Children’s / Teenage fiction: Family and home stories
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Pretzel and the Puppies Construction Pups
Book Synopsis
£6.92
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Bridge Battle
Book SynopsisIn this gripping, funny addition to the bestselling Lemonade War series, both Jessie and her brother Evan find themselves unexpectedly cast as outsiders. How they find their way forward makes for a timeless story about the power of courage and kindness.Evan and Jessie Treski have waged a lemonade war, sought justice in a class trial, unmasked a bell thief, and created a professional magic show.Yet for all their skills and talents, both find themselves being singled out this summer for reasons beyond their control.Natural-born leader Evan, who is always good at making new friends, discovers he is at the mercy of a bully on the summer school playground and is pressured to act in a way he never has before.Science-loving Jessie just wants to construct the best bridge she can for the competition next month, yet she is stuck in the wrong summer camp, surrounded by kids who believe fairies are more real than physics and a group of girls who tortured her back in second grade.Suddenly, she, too finds herself acting in ways that puzzle her.Bestselling author Jacqueline Davies once again shows how well she understands her readers in this timely story of how being true to ourselves can help us remember how to treat others.The six books in this fun-to-read series are: The Lemonade War The Lemonade Crime The Bell Bandit The Candy Smash The Magic Trap The Bridge Battle
£15.29
Versify Moons Ramadan
Book SynopsisA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionA School Library Journal Best BookA Chicago Public Library Best of the Best BookA Bank Street Best Children’s BookWith radiant and welcoming art, Natasha Khan Kazi''s debut picture book is a modern holiday classic that captures the magic and meaning of one of the world''s most joyful and important celebrations.It''s Ramadan, the month of peace, and Moon watches over Ramadan traditions with excitement and longing in this sweetly illustrated debut.In Egypt, India, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates, in Somalia, New Zealand, and Indonesia, in Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, children and their families do good deeds in honor of those who have less.Cleverly blending glimpses of different countries'' celebrations with the corresponding phases of the moon, Moon''s Ramadan makes Ramadan, one of the world''s most wide
£16.14
HarperCollins Publishers Inc My NotSoGreat French Escape
Book SynopsisA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionWhen Rylan''s best friend ditches him for the cool kids, Rylan thinks a summer spent working on a French farm will be the perfect chance to reconnect. But he doesn''t count on his long-lost father showing up. This funny, touching novel is perfect for fans of Gary D. Schmidt and John David Anderson. Rylan O’Hare has been drifting apart from his best friend, Wilder, for months. Wilder''s family became mega-rich when his mom invented an app that reminds people to drink water, and now he barely has time for Rylan. So when Wilder invites Rylan to join him at a summer farming program in France (all expenses paid), Rylan see it as a chance to repair the friendship. Not only that, but he''ll get to learn French, milk goats, and eat lots (and lots) of cheese.But before they take off, Rylan''s mom drops a bomb: His dad (whom he hasn''t spoken to since he was three) lives in France,
£15.35
HarperCollins Drew Leclair Crushes the Case
Book SynopsisFan-favorite detective Drew Leclair returns to crack the case of a sneaky locker thief in this heartfelt sequel to the critically acclaimed middle grade mystery series that’s been called “the perfect story for readers ready to progress from Nancy Drew.” (SLJ, starred review). After breaking school rules the last time she solved a mystery, Drew Leclair has a new mission: get good grades, stay under the radar, and do not get suspended.But when Drew finds out that there’s a thief breaking into the P.E. lockers and leaving behind cryptic ransom notes, it’s hard to resist cracking a new case. Especially when one of the victims is her best friend Shrey’s crush, and he’s practically begging her to get involved.Can Drew catch the thief red-handed while staying out of trouble? And what does it mean when everyone around Drew is obsessing over crushes and the upcoming Wonderla
£16.99
Clarion Books The Ivory Key
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£14.39
Clarion Books Drew Leclair Gets a Clue
Book SynopsisIn this modern take on Harriet the Spy, twelve-year-old Drew uses her true crime expertise to catch the cyberbully in her school—only to discover that family, friendship, and identity are the hardest mysteries to solve.Drew Leclair knows what it takes to be a great detective. She’s pored over the cases solved by her hero, criminal profiler Lita Miyamoto. She tracked down the graffiti artist at school, and even solved the mystery of her neighbor’s missing rabbit. But when her mother runs off to Hawaii with the school guidance counselor, Drew is shocked. How did she miss all of the clues?Drew is determined to keep her family life a secret, even from her best friend. But when a cyberbully starts posting embarrassing rumors about other students at school, it’s only a matter of time before Drew’s secret is out.Armed with her notebooks full of observations about her classmates, Drew knows what she has to do: prof
£9.49
Clarion Books Rabble Starkey
Book SynopsisFirst published in 1987, Rabble Starkey was one of two-time Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry’s first novels. Its powerful and thought-provoking themes continue to touch the hearts of readers today.By the time she''s twelve years old, Parable Ann Starkey—better known as simply Rabble—has had her fair share of trouble. Her father left her and her teenage mother when Rabble was just one month old, and she went to live with her grandmother Gnomie until she passed away. More than anything, Rabble craves stability, and she may have found it now, living with her mother and the Bigelows.Rabble and her mother, Sweet Hosanna, have lived over the Bigelows’ garage for the past four years. Veronica Bigelow is twelve, too, and she’s more than Rabble’s best friend; she’s like a sister. When mental illness takes Veronica’s mother to a distant hospital, the Starkeys move into the larger house to help Mr. Bigelow take care of Veronica’s younger brother, Gunther.As the two families grow closer, Rabble feels more at home than she ever has. Something that feels like family has formed. For Rabble, it feels like forever—but can it truly last?Lois Lowry''s many beloved books include Number the Stars and The Giver, both recognized with the Newbery Medal.
£13.59
Versify The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin
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£15.19
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Lyle Lyle Crocodile The Junior Novelization
Book SynopsisThis funny junior novelization is based on the major motion picture Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, inspired by the beloved children’s books by Bernard Waber!When the Primm family moves to New York City and into the house on East 88th Street, they are surprised to find a crocodile living in their attic.
£9.25
Harlequin Teen If I Fix You
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£10.44
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr) Tegan and Sara Crush
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£19.54
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr) How to Train Your Dad
Book SynopsisFrom the legendary author of Hatchet, a laugh-out-loud misadventure about a boy, his free-thinking dad, and the puppy-training pamphlet that turns their summer upside down.Twelve-year-old Carl is fed up with his father''s single-minded pursuit of an off-the-grid existence. His dad may be brilliant, but dumpster-diving for food, scouring through trash for salvageable junk, and wearing clothes fully sourced from garage sales is getting old. Increasingly worried about what schoolmates and a certain girl at his new school might think of his circumstancesand encouraged by his off-kilter best friendCarl adopts the principles set forth in a randomly discovered puppy-training pamphlet to retrain his dad's mindset . . . a crackpot experiment that produces some very unintentional results.This is a fierce and funny novel about family, green-living, and untangling some of the ties that bind from middle-grade master Gary Paulsen.
£15.29
Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc thetwinsblanket
Book SynopsisOne of School Library Journal''s Best Picture Books of 2011These look-alike twins have always shared everythingtheir room, their toys, a crib, and, since the day they were born, a blanket. But as they grow into new beds, they need new blankets, too. Now they face a new dilemma: they don''t know how not to share.Told from the perspective of two five-year-olds, The Twins'' Blanket playfully illuminates squabbles and affection between young siblings. Yum''s minimalistic art astutely captures these twins'' emotions as they toss, turn, and tug their new and old blanketsand embrace their growing independence.
£16.99
Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc Between My Hands
Book SynopsisIn this encouraging, reassuring picture book, National Book Award nominee Mitali Perkins invokes the Indian custom of namaste, meaning I bow to you, to show how little hands are capable of great love. What's between your handswhen you namaste the world?Maya is only three days into summer vacation and already bored. Outside her window, the street is full of neighbors. Coming and going. Earning and spending. Fixing and mending. Everyone has something to doeveryone's hands are busy.Except Maya's. When she opens her palms, they are empty. They are small.What in the world can her hands do?As Maya longs to do something useful alongside her neighborsproclaim truth, stand for justice, or show mercyshe discovers that children like her can give the greatest gift of all: love.
