his trademark humour and an endearingly grumpy Father Christmas
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Father Christmas Heard A Parp
Author: Olaf Falafel
Publisher: HarperCollins
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 5+Silly holiday fun as Father Christmas hears a parp... but who is responsible? A toy? An elf? Or someone who has had a few too many sprouts?
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Father Christmas Needs A Wee
Author: Nicholas Allan
Publisher: Red Fox Picture Books
Interest age: 2-6
Reading age: 4+At each different house that he visits Father Christmas drinks and eats all the goodies left out for him. Before long he really, really, really needs a wee. So much so that he even forgets to leave the presents behind. But he dashes back, delivers all the pressies and flies home at high speed to avoid an embarassing accident . . . there's just one tiny probl…
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Fear
Author: Michael Grant
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 12+The penultimate book in Michael Grant's hard-hitting FAYZ series ratchets up the action as this gripping dystopian series sweeps towards an exciting conclusion.
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Fearless Fairy Tales
Author: Konnie Huq and James Kay Illustrator: Rikin Parekh
Publisher: Piccadilly
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+A hilarious, subversive collection of thoroughly modern fairy tales reflecting a new morality inspired by 21st century issues.
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Fearless! How to be your true, confident self
Author: Liam Hackett Illustrator: Mike Perry
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 9-13
Reading age: 10+A self-help guide for youngsters struggling with self-esteem, peer pressure or ‘fitting in’.
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Fearsome Dreamer
Author: Laure Eve
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 12+Apprentice hedgewitch Rue is bored of her sheltered country life, so she is thrilled to be whisked away to the city to make use of her special talent.
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Feather
Author: Manon Steffan Ros
Publisher: Firefly
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+For as long as Huw can remember, Nan has refused to talk about her brother Johnny, but as she succumbs to the grip of dementia, she lets slip enough information for Huw and his friends to investigate the facts about what really happened to Johnny all those years ago.
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Feather Boy
Author: Nicky Singer
Publisher: HarperCollins
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 11+Robert is having a tough time at school, being bullied by Nicker; he's also trying to deal with the break-up of his parents' marriage.
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Feathers in the Wind
Author: Sally Grindley
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 8+Joe and Aesha travel to India with their father, a wildlife photographer, and their mother Binti, a vet who wants to help protect vultures who are often injured in the annual kite festival.
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Feel Better, Daddy
Author: Nancy Loewen and Hazel Quintanilla
Publisher: Words and Pictures
Interest age: 1-3
This adorable story about a little girl taking care of her unwell father is one that encourages empathy in little ones. It's a lovely little story with appealing red, black-and-white illustrations in a ten-page board book.
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Feeling Great
Author: Ailie Busby
Publisher: Child’s Play
Interest age: 1-2
One of the Just Like Me series, this colourful board book with flaps to lift encourages very young children to find out all about themselves and includes an inclusive cast.
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Felt Fun Beep! Beep!
Author: Illustrator: Jonathan Lambert
Publisher: Templar
- From rockets and yachts to planes and cars, there are lots of different vehicles in this book.
- Children will have great fun as they match each of the brightly coloured felt pieces to the correct scene.
- A great rhyming text and lots of sound-words to read aloud together.
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Femi and the Mindfulness Machine
Author: Flo Fielding Illustrator: Sawyer Cloud
Publisher: Doring Kindersley in association with Woke Babies
Interest age: 4-5
Femi’s wind machine for Science Day doesn’t always work. Gran has some useful advice – but what will happen at school when it matters? With techniques to calm anxiety, and gorgeous illustrations, this picture book will stimulate conversations about feelings.
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Fergal in a Fix!
Author: Robert Starling
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 4-8
Reading age: 5+A brilliant follow-up from Fergal is Fuming, the fiery yet well-meaning dragon is back to learn that perhaps trying to win and impress everyone isn’t the best way to help make friends in new situations. A humorous story with charmingly simple illustrations.
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Fergal Meets Fern
Author: Robert Starling
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 4-5
Fergal is perfectly happy with his Mum and Dad - but then Baby Fern turns up. This heart-warming tale explores feelings of anger, jealousy and love and will strike a chord with any child who is adjusting to the arrival of a new sibling.
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Fergus Crane
Author: Chris Riddell
Publisher: Random House
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 10+Fergus Crane is the story of a young boy whose daily routine is disrupted by the arrival of tiny winged boxes carrying mysterious messages from a long-lost uncle.
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Fever
Author: Dee Shulman
Publisher: Puffin Books
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 13+Seth and Eva couldn't be more different - he is an elite Roman gladiator in AD 152, she's an awkward modern teenager. Nevertheless they share a mysterious illness - and an intense romantic attraction.
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Fever Crumb
Author: Philip Reeve
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 10+In a teasingly recognisable London threatened by northern invaders, orphan Engineer, Fever Crumb, is assigned to help renegade archaeologist Kit Solent.
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Fi Ac Aaron Ramsey
Author: Manon Steffan Ros
Publisher: Y Lolfa
This is a perfectly pitched middle-grade book about overcoming challenges, changing relationships and how football can help you find your way through.
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Fia and the Last Snow Deer
Author: Eilish Fisher Illustrator: Dermot Flynn
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 9-11Set in prehistoric Ireland during an endless winter, Fia and her snow deer set out on a perilous adventure to find the Deer Mother and bring warmth and hope back to her people.
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Field Trip to the Moon
Author: Jeanne Willis Illustrator: John Hare
Publisher: Macmillan
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 6+This original take on the idea of a moon landing plays with the idea that the moon might need a bit of brightening up – and that aliens might be more caring than we expect. Fans of Jeanne Willis’ Dr Xargle picture book and new fans alike will adore it.
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Fiendish
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 11+This is an exceptionally well-paced thriller, packed with fantastic characters and an explosive climax. Highly recommended.
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Fig Swims the World
Author: Lou Abercrombie
Publisher: Little Tiger
Interest age: 12-14
Reading age: 12+Fig is tired of her mother making New Year's resolutions for her, so this year she's come up with her own - to swim around the world (she just has to learn how to swim first). A wonderful coming-of-age adventure that will leave young people feeling inspired.
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Fight Back
Author: A.M. Dassu
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 10-14
Reading age: 10+When a terrorist attack happens at a local concert, Muslim schoolgirl Aaliyah finds herself and her family the target of racist bullying and abuse. Can she fight back against the tide of hatred?
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Fightback
Author: Steve Voake
Publisher: Faber
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 9+Kier has seen his father murdered, the police want to arrest him and the bad guys are after him. Voake provides fast and exciting action but always underpinned by a thoughtful, ethical subtext.
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Finger Wiggle Book: Look at Me
Author: Sally Symes illustrations by Nick Sharratt
Publisher: Walker Books
This special edition for BookTrust includes Nick Sharratt’s brilliant, bright, accessible and diverse illustrations and a rhyming text from Sally Symes. This is a joyful book to share with little ones, and lots of fun can be had with the ‘finger wiggle’ element.
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Filippo, Me and the Cherry Tree
Author: Paola Peretti Translator: Denise Muir
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9-11A sequel to Peretti’s first story about Mafalda, this is also an effective stand-alone read. Unusual, quirky and touching, it’s a book that remains with you after the last page.
