Further Library information: Library | Reading Programme | Recommended Reads

​Recommended Reads – Spring Term 2024

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My Own Lightning – Lauren Wolk

My Own Lightning – Lauren Wolk

It's been several months since the tragic events set in motion by bully Betty Glengarry and the routine of daily life in Wolf Hollow has slowly returned. But for Annabelle McBride, it's hard to move forward and make peace with what feels like threadbare justice.

Newly warm summer days are about to bring a jolt of change on the winds of a powerful storm. In its wake, the search for her brother's missing dog will set Annabelle on a new path that brings her to unfamiliar doorsteps and reunites her with a too-familiar adversary--Andy Woodberry, who was complicit in Betty's most terrible acts. Growing up and blazing her own trail will soon force Annabelle to re-examine deeply felt truths--about people, about justice, about herself--that had once seemed so uncomplicated.

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Twitch – M.G. Leonard

Twitch – M.G. Leonard

Can a birdwatcher outwit an escaped convict? Twitch has three pet chickens, four pigeons, swallows nesting in his bedroom and a passion for birdwatching. On the first day of the summer holidays, he arrives at his secret hide to find police everywhere: a convicted robber has broken out of prison and is hiding in Aves Wood. Can Twitch use his talents for birdwatching to hunt for the dangerous prisoner and find the missing loot?

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

The Midnight Game – