READING
SUGGESTIONS
Welcome!
Some very generous librarians have put
together this list of books you may enjoy.
*This booklet contains some short reviews of books you
might like to read.
*Read through these blurbs, and perhaps try something
new.
*Remember you can use your local public library to find
new books and authors to try out.
*If you enjoyed a book why not recommend it to your
friends.
Recommended stories
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda – Tom Angleberger
Dwight is not at all cool but he does do one cool thing: he
makes origami. One day he makes an origami finger puppet of
Yoda from Star Wars. When Yoda starts to offer life advice
to Dwight’s classmates, things get mysterious....
Stitch Head – Guy Bass
Grotteskew Castle hides a gruesome secret – the mad
professor who lives there has created an amazing Creature.
The most monstrous, disgusting and dangerous Creature roams
around the castle, scaring all the other creatures who live
there. If it escapes, the villagers will come with fire and
pitchforks to destroy everything. Stitch Head, the first and
smallest of the professor’s creations, has to make a plan – fast!
Danny the Champion of the World – Roald Dahl
Danny thinks the world of his father and is very surprised
indeed when he finds out that Dad has been breaking the law.
Even grown-ups bend the rules sometimes and Danny knows
that his father is still good, kind and clever. Together they
hope to pull off the most daring and dangerous plan ever to
poach pheasants from Mr Victor Hazell’s wood.
The 7 Professors of the Far North – John Fardell
Ben and Zara live an exciting life in Edinburgh with their Great
Uncle Alexander, an inventor of amazing gadgets. Even they
are surprised when an exhausted man appears at the door, with
an urgent message for Uncle Alexander. Who is Professor
Murdo? And why is everyone so scared of him? Ben, Zara and
their new friend Sam must solve the dangerous mystery,
without being caught themselves.
Sharp Sheep – Vivian French
Are sheep really as daft as they look? Josh and his brother
Paul are about to find out when they go to stay with their
grandfather on a Welsh hill farm. Josh has convinced Paul that
a ghostly, wicked shepherd will grant them a wish if they can
stay out all night. Paul has no intention of doing anything so
silly. Then disaster strikes the farm – is he brave enough to
try for the wish?
Alice-Miranda at School – Jacqueline Harvey
The first in a hugely adventurous and addictive series! AliceMiranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones is a tiny girl, hardly
more than seven, when she begs her parents to send her to
boarding school. Her great adventure becomes more
mysterious with every turn as Alice-Miranda discovers that
everyone in the school has their own secrets - and she will have
to work hard to find out why they are keeping them…
Quest for a Kelpie – Frances Hendry
An exciting adventure story set in Scotland at the time of
Bonnie Prince Charlie. Jeannie Main is an ordinary girl living in
a fishing village in Scotland, yet she is warned that she will
make and break a king and be in the shadow of the hangman
four times. How can this be? What will happen to put her in
such danger? But this is 1744 and there is rebellion in the air
of Scotland.
Groosham Grange – Anthony Horowitz
Groosham Grange takes on all the children that other schools
don’t want or have expelled, promising parents that their
children will be looked after 364 days a year – with only one
day’s holiday at Christmas.
One Dog and His Boy – Eva Ibbotson
Hal desperately wants a dog for his birthday, but his parents
are not at all keen. Dogs, after all, are messy and uncontrolled.
On his birthday, Hal finally gets his dog, but is devastated
when he finds out that Fleck has to go back – he is only rented
for the weekend. The only thing to do is run away, then Hal
and Fleck can stay together always.
The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler – Gene Kemp
Tyke Tiler and Danny Price are best friends at Cricklepit
Combined School. Together they are double trouble and full of
jokes and tricks. When Danny is accused of stealing money,
Tyke tries to sort it out and make sure he is not sent to
another school away from all his friends. (Remember if you
read Tyke’s story be careful not to spoil it by giving away the
ending!)
Stig of the Dump – Clive King
Nobody believes Barney when he says he’s met a boy living wild
in the local rubbish dump. Stig doesn’t seem to understand
about things like tin-openers and living in houses. He has a very
comfortable den in the middle of the dump. The two boys
become friends and set off on a series of adventures together.