£15.29
Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc Jawbreaker
Book SynopsisA USA Today bestseller perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier''s Smile, this is a funny and fresh middle-grade debut novel about jawbreaking dental drama.Max Plink's life just got a lot more complicated. Trouble at home? Checkwith money tight, her parents haven't been getting along lately. School bullies? Double checkespecially if you count her sister, who is the worst bully of them all. Dental drama? Oh, you have no idea. With a mismatched puzzle of a jaw, Max has a Class II malocclusion, otherwise known as a severe overbite. She already has braces, which means she lives on Advil and soft foods after each orthodontist appointment. But now Max has to wear totally awkward orthodontic headgear nicknamed the jawbreaker. Could things get any worse?Yes, they could. The journalism competition Max wants to enter has a video component. But being on camera means showing her face not just to her junior high classmates, but possibly the whole city. Going vira
£14.24
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr) Brown Baby Lullaby
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£8.54
Farrar, Straus and Giroux A Season for Fishin
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£16.88
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) My SoCalled Family
Book SynopsisA moving middle grade debut about foster care, self-advocacy, and realizing that a found family is a real family.?I loved every page?a gorgeous rendering of what it means to find home in ourselves and others.? ?Mariama J. Lockington, Stonewall Honor and Schneider Family Book Award winning author of In the Key of Us and Forever is NowIt?s the first week of middle school, and Ash (don?t call her ?Ashley?) already has a class assignment: Make a family tree. But how can Ash make a family tree if she doesn?t have a family? Ever since she was four years old, Ash has been in foster care, living with one so-called family after another. Now she?s stuck with Gladys. And the only place Ash feels safe is in the branches of her favorite tree, drawing in her sketchbook, hidden from the view of Gladys? son Jordan.As Jordan becomes harder to hide from, and more dangerous to be around, Ash isn?t sure who she can trust. A new friend, an old friend, some teachers at school? Sometimes the hardest part of asking for help is knowing who to ask.In My So-Called Family, Gia Gordon weaves a lyrical story about complicated family dynamics that?s perfect for fans of Fish in a Tree and Counting by 7s.
£14.24
Square Fish The Night Worker
Book SynopsisGoing to the job site with Dad in this beloved bedtime book The Night Worker, a Bank Street Best Children''s Book of the Year. When darkness falls and bedtime comes, Papa tucks Alex in, then puts on his hard hat and goes to work. Papa is an engineer who works at night. Take me with you, Alex says. Not tonight, says Papa. But one night Papa has a surprise -- a hard hat for Alex! He takes Alex with him to the construction site, where excavators rumble and cement mixers hum. As his dream comes true, Alex gets to be a night worker just like Papa. Kate Banks''s evocative text and Georg Hallensleben''s colorful paintings combine to make a unique bedtime book that will delight all children, especially those who are fascinated by big machines.
£8.99
Square Fish Five Creatures
Book SynopsisFive Creatures is a 2001 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award Honor Book for Picture Books.
