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Books beginning with: T

• Tabby McTat

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Scholastic

  A poetic story of love, adventure and music that demands to be read aloud or possibly sung, depending on the power of the reader's purr.

• Tacos: An Interactive Recipe Book

  Author: Lotta Nieminen
  Publisher: Phaidon

  Learn how to make delicious tacos with this fun, interactive, pull-out-and-slide recipe book.

• Ta-Da!

  Author: Kathy Ellen Davis Illustrator: Kaylani Juanita
  Publisher: Chronicle Books

  A girl and boy play together with their toys, imagining crystal castles, dragons, pirates and magic wands. This humorous picture book about imaginative play and friendship demonstrates that – with a little give and take – a game shared can be double the fun.

• Tanglewood Animal Park: Baby Zebra Rescue

  Author: Tamsyn Murray
  Publisher: Usborne

  Zoe loves her new home at Tanglewood Animal Park. But can she find Flash, the baby zebra, who goes missing on the morning of the grand opening? An exciting animal adventure with lots of interesting facts - perfect for animal lovers.

• Tanglewood Animal Park: The Troublesome Tiger

  Author: Tamsyn Murray
  Publisher: Usborne

  Zoe is bursting with excitement – Tindu the tiger is arriving today at Tanglewood Animal Park, all the way from a zoo in Berlin. But when Tindu arrives, he won’t come out of his crate. Perfect for animal lovers.

• Tanglewreck

  Author:
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  This complex but utterly readable book, encompasses chaos theory and time travel but is also filled with humorous asides and a cast of memorable characters.

• Tail of the Blue Bird

  Author: Nii Ayikwei Parkes
  Publisher: Vintage

  Nii Ayikwei Parkes' debut novel is a poetic, dreamy story about the influx of technology and modernity into rural Ghana, and the uneasy relationship between science and spirit.

• Tail-end Charlie

  Author: Mick Manning & Brita Granstrom
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  Mick Manning has carefully recreated the hair-raising tales his father told him about life as an RAF tail-gunner during the Second World War

• Take Back the Skies

  Author: Lucy Saxon
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's

  As an introduction to other-world fantasy fiction this is engaging and accessible but it will appeal most to younger teens.

• Takeshita Demons

  Author: Cristy Burne
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  When Miku moved to England from Japan, she never imagined that evil spirits would follow her. But one day an unusual looking supply teacher appears at school, and Miku suspects she may be a demon in disguise.

• Tales from Acorn Wood: Opposites

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books

  Donaldson and Scheffler are already household names for those with young children, and now even the very newest members of the family can enjoy their work in this lovely board book about opposites, full of traditional illustration.

• Tales from Africa

  Author: K P Kojo Illustrator: Joe Lillington
  Publisher: Puffin Classics

  A collection of nine diverse African folktales reflecting both the good and bad sides of human nature. Rich and humorous, they will resonate in any culture.

• Tales from India

  Author: Bali Rai
  Publisher: Puffin

  Discover India’s rich folk-tale heritage and ancient cultures, with this captivating collection of both popular and lesser known, mostly secular Indian folk tales – reworked for a modern audience.

• Tales from Old Ireland

  Author: Malachy Doyle Illustrator: Niamh Sharkey
  Publisher: Barefoot Books

  This stunningly illustrated collection of stories has its roots in oral storytelling and features giants, demons and wicked stepmothers, with a good dose of magic, cruelty and gentle humour.

• Tales From Outer Suburbia

  Author: Shaun Tan
  Publisher: Templar

  These often thought-provoking stories look at the reactions ordinary people have to the unusual situations they find themselves in and feature a host of different illustrative styles ranging from collage to painterly Edward Hopper-esque scenes.

• Tales from Schwartzgarten: Osbert the Avenger

  Author: Christopher William Hill
  Publisher: Orchard Books

  A macabre tale full of ghoulish and gruesome escapades.

• Tales from the Caribbean

  Author: Trish Cooke
  Publisher: Puffin

  Here’s a brilliant collection of tales from all over the Caribbean, perfect for children to read to themselves, but best of all to read together out loud. Some of the stories are famous but each one in this book feels fresh with Trish’s brilliant retelling.

• Tales from the Celtic Countries

  Author: Rhiannon Ifans Illustrator: Margaret Jones
  Publisher: Y Lolfa

  This unusual story collection features a total of 12 tales from the six Celtic countries. Fabulous, ethereal illustrations capture the magical nature of the narratives which, like all the oldest fables, are rather grisly but also hilarious and quirky.

• Tales from the Dead of Night

  Author: Cecily Gayford
  Publisher: Profile Books

  Prepare to be scared! Collecting the best of classic ghost stories from E.Nesbit to Ruth Rendell, this anthology is the perfect match to any Halloween party.

• Tales From Weird Street

  Author: Anne Fine Illustrator: Vicki Gausden
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Interspersed with black-and-white illustrations to complement the super readable text, this masterclass in storytelling from a distinguished author is fascinating, entertaining and just creepy enough to leave readers feeling a little bit uneasy.

• Tales of Terror from the Black Ship

  Author: Chris Priestley Illustrator: David Roberts
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Deliciously chilling tales of demons, horrors, curses and hauntings.

• Tales of Terror from the Tunnel's Mouth

  Author: Chris Priestley Illustrator: David Roberts
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  The nine tales are contained within an other tale, each as delightfully horrible as the next, and perfect for dark winter nights, to be read out loud or to oneself.

• Tales of the Otori: Across the Nightingale Floor

  Author:
  Publisher: Pan Macmillan

  A taut, compelling tale in the Samurai warrior tradition

• Tall Story

  Author: Candy Gourlay
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  Engagingly told in alternate chapters by four-foot, thirteen year-old Andi, in the UK, and her eight-foot, sixteen year-old half brother Bernardo, in the Philippines

• Tall, Thin and Blonde

  Author:
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Jen and Amy have been best friends forever, but when they start High School, they find themselves growing apart.

• Tally & Squill: in a sticky situation

  Author: Abie Longstaff Illustrator: James Brown
  Publisher: Little Brown

  A magical adventure story set in a huge, old house, where a fesity young girl and her pet squirrel must use ancient secrets to solve the mystery of a midnight burglary. 

• Tamar

  Author: Mal Peet
  Publisher: Walker Books

  When Tamar's grandfather dies, he leaves behind a box with her name on it. Inside she finds a series of clues and hidden messages which she and her cousin follow...

• Tamara Small and the Monster's Ball

  Author: Giles Paley-Philips Illustrator: Gabriele Antonini
  Publisher: Maverick Arts Publishing

  It’s a dark night and Tamara Small is whisked away from her bed by a hairy monster to join the Monsters' Ball

• Tamburlaine's Elephants

  Author: Geraldine McCaughrean
  Publisher: Usborne

  Rusti, a young nomad, lives on the fringes of the warrior horde of Tamburlaine the Great, a powerful ruler whose brutality is legendary.

• Tamsin and the Deep

  Author: Neill Cameron and Kate Brown
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  A fantastic graphic novel from the team at children's comic The Phoenix, this is a page-turning adventure with a great main character in brave, athletic and reckless Tamsin.

• Tanka Tanka Skunk

  Author: Steve Webb
  Publisher: Random House

  • Meet Tanka, the elephant and his friend Skunka.

  • Full of rhythm, great for reading aloud.

  • Enjoy the brightly coloured pictures, this book is bursting with fun!

• Tape

  Author: Steven Camden
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  In 1993, Ryan records a diary on a cassette tape. Twenty years later, Ameliah discovers an old tape in her grandmother's spare room: a tape with a boy's voice on it, speaking directly to her.

• Tarzan: The Greystoke Legacy

  Author: Andy Briggs
  Publisher: Faber Children's Books

  A classic with a 21st century twist, this riveting adventure overflows with suspense, danger, brutality and beauty

• Tarzan: The Jungle Warrior

  Author: Andy Briggs
  Publisher: Faber Children's Books

  Reinvented for the 21st-century by Andy Briggs, Tarzan is an eco-warrior - savage and brutal in his dealings with illegal loggers and hunters who plunder his beloved jungle.

• Tatty Ratty

  Author: Helen Cooper
  Publisher: Random House

  Molly is very upset when she loses her beloved toy, Tatty Ratty. Her parents console her by helping her imagine all the wonderful adventures Tatty Ratty is having while he is away.

• Teacup House: Meet the Twitches

  Author: Hayley Scott Illustrator: Pippa Curnick
  Publisher: Usborne

  Delightful illustrations, bursting with colour, bring this gentle adventure to life. This is the first title in what promises to be an enchanting series of chapter books for newly confident readers.

• Teardrop

  Author: Lauren Kate
  Publisher: Doubleday

  Ever since her beloved mother died in an astonishing freak accident, Eureka has had little to live for - but then she meets Anders, a strange boy who insists she too is in terrible danger.

• Tease

  Author: Amanda Maciel
  Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books

  Provocative and thought-provoking, this book is sure to divide readers but will certainly get them talking.

• Teddy Bedtime

  Author: Georgie Birkett
  Publisher: Andersen

  Colourful, rhyming board book for bedtime.

• Teddy or Train?

  Author: Anthony Lewis
  Publisher: Child's Play

  This generously-sized sturdy board book is brimful of babies! Babies playing with cars and bricks, babies swinging and babies reading books.

• Teddy Took the Train

  Author: Nicki Greenberg
  Publisher: Allen & Unwin

  Dot and mummy go shopping and take the train home, but leave Teddy on the train! Oh no! This diverse and heartwarming book encourages children not give in to their fears, especially about separation.

• Telephone

  Author: Mac Barnett Illustrator: Jen Corace
  Publisher: Chronicle Books

  A colour and pattern-filled picturebook which builds its story on the old children's game, Chinese Whispers.

• Tell me a Dragon

  Author: Jackie Morris
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  Jackie Morris’s lyrical descriptions imagine each child’s relationship with their own dragon, and the reader is invited to imagine their dragon, too, at the end of the book.

• Tell Me the Day Backwards

  Author: Albert Lamb Illustrator: David McPhail
  Publisher: Walker Books

  In this delightful bedtime story, a young bear tells his mother all about his exciting day - in reverse - inspiring young listeners/readers to do the same

• Tempest

  Author: Julie Cross
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  This gripping time-travel novel fuses the highs and lows of first love with the elements of a fast-paced thriller

• Temple Boys

  Author: Jamie Buxton
  Publisher: Egmont Books

  Flea is a pick-pocket, living in Jerusalem in biblical times. When he meets Yeshua and his side-kick Jude, they set off on a dangerous journey.

• Ten Fat Sausages

  Author: Michelle Robinson Illustrator: Tor Freeman
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Everything in this sausagey counting book works perfectly: from the big, bold illustration to the satisfying rhyme that works well for preschoolers. It will also entertain adults and older children, who will really get the silly humour.

• Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

  Author: Mem Fox Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury
  Publisher: Walker Books

  With beautiful illustrations of babies born all over the world and gentle rhyming text, this charming book is perfect for sharing with little ones.

• Ten Little Pirates

  Author:
  Publisher: Orchard Books

  A counting adventure with pirates... and a giant squid!

• Ten Minutes to Bed, Little Unicorn

  Author: Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton
  Publisher: Ladybird Books

  It’s ten minutes to bedtime, but Twinkle the little unicorn is showing no sign of sleepiness! This bedtime read, which features a rhyming countdown, is just the thing to help little ones wind down at the end of a busy day.

• Ten Terrible Dinosaurs

  Author: Paul Strickland
  Publisher: Picture Corgi

  A fun rhyming counting book which small children will love. They can learn the words, point at the pictures, count the dinosaurs and copy their comical jigging and jiving. Exuberant and amusing illustrations complement the text in this welcome reprint of a popular classic. 

• Terra

  Author: Mitch Benn
  Publisher: Gollancz

  Lbbp, resident of the city of Hrrng in the country of Mlml on the distant planet Fnrr, has a problem in the shape of a tiny human baby.

• Terror Kid

  Author: Benjamin Zephaniah
  Publisher: Hot Key

  A powerful, accessible and revelatory novel with its finger firmly on the pulse of contemporary social and political issues.

• Terry Perkins and his Upside Down Frown

  Author: Felix Massie
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln Books

  This is a funny, quirky and thought-provoking picture book, with appealing rhyming text.

• Tiara Friends: The Case of the Stolen Crown

  Author: Paula Harrison Illustrator: Michelle Ouellette
  Publisher: Scholastic Children’s Books

  Best friends Princess Millie and maid Jess look so similar that they often trade places. When a crown is stolen, the pair team up to solve the mystery of its disappearance. The first in a series of royal crime capers.

• Tickle My Ears

  Author: Jörg Mühle
  Publisher: Gecko Press

  Jörg Mühle's Tickle My Ears is a great interactive bedtime story, made to help you bond with your child at bedtime. With an absorbing story and sweet illustrations, this is sure to be a go-to board book for the end of the day.

• Tickle Time

  Author: Igloo Books
  Publisher: Igloo Books

  Red Monster is out and about, playing with his friends. Racing in the garden, jumping around the park and whooshing through town, they’re playing their favourite game: tickling! Red Monster thinks he’s the best at tickling, but what’ll happen when his friends catch up with him and tickle him too?

• Tickle, Tickle

  Author: Helen Oxenbury
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Ideal for any time of the day, especially bathtime and bedtime, the language and repetition make this book good to read aloud.

• Tidy

  Author: Emily Gravett
  Publisher: Two Hoots

  Pete the badger likes to keep everything neat and tidy, but his over-zealous cleaning begins to have a damaging impact on the forest. This entertaining picture book, with its rich illustrations, carries an important environmental message.

• Tiddler

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Although he looks small and ordinary, Tiddler is a fish who loves to tell tall tales. But one day he is swept up in a fisherman's net and then thrown back in to an unfamiliar part of the sea.

• Tiger

  Author: Nick Butterworth
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  Tiger may look like a small, stripy kitten, but in his imagination he is as big and powerful as his namesake.

• Tiger and Friends Pop up book

  Author: Rudolf Lukeš
  Publisher: Scribblers

  Simple text and subject matter, combined with breathtaking artwork will keep young readers engaged as they learn about these interesting animals. 

• Tiger Days and the Secret Cat

  Author: Sarah Lean Illustrator: Anna Currey
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books

  Tiger Days is a shy nine-year-old girl and when her grandmother, May Days, invites her to stay, she is full of trepidation. This is a gentle tale about friendship, love and building self-confidence.

• Tiger in a Tutu

  Author: Fabi Santiago
  Publisher: Orchard Books

  Max the tiger longs to be a ballet dancer, but when he twirls majestically through the streets of Paris, people flee in terror. It takes a very special friend to help Max realise his dream.

• Tiger on a Tree

  Author: Anushka Ravishankar Illustrator: Pulak Biswas
  Publisher: Tara Publishing

  A highly original picture book from India, this is the story of a tiger who ventures onto human territory.

• Tiger Wars

  Author: Steve Backshall
  Publisher: Orion Children's Books

  Saker and Sinter live utterly different lives - until they find themselves unlikely companions on the run. A breathlessly exciting adventure set in India.

• Tiger, Tiger, Time to Take a Bath

  Author: Jo Lodge
  Publisher: Campbell Books

  With brilliant moving parts made from sturdy, thick card, toddlers will love to wiggle the sliding tabs and help these animal characters with their personal grooming. A fun and useful first book on hygiene and self-care. 

• Tilt

  Author: Mary Hoffman
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Netta is desperate to help her father figure out the mystery of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in this super-readable story about a girl who won't let anything stand in the way of her dream.

• Tilly's Moonlight Fox

  Author:
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  This sensitively-written story with a touch of time-travel magic has a flavour of classic children's books such as The Secret Garden and Tom's Midnight Garden.

• Tilly's Promise

  Author: Linda Newbery
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  A touching story by award-winning Linda Newbery about first love, loyalty and the horrors of war, written in dyslexia-friendly language.

• Time After Time

  Author: Judi Curtin
  Publisher: O’Brien

  Imagine your mum gets together with your best friend's dad - and then you find yourself transported to 1984, before any of it happened. A funny and poignant time-slip adventure looking at family break-up, bereavement and step-parents.

• Time Between Us

  Author: Tamara Ireland Stone
  Publisher: Doubleday

  Anna is struggling to understand Bennett, the new boy at school, with whom she shares a mysterious connection.

• Time for a Nap

  Author: Phillis Gershator Illustrator: David Walker
  Publisher: Sterling

  This sweet rhyming book about the tricky business of napping keeps the tone light, with cute and colourful illustrations. It could easily become part of the routine at home: ‘What time is it? Time for a nap!’

• Time for Bed, Fred!

  Author: Yasmeen Ismail
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

  Fred is a very naughty dog - and he doesn't want to go to bed one bit!

• Time for Bed, Miyuki

  Author: Roxane Marie Galliez and Seng Soun Ratanavanh
  Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press

  It's time for Miyuki to go to bed, but there are so many things she wants to do with her grandfather before then! One of the most beautiful children's books in recent years.

• Time for Tea Polly Wally

  Author: Kali Stileman
  Publisher: Red Fox

  Polly Wally has a problem. She’s hungry, but can’t find anything nice to eat. Colourful and comical illustrations accompany this appealing story about a hungry little bird hunting her perfect food.

• Time Stoppers

  Author: Carrie Jones
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  A spell-binding tale of two children transported to a world of magical creatures and horrifying happenings. This book will grip, scare and delight young fantasy fans.

• Time to Go with Ted

  Author: Sophy Henn
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Teeny hands will love turning the flaps of this adorable board book about the very keen and creative Ted on his daily outings. A sweetly interactive read-along that really celebrates the fun of imagination.

• Time Travelling with a Hamster

  Author: Ross Welford
  Publisher: Harper Collins Children’s Books

  When 12-year-old Al Chaudry learns there is a time machine sitting in the garage, he has to go and get it - then he can travel back in time and save his father's life. The reader roots for Al all the way, in this fantastic, funny and original adventure story.

• Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic

  Author: Armand Baltazar
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  The Time Collision changed everything. A cosmic cataclysm from beyond the stars has reshaped earth. Continents have shifted, timelines have merged, but humanity has endured. 

• TimeRiders

  Author: Alex Scarrow
  Publisher: Puffin

  Maddy should have died in a plane crash. Liam should have died at sea when the Titanic sank. Sal should have died in a tragic fire. But a mysterious man whisked them away to safety.

• Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

  Author: Stephan Pastis
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Meet Timmy Failure - a terminally over-confident middle school pupil attempting to make millions by solving local mysteries, such as who ate his classmates’ unattended Halloween candy.

• Timmy Failure: Now Look What You've Done

  Author: Stephan Pastis
  Publisher: Walker Books

  The clueless, comically self-confident kid detective returns in the sequel to Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made.

• Timothy Top

  Author: Gud
  Publisher: Lion Forge

  An exciting first volume in an attractive series of graphic novels for junior readers, this tale successfully combines science fiction, humour, family difficulties and environmental concerns in an accessible and entertaining format.

• Tim's Din

  Author: Monica Hughes Illustrator: Bill Ledger
  Publisher: Pearson UK

  Tim’s Din is a lively and entertaining story about the mischief that little monkeys can get up to when they’re bored.

• Tinder

  Author: Sally Gardner Illustrator: David Roberts
  Publisher: Indigo

  Award-winning author Sally Gardner teams up with David Roberts to put a new spin on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy-tale The Tinder Box in this dark and gripping tale.

• Tiny and Teeny

  Author: Chris Judge
  Publisher: Walker Books

  At the edge of Glengadget, the incredibly helpful Tiny lives with her pet fox Teeny. The colourful imagery in this wonderful picture book is deeply appealing, and there's a gentle message about the good things that happen when we do nice things for others.

• Tiny Infinities

  Author: J H Diehl
  Publisher: Chronicle Books

  Thirteen-year-old Alice is trying to stop her family falling apart. A very beautiful and sensitively handled book that touches on themes of mental health, family relationships, friendships and love.

• Tiny Little Fly

  Author: Michael Rosen
  Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

  Tiny Little Fly zips between the elephant's nose and the tiger's claw, outwitting all of the other animals in this beautifully-designed picture book.

• Tiny: The Invisible World of Microbes

  Author: Nicola Davies Illustrator: Emily Sutton
  Publisher: Walker Books

  This is an original, special and memorable book that sets the bar high for illustrated children's non-fiction.

• Tinyville Town: I’m a Librarian

  Author: Brian Briggs
  Publisher: Chronicle Books

  Kevin the librarian knows lots of things - but when the books about elephants go missing in the library, can he hunt them down and solve the case? Available in a sturdy board book with eye-catching and slightly retro illustrations.

• Titanic: Death on the Water

  Author: Tom Bradman and Tony Bradman
  Publisher: A & C Black

  This readable story, based on material from the National Archives, offers young readers a fresh take on the well-known tale of the sinking of the Titanic.

• To Be A Cat

  Author: Matt Haig
  Publisher: Bodley Head

  Barney Willow doesn’t think life could get much worse: his parents are divorced, he hates his new school...

• To Be Perfectly Honest

  Author: Jess Vallance
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  When Gracie takes a pledge to be totally honest for 50 days, whatever the consequences, she isn’t quite prepared for either the hilarious, or the hurtful, results. An ideal book for teens and young adults looking for a lighthearted yet worthwhile read.

• To Hold the Bridge

  Author: Garth Nix
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  Beginning with this novella set in the magical world of the Old Kingdom series; this is a fantastic collection of short stories, rich in detail and description, featuring vampires, witches, supernatural and fantasy worlds, science fiction, mystery and adventure.

• To Market! To Market!

  Author: Anushka Ravishankar Illustrator: Emanuele Scanziani
  Publisher: Tara Books

  Ravishankar's modern nursery rhyme takes us through an Indian market, to experience the myriad sights and sounds to be found there.

• To Night Owl From Dogfish

  Author: Meg Wolitzer and Holly Goldberg Sloan
  Publisher: Egmont

  Told entirely in emails and letters, this sensitive, often funny book examines what it means to be a family, and what happens when families change. Strong and vivid characterisation makes us feel we really know the characters. 

• To the Beach

  Author: Thomas Docherty
  Publisher: Templar

  Lovely story of a boy using his imagination to go on a trip to the seaside

• To The Edge of the World

  Author: Julia Green
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  A beautifully written, evocative tale with gorgeous descriptions of the Scottish Islands. It’s a story about learning to be brave and become your true and best self, with some real adventure along the way. Perfect for more grown-up Katie Morag fans.

• Toad and I

  Author: Louise Yates
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape

  When Kitty's ball bounces over the fence, she meets Toad. His friends are upset about peculiar incidents involving meteorites and monsters, so brave Kitty helps to investigate. A wacky adventure about having fun and making new friends.

• Toad Attack!

  Author: Patrice Lawrence Illustrator: Becka Moor
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Leo is astounded when he is hit on the head by a flying toad on his way to school. His best friend Rosa is excited because one of her two dads is a television presenter and plans to make a nature programme about the pale, yellow amphibians with bulging red eyes. However, the toads have an insatiable appetite and as the town of Upper Dab is besieged by these …

• Toad Rage

  Author: Morris Gleitzman
  Publisher: Penguin

  Limpy, the cane toad, deeply disturbed that motorists appear to swerve their cars specifically to run toads over, is determined to put a stop to this needless loss of life. He sets out on a perilous journey to try to persuade humans that cane toads are loveable, friendly creatures. He decides to endear himself to the public by becoming a mascot for the Austr…

• Toad Surprise

  Author: Morris Gleitzman
  Publisher: Puffin

  Limpy, the slightly squashed Australian cane toad, is determined to heal the rift between toads and humans.

• Toby Alone

  Author: Timothee de Fombelle Translator: Sarah Ardizzone
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Winner of the 2009 Marsh Award for Children's Literature in Translation, this exciting adventure has a serious message about the wisdom of using up the Earth’s resources

• Toby and the Ice Giants

  Author: Joe Lillington
  Publisher: Flying Eye Books

  A charming story with lively illustrations to learn more about the last Ice Age.

• Today I Feel… An Alphabet of Feelings

  Author: Madalena Moniz
  Publisher: Abrams Appleseed

  Madalena Moniz explores an original emotion on every double-page spread of this lovely hardback, which follows a little boy experiencing each one. Helpful for aiding children to talk about their feelings, this is also a fun and attractive alphabet book.

• Toddle Waddle

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's books

  An ideal book for sharing - babies will love imitating the sounds in the text and pointing out details in the illustrations.

• Toffee

  Author: Sarah Crossan
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Allison befriends a woman with dementia, and an unusual friendship develops against the odds. This beautiful, profound verse novel goes straight to the heart and asks the questions teenagers most want to explore: who am I and what’s my place in the world? 

• Tom and the Siege

  Author: Tony Bradman Illustrator: Stephen Parkhouse
  Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd

  Tom Bailey is always up to mischief and his mother, Lady Eleanor, has had enough. Tom is to go off to Squire School to turn him into a good boy.

• Tom Fletcher and the Angel of Death

  Author:
  Publisher: Catnip

  When Brother Benedict is found dead in Saint Wilfred’s Beast House, eaten by Delilah, the lion he kept to terrorise the people of St Agnes-next-the Sea, there is no shortage of suspects. 