Poltergoose – Michael Lawrence
Jiggy McCue has moved house and is being haunted by the
ghost of a goose who was buried in the garden by the previous
occupants. The Three Musketeers – “One for all and all for
lunch!” - Jiggy, Pete and Angie set out to send the poltergoose
back where it belongs. But getting hold of an invisible, angry
goose is not as easy as it sounds.
Dark Isle – Dawn Nelson
10 year-old Morag runs away with 2 very strange companions,
Aldiss the talking rat and Bertie the dodo. Anything is better
than staying at home, even taking on the evil warlock Devlish
who wants to destroy everything. All Morag has to do is to
find a stone dragon called Shona – something that proves more
than a little difficult when you live in a small town in Ayrshire.
Measle and the Wrathmonk – Ian Ogilvy
After his parents disappear, Measle Stubbs lives a miserable
life with his guardian Basil Tramplebone. Deep in his heart,
Measle is sure his parents are still alive. The only bright spot
about living with Basil is his train set, the most amazing train
set in the world. Measle sneaks up to the attic to play with it
and is suddenly caught up by some sort of spell – he is now part
of the model world, and there are some nasty looking creatures
heading his way!
The Brilliant World of Tom Gates – Liz Pichon
The first book in a superbly funny series about the trials and
triumphs of schoolboy Tom Gates. All Tom wants to do is get
tickets to see his favourite band when they come to town. It's
not easy when he's up against Delia, his weirdo big sister. All of
his plans seem to get him into major trouble!
Spring-heeled Jack – Philip Pullman
Three orphan children Rose, Lily and Ned escape from the
Alderman Cawn-Plaster Orphanage to look for their father who
disappeared on a trip to the goldfields of Australia. Closely
watched by Mack the Knife and his villainous gang, they cross
the city to the docks in constant fear of being caught by Mr
Killjoy and Miss Gasket, owners of the orphanage. Luckily,
spring-heeled Jack, the scourge of evil-doers, is on the
lookout.
The Mum Detective – Gwyneth Rees
Esmie has managed to find her widowed Dad a girlfriend and
things are ticking along nicely when Lizzie starts behaving
strangely - being late, not being where she said she would be.
Esmie is sure there’s a simple explanation. Maybe Lizzie just
has to spend more time at work now…..
The Daredevil Desperados of Destiny – Charlie Small
One of the most amazing, astonishing and incredible
adventures you will ever read! This is the complete journal of
400-year-old Charlie Small’s adventure among the outlaws of
the American Wild West. Meet Wild Bob Ffrance, Mick the
Miner, Gentleman Jim Silver and Jake ‘Pint-pot’ Penley – the
most desperate men in town.
The Bad Beginning – Lemony Snicket
If you haven’t yet met the ill-fated Baudelaire children, join
them in their very first tale of unfortunate events. Violet,
Klaus and Sunny go from living as an ordinary happy family, to
being penniless orphans at risk of death and other disasters at
the hands of the inventive Count Olaf and his equally vicious
sidekicks.
The Boy in the Dress – David Walliams
This book is all about a boy named Dennis. He lives in a boring
street in a boring town, and he doesn't have much to look
forward to. But he does have dreams - and once he starts to
follow them, things will never be the same again.
Friends and Family
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda – Tom Angleberger
Every class has one kid who finds it hard to fit in. In Tommy’s
class it’s Dwight, who sits with him at lunch every day. One day
Dwight makes a finger puppet of Yoda and things get a bit
strange. It seems that Origami Yoda can predict the future.
Yoda gives good advice, even though Dwight is pretty clueless
about things. Could the Force be with him?
Eager – Helen Fox
Grumps the family robot is wearing out and the Jones family
decide to buy him a helper. They settle on a brand new design,
the EGR3. Eager is an experimental robot, keen to learn, and
able to think for himself – something that was not clear in the
instruction manual! Eager learns a lot about life and living with
humans, until he finds out what humans do with robots that no
longer work.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Jeff Kinney
Greg Heffley is starting a new school year and moving into
middle school, where undersize weaklings share the corridors
with kids who are taller and meaner. Desperate to prove his
new found maturity, which only going up a grade can bring, Greg
is happy to have his not-quite-so-cool sidekick, Rowley, along
for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries
to use his best friend's popularity to his own advantage.