£8.99
Square Fish Jack Adrift Fourth Grade Without a Clue
Book SynopsisFrom the Newbery Medalwinning author of Dead End in Norvelt, eight side-splitting stories about a boy who is doing his best to keep his head above waterAs the Henry family sets sail for a new life on Cape Hatteras, fourth-grader Jack is struggling to chart a course between his parents'' contradictory advice on making friends and influencing people. Just tell people what they want to hear, Dad advises. Just tell the truth, Mom cautions. Jack finds there are no easy answers as he drifts through his crazy school year, falling desperately in love with his young teacher, getting suckered into becoming a bad-behavior spy for the principal, and being forced to make a presentable pet out of a duck with backward feet. Indeed, with an airheaded, air-guitar-playing neighbor the closest thing to a friend, and a judgmental older sister his relentless enemy, it''s all he can do to stay afloat.This colorful and comic new collection of interrelated stories featuring th
£10.74
Random House USA Inc Wardens Daughter
Book SynopsisFrom Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli comes the story of a girl searching for happiness inside the walls of a prison. And don't miss the author's highly anticipated new novel, Dead Wednesday! Cammie O'Reilly lives at the Hancock County Prison--not as a prisoner, she's the warden's daughter. She spends the mornings hanging out with shoplifters and reformed arsonists in the women's excercise yard, which gives Cammie a certain cache with her school friends. But even though Cammie's free to leave the prison, she's still stuck. And sad, and really mad. Her mother died saving her from harm when she was just a baby. You wouldn't think you could miss something you never had, but on the eve of her thirteenth birthday, the thing Cammie most wants is a mom. A prison might not be the best place to search for a mother, but Cammie is determined and she's willing to work with what she's got.A tapestry of grief and redemption, woven by a master storyteller ...
£8.53
Random House USA Inc Turtle in Paradise
Book SynopsisIn Jennifer L. Holm's New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor winning middle grade historical fiction novel, life isn't like the movies. But then again, 11-year-old Turtle is no Shirley Temple. She's smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935 and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle's mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida to live with relatives she's never met. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before though. It's hot and strange, full of rag tag boy cousins, family secrets, scams, and even buried pirate treasure! Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of the shell she's spent her life building, and as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways. Filled with adventure, humor and heart, Turtle in Paradise is an instant classic both boy
£999.99
Random House USA Inc All the Way to America
Book Synopsis
£8.54
Alfred A. Knopf Thanking the Moon Celebrating the MidAutumn Moon
Book SynopsisThis simple, young, and satisfying story follows a Chinese American family as they celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Each member of the family lends a hand as they prepare a moonlit picnic with mooncakes, pomelos, cups of tea, and colorful lanterns. And everyone sends thanks and a secret wish up to the moon.Grace Lin’s luminous and gloriously patterned artwork is perfect for this holiday tale. Her story is simple—tailor-made for reading aloud to young children. And she includes an informative author’s note with further details on the customs and traditions of the Moon Festival for parents and teachers. The Moon Festival is one of the most important holidays of the year along with the Lunar New Year, so this book makes an excellent companion to Grace Lin’s Bringing In the New Year, which features the same family.
£15.99
Random House USA Inc Eight Keys
Book SynopsisElise and Franklin have always been best friends. Elise has always lived in the big house with her loving Uncle and Aunt, because Elise's parents died when she was too young to remember them. There's always been a barn behind the house with eight locked doors on the second floor. When Elise and Franklin start middle school, things feel all wrong. Bullying. Not fitting in. Franklin suddenly seems babyish. Then, soon after her 12th birthday, Elise receives a mysterious key left for her by her father. A key that unlocks one of the eight doors upstairs in the bar . . .SUNSHINE STATE AWARD FINALIST!
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Mitch and Amy
Book SynopsisNewbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary brings her classic warmth and humor to this story about sibling rivalry and teamwork.Mitch and Amy both think being twins is fun, but that doesn''t stop them from squabbling. Amy is good at reading. Mitch is a math whiz. Amy likes to play pretend. Mitch would rather skateboard. They never want to watch the same television show. And they always try to get the better of each other.Then the school bully starts picking on Mitch—and on Amy, too. Now the twins have something rotten in common: Alan Hibbler. Can Mitch and Amy set aside their squabbles and band together to defeat a bully?Second through fourth graders will enjoy reading about Mitch and Amy—and it''s especially perfect for siblings and anyone dealing with a bully at school.
£9.34
HarperCollins The Man Who Was Poe
Book SynopsisIt is night and Edmund is all alone. His mother is gone. His sister has disappeared. Edmund has no one, except for a dark and mysterious stranger who follows him through the cold and shadowy city with offers of help. But who is this stranger who gives Edmund refuge? He has a mission of his own and he needs Edmund, but he tells him nothing of his purpose. Yet the stranger is Edmund''s only hope of discovering the dark secrets that surround the disappearance of his family...