• Tom Gates - Genius Ideas (Mostly)

  Author: Liz Pichon
  Publisher: Scholastic

  The brilliant Tom Gates is back in this, the fourth installment of this award-winning series from Liz Pichon.

• Tom Gates: Family, Friends and Furry Creatures

  Author: Liz Pichon
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Tom discovers lots of family secrets when he embarks on a school project. Another hilarious illustrated book for older readers from multi-award-winning illustrator and author Liz Pichon.

• Tom Thumb

  Author: Katie Daynes Illustrator: Wesley Roins  
  Publisher:

  This traditional tale from English folklore is carefully retold for young readers.

• Tomorrow

  Author: Nadine Kaadan
  Publisher: Lantana Publishing

  A touching story about a little boy trapped in his house in Syria because it’s too dangerous outside. This simple picture book effectively reveals what daily life is like for children living in a war zone.

• Tom's Midnight Garden

  Author:
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  With no garden or children to play with Tom feels lonely and unhappy, until one night he hears the clock striking thirteen and discovers a secret garden.

• Tony Robinson's Weird World of Wonders: World War II

  Author: Tony Robinson Illustrator: Del Thorpe
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  Tony Robinson takes children on a headlong gallop through the history of World War II in this entertaining history book, part of his Weird World of Wonders series.

• Too Close to Home

  Author: Aoife Walsh
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  If you enjoy books which take a long hard look at family life then this is certainly a book for you.

• Too Many Carrots

  Author: Katy Hudson
  Publisher: Curious Fox

  Rabbit loves carrots so much that his whole burrow is full of them, and there's no room for him to sleep! Katy Hudson explores the themes of friendship and sharing in this charming and beautifully illustrated picture book.

• Too Many Toys!

  Author: Heidi Deedman
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Lulu has too many toys, so she comes up with a generous plan to tackle the problem. A gentle, humorous tale about the excesses of modern childhood, with delightful illustrations.

• Too Much Trouble

  Author: Tom Avery
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

  An original interpretation of the Oliver Twist story reflecting a number of critical and significant contemporary issues.

• Too Small for my Big Bed

  Author: Amber Stewart Illustrator: Layn Marlow
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Piper has trouble sleeping all by himself at night and usually ends up in Mummy’s bed.

• Too Small to Fail

  Author: Morris Gleitzman
  Publisher: Puffin Book

  1 boy. 1 girl. 1 camel. Squillions of dollars. A plan that can't fail. Or can it?

• Toot Toot Beep Beep

  Author: Emma Garcia
  Publisher: Boxer Books

  In the eyes of a child traffic can be endlessly entertaining and varied

• Tooth Fairy in Training

  Author: Michelle Robinson Illustrator: Briony May Smith
  Publisher: Walker Books

  This funny, bouncy rhyme is silly and surprising with twists that children really won’t see coming. But there is still enough sparkle and magic to keep little fairy fans happy! A perfect gift for someone who has just lost their first tooth. 

• Top Marks for Murder

  Author: Robin Stevens
  Publisher: Puffin

  This teen murder-mystery, set in an exclusive girls’ school in 1936 is reminiscent of Enid Blyton’s boarding school novels, but with a hefty dose of Agatha Christie’s gruesome, puzzling plotlines. A glorious slice of fantastical escapism.

• Top Secret Grandad and Me: Death by Tumble Dryer

  Author: David MacPhail Illustrator: Laura Aviñó
  Publisher: Kelpies

  Detective work should be easier with a ghost sidekick – unless that sidekick is your grandad! This story is an absolute delight, from the hilarious characters to the fast-paced, page-turning adventure.

• Topsy and Tim Start School

  Author: Jean Adamson
  Publisher: Ladybird

  Find out what happens on the twins' first day at school.

• Toro! Toro!

  Author: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Michael Foreman
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  Antonio gives his grandson an account of the hardships of the Spanish Civil War. Readers will empathise with Antonio, while acquiring an understanding of an important European conflict.

• Toto's Apple

  Author: Mathieu Lavoie
  Publisher: Phaidon

  Toto is a determined little worm. By hook or by crook, he is going to reach the juicy red apple hanging from a low branch. 

• Touch and Feel Baby Animals

  Author: Dorling Kindersley
  Publisher: DK

  You can explore different textures of the cutest baby animals.

• Touch and Feel Toys

  Author: Alison Jay
  Publisher: Templar

  A touch and feel board book, and one of a 'nursery collection', this volume looks at the toys inside a toy box.

• Touch and Tickle

  Author: Sanja Rescek
  Publisher: Chid's Play

  Based on research into the benefits of massage and baby exercise, this is a book which stimulates a baby’s senses

• Touch Think Learn ABC

  Author: Xavier Deneux
  Publisher: Chronicle Books

  A wonderful gift for a toddler or preschooler, this board book is beautifully and sturdily made. Featuring an original and well-thought-out concept for learning the alphabet, this will be a mainstay you’ll return to again and again.

• Toyetica

  Author: Matt LeGrow
  Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment

  Dollington Academy is a unique school helping ‘bittles’ (a race of tiny beings) learn everything they need to have successful careers as doll models. Toyetica is a fantastical and immersive world, with laugh-out-loud humour and some sophisticated themes.

• Toys in Space

  Author: Mini Grey
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape

  The toys have been left outside in the garden one summer night. To help to pass the time till morning, Wonderdoll begins to tell a story about the arrival of a mysterious alien spaceship...

• Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey

  Author: Mini Grey
  Publisher: Jonothan Cape

  The saga of Traction Man reach the beach with the latest in Grey’s series about a small boy’s imaginings of the adventures of the toy who has an outfit (and an answer) for everything

• Traction Man is Here

  Author: Mini Grey
  Publisher: Random House

  Transformed in an instant from combat cool to sartorial nightmare, can Traction Man ever be a superhero again?

• Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog

  Author: Mini Grey
  Publisher: Red Fox

  Sartorial action hero, Traction Man, returns! He and Scrubbing Brush dauntlessly scale the compost heap, cross the swampy pond then return, exhausted.

• Traffic Jam

  Author: Aino-Maija Metsola
  Publisher: Wide Eyed

  There is traffic jam in town, but what is causing it? This beautiful book bursts with fun rhymes and colourful illustrations, and is a fabulous interactive tool for young readers.

• Train is on Track

  Author: Peter Bently Illustrator: Bella Bee and Lucy Fleming
  Publisher: QED

  An exciting story with a big, fast vehicle and a helpful Dog driver.

• Train!

  Author: Judi Abbot
  Publisher: Little Tiger Press

  Abbot's bright images, with cartoon animals shouting the name of their toy, help young readers to identify and learn the names of objects.

• Traitor to the Throne

  Author: Alwyn Hamilton
  Publisher: Faber

  Traitor to the Throne takes place nearly a year after Rebel of the Sands finishes. The plot races along until the explosive conclusion, which will leave readers desperate for the final book in the trilogy.

• Transformation

  Author:
  Publisher: Hesperus Press

  Having squandered his wealth, Guido returns to claim the hand of the celestial Juliet, but finds himself censured by her father.

• Transmetropolitan

  Author: Warren Ellis Darick Robertson
  Publisher: Titan

  After years of selfimposed exile from a civilization rife with degradation and indecency, cynical journalist Spider Jerusalem is forced to return to a job he hates and a city he loathes.

• Travels with my Sketchbook

  Author: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Macmillan

  This book pulls together a compilation of some of the thousands of drawings Chris made while Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2015-17. Everyone will enjoy reliving the past two years through Chris’s observant, witty and affectionate eyes.

• Travels with My Sketchbook

  Author: Michael Foreman
  Publisher: Templar

  Michael Foreman takes us on a truly engrossing trip around the world with this gorgeous collection of sketches, drawings and stories. A book for expanding boundaries: 'Hopefully, children the world over, will feel no horizon is too far.'

• Treacle Street: Marcel’s Parcels

  Author: Kate Hindley
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster

  Marcel the postman is a busy elephant indeed. He has parcels for everyone in his trolley and yet there’s one parcel left. Surprise! It’s a treat for our postman. A joyful and brilliantly illustrated book that will excite children as they peep inside the post. 

• Treason

  Author: Berlie Doherty
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  In the late 1530s, William Montague arrives at Hampton Court as page to Henry’s son, the infant Prince Edward

• Trial by Fire

  Author: Josephine Angelini
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  The first book in Josephine Angelini's Worldwalker trilogy puts an inventive new spin on the story of the Salem witches.

• Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle

  Author: Rick Riordan
  Publisher: Puffin

  Greek god Apollo is having a bad day: he's been stripped of all his powers and banished to earth in the body of a 12-year-old boy. He can't quite remember what he's being punished for, but is determined to get it over with quickly so heads to Camp Half-Blood, a sanctuary for demi-gods. Except when he arrives, the camp is in chaos: kids are going missing and …

• Tribute

  Author: Ellen Renner
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  Zara lives in a world where magic means power and those without are forced to work as slaves - but Zara fights against this.

• Trickster

  Author: Tom Moorhouse
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Two brother rats must go on an adventure to earn their names and the respect of their clan. Will they return victorious or will the challenges they face be too great?

• Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars - The Collected Edition

  Author: Jessica Abel; backgrounds and design by Lydia Roberts; colours by Walter
  Publisher: Super Genius Comics

  This collection of Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars, issues 1-3, is a fascinating graphic novel, melding a dystopian Mars society with the popular American sport of women’s Roller Derby. 

• Troll Swap

  Author: Leigh Hodgkinson
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  A little girl called Tabitha decides to swap places with Timothy the hairy troll in this lively picture book.

• Trollhunters

  Author: Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  This black comedy has a highly visual, cinematic feel. It is wildly imaginative and rich in description, comedy gore and elaborate use of language, but a little light on plot. Contains strong language and graphic violence.  

• Troubadour

  Author: Mary Hoffman
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

  Early in the thirteenth century, Elinor's parents attempt to marry her off to an elderly nobleman but she escapes disguised as a boy, with a troupe of travelling entertainers.

• Trouble

  Author: Non Pratt
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Fifteen-year-old Hannah is in trouble. She's pregnant, and can't bring herself to tell her family or friends the truth.

• Trouble in Toadpool

  Author: Anne Fine Illustrator: Kate Aldous
  Publisher: Doubleday Children's Books

  A welcome return for Fine’s happy, hapless and immensely entertaining Mountfield family.

• Trouble Next Door

  Author: Chris Higgins Illustrator: Emily MacKenzie
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Bella isn't keen on her new home, until a new friend, Magda, pops up next door. Unfortunately, Magda's fun ideas have a nasty habit of getting Bella in trouble. A new illustrated series for young readers gets off to a fun start with Magda's naughty antics.

• Truckers

  Author: Terry Pratchett
  Publisher: Random House

  The first title in the Bromeliad trilogy, this is an enchanting fantasy from favourite author Terry Pratchett.

• True Stories of Heroes

  Author: Paul Dowswell
  Publisher: Usborne

  From animals to astronauts, and captured spies in World War II, this collection of thirteen short stories celebrates some truly amazing, and amazingly true, heroic acts.

• Trueman Bradley - Aspie Detective

  Author: Alexei Maxim Russell
  Publisher: Jessica Kingsley

  It is the Aspergers mind which is Trueman’s most powerful asset as a detective and which enables him to develop ingenious crime-solving equation

• Truly Wildly Deeply

  Author: Jenny McLachlan
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Although a love story, this book is also about peer pressure, family, cultural identity, and having the courage to make one’s own way. Main character Annie is forthright and witty, and has cerebral palsy (although that's not central to the plot). An upbeat story with heart.

• Trust Me

  Author: Malorie Blackman
  Publisher: Corgi Children's

  Seventeen-year-old Jayna can't wait to go on holiday with boyfriend Andrew - but their trip has unexpected and terrible consequences.

• Tuesday

  Author: David Wiesner
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  On a Tuesday evening, the sun is setting, and in the distance, an army of frogs on flying lily pads is approaching.

• Tug of War

  Author: John Burningham
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape

  In this retelling of a traditional African folk tale, wily Hare outwits Elephant and Hippopotamus when he challenges them to a game of tug-of-war

• Tug of War

  Author: Naomi Howarth
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  Stunning illustrations depict a beautiful African landscape in this story about friendship and realising that everyone is special in their own way, whatever their size.

• Tumtum and Nutmeg: The First Adventure

  Author: Emily Bearn Illustrator: Nick Price
  Publisher: Egmont

  This well-judged story of a doll’s house-sized world coming to life is very appealing.

• Tunnel of Bones

  Author: Victoria Schwab
  Publisher: Scholastic

  A claustrophobic, supernatural adventure set in the creepy, underground Catacombs of Paris where the bones (and ghosts?) of hundreds of thousands of long-dead citizens are interred. 

• Tunnels

  Author: Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams
  Publisher: Chicken House

  The first in a series of fantasy novels, Tunnels starts slowly, introducing us to Will and building a picture of his unusual and dysfunctional family life. But the pace picks up with the discovery of a mysterious subterranean psuedo-Victorian parallel world, and the unpleasant Styx, who appears to have malevolent designs on its 21st century discoverers.

  C…

• Turf

  Author: John Lucas
  Publisher: The Bodley Head

  15-year-old Jay is a member of the Blake Street Boyz gang. But when gang leader Shads decides it's time for him to step up and prove his loyalty, Jay realises he has a difficult choice to make.

• Turning to Jelly

  Author: Candy Guard
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  Jelly is the flakey, funny heroine in a hilarious new pre-teen series.

• Tusk Tusk

  Author: David McKee
  Publisher: Andersen

  A fable of human conflict, Tusk Tusk deals with a difficult topic is a wonderfully clear way.

• T-Veg: the story of a carrot-crunching dinosaur

  Author: Smriti Prasadam-Halls Illustrator: Katherina Manolessou
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  Reg dares to be different - he is a vegetarian T-Rex.

• Twelve Minutes to Midnight

  Author: Christopher Edge
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  Every night at precisely 12 minutes to midnight, the inmates of Bedlam, London's notorious madhouse, all begin feverishly writing - incoherent ramblings that Penelope quickly realises are in fact terrifying visions of the new century to come.

• Twilight

  Author:
  Publisher: ATOM

  Edward seems to hate Bella, but it turns out that he is in love with her and he is afraid of what he might do to her.

• Twilight Robbery

  Author: Frances Hardinge
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's books

  The irrepressible Mosca Mye returns! Having departed Mandelion under a cloud, she and Eponymour Clent are running out of places to go.

• Twinkle, Twinkle, ABC

  Author: Barney Saltzberg Illustrator: Fred Benaglia
  Publisher: Phaidon

  A mixed-up, mashed-up melody is the perfect description for this clever sing-song board book. Squishing the ABC song into Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, this fun new song will have little ones jumping and howling along.

• Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

  Author: Annie Kubler
  Publisher: Child's Play

  This book is all about signing and singing-along! The clear hand movements encourage signing as well as dancing.

• Twister

  Author: Juliette Forrest
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Twister's father has gone missing. Her mother is depressed, and people are accusing her father of starting a fatal fire. Even school is horrible now, despite Twister's love for learning, and other than her Aunt Honey and her dog Point she feels that everyone is now against her. Then one day Twister finds a magic necklace with transformative powers. Will this…

• Twit Twoo School: Mouse's Big Day

  Author: Lydia Monks
  Publisher: Macmillan

  Mouse does NOT want to go to school and feels sad when she gets there... but will her classmates help her see how much fun it can be? A gentle and sensitive book for nervous little ones.

• Two Can

  Author: Smriti Prasadam-Halls Illustrator: Ben Javens
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

  Maybe playing together is better because two can have twice as much fun as one! This is an adorable book about letting others join in your games - and each page has hidden details that young readers will love to discover.

• Two Frogs

  Author: Chris Wormell
  Publisher: Random House

  Two frogs are sitting on a lily pad in the middle of a pond; one of them holding a stick.But why?

• Two Good Thieves

  Author: Daniel Finn
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's books

  This nail-biting thriller is also a challenging story about the lives of the world's poorest children.

• Two Nests

  Author: Laurence Anholt Illustrator: Jim Coplestone
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  Two birds, Betty and Paul are perched in a tree. Soon they build a nest, lay an egg and Baby Bird is born - but living together in a small nest isn’t easy.

• Two Shy Pandas

  Author: Julia Jarman Illustrator: Susan Varley
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Although Panda has lots of toys, it’s pretty lonely at Number 1 Bamboo Gardens.  Panda longs to ask Pandora if she’d like to play, but he’s far too shy to ask.

• Two Sides

  Author: Polly Ho-Yen Illustrator: Binny Talib
  Publisher: Stripes

  Lula and Lenka are the best of friends until they have an argument and neither will say sorry. Will they ever manage to make up? Polly Ho-Yen beautifully explores the complexity of friendships and learning that there are always two sides of a story. 

• Two Weeks with the Queen

  Author: Morris Gleitzman
  Publisher: Penguin

  When his brother becomes seriously ill with leukaemia, Colin is sent to stay with relatives in England. Determined to get the best help possible, he decides to approach the Queen.

• Tyrannosaurus Drip

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: David Roberts
  Publisher: Pan Macmillan

  A duckbill dinosaur egg is mistakenly hatched by a fierce, war-loving Tyrannosaurus family.

• Thanks for the Trouble

  Author: Tommy Wallach
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster

  Parker Sante hasn't spoken a word in the five years since his father died. However, he's a pretty good writer. This unusual and sensitive love and coming-of-age story features two great lead characters.

• That Asian Kid

  Author: Savita Kalhan
  Publisher: Troika

  Fifteen-year-old Jeevan witnesses two teachers snogging (and more) in the woods, and films it on his phone. But should he share this on social media? Funny, thought-provoking and very well-written, with some truths about racism amid the humour.

• That Burning Summer

  Author: Lydia Syson
  Publisher: Hot Key

  In the long hot summer of 1940, planes are doing battle over the channel, and the south coast of England is braced for a German invasion.

• That Pesky Rat

  Author: Lauren Child
  Publisher: Orchard Books

  Pesky Rat lives in Dustbin Number 3, Grubby Alley. People call him 'That Pesky Rat', but he longs for a real name, a home and someone to care for him.

• That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown

  Author: Cressida Cowell Illustrator: Neal Layton
  Publisher: Hachette

  Emily and her toy rabbit, Stanley, love to go on adventures together.

• That's NOT How You Do It!

  Author: Ariane Hofmann-Maniyar
  Publisher: Child's Play

  Lucy is a clever little cat who knows how to do everything. She can eat with a spoon and fork, play the xylophone, even fold fabulous paper stars. In fact, all her friends ask her for help if they cannot do something. When Toshi the panda arrives from far away, Lucy doesn't understand why he does everything differently. She becomes increasingly frustrated wh…

• That's Not My Baby...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne

  This book is full of bright pictures with touch-and feel patches.

• That's Not My Bear...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne

  A different bear is introduced on each page of this colourful board book, but there is something not quite right about most of them.

• That's Not My Fairy...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne

  Lots of different fairies are introduced throughout this book, but none of them are quite right. "That’s not my fairy. Her wings are too fluffy."

• That's Not My Frog...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne

  This sturdy touch and feel book features a succession of colourful frogs, from one with silky feet, to another with bumpy spots, to another with shiny toes.

• That's Not My Kitten...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne Books

  One of a growing series of touch and feel board books with interesting textures and shapes for inquisitive fingers to explore.

• That's Not My Monster...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne Publishing

  This monster-themed book is an entertaining addition to the much-loved That's Not My... series.

• That's Not My Pirate...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne

  Lovely, colourful, stimulating book for very young children

• That's Not My Princess...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne Publishing

  This sturdy and durable board book is perfect for the very youngest children, with touch and feel images full of interesting textures and shapes that are ideal for small fingers to explore.

• That's Not My Teddy...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne

  Touch-feely book with colourful illustrations and simply text

• That's Not My Tiger...

  Author: Fiona Watt Illustrator: Rachel Wells
  Publisher: Usborne

  Small children will love touching the tiger’s fluffy ears, soft paws and bumpy teeth and will particularly like tracing his soft, stripy tail on the very last page.

• The 1,000-Year-Old Boy

  Author: Ross Welford
  Publisher: Harper Collins

  Alfie Monk looks like any other 11-year old boy. However, as the title suggests, he is actually 1,000-years old. A truly original read, the plot’s twists and turns are anchored by the warmth, courage and humour of its varied characters.

• The 100 Society

  Author: Carla Spradbery
  Publisher: Hodder

  Readers who are happy to suspend their disbelief will revel in a plot that races along with thrills, scares and entire shoals of red herrings littering the path to a gripping and tortuous climax. Ideal for lovers of Point Horror.

• The 10pm Question

  Author: Kate Di Goldi
  Publisher: Templar

  Like his desk, Frankie likes life to be orderly and neat. But then Sydney arrives, and disturbs Frankie's carefully organised world, forcing him to ask a hitherto unspoken 10pm question.

• The 13-Storey Treehouse

  Author: Andy Griffiths Illustrator: Terry Denton
  Publisher: Macmillan

  Griffiths and Denton create a triumph to engage even the most determined hater of books, which includes hilarious cartoon drawings.

• The 5 Misfits

  Author: Beatrice Alemagna
  Publisher: Lincoln Children’s Books

  Beatrice Alemagna’s highly original illustration style is a wonderful mix of collage and pencil, and her quirky, lovable story about the importance of being yourself –  especially when you might be regarded as odd by others –  is a jewel among children’s books. 

• The 5th Wave

  Author:
  Publisher: Penguin Children's Books

  A few months ago Cassie's biggest problem was that the boy she liked didn't know she was alive. Now she is alone, fighting for survival in a world ravaged by an alien invasion.

• The 7 Professors of the Far North

  Author: John Fardell Illustrator: John Fardell
  Publisher: Faber Children's Books

  Three children set out to rescue their Professor Ampersand and his six companions from an evil organisation.

• The 78-Storey Treehouse

  Author: Andy Griffiths Illustrator: Terry Denton
  Publisher: Macmillan

  There’s tons of zany fun in this illustrated novel, which is the fifth in the series. With minimal text per page and brilliant black-and-white illustrations taking up most of the space, the story zips past at lightning speed and is a really easy, funny read.

• The 91-Storey Treehouse

  Author: Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
  Publisher: Macmillan

  Best friends Andy and Terry live in an incredible treehouse, but when their publisher's grandchildren come to stay, things soon get out of control. A laugh-out-loud book perfect for Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans.

• The Abominables

  Author: Eva Ibbotson
  Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books

  The incomplete manuscript of this irresistibly charming story was found amongst Eva Ibbotson's papers at  her death in 2010.

• The Abominators

  Author: J L Smith Illustrator: Sam Hearn
  Publisher: Atom

  It’s Cecil Trumpington-Potts first day in Year 4 at Grimely East Primary School. In fact, it’s his first day ever at school.

• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

  Author: Sherman Alexie
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  In his first book for young adults, Sherman Alexie tells the story of budding artist Junior, a 14-year-old Native American

• The Accident Season

  Author: Moira Fowley Doyle
  Publisher: Corgi

  For as long as she can remember, the end of October has been the beginning of the Accident Season for seventeen-year-old Cara and her family: cuts, falls and broken bones. A spooky and psychological modern classic with a twist.

• The Accidental Prime Minister

  Author: Tom McLaughlin
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Before he knows it, Joe is thrust straight through the limelight and into a seat at Number 10.

• The Accidental Secret Agent

  Author: Tom McLaughlin
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Kevin's just your everyday 13-year-old, obsessed with phones and becoming a secret agent. The only reason readers will put down this book is because they're laughing too much to hold onto it.

• The Adventures of Alfie Onion

  Author: Vivian French Illustrator: Marta Kissi
  Publisher: Walker Books

  When Alfie Onion helps his brother Magnifico on a quest to secure a princess wife, things don't quite go as his fairytale-obsessed mother had planned. A hero does rise - just not the one everyone expected.

• The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

  Author: Dan Santat
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Seeing the world from the imaginary friend's viewpoint, rather than the child's, sheds fresh light on this familiar yet magical friendship. The stylish, striking, images emphasise its vibrancy against everyday drabness.

• The Adventures of Catvinkle

  Author: Elliot Perlman Illustrator: Laura Stitzel
  Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books

  Catvinkle's peaceful cat existence is disrupted when her owner brings home Ula the Dalmatian. Against the odds, the pair become pals. But how will the other cats react? A chapter book with the inclusive message that friendship should extend to everyone.

• The Adventures of Hermes: God of Thieves

  Author: Murielle Szac Translator: Mika Provata-Carlone
  Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books

  This accessible introduction to Greek mythology unrolls in one hundred episodes, focusing on the god, Hermes.

• The Adventures of John Blake

  Author: Philip Pullman Illustrator: Fred Fordham
  Publisher: Fickling Books

  Like the Bourne films with time travel and a ghost ship, Pullman’s story rockets along at thrilling speed, full of secrets, mysterious baddies and emotional drama. Adventure on the high seas meets spy thriller: a fantastically executed, exciting must-read.