Danger is Everywhere – David O’Doherty and Chris Judge
Ever wondered about dangers of the reclusive Toothbrush
Snake? How can you tell if your cat is really a baby tiger?
Join the author’s neighbour - Dangerologist, Docter Noel Zone
(misspelling deliberate), as he takes a hilarious look at the
hidden dangers of everyday life. Can you learn enough to
become a qualified Dangerologist, too?
Middle School: My brother is a big, fat liar – James
Patterson
Georgia is about to start sixth grade at the school where her
brother made himself infamous for breaking almost every
single rule. Can she shake off her family’s bad reputation and
succeed?
Sisters – Raina Telgemeier
Raina can't wait to be a big sister, but once Amara is born she
realises things won't be quite as she had expected. Despite
Amara's cuteness, she is a cranky, grumpy baby. Their
relationship doesn't improve much over the years but when
their family starts to change, they realise they must finally
figure out how to get along.
If you enjoy stories about family, friends and neighbours you
could try some by Judy Blume, Theresa Breslin, Cathy
Cassidy or Jacqueline Wilson.
Classics
Peter Pan – J. M. Barrie
When Peter Pan flies into the home of the Darling family it is
the beginning of a magical series of adventures for the three
children. Flying to Neverland with Peter and Tinkerbell, they
meet the Lost Boys and the cut-throat pirate crew of Captain
Hook.
The Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum
When a cyclone hits her Kansas home, Dorothy and her dog
Toto are sucked into the magical Land of Oz. To get back to
Kansas she must follow the yellow brick road to see the Great
Wizard, who is the only one who can send her back. She makes
new friends along the way – the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and
the Cowardly Lion – who help her on her journey to the Emerald
City.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
Alice lives an ordinary sort of life, until the day when she falls
down a rabbit hole and finds herself in the most wonderful
world of mad tea parties and remarkable characters like the
Mad Hatter, the Duchess, the Cheshire Cat and the Mock
Turtle. She is delighted to find that nothing in Wonderland is
the least bit ordinary…
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis
Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are evacuated to a strange
house in the countryside during World War Two. One day Lucy
discovers the way to the snow-covered land of Narnia through
the back of an old wardrobe. Narnia is a land under a spell of
perpetual winter and all four children are needed to break the
spell and free the creatures who live there. If you enjoyed
the film, read the book – and there are 6 other Narnia titles to
try.
Five Children and It – E. Nesbit
Out for a picnic, the five children find a Psammead, a sand
fairy, in the local gravel pit. The Psammead has the power to
grant one wish each day, but it only lasts till sunset. No matter
how careful they are, the wishes never seem to turn out as
planned.
Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
John, Susan, Titty and Roger sail their boat, Swallow, to an
island for a short camping expedition. Some other children are
already there – the Amazons, Nancy and Peggy. At first the
children are enemies trying to get the others to leave, but soon
they are friends enjoying their holiday, and trying to solve a
burglary!
Charlotte’s Web – E. B. White
Fern persuades her father not to kill the smallest piglet in the
litter and raises him as a pet. As Wilbur grows, he learns what
happens to fat pigs on the farm. His friend Charlotte, a grey
spider who lives in the corner of the barn, has a very clever
plan to help Wilbur avoid his fate.
Kenneth Grahame – The Wind in the Willows
The story of Ratty and Mole and their adventures on the
river has been a favourite book since it was published.
Ratty and Mole have to help their friend Toad escape from
prison and win back Toad Hall from the Weasels, creatures
from the Wild Wood.
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH – Robert C. O’Brien
When Mrs Frisby’s son falls ill, she sends to the rats living
under the holly bush for help. These are rats who have
escaped from the laboratories of NIMH and they have learned
many things – and they are not going back to the labs, ever.
The question is, how can they help Mrs Frisby and stay free of
the men the lab has sent to capture them again?