£7.59
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Night Journeys
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£7.99
HarperCollins Lupita Manana
Book SynopsisCrossing over the border is a dangerous business......But Lupita must cross from Mexico to America. After her father dies in a fishing boat accident in the seas near their small Mexican village, Lupita''s family is left in poverty. Lupita and her big brother, Salvador, must smuggle themselves into the United States to earn money to support their mother and young siblings. America is not the land of opportunity they had hoped. A new language, hard labor, and the constant threat of la migra -- the immigration police--make every day a difficult challenge. But for feisty Lupita, there is always hope for a better manana -- tomorrow.
£9.49
Random House USA Inc The Watsons Go to Birmingham1963
Book SynopsisDuring one of the most important times in the civil rights movement, one unforgettable family goes on a road trip in this Newbery and Coretta Scott King Honoree, from author Christopher Paul Curtis, recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.When the Watson family—ten-year-old Kenny, Momma, Dad, little sister Joetta, and brother Byron—sets out on a trip south to visit Grandma in Birmingham, Alabama, they don’t realize that they’re heading toward one of the darkest moments in America’s history. The Watsons’ journey reminds us that even in the hardest times, laughter and family can help us get through anything. A modern classic. —NPR“Marvelous . . . both comic and deeply moving.” —The New York TimesOne of the best novels EVER. —Jacqueline Woodson, Newbery Honor and National Book Award–winning
£17.09
Random House USA Inc May B.
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£8.99
Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc Ball Dont Lie
Book SynopsisNewbery Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Matt de la Peña's Ball Don't Lie is a must-read. [The Bulletin]Sticky is a beat-around-the-head foster kid with nowhere to call home but the street, and an outer shell so tough that no one will take him in. He started out life so far behind the pack that the finish line seems nearly unreachable. He’s a white boy living and playing in a world where he doesn’t seem to belong.But Sticky can ball. And basketball might just be his ticket out . . . if he can only realize that he doesn’t have to be the person everyone else expects him to be.Matt de la Peña's breakout urban masterpiece, Ball Don’t Lie takes place where the street and the court meet and where a boy can be anything if he puts his mind to it.★ [An] inspiring story. Sticky is a true original, and de la Peña has skillfully brought h
£13.02
Random House USA Inc We Were Liars
Book SynopsisSpending the summers on her family''s private island off the coast of Massachusetts with her cousins and a special boy named Gat, teenaged Cadence struggles to remember what happened during her fifteenth summer.
£999.99
Random House USA Inc Firefight
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£18.99
Houghton Mifflin Lyle Lyle Crocodile Lyle the Crocodile
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£16.99
Houghton Mifflin House on East 88th Street Lyle
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£18.69
Penguin Putnam Inc Hopes Gift
Book SynopsisA poignant story celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation ProclamationIt’s 1862 and the Civil War has turned out to be a long, deadly conflict. Hope’s father can’t stand the waiting a minute longer and decides to join the Union army to fight for freedom. He slips away one tearful night, leaving Hope, who knows she may never see her father again, with only a conch shell for comfort. Its sound, Papa says, echoes the promised song of freedom. It’s a long wait for freedom and on the nights when the cannons roar, Papa seems farther away than ever. But then Lincoln finally does it: on January 1, 1863, he issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves, and a joyful Hope finally spies the outline of a familiar man standing on the horizon.Affectingly written and gorgeously illustrated, Hope’s Gift captures a significant moment in American history with deep emotion and a lot of charm.