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Finally Seen
Author: Kelly Yang
Publisher: Knights Of
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+After five years of living with her grandma in Beijing, Lina is finally getting to join her Mum, Dad and little sister in the US but, after dreaming about it for so long, the reality isn’t at all what she expected.
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Find Peace in a Poem: Poetry About Mindfulness
Author: Various authors Illustrator: Annalise Barber Mariana Roldán Masha Manapov and Nabila Adani
Publisher: Little Tiger
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 9-11Poetry holds a kind of quiet magic, as the introduction to this lovely illustrated poetry anthology reminds the reader. Reading a poem can provide a moment of peace and focus for the reader, and help us to see the world in a new way. In this way, reading a poem can be seen as an act of mindfulness.
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Find Spot at Nursery
Author: Eric Hill
Publisher: Penguin
Interest age: 1-3
Who doesn't love Spot? Find Spot at Nursery sweet, fun and interactive, and also a very effective and gentle way to introduce the concept of nursery to children and to show that there is nothing to be frightened or wary about.
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Find Spot at the Zoo
Author: Eric Hill
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 0-2
Everyone’s favourite puppy features in this lovely board book with lots of interesting lift-the-flaps and bright illustrations. It’s great that even though this is a board book aimed at babies and toddlers, there’s still a simple story involved which adds interest.
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Find Your Girl Squad
Author: Dr Angharad Rudkin and Ruth Fitzgerald Illustrator: Sarah Jennings
Publisher: Wren & Rook
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+This excellent self-help guide, co-written by a children’s author and a clinical psychologist, is centred around Poppy - who sends the authors regular video diaries to discuss concerns about her friendships with Jada and Izzy. A light-hearted read with lots of tips and checklists, this funny, empowering book will help girls to navigate the turbulent wor…
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Find Your Happy
Author: Emily Coxhead
Publisher: Walker
Interest age: 3-5
A young sloth loves feeling happy - it's the most wonderful feeling. But he doesn't feel happy all the time. When he's feeling sad, worried or even angry, there are simple things he can do to try and find his happy again.
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Finding a Voice
Author: Kim Hood
Publisher: O'Brien
Interest age: 12-16
Reading age: 10+This is an engaging story about the two-way nature of friendship and the risks of making assumptions. The overriding message is uplifting, whilst also leaving the reader with a powerful reminder that good intentions aren't always enough.
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Finding Black Beauty
Author: Lou Kuenzler
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 9+This is a lovely reimagining of Black Beauty - in this case, told from the point of view of 'Jo', the inexperienced stable boy who makes two brief appearances in Anna Sewell's original novel. It is a well-written, richly detailed adventure story.
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Finding Cherokee Brown
Author: Siobhan Curham
Publisher: Electric Monkey Books
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 12+Claire Weeks is being bullied. She has no-one to talk to, and unsure where to turn, she comes up with the idea of writing a book about her life.
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Finding Gobi: The True Story of One Little Dog’s Big Journey
Author: Dion Leonard
Publisher: Harper Collins
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 8+An extraordinary true story about an ultra-marathon runner’s quest to find the small stray dog he fell in love with while running across the Gobi desert. A story that will appeal to any reader with an interest in dogs or tales of adventure and survival sports.
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Finding her Feet
Author: Eve Ainsworth Illustrator: Luna Valentine
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+Can Lily’s talent for football help her overcome the challenges of starting at a new school? This dyslexia-friendly story is interspersed with women’s football facts.
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Finding Home
Author: Mike Unwin Illustrator: Jenni Desmond
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+With a double-page spread devoted to each of 20 animals, readers of all ages will be fascinated by the strange and wonderful places animals call home. A glorious book with stunning illustrations.
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Finding Hope
Author: Nicola Baker Illustrator: Rachael Dean
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+While staying on her aunt and uncle’s farm, Ava helps to nurse an abandoned, newborn lamb back to health. However, she keeps making mistakes and wonders if she’ll ever be good at anything. A heart-warming chapter book for junior readers.
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Finding My Voice
Author: Aoife Dooley
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+When Frankie starts secondary school, she wants to make friends and be cool, but also be herself and not be too different. How can she find her voice?
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Finding Wonder
Author: Lauren St John Illustrator: Levi Pinfold and Marie-Alice Harel
Publisher: Faber
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+Thanks to a lottery win, Roo is suddenly able to buy a horse – but the horse she wants is stolen. Can she solve who is stealing prize horses? Beautifully written and utterly thrilling.
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Finn Family Moomintroll
Author: Tove Jansson Translator: Elizabeth Portch
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 5-8
Reading age: 6+Moomintroll is cheerful and chubby and lives in the magical Moominvalley with his mother, Moominmamma, his father, Moominpappa and all of their friends.
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Finn Jones Was Here
Author: Simon James Green Illustrator: Jennifer Jamieson
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+Eric can’t believe that his best friend, Finn, has died. Or has he? A funny, poignant story about embracing life and making every second count.
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Finn’s Little Fibs
Author: Tom Percival
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 4-5
When Finn tells a fib about breaking Grandma’s clock, it leads to more and more fibs. How can he tell the truth? Reassuring, kind and sensitive, this is a lovely book, beautifully illustrated.
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Fins Fluff and Other Stuff
Author: Dreda Blow and Bruno Merz
Publisher: QED
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 6+An interesting discussion starter with a lively rhyming text and entertaining illustrations. At the back there are suggested next steps for parents or teachers.
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Fintan Fedora: The World's Worst Explorer
Author: Clive Goddard
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 7+Fintan's disasters invariably turn out worse for his opponents than for him, and every brilliantly comic page presents readers with a cartoon in words. A sequel is on its way, which promises more excellent entertainment for KS2 readers.
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Fire and Thorns
Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Gollancz
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 12+Princess Elisa bears the Godstone, a sign that she has been chosen to perform an act of heroism, in her navel. However, her people see her as useless and lazy.
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Fire Boy
Author: J M Joseph Illustrator: Samuel Perrett
Publisher: Hodder
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+A hair-raising and hilarious tale of treachery, circus tricks and some most unusual superpowers.
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Fire City
Author: Bali Rai
Publisher: Corgi Children's
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 10+In this terrifying dystopia from Bali Rai, the young, the old and the sick have become the prey of horrifying demons that Fire City's wealthy employ to police the city.
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Fire Dreamer
Author: Beth Webb
Publisher: March Hamilton
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 9+The second novel in Webb's series about Tegen, an Iron Age trainee druid
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Fire Girl
Author: Matt Ralphs
Publisher: Macmillan
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 10+Hazel must embrace her magic powers in a world where witchcraft is outlawed after her mother is kidnapped by a demon.
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Fire Spell
Author: Laura Amy Schlitz
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 11+In this wonderfully creepy Victorian adventure, three children take on sinister pupeteer Grisini,
encountering a mysterious mansion, a dying witch and a powerful fire opal along the way.