• The Adventures of Miss Petitfour

  Author: Anne Michaels Illustrator: Emma Block
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  A charming collection of short stories about eccentric Miss Petitfour, who loves adventures and always travels by tablecloth with her sixteen cats. A lovely, quirky collection book, with delightful illustrations, that is immensely entertaining.

• The Adventures of Pinocchio

  Author: Carlo Collodi Translator: Anne Lawson
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  The story of the wooden puppet who learns goodness and becomes a real boy is famous the world over, and has been familiar in English for over a century.

• The Adventures of Robin Hood

  Author: Marcia Williams
  Publisher: Walker Books

  A retelling of 11 Robin Hood stories, from his fight with Little John to the firing of his last arrow in humorous comic-strip format.

• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

  Author:
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Baker Street will forever be associated with the famous pipe-smoking detective and his amiable sidekick Dr Watson.

• The Adventures of Tintin

  Author: Hergé Translator: Michael Turner and Leslie Lonsdale-Cooper
  Publisher: Egmont

  Resourceful junior reporter Tintin embarks on a series of exciting international adventures, accompanied by his faithful dog Snowy, in this favourite series.

• The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon

  Author: Mini Grey
  Publisher: Random House

  We all know that the dish ran away with the spoon but Mini Grey's new book explores what happened to the nursery rhyme characters next.

• The Adventures of the New Cut Gang

  Author: Philip Pullman Illustrator: Martin Brown
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  The New Cut Gang are a rag-tag group of resourceful young rascals who get up to all manner of adventures on the streets of Victorian Lambeth.

• The Angel Collector

  Author: Bali Rai
  Publisher: Random House

  This is a thriller suffused with an air of menace, of insecurity, of complex personal tensions and violence.

• The Ali-A Adventures: Game On!

  Author: Ali-A and Cavan Scott Illustrator: Aleksandar Sotirovski
  Publisher: Puffin

  Ali-A is a popular YouTube gamer and this is his first book, co-written with Cavan Scott. It's a fast-paced, fun read with amazing visuals that gaming fans will love, as well as anyone else that enjoys a good yarn.

• The Alien Next Door: The New Kid

  Author: A I Newton Illustrator: Anjan Sarkar
  Publisher: Little Bee Books (Bonnier Publishing USA imprint)

  An alien boy tries to fit in at his new school on earth in the first in a new series aimed at early readers. Filled with humour about the yucky stuff Zeke eats, and wonder at the feats he can perform, this inclusive story makes for a very entertaining tale. 

• The Almost Fearless Hamilton Squidlegger

  Author: Timothy Basil Ering
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Fantastical illustrations complement this exuberant escapade, starring an almost fearless boy who is a tiny bit terrified of the dark.

• The Almost King

  Author: Lucy Saxon
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Young author Lucy Saxon is sticking firmly with fantasy with her second novel.

• The All Mine Academy

  Author: Fabrizio Silei Illustrator: Adriano Gon Translator: Denise Muir from Italian
  Publisher: Editrice Il Castoro

  A hilarious story of an unwanted boy's determination to do good despite the efforts of his dastardly parents.

  First is the kindest, most trusting boy on the planet, but is born to Katiuscia and Gregor Smirth, two penny-pinching, egocentric parents who hate children and merely wanted him as an heir. Despite their efforts to teach First that only greed and sel…

• The Amazing Adventures of Groana Schmitt

  Author: Finn-Ole Heinrich Translator: from German by Katy Derbyshire
  Publisher: Carl Hanser Verlag

  Mona's parents call her Groana because she's sometimes grumpy and loses her temper. She and her mother have moved out of their home and into a strange flat on the other side of town. Mona doesn't know why, and plans to put things right as soon as possible. At her new school, she reluctantly makes friends with a boy called Mo. Mo knows why the new flat is so …

• The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips

  Author: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Michael Foreman
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  Moving from the present day to wartime diary and back again, this ultimately uplifting novel illuminates the effects of the fateful events on the lives of those involved and the generations that followed.

• The Amazing Tale of Ali Pasha

  Author: Michael Foreman
  Publisher: Templar

  The Amazing Tale of Ali Pasha is a wonderful introduction to World War 1 through the story of young seaman Harry Friston and the tortoise he finds in Gallipoli. Based on a true story, this book is beautifully illustrated and gives the horrors of war a human, and animal, heart.

• The Amber Spyglass

  Author: Philip Pullman
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Lyra and Will, the fiesty protagonists from the first two novels, are reunited to embark on their final, dangerous journey on which the future of all the worlds depend.

• The Amulet of Samarkand: A Bartimaeus Graphic Novel

  Author: Jonathan Stroud
  Publisher: Random House Children's Books

  The graphic novel adaptation of the first volume in the best-selling Bartimaeus sequence makes the series more accessible to readers without taking away any of the wit and magic

• The Animal Boogie

  Author: Stella Blackstone Illustrator: Debbie Harter
  Publisher: Barefoot Books

  Boogie along with the jungle inhabitants who flap, shake, flap and slide their way through this colourful book

• The Ant Colony

  Author: Jenny Valentine
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

  Sam and Bo reveal their pasts in alternate chapters, each gradually facing the dysfunctional relationships and traumatic incidents which have triggered their current unlikely friendship.

• The Apothecary

  Author: Maile Meloy Illustrator: Ian Schoenherr
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Shifting between spy thriller and enchanting fantasy, The Apothecary is a skilful blend of the magical with the very real nuclear threat of the 1950s.

• The Apple Tart of Hope

  Author: Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
  Publisher: Orion Children's Books

  Oscar's apple tarts bring hope to the sad or desperate. He is loved and appreciated for this special gift. Meg is his best friend, but just as their friendship is about to blossom into love she has to go to New Zealand for sixth months.

• The Apprentice Witch

  Author: James Nicol
  Publisher: Chicken House

  When Arianwyn fails her witch's assessment, she thinks her life is over - but, really, the adventure has only just begun. A great adventure story, filled with wonderful spells and mysterious creatures.

• The Arrival

  Author: Shaun Tan
  Publisher: Hachette

  In this unusual book, we follow a young man as he packs his bags and leaves his family to go and start a new life in another country

• The Art of Being Normal

  Author: Lisa Williamson
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  David Piper has always been an outsider, labelled a freak by the school bully. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl.

• The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse

  Author: Eric Carle
  Publisher: Puffin

  Eric Carle’s first picture book in four years is a bright, colourful celebration of creativity

• The Ask and the Answer

  Author: Patrick Ness
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Themes of dictatorship, terrorism and privacy reign in Ness’s darker science fiction sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go.

• The Astonishing Case of the Stolen Stories

  Author: Anca Sandu
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape

  The little prince is terribly upset; all of his bedtime stories have been stolen! Luckily detectives Cat, Fox and Bear are on the case.

• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing

  Author: MT Anderson
  Publisher: Walker Books

  This unusual book tells the dark, often harrowing story of Octavian, a boy in the care of a house of rational philosophers in revolutionary Boston.

• The Astounding Broccoli Boy

  Author: Frank Cottrell Boyce Illustrator: Steven Lenton
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  Rory Rooney is unremarkable in almost everything, apart from his capacity to attract the attention of the school bully. But when he suddenly and spectacularly turns green, he becomes a superhero!

• The Atlas of Monsters: Mythical Creatures from Around the World

  Author: Stuart Hill and Sandra Lawrence
  Publisher: Big Picture Press

  The Atlas of Monsters takes the interesting angle of looking at each continent from the point of view of its traditional mythology, and also introduces the book itself as a mysterious source object to be investigated inside a story of strange discovery.

• The Awesome Body Book

  Author: Adam Frost
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  The vibrant infographics bring these facts about the human body to life, and make the book wonderfully fun and colourful. Have you ever wondered how many muscles you use when you smile, or realised that humans shed three types of tears?

• The Awesome Book of Animals

  Author: Adam Frost
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  If you have ever wondered which animal moves slowest, is the most deadly, or even poos the most – then this is the book for you! Sure to be a hit with fact lovers and animal lovers alike.

   

• The Awesome Book of Awesomeness

  Author: Adam Frost Illustrator: Dan Bramall
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  This is a super cool non-fiction book, a little bit like a small version of the Guinness Book of Records. It’s packed full of strange and fascinating facts – after reading this book, you will be able to wow everyone you know with your crazy knowledge.

• The Baby

  Author: Lisa Drakeford
  Publisher: Chicken House

  Olivia is in the midst of one of the greatest parties ever - her own 17^th birthday party - when she walks in on her best friend Nicola giving birth on her bathroom floor.

• The Baby and Fly Pie

  Author: Melvin Burgess
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Fly Pie and Sham are rubbish pickers, who go to the tip every day to pick rubbish for Mother Shelly. Then one day they come across a dying man and a baby.

• The Baby That Roared

  Author: Simon Puttock Illustrator: Nadia Shireen
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  Mr and Mrs Deer don’t have any children, but they would love to have a baby of their own to look after. When a mysterious bundle arrives on their doorstep they are overjoyed.

• The Baby Who Wouldn't Go To Bed

  Author: Helen Cooper
  Publisher: Random House

  This determined baby refuses to go to bed. Resolved to stay up all night, he takes off in his car to search for like-minded friends.

• The Baby's Catalogue

  Author: Janet and Allan Ahlberg
  Publisher: Puffin

  This book's packed with lots of baby pictures and baby items. It's great for learning and making up stories - this fantastic book will lead to lots of talk with your child.

• The Bacteria Book: Gross Germs, Vile Viruses and Funky Fungi

  Author: Steve Mould
  Publisher: DK

  Perfect for fans of the Horrible Science series, this colourful book is full of weird and wonderful facts that will release the science enthusiast inside you. 

• The Bad Bunnies' Magic Show

  Author: Mini Grey
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster

  This is a wonderful, inventive and playful picture book about two naughty bunnies and their magic tricks, which will delight young readers and their parents alike.

• The Bad Guys: Episodes 1 and 2

  Author: Aaron Blabey
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Written like a comic book, this is a very funny story, full of action and crazy characters. It's lots of fun and will probably make you laugh out loud.

• The Bad Trousers

  Author: Ros Asquith Illustrator: Mairi Hedderwick
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Children will enjoy this cheeky tale thanks to Asquith's charming writing and Hedderwick's familiar illustrations. A lovely way to make learning to read fun.

• The Bakehouse

  Author: Joy Cowley
  Publisher: Gecko Press

  An elderly Great-Grandfather tells his grandson what happened to him during World War II, and it involves a love affair between Bert's sister and a deserter.

• The Baking Life of Amelie Day

  Author:
  Publisher: Curious Fox

  In some ways Amelie Day is a teenager like any other, much of her day-to-day life revolving around her best friend, school, loyal boyfriend and fretful mother.  However, in other ways, she is rather less typical...

• The Bandit of Barbel Bay

  Author: Sam Bosma
  Publisher: Nobrow

  The second in the Fantasy Sports series starts to unfold a slightly more developed backstory. With more epic sports battles and more tongue-in-cheek humour, this high-action tale of good sportsmanship and friendship is another gem. 

• The Bare Bum Gang and the Football Face Off

  Author: Anthony McGowan
  Publisher: Red Fox

  As everyone knows, a gang's den is sacred no matter how dirty, dark or smelly it may be so when the Bare Bum Gang's den is at risk they will do anything they can to save it.

• The Barefoot Book of Children

  Author: Tessa Strickland Kate DePalma and David Dean
  Publisher: Barefoot Books

  This is a beautifully comprehensive and thought-provoking picture of the many different ways in which people live around the world. A book to dip into time and time again; a treasure trove of discussion topics, but also an aesthetic delight.

• The Barefoot Book of Jewish Tales

  Author: Shoshana Boyd Gelfand Illustrator: Amanda Hall
  Publisher: Barefoot Books

  The eight stories in this thought-provoking collection of traditional Jewish tales combine folklore and scripture, and are retold for children. Gathered from a range of eras and locations, the emphasis of each story is on kindness, compassion and trust in God.

• The Barefoot Books World Atlas

  Author: Nick Crane Illustrator: David Dean
  Publisher: Barefoot Books

  Full of fascinating facts and figures about the earth and beautifully illustrated with David Dean’s bright and colourful maps

• The Battle of the Sun

  Author:
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens Books

  Jack Snap is a 'boy where magic could happen'; and happen it does when he is imprisoned by a darkly powerful Magus, an alchemist who plans to turn Tudor London into gold.

• The Battlemage

  Author: Taran Matharu
  Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books

  The conclusion to the incredibly successful Summoner trilogy has plenty of action, and, while it’s emotional to leave Fletcher and the other well-drawn characters, Matharu ends things on a high with dragons, demons, battles and revelations galore.

• The Bear

  Author: Raymond Briggs
  Publisher: Penguin

  Young Tilly is delighted when a polar bear clambers through her bedroom window one night - but are mischievous polar bears really ideal domestic pets? The Bear is a warm story about kindness, caring, and letting go.

• The Bear and the Hair

  Author: Claire Evans
  Publisher: Fourth Wall

  Bear wants a 'cool' new haircut, so off he goes to the hairdressers - but which style will suit him best? A fun story with an attached bear puppet to really bring the tale to life.

• The Bear and the Piano

  Author: David Litchfield
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  A bear's piano playing makes him a huge star, but he misses the friends and family he has left behind. A moving tale of exploration and belonging from an exciting debut author-illustrator.

• The Bear Cub Bakers

  Author: Caroline Baxter Illustrator: Kathi Ember
  Publisher: Big Sunshine Books

  A group of young bear cubs go to Miss Betsy Bear's baking school for a week of fun in the kitchen - but who will take home the golden trophy for best baker at the end of the week?

• The Bear in the Cave

  Author: Michael Rosen Illustrator: Adrian Reynolds
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

  The lonely bear from Rosen’s classic We’re Going on a Bear Hunt sets off one day to follow the sounds of the city.

• The Bear Whispers to Me

  Author: Chang Ying-Tai Translator: Darryl Sterk
  Publisher: Balestier Press

  A short, quiet novel that blurs the lines of fantasy and reality in a dream like fable, The Bear Whispers to Me feels traditional and timeless.

• The Bear Who Went Boo!

  Author: David Walliams Illustrator: Tony Ross
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books

  A comical and entertaining book about a little polar bear with a big voice - BOO!

• The Bear's Sea Escape

  Author: Benjamin Chaud
  Publisher: Chronicle Books

  Parents and children alike will enjoy this touching tale of a father's mission to find his son in this stylish picture book.

• The Beast is an Animal

  Author: Peternelle van Arsdale
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster

  When unimaginable tragedy strikes her village, Alys is only seven years old, yet she can’t stop thinking that she is somehow to blame. An epic story of triumph over adversity in the style of traditional folk tales.

• The Beast Player

  Author: Nahoko Uehashi Translator: Cathy Hirano
  Publisher: Pushkin Press

  Elin's mother has a very special job - caring for the magical Toda which protect their kingdom. But when something goes wrong, Elin must flee and discovers an astonishing talent for communicating with creatures. A sophisticated fantasy that will have teen readers gripped.

• The Beasts of Clawstone Castle

  Author: Eva Ibbotson
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's books

  Madlyn and Rollo are despatched to live for the summer with their reclusive elderly relatives in decrepit Clawstone Castle.

• The Bee's Knees

  Author: Roger McGough
  Publisher: Penguin

  These, warm, funny poems will amuse children and hopefully get them wanting to share the rhyme and repetition by reading them out loud.

• The Beetle Collector’s Handbook

  Author: M G Leonard
  Publisher: Scholastic

  A must-have companion for dedicated fans of M G Leonard’s Beetle Boy series, this is the ultimate guide for those who want to find out more about beetles. With illustrations and funny notes in the margins, this is a book for everyone who wants to explore nature.

• The Beggar Maid

  Author:
  Publisher: Vintage

  This collection of stories reads like a novel following Rose's life as she moves away from her impoverished roots and forges her own path in the world.

• The Best Birthday Present Ever

  Author: Ben Mantle
  Publisher: Macmillan

  When Bear sends out invitations to his birthday party, his guests compete with one another to buy the best present in the toyshop.

• The Best Medicine

  Author: Christine Hamill
  Publisher: Little Island

  Twelve-year old Philip Wright is a comedian in the making. Then one day, he tells his mother a joke, and she breaks down in tears. It's a brave challenge to unite the themes of cancer and comedy - but this is an entertaining and light-hearted read.

• The Best Mother

  Author: C M Surrisi Illustrator: Diane Goode
  Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers

  Maxine suspects that if she had a different mother, things would be much nicer – until she talks to some other mums. A fun, quirky book for children who might have wondered “what if?”, this story celebrates how perfect our own mothers are just for us.

• The Best of Pippi Longstocking

  Author: Astrid Lindgren Illustrator: Tony Ross
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Pippi is an empowering role model to all young girls; her resourcefulness will inspire all

• The Best of Times

  Author: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Emma Chichester Clark
  Publisher: Egmont

  The Prince invites entertainers to the palace to cheer up the Princess. The puppeteers come too and perform the greatest story – the Christmas Nativity story.

• The Best Singer in the World

  Author: Ulf Nilsson Illustrator: Eva Eriksson
  Publisher: Gecko Press

  Astrid Lindgren award winner Eva Eriksson provides quirky, soft-focus and humorous illustrations for Ulf Nilsson's story about a boy who loves singing but is too shy to perform.

• The Bet

  Author: David Grant Illustrator: Garry Parsons
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Ed, Zac, Becca and Kat are all keen to go on a school trip, but then they learn they'll have to earn money to make it there - and soon it's boys versus girls to see who can make the most cash! A dyslexia-friendly book.

• The Betrayal

  Author: Mary Hooper
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  The final novel in Hooper's At the House of the Magician series, in which Lucy is in London, preparing for the imminent arrival of Dr John Dee, the court alchemist and his family.

• The BFG

  Author: Roald Dahl Illustrator: Quentin Blake
  Publisher: Puffin

  The BFG stands for Big Friendly Giant, who unexpectedly spirits a little girl named Sophie out of bed, and into the land of the child-eating giants.

• The Big Adventure of the Smalls

  Author: Helen Stephens
  Publisher: Egmont

  When Paul and Sally Small sneak out of bed to take a peek at the goings-on at the Small Hall Grand Ball, Mr Puddles the teddy bear has a nasty accident - he falls through the banisters and simply has to be rescued.

• The Big Book of Beautiful Babies

  Author: David Ellwand
  Publisher: Ragged Bears

  This book is full of lovely black and white photos – your child will love looking at the pictures of babies’ faces and expressions.

• The Big Book of Magical Mixups

  Author: Hilary Robinson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Scholastic

  If you have ever wished you could turn a weedy uncle into an inflatable fairy or a bad-tempered friend into an exploding pencil case then this is the book for you!

• The Big Book of the Blue

  Author: Yuval Zommer
  Publisher: Thames & Hudson

  This wonderful, beautifully illustrated book about all things fishy (and ocean-y) has a gentle sense of humour: presenting digestible facts, ideal for lower primary children, with a light-hearted twist. 

• The Big Question

  Author: Leen van den Berg Kaatje Vermeire
  Publisher: Book Island

  Unusual and atmospheric illustrations complement this philosophical picture book.

• The Big Sleep

  Author: Raymond Chandler
  Publisher: Penguin

  Californian private eye Philip Marlowe's entanglement with the Sternwood family - and an attendant cast of colorful underworld figures - is the background to a story reflecting all the tarnished glitter of the great American Dream

• The Big Snuggle-Up

  Author: Brian Pattern Illustrator: Nicola Bayley
  Publisher: Anderson Press

  The beautifully detailed illustrations by Nicola Bayley capture the warmth and magic of this delightful story

• The Bigger Picture: Women Who Changed the Art World

  Author: Sophia Bennett Illustrator: Manjit Thapp
  Publisher: Tate Publishing

  For thousands of years, the work of brilliant female creatives has gone unappreciated, whether they were taking part in weaving, sewing, embroidery or crockery. This fascinating book profiles wonderful women artists from across the world and gives their work the attention it deserves.

• The Biracial Butterfly

  Author: Lennox Benson Illustrator: Hari Conner
  Publisher: Pup Ear Books, an imprint of Dog Horn Publishing

  A warm and simple rhyming story that explores mixed heritage and identity in an imaginative, colourful way, and reassures in its acceptance of difference and variety. 

• The Black Book of Colours

  Author: Menena Cottin Illustrator: Rosana Faria
  Publisher: Walker Books

  A visually impaired boy introduces us to colours as he experiences them – through his senses of hearing, touch, smell and taste.

• The Black Book of Secrets

  Author: F E Higgins
  Publisher: Pan Macmillan

  An original and fascinating book by a talented new writer, which explores themes of trust, redemption, forgiveness and natural justice in the context of a dark and gripping mystery.

• The Black Cat Detectives

  Author: Wendy Meddour
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  Auntie Urooj is lonely so Shaima decides to sign her up with the Truly Deeply Muslims online marriage agency. But her new suitor Rasheed isn't all he appears to be...

• The Black Lotus

  Author: Kierann Fanning
  Publisher: Chicken House

  Three children, each with their own special ability, are plucked from the streets in different cities around the world. They are brought together and trained as ninjas to continue to protect the Moon Sword - a source of great power.

• The Black Lung Captain: Tales of the Ketty Jay

  Author: Chris Wooding
  Publisher: Indigo

  In the second gripping installment of the adventures of the Ketty Jay, Captain Darien Frey finds himself seeking an alien treasure on a dangerous island.

• The Blackhope Enigma

  Author: Teresa Flavin
  Publisher: Templar

  When Sunni’s step-brother unwittingly unlocks a passage into an old painting, they are transported to Arcadia and must find a way out of this dangerous and exciting land.

• The Blackthorn Key

  Author: Kevin Sands
  Publisher: Simon and Schuster

  A young alchemy apprentice seeks vengeance after his master is murdered by a sinister cult.

• The Blanket Bears

  Author: Samuel Langley-Swain Illustrator: Ashlee Spink
  Publisher: Owlet Press

  Alone in the snow, two little bears are cold, scared and missing much of their fur. Thankfully, help arrives in the form of Tilly, who hopes them to find another home. A gentle and heartfelt story that shows the adoption process in an honest, reassuring way.
  
  

• The Blood Guard

  Author: Carter Roy
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Ronan discovers why his mother has filled all his spare time with classes of every kind, from martial arts to fencing. Think Anthony Horowitz meets Dan Brown and be prepared for a fast and spectacular ride in this first book in a series.

• The Blood List

  Author: Sarah Naughton
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster

  In 1646, England is gripped by wild tales of witches, murder and changelings.

• The Blue Cat

  Author: Ursula Dubosarky
  Publisher: Allen & Unwin

  Columba, growing up in Australia on the eve of the Second World War, knows Europe only as a far-away place where mysterious events occur and threaten her life. A poetic account of the Second World War.

• The Blue Sword

  Author: Robin McKinley
  Publisher: Firebird

  This teen fantasy, originally published in 1982, is a rip-roaring ride filled with fantasy, girl-power, romance and danger.

• The Bluest of Blues: Anna Atkins and the First Book of Photographs

  Author: Fiona Robinson
  Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers

  Fiona Robinson’s beautifully blue book about the life of 19th-century born Anna Atkins is an inspiring testament to a father’s commitment to his daughter’s education, and to her passion for the natural world. Young nature lovers will be inspired by Anna’s story.

• The Bog Baby

  Author: Jeanne Willis Illustrator: Gwen Millward
  Publisher: Puffin

  Two little girls go walking in bluebell wood and rescue a Bog Baby.

• The Bombs That Brought Us Together

  Author: Brian Conaghan
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Charlie and Pav's friendship becomes something more complex, when the bombs and the Old Country soldiers come. This compulsive teen read successfully achieves a difficult balance: entertainment and social commentary.

• The Bone Dragon

  Author: Alexia Casale
  Publisher: Faber Children's

  An intriguing blend of psychological thriller and fantasy, this is an impressive and unusual debut.

• The Bone Sparrow

  Author: Zana Fraillon
  Publisher: Orion Children’s Books

  Focusing on a friendship between two young refugees, The Bone Sparrow is one of those rare, special books that will break your heart with its honesty and beauty - but is ultimately hopeful and uplifting.

• The Bonehill Curse

  Author: Jon Mayhew
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

  The year is 1868 and Necessity Bonehill lives miserably in a boarding school for young ladies. Overwhelmed by boredom, she is unable to resist temptation when an exotic-looking bottle arrives from her uncle along with instructions never to open it.

• The Book Case

  Author: Dave Shelton
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  This sniggeringly funny, totally deadpan adventure is a joy to read. Loosely set in the 1930s, it’s a bit like reading a really well-written and funny Famous Five or Secret Seven by Enid Blyton.

• The Book of Bees

  Author: Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski Translator: Agnes Monod-Gayraud
  Publisher: Thames & Hudson

  This glorious book will introduce you to the bee world. It is fantastically illustrated in a cartoonish style that is big, bold and great fun.