Tom’s Midnight Garden – Philippa Pearce
Tom is not looking forward to spending his summer holiday with
his aunt and uncle in an old house with no garden. However, one
night Tom wakes to hear the grandfather clock chime thirteen
and sees children playing in the garden outside the window.
Initially the children can’t see him, but eventually Hatty can,
and Tom steps out into a world of adventure.
Little House in the Big Woods – Laura Ingalls Wilder
This is the first of the “Little House” books which tell the
story of Laura Ingalls, growing up in a pioneer family in the
west of the United States. Laura and her family live in the
forests, miles from their nearest neighbours, with only the wild
animals and each other for company.
Animal Stories
Woof! – Allan Ahlberg
Eric is a perfectly ordinary boy until the morning he wakes up
to find that he has turned into a dog. His best friend Roy is
the only one he can trust to help him. The problem is that Eric
changes from dog to boy and back again at the most
inconvenient moments. But sometimes it’s useful to be a dog,
especially when you are trying to find a missing little girl.
Keeping Henry – Nina Bawden
When Charlie’s catapult hits a squirrel’s nest, out falls a baby
squirrel. He takes it home and Henry, as he is named, becomes
part of the family. Charlie and his family have been evacuated
to a farm in Wales during World War Two, and they look after
Henry and help out on the farm. The War is nearly over and
Charlie starts to worry about his father coming home: what
will he be like?
Seal Story - Kathleen Fidler
Dan finds a baby seal abandoned in a cave near his home. He
keeps it a secret because it is autumn on the island and time
for the annual seal cull. Abandoned cubs like this one will be
culled. Keeping secrets causes problems for Dan, at home and
at school, especially when his pocket money starts running out –
how will he feed the seal with no money?
Kaspar, Prince of Cats – Michael Morpurgo
Johnny Trott, bell-boy at the Savoy Hotel, has his life
transformed by Kaspar Kandinsky, a regal looking black cat left
in his care when his owner dies. After losing his job, Johnny
ends up on the Titanic, heading for New York and a new life.
One dark night, there is a terrible crash – the ship has hit an
iceberg.
The Midnight Fox – Betsy Byars
Tom is going to stay at his Aunt Millie’s farm for two months in
the summer while his parents go on a cycling trip to Europe. He
doesn’t want to leave the town and his friend Pete. At first he
is very lonely, but gradually Tom learns about the countryside
and watches an unusual black fox living in the local woods.
When the fox is suspected of taking chickens from the farm,
Tom has to help track her down when all he wants to do is help
her escape.
Last Chance Zoo – W. J. Corbett
Ken is the Head Keeper at the Last Chance Zoo, the Zoo where
animals come when they cannot stay where they are. Follow
Ken as he deals with Crusty the Camel, Percy the Python and
Belinda the Elephant as they spit, squeeze and tantrum their
way through the day.
Saddlebottom – Dick King-Smith
The pigs on the farm are terrible snobs, they are pedigree
Wessex Saddlebacks after all. Saddlebottom is born with his
large saddle-shaped patch on his bottom instead of his back
which makes the other pigs pick on him. He runs away from the
farm and is befriended by a very unusual cat. Together they
have to meet the challenges of living wild.
Varjak Paw – S. F. Said
As a Mesopotamian Blue cat, Varjak Paw is a pampered kitten
who has never left his house. He is forced into the outside
world to escape the sinister plans of a newcomer to the house.
Once outside, he finds a dangerous world where cats are at war
and only help from a mysterious ancestor can save him.
Watership Down – Richard Adams
Fiver the rabbit dreams of terrible danger coming to the
warren. With his brother Hazel and a few other rabbits, he
leaves the warren to find a new safe place to live. The rabbits
have to overcome many difficulties and dangers before they
can settle in their new home - cats, foxes, humans and the
fierce rabbits of Efrafa. They also find unexpected friends
like Kehaar the Seagull.
Toad Rage - Morris Gleitzman
Limpy the cane toad is feeling unloved and unwanted - why do
humans hate cane toads? Why do they squash them with their
cars? It's not fair, and he decides to do something about it.
Limpy sets out to try to make humans love toads. An hilarious
story from a very popular Australian author.
Marley: A Dog Like No Other – John Grogan
A yellow fluffy Labrador puppy grows into a big, bouncy dog,
loved by all of his family. He gets into all sorts of trouble,
stealing underwear and drooling on guests. You could say he is
the worst-behaved dog in the world, but his family love him.
And Marley has a great deal to teach the Grogan family, too.
The Sheep-Pig - Dick King-Smith
Also known as Babe, this is the tale of the piglet who learns to
herd sheep. Adopted by the sheepdog Fly, Babe learns
everything she can teach him about herding sheep: enough to
save the sheep from a savage dog. But will it be enough to save
his bacon?
Run To The Ark - Tom McCaughrean
When a young fox discovers a whole valley of dead foxes and
badgers, the animals of Glensinna meet and decide to leave the
area and look for a new home where they will be safe. And
soon a great journey begins to the place at the very Edge of
the World, the place foretold by the Bow in the Cloud.
A Dog So Small - Philippa Pearce
Ben desperately wants a dog, any dog, so long as it is his. For
months he'd been thinking about dogs and dropping hints to his
family. And when his birthday comes, he is so excited, surely
he'll get a dog for his birthday?
Black Beauty - Anna Sewell
The classic tale of a beautiful black horse, who has many
adventures with his different owners. He starts off as a
carriage horse in a rich family, but also works as a cab horse in
town, and meets different people, some treat him well, others
badly.
Fantasy Stories
How to Train Your Dragon - Cressida Cowell
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is the heir of Chief Stoick the
Vast of the Hairy Hooligans. He has to become a warrior of the
tribe and take over from his father, but first he has to catch
his own dragon and train it up to be the most ferocious beast
on the island. Hiccup learns to be a hero the hard way: the
only way when your dragon is a toothless, flameless wonder!
The Robe of Skulls – Vivian French
The sorceress Lady Lamorna orders the most amazing new robe
from the Ancient Crones, weavers of the most fantastic
fabrics. The only snag is – the treasure chest is empty, how on
earth is she going to pay for it? An evil plot hatches, and Lady
Lamorna embarks on a campaign of magical theft and extortion,
aided and abetted by the troll Gubble.
The Tail of Emily Windsnap – Liz Kessler
Emily thinks it is really strange that she has lived on a boat all
her life, and yet her mother has never allowed her to learn to
swim. Surrounded by water all the time, she has never been
swimming. Then, she has the chance to learn when she goes to
high school, and suddenly Emily knows why swimming has been
forbidden. After all, how many 10 year olds do you know who
have a tail like a mermaid?
Zac and the Dream Pirates – Ross Mackenzie
Dreams all over the country are beginning to come true.
Strange things are happening to ordinary people, and suddenly
nightmares are on the loose. Zac’s ordinary life with his
grandmother is about to fall apart. Where does she go every
night, on the stroke of midnight? What is she doing?
Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse – Chris Riddell
Ada Goth is the only child of Lord Goth. The two live together
in the enormous Ghastly-Gorm Hall. One day William and Emily
Cabbage come to stay at the house, and together with a
ghostly mouse called Ishmael, they and Ada begin to unravel a
dastardly plot that Maltravers, the mysterious indoor
gamekeeper, is hatching. Look out for Goth Girl and the Fête
Worse than Death too!
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – J.K. Rowling
If you haven’t discovered these tales of the boy wizard yet,
why not start here? Orphaned and alone, eleven-year-old
Harry Potter is sent to live with his aunt and uncle, who resent
his presence and force him to live in the cupboard under the
stairs. One fateful day, he receives a letter by owl post and is
taken off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
where he learns to play Quidditch and does battle in a deadly
duel…
Flood and Fang – Marcus Sedgwick
Edgar the Raven is somewhat alarmed when he sees a
suspicious-looking thick, black tail disappearing into the
rhubarb plants. Then the kitchen maids start to vanish… Life
is about to become stranger than usual in Otherhand Castle,
home of the Otherhand family. Can Edgar help Solstice and her
brother defeat the owner of the thick, scaly black tail?
Artemis Fowl – Eoin Colfer
Boy genius Artemis Fowl is after something more challenging
than Fort Knox – he wants a hoard of fairy gold. First he has
to catch a fairy, and keep it hostage long enough for the
ransom to be paid. Captain Holly Short of the LEP Recon Squad
is more than he bargained for, and she is not going quietly!
Dragonfire – Anne Forbes
Neil and Clara live in the park close to Arthur’s Seat in
Edinburgh where their father is the park ranger. They have
always known about the MacArthurs, the little people who live
under the hill. They did not expect to get involved with
quarrelling magicians, a fire-breathing dragon, and 20,000
gallons of missing Scotch whiskey!
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - Alan Garner
The jewel Firefrost has been lost, and evil creatures are
gathering, making war on those of goodwill. The wizard Cadellin
Silverbrow searches for the jewel, and finds it on a charm
bracelet worn by Susan, a local farmer's daughter. Susan and
her brother agree to help Cadellin and are drawn into a world
of magic, wonder, and war.
Pure Dead Magic - Debi Gliori
Signora Baci Strega-Borgia is interviewing for a Nanny for her
three children. Her husband has left after a row and she needs
someone to look after Titus, Pandora and Damp while she
studies for her Diploma in Witchcraft. Most applicants are
scared off by the monsters and the children, or eaten by the
crocodile in the moat. When Flora MacLachlan turns up, the
creatures realise there is more to her than meets the eye.
Charmed Life - Diana Wynne Jones
Cat Chant is having a terrible time. He and his sister have been
brought to live in Chrestomanci Castle after the death of their
parents. Gwendolen is furious, vowing to take revenge on
Chrestomanci for forbidding her to practice magic. Cat quite
likes it, and would like to make friends with the other children
there, but he is drawn deeper into Gwendolen's scheming, until
he realises that he is the only one who can make her stop.
Skulduggery Pleasant – Derek Landy
When Stephanie’s uncle dies, he leaves all his property to her.
Her grasping relatives are not pleased, and life becomes a little
complicated when a stranger insists he can help her look after
her inheritance. Only later does she discover that the stories
Uncle Gordon wrote were not entirely fictional, and some are
coming back to haunt her….
Midnight for Charlie Bone – Jenny Nimmo
Charlie Bone has a special gift – he can hear the people in
photographs talking! His grandmother and aunts are delighted
with his new ability, his mother and Grandma Maisie are much
less pleased. Nevertheless, he is sent off to Bloor’s Academy.
There, he joins the rest of the Endowed children, and Charlie’s
life changes for the worse. A new school is bad enough, but he
is a weekly boarder and strange things happen in Bloor’s at
night…
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief – Rick Riordan
Even in the 21st century, the Greek gods are alive and well, and
so are their children. Percy Jackson, half-blood son of
Poseidon, God of the Sea, is thrown into a desperate attempt
to stop a war between the gods, and incidentally, save his own
life.
Story Collections
Fangs ’n’ Fire – Chris Mould
Ten amazing stories about dragons new and old. From the
dragon’s teeth sown by Cadmus, to the Chinese dragons of
ancient legend, here are ten stories about dragons from around
the world. Some of the stories are famous ones, like St
George and the dragon, others are brand new stories by Chris
Mould himself. Lose yourself in a scaly, fiery story or two in
this selection of tales.
The Well at the World’s End – Norah and William
Montgomerie
A collection of 35 folk and fairy tales from Scotland. Read
about the Queen’s daughter who was proud and selfish and did
not do what she was asked; the Wee Bannock who ran like the
Gingerbread Man; and the three daughters of the King of
Lochlinn who were carried off by giants.
The Walker Book of Magical Stories
Short magical stories by Gillian Cross, Susan Gates and Martin
Waddell. Get lost in the snow maze, sit in Tillie McGillie’s
fantastical chair, wear the killer coat and help out the angel
who lost his cloud in these exciting stories. Or if you would
rather skate on a skyboard, or be haunted by a ghost under the
full moon ….. read on!