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Firebird
Author: Saviour Pirotta Illustrator: Catherine Hyde
Publisher: Templar
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 8+This is a wonderful retelling of the classic Russian folk tale about the quest for the elusive Firebird
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Fireborn
Author: Aisling Fowler
Publisher: Harper Collins
Interest age: 9-12
Reading age: 9+Warrior Twelve has given everything to the Lodge of Hunters, even her name. When they are attacked, she has to live up to her pledge to defend them. A breathlessly fast-paced, gripping quest with a richly imagined world reminiscent of Tolkien’s.
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Firecrackers
Author: Zaro Weil Illustrator: Jo Riddell
Publisher: ZaZaKids Books
Interest age: 4-8
Reading age: 7+This is more than just your standard collection of poems! This beautifully-illustrated anthology of verse, rap, fairytales and rhyming plays is perfect for sharing.
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Firesong
Author: William Nicholson
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 12Bowman and Kestrel face an awesome responsibility for the future of their people: they must unravel the mysteries of the Singer people and prepare to face their worst fears.
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Firewallers
Author: Simon Packham
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 14+Jess's mum announces a sudden plan to join a technology-free hippy commune on a remote Scottish island.
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First 100 Nature Words
Author: Illustrator: Jean-Claude
Publisher: Priddy Books
Interest age: 2-3
This bright board book introduces babies and toddlers to the wonderful world around them.
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First Class Murder
Author: Robin Stevens
Publisher: Corgi
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+A detective duo pounce into action en route to their holiday when a woman is murdered on a train.
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First Day at Bug School
Author: Sam Lloyd
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Interest age: 3-5
With bright bustling illustrations fizzing with quirky details and insect jokes, this cheery, rhyming introduction to starting school from a unique bugs-eye point of view is reassuring and fun.
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First Day at Skeleton School
Author: Sam Lloyd
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 5+This bright and funny picture book shows young children that everyone goes to school - even skeletons and monsters. But Skeleton School is definitely a bit different from Human School...
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First Explorers: Beautiful Birds
Author: Macmillan Publishers
Publisher: Campbell
Interest age: 2-5
Watch eggs hatch, geese take flight, ducklings swim and an emu charge across the grassland in this fabulous, interactive board book about birds from all over the world, which makes early learning fun!
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First Festivals: Hanukkah
Author: Rabbi Ruti Regan (Consultant) Illustrator: Kathryn Selbert
Publisher: Ladybird Books
Interest age: 2-3
This sturdy lift-the-flap board book provides a first introduction for very young children to Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights.
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First Festivals: Ramadan: a lift-the-flap book
Author: Imam Abid Khan Illustrator: Junissa Hardianto
Publisher: Ladybird
Interest age: 2-3
The month of Ramadan has arrived! Lift the flaps of this charming board book to discover all about this special holiday.
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First Prize for the Worst Witch
Author: Jill Murphy
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 8+With its gentle humour, engaging characters and simple yet satisfying plot, this is the final instalment in the hugely successful Worst Witch series and brings the story of Mildred Hubble’s schooldays to an end.
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First Term at Malory Towers
Author: Enid Blyton
Publisher: Hachette
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 8+We're rooting for Darrell Rivers as she starts boarding school, and learns to cope with her fiery temper and decide for herself which friends are genuine.
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First Week at Cow School
Author: Andy Cutbill Illustrator: Russell Ayto
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 4+Starting school is full of fun in this laugh-out-loud sequel to The Cow That Laid and Egg and The Best Cow in Show.
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Fish and Friends
Author: Surya Sajnani
Publisher: Happy Yak
Interest age: 0-3
Reading age: 5+Introduce your baby to the wonders of reading with this super-fun, colour-changing bathtime book!
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Fish Boy
Author: Chloe Daykin
Publisher: Faber
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9-12Billy is an odd boy: he's quiet, different from other children, and his skin's always wrinkled from swimming in the sea. At heart, this is a story about friendship in the face of adversity, and Chloe Daykin's writing is clear, poetic and grips you from the start.
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Fish Food
Author: Andy Mansfield Illustrator: Henning Lohlein
Publisher: Templar Publishing
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 4+A clever pop-up book about the underwater food chain.
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Fish is Fish
Author: Leo Lionni
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 6+A classic picture book with whimsical, textured illustrations exploring some basic philosophical questions and offering reassurance that it's ok to follow your own path in life.
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Fish-Head Steve
Author: Jamie Smart
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 8+This collection of comic strips does exactly what it says on the tin: a boy called Steve wakes up one day to discover he has a giant fish for a head.
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Five Children and It
Author: E. Nesbit
Publisher: Faber
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 8+When five siblings - Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother, the Lamb - discover a sand-fairy in their gravel pit, they are jolly surprised and a little delighted.
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Five Children on the Western Front
Author: Kate Saunders
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 10+This moving and memorable homage to E Nesbit's classic story is no ordinary children's book. A heart-wrenching and poignant tribute to 'all the boys and girls, 1914-18', it is a must-read for children and adults alike.
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Five Christmas Friends
Author: Danielle McLean Illustrator: Rosalind Maroney
Publisher: Little Tiger
Interest age: 0-2
A Christmas "count-and-slide" board book, this story is a clever way to help little ones learn to count while also introducing lots of festive favourites: from snowmen to elves and wintry robins and even Santa Claus himself.
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Five Hundred Miles
Author: Kevin Brooks
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 13-16
Reading age: 9+In the industrial wastelands of east London, two brothers are delivering forged vehicle documents. As soon as they walk into the pub, Cole knows something is going on. This is a stark, intense, plot-driven, cinematic story of hoping for better.
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Five Little Chicks
Author: Lily Murray Illustrator: Holly Surplice
Publisher: Templar Books
Interest age: 4-5
Five cute little chicks go out into the beautiful countryside one day with Mamma Hen, finding lots of other animals to make friends with and all manner of exciting places to hide. With the help of some delicious cake, can Mamma Hen find them all again?
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Five Little Dinosaurs
Author: Mike Brownlow Illustrator: Simon Rickerty
Publisher: Orchard Books
Interest age: 2-3
Join five hungry dinosaurs as they search for yummy food to eat. Help them by lifting the soft, felt flaps to find the food. A sweet rhyming counting adventure.
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Five Little Ducks
Author: Anthony Lewis
Publisher: Child's Play
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 5+This board book has popular rhymes and songs with young children signing key words. It also features a child with an arm splint and a child with a hearing aid.
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Five Little Penguins
Author: Lily Murray Illustrator: Holly Surplice
Publisher: Templar
Interest age: 4-5
Join the adorable little penguins on a lift-the-flap walk through a winter wonderland in this sweet rhyming book inspired by the Five Little Ducks nursery rhyme.
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Five Minutes Peace
Author: Jill Murphy
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 4-5
Mrs Large the elephant just wants five minutes of peace away from her three boisterous children... but that proves to be a bit of a challenge! This funny, charmingly observed portrayal of family life is sure to resonate with parents and children alike.