• The Book of Blood and Shadow

  Author: Robin Wasserman
  Publisher: Atom

  Translating the letters of sixteenth century alchemist's daughter Elizabeth Weston, Nora finds herself on the trail of a powerful secret encoded in the mysterious Voynich Manuscript

• The Book of Clouds

  Author: Juris Kronbergs Illustrator: Anete Melece Translator: Mara Rozīte and Richard O’Brien
  Publisher: The Emma Press

  This wonderful book about the magic of clouds is full of surprising and original poems, perfect for upper key stage two children either at school or at home. 

• The Book of Dust 1: La Belle Sauvage

  Author: Philip Pullman Illustrator: Chris Wormell
  Publisher: Penguin

  Malcolm is drawn into a dangerous world of secrets and intrigue – and a mission to protect baby Lyra, whatever the cost. La Belle Sauvage gives readers a not-to-be-missed chance to be back in the world of His Dark Materials: full of peril, magic and thrills. 

• The Book of Dust 2: The Secret Commonwealth

  Author: Philip Pullman Illustrator: Chris Wormell
  Publisher: Penguin Books

  The Secret Commonwealth is a deeper, darker beast than the previous His Dark Materials trilogy. Some brilliant and excitingly tense set pieces will keep you breathless and with a knot in your stomach – and desperate to know what happens next. 

• The Book of Pearl

  Author: Timothée de Fombelle Translator: Sarah Ardizzone
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Joshua Pearl is a fairy prince in a human world, trying to make his way back to his one true love through our history. This sweeping fairy tale of love and memory will bewitch readers who long for epic romance and otherworldly magic.

• The Book Thief

  Author: Markus Zusak
  Publisher: Black Swan

  A powerful story narrated by Death, about: a girl, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery

• The Book with No Pictures

  Author: B J Novak
  Publisher: Puffin

  Demanding to be shared, this is a fresh and enormously funny book that children will want to hear time and time again.

• The Bookshop Girl

  Author: Sylvia Bishop Illustrator: Ashley King
  Publisher: Scholastic

  When Property Jones's family win the amazing opportunity to take over a huge bookshop in London, they can't wait to move. But Property thinks there's something fishy going on. This crime caper has lots of warmth and laughs.

• The Borrowers

  Author: Mary Norton
  Publisher: Puffin

  The Borrowers are tiny people who live in the secret places of old houses - behind the mantlepiece, inside the harpsichord, under the kitchen clock.

• The Boss Baby

  Author: Marla Frazee
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books

  From the moment the baby arrived, it was obvious that he was the boss

• The Boundless

  Author: Kenneth Oppel
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  Travelling on a gigantic train, The Boundless, Will witnesses a brutal murder - and it is up to Will to save the train. A rollercoaster of a read, with thrilling turns, dazzling characters and non-stop action.

• The Box of Delights

  Author: John Masefield Illustrator: Quentin Blake
  Publisher: The Box of Delights

  A magical old man has asked Kay to protect the Box of Delights, a Box with which he can travel through time. But Kay is in danger: Abner Brown will stop at nothing to get his hands on it. The police don't believe Kay, so when his family and the Bishop are scrobbled up just before Christmas, he knows he must act alone...

• The Boy and the Globe

  Author: Tony Bradman Illustrator: Tom Morgan-Jones
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke Ltd

  When Toby goes to the Globe theatre to thieve, he meets a sad and despairing figure: William Shakespeare. This funny chapter book celebrates the power of art and imagination in all its forms - and has some wonderfully arch illustrations.

• The Boy at the Back of the Class

  Author: Onjali Q Raúf
  Publisher: Orion Children's Books

  This is the story about how four classmates have a massive impact on the life of Ahmet, a boy that comes to their school as a refugee from Syria. An inspiring and sweet tale that should help children be the best they can be and realise the power of kindness.

• The Boy from France

  Author: Hilary Freeman
  Publisher: Piccadilly Press

  When Vix’s visiting French exchange student turns out to be a boy, her classmates are jealous. But Vix is regretting being a host – she already has enough to do caring for her disabled mother.

• The Boy in the Black Suit

  Author: Jason Reynolds
  Publisher: Faber and Faber

  When Matt’s mum tragically dies from cancer, it feels like all the joy is sucked out of his life. Then he meets a girl called Love. This is a profoundly beautiful, open-hearted, funny, tear-jerking, readable and relatable story, which explores grief in the truest sense.

• The Boy in the Dress

  Author: David Walliams Illustrator: Quentin Blake
  Publisher: HarperCollins Childrens Books

  Despite its sensitive subject matter, this book is filled with humour

• The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

  Author: John Boyne
  Publisher: Random House

  Bruno is exploring his new home at 'Out-With' when he meets Shmuel, who lives on the other side of a fence which surrounds a large camp in the grounds.

• The Boy in the Tower

  Author: Polly Ho-Yen
  Publisher: Doubleday

  Taking place in a believable urban, multicultural environment that will be familiar to many young readers, Polly Ho-Yen's debut is an impressively moving and thought-provoking story that will touch children and adults alike.

• The Boy on the Wooden Box

  Author: Leon Leyson
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster

  The harrowing story of Leon Leyson, a Jewish boy who was saved by Oskar Schindler is hard to read at times but it’s wonderfully written and sure to move readers to the core.

• The Boy Who Climbed into the Moon

  Author: David Almond Illustrator: Polly Dunbar
  Publisher: Walker Books

  A child's imagination is a wonderful thing and Paul's is more wonderful and vivid than many. He has a theory - that the moon is not really the moon but a great big hole in the sky.

• The Boy Who Fell Down Exit 43

  Author: Harriet Goodwin
  Publisher: Stripes

  A quirky debut novel laced with humour and a dollop of magic

• The Boy Who Flew

  Author: Fleur Hitchcock
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  When Athan Wilde’s mentor, Mr Chen, is brutally murdered, he rescues secret plans that should enable him to complete the old man’s spectacular flying machine. But Athan needs help and he’s not sure who to trust. A tense and imaginative historical thriller.

• The Boy Who Hit Play

  Author: Chloe Daykin
  Publisher: Faber & Faber

  A funny, life-affirming quest for identity that sees 12-year old Elvis Crampton Lucas and his adoptive dad racing across Norway, pursued by a shadowy villain. Captivating and thought-provoking.

• The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair

  Author: Lara Williamson
  Publisher: Usborne

  Becket Rumsey decides to investigate the reasons behind the strange actions of some of the adults in his life. With the help of his brother Billy and his pet snail Brian, he uncovers some difficult truths - and some beautiful ones.

• The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas

  Author: David Almond Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Multi-award-winning author David Almond returns with this pleasingly eccentric story of a ordinary boy who embarks on an unusual adventure.

• The Boy who Switched off the Sun

  Author: Paul Brown Illustrator: Mark O’Hanlon
  Publisher: Fourth Wall Publishing

  Marcel turns off the sun and plunges the world into the cold and dark. Can he find a way to put things back to normal – and quickly? Bright, glossy, humorous and thought-provoking.

• The Boy Who Went Magic

  Author: A P Winter
  Publisher: Chicken House Ltd

  Everyone in Penvellyn has grown up on the stories of Ferenor, an abandoned land of mages and magic that now lies in myth and ruin. Touches of steampunk and fantasy mix together in this magic-filled adventure.

• The Boy With Two Heads

  Author: Andy Mulligan
  Publisher: David Fickling

  Richard Westlake is an altogether ordinary boy, until he inexplicably grows another head.

• The Boy With the Butterfly Mind

  Author: Victoria Williamson
  Publisher: Floris Books

  The complexities of families divided by break-up and reformed as blended versions of themselves will have been experienced by many readers. Elin and Jamie’s story is a compelling and affecting book about acceptance, openness and family dynamics.

• The Boy with the Tiger's Heart

  Author: Linda Coggin
  Publisher: HotKey Books

  Written, unusually, in the present tense, this dystopian fable expresses an idea about the way the relationship between nature and society could develop.

• The Boy with the Topknot

  Author: Sathnam Sanghera
  Publisher: Penguin

  The book moves along quickly, never boring, always painting an interesting picture of a family dealing with mental illness and a family dealing with the cultural differences of old and new, East and West.

• The Boy, The Bird and the Coffin Maker

  Author: Matilda Woods
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Allora is a small town so close to the ocean that fish fly out of the tumultuous sea; it's a town so small that secrets are impossible to keep.

• The Boyhood of Burglar Bill

  Author: Allan Ahlberg
  Publisher: Penguin

  It is 1953, and in Oldbury Town there is to be a football competition. Rood End Primary enters its two best teams, but there are a few others who want to make their mark too.

• The Brave Beast

  Author: Chris Judge
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  The Beast is enjoying a lovely bit of peace and quiet when terrified villagers from a nearby island beg for his help in finding the source of a horrifying howling.

• The Brave Little Grork

  Author: Kathryn Cave Illustrator: Nick Maland
  Publisher: Friendly Dragon

  Grorks are shy, easily frightened creatures, and the one in this story is no exception. When his friend, the greep, suggests going for a walk to the wood, the grork is terrified...

• The Bride's Farewell

  Author: Meg Rosoff
  Publisher: Penguin

  A gripping, poetic coming-of-age tale, which considers issues as relevant to 21st century teenage experience as they were in Pell’s time; relationships, duty, love and abuse.

• The Brilliant World of Tom Gates

  Author: Liz Pichon
  Publisher: Scholastic

  This book oozes personality and with so much going on it promises to maintain the attention of young readers for hours at a time

• The Brockenspectre

  Author: Linda Newbery Illustrator: Pam Smy
  Publisher: Random House

  Tomas sets out to find his father, terrified that the Brockenspectre - a mountain monster which his father had told him about - has got him.

• The Broken Road

  Author: B R Collins
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Celebrating the 800th centenary of the Children's Crusade, The Broken Road imagines the story of a group of young people to Jerusalem to regain the city from the Saracens for the Christianity, which took place in the 13th century.

• The Broken Word

  Author: Adam Foulds
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape

  Adam Foulds' stunning poetic sequence follows the experience of Tom, recently returned to his family’s farm in Kenya and propelled into the violence of the Mau Mau uprising.

• The Bubble Boy

  Author: Stewart Foster
  Publisher: Simon and Schuster

  Joe has always lived in a sterile room in a hospital. He's the 'bubble boy': documented on TV because of a rare condition, affecting his immune system, that keeps him vacuum-packed from the rest of society.

• The Bubble Wrap Boy

  Author: Phil Earle
  Publisher: Penguin

  Charlie goes in search of something he is good at, that will make him feel better after being picked on at school. When he discovers skateboarding his whole life changes, but can he persuade his overprotective Mum to let him develop his talent?

• The Building Boy

  Author: Ross Montgomery Illustrator: David Litchfield
  Publisher: Faber & Faber

  The boy loves his grandmother dearly. Best of all, he loves the stories about her life as a prize-winning architect. One day, she promises she'll build him an extraordinary house. Now his grandmother's gone, and he's heartbroken. But in her garden there are bricks and girder and he begins to build….

• The Bumblebear

  Author: Nadia Shireen
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape

  Norman the bear loves honey, so he thinks up an ingenious plan to get his paws on as much as he can eat - by enrolling at Bee School! An endearing tale about friendship and loyalty.

• The Buried Crown

  Author: Ally Sherrick
  Publisher: Chicken House

  It's World War Two and Britain is on the brink of invasion. George has been sent to live in the countryside  – but he's far from safe. A fast-paced adventure that zips along and mixes up the facts with tantalising mythical and magical elements.

• The Bus is for Us!

  Author: Michael Rosen Illustrator: Gillian Tyler
  Publisher: Walker Books

  With bold, easy to read rhyming text and beautiful pictures to fire the imagination, this book, exploring all manner of transport and adventure, is one to be treasured and shared.

• The Butterfly Clues

  Author: Kate Ellison
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Blending a tense and compelling murder mystery with a thoughtful story of self-discovery , this is an impressive debut novel

• The Butterfly Heart

  Author: Paula Leyden
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Twins Bul-Boo and Madillo are determined to save their friend Winifred from an arranged marriage with her uncle's friend, who is old enough to be her grandfather.

• The Butterfly House

  Author: Katy Flint Illustrator: Alice Pattullo
  Publisher: Lincoln Children’s Books

  Inside an imaginary glass butterfly house, we make our way through a variety of butterfly and moth species, all fabulously illustrated by the very talented Alice Pattullo. A very lovely and informative read.

• The Cake the Wolf and the Witch

  Author: Maudie Smith Illustrator: Tony Ross
  Publisher: Orion

  An imaginative, entertaining story about scary new beginnings, featuring some comical, crazy characters and sprinkled with funny illustrations.

• The Call

  Author: Peadar O’Guilin
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  The Call masterfully blends fantasy, horror and folklore. The Sídhe are vicious fairy-type creatures, banished by humans to another land. They take their revenge by 'calling' teenagers to the Grey Lands - where they are hunted, tortured or killed.

• The Cardturner

  Author: Louis Sachar
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Alton has been unwillingly forced by his parents into being his irrascible, blind, bridge-mad uncle’s cardturner, in the hope that the family will be beneficiaries of the old man’s will.

• The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole

  Author: Michelle Cuevas
  Publisher: Simon and Schuster

  When 11-year-old space mad Stella visits NASA, the last thing she expects is for a black hole to follow her and live in her house as a pet. A heartwarming, sensitively funny and uplifting illustrated story of one girl's journey in confronting her grief.

• The Carhullan Army

  Author: Sarah Hall
  Publisher: Faber

  Britain is in a bad way. Flooding, fuel shortages and overseas military commitments have taken their toll on the environment and the economy.

• The Case of the Good-Looking Corpse

  Author: Caroline Lawrence
  Publisher: Orion Children's Books

  P.K. Pinkerton, intrepid 12-year-old Private Eye who (almost) never sleeps, returns in the second book in this lively and original series from Caroline Lawrence, set in America's Wild West.

• The Castle

  Author: Sophia Bennett
  Publisher: Chicken House

  The Castle is a fast-paced adventure story that is sure to keep readers turning pages. It also touches upon issues of domestic slavery, politics and human rights.

• The Castle Corona

  Author: Sharon Creech
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Two orphaned peasant children, Pia and Enzio, find a pouch, stolen from the King and dropped in their path. A fairytale about rich and poor.

• The Castle of Inside Out

  Author: David Henry Wilson Illustrator: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Alma Books Ltd

  This is a timeless fantastical story about overcoming greed, power and corruption. Lorina is a brave heroine, who fights for what is right against all odds. There are lots of other fun characters, too - all illustrated by the wonderful Chris Riddell.

• The Cat and the Fiddle: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes

  Author: Jackie Morris
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

  The bold, earthy colour palate and close observation of the human and natural world make this a striking collection to be treasured – and remembered

• The Cat and the King

  Author: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Scholastic

  When the royal castle is destroyed in an Unfortunate Incident involving a fire-breathing dragon, the King and his best friend, the cat, are forced to find an alternative home.

• The Cat in the Hat

  Author: Dr Seuss
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

  When Sally and her brother are left alone on a rainy day, they think they are in for a dull time - but then the Cat in the Hat appears.

• The Cat Mummy

  Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Yearling

  A deceptively simple tale which explores the issue of bereavement for younger readers.

• The Cat Who Ate Christmas

  Author: Lil Chase Illustrator: Thomas Docherty
  Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

  After causing havoc at home, Jingles the playful kitten disappears, and the family spends Christmas frantically searching for their beloved pet. This amusing festive tale, with comical illustrations, is ideal for newly-confident independent readers.

• The Cat Who Came in Off the Roof

  Author: Annie M G Schmidt Translator: David Colmer
  Publisher: Pushkin Children’s

  This is a humorous, surreal and satisfying story with an old fashioned feel.

• The Catlady

  Author: Dick King-Smith Illustrator: John Eastwood
  Publisher: Random House

  Miss Ponsonby is reclusive and eccentric. She is certain that she has living with her, in feline form, not only her dead parents and friends, but Queen Victoria.

• The Cave

  Author: Rob Hodgson
  Publisher: Francis Lincoln Children’s Books

  There is a cave that is home to a creature: a creature that never leaves its cave… Because of the wolf. A laugh-out-loud story with a very BIG surprise and some glorious artwork: perfect for fans of Jon Klassen and Chris Haughton.

• The City of Devi

  Author: Manil Suri
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Manil Suri's new novel, The City of Devi, is a weird postmodern dystopia, a thriller and a love story.

• The City of Secret Rivers

  Author: Jacob Sager Weinstein Illustrator: Euan Cook
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Hyacinth Hayward is on a mission to save her kidnapped Mum. Unfortunately, this involves travelling the length and breadth of London's sewers and meeting some very unsavoury characters... A delightfully silly, surreal and addictive adventure.

• The Clockwork Crow

  Author: Catherine Fisher
  Publisher: Firefly

  Orphan Seren Rhys has been sent to live with her mysterious Godfather after living for 12 years in an orphanage. The possibility of her first happy family Christmas seems like it might finally be within her reach.

  On her solo journey to Wales, Seren is given a mysterious package to look after by a stranger and ends up feeling obliged to take it with her. But…

• The Cloud

  Author: Hannah Cumming
  Publisher: Child's Play

  Everyone loves art class; everyone except the little girl who sits alone and draws nothing, a black cloud glowering above her

• The Cloud Horse Chronicles: Guardians of Magic

  Author: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Macmillan

  The first in a wildly imaginative fantasy series, in which three brave youngsters join forces against those trying to destroy ancient magic. Packed with beautifully intricate illustrations full of character and passion, it’s absorbing and supremely entertaining. 

• The Cloud Hunters

  Author: Alex Shearer
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  Many years after an unspecified cataclysm, the Earth has been shattered into a myriad of tiny planetoids floating in a vast ocean of air.

• The Cloudspotter

  Author: Tom McLaughlin
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Franklin was called 'The Cloudspotter' - and he didn't want to share his clouds with anyone. That's why he pops the infuriating Scruffy Dog into a hot-air balloon and lets her fly away. A charming story about a lonely little boy who finds a friend.

• The Clubhouse Mystery: Cass and the Bubble Street Gang

  Author: Erika McGann Illustrator: Vince Reid
  Publisher: The O’Brien Press

  Best friends Cass, Lex and Nicholas are the Bubble Street Gang. Humour, adventure, mystery and plenty of innocent childhood antics pepper this comical chapter book for young readers.

• The Clue is in the Poo and Other Stuff Too

  Author: Andy Seed Illustrator: Claire Almon
  Publisher: Quarto Publishing

  Packed full of fascinating facts and flashes of humour, this non-fiction picture book encourages children to become wildlife detectives. Ideal for any animal enthusiast, this would also be a useful addition to the classroom for use on wildlife projects.

• The Clumsies Make a Mess

  Author: Sorrel Anderson Illustrator: Nicola Slater
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

  The Clumsies try to solve lots of Howard’s problems, all with hilarious consequences.

• The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

  Author: Holly Black
  Publisher: Indigo

  Welcome to Coldtown. Once you enter, you can never leave. Delightfully dark and gorgeously gothic, it is certain to enchant fans of all things chilling and supernatural.

• The Colour Monster

  Author: Anna Llenas
  Publisher: Templar

  An original and entertaining picture book using colour, collage-effect illustrations and a delightfully cute monster to help youngsters identify and understand different emotions.

• The Colour of Home

  Author: Mary Hoffman Illustrator: Karin Littlewood
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  On Hassan's first day at school he paints a colourful picture of his home and family in Somalia, but then adds soldiers, flames and bullets.

• The Colour of the Sun

  Author: David Almond
  Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books

  David Almond returns to deliver a powerful story centring around the acceptance of loss of one’s childhood after a parent’s death and the journey towards adulthood, which is portrayed beautifully in this coming-of-age novel.

• The Colour Thief

  Author: Andrew Fusek Peters and Polly Peters Illustrator: Karin Littlewood
  Publisher: Wayland

  Drawing on personal experiences of living in a family blighted by depression, this unusual, yet important, book may help youngsters to make sense of an illness they cannot see.

• The Colours of History

  Author: Clive Gifford Illustrator: Marc-Etienne Peintre
  Publisher: QED Publishing

  Full of fascinating facts about colour, this book focuses on a topic that is not often covered in children’s books. It offers a wide range of opportunities and new ideas for parents and schools, working across the curriculum through art, history and beyond.

• The Company of Eight

  Author: Harriet Whitehorn
  Publisher: Stripes

  This adventure book is a total rollercoaster ride that will catch your breath as gutsy Cass weaves in and out of peril. After all, who doesn't want swashbuckling fun and women warriors with the hearts of lions?

• The Company of Ghosts

  Author: Berlie Doherty
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Over the past year many things have changed in Ellie’s life. When she is told she must go away with her mum and her stepfather on their honeymoon, it’s the last straw and she decides to run away. Fortunately she meets Morag, a friend from orchestra, who says she can stay at her house.

• The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

  Author:
  Publisher: Andrews McMeel

  The comic-strip adventures of Calvin, a naughty boy with a philosophical bent, and his soft toy tiger companion Hobbes, delighted readers from 1985 to 1995. 

• The Conquerors

  Author: David McKee
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  The General of a powerful country sends his troops into the last unconquered territory, but to their surprise, when they march across the border, they meet with no resistance.

• The Considine Curse

  Author: Gareth P Jones
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Ever woken up to an eerie howl in the night and wondered what it was? This creepy tale about the Considine family might just have the answer

• The Coral Kingdom

  Author: Laura Knowles and Jennie Webber
  Publisher: Words & Pictures Press

  The great beauty and diversity of the coral reef is explored in this stunningly beautiful picture book, which is a true work of art. The rhyming non-fiction text scans well and the information about coral reef conservation is pitched at the right level.

• The Covers Of My Book Are Too Far Apart! (And Other Grumbles)

  Author: Vivian French
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke (Picture Squirrels)

  This accessible and diversely illustrated picture book gives helpful suggestions for more or less any reading issue. It's likely to especially interest schools.

• The Cow That Laid an Egg

  Author: Andy Cutbill Illustrator: Russell Ayto
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  A madcap, yet moving, story about having the courage of one's convictions, even when others doubt you.

• The Cow Who Fell to Earth

  Author: Nadia Shireen
  Publisher: Penguin Random House Children’s Books

  One night, a little cow falls to earth from the moon, but none of the earth animals speak her language. This lovely book about friendship and belonging is beautifully paced and has all of Nadia Shireen’s recognisable cute characters.

• The Cradle of All Worlds

  Author: Jeremy Lachlan
  Publisher: Egmont

  Jane Doe appeared on the steps of the mysterious Manor with her sick father as a baby, and ever since the residents of Bluehaven have considered her The Cursed One. But Jane's about to find out who she really is in a storming, funny and gripping adventure romp.

• The Creakers

  Author: Tom Fletcher Illustrator: Shane Devries
  Publisher: Puffin

  The Creakers is a charmingly written adventure story. Monsters under the bed (AKA The Creakers) are acknowledged as scary, but the warm and humorous narrator will make more nervous children feel they are in safe hands. A really lovely, funny book.

• The Creeper Files: The Root of All Evil

  Author: Hacker Murphy
  Publisher: Oxford Press

  After reading this brilliantly creepy book, you'll never look at a potato in the same way again.

• The Creeper Man

  Author: Dawn Kurtagich
  Publisher: Orion

  Kurtagich has created an incredibly assured, claustrophobic horror with a fractured and troubled teen narrator that will have you gripped to the very last page.

• The Croc and the Sock

  Author: Claire Evans
  Publisher: Fourth Wall Publishing

  Croc wakes up and there’s a sock left on his floor: a smelly, wet, dirty sock. Who has left it, and where is its matching pair? An engaging story with a rhyming text and a fun Croc puppet attached to bring the story to life.

• The Crocodile and the Dentist

  Author: Taro Gomi
  Publisher: Chronicle Books

  When it’s time for the Crocodile’s annual visit to the dentist, which of them is more afraid? Witty, colourful and delightful.

• The Crocodile Under the Bed

  Author: Judith Kerr
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

  Matty is sick, and very sad because he's too sick to go to the Queen's birthday party! But when he gets an unexpected visitor, it seems that Matty might not miss out after all...

• The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water

  Author: Gemma Merino
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  Little crocodile doesn't like water. It's cold. It's wet. It's embarrassing.

• The Crooked Sixpence

  Author: Jennifer Bell
  Publisher: Corgi

  Jennifer Bell has built a wonderful new world in which readers can immerse themselves, in this pacey, magical adventure. There are twists and turns, new creatures and strange, 'uncommon' objects to discover around every street corner.

• The Crossover

  Author: Kwame Alexander
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Josh and his twin brother JB are mad about basketball. They’re stars of their school team and being on the court is everything. Although different from each other, the two brothers have always been as close as can be. But things are changing. JB’s more interested in spending time with the new girl at school than with Josh, and as the fractures in their broth…

• The Crow’s Tale

  Author: Naomi Howarth
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  In the dark depths of winter, Brave Crow sets out on a dangerous journey to find the Sun, and beg for warmth. Inspired by a Native American myth, this beautiful picture book shows how courage and kindness are what really matter.