£16.19
Penguin Putnam Inc The Great Spruce
Book SynopsisTogether with his grandpa, a young boy finds a way to save his favorite tree in this heartwarming Christmas tale Alec loves to climb trees—the little apple trees, the wide willow trees, even the tall locust trees. But his favorite is the great spruce, with its sturdy trunk and branches that stretch up to the sky. Alec’s grandpa planted it as a sapling years and years before Alec was born, and every Christmas, Alec and his grandpa decorate the tree together, weaving tinsel and lights through its branches, making it shine bright. But one day, a few curious men from the nearby city take notice of Alec’s glistening great spruce, and ask to take it away for their Christmas celebration. Though it’s a huge honor, Alec’s heartbroken at the idea of losing his friend. With great courage and creativity, Alec comes up with a plan to save his favorite tree in this joyful holiday tale.Trade ReviewPraise for The Great Spruce:“Why do we chop down Christmas trees, anyway? Duvall is out to persuade readers to try a live tree. . . . Gibbon’s loose art is just right, making the winter world look teeming, twinkling and homey.”—The New York Times Book Review “Appealing illustrations in acrylic ink and colored pencil… A pleasant holiday story with a subtle hint to protect living trees instead of cutting them down.”—Kirkus Reviews “Gibbon’s (The Bee Who Spoke) images of a countryside speckled with cottages and snowy cityscapes recall the work of Ludwig Bemelmans, amplifying the sweetly nostalgic mood of newcomer Duvall’s story.”—Publishers Weekly“An attractive holiday offering with an environmental focus.”—School Library Journal“Gibbon’s cozy acrylic-ink and colored-pencil art accentuates the tree’s grandeur in both its idyllic country home and its big-city home-away.”—The Horn Book
£16.19
Penguin Putnam Inc Maple
Book SynopsisTrade Review* “Sweet debut. . . . Free-spirited, bracing sessions of solitary, outdoor fun. . . . Here’s a child’s world, where . . . private reverie recurs as an all-consuming pastime. . . . Maple, sweetly nondescript . . . could easily sit next to any young reader at preschool or day care. Leaf rubbings (from real maple leaves!) dazzle. . . . An arboreal homage perfect for children reveling in alone time or reeling with a new sibling’s arrival.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review* “Readers will fall in love with Maple. . . . Lush, leafy illustrations. . . . This is a fresh addition to the standard new sibling fare, and young naturalists will identify with Maple’s adventurous and tender spirit.”—School Library Journal, starred review“The narrator’s voice . . . has its own distinctive, understated humor. . . . An exploration of different kinds of love and different kinds of acceptance.”—Publishers Weekly
£16.19
Penguin Putnam Inc Ashes to Asheville
Book SynopsisTwo sisters take off on a wild road trip in this poignant tale for fans of Counting by 7s and Fish in a TreeAfter Mama Lacy’s death, Fella was forced to move in with her grandmother, Mrs. Madison. The move brought Fella all sorts of comforts she wasn't used to at home, but it also meant saying goodbye to her sister Zoey (a.k.a. Zany) and her other mother, Mama Shannon. Though Mama Shannon fought hard to keep Fella, it was no use. The marriage act is still a few years away and the courts thought Fella would be better off with a blood relation. Already heartbroken, Fella soon finds herself alone in Mrs. Madison's house, grieving both the death of her mother and the loss of her entire family. Then one night, Zany shows up at Mrs. Madison’s house determined to fulfill Mama Lacy’s dying wish: to have her ashes spread over the lawn of the last place they were all happy as a family. Of course, this means steaTrade ReviewPraise for Ashes to Asheville:A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017A 2018 ALSC Children’s Notable2018 Rainbow List BookA 2019 Intermediate Sequoya Master List Pick★ “Dooley’s portrait of two sisters still struggling with grief and huge life changes makes for a powerful, absorbing read. . . . A tender, touching, and timely read.”—Booklist, starred review★ “Dooley (Free Verse) skillfully balances the troubling story of a family torn apart with Fella’s lively, humorous narrative . . . in this moving, entertaining, and thought-provoking tale.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ “Poignantly told with verve and a splash of humor, this novel explores sensitive topics with care and belongs in all middle grade collections.”—School Library Journal, starred review “Dooley packs plenty of emotion into this eventful road trip . . . Breathless and engaging, Fella's distinctive voice is convincingly childlike.”—Kirkus Reviews “A warm tale of family possibilities after bereavement.”