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Five More Minutes
Author: Marta Altes
Publisher: Macmillan
Interest age: 3-5
Adults are always saying things like: 'There’s no time!' and 'Five more minutes!' But little fox thinks there’s always time to juggle, watch the birds and make new friends when you’re on the way to nursery! This adorable story about how differently little ones and adults experience time will be utterly relatable for anyone with a young family, and …
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Five on a Treasure Island
Author: Enid Blyton
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 9+Meet Enid Blyton's most famous characters - Julian, Dick, Anne, George and of course the ever-loyal Timmy the dog - for the first time in this, the first book in the classic Famous Five series.
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Five Things They Never Told Me
Author: Rebecca Westcott
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 9+Erin counts her life in days since her mother left home. Erin is forced to accompany her father to the old people's home where he gardens for the summer.
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Fizzlebert Stump
Author: A.F. Harrold
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 7+Living in the circus with his parents means Fizzlebert Stump’s life is always exciting - but he would prefer a normal life.
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Flambards
Author: K.M. Peyton
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 12+Christina tentatively discovers her adult identity in this unashamedly romantic, coming-of-age novel set just before the First World War.
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Flame Chasers
Author: Julie Pike
Publisher: Firefly
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+Julie Pike’s writing conjures a rich, magical world full of ancient secrets and mystery. As with her widely acclaimed debut The Last Spell Breather, she combines a wonderfully imaginative storyline with relatable and well-developed characters.
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Flashes
Author: Tim O’Rourke
Publisher: Chicken House
Interest age: 14+
Reading age: 14+With a fast paced plot and enough twists to keep you guessing it makes for an exciting read and is a welcome addition to the YA thriller scene.
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Flashing Fire Engines
Author: Tony Mitton Illustrator: Ant Parker
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
This story’s full of big, bold fire engines ready to rescue or fight fires. There’s plenty of action, rhyme and rhythm.
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Flat Stanley
Author: Jeff Brown Illustrator: Scott Nash
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 5+
Reading age: 7+Stanley Lambchop wakes up one morning to find he is only half an inch thick
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Fleabag
Author: Helen Stephens
Publisher: Alison Green Books
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 6+A small, scruffy dog visits the park every day and looks longingly at the other dogs who all have people to take for walks.
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Flesh and Blood
Author: Simon Cheshire
Publisher: Little Tiger
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 12+Simon Cheshire has created a spine chilling story.
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Flesh and Blood
Author: Chris Priestley
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 10-13
Reading age: 8+Bill thinks his wish for a brother has come true when his family takes in a boy injured during a World War Two air raid - but is he about to discover that wishes can go horribly wrong? A spine-chilling story from the master of spookiness, Chris Priestley.
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Fleshmarket
Author: Nicola Morgan
Publisher: Hachette
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 10+When Essie and Robbie’s mother dies, following a failed operation, they are abandoned by their father and left to fend for themselves in nineteenth-century Edinburgh.
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Flights of Fancy: Stories, Pictures and Inspiration from Ten Children’s Laureates
Author: Quentin Blake Anne Fine Michael Morpurgo Jacqueline Wilson Michael Rosen Julia Donaldson Anthony Browne Malorie Blackman Chris Riddell and Lauren Child
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 6+To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Waterstones Children’s Laureate, the incredible authors and illustrators who have held the title have come together to make one magical anthology, full of inspiration to help children’s imaginations soar.
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Flightsend
Author: Linda Newbery
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 10+Could moving to a remote, ramshackle cottage in the middle of nowhere really mark the start of a new life and draw a line under the tragedy of recent months?
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Flip Flap Dogs
Author: Nikki Dyson
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 3-5
In board book format with a ring bound centre, this is a great book for young kids that love dogs, and who also love making up silly words.
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Flirty Dancing
Author: Jenny McLachlan
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 12+First of four books, this is smart, funny writing, engagingly balancing the serious stuff - bullying, first love, friendship - with the joy of lindy hop and aerial moves.
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Flood Child
Author: Emily Diamand
Publisher: Chicken House
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+Lilly Melkun, an English fisher-girl, is out sailing with her sea-cat when the bloodthirsty Reavers come raiding - and kidnap the Prime Minister's daughter.
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FloodWorld
Author: Tom Huddleston
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 10-14
Reading age: 9+When the sea level rose, a wall was built to protect London. Now Kara and Joe are stuck in the middle between the privileged few inside the wall and the ruthless Mariners out on the ocean. An action-packed, edge-of-the-seat thriller with an environmental edge.
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Flora in Love
Author: Natasha Farrant
Publisher: Faber Books
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 12+This lovely family story from Natasha Farrant is the second in the Diaries of Bluebell Gadsby series.
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Flora Stormer and the Golden Lotus
Author: Isabella Harcourt Illustrator: Hannah McCaffery
Publisher: Orchard Books
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 7+A pacy, accessible and high-drama adventure with a neurodivergent protagonist.
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Florentine and Pig and the Lost Pirate Treasure
Author: Eva Katzler & Jessica Mikhail
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 6+Florentine and Pig are stuck in the house on a gloomy day, but they're brimming with inspiration for entertaining things to do
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Flotsam
Author: David Wiesner
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 7+The story of a boy finding a vintage camera washed up on a beach unspools like a silent film in this mind-expanding wordless picture book.
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Flour Babies
Author: Anne Fine
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 9-12
Reading age: 9+A classic, touching and very funny coming-of-age story about an unusual science project that teaches the boys in 4C so much more than just science.
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Flower Block
Author: Lanisha Butterfield Illustrator: Hoang Giang
Publisher: Puffin Books
Interest age: 4-5
Theo’s sunflower has grown right through the tower block! A delightful celebration of nature and community.
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Fluff the Farting Fish
Author: Michael Rosen Illustrator: Tony Ross
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 5-8
Reading age: 6+As ever, former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen tells a delightfully relatable story – this time, to kids who are desperate for a pet. This fish is a little different from the usual, however, as this one can fart!
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Flush
Author: Carl Hiaasen
Publisher: Random House
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 9+This is an engaging and light-hearted thriller about issues that matter - justice, family and the environment.
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Fly By Night
Author: Frances Hardinge
Publisher: Macmillan Children's books
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 11+Smugglers, thieves, murder, floating coffeehouses, river battles, highwaymen, suspense, political intrigue and excitement - this book has everything!
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Fly Chick Fly!
Author: Jeanne Willis Illustrator: Tony Ross
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 6+This touching tale about overcoming fear is a lovely and reassuring book to share with any child.
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Fly!
Author: Xavier Deneux
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 3+Two birds build a nest to lay their eggs and look after their chicks - until the day their babies are big enough to fly to their own tree. This utterly charming book is bursting with bold yet simple illustrations, plus a robust and interactive design.
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Flyaway
Author: Lucy Christopher
Publisher: Chicken House
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 11+The possibility of losing loved ones is captured in heart-breaking detail in his touching teenage book which tackles first love, friendship and the challenge of overcoming fear.
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Flying Colours: A Guide to Flags from Around the World
Author: Robert G Fresson
Publisher: Cicada Books
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+Flying Colours is far more than just a textbook about flags. With the use of a little team of multi-coloured flag experts called vexillologists, illustrating the elements of each flag alongside clear information, you will be ready for a quiz on flags in no time at all!