• The Crowfield Curse

  Author: Pat Walsh
  Publisher: Chicken House

  Will finds a small creature caught in a trap in the woods; a hob. The discovery of this magical creature signals the beginning of an incredible adventure for Will. A more challenging read that really fires the imagination.

• The Crowstarver

  Author: Dick King-Smith
  Publisher: Random House

  As ‘Spider’ grows up, it becomes apparent that despite his physical and learning disabilities, he has a remarkable gift for communicating with animals.

• The Cry of the Wolf

  Author: Melvin Burgess
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  The Hunter is a cold, cruel man who lives only to kill rare animals and collect their skins. When the Hunter discovers that a pack of English wolves, long thought to be extinct, live in the Surrey countryside, he resolves to kill them all at any cost.

• The Crystal Stair

  Author: Catherine Fisher
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  The Crystal Stair picks up after At the World’s End. Caz and Will soon find themselves out in the frozen landscape once again, and it’s even more dangerous than last time. This is a fantastic sequel for this dystopian series.

• The Cupcake Diaries: Katie and the Cupcake Cure

  Author: Coco Simon
  Publisher: Simon and Schuster

  It's Katie Brown's first day at her new school and she's already feeling miserable.

• The Cure for Dreaming

  Author: Cat Winters
  Publisher: Amulet Books

  Interspersing her text with archive photos, Cat Winters combines history with the supernatural in her celebration of independent women in early twentieth-century America, and highlights the fight for women's suffrage.

• The Curiositree

  Author: Amanda Wood and Mike Jolley Illustrator: Owen Davey
  Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions

  Natural World is an extremely beautiful reference book that explores the way that habitats, plants and animals are connected, and the way that all elements of nature work in harmony.

• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

  Author: Mark Haddon
  Publisher: Red Fox

  This funny, touching and compelling novel was the winner of the inaugural Booktrust Teenage Prize

• The Changes Trilogy

  Author: Peter Dickinson
  Publisher: Open Road Media

  Gripped by a strange fear, England closes its doors to the outside world. In a tunnel beneath Wales one man opens a crack in a mysterious stone wall, and all over the island of Britain people react with horror to perfectly normal machines. Abandoning their cars on the roads and destroying their own factories, many flee the cities for the countryside, wh…

• The Chain

  Author: Keith Gray
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  How often do we wonder if things might have turned out differently but for a single random act or event?

• The Cherry Pie Princess

  Author: Vivian French Illustrator: Marta Kissi
  Publisher: Walker Books

  When a bad fairy plots to kidnap the baby prince, Princess Peony must act fast to save her brother. Engaging characters, plenty of humour and a smattering of magic combine in this contemporary fairy tale for confident independent readers.

• The Chicken Nugget Ambush

  Author: Mark Lowery
  Publisher: Piccadilly Press

  Roman has a lot of misadventures, and this book is a non-stop comical disaster ride. Ideal for kids who find bodily functions, scabs, bogeys and toilet humour hilarious.

• The Children of the King

  Author: Sonya Hartnett
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Brilliantly written, this is an original and exciting story set in England and London during the Blitz.

• The Children of Willesden Lane

  Author: Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen
  Publisher: Hachette

  Aspiring concert pianist Lisa Jura is just 14 when she is forced to leave Germany behind and travel to England on the Kindertransport. Told by her daughter Mona, it's an eye-opening insight into life as a young refugee during World War Two.

• The Children who Smelled a Rat

  Author: Allan Ahlberg Illustrator: Katharine McEwen
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Ahlberg and McEwen's fourth fast, funny and improbable story about the Gaskitt family is as ingenious as its predecessors.

• The Child's Elephant

  Author: Rachel Campbell-Johnston
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  Bat lives with his grandmother in the central African savannah and rears cows. One day he finds an orphaned baby elephant, and so begins a special relationship.

• The Chinese Emperor’s New Clothes

  Author: Ying Chang Compestine Illustrator: David Roberts
  Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers

  This retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic fairy tale incorporates Compestine’s experiences of growing up in the Chinese Cultural Revolution to provide a thoughtful tale about corruption and poverty. 

• The Chocolate Box Girls: Cherry Crush

  Author: Cathy Cassidy
  Publisher: Puffin

  Cherry’s single Dad has found a new love, but when he and Cherry move to live with her, there are four daughters already in the family, one of whom is not welcoming.

• The Chocolate Dog

  Author: Holly Webb Illustrator: Sharon Rentta
  Publisher: Scholatic

  Amy is feeling alone: mum is pregnant and tired, dad is cross and little sister Lara is annoying. The only one who seems to have any time for her is her loyal dog, Choc.

• The Chosen Ones

  Author: Scarlett Thomas
  Publisher: Canongate

  Set in a dystopian world where technology is flawed and magic abounds, this is the second instalment in the Worldquake sequence. This exciting fantasy adventure is peppered with portals into other dimensions, evil plots and monsters. 

• The Christmas Bear

  Author: Ian Whybrow Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  When Father Christmas sets off to deliver the presents, poor Bear is left behind in the workshop! How will he make it to Tom's house in time for Christmas morning? Lift the flaps to find out, as he chases Santa's sleigh through icy seas and snowy forests, all the way from the North Pole to Tom's cosy bedroom.

• The Christmas Book

  Author: Dick Bruna
  Publisher: Egmont

  From the creator of Miffy, comes a beautiful edition of Dick Bruna's charming Christmas Book complete with a press-out crib scene. In this delightful title he retells the birth of Jesus using simple text and charming illustrations

• The Christmas Eve Ghost

  Author: Shirley Hughes
  Publisher: Walker Books

  In 1930s Liverpool, young Bronwen and Dylan find kindness from an unexpected source when they are frightened by what they think is a ghost on Christmas Eve.

• The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel

  Author: Tracey Corderoy Illustrator: Tiny Neal
  Publisher: Little Tiger Press

  Frog turns up at Bear’s door, looking for a Christmas Extravaganza he’s seen advertised. A lovely tale about friendship, kindness, and valuing the wonderful parts of the festive season that aren’t directly about consumerism.

• The Christmas Mouse

  Author: Toby Forward Illustrator: Ruth Brown
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  It's Christmas Eve, and two mice are curled up in their mouseholes. One is comfortable and warm with a candied plum to eat, but the other has nothing at all.

• The Christmas Unicorn

  Author: Anna Currey
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Milly is awakened in the night by a beautiful unicorn who helps to create a magical Christmas for her family.

• The Christmasaurus

  Author: Tom Fletcher Illustrator: Shane Devries
  Publisher: Puffin

  If you ever doubted that dinosaurs and Christmas would work well together, read this book. It is bursting with loveable characters, fast-paced adventure and, of course, Christmas spirit.

• The Christmasaurus and the Winter Witch

  Author: Tom Fletcher Illustrator: Shane Devries
  Publisher: Puffin

  The much-adored Christmasaurus is back for more magical adventures in this feel-good sequel to The Christmasaurus. The storybook brings together all the joy of Christmas: warmth, happiness and family squabbles. 

• The Chronicles of Narmo

  Author: Caitlin Moran
  Publisher: Corgi Children's

  Bestselling author and columnist Caitlin Moran wrote The Chronicles of Narmo when she was just a teenager herself

• The Churki-Burki Book of Rhyme

  Author: Gita Wolf Illustrator: Durga Bai
  Publisher: Tara Books

  An attractive story interspersed with rhymes, telling of two sisters, Churki and Burki, and their dog, based on the artist's own childhood memories in an Indian village.

• The Dam

  Author: David Almond Illustrator: Levi Pinfold
  Publisher: Walker Books

  This stunning, wild and atmospheric picture book by two giants of children’s literature tells the true story of a musician father and his daughter who enter each house in the valley to play music and dance, so that they will always contain music – and magic.

• The Dark

  Author: Lemony Snicket Illustrator: Jon Klassen
  Publisher: Orchard Book

  One night, the night-light goes out, and the dark calls Laszlo down into the basement to meet it.

• The Dark Inside

  Author: Rupert Wallis
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster

  James and Webster, a pair of unlikely friends, embark on a curious rampage across the Devonshire countryside: one to escape life as he knows it, the other on a quest to lift a curse.

• The Dark is Rising

  Author: Susan Cooper
  Publisher: Red Fox

  This is probably one of the greatest fantasy sequences ever written. Darkly magical and intense Cooper weaves her storytelling wonder over fully realised characters and worlds, drawing in the reader and leading them on a journey that will leave them clambering for the rest of the series.

• The Dark Light

  Author:
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  This is a gripping and unsettling story with some disturbing characters and a menacing atmosphere which pervades throughout. A dark but compelling read.

• The Darkest Dark

  Author: Chris Hadfield with Kate Fillion Illustrator: The Fan Brothers
  Publisher: Macmillan

  One night as a boy, Chris Hadfield watches the Apollo 11 moon landing and decides to be an astronaut. This atmospheric book draws on the Commander's childhood fear of the dark, and his realisation that dreams can come true.

• The Darkest Part of the Forest

  Author: Holly Black
  Publisher: Hachette

  With a refreshing spin on the traditional roles and full of sinister undertones and dark magic, this is a bewitching and exciting modern fairy tale for this generation of readers of YA fiction.

• The Dawn Chorus

  Author: Suzanne Barton
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  A warm, reassuring tale about individual talents and about belonging, which will appeal to small children everywhere. Glorious illustrations swirl through the pages in a crescendo of appealing, harmonious images.

• The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish

  Author: Neil Gaiman Illustrator: Dave McKean
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

  When Mike swaps his dad for his friend Nathan’s two goldfish his mum is not pleased. But when Mike tries to get his dad back, he finds he's already been traded for an electric guitar.

• The Day I Was Erased

  Author: Lisa Thompson
  Publisher: Scholastic

  A strange turn of events transports Maxwell to a world where nobody, not even his parents or sister, recognise him. The Day I Was Erased captures the vibrancy and buzz of school life and will ultimately leave readers with a warm glow and lots of hope.

• The Day Louis Got Eaten

  Author: John Fardell
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Fardell creates a variation on the Old Woman who swallowed a fly in this hilarious adventure

• The Day That Aliens Nearly Ate Our Brains

  Author: Tom McLaughlin
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Freddy and Sal just wanted to watch Wrestlegeddon Smackdown when they tried to hijack next-door’s satellite dish. How were they to know it would pinpoint the exact location of Planet Earth to Alan, the grumpiest alien in the universe?

• The Day the Crayons Came Home

  Author: Drew Daywalt Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  One day, a surprising stack of postcards arrives for Duncan. They are all from his old forgotten crayons, demanding to be brought home to the crayon box. A captivating, comical sequel to The Day the Crayons Quit.

• The Day the Crayons Quit

  Author: Drew Daywalt Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  Award-winning illustrator and artist Oliver Jeffers has teamed up with film writer and director Drew Daywalt to create this gorgeously colourful picture book.

• The Day the Rains Fell

  Author: Anne Faundez Illustrator: Karin Littlewood
  Publisher: Tamarind

  Long ago, when the world was new, Lindiwe gazed down from the heavens, proud of the earth and the creatures she'd created.

• The Day War Came

  Author: Nicola Davies Illustrator: Rebecca Cobb
  Publisher: Walker Books

  A heartbreaking picture book that perfectly explains the displacement of people, and especially children, in war, and the trauma experienced by people forced to leave their homes. 

• The Dead

  Author: Charlie Higson
  Publisher: Puffin

  Jack and Ed think things are looking up after they escape boarding school in this sequel to The Enemy, but then something terrible happens that will put them in more danger than ever.

• The Dead House

  Author: Dawn Kurtagich
  Publisher: Orion

  This is an utterly compelling and creepy psychological thriller which has the reader gripped from the very first page.

• The Dead Men Stood Together

  Author: Chris Priestley
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  In this reinvention of 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' a young boy sets out to sea with his uncle, but the voyage is soon damned by a curse that throws them off course.

• The Dead Ways

  Author: Christopher Edge
  Publisher: Catnip

  The Government has a plan to clean up the environment – closing down motorways and returning the roads to nature. When Scott Williams' father is found dead in his government office, Scott resolves to find out the truth behind his death.

• The Deadly Dare Mysteries

  Author: Malorie Blackman
  Publisher: Random House

  This is a bind-up of three books - Deadly Dare, Computer Ghost and Lie Detectives, all featuring best friends Theo and Ricky.

• The Deadly Seven

  Author: Garth Jennings
  Publisher: Macmillan

  The story has many twists and turns. Through Uncle Pogo we are introduced to interesting inventions and unusual inventions and the monsters help Nelson to become better at making friends.

• The Death Defying Pepper Roux

  Author: Geraldine McCaughrean
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  For all of his short life, Pepper Roux has been waiting to die. Now, on his fourteenth birthday, he knows he won't have to wait much longer.

• The Declaration

  Author:
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  A chilling story of a future where Longevity drugs have made sections of the population almost immortal. This is a thought-provoking read.

• The Deep Dark Wood

  Author: Algy Craig Hall and Ali Pye
  Publisher: Orchard Books

  A sweet little girl happily sets off to visit her best friend for tea through a deep dark wood full of lurking witches, trolls and giants.

• The Demon Collector

  Author: Jon Mayhew
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

  Edgy Taylor has a gift - he can see demons in the crowded streets of Victorian London. A gripping, gothic, horror story lightened by its dark humour and unpredictable characters.

• The Demon Dentist

  Author: David Walliams Illustrator: Tony Ross
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

  Strange things are happening in the dead of night. Children who put a tooth under the pillow for the tooth fairy wake to find... a dead slug; a live spider; or hundreds of earwigs...

• The Demon Notebook

  Author: Erika McGann
  Publisher: The O'Brien Press

  Have you ever wondered if magic spells actually work? Well, Grace and her four best-friends have.

• The Demon's Watch

  Author: Conrad Mason
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  Joseph is a half-goblin boy leading a miserable life as a tavern servant. When he finds a mysterious parcel he hopes that by returning it to its owner he might be offered a new, exciting life as a sailor or pirate. But he soon discovers that there are dangerous magical forces abroad that will stop at nothing to regain the package.

• The Dentist of Darkness

  Author: David O’Connell Illustrator: Claire Powell
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books

  Funny and fast-paced, this entertaining story is bursting with mystery, sweets and ancient magic. The enthralling plot, wacky characters and larger-than-life villains are brought to life by witty black-and-white illustrations. 

• The Detective Dog

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Sara Ogilvie
  Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books

  Detective Dog Nell is famed for her sleuthing skills in this witty detail-packed book, full of exuberant rhyming couplets - perfect for sharing and reading aloud.

• The Deviants

  Author: CJ Skuse
  Publisher: MIRA Ink

  Ella has a secret so toxic she dare not share it - not even with Max, the guy she loves. Soon the couple get caught up in a cycle of revenge and violence, in this pacey and engaging thriller for young adults.

• The Devil Walks

  Author: Anne Fine
  Publisher: Doubleday

  A chilling, compulsive horror story pleasantly free from vampires and werewolves

• The Devil's Triangle

  Author: Mark Robson
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books

  Twins Sam and Niamh accompany their father to Florida each summer while he tries to unravel the mystery of their mother's disappearance at sea nine years ago.

• The Diamond Girls

  Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Random House

  Aimed at older readers, this novel deals with adult themes of birth, sexuality, teen pregnancy, gang-culture, abuse and post-natal depression, but all in Wilson's usual credible, accessible style.

• The Diamond of Drury Lane

  Author: Julia Golding
  Publisher: Egmont

  Winner of the 2006 Ottakar's Children's Book Prize, this is a pacy thriller about a spirited orphan girl employed by Richard Sheridan at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

• The Diggers are Coming!

  Author: Susan Steggall
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  Watch as a new estate is built, from the demolition of old properties to families moving into their new homes.

• The Ding-Dong Bag

  Author: Polly Peters Illustrator: Jess Stockham
  Publisher: Child's Play

  The fast-moving and rhythmic text make this great book perfect for reading aloud, and a subtle arm splint on one of the boys is typical of Child’s Play’s inclusive approach to books.

• The Dinner that Cooked Itself

  Author: J C Hysu Illustrator: Kenard Pak
  Publisher: Flying Eye Books

  This retelling of an old Chinese folk tale is beautifully illustrated in a contemporary, cinematic style and offers a glimpse at the culture and traditions of an ancient civilisation. 

• The Dinosaur that Pooped Christmas

  Author: Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter Illustrator: Garry Parsons
  Publisher: Red Fox

  Danny is greedy and spoilt - he already has so many toys there is no space in his room. When he sends Santa a long list for Christmas, St Nick decides to teach him a lesson.

• The Dinosaur’s Packed Lunch

  Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Corgi Pups

  Dinah is having a bad day – nothing seems to be going right: so far she’s made her Dad cross and argued with her best friend

• The Disappearing Children

  Author: Lars Joachim Grimstad Translator: Don Bartlett and Sian Mackie
  Publisher: Phoenix Yard Books

  This enjoyable and very funny story of adventure and intrigue is a brilliantly witty political satire appealing to a wide age range from early teens to adult.

• The Disconnect

  Author: Keren David
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Can Esther give up her phone for two months to win a thousand pounds? A short, snappy and entertaining book with a relatable and healthily balanced premise for teenagers: perfect for supporting conversations about social media, friendship and peer pressure.

• The Disgusting Sandwich

  Author: Gareth Edwards Illustrator: Hannah Shaw
  Publisher: Alison Green Books

  When a boy brings his mouth-watering sandwich to the park, he’s not the only one who thinks it looks rather appetizing.

• The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree

  Author: Paola Peretti Translator: Denise Muir
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  Nine-year-old Mafalda has a degenerative eye condition. She starts to keep a list of all the things she'll miss when her sight goes, but also the constants that surround her. Tender and thought-provoking, with a powerful but unforced message.

• The Diviners

  Author:
  Publisher: Atom

  In this lively and atmospheric tale of 1920s New York, party girl Evie finds herself investigating a sinister string of occult murders.

• The Dog Runner

  Author: Bren MacDibble
  Publisher: Old Barn Books

  A perilous adventure with dystopian and environmental themes that cut unnervingly close to potential reality, The Dog Runner is a tense, thrilling adventure full of close calls, but also glowing with heart, whether it's the relationship between Ella and Emery or their love for the "doggos" helping them get to where they need to be.

• The Dog that Ate the World

  Author: Sandra Dieckmann
  Publisher: Flying Eye Books

  The valley was a picture of harmony until the dog appeared and ate everything up. This reads like a myth from an ancient culture and could be seen as a warning against greed and rising extinction rates – though the tone is gentle and the illustration sublime.

• The Dog That Saved Christmas

  Author: Nicola Davies Illustrator: Mike Byrne
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  A sensitive and fascinating portrayal of how Christmas might be experienced by a boy on the autistic spectrum, and how a therapy dog provides reassurance and helps him enjoy the festive season.

• The Dogs

  Author: Alllan Stratton
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Spooky and atmospheric, The Dogs is everything you could want from a murder mystery and ghost story

• The Doldrums

  Author: Nicholas Gannon
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books

  A fabulous, funny and heart-warming story of adventure and friendship.

• The Dollmaker of Krakow

  Author: R. M. Romero Illustrator: Lisa Perrin
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Doll Karolina is saved from war in her native Land of the Dolls and transported to Poland to live with a man known as the Dollmaker - only for their lives to be turned upside down by World War II. An unusual novel blending reality with folklore and fantasy that will have a lasting impact on readers.

• The Door that Led to Where

  Author: Sally Gardner
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  There's a Dickensian flavour to this satisfying time-travel tale, which takes its teenage hero on a journey from gritty modern-day London, to the city of the 1800s.

• The Double Life of Cassiel Roadnight

  Author: Jenny Valentine
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

  Jenny Valentine presents another enthralling, perplexing and thought-provoking novel exploring family, friendship and identity.

• The Double Shadow

  Author: Sally Gardner
  Publisher: Orion Children's Books

  Sally Gardner lives up to her reputation for delivering ambitious and highly imaginative writing for teenagers in this unusual and complex historical novel.

• The Doughnut of Doom

  Author: Elys Dolan
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  A giant, police-eating doughnut is wreaking havoc in the town square. Will Nancy, ace reporter and peanut butter sandwich, save the day? Dolan’s food-fabulous picture book is full of punny provisions and delectable double entendres.

• The Dragon and the Nibblesome Knight

  Author: Ella Woollard Illustrator: Benji Davies
  Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books

  An uplifting story about a timid baby dragon and a friendly young knight who discover they have much more in common than people think - and refuse to fight.

• The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

  Author: Stephanie Burgis Illustrator: Freya Hartas (chapter headings)
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  When spirited young dragon Aventurine is tricked into drinking some enchanted hot chocolate, she is turned into a human girl. Dragons, magic and chocolate combine in this captivating fantasy adventure.

• The Dragon’s Hoard: stories from the Viking Sagas

  Author: Lari Don Illustrator: Cate James
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  In this collection of 11 stories about Vikings, you will encounter sailors, traders and explorers. Elemental, unadorned and compelling, these engaging retellings of the Sagas are illuminated by earth-toned illustrations.

• The Dragonsitter

  Author: Josh Lacey Illustrator: Garry Parsons
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Eddie's uncle has gone on holiday and he has left his dragon behind for Eddie to look after.

• The Dragonsitter Takes Off

  Author: Josh Lacey Illustrator: Gary Parsons
  Publisher: Anderson Press

  It had sounded so easy: Edward was going to look after Uncle Morton's unusual pet for a week while he went on holiday. But soon the fridge is empty, the curtains are blazing, and the postman is fleeing down the garden path.

• The Dreamsnatcher

  Author: Abi Elphinstone
  Publisher: Simon and Schuster

  Moll and her wildcat Gryff must fight dark, magical  forces to protect the world they know. An exceptional debut novel that is packed with adventure, magic and humour.

• The Dress and the Girl

  Author: Camille Andros Illustrator: Julie Morstad
  Publisher: Abrams

  Emigrating to America, a girl loses the trunk that contains her beloved dress. The dress then embarks on an epic around-the-world journey to find her. A poetic and exquisitely illustrated story about love, loss, the passing of time and the power of memory.

• The Drum

  Author: Ken Wilson-Max Illustrator: Catell Ronca
  Publisher: Tiny Owl

  This little but lively book is part of Tiny Owl’s "Children. Music. Life" series, which focuses on musical instruments from around the world, created by award-winning picture book author and artist Ken Wilson-Max. In this book, we meet the drum.

• The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

  Author: Mo Willems
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Mo Willems’ trademark illustrations and sparse text convey a huge range of emotions in a strikingly minimalist style.

• The Duff

  Author: Kody Keplinger
  Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

  Seventeen year old Bianca believes her friends are all much more attractive to boys than she is herself. Wesley, a boy whom she hates, confirms this when he tells her she is 'The Duff' - the designated ugly fat friend chosen by other girls to draw attention to themselves.

• The Dungeon

  Author:
  Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books

  A compelling read that paints a vivid picture of a very harsh period in history

• The Eagle Trail

  Author: Robert Rigby
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Paul Hansen must follow the dangerous Eagle Trail through the Pyrenees Mountains to get to England and escape Nazi persecution in this well-researched historical drama.

• The Earth Book

  Author: Jonathan Litton Illustrator: Thomas Hegbrook
  Publisher: 360 Degrees

  Learn about the inner workings of our earth, including earthquakes, volcanoes, thunderstorms and tsunamis; animal life on earth; the earth regions and the impact of humans on the planet, including information on migration, population and sustainability in this comprehensive hardback book celebrating the biodiversity and structure of this fascinating planet.

• The Earth is Singing

  Author:
  Publisher: Usborne

  Based on true events, this first-person narrative tells the story of the Jews of Riga during World War II. Engaging, harrowing and thought-provoking, this is a story that should not be forgotten.

• The Edge

  Author: Alan Gibbons
  Publisher: Hachette

  Danny and his mother Cathy are on the run from her abusive boyfriend, Chris. They go back to the Edge, Cathy's childhood home, which she left after having Danny at the age of sixteen.

• The Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deepwoods

  Author: Paul Stewart Illustrator: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Random House

  The first book of The Edge Chronicles which sees Twig start his quest to find out who he really is.

• The Edge Chronicles: Doombringer

  Author: Paul Stewart Illustrator: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Corgi

  Cade and his friends are forced into action to defend their beloved home; they must summon the combined forces of the Deadwoods to repel the force of their enemies.

• The Edge Chronicles: Midnight Over Sanctaphrax

  Author: Paul Stewart Illustrator: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Corgi

  A storm is brewing far in the open sky, headed straight for the floating city of Sanctaphrax. But, when Twig has lost his memory of being warned of this catastrophe, he must find his crew and save the day.

• The Edge Chronicles: Stormchaser

  Author: Paul Stewart Illustrator: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Corgi

  The second part of the Twig Saga follows Twig as he joins the crew of the Stormchaser in a dangerous quest to collect stormphrax to save the floating city of Sanctaphrax.

• The Edge Chronicles: The Nameless One

  Author: Paul Stewart Illustrator: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Corgi

  Fleeing the scene of his father's murder in the city of Great Glade, Cade Quarter smuggles himself onto the Xanth Filatine, a floating skytavern that journeys over the vast landscape of The Deadwoods.