You could also try the scary short stories by Anthony
Horowitz, for example: Burnt Cottage, Twisted, or The Phone
Goes Dead.
Mystery and Adventure
Reaver’s Ransom (Flood Child) – Emily Diamand
Lilly Melkun is out fishing with her sea-cat when the raiders
come to her village, making off with the Prime Minister’s
daughter. When the men are conscripted into the army in
revenge, Lilly sets out to find the girl – taking an amazing
talking jewel as ransom. Set in the future, when the land has
been flooded and the Scottish border runs just north of
Swindon, Lilly is putting her life at risk.
Ringmaster (Girl on the Run: 1) – Julia Golding
Darcie Lock is inadvertently thrown into a world of SAS men,
espionage, corruption, polo games and fashion parades when her
father is taken hostage while investigating an international
smuggling ring. Darcie is commissioned to find out what
happened. Armed with her sharp wit and only a few gadgets,
can Darcie save her father?
Stormbreaker - Antony Horowitz
The first adventure starring Alex Rider, the fourteen year old
spy. When a wealthy businessman offers to give every school in
the country new Stormbreaker computers, the Prime Minister
accepts. But someone in MI5 smells a rat, and Alex is
persuaded to investigate. A gripping read for anyone who
enjoys a good thriller!
Dangerous Diamonds – Barbara Mitchelhill
Harry and Charlotte’s Dad goes missing and the house has been
burgled while they were out. With their mother away working
the twins do not want to end up being farmed out to relatives,
so they tell no-one and start to look for their father. Even his
friend Edina has no idea where Dad is. Harry notices a hot-dog
van parked near their flat, but never selling a single hot-dog.
The twins start to follow it – and soon there are clues to
follow, and dangers to avoid.
Murder Most Unladylike – Robin Stevens
When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own
secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they
struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. But
then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying
dead in the Gym. She thinks it must all have been a terrible
accident - but when she and Daisy return five minutes later,
the body has disappeared. Now the girls know a murder must
have taken place - and there's more than one person at
Deepdean with a motive…
Higher Institute of Villainous Education – Mark Walden
Ever wondered where evil geniuses go to school? Meet Otto
Malpense and his friends – abducted and taken to a secret
island to learn how to be the greatest criminal masterminds in
the world. The only snag is that you can never leave the school,
until Otto works out a grand plan. Action-packed adventure,
gadgets galore, and some truly terrifying plants!
Demon Dentist – David Walliams
Darkness has come to Alfie’s town. Strange things are
happening in the dead of night. Children put a tooth under their
pillow for the tooth fairy, but in the morning they wake up to
find... a dead slug; a live spider; hundreds of earwigs creeping
and crawling beneath their pillow. Evil is at work. But who, or
what, is behind it?
Long Ago…
Street Child - Berlie Doherty
Jim Jarvis has run away from the workhouse to try and find his
sisters. Instead, after many adventures he becomes one of the
thousands of street children living in Victorian London. There,
he hears about the man who teaches at the Ragged School, a
Dr Barnardo, who teaches boys for free. Jim's story sends the
Doctor out into the streets and onto the rooftops, gathering
up the homelesss children and giving them somewhere to live
other than the Workhouse.
Twelve minutes to Midnight – Christopher Edge
At twelve minutes to midnight, every inmate of the Bedlam
hospital for the insane writes on the walls, paper, the floor,
even their own skin. Penelope Treadwell is determined to find
out what all the strange messages mean – it will make a great
story for her magazine The Penny Dreadful. The year is 1899,
the dawn of a new century, and an evil plot to control the
future.
Blood Red Horse – K.M. Grant
The lives of Will, his brother, a Saracen boy and the horse
Hosanna are intertwined in this exciting story of the Crusades.
Will is caught up in the fight for Jerusalem, and his rivalry
with his brother almost leads to tragedy.
The Pirates of Pompeii – Caroline Lawrence
Set in Italy at the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, this
adventure story deals with the aftermath of the eruption.