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Flying Free
Author: Nicola Davies Illustrator: Cathy Fisher
Publisher: Graffeg
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 8+When Colin shoots a sparrowhawk, he knows that he’s done something wrong and takes the hawk to the vet. Soon, Colin finds a passion for wildlife he never knew he had. Anyone reading Flying Free will want to rescue their own hawk...
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Flyntlock Bones: The Eye of Mogdrod
Author: Derek Keilty Illustrator: Mark Elvins
Publisher: Scallywag Press
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+Flynn and the pirate detective crew of the Black Hound are back for another mystery! The fearsome chief of a Barbarian clan has lost his golden chalice - could the legendary cat Mogdrod be behind it?
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Flyntlock Bones: the Sceptre of the Pharaohs
Author: Derek Keilty Illustrator: Mark Elvins
Publisher: Scallywag Press
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+Flynn's the cabin boy aboard the Black Hound ship, full of pirates specialising in detective work - but when the ancient sceptre of the pharaohs goes missing from a museum, it's up to Flynn and his friend Red to solve the mystery.
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Follow Me
Author: Lucie Sheridan
Publisher: LOM Art, an imprint of Michael O’Mara Books
Interest age: 0-3
This simple and effective board book is great fun for little fingers to explore. Each page shows a different touchy-feely track for hands to follow around the page.
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Follow Me Down
Author: Tanya Byrne
Publisher: Headline
Interest age: 14+
Reading age: 14+Adamma isn't too impressed to be leaving her life in New York for an exclusive English boarding school. But then she meets Scarlett and the two strike up an intense friendship.
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Follow that Bear if you Dare
Author: Claire Freedman Illustrator: Alison Edgson
Publisher: Little Tiger Press
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 5+Hare thinks he loves bears, so he buys a book which he thinks will help him catch one.
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Follow the Firefly/Run, Rabbit, Run
Author: Bernardo Carvalho
Publisher: Book Island
Interest age: 2-5
Reading age: A book without wordsThis fabulous, wordless picture book contains two stories. One that runs from start to finish and the other that runs from finish to start.
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Follow the Moon Home
Author: Deborah Hopkinson and Philippe Cousteau Illustrator: Meilo So
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Interest age: 5-12
Reading age: 6+When Viv moves to a new home and school, she discovers that her local beach is a loggerhead turtle nesting area - but some baby turtles are dying. This is a great book for the classroom, with ideas and plans for all aspiring campaigners.
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Follow the Swallow
Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Pam Smy
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 6+Chack the blackbird is brown but claims he will turn black and that the berries in the tree where he lives will turn orange, but Apollo the swallow doesn't believe him.
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Follow the Trail: Minibeasts
Author: DK
Publisher: DK
This fun book offers lots of interaction, from the trails (which are great for fine motor skills and getting used to tracing, a precursor to learning to write) to the information about the natural world.
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Following Frankenstein
Author: Catherine Bruton
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 9-13
Reading age: 9+When Maggie sneaks onto her father's boat to find the famous "monster", he is not what anyone expected. A kind of sequel to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, this gripping Gothic adventure ingeniously blends fact and fiction and explores a message of 'otherness'.
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Food and Faith
Author: Susan Reuben Illustrator: Sophie Pelham
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 7+An excellent resource for religious education
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Football Academy Reading the Game
Author: Tom Palmer Illustrator: Brian Williamson
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 7+One of six titles in the Football Academy series, each featuring two young players
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Football School Season 3
Author: Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+Have you ever wondered how your height and your foot size affect how you play football? What about who the first ever football club was? Or exactly how league tables are calculated?
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Football School Season 4: Where Football Explains the World
Author: Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton Illustrator: Spike Gerrell
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 6+Coaches Alex and Ben are back for a fourth season of the brilliantly informative Football School. A brilliant present for fact and football fans – these books should be in every school library.
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Football School: Epic Heroes
Author: Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttelton Illustrator: Spike Gerrell
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+This collection of 50 real-life tales from around the world spans a period of more than 75 years and spotlights the remarkable achievements, both on and off the pitch, of a variety of football heroes.
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Football School: Star Players
Author: Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton Illustrator: Spike Gerrell
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+Featuring 50 outstanding football players, this is a who’s who guide to the footballing world, from Eniola Aluko to Zinédine Zidane. Players included come from all around the world and from across the last century.
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Football School: Where Football Explains the World
Author: Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton Illustrator: Spike Gerrell
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 7+This book is packed with true stories, real science and fascinating facts that all relate back to football. Funny, informative, and hugely entertaining, it is recommend for fans of non-fiction books.
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Footpath Flowers
Author: JonArno Lawson Illustrator: Sydney Smith
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 5-7
A little girl spreads joy and colour through the grey townscape, when she picks and presents flowers from the pavements to the people and animals she meets. This wordless picture book is a beauty to behold.
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For All the Stars Across the Sky
Author: Karl Newson Illustrator: Chiaki Okada
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 3-5
Luna the little bear is yawning. It’s time for bed but Luna wishes she could fly like a bird, swim like a fish and be small like a ladybird, so she and Mummy journey in their imaginations to amazing locations and magical meadows. This beautiful picture book has the feel of a classic - full of stars and dreams, and perfect for cosy bedtime moments.
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For Every One
Author: Jason Reynolds
Publisher: Knights Of/404 Ink
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+The wonderful Jason Reynolds has written this seamless long-form poem about achieving your dreams and reaching your potential. A small but perfectly formed and utterly delightful book: an ideal pick-me-up for everyone.
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Forever
Author: Judy Blume
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 13+Seventeen-year-old Katherine meets Michael at a party. The two of them like each other immediately, and soon fall in love - but are they ready to take their relationship to the next level?
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Forever Star
Author: Gareth Peter and Judi Abbot
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 3-5
This sweet rhyming tale about a same-sex couple adopting a child is a lovely read for any family, but perhaps particularly ones with same-sex parents that may not always find their experience represented in picture books.
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Forge
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 10+In the midst of the American War of Independence, a young, freed slave escapes his gaol and finds himself fighting with an underequipped American army.
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Forged in the Fire
Author: Ann Turnbull
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 10+This is a fabulously atmospheric and beautifully written historical adventure and love story, set in 1665, at a time of religious intolerance and uncertainty.
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Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
Author: Matthew Quick
Publisher: Headline Book Publishing
Interest age: 15+
Reading age: 14+It's Leonard Peacock's 18th birthday - but it's also the day he has decided to kill his former best friend and then himself
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Fortunately Unfortunately
Author: Michael Foreman
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 5+The day Milo the Monkey tries to return an umbrella to Granny turns into a roller-coaster ride!
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Fortunately, the Milk
Author: Neil Gaiman Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 7+When Dad goes out to get some milk from the corner shop, a host of completely unexpected adventures befall him.
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Foul Play
Author: Tom Palmer
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 7+Danny is obsessed with two things: football and investigating crimes.
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Four Children and It
Author: Jacqueline Wilson
Publisher: Puffin Books
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+Jacqueline Wilson pays tribute to her 'all-time favourite classic children's author' E. Nesbit in this contemporary reimagining of Five Children and It.