• The Eel Question

  Author: Nicola Davies Illustrator: Beth Holland
  Publisher: Graffeg

  A mythic-feeling story about a girl who lives on the flat marshes, fishing for eels, and soon befriends an otter that will help her flee danger. As ever, Davies’ love of the natural world is obvious, and her writing sings with a dark exuberance.

• The Element in the Room: Investigating the Atomic Ingredients that Make Up Your Home

  Author: Mike Barfield Illustrator: Lauren Humphrey
  Publisher: Laurence King

  Professor Ohms, a scientific detective, takes you on a journey of discovery around the periodic table. Packed with many weird and wonderful facts, it's perfect for any aspiring scientists (or detectives!). 

• The Elephant and the Bad Baby

  Author: Elfrida Vipont Illustrator: Raymond Briggs
  Publisher: Puffin

  One day, an elephant offers a baby a ride through the town, and the set off on a great adventure.

• The Elephant in the Room

  Author: James Thorp Illustrator: Angus Mackinnon
  Publisher: Templar

  Someone has smashed Father Giant’s favourite china elephant. Who is the culprit? This is a magnificent magical mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end about who the culprit might be.

• The Elephant Road

  Author: Nicola Davies Illustrator: Annabel Wright
  Publisher: Walker Books

  This story provides an engaging context in which much wider, complex environmental issues are explored.

• The Elephant that Ate the Night

  Author: Bing Bai Illustrator: Yuanyuan Shen
  Publisher: Everything With Words

  Children and families will enjoy this calming lullaby of a book, with its gentle refrain, muted colours and fairy tale-like charm. It's a great one for children who are scared of the dark, and it's perfect for bedtime and settling down for the night. 

• The Elephant Thief

  Author: Jane Kerr
  Publisher: Chicken House

  This is a fast-paced story, based loosely on a man's real-life journey from Edinburgh to Manchester, while riding an elephant – an event that captivated even Queen Victoria.

• The Elephant's Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India

  Author: Marcia Williams
  Publisher: Walker Books

  A foolish greedy lion and a disloyal crocodile are two of the animals who get their just deserts in this quirky and beautifully-presented collection of traditional Indian folk tales.

• The Elites

  Author: Natasha Ngan
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  In a distant future in which wars, riots and environmental crises have changed the world as we know it, 15-year-old Silver is an Elite, specially chosen to guard the city of Neo-Babel

• The Elsewhere Emporium

  Author: Ross MacKenzie
  Publisher: Kelpies

  This cracking sequel to the Blue Peter Book Award-winning The Nowhere Emporium is chock full of magic and invention. Detailed and original, yet never sacrificing the human story for fantasy, this is a fabulous book that will enchant and inspire.

• The Emerald Atlas - Books of Beginning 1

  Author: John Stephens
  Publisher: Doubleday Children's Books

  This new fantasy adventure will appeal to lovers of Narnia and Harry Potter.Kate, Michael and their younger sister Emma  have spent their childhoods in a succession of cruel orphanages but their lives are changed when they discover they are linked to a magic book with the power to transport them into the past. Readers will enjoy immersing themselves in …

• The Emergency Zoo

  Author: Miriam Halahmy
  Publisher: Alma Books

  An unusual and atmospheric story set in the run-up to World War II. As London's children prepare for evacuation to the countryside, they are horrified to discover that their beloved pets are due to be put down.

• The Emperor of Absurdia

  Author: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Pan Macmillan

  The Emperor of Absurdia awakes one morning and can't find his snuggly scarf, so after checking with The Wardrobe Monster, begins to search for it.

• The Emperors New Clothes

  Author: Marcus Sedgwick Illustrator: Alison Jay
  Publisher: Templar

  This is a satirical story about a very vain Emperor who adores beautiful new clothes and has wardrobes full of them!

• The Emperor's New Clothes

  Author: Marina Le Ray
  Publisher: Ladybird Books

  The story is told simply, using short sentences and a small number of frequently repeated words

• The Emperor's Underwear

  Author: Laurence Anholt Illustrator: Arthur Robbins
  Publisher: Hachette

  Witty and well illustrated, this is a superb twist on the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes.

• The Empty Stocking

  Author: Richard Curtis Illustrator: Rebecca Cobb
  Publisher: Puffin Books

  Award-winning writer and director Richard Curtis turns his hand to picture books in this magical festive story, beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Cobb

• The Enchanted Horse

  Author: Magdalen Nabb Illustrator: Julek Heller
  Publisher: Harper Collins Children’s Books

  A magical tale of a little girl whose enduring love brings a very special horse to life. With a traditional feel and timeless quality, it could be a future family favourite.

• The Enchanted Wood

  Author: Enid Blyton
  Publisher: Egmont

  When Joe, Beth and Frannie move into a new home, they discover a mysterious wood on their very doorstep.

• The Enduring Ark

  Author: Gita Wolf Illustrator: Joydeb Chitrakar
  Publisher: Tara Books

  This striking picture book is a retelling of the story of Noah and the ark.

• The Enemy

  Author: Charlie Higson
  Publisher: Puffin

  When the sickness came, the adults became ill. The lucky ones died but many mutated into brainless, deformed monsters with a seemingly insatiable appetite - for children.

• The Epic Book of Epicness: The world’s most epic facts in pictures

  Author: Adam Frost
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  In full colour throughout with great, modern design, this book is extremely well written and fun. Every page is full of genuinely fascinating and unusual facts.

• The Epic Crush of Genie Lo

  Author: F C Yee
  Publisher: Abrams & Chronicle

  It’s a joy that this pacy, funny Buffy The Vampire Slayer meets kung-fu novel is out there: readers will identify with the difficulties of school and family, and love the realistic teen voices and hilarious dialogue.

• The Ethan I Was Before

  Author: Ali Standish
  Publisher: Orchard Books

  An emotionally powerful story about friendship and grief, family and secrets, with a good dose of mystery and a dramatic, race-against-time conclusion. It's very readable and feels like a future classic.

• The Everywhere Bear

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Rebecca Cobb
  Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books

  This picture book about a missing toy bear somehow seems like a classic already - with a lovely whiff of nostalgia about it all, while also feeling very current and gently inclusive.

• The Executioner's Daughter

  Author: Jane Hardstaff
  Publisher: Egmont

  The crowds at the Tower of London love nothing better than the grisly spectacle of an execution. But as the executioner's daughter, Moss has seen more than her fair share of horror.

• The Explorer

  Author: Katherine Rundell Illustrator: Hannah Horn
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Fred, Con, Lila and little Max’s plane is on the way to Manaus when it falls out of the sky. Now, lost in the Amazon rainforest, they must figure out the basics of survival. Rundell’s writing is exquisite and this story is completely, utterly wonderful.

• The Extinction Trials

  Author: S M Wilson
  Publisher: Usborne

  In Storm and Lincoln’s world, there are two continents... And one is inhabited by vicious, predatory dinosaurs. A tense, brutal fantasy adventure: The Hunger Games meets Jurassic Park.

• The Extincts

  Author: Veronica Cossanteli
  Publisher: Chicken House

  George loves helping out at Wormestall Farm, a secret sanctuary for exinct and mythical beasts, where unlikely things are always happening.

• The Extraordinary Life of Katherine Johnson

  Author: Devika Jina Illustrator: Maggie Cole
  Publisher: Puffin

  This biography of brilliant mathematician Katherine Johnson charts her life from early childhood to the present day. Beautifully designed, the book also includes a wealth of information about space exploration and aspects of American history.

• The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone

  Author: Jaclyn Moriarty
  Publisher: Guppy Books

  A wild quest sends Bronte through a magical, whimsical world. Slowly, she discovers how high the stakes are. This book really has everything: skillfully-spun plot, humour and charm, unforgettable characters and poetry in its language.

• The Extremely Weird Thing that Happened in Huggabie Falls

  Author: Adam Cece Illustrator: Andrew Weldon
  Publisher: Text Publishing

  An utterly nonsensical but engaging romp through the weirdest town in the world, featuring a warty witch, a creepy scientist, vegetarian piranhas and a dastardly plot that could change the town forever.

• The Fabulous Fairies ABC

  Author: Nancy Trott
  Publisher: Koala Books

  This is a sparkly, magical ABC - perhaps one for the girls!

• The Fabulous Foskett Family Circus

  Author: John Yeoman Illustrator: Quentin Blake
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  A simple rhyme introduces each exuberant personality from the Fabulous Foskett Family Circus.

• The Fabulous Phartlehorn Affair

  Author: M L Peel Illustrator: Hannah Shaw
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Bruno Pockley is an extraordinary boy with an extraordinary musical talent.

• The Fairytale Hairdresser and Cinderella

  Author: Abie Longstaff
  Publisher: Picture Corgi

  Fabulous hairdresser to the fairy-tale stars Kittie helps Cinderella meet her Prince in this fun and light-hearted reworking of a favourite fairy story.

• The Fairytale Hairdresser and Father Christmas

  Author: Abie Longstaff Illustrator: Lauren Beard
  Publisher: Picture Corgi

  It's Christmas Eve, but someone has stolen all the presents - Christmas will be ruined!

• The Fairytale Hairdresser and the Sugar Plum Fairy

  Author: Abie Longstaff Illustrator: Lauren Beard
  Publisher: Picture Corgi

  A retelling of The Nutcracker in an ever-growing series of picturebooks for KS1 girls.

• The Falconer

  Author: Elizabeth May
  Publisher: Gollancz

  Eighteenth century Edinburgh and a dark faerie underworld collide in this fast-moving, gripping Steampunk fantasy romance.

• The Falconer's Knot

  Author: Mary Hoffman
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Romance, art, monasticism and murder in Umbria, 1316. Hoffman has specialised in creating atmospheric historical novels, filled with intrigue...

• The Fall

  Author: Anthony McGowan
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Mog isn’t one of the popular crowd, but at least he manages to get by without being troubled much by the bullies...

• The Fall

  Author: Bethany Griffin
  Publisher: Hachette Children's Books

  A creepy and unsettling psychological thriller based on Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher.

• The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings

  Author:
  Publisher: Penguin

  This selection of Poe's short fiction demonstrates his intense interest in aesthetic issues and the astonishing power and imagination with which he probed the darkest corners of the human mind.

• The Familiars: Animal Wizardry

  Author: Adam Epstein and Andrew Jacobson
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

  Orphaned alley cat Aldwyn is bought by Jack, a likeable young wizard, and has a home and family at last. But when Jack is kidnapped, Aldwyn and his fellow familiars must rescue him.

• The Family Book

  Author: Todd Parr
  Publisher: Little Brown & Company

  A joyous picture book about the importance of family and all the strength it can give you, this celebrates family in all its wonderful, diverse glory. The message is subtle, but a crucial one: every family is special and the only thing that matters is love. 

• The Famished Road

  Author: Ben Okri
  Publisher: Vintage

  The Famished Road is the story of a spirit child Azaro. Azaro meaning 'born to die' has been born to his parents many a times only to die shortly after birth.

• The Famishing Vanishing Mahoosive Mammoth

  Author: Hollie Hughes Illustrator: Leigh Hodgkinson
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Mammoth has a problem. He's terribly hungry. His tiny friend Bug brings him food, but one gulp later, it's gone - and Mammoth is gloomy and starving, all over again. A charming, comical, rhyming tale of two unlikely friends.

• The Fault in Our Stars

  Author: John Green
  Publisher: Penguin Children's Books

  John Green tackles the subject of teenage cancer with sensitivity in this witty, life-affirming young adult romance.

• The Fearsome Beastie

  Author: Giles Paley-Phillips
  Publisher: Maverick

  Children quake in the darkness as they hear the terrifying roar of the fearsome beastie as it searches for food...

• The Feathered Man

  Author: Jeremy De Quidt
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  Long ago in a German town, Klaus, the tooth-puller’s boy, sees his master steal a diamond from the teeth of a dead man in the wicked Frau Drecht’s lodging house.

• The Fellowship of The Ring

  Author: JRR Tolkein
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  The first part of J R R Tolkien's epic masterpiece The Lord of the Rings, this is the story of young hobbit Frodo Baggins, who finds himself faced with an immense and terrible duty.

• The Ferry Birds

  Author: Helen Dunmore Illustrator: Rebecca Cobb
  Publisher: Mabecron Books

  Dunmore has spun a magical story to show how a small boy in a remote island setting who misses his Dad is reassured by a make-believe trip to visit him in the Far North.

• The Fight

  Author: Norman Mailer
  Publisher: Penguin

  Norman Mailer's The Fight focuses on the 1975 World Heavyweight Boxing Championship in Kinshasa, Zaire, between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.

• The Film of Our Life

  Author: Maite Carranza Illustrator: Iratxe López de Munáin Translator: Laura McGloughlin from Catalan
  Publisher: Editorial Cruïlla

  When crisis strikes, a girl convinces her brother that they are the stars of a film to protect him from the harsh realities of their new life.

  Twelve-year-old Olívia Tancredi lives in Barcelona with her actress mother Íngrid and her little brother Tim. When Íngrid can't find work, money to pay the bills runs out, their furniture is repossessed, and they are …

• The Fintastic Diary of Darcy Dolphin

  Author: Sam Watkins Illustrator: Vicky Barker
  Publisher: Egmont

  Darcy might be a dolphin, but her daily life at school and home will be incredibly relatable to primary school children.

• The Fire Chronicle

  Author: John Stephens
  Publisher: Doubleday

  The second in the Books of Beginning fantasy series continues the story of Kate, Michael and Emma.

• The Fire-Eaters

  Author: David Almond
  Publisher: Hachette

  When Bobby begins a new school and endures sadistic cruelty at the hands of his new teachers, he is drawn away from his old friends and towards newcomer Daniel.

• The Firework Maker's Daughter

  Author: Philip Pullman
  Publisher: Random House

  A fantasy adventure story of a determined girl called Lila.

• The First Case

  Author: Ulf Nilsson Illustrator: Gitte Spee
  Publisher: Gecko Press

  A warm, delightful story, charming and perceptive, with appealing whimsical illustrations.

• The First Christmas

  Author: Jan Pienkowski
  Publisher: Penguin

  Jan Pienkowski's silhouette illustrations lend an air of mystery and drama to this text, taken from the King James Bible.

• The First Egg Hunt

  Author: Adam & Charlotte Guillain and Pippa Curnick
  Publisher: Egmont

  This original take on how Easter egg hunts really started is a fun, rhyming tale, with plenty of humorous detail in Pippa Curnick’s bright and lovable illustrations. The message is that working as a team is the best way forward.

• The First Noel: A Christmas Pop-Up

  Author: Jan Pienkowski
  Publisher: Walker Books

  From the moment that Mary conceives Jesus to his birth in a humble stable, the Nativity is depicted simply and with great beauty in this five double-page spread pop-up book. A delightful gift book. 

• The Fish Who Could Wish

  Author: John Bush Illustrator: Korky Paul
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Deep in the ocean lives a very special fish whose wishes come true.

• The Five of Us

  Author: Quentin Blake
  Publisher: Tate Publishing

  This book is testament to Blake's belief that all children need to be able find themselves in books.

• The Flask

  Author: Nicky Singer
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

  When her new baby brothers are born critically ill, Jess becomes convinced that the strange and beautiful flask in Aunt Edie's desk has the power to help them.

• The Flute

  Author: Ken Wilson-Max and Catell Ronca
  Publisher: Tiny Owl

  In a bright meadow full of fruit and flowers, a boy plays a flute that sounds full of magic. This poetic book is the second in a series of books for babies and toddlers about musical instruments from around the world and how they make us feel and move. 

• The Fly

  Author: Petr Horacek
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Energetic illustrations and some lift-the-flap sections add interest as the humble housefly buzzes through this lively book

• The Flyaway Blanket

  Author: Allan Peterkin Illustrator: Emmeline Pidgen
  Publisher: Magination Press

  Soft pastel illustrations accompany this gentle tale about a much-loved comfort blanket

• The Foggy Foggy Forest

  Author: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Walker

  Who's lurking in the foggy forest? Look through the trees and guess the shapes to find out.

• The Foreshadowing

  Author: Marcus Sedgwick
  Publisher: Hachette

  17-year-old Sasha travels to France as a volunteer nurse in an attempt to rescue her beloved brother Tom from a terrible death. But can she really change the future?

• The Fork, The Witch, and The Worm: Tales from Alagaësia

  Author: Christopher Paolini with Angela Paolini
  Publisher: Puffin

  This volume comprises three new short stories set in the fictional world of Alagaësia, the setting for the Eragon books: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance. Existing fans will adore the extra world- and character-building that this book lends.

   

• The Four Branches of the Mabinogi

  Author: Siân Lewis Illustrator: Valériane Leblond
  Publisher: Rily

  Enchanting, engrossing and beautifully illustrated, this is a wonderfully accessible retelling of the most ancient of recorded legends, and a great introduction to the ancient storytelling heritage of Wales.

• The Four Seasons of Lucy McKenzie

  Author: Kirsty Murray
  Publisher: Allen and Unwin

  An engrossing fantasy adventure that will appeal to a wide audience.

• The Fourth Horseman

  Author: Kate Thompson
  Publisher: Random House

  What will happen when the fourth and final rider appears, will his appearance signal the end of the world?

• The Fowl Twins

  Author: Eoin Colfer
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  The Fowl twins are completely unlike each other, but they make the perfect team when the evil ACRONYM attacks them. Readers will find a well-developed fantasy world with a plot that is full of clever, satisfying twists and turns. 

• The Fox and the Ghost King

  Author: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Michael Foreman
  Publisher: Harper Collins

  This sweet story weaves Morpurgo's effortless storytelling with ancient and very recent history: Leicester City's win of the Premiership title. Beautiful illustrations make it a lovely gift: football fans, history fans and fox fans are all taken care of here.

• The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle

  Author: Victoria Williamson
  Publisher: Kelpies

  Told in dual narrative, this story follows Reema and Caylin as they negotiate a shaky friendship: one, an asylum seeker from Syria, and the other, a girl whose mum is struggling to cope. A truly excellent and ultimately uplifting book with plenty of heart.

• The Frank Show

  Author: David Mackintosh
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  A clever and thoughtful picture book showing how much fun the older generation can be and the valuable contribution they can make to young lives.

• The Frog Prince Continued

  Author: Jon Scieszka
  Publisher: Penguin

  After the Princess kissed the frog, he turned into a handsome prince, and they lived happily ever after… or did they?

• The Front Room

  Author: Michelle Magorian Illustrator: Vladimir Stankovic
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Hannah and her brother Benjy are on holiday. But instead of relaxing, Hannah is terrified: convinced there's something dreadful in her room. The suspense builds chillingly in this pared-down, atmospheric ghost story.

• The Frozen Sea

  Author: Piers Torday
  Publisher: Quercus Children's Books

  This brilliant sequel to The Lost Magician is a nail-biting adventure of twists and turns from award-winning author Piers Torday. Readers will flit between hiding under the covers during battle scenes to laughing hysterically at the antics of Jewel's hamster, Fizz. 

• The Funny Life of Pets

  Author: James Campbell Illustrator: Rob Jones
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Is it fiction or non-fiction? You decide! This highly interactive book mixes together real and made-up facts about pets, with hilarious results. Packed with cartoon-style illustrations, The Funny Life of Pets is a comical take on how to choose and care for a pet.

• The Further Adventures of the Owl and the Pussy-Cat

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Charlotte Voake
  Publisher: Puffin Books

  At the end of Edward Lear's much loved poem, the happily married Owl and the Pussy-cat are dancing hand-in-hand on the edge of the sand... but what happened next?

• The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit

  Author: Emma Thompson Illustrator: Eleanor Taylor
  Publisher: Frederick Warne

  Oscar-winning actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson has turned her hand to children's books in this new continuation of Peter Rabbit's adventures.

• The Fury

  Author:
  Publisher: Faber Children's Books

  Cal, Brick and Daisy are three very different teenagers, living very different lives, but one horrific day they are thrown together in unimaginable circumstances.

• The Galloping Ghost

  Author:
  Publisher: Catnip

  This gently humorous chapter book was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2009; black and white line drawings add to its appeal and the length is perfect for emerging readers.

• The Game of Finger Worms

  Author: Hervé Tullet
  Publisher: Phaidon

  This lovely new series of baby books includes games with art, patterns and light, all designed to get very young children to have fun with exploring and using their imagination.

• The Game of Lines

  Author: Hervé Tullet
  Publisher: Phaidon

  Learn how to create crazy patterns and have fun with all the combinations you can create!

• The Game of Tops and Tails

  Author: Hervé Tullet
  Publisher: Phaidon

  The Game of Tops and Tails is a book to inspire the imagination.

• The Garbage King

  Author: Elizabeth Laird
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's books

  This pacy coming-of-age adventure concentrates on the private hopes, dreams and feelings that drive its characters along, but also keeps enough sense of the gritty realities of street life.

• The Genius Aged 8¼

  Author: Jeremy Strong Illustrator: Jamie Smith
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Alfie's parents are very silly, and it's no time at all until young Alfie shows common sense beyond his years. Soon, he is headteacher, town mayor and prime minister of the country - all before his ninth birthday. Giggles and guffaws aplenty.

• The Get Rich Quick Club

  Author: Rose Impey
  Publisher: Orchard Books

  Banksy is dedicated to his ambition to become mega-rich through his various money-making schemes. His business partners - and next-door neighbours - are the Baxter Brothers. Billy has boundless confidence and enthusiasm, and Sam is six going on sixty. And then there's Dingdong, their cousin, who is reluctantly allowed to join in, especially if she can help t…

• The Getaway

  Author: Ed Vere
  Publisher: Penguin

  Notorious cheese thief Fingers McGraw is on the run (or rather, on the moped) from chief law enforcer The Elephant.

• The Ghost Box

  Author: Catherine Fisher
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  This spooky thriller is a short and simple read ideal for reluctant and struggling readers.

• The Ghost Bride

  Author: Yangsze Choo
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  Set in 1890s Malaysia, this is the story of seventeen-year-old Li Lan, whose quiet life with her father is dramatically altered when he returns one evening with a proposition for her. 

• The Ghost of the Trenches

  Author: Helen Watts and Taffy Thomas
  Publisher: A&C Black

  This slim volume includes 14 'war stories' made up of poems, songs and re-tellings of ghostly sightings and mysterious coincidences, themed around World War One.

• The Ghosts and Jamal

  Author: Bridget Blankley
  Publisher: Hope Road Publishing

  Jamal wakes to find that everyone in his West African village have been killed. He alone has survived because of how others perceive his epilepsy. This is a powerful, moving and mesmerising story, set in a violent world and seen through a 13-year-old's eyes. 

• The Ghosts of Creakie Hall: Ace Ghosts

  Author: Tony Ross
  Publisher: Catnip Publishing Ltd

  Creakie Hall is falling down but there is no money in the bank so Aunt Gardenia Bogey-Mandeville needs to come up with a money-making scheme pretty quickly...

• The Ghosts of Heaven

  Author: Marcus Sedgwick
  Publisher: Indigo

  The Ghosts of Heaven is an excellent book that will open up new avenues of thought and future reading and introduces teenage readers to a more inventive understanding of storytelling.

• The Giant of Jum

  Author: Elli Woollard and Benji Davies
  Publisher: Macmillan

  The illustrations brim with jokes and delightful details, the rhyming text is breezy fun, and the line between darkly gruesome and good-hearted is deftly maintained.

• The Giant Turnip

  Author: Henriette Barkow Illustrator: Richard Johnson
  Publisher: Mantra Lingua

  The children in Miss Honeywood's class decide to grow vegetables in their school garden. What a shock they get when they discover a huge turnip that they are unable to move.

• The Giants and the Joneses

  Author: Julia Donaldson
  Publisher: Egmont

  Jumbeelia, a young girl giant from Groil, the Land of Giants, loves the stories of the iggly plop who climbed up the bimblestonk and was chased back down again by a giant.

• The Giant's Loo Roll

  Author: Nicholas Allan
  Publisher: Red Fox

  A giant is caught short when his loo roll drops to the floor and rolls away. As it rolls through the town the people make use of the enormous sheets to devise all sorts of useful creations.

• The Gift of Dark Hollow

  Author: Kieran Larwood Illustrator: David Wyatt
  Publisher: Faber

  This is the masterly sequel to the The Legend of Podkin One Ear. We are taken right back to the action, with Podkin, his sister Paz and the poor rabbits they rescued sheltering in the Dark Hallow warren. A modern-day classic.

• The Girl at Midnight

  Author: Melissa Grey
  Publisher: Atom

  Everything about this book is exquisite. When seven-year-old Echo, a runaway and thief, is discovered in the library by a mysterious lady covered in feathers her life is changed for ever.

• The Girl Guide: 50 lessons in learning to love your changing body

  Author: Marawa Ibrahim Illustrator: Sinem Erkas
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  This is a book all tween girls should have. Like a chat with a friend with an excellent sense of humour, The Girl Guide is precisely the straight-talking and empowering read girls need at what can be a confusing and awkward time.