Someone is kidnapping children who have been separated from
their families. Flavia, Jonathan, Nubia and Lupus try to
discover who is behind the gang, but they are captured by the
slavers too. How can they ever escape? This is the third story
in the Roman Mysteries series.
Black Ice (Young Sherlock Holmes) – Andrew Lane
The young Sherlock Holmes is comfortably settled into his life
at home with the assortment of tutors arranged for him by his
brother Mycroft. Still learning the skills which will make him
famous, his life is at risk when Mycroft is accused of murder,
and was actually found holding the blood-stained knife.
Sherlock must clear his brother’s name and stay alive long
enough to prevent Mycroft being hanged for murder!
The Case of the Glasgow Ghoul - Joan Lennon
Someone is stealing priceless artefacts from the Hunterian
Museum in Glasgow. Slightly Jones and her grandmother are
visiting the city to see if they can help, when Slightly follows a
suspicious looking character and ends up in a graveyard. Can
the Necropolis, creepy and reputedly haunted, be the thieves’
hideout?
Twist of Gold – Michael Morpurgo
When the potato crop failed in 1847, Sean and Annie O’Brien
obeyed their dying mother’s wish for them to leave Ireland and
go to America. Their father was already gone to California to
make a home for them, not knowing that the disaster of the
famine had happened back in Cork. Sean and Annie make a
dangerous journey to America, to look for their father and
their new home.
The Eagle of the Ninth - Rosemary Sutcliff
The Ninth Legion marched north from Eburacum (York) to deal
with a rebellion among the northern tribes. The soldiers were
never seen again. Years later, Marcus Flavius Aquila arrives in
Britain from Rome determined to find out what happened to his
father and his men. As Marcus and his servant Esca head off
into the North, they wonder if they, too, will vanish into the
mists forever.
....and Far Away
Parvana’s Journey – Deborah Ellis
Afghanistan is ruled by the Taliban, and women are not
permitted to work or to go out in public. Parvana’s father is
dead and she has become separated from her family. A refugee
in her own country, Parvana sets out alone to find her family
and to escape from war-torn Afghanistan. Other children join
her as she travels in search of her mother.
(Sequel toThe Breadwinner.)
Tall Story – Candy Gourlay
Andi and her parents moved to London when she was very small,
leaving her older brother Bernardo at home. Andi wants to be
in the school basketball team but she isn’t tall enough. She
wants to be with Bernardo – and now there is enough money for
him to come to London too. Bernardo is tall, very tall – not
quite what Andi expected. Maybe basketball is possible for
both of them, now they are together again. Then again, life is
never going to be easy with a giant for a brother…
Trash - Andy Mulligan
Raphael, Gardo and Rat are three friends who live on a rubbish
dump, sorting through the trash for a living – 200 pesos is a
good day, 50 is more usual. One day, Raphael finds a wallet
containing a map and a key. Suddenly there is danger all around,
from the police, from gangs, from friends desperate to collect
the reward money offered. The boys are on the run, and it
feels the whole city is after them.
Journey to Jo'burg - Beverley Naidoo
Naledi's little brother Dineo is ill and needs his mother, but
she is 300 miles away working in Johannesburg. The only way
Naledi can let her know what has happened is to go there. So
she and her brother Tiro set out to walk the road to Jo'burg.
Web Links
You can find more reviews and ideas for books to read on the
following websites:
www.scottishbooktrust.com has pages for children and young
people, including book reviews, author interviews and news
about the Scottish Children’s Book Awards. The Guardian
children’s books site is also good for news and reviews:
www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site
The Book Trust website has lots of book reviews and articles
for parents about introducing books to children.
www.booktrusted.com
Blue Peter: www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter/
Follow the books link from the Blue Peter home page for
reviews, news about books and information about the Blue
Peter Book Awards.
Books For Keeps, the review magazine, has a website with book
reviews and articles about books, authors and reading:
www.booksforkeeps.co.uk
There are a multitude of book review blogs to read through.
www.readingmatters.co.uk is helpful for choosing a wide range
of books, not just what is available currently in the shops. Also
potentially useful are the children’s books sections in:
www.achuka.co.uk/achukareviews/ and
www.lovereading4kids.co.uk.