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Four Silly Skeletons
Author: Mark Sperring Illustrator: Sue Hendra
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 6+This bold rhyming picture book features four accident-prone skeletons. Children will giggle at their various mishaps, making this an ideal book to share with little ones at Halloween.
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FOX
Author: Margaret Wild Illustrator: Ron Brooks
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 6+A story with a true moral behind it: that friendship can conquer anything. Now available in a beautiful 10th anniversary edition
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Fox & Son, Tailers
Author: Paddy Donnelly
Publisher: The O’Brien Press
Interest age: 4-5
Rory’s dad is a renowned tailer, from a long line of tailers, and animals from all over the world come to have their tails made by him.
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Fox and Rabbit
Author: Beth Ferry Illustrator: Gergely Dudas
Publisher: Amulet
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 6+The fair has come to town and Rabbit is really excited about going on the Ferris wheel, but Rabbit’s best friend Fox is rather anxious about it. To help her friend, Rabbit sets out to win Fox a toy to hold onto during the ride – but that’s easier said than done! And how will Rabbit feel when Fox does much better at the games than she does? Fortunately, Fox a…
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Fox Investigates: A Brush with Danger
Author: Adam Frost
Publisher: Stripes
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 8+An illustrated investigation for budding super-sleuths, the Fox Investigates series will impress kids who love their mysteries mysterious and their detectives foxy!
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Fox’s Socks
Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
Publisher: Macmillan
Interest age: 1-4
Mr Fox has lost his socks! Where could they be? A 'getting dressed' book, a hide-and-seek book and a lift-the-flap book, all rolled into one! The ultimate question, of course, is will Fox find his socks?
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Foxlight
Author: Katya Balan Illustrator: Barry Falls
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+Fantasy about sisters in a children’s home who go in search of their mother.
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Foxy and Egg
Author: Alex T. Smith
Publisher: Hodder
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 6+When Foxy Dubois invites Egg to stay for breakfast she has only one thing on her mind; serving him up with toast!
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Foxy Tales: The Cunning Plan
Author: Caryl Hart Illustrator: Alex T Smith
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Interest age: 6+
Reading age: 7+This fun chapter book from the lively pairing of Caryl Hart and Alex T Smith is the first in a new series, which brings back the characters from Smith's popular picture books Egg and Catch Us if You Can-Can.
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Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 14+
Reading age: 12+This mysterious, dark tale looks at how death can teach us so much about life, love, friendship and what really matters
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Framed
Author: Frank Cottrell Boyce Illustrator: Steven Lenton
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+The story centres on Dylan Hughes, the only boy left in a small Welsh mountain town called Manod. This is an immensely entertaining book, about the power of art to bring about change and to redeem.
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Frank and Bert
Author: Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 2-3Frank and Bert love a game of hide-and-seek, but Bert hasn’t quite mastered the art of hiding in 10 seconds. In fact, Bert complains that he never gets enough time to hide, and so Frank counts all the way to 100 to give him some quality hiding time.
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Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert Plays Football
Author: Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 4-5
Frank is helping his best friend Bert to improve his football skills, but when Barbara invites Frank for a kick-about, Bert is left behind. Funny and heart-warming, this gloriously-illustrated picture book demonstrates the importance of friendship.
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Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor
Author: Jon Scieszka Illustrator: Brian Biggs
Publisher: Abrams
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 10+A gripping, comical tale of ambition, imagination, determination, old bicycle wheels and expired batteries which blends real science with wacky science-fiction to create the compelling first book in a new series by best-selling author Jon Scienzka.
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Frank Einstein and the Electro Finger
Author: Jon Scieszka Illustrator: Brian Biggs
Publisher: Abrams Books
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 8Science facts, illustrated by wittily accurate graphs, diagrams and maps intertwine with good-guys versus bad-guys roller-coaster action in this inventive, entertaining, educative series.
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Frankenstiltskin
Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Freya Hartas
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 8+This funny, clever and very enjoyable verse retelling of Rumpelstiltskin takes the story back to its original darkly horrifying roots and adds a smart, likeable heroine who saves the day with a story.
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Frankie and Friends: Breaking News
Author: Christine Platt Illustrator: Alea Marley
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 6+Can Frankie cover her first breaking news story, like her journalist mama? Heartwarming and charming, with cute illustrations, ideal for newly confident readers or for reading together.
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Frankie’s World
Author: Aoife Dooley
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+This lovely, often funny, relatable and sensitive story about Frankie, a girl with autism, was inspired by the author Aoife Dooley’s own real life experiences. A great story about growing up and learning who you are.
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Franklin’s Flying Bookshop
Author: Jen Campbell Illustrator: Katie Harnett
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 6+Franklin the dragon can't find anyone to listen to his stories until he meets fellow bookworm Luna in this poetic, dreamy tale about the wonder of reading and the power of friendship.
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Freak the Mighty
Author: Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Usborne
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 9+Kevin and Max are both accustomed to ridicule but when fate throws this seemingly mismatched pair together the result is awesome: Freak the Mighty. A tragic, suspenseful and touching story that is ultimately uplifting.
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Freaks
Author: Kieran Larwood
Publisher: Chicken House
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 10+Kieran Larwood won The Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition 2011 for this lively Victorian adventure story.
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Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome
Author: Luke Jackson
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 12+This is a guide to Asperger’s Syndrome by a young man who was just 13-years-old at the time of writing...
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Freaky & Fearless: How to Tell a Tall Tale
Author: Robin Etherington Illustrator: Jan Bielecki
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Interest age: 8-13
Reading age: 8+When a shadowy monster kidnaps Simon's little sister, Rosie, it seems as if the comic book world is starting to leak into the real world. An illustrated, monster-hunting adventure story for lovers of comic books and gruesome humour.
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Freax and Rejex
Author: Robin Jarvis
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 11+It is five months since evil occultist Austerly Fellows was reincarnated as the Ismus and began to infest and mesmerise the world with the devilish text that was discovered in Dancing Jax.
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Fred Gets Dressed
Author: Peter Brown
Publisher: Templar Books
Interest age: 3-5
Like many boys and girls, Fred is having a brilliant time exploring Mum’s dressing table and makeup bag, and inspires everyone to get involved too. A delightful and very beautiful picture book about play, families and identity.
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Fred: Wizard in Trouble
Author: Simon Philip Illustrator: Sheena Dempsey
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 8+A funny, exciting fantasy adventure featuring Fred, a young wizard who finds that courage and determination can sometimes be more powerful than even the greatest magic.
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Frederick
Author: Leo Lionni
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 6+Frederick is a field mouse with a difference. While his family harvests corn, nuts, wheat and straw for winter, he gathers sun rays, colours and words, sometimes to the frustration of his siblings.
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Freddie and the Fairy
Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Karen George
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 6+Freddie rescues a fairy who offers to grant him his every wish. The only problem is that she can't hear very well, and so his wishes result in some unexpected surprises...
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Freddie Mole, Lion Tamer
Author: Alexander McCall Smith Illustrator: Kate Hindley
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 5-8
Reading age: 7+Freddie can't believe his luck when he's offered a holiday job at the circus, but is alarmed when he's asked to take on the challenge of lion taming. This entertaining tall tale is ideal for confident independent readers.
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Freddie’s Amazing Bakery: The Great Raspberry Mix-Up
Author: Harriet Whitehorn Illustrator: Alex G Griffiths
Publisher: Oxford
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 6+An illustrated first chapter book, featuring a baking competition that seems strangely familiar but has one particularly desperate and ruthless contestant who will stop at nothing to win first prize.
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Freddy and the New Kid
Author: Neill Cameron
Publisher: DFB
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+When a new girl starts at Freddy the Robot's school, Freddy is a bit worried - Aoife is brilliant at EVERYTHING and she thinks humans are better than robots. Can Freddy outshine his rival?
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Freddy and the Pig
Author: Charlie Higson Illustrator: Mark Chambers
Publisher: Red Squirrel Books
Interest age: 5-8
Freddy hates school and thinks that it is boring, but he comes up with clever plan. The dyslexia-friendly features make this book highly accessible.
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Freddy vs School
Author: Neill Cameron
Publisher: DFB
Interest age: 9-13
Reading age: 7+Freddy is proud to be a robot boy - but he keeps getting into trouble at school! This funny, light-hearted chapter book examines what it feels like to be different and explores issues of friendship, jealousy and bullying.
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Free Lance and the Field of Blood
Author: Paul Stewart Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 10-12
Reading age: 7-9Stewart and Riddell expertly combine humour, adventure, and moral dilemmas in this slick short story that’s presented in a dyslexia-friendly format. This is a tale of chivalry, villains and heroes that will appeal to all young knights in search of their next adventure.
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Free Lance and the Lake of Skulls
Author: Paul Stewart Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 5-12
Reading age: 8+The dream team of Stewart and Riddell are on fantastic form for this outing: full of Stewart’s trademark fantasy wit and grandeur, and Riddell’s detailed and capturing illustrations.
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Freedom (1783)
Author: Catherine Johnson
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+This is a brilliant adventure story that manages to give young readers a really important insight into slavery without being so upsetting that it’s impossible to read: a very fine balance, masterfully achieved.
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Freedom, We Sing
Author: Amyra Leon Illustrator: Molly Mendoza
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Interest age: 4-8
In this stunning picture book that brims with vitality, movement and joy, a mother and child meditate on what it is to be free.
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Frida and Bear
Author: Anthony Browne
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 6+An absolutely brilliant picture book to inspire children's imaginations and get them drawing. After sharing this book you'll have a fun new game to play as well, just give it a go.
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Frida Kahlo
Author: Ma Isabel Sanchez Vegara Illustrator: Gee Fan Eng Translator: Emma Martinez
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Books
Interest age: 5-8
Reading age: 6+Frida Kahlo's life story is adapted for younger readers - with bold and colourful illustrations, and an inspiring facts and photos section at the back.
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Frida the Rock-and-Roll Moth
Author: Kim Hillyard
Publisher: Ladybird
Interest age: 4-5
Frida the rock-and-roll moth is full of self-doubt, so changes her style to be more like the other moths. This upbeat,imaginativelyillustratedpicture book explores the importance of being true to yourself and having the confidence to shine.
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Friday Brown
Author: Vikki Wakefield
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Interest age: 14+
Reading age: 14+Friday Brown is cursed. Warned of the terrible fates of the women in her family, each of whom has met a mysterious death, she carries the weight of her ancestors on her shoulders.
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Friendly Matches
Author: Allan Ahlberg Illustrator: Fritz Wegner
Publisher: Penguin
Interest age: 6-9
Reading age: 6+Friendly Matches is an entertaining, and at times thought-provoking, collection of poetry about football.
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Friends
Author: Helen Oxenbury
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 0+Great for the youngest of babies as it invites adults to talk about the pictures and to interact with their baby as they look at the book together.
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Friends
Author: Michael Foreman
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3-5
Foreman's characteristic, beautifully soft and gentle illustrations are used to great effect in this simple but powerful picture book about friendship
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Friends
Author: Eric Carle
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 7+A delightfully improbable ending crowns this story of friendship lost and regained which is fabulously illustrated in vivid colour with Eric Carle's distinctive collage technique.
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Friends are Amazing
Author: Hughie Higginson and Freddie Xavi Illustrator: Erica Salcedo
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 4-5
This cheerful, vibrant picture book is a joyful celebration of friendship, exploring why friends are important and identifying some key qualities which make a truly great friend.
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Friendship Never Ends
Author: Alexandra Sheppard
Publisher: Knights Of
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 11+An insightful and engrossing portrait of a unique friendship that might be threatened when four girls have to spend their summer away from one another.
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Friendship Survival Guide
Author: Caroline Young Illustrator: The Boy Fitz Hammond and Helen Lang
Publisher: Usborne
Interest age: 12+
Reading age: 9+A warm, practical book offering tips for what to do when friendships have problems, while celebrating all that is great about good friends.
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Frightfully Friendly Ghosties
Author: Daren King
Publisher: Quercus
Interest age: 6-10
Reading age: 8+When Pamela Fraidy gets locked in the attic with a big, leggy spider by a mean still-alive, her ghostie friends have to call on all their ingenuity to set her free.
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Frindleswylde
Author: Natalia & Lauren O’Hara
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 6+With echoes of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale The Snow Queen, this perilous tale of icy magic is ideal for older readers who will appreciate its complexity.
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Frockodile
Author: Jeanne Willis Illustrator: Stephanie Laberis
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 6+Cliff the crocodile discovers a slinky frock and some fabulous peals and heels, and feels divine in them! But when the hyenas laugh at him, he starts to worry about others finding out his secret. A funny picture book that looks at inclusion and acceptance with a light, expert touch.
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Frog and Toad Are Friends
Author: Arnold Lobel
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 7+Arnold Lobel's classic characters Frog and Toad return in this recently republished collection of five favourite stories.
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Frog and the Stranger
Author: Max Velthuijs
Publisher: Anderson Press
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 6+When a rat comes to live at the edge of their wood, the animals decide they don't like having a stranger in their midst
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Frog in Love
Author: Max Velthuijs
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 3-7
Reading age: 5+Frog is not well. His heart is beating too fast and he feels hot and cold. A trip to the doctor reveals that he is in love. But who is he in love with?
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Frog is Frog
Author: Max Velthuijs
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 2+A little frog gazes happily at his reflection, musing on his luck being so beautifully green and such a good swimmer. But then he sees what his friends can do and gets worried...
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Frogkisser!
Author: Garth Nix
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Interest age: 10-12
Reading age: 10+A fairy tale for the modern feminist generation, Anya's Quest (yes, Quest with a capital Q) takes her through dark woods and across barren moorlands, outwitting giants, making appointments with Good Wizards, travelling by magic carpet and looking into magic mirrors.
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From Acorn to Zoo
Author: Satoshi Kitamura
Publisher: Andersen Press
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 2+This is an alphabet book with a difference, in which the unexpected is juxtaposed with the everyday to sometimes surreal effect.
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From Head to Toe
Author: Eric Carle
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 6+Can you arch your back like a cat, clap your hands like a seal or wave your arms like a monkey?
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From Hereabout Hill
Author: Sir Michael Morpurgo
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9+The stories encompass themes of life, death, friendship, love and revenge and each is preceded by a short paragraph explaining the inspiration behind it.
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Front Desk
Author: Kelly Yang
Publisher: Knights Of
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+Smart, courageous Mia Tang runs the front desk at a motel, but will her family ever escape the poverty trap and gain everything the USA has to offer? Based on the author’s life story.
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Front Lines
Author: Michael Grant
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 14+
Reading age: 14+It's an alternate history where girls are subject to the military draft in the US. Fast-paced, clever and with incredibly relatable characters, Front Lines is a fresh take on the second world war, while also letting females be kickass.
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Frostfire
Author: Jamie Smith
Publisher: Chicken House
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+On the day of her Choosing, Sabira is haunted by memories of her lost brother and anxieties about the future of her city. An icy, magical, coming-of-age adventure, set high on a sacred mountain, haunted by venomous mutants and deadly monsters.
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Frostheart
Author: Jamie Littler
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+This inventive story is helped along by vivid illustrations that conjure up a world populated by yetis and monsters that live under the snow. Jamie Littler’s first novel is a frosty delight, depicting a fantasy world with brilliant characters and adventure.
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Frostheart: Escape From Aurora
Author: Jamie Littler
Publisher: Penguin
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+In the second book in Jamie Littler's epic series, Ash and the crew of the Frostheart arrive at the majestic stronghold Aurora in the search for Ash's long-lost parents - but they're forced to flee when a dark uprising puts the safety of the Song-Weavers in jeopardy.
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Frozen in Time
Author: Ali Sparkes
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 8+Sparkes justifiably won the Blue Peter Children's Book Award 2010 with this novel, almost a twenty-first century update of a Blyton Famous Five adventure.
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Fruit in Suits
Author: Jared Chapman
Publisher: Abrams
Interest age: 2-5
It's time to go swimming, and everyone has a different swimming suit. The quirky twist is that all the keen swimmers are... Items of fruit! This book is very, very silly but has oodles of charm, with an underlying message about difference and having fun.
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Fruitloops and Dipsticks
Author: Ulf Stark Translator: Julia Marshall
Publisher: Gecko Press
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 8+This Swedish story retains its continental flavour. Largely light and humorous in tone, the book nonetheless touches on feelings of loss, grief and change
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Fruits of India
Author: Jill Hartley
Publisher: Tara Publishing
Interest age: 6 months - 4 years
Reading age: 1+This sturdy, small format board book presents over twenty different fruits commonly eaten in India.
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Fruits: a Caribbean Counting Poem
Author: Valerie Bloom Illustrator: David Axtell
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 5+From half a pawpaw to five jew-plums through to ten bananas, this girl’s love of Caribbean fruits is so infectious that you can almost taste the juice dribbling down your chin.
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Fungus the Bogeyman
Author: Raymond Briggs
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+This sophisticated cartoon-strip picture book for older children follows one day in the life of Fungus, a morose bogeyman who scares humans - but starts wondering what it's really all for? This is Briggs at his subversive and entertaining finest.
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Full, Full, Full of Love
Author: Trish Cooke Illustrator: Paul Howard
Publisher: Walker Books
- This great book is all about a boy and his Grannie.
- The warm story is a real celebration of family.
- Gorgeous pictures shine with the love in the book's title.
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Funky Chickens
Author: Benjamin Zephaniah
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+A funny, thought-provoking collection of poems for older children from Britain’s best-loved rap poet, Benjamin Zephaniah, which cover a diverse and sometimes difficult range of topics but are full of fun and imagination.
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Funny Face
Author: Nicola Smee
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Interest age: 0+
Reading age: 5+This board book for the youngest readers has bright, funny bold drawings and a simple text exploring a considerable variety of feelings, all eventually happily resolved.
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Funnybones
Author: Allan & Janet Ahlberg
Publisher: Penguin
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 6+In the first book of this now classic series, we are taken down the dark, dark street to the dark, dark house and into the dark, dark cellar in which the skeletons live.
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Funnybones: The Black Cat
Author: Allan Ahberg Illustrator: Andre Amstutz
Publisher: Penguin
Interest age: 5+
Reading age: 8+Another Funnybones adventure. This time, the skeleton friends go sledging - whee!
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Furthermore
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 9+
Reading age: 9-12This is a magical and mythical quest tale reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, with an engaging heroine that will enchant boys and girls.
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Future Friend
Author: David Baddiel Illustrator: Steven Lenton
Publisher: HarperCollins
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+When Pip@256X#YY.3_7, who lives in 3020, arrives in 2019 through an XL toilet seat, Rahul, genius child-inventor, faces a race against time to return Pip to her own world.
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Future Girl
Author: Asphyxia
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 13+When 16 year old Piper, who is deaf, falls in love with Marley, she becomes captivated by the beauty and freedom of expression of sign language - she herself has used lip-reading and hearing aids all her life. However, this new world brings with it some challenging questions about identity.
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Future Hero: Race to Fire Mountain
Author: Remi Blackwood Illustrator: Alicia Robinson
Publisher: Scholastic
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+Inspired by African mythology, this fast-paced adventure combines magic and futuristic technology to create a compelling fantasy tale, which will leave readers desperate for the next instalment.
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Future Hopes
Author: Eli Brown L R Lam M G Leonard Rebecca Lim Oisin McGann Tolá Okogwu Neal and Brendan Shusterman Louie Stowell Bijal Vachharajani Editor: Lauren James
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 9-14
Reading age: 9+A diverse and exciting collection of short stories with an environmental theme from a group of exceptional authors. Some are funny, others scary, some deal with difficult emotions while others are more slapstick, but all are compulsively readable.
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Future Ratboy and the Attack of the Killer Robot Grannies
Author: Jim Smith
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 9+Colin Lampost is transported to the future where he must battle the Killer Robot Grannies and try to return to his own time.
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Future Ratboy and the Invasion of the Nom-Noms
Author: Jim Smith
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 6-7
Reading age: 6-7Future Ratboy (A.K.A Colin Lamppost) has been zapped millions of years into the future by a bolt of lightning. As if that’s not bad enough, horrible little insects are turning everyone into zombies. A brilliantly hilarious superhero comedy adventure.
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Fuzz McFlops
Author: Eva Furnari Translator: (from Portuguese) by Alison Entrekin
Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 7This is a wonderfully quirky tale, with endearing characters and delightfully amusing illustrations.
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Fuzzy Mud
Author: Louis Sachar
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 10+
Reading age: 10+Marshall and Tamaya take a short cut home from school one day to avoid the school bully – through the forbidden, completely out-of-bounds woods. This is a fast-paced and exciting story of bravery, friendships, and science gone wacky.
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Sofia Valdez, Future Prez
Author: Andrea Beaty Illustrator: David Roberts
Publisher: Abrams
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 6+Sofia Valdez isn’t just a do-gooder: she’s a do-better, visiting people in her community who can’t get out much, or just stopping for a chat. Andrea Beaty’s brilliant rhyming text tells Sofia’s story flawlessly, and David Roberts' characters and imagery are stunning.