• The Girl of Ink and Stars

  Author: Kiran Millwood Hargrave
  Publisher: Chicken House

  When her closest friend disappears into the island's Forgotten Territories, Isabella Riosse volunteers to guide the search. A stunning debut, full of myth, magic and mapmaking.

• The Girl Savage

  Author: Katherine Rundell
  Publisher: Faber Children's Books

  When Wilhelmina Silver's home is sold, she is torn from her best friend, her adopted monkey and her pet horse, and banished to an inhospitable boarding school in England.

• The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

  Author: Catherynne M Valente
  Publisher: Corsair

  When the Green Wind turns up and carries September away to Fairyland, she soon finds herself battling to stop the evil Marquess.

• The Girl Who Drank the Moon

  Author: Kelly Barnhill
  Publisher: Piccadilly

  When babies are left in the forest as an offering, the witch Xan protects them and feeds them on starlight. But one day, Xan feeds a baby the moon by mistake – and fills her with a dangerous amount of magic. A thoughtful book about belonging and fear. 

• The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

  Author: Yasutaka Tsutsui Translator: David Karashima
  Publisher: Alma Books

  The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is the story of 15-year-old schoolgirl Kazuko, who accidentally discovers that she can leap back and forth in time after a strange encounter with a shadowy figure at school.

• The Girl Who Speaks Bear

  Author: Sophie Anderson
  Publisher: Usborne

  Found in a bear cave when she was a baby and raised by her foster mother, Yanka has always wondered who she really is. Readers will be gripped by her quest to find out in this marvellous tale inspired by Russian folklore.

• The Girl Who Thought Her Mother Was a Mermaid

  Author: Tania Unsworth Illustrator: Helen Crawford-White
  Publisher: Head of Zeus

  Stella sets out to discover if her mother really was a mermaid. A beautifully written story with some tense, nailbiting moments and giddy splashes of magical realism. 

• The Girl Who Walked on Air

  Author: Emma Carroll
  Publisher: Faber and Faber

  Louie is a feisty heroine, loyal to her friends and determined to succeed in this engaging historical adventure.

• The Girl with No Nose

  Author: Georgia Byng Illustrator: Gary Blythe
  Publisher: Conkers

  Life is tough in Victorian times, the world into which Alice Peasbody is born - and Alice is a girl with no nose. A wonderful, thoughtful book that teaches compassion, celebrates difference and tackles some weighty issues with a gentle touch.

• The Girl with the Bird's-nest Hair

  Author: Sarah Dyer
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

  Hollie's hatred of the hair brush results in her tangled curls attracting a range of nesting birds.

• The Girl With the Parrot on her Head

  Author: Daisy Hirst
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Daisy Hirst has created a fun and funky picture book.

• The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth

  Author: Cerrie Burnell
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  When mysterious men kidnap her mother, Minnow has to set sail alone for the magical, dangerous and beautiful Wild Deep. This book is full of lyrical, breathless prose and Burnell’s imagination is marvellous.

• The Girl, the Cat and the Navigator

  Author: Matilda Woods
  Publisher: Scholastic

  When Oona Britt is born, she is made to feel like a disappointment, but she doesn’t let this stop her achieving her dream of joining her father on one of his voyages. Readers will become utterly engrossed as they join Oona on her adventure of a lifetime.

• The Girls

  Author: Lauren Ace Illustrator: Jenny Lovlie
  Publisher: Caterpillar Books

  Four friends find a tree that becomes their Secret Meeting Place. As they grow into four very different young women, their friendship stays as strong as the tree. This touching picture book perfectly encapsulates the value and joy of female friendship. 

• The Glass Children

  Author: Kristina Ohlsson
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape

  After the death of her father, Billie and her mum are moving to a new town for a fresh start. But the house - or somebody in it - is trying to drive them out.

• The Glass Demon

  Author: Helen Grant
  Publisher: Penguin

  Legend has it that Bonschariant, the demon, haunts a medieval stained glass window and emerges from it to bring death and destruction to anyone who sees him.

• The Glass Mountain

  Author: Jan Pienkowski and David Walser
  Publisher: Walker Books

  A wonderfully entertaining collection of Polish fairy tales, with striking illustration by Pienkowski.

• The Glass Mountain: Favourite Tales from Poland

  Author: Retold by David Walser Illustrator: Jan Pienkowski
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Jan Pienkowski was born in Poland, a land replete with folk tales and with a cultural tradition of paper cutting, which he has utilised in his artwork for this beautiful book of darkly wonderful Polish fairy tales.

• The Glory

  Author: Lauren St John
  Publisher: Orion

  Part gripping adventure, part love story, this powerful novel travels through an exhilarating yet terrifying landscape.

• The Goat

  Author: Anne Fleming
  Publisher: Pushkin Press

  A mountain goat, a girl called Kid and a boy who speaks in spoonerisms are the main characters in this quirky novel about love, fears and friendship. Surprising, tender and engaging.

• The Goggle-Eyed Goats

  Author: Stephen Davies Illustrator: Christopher Corr
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Al Haji has three wives, seven children and an assortment of animals including five goggle-eyed goats. But his goats eat everything in sight and Al Haji's family have had enough.

• The Golden Cage

  Author: Anna Castagnoli Illustrator: Carll Cneut Translator: Laura Watkinson
  Publisher: Book Island

  A spoilt princess sends her servants far and wide to bring her the most beautiful, impossible birds - but what will happen when she decides she wants one that talks? A gothic tale with astonishing illustrations.

• The Golden Unicorn: Secrets and Legends

  Author: Selwyn E Phipps Illustrator: Aitch Oana Befort and Rae Ritchie
  Publisher: Michael O’Mara Books

  The first book in The Magical Unicorn Society series was immensely popular, and this attractive follow-up volume is perfect for any unicorn-hungry child desperate to delve deeper into the myths and stories associated with these most elusive creatures.

• The Goldfish Boy

  Author: Lisa Thompson
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Matthew has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Can he help an investigation into the abduction of a child, perhaps without even leaving his house? A captivating read, combining a compelling whodunit with an engaging protagonist.

• The Goldsmith's Daughter

  Author: Tanya Landman
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Landman’s latest novel is much more than a mere account of the bloody encounter between the Aztecs and the invading Spanish Conquistadors.

• The Golem’s Eye

  Author: Jonathan Stroud
  Publisher: Corgi Children's

  The Golem’s Eye is the second of the Bartimaeus trilogy, and is set in an alternate Europe in which magicians and their otherworldly servants, the reluctant djinni, hold power.

• The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ

  Author: Philip Pullman
  Publisher: Canongate

  Jesus is a passionate, charismatic preacher, while Christ is his cynical and introspective twin, with an eye for posterity.

• The Good Morning Game

  Author: Hervé Tullet
  Publisher: Phaidon

  The finger puppets are back for another adventure. This time the finger puppet experiences various morning rituals: waking up, having a shower, having breakfast, getting dressed, and going to school.

• The Good Thieves

  Author: Katherine Rundell
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  If you try to steal back something that has been taken from your family by trickery, is that a crime or is it justice? A thrilling adventure, set in 1920s New York, rich in period detail and tensely dramatic moments.

• The Goodnight Star

  Author: Amy Sparkes
  Publisher: Red Fox Picture Books

  A glittering shooting star helps a little girl overcome her fears of the dark at bed time.

• The Goozillas! Escape from the Monstrous Maze

  Author: Dexter Green Illustrator: Jake Dash
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  In this second adventure in the series, Max and the Goozillas must navigate through the monstrous maze, avoiding the pixelated ghosts. This fast-paced, accessible series will appeal to fans of computer games, comics and all things slimy.

• The Goozillas!: Trapped in the Bog of Beasts

  Author: Dexter Green Illustrator: Jake Dash
  Publisher: Oxford Univerity Press

  While Max is playing on his favourite game on his tablet, he manages the impossible. With just one sneeze, Max manages to transport himself into the game itself, World of Slime.

  There, he meets a slimy and gross cast of characters called the GOOZILLAS. This gang of slimeballs need Max's help. Their world is being take over by the obnoxiously sweet and fluffy…

• The Graces

  Author: Laure Eve
  Publisher: Faber and Faber

  Like everyone else in town, River is obsessed with the Graces: attracted by their glamour and apparent ability to weave magic. But are they really what they seem? A beautifully written, deliciously dark YA fantasy with a fresh take on witches.

• The Grave Robber's Apprentice

  Author: Allan Stratton
  Publisher: Faber and Faber

  Orphan Hans is running away from a life of grave-robbing; Countess Angela wants to avoid death at the hands of the evil Archduke and his Necromancer. Together, can they escape?

• The Graveyard Book

  Author: Neil Gaiman Illustrator: Chris Riddell
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  After his family are killed, Bod is brought up in a graveyard by ghosts.

• The Great and Dangerous

  Author: Chris Westwood
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

  Ben and his friend Becky work for the Ministry of Pandemonium, guiding recently dead souls safely to the afterlife. But the enemy, the Lords of Sundown, are never far away and have unfinished business.

• The Great Animal Escapade

  Author: Jane Kerr
  Publisher: Chicken House

  With an intriguing plot, shadowy characters and a collection of marvellously exotic animals, this exciting Victorian escapade – set in a zoo – is a compelling read. 

• The Great Balloon Hullaballoo

  Author: Peter Bently Illustrator: Mei Matsuoka
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Simon the squirrel and his friends head to outer space in a hot air balloon in this lively picture book.

• The Great Big Body Book

  Author: Mary Hoffman Illustrator: Ros Asquith
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  How does the human body develop and change in a lifetime? Hoffman and Asquith explore these questions and more in this honest, entertaining and fact-filled celebration of the human body, which also reflects the diversity of the world we live in.

• The Great Big Book of Families

  Author: Mary Hoffman Illustrator: Ros Asquith
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  The Great Big Book of Families is about the diversity of families. The simple message is that every family is unique and special and that there is no such thing as "normal" or "abnormal". Books simply don’t get much more inclusive than this.

• The Great Big Book of Feelings

  Author: Mary Hoffman Illustrator: Ros Asquith
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  How are you feeling today? This warm-hearted and thoughtful picture book explores a whole range of emotions that children might experience.

• The Great Big Green Book

  Author: Mary Hoffman
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  The Great Big Green Book is filled with facts about our planet, and asks lots of questions to help children think about green issues. The book also gives simple tips on how you can save the environment.

• The Great Cat Conspiracy

  Author: Katie Davies Illustrator: Hannah Shaw
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books

  Tom's cat likes to kill small animals. When it kills the Vicar's expensive Koi carp, Mum is so cross that the cat is locked out of the house. But then it goes missing...

• The Great Cheese Robbery

  Author: Tim Warnes
  Publisher: Little Tiger Press

  Patrick thinks Daddy Elephant is not scared of anything until a mouse comes to call.

• The Great Cheese Robbery

  Author: Chris Mould
  Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books

  When the skirting board mice kidnap the ship's cat for a cheese ransom, the pirates are ready for action. An easy-to-read and exciting adventure story, which is perfect for readers starting to read alone.

• The Great Dog Bottom Swap

  Author: Peter Bently Illustrator: Mei Matsuoka
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  A cheeky, rhyming picture book for curious dog lovers.

• The Great Dragon Bake Off

  Author: Nicola O'Byrne
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Flamie Oliver is a terrifying dragon with a secret: he's passionate about pastry! But he must kidnap a princess and eat her in order to pass Ferocious Dragon Academy!

• The Great Explorer

  Author: Chris Judge
  Publisher: Anderson Press

  Tom’s explorer father is lost somewhere near the North Pole...

• The Great Galloon

  Author: Tom Banks Illustrator: John Kelly
  Publisher: Hot Key Books

  The Great Galloon is an enormous airship, built by Captain Meredith Anstruther and manned by his crew, who might seem like a bit of a motley bunch but who are able to fight off invading marauders whilst drinking tea and sweeping floors!

• The Great Gatsby

  Author: F Scott Fitzgerald
  Publisher: Vintage

  Jay Gatsby is the man who has everything. But one thing will always be out of his reach ...

• The Great Hamster Massacre

  Author: Katie Davies Illustrator: Hannah Shaw
  Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Books

  According to Anna's mum, hamsters are BAD NEWS. But that doesn't stop Anna and her friends from hatching a plan to persuade Mum to let them get a hamster.

• The Great Ice Cream Heist

  Author: Elen Caldecott
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Shy Eva lives a quiet life with her protective Dad - until the noisy McIntyre family move in next door.

• The Great Paper Caper

  Author: Oliver Jeffers
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

  This is an intelligent and entertaining picture book, with unique and fascinating illustrations.

• The Great Rabbit Rescue

  Author: Katie Davies Illustrator: Hannah Shaw
  Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Books

  Davies attracts young readers with her familiar plot, engaging characters, and understanding of nine year-olds' minds.

• The Great Race

  Author: Nathan Kumar Scott Illustrator: Jagdish Chitara
  Publisher: Tara Books

  Kanchil, the mouse deer, boasts he is the fastest animal in the forest - but Pelan the snail believes he can beat him in a race.

• The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac

  Author: Christopher Corr
  Publisher: Quarto

  The Great Race gently introduces and celebrates Chinese culture in a fun and vibrant way. This read-aloud story also provides a great stepping stone for introducing other cultural ideas to young children.

• The Great Sheep Shenanigans

  Author: Peter Bently Illustrator: Mei Matsuoka
  Publisher: Anderson Press

  Lou Pine is one hungry wolf who cunjurs up a cunning plan to catch a sheep for his dinner. But the sheep are not as dumb as they first appear…
  
  This hilarious romp from the award-winning creators of The Great Dog Bottom Swap, which was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize will have you rolling in laughter.

• The Great Shelby Holmes: Girl Detective

  Author: Elizabeth Eulberg Illustrator: Matt Robertson
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  Detective genius, Shelby Holmes, may be small but she comes up trumps when the police are flummoxed by a 'dognapping' in a wealthy part of New York.

• The Great Unexpected

  Author: Sharon Creech
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  In the little town of Blackbird Tree, friends and fellow orphans Naomi and Lizzie are startled when a strange boy, Finn, falls out of a tree.

• The Great War

  Author: Various Illustrator: Jim Kay
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Each story is inspired by a different object from World War I, from a soldier's writing case to the nose of a Zeppelin bomb.

• The Greatest Magician in the World

  Author: Matt Edmondson and Garry Parsons
  Publisher: Macmillan

  A sweet story about believing in yourself with a series of fantastic magic tricks included in various ingenious slots, boxes and envelopes – all engineered to provide an exciting book full of brilliant activities, as well as a storyline.

• The Greatest Show of All

  Author: Jane Eagland
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Kitty's predestined role is to marry, have children and keep house, but her dream is to work with horses. So she disguises herself as a boy and runs away to join the circus. Kitty's story is about following your dreams and staying true to your values.

• The Green Bicycle

  Author: Haifaa Al Mansour
  Publisher: Dial Books

  Wadjda's dream is to ride through Riyadh on a green bicycle.  She develops plans, schemes and enlists the help of her friend Abdullah to help her achieve her dream.

• The Green Ship

  Author: Quentin Blake
  Publisher: Random House

  Two bored children climb over a neighbour's wall in search of adventure...

• The Grimm Legacy

  Author: Polly Shulman
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Blending fairy-tale elements into a modern-day adventure,  this fantastically-written and superbly researched debut novel will enchant readers from the opening paragraph.

• The Grindle Witch

  Author: Benjamin J Myers
  Publisher: Orion

  Bravery and loyalty take on ancient evil in this shocking, breath-taking thriller.

• The Grotlyn

  Author: Benji Davies
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  Atmospheric illustrations with a nostalgic feel help build suspense in this delightful rhyming story about how your mind can play tricks on you.

• The Gruffalo

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  In this much-loved picture book, a little mouse walks through the woods and encounters a fox, an owl and a snake.

• The Gruffalo Song and Other Songs

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Pan Macmillan

  The ever-popular Gruffalo returns in musical form in this book of songs to sing and play from Julia Donaldson.

• The Gruffalo's Child

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's books

  Five years after the publication of multi award-winning The Gruffalo, author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler return with a much-awaited sequel.

• The Grunts All at Sea

  Author: Philip Ardagh Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  The Grunts are back and as disgusting as ever! 

• The Grunts In Trouble

  Author: Philip Ardagh Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  Meet deliciously disgusting duo The Grunts in the first of an irreverent series from Philip Ardagh

• The Guard Dog

  Author: Dick King-Smith Illustrator: Jocelyn Wild
  Publisher: Random House

  Join the little Guard Dog on his search to find a new home

• The Guggenheim Mystery

  Author: Robin Stevens (based on an idea by Siobhan Dowd)
  Publisher: Puffin Books

  When Ted Spark's Aunt Gloria is framed for the theft of a painting from the Guggenheim Museum, he must race through the streets of New York to find the real culprit. An exciting and heartwarming tale from Robin Stevens, continuing the legacy of late author Siobhan Dowd.

• The Gun

  Author: Bali Rai
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke Ltd

  Deep down, Jonas knew that he shouldn't have taken the gun home: shouldn't have hidden it, shouldn't have shown it to Kamal and should definitely not have let him take it away.

• The Hackney Martian

  Author: Paul Brown Illustrator: Rowena Blyth
  Publisher: Fourth Wall Publishing

  Sam and his new friend Max the Martian decide to steal a diamond from the Tower of London. They need to power Max's spaceship back to Mars, in this exciting tale of bravery and friendship.

• The Harder They Fall

  Author: Bali Rai
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  Bali Rai once again hits home with a current and unfortunately necessary book. As always, the characters are fully fleshed out, the dialogue both believable and accessible, and the plot well paced and worthy of its subject matter.

• The Hat

  Author: Carol Ann Duffy Illustrator: David Whittle
  Publisher: Faber & Faber

  Bubbling over with humour and life, the poems in The Hat paint pictures, evoke smells, conjure sounds and encapsulate events both contemporary and historical.

• The Hate U Give

  Author: Angie Thomas
  Publisher: Walker

  The Hate U Give is rightly named by many critics as one of the most important books of 2017. It's a profound, deeply compelling modern-day classic that explores race in America.

• The Haunted Mobile

  Author: Robert Dodds
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  When Jake receives a mysterious text, he assumes his friend Roddy is just playing tricks. But the increasingly desperate messages are from an unknown girl called Alice.  And they seem to come from his own phone.

• The Haunting of Charity Delafield

  Author: Ian Beck
  Publisher: Bodley Head Children's Books

  The Haunting of Charity Delafield is a heart-warming tale of friendship, family and love with an uplifting, magical twist

• The Hawkweed Prophecy

  Author: Irena Brignull
  Publisher: Orchard Books

  Strong characters, complex relationships, and important themes of family, belonging, identity, love and loneliness, drive this absorbing story of magic and painful family secrets.

• The Heart and the Bottle

  Author: Oliver Jeffers
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  An inquisitive little girl, who is enchanted by the world around her, is badly shaken when she loses someone she loves.

• The Hello Atlas

  Author: Ben Handicott Illustrator: Kenard Pak
  Publisher: Wide Eyed Books

  The Hello Atlas is the ideal book for children eager to learn more about the world around them (and parents, too). Teach your little ones useful phrases in over 100 different languages, while finding out more about people from all over the globe.

• The Herd Boy

  Author: Niki Daly
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

  Malusi lives in rural South Africa, where he spends his days tending his grandfather’s flock, and wishing for a dog to keep predators away. One day, a baboon injures a baby lamb, and as Malusi carries it home, a large car stops.  The elderly man inside asks Malusi what he hopes to do in the future, and  Malusi tells him that one day he will b…

• The Here and Now

  Author:
  Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

  An exciting thriller, including time travel, romance and even climate change and plague.

• The Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero

  Author: Rick Riordan
  Publisher: Puffin

  Percy has been missing for three days, and Jason has mysteriously found himself transported into the Camp where he grapples with a variety of malevolent supernatural challenges.

• The Hidden Princess

  Author: Katy Moran
  Publisher: Walker Books

  The sequel to Hidden Among Us, this is an absorbing and chilling tale of magic, love and loyalty and the importance of family.

• The Hidden Star

  Author: K Sello Duiker
  Publisher: Cassava Republic Press

  Part mystery, part quest, this book uses magic realism to tell an absorbing story about friendship and courage, which is filled with talking dogs, renegades who occupy the space between good and bad, and evil night riders that must be defeated.

• The High Street

  Author: Alice Melvin
  Publisher: Tate

  Sally has a list of 10 items she needs to buy

• The Highway Rat

  Author: Julia Donaldson Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
  Publisher: Alison Green Books

  This rhyming tale of a villainous Highway Rat is the latest book from Children’s Laureate Julian Donaldson and her Gruffalo collaborator Axel Scheffler. The Highway Rat, gallops along the highway stealing food from other animals – clover from a rabbit, nuts from a squirrel and even his own horse’s hay, until he encounters a cunning duck! Ea…

• The Hippo at the End of the Hall

  Author: Helen Cooper
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  Ben and his mother's ordinary life is disturbed when Ben receives an invitation to a museum of curiosities. With exquisite descriptions ratcheting up tension along the way, this book will convince you that magic really does exist. 

• The History Keepers

  Author: Damian Dibben
  Publisher: Doubleday

  A wonderfully imaginative adventure thriller giving an excellent introduction to fantasy fiction

• The History Keepers: Circus Maximus

  Author: Damian Dibben
  Publisher: Doubleday Children's Books

  In this exciting installment of the History Keepers series, Jake must embark on risky missions to 18th century Sweden and Ancient Rome.

• The Hit

  Author: Melvin Burgess
  Publisher: Chicken House

  Melvin Burgess has gained a reputation for dealing with shocking and controversial issues in books like Junk, and The Hit is no exception.

• The Hobbit

  Author: JRR Tolkein
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's

  This well-loved fantasy story has delighed readers ever since its first publication in 1937.

• The Hog, the Shrew and the Hullabaloo

  Author: Julia Copus Illustrator: Eunyoung Seo
  Publisher: Faber and Faber

  Harry the Hog is fast asleep until a strange noise wakes him up.

• The Honest Truth

  Author: Dan Gemeinhart
  Publisher: Chicken House

  Mark has cancer. He can't bear more doctors, so he runs away with his dog Beau for company.

• The House in Poplar Wood

  Author: K E Ormsbee
  Publisher: Chronicle Books

  Thirteen-year-old twins, Felix and Lee, live in the same house but lead very separate lives. Skilfully combining a gripping plot, intriguing characters and a convincing alternative world, populated by sinister beings, this is a dark and compelling novel.

• The House in the Tree

  Author: Bianca Pitzorno Illustrator: Quentin Blake Translator: Stephen Parkin from Italian
  Publisher: Alma books

  A totally surreal story that puts a new spin on a magical faraway tree – Pitzorno’s story is full of surprises and delightfully silly scenes.

• The House of Light

  Author: Julia Green
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  A wonderfully imaginative and beautifully written story about a climate change-wrecked world that feels very timely and shows us the power of hope and resilience. 

• The House on Hummingbird Island

  Author: Sam Angus
  Publisher: Macmillan

  At the age of 12, Idie Grace learns that she has inherited a large estate on Hummingbird Island: a tropical but remote island in the West Indies, full of exotic wildlife and secrets.

• The House Rabbit

  Author: Lesley White
  Publisher: David Fickling

  In a dark, old house upon a hill, the House Rabbit wakes up with a terrible thought, ‘What if the house falls down?’ and suddenly a crash sends him scurrying from his bed.

• The House With Chicken Legs

  Author: Sophie Anderson
  Publisher: Usborne

  A story of death, magic and the afterlife told by Marinka, who is desperate not to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and wants to find her own destiny. Loosely based on the Slavic myth of Baba Yaga, this story is delightfully macabre and utterly engrossing.

• The Hug

  Author: Eoin McLaughlin
  Publisher: Faber & Faber

  Tortoise and Hedgehog are both feeling sad, and they both want a hug - but Tortoise's shell is putting the animals off, and Hedgehog is too prickly. Will they ever find a squeeze? A clever, touching flip book.

• The Hunger Games

  Author: Suzanne Colins
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Welcome to Panem: its Capitol repressively rules twelve satellite Districts, enslaving the populations as workers and controlling them through hunger.

• The Humpback's Wail

  Author: Chrissie Gittens Illustrator: Paul Bommer
  Publisher: Rabbit Hole Publications

  A variety of funny, thoughtful, playful and sensual, image-rich poems, probably most suitable for primary school-age children.

• The Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog

  Author: Jeremy Strong Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Penguin

  Trevor’s mother offers him £30 if he’ll walk the dog every day for summer. It sounds easy enough, but the dog - Streaker - has other ideas.

• The Hunt

  Author: Andrew Fukuda
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster

  A lone human living among vampires, Gene must contain his emotions and physical reactions to blend in and stay alive. Then he is chosen to participate in The Hunt - a game that threatens to expose his true nature.

• The Hypnotist

  Author: Laurence Anholt
  Publisher: Corgi

  As a young black boy living in the American Deep South in 1963, expectations for 13-year-old Pip aren't great. Jack, his tutor, soon realises the danger that Pip is in... This is a gripping novel looking at a turbulent period of American history.