—BCCB “Some books can sweep you away in the first sentence.”—NPR “In her exquisite, poignant novel, Sarah Dooley (Free Verse; Body of Water) explores the strange places grief takes people.”—Shelf Awareness“[A] believable, touching story of loss and healing.”—VOYA Praise for Free Verse: ★ “Dooley subtly exposes readers to poetic forms that invite engagement, understanding, and expression, while Sasha and her extended family are depicted with a sweetness reminiscent of Cynthia Rylant—a southern soulfulness that is warm even as it reveals the downtrodden struggles of a mining community.”—Booklist, starred review ★ “The changes in [Sasha’s] life, the anguish she feels, and her journey forward are expertly portrayed through Dooley’s use of first-person narration, which is sensitive and gentle without being soft or sentimental. The poetry is wonderful and feels authentic to Sasha’s years…”—School Library Journal, starred review ★ “In this gripping story, Dooley balances a clear-eyed depiction of families wrestling with addiction, financial stress, and trauma with the astonishing resilience of children and the human capacity for love.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review “Sarah Dooley mixes poetry and prose to powerful, poignant effect in her novel Free Verse... This story brims with hard-won insight into the travails and small joys of life.”—The Washington Post “Sasha is a natural with words. They bubble out of her, spilling emotions onto paper that she couldn’t otherwise articulate. And as she experiments with different forms, Sasha discovers poetry’s double blessing: The structure stabilizes her, while the creativity sets her free.”—The Christian Science Monitor “The story mounts a quiet defense of the nobility of broken people… who hold on when all seems lost and sacrifice much out of love for their children. Sasha’s quietly moving poems… trace the evolution of her appreciation for what she has and her understanding that one must find one’s own way to wholeness after loss.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “Dooley cleverly weaves into her novel different verse forms… giving her protagonist poet… the courage to stay put long enough to let the strength of her emotions settle inside. Dooley winningly combines engaging plot twists and rich character development with the introspective and thematic power of poetry: not to be missed.”—Kirkus Reviews “Dooley shows readers the richness of small-town life… Tween fans of realistic fiction will find depth in this novel.”—VOYA “Sasha lives in a tough coal mining world, and the hurts of her losses are deep. But her ability to see the beautiful and the lovely and the goodness of the world around her is equally deep, and her skill in expressing that depth is one of the things that will save her. This novel is a triumph of art over loss, a story that will make you believe in the capacities of poetry.”—Gary Schmidt, author of Newbery Honor-winning The Wednesday Wars “Free Verse is exactly the sort of thing that we wish we saw more of in young people’s literature, and Sarah Dooley is exactly the sort of author who needs and deserves this fellowship. It is a startling book, surprising at every turn, and its exploration of poverty, trauma, and loss deserves to be read by as wide an audience as possible.”—Daniel Handler, Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Neal Shusterman, and Susanna Reich, judges for the 2012 PEN/Phyllis Naylor fellowship
£12.34
Nancy Paulsen Books Shouting at the Rain
Book SynopsisFrom the author of the New York Times bestseller Fish in a Tree comes a compelling story about perspective and learning to love the family you have.Delsie loves tracking the weather--lately, though, it seems the squalls are in her own life. She's always lived with her kindhearted Grammy, but now she's looking at their life with new eyes and wishing she could have a regular family. Delsie observes other changes in the air, too--the most painful being a friend who's outgrown her. Luckily, she has neighbors with strong shoulders to support her, and Ronan, a new friend who is caring and courageous but also troubled by the losses he's endured. As Ronan and Delsie traipse around Cape Cod on their adventures, they both learn what it means to be angry versus sad, broken versus whole, and abandoned versus loved. And that, together, they can weather any storm.Trade Review“A richly embroidered cast of characters, a thoughtful exploration of how real friends treat one another, and the true meaning of family all combine to make this a thoroughly satisfying coming-of-age tale. Cape Cod is nicely depicted—not the Cape of tourists but the one of year-round residents—as is the sometimes-sharp contrast between residents and summer people. Hunt has crafted another gentle, moving tale of love and loss: the value of the one and the importance of getting over the other.”