• The Icarus Show

  Author: Sally Christie
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  This is an original, heartfelt and powerful story that sensitively looks at issues of loneliness, depression and bullying, but also the power of friendship.

• The Ice Bear

  Author: Jackie Morris
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln

  In icy northern lands, a great white bear gives birth to tiny cubs. But raven the trickster steals one cub away, dropping the creamy bundle of fur in a hunter’s path.

• The Ice Monster

  Author: David Walliams
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  The Ice Monster is an epic, loosely historical adventure that is funny, easy to read and shoots along at a rocket pace. Tony Ross’ glorious cover and artwork on almost every page are also a joy. 

• The Iliad and The Odyssey

  Author: Marcia Williams
  Publisher: Walker Books

  Marcia Williams’s brilliant wheeze of depicting classic myths and legends in humorous comic-strip format has introduced to very young readers some of the most famous stories.

• The Illustrated Mum

  Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
  Publisher: Random House

  This is a moving yet unsentimental account of two children coming to terms with their mother’s depression, mental instability and alcohol problem.

• The Imaginary

  Author: A F Harrold Illustrator: Emily Gravett
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  This is young fiction of the very best quality, showcasing inspiration, inventiveness and an intoxicating passion for storytelling. The Imaginary has the potential to be a family favourite and a future classic.

• The Imagination Box

  Author: Martyn Ford
  Publisher: Faber & Faber

  When fate throws together a lonely youngster and an eccentric scientist, the result is an Imagination Box.

• The Immortal

  Author: Ricard Ruiz Garzón Illustrator: Maite Gurrutxaga Translator: Rahul Bery from Spanish
  Publisher: Edebé

  A coming of age story about chess, tolerance, immigration and what it means to be a true champion.

  Judit is an 11-year-old girl who lives in Geneva with her mother and grandfather. A keen artist, she draws in charcoals by the giant chess boards in her local park, practicing for a prestigious art competition. She gradually becomes interested in chess, until o…

• The Immortals: Evermore

  Author: Alyson Noel
  Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

  In the first book of The Immortals series, find out what Ever will do after discovering she can read auras and hear thoughts

• The Impossible

  Author: Mark Illis Illustrator: Bimpe Alliu
  Publisher: Quercus Children's Books

  Hector Coleman, your average teenager living a normal boring life in a dull town with, let's face it, a rubbish name. Until he and his mates start genetically mutating ... and everything changes. Everything that is, other than his rubbish name and his girl troubles, oh and his embarrassingly low number of social media followers. All those things, unfortunate…

• The Impossible Knife of Memory

  Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
  Publisher: Scholastic Children's Books

  This is a gripping and powerful story about the effects of PTSD on families as seen through the eyes of a typical teenager.

• The Incredible Book Eating Boy

  Author: Oliver Jeffers
  Publisher: HarperCollins

  Henry loves books. However, his pleasure isn't derived from reading them but from eating them instead, and the more he eats, the smarter he gets.

• The Incredible Ecosystems of Planet Earth

  Author: Rachel Ignotofsky
  Publisher: Wren & Rook

  This huge world we live in, with its infinitely varied regions, countries and communities, is – so we learn in Rachel Ignotofsky’s amazing new book – actually an interconnected series ecosystems, working together to make the best of our planet’s limited resources.

• The Incredible Luck of Alfie Pluck

  Author: Jamie Rix Illustrator: Craig Shuttlewood
  Publisher: Orion

  What do a worried prime minister, a chicken dropped from a skyscraper window, a bully called Fox and an alien invasion have in common? All are ingredients in Jamie Rix's riotous tale.

• The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day

  Author: Christopher Edge
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  On Maisie's birthday, she finds that her family have disappeared and her house is being consumed by darkness. A brilliant introduction to physics wrapped inside a great story.

• The Inquisition

  Author: Taran Matharu
  Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books

  The perfect balance of excitement, adrenaline-rich action, magic, fantasy and gaming, the second in the Summoner series is perfect for fantasy fans, gamers and action-loving kids (and adults).

• The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf

  Author: Ambelin Kwaymullina
  Publisher: Walker Books

  The first in a four part series, this imaginative and engrossing story is a clever spin on the dystopian genre. The author expertly creates a believable, alternative world featuring a strong, moral heroine.

• The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures

  Author: Brian Selznick
  Publisher: Scholastic

  This book inspired the recent Martin Scorsese film, Hugo. Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, twelve-year-old Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric girl and her grandfather, Hugo's undercover life and his most precious secret, are put i…

• The Invincible Tony Spears

  Author: Neal Layton
  Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books

  After Tony moves house, the kitchen in his new place turns into a spaceship called The Invincible. Amid all the zaniness, there's an important message tucked in here about just trying your best.

• The Iron Man

  Author:
  Publisher: Faber Children's

  Subtitled 'a children's story in five nights' this powerful, moving and beautifully-written fable from poet Ted Hughes is a true modern classic.

• The Iron Man

  Author: Ted Hughes Illustrator: Chris Mould
  Publisher: Faber & Faber

  Whether you’re already a fan of this classic children’s story or a new reader, this wonderful version is a real treat. Chris Mould’s mechanical Iron Man has a great deal of personality and this luxury hardback would be a delight to share at home or at school.

• The Iron Witch

  Author: Karen Mahoney
  Publisher: Corgi Children's

  In an American society which unknowingly exists alongside the world of Faerie, dark elves are resentful of humans, and desperate to regain both their eternal life and their kingdom.

• The Island

  Author:
  Publisher: Allen and Unwin

  This chilling picture book about prejudice, intolerance and the plight of refugees will spark classroom discussions with older readers.

• The Island at the End of Everything

  Author: Kiran Millwood Hargrave
  Publisher: Chicken House

  Amihan lives on the secluded island of Culion with her sick mum, who has leprosy. But when the government decides the island must be quarantined, Ami and all the children who don’t have the disease are forced to leave – while her mum must stay behind, along with everything Ami has ever known.

• The Isobel Journal

  Author: Isobel Harrop
  Publisher: Hot Key

  Subtitled ‘Just a Northern Girl from Where Nothing Really Happens’, this beautifully-presented book from 18-year-old debut author Isobel Harrop is a vivid scrapbook of teenage life.

• The It Girl: Superstar Geek

  Author: Katy Birchall
  Publisher: Egmont

  Anna Huntley just moved to London and isn’t the most popular girl at school. But when her dad gets engaged to one of the most famous actresses in the world, Anna is thrust into the spotlight. A funny book about friends, family and learning to be yourself.

• The Jade Boy

  Author: Cate Cain
  Publisher: Templar

  What is Count Cazalon's sinister plan - and can Jem and his friends stop him?

• The Jam Doughnut That Ruined My Life

  Author: Mark Lowery
  Publisher: Piccadilly

  Roman loves jam doughnuts, but bringing a secret doughnut on a school trip brings about all sorts of mayhem.

• The Jamie Drake Equation

  Author: Christopher Edge
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  Jamie’s dad is an astronaut on the International Space Station. One day, Jamie's phone picks up a up a weird signal. Could it be a message from his father? Filled with Christopher Edge's trademark combination of wit, pathos and hilarity.

• The Jolley-Rogers and the Cave of Doom

  Author: Jonny Duddle
  Publisher: Templar

  Nugget and her big brother Jim Lad Jolley-Rogers are off on an expedition with their pirate parents when they happen on the enchantingly dangerous Cave of Doom, and find themselves in a bit of a pickle.

• The Jolley-Rogers and the Monster's Gold

  Author: Jonny Duddle
  Publisher: Templar

  The Jolley-Rogers are just your everyday pirate family, doing everyday pirate family things. This clever series serves up lots of nautical giggles, and will be enjoyed by all children.

• The Jolly Christmas Postman

  Author: Allan Ahlberg Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg
  Publisher: Puffin

  Follow our favourite jolly postman as he delivers Christmas cards and gifts to fairytale folk

• The Jolly Postman or Other People’s Letters

  Author: Allan Ahlberg Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg
  Publisher: Penguin

  Brilliantly designed with lots of little details to spot, this old favourite will be enjoyed time and time again

• The Journey

  Author: Francesca Sanna
  Publisher: Flying Eye Books

  What is it like to leave everything behind and travel somewhere strange? This incredibly poignant story introduces the concept of refugees with straightforward language, tackling this difficult subject with truth, clarity and strikingly beautiful illustrations.

• The Jungle

  Author: Pooja Puri
  Publisher: Ink Road

  Mico is a young African boy who's lost his family and livelihood, and is trying to get to safety in England. Stuck in the notorious, makeshift refugee camp at Calais that became known as the Jungle, Mico never has enough to eat, and like many refugees, has no money either. Hunger and difficult circumstances make the lure of joining the gangs and turning to c…

• The Key to Flambards

  Author: Linda Newbery
  Publisher: David Fickling Books

  After a car accident and her parents' divorce, Grace spends the holidays at Flambards, a quiet countryside arts centre. It’s a summer that will slowly change Grace’s feelings about her past, her future and her very place in the world. Readable and engaging. 

• The Kick Off

  Author: Dan Freedman
  Publisher: Scholastic

  Packed full of footballing tips, fumbled free kicks and nail-biting penalties, every reader will be on Jamie's side.

• The Kids Who Knew Too Little

  Author: Gitty Daneshvari Illustrator: James Lancett
  Publisher: Little Brown

  When Jonathan's parents are framed and arrested by the CIA, he and his fellow spy Shelley will have to pull together to find the real villains... if they can stop eating junk food and come up with some kind of plan. Another fun adventure in the League of Unexceptional Children series.

• The King and the Sea

  Author: Heinz Janisch and Wolf Erlbruch Translator: Sally-Ann Spencer
  Publisher: Gecko Press

  The King and the Sea is a collection of 21 extremely short stories that each feature the same little king. Each story is presented on one page with beautiful minimalist illustrations on the other.

  The heart of each story is a funny yet puzzling little thought that will spark the imagination. Beautiful, surreal, funny and philosophical, this book will deli…

• The King Arthur Trilogy

  Author: Rosemary Sutcliff
  Publisher: Vintage Children's Classics

  One volume combines Rosemary Sutcliffe's three classic books2 about King Arthur and his knights. Beginning before Arthur's birth and ending with the disintegration of the brotherhood of the Round Table, this mystical retelling of the ancient legends takes readers on a magical journey through the England of the Dark Ages. The story of the Sword in the Stone a…

• The King of Birds

  Author: Alexander Utkin Translator: Lada Morozova
  Publisher: Nobrow

  Gamayun, the magical human-faced bird of Slavic mythology, narrates this vibrant and luxurious graphic novel for younger readers. The story is magical and full of the strangeness of the original fairytale that inspired it.

• The King of Tiny Things

  Author: Jeanne Willis Illustrator: Gwen Millward
  Publisher: Puffin

  Two little girls and are very excited about camping in the garden but when bedtime comes and all the nighttime bugs come out, the idea doesn't seem so appealing.

• The King Who Wouldn't Sleep

  Author: Debbie Singleton Illustrator: Holly Swain
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  The King is determined not go to sleep until he's found the perfect prince for his daughter to marry. But the Princess wants to make up her own mind - can a farmer with a flock of sheep provide some help?

• The Killer Cat Strikes Back

  Author: Anne Fine Illustrator: Steve Cox
  Publisher: Puffin

  This is Tuffy's third adventure, in which he takes exception to Mum's art class, and ruins almost all of her new masterpieces.

• The Killing Woods

  Author: Lucy Christopher
  Publisher: Chicken House

  When Emily's father stumbles from the woods one night carrying the dead body of Ashlee Parker, Emily's life changes forever. 

• The Kite Rider

  Author: Geraldine McCaughrean
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Haoyou feels powerless when the man responsible for his father's death demands to marry his mother. Determined to support her himself, the young boy joins a travelling circus.

• The Kites are Flying

  Author: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Laura Carlin
  Publisher: Walker Books

  This dual narrative tale of a modern day conflict is both tragic and joyful. An accessible portrayal of the human consequences of political strife.

• The Knife of Never Letting Go

  Author: Patrick Ness
  Publisher: Walker Books

  The first in a series, this enthralling sci-fi/fantasy novel grips readers throughout, presenting them with tough questions about identity, ethics and the nature of truth.

• The Knife That Killed Me

  Author: Anthony McGowan
  Publisher: Definitions

  Paul isn't one of the tough kids, but when he ends up delivering a message from Roth, the terrifying school bully, he finds himself drawn into a dangerous rivalry.

• The Knights of the Drop-Leaf Table

  Author: Kaye Umansky Illustrator: Ben Whitehouse
  Publisher: Barrington Stoke

  To celebrate their new round drop-leaf table, the Knights decide to hold a party, and the French Knight, who has a hankering for yucky snails, volunteers to do the food. What could go wrong? A perfect, Monty Python-esque introduction to Camelot for kids.

• The Ladybird Big Book of Dead Things

  Author: Ned Hartley Illustrator: Binny Talib
  Publisher: Ladybird

  Welcome to the Museum of Dead Things! Discover fascinating facts about dinosaurs and learn about fossils, plus much more. This wonderful hardback is full of fun and interest for young readers, with a genuine sense of discovery and excitement. 

• The Language of Cat

  Author: Rachel Rooney
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

  A wonderful testament to the scope and versatility of language which youngsters will enjoy reading and which is likely to inspire them to be creative in their own poetic endeavours.

• The Land of Green Ginger

  Author: Noel Langley
  Publisher: Faber and Faber

  Noel Langley's pantomime-esque adventure story is reprinted in its 'much-celebrated longer text' for a new edition included in Faber's list of children's classics.

• The Land of Neverendings

  Author: Kate Saunders
  Publisher: Faber & Faber

  Emily’s sister Holly has died, and nothing will ever be the same at home: Holly’s bedroom is an empty cave that Emily is scared to walk past at night. Emily’s also just started at secondary school, and she doesn’t understand why her best friend Maze is ignoring her, just when she needs her the most.

• The Last Chance Hotel

  Author: Nicki Thornton
  Publisher: Chicken House

  A magical murder mystery tale set in a crumbling hotel at the heart of a remote and sinister forest. A fabulous cast of weird and wonderful characters and a plot that reveals its secrets very gradually will draw readers in and keep them hooked. 

• The Last Dragonslayer

  Author: Jasper Fforde
  Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton

  Times are tough for Jennifer Strange, manager of Kazam Mystical Arts - then predictions of a new Dragonslayer coming to slay the Last Dragon begin...

• The Last Duchess

  Author: Laura Powell
  Publisher: Macmillan

  Pattern may only be a lady’s maid, but when it comes to protecting her employer, a grand Duchess, she’s determined to offer her very best service. A mystery with magic and friendship at its heart and a sharp dagger in its tail.

• The Last Kids on Earth

  Author: Max Brallier
  Publisher: Egmont

  Jack Sullivan is 42 days into the monster zombie apocalypse and doing pretty well, but that's all thrown into jeopardy when a monster called Blarg becomes intent on killing him off... A fast-paced, funny story that's a mix between Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Shaun of the Dead.

• The Last of the Spirits

  Author: Chris Priestley
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  This book is the perfect Christmas gift for anyone who has watched and loved a film adaptation of A Christmas Carol but who isn't quite ready for Dickens himself just yet!

• The Last Summer of Us

  Author: Maggie Harcourt
  Publisher: Usborne Books

  After her mother’s funeral, Limpet is only too glad to get away for a few days and join her best friends Steffan and Jared on a summer road trip.

• The Last Taboo

  Author: Bali Rai
  Publisher: Random House

  A story of powerful emotions and strong language, which provides no easy answers to the fact that racism exists in communities of all kinds.

• The Last Tiger

  Author: Rebecca Elliott
  Publisher: Lion Children's

  Luka lives in a drab, grey world where there are no more trees, flowers or animals - or so Luka thinks, until he meets the last tiger.

• The Last Wild

  Author: Piers Torday
  Publisher: Quercus Books

  In a world where animals no longer exist, twelve-year-old Kester Jaynes sometimes feels like he hardly exists either. Locked away in a home for troubled children, he's told there's something wrong with him.

• The Last Wolf

  Author: Michael Morpurgo Illustrator: Michael Foreman
  Publisher: Random House

  Powerful illustrations underline this captivating tale of loyalty and bravery.

• The Last Wolf

  Author: Mini Grey
  Publisher: Jonathan Cape

  The Last Wolf ranks alongside Mini Grey’s other picture book masterpieces, with all her trademark rich, characterful illustration, quirky humour and perfect pacing. The story has an environmental message but is in no way preachy or boring.

• The Last Zoo

  Author: Sam Gayton
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Pia lives on the last zoo: a floating armada that houses the strangest collection of creatures the world’s ever seen, from genies to mirror-orangutans to hummingdragons. Collectively called ‘voilas’, they each have a special ability, and everyone hopes these will help save the world from environmental catastrophe.

• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

  Author:
  Publisher: DC Comics

  The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is comics scriptwriting supremo Alan Moore's incredible, reinvention of classic heroes and villains.

• The League of Unexceptional Children

  Author: Gitty Daneshvari
  Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

  Jonathan and Shelley are surprised to be selected to join The League of Unexceptional Children. They are used to people forgetting them as soon as they've met them - so why are they about to be trained as spies?

• The League of Unexceptional Children Get Smart-ish

  Author: Gitty Daneshvari Illustrator: James Lancett
  Publisher: Little Brown

  Jonathan and Shelley are unremarkable American twelve year olds, who also happen to be spies. Summoned to London by the Prime Minister, they must recover a dangerous virus which has been stolen by a rogue British agent before it is unleashed on an unsuspecting world. This is the second amusing title in this fast-paced, offbeat spy series, which contains plen…

• The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth

  Author: Eoin Colfer Illustrator: Tony Ross
  Publisher: Penguin

  With characters last seen in Colfer's The Legend of Spud Murphy, this is another light-hearted adventure for younger readers, in which the issue of sibling rivalry is deftly and humorously handled.

• The Legend of Kevin

  Author: Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
  Publisher: Oxford University Press

  Max longs for adventure in his life – then one day, a flying pony called Kevin crashes into his flat, blown in by a magical storm. Mayhem, friendship and a brilliant cast of characters combine in this fabulously funny tale.

• The Legend of Sally Jones

  Author: Jakob Wegelius Translator: Peter Graves
  Publisher: Pushkin Press

  Jakob Wegelius’ graphic novel prequel to the novel The Murderer’s Ape tells the gorilla Sally Jones’ sad origin story with great compassion. It reminds us of the terrible ways humans have treated gorillas and orangutans.

• The Legend of Spud Murphy

  Author: Eoin Colfer Illustrator: Tony Ross
  Publisher: Penguin

  Will and Marty are horrified when their parents decide to find them something educational to do during the holidays, condemning them to three afternoons a week at the library.

  How will they cope when they meet the librarian, the legendary Spud Murphy, for the first time? And will she use the gas-powered spud gun she keeps under her desk? When Marty steps …

• The Legend of the Loch Ness Lilo: You, Me and Thing

  Author: Karen McCombie
  Publisher: Faber Children's

  The third in Kaen McCombie's series about Ruby and her next-door neighbour Jackson, who have a secret - at the end of their gardens they are hiding the small, cute but very troublesome ‘Thing’.

• The Letter for the King

  Author: Tonke Dragt Translator: Laura Watkinson
  Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books

  A young squire named Tiuri has his meditation disturbed by a desperate cry for help.

• The Lie Tree

  Author: Frances Hardinge
  Publisher: Macmillan

  This dark, exciting novel delves into the world of religion versus science in the late 1800s, and twists towards a thrilling climax.

• The Lies We Tell Ourselves

  Author: Robin Talley
  Publisher: Mira Ink

  This exceptional novel of first love and sexual awakenings is set against a backdrop of shocking racism and prejudice.

• The Light That Gets Lost

  Author: Natasha Carthew
  Publisher: Bloomsbury

  A powerful and moving tale of growing up and moving on.

• The Lines on Nana's Face

  Author: Simona Ciraolo
  Publisher: Flying Eye Books

  A touching exploration of old age and the discovery that wrinkles are not just marks on the skin but also reminders of special moments in time.

• The Lion and the Mouse

  Author: Jerry Pinkney
  Publisher: Walker Books

  This retelling of Aesop’s fable is told without text through pictures alone

• The Lion and the Unicorn

  Author: Shirley Hughes
  Publisher: Random House

  Lenny is bullied by the children at his new school, but draws courage from a badge his father gave him, and comes to terms with his fear and loneliness when he befriends Mick.

• The Lion Who Lost his Roar, but Learnt to Draw

  Author: Paula Knight and Daniel Howarth
  Publisher: QED

  Lionel the lion cub, like many of the book's readers, loves to make a lot of noise. But sometimes he scares the other animals with the noise he makes.

• The Lion Who Stole My Arm

  Author: Nicola Davies Illustrator: Annabel Wright
  Publisher: Walker Books

  When a lion attacks Pedru and bites off his arm, he vows to find the lion and kill him. But as he learns more about these formidable creatures, he realises strength and courage come in different forms. An uplifting story in the excellent Heroes of the Wild series.

• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

  Author: C S Lewis
  Publisher: HarperCollins Children's

  When Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy - step through a wardrobe door in the strange country house where they are staying, they find themselves in the land of Narnia.

• The Listener

  Author: Elizabeth Laird
  Publisher: A C Black

  A story about a young boy who is sent to stay with his Gran for the weekend when he would rather be at a football match with his friend watching his hero making his debut.

• The Liszts

  Author: Kyo Maclear Illustrator: Julia Sarda
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Every member of the Liszt family makes lists - lists about ghastly illnesses, dreaded chores, cheeses, Bowie songs. But with all of their time spent categorising the world, what will they do when an unexpected visitor arrives?

• The Little Book of Football Jokes

  Author: Joe King Illustrator: Nigel Baines
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  Featuring a whole host of football funnies and goalie gags, this collection of soccer silliness is a must for any young fan of the beautiful game.

• The Little Fir Tree

  Author: Christopher Corr
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln Books

  In this beautifully illustrated modern retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, the values of appreciating what we already have and the cycles of nature are explored. The story of the little fir tree is brought to life with the vivid, folk-inspired artwork.

• The Little Gardener

  Author: Emily Hughes
  Publisher: Flying Eye Books

  With diverse illustrations, and a clear story to follow, this wonderful book is the perfect read - especially when your own garden is full in bloom.

• The Little Hen and the Great War

  Author: Jennifer Beck Illustrator: Robyn Belton
  Publisher: Scholastic

  A stunning picture book for older readers, about a soldier's friendship with a little hen during World War One.

• The Little Island

  Author: Smriti Prasadam-Halls Illustrator: Robert Starling
  Publisher: Andersen Press

  The message here is that compassion for others and strength in togetherness is what makes us thrive. The Little Island may raise as many questions as it answers, but that’s precisely why global ideas should be introduced to children at such a young age.  

• The Little Mermaid

  Author: Geraldine McCaughrean Illustrator: Laura Barrett
  Publisher: Orchard

  McCaughrean has written an alternative happy ending to Hans Christian Andersen’s tragic and bloody tale, so while this stunningly illustrated version is for the most part faithful, young readers and listeners won’t be too disturbed by Delphine’s story.

• The Little Mistake

  Author: Nicola Davies Illustrator: Cathy Fisher
  Publisher: Graffeg

  Rose learns that not all mistakes are bad when she helps her mum watch over their sheepdog Trix and its litter of puppies – including one that definitely isn't going to be a prize-winning sheepdog. Another brilliant wildlife story from Nicola Davies. 

• The Little Pioneer

  Author: Adam Hancher
  Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

  Inspired by letters and diaries from the 1800s, this enjoyable picture book explores the origins of modern-day America and the life and motivation of early pioneers.

• The Little Prince

  Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupery Translator: Katherine Woods
  Publisher: Egmont

  An air pilot makes a forced landing deep in the Sahara Desert. There, he makes a mysterious Little Prince, who tells him a series of wise and enchanting stories.

• The Little Red Train: Green Light

  Author: Benedict Blathwayt
  Publisher: Random House

  The guard tells Duffy the Driver to 'keep going as long as the lights are green' and Duffy does just that - without realising that he has taken the train through the Channel Tunnel!

• The Littlest Dinosaur

  Author: Michael Foreman
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

  When mother dinosaur’s last egg finally cracks open, out comes a minute dinosaur. He doesn’t grow any bigger – and when he’s playing football he is in danger of being trodden on.

• The Littlest Dinosaur's Big Adventure

  Author: Michael Foreman
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books

  When a small, bouncy frog interupts his daydream, the littlest dinosaur is delighted to find a friend his own size.

• The Loblolly Boy

  Author: James Norcliffe
  Publisher: Allen and Unwin

  A lyrically written and memorable story with an ultimately hopeful resolution

• The Longest Night of Charlie Noon

  Author: Christopher Edge
  Publisher: Nosy Crow

  Charlie Noon is lost in the woods. But which woods, and when? During this nightmarish time, only friends can keep Charlie on track and safely back home. This short but powerful novel keeps the reader guessing throughout and leads to a stunning conclusion.