—Kirkus Reviews“Limned in northeastern sea salt and Adirondack chairs, Hunt’s latest offering explores those frustrating preteen years when friends become enemies and family is at once embarrassing and desired. . . . Hunt creates a realistic sketch of small-town life and the agonies of growing up in an imperfect family. . . . The thematic elements of tweenage angst are timeless and relatable.”—School Library Journal“In addition to telling Delsie’s story in an involving way, Hunt vividly portrays the underlying us-and-them mentality shared by locals in a seaside community that relies on outside visitors. As sweet and summery as lemonade.”—Booklist “Endearingly blunt, stubborn Delsie lives year-round on Cape Cod. . . . In kid-friendly prose, Hunt balances Delsie’s unfettered sense of adventure with her tweenlike insecurities. . . . Her sweet desire for a family and her unexpected realization that she’s had one all along make this story well worth reading.”—Publishers Weekly“[Delsie and Ronan’s] slow-build friendship is realistic and enjoyable. . . . Delsie is an engaging protagonist, simultaneously stubborn and uncertain, independent-minded without forced quirkiness. Hunt’s depiction of class conflict in a vacation destination is matter of fact, with money woes serving not as plot points but as part of the setting. The writing is vivid and child-friendly . . . with a satisfyingly imperfect resolution to the many conflicts.”—Horn Book
£12.99
Penguin Putnam Inc See You in the Cosmos
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Putnam Publishing Group,U.S. Show Way
Book SynopsisWinner of a Newbery Honor!Soonie's great-grandma was just seven years old when she was sold to a big plantation without her ma and pa, and with only some fabric and needles to call her own. She pieced together bright patches with names like North Star and Crossroads, patches with secret meanings made into quilts called Show Ways -- maps for slaves to follow to freedom. When she grew up and had a little girl, she passed on this knowledge. And generations later, Soonie -- who was born free -- taught her own daughter how to sew beautiful quilts to be sold at market and how to read.From slavery to freedom, through segregation, freedom marches and the fight for literacy, the tradition they called Show Way has been passed down by the women in Jacqueline Woodson's family as a way to remember the past and celebrate the possibilities of the future. Beautifully rendered in Hudson Talbott's luminous art, this moving, lyrical account pays tribute to women whose strength and Trade Review* "One of the most remarkable books of the year."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Show Way is a sophisticated book that introduces readers to the passage of time, family traditions, and the significance of quilts and their patterns in African-American history. The gorgeous, multimedia art includes chalk, watercolors, and muslin. An outstanding tribute, perfectly executed in terms of text, design, and illustration."—School Library Journal, starred review* “Will move many readers to explore their own family roots.”—Booklist, starred review
£13.99
Penguin Putnam Inc Al Capone Does My Shirts
Book SynopsisMoose Flannagan moves with his family to Alcatraz so his dad can work as a prison guard and his sister, Natalie, can attend a special school. But Natalie has autism, and when she's denied admittance to the school, the stark setting of Alcatraz begins to unravel the tenuous coping mechanisms Moose's family has used for dealing with her disorder.When Moose meets Piper, the cute daughter of the Warden, he knows right off she's trouble. But she's also strangely irresistible. All Moose wants to do is protect Natalie, live up to his parents' expectations, and stay out of trouble. But on Alcatraz, trouble is never very far away.Set in 1935, when guards actually lived on Alcatraz Island with their families. Choldenko's second novel brings humor to the complexities of family dynamics and illuminates the real struggle of a kid trying to free himself from the good boy stance he's taken his whole life.
£16.19
Random House USA Inc Mommies Say Shh
Book SynopsisGoats say maa-maa-maa. Birds say cheep-cheep-cheep. Horses say neigh-neigh-neigh. Rabbits say nothing at all! But when all of these animals get together and raise a honking, braying, neighing ruckus, what does Mama say? Shhhhhh! Now available in this adorable board book, Patricia Polaccos fun-filled collection of animal sounds and beautiful rural landscapes is a perfect readaloud for beginning readers. Theyll want more-more-more.
£8.99
Penguin Putnam Inc Little Roja Riding Hood
Book Synopsis
£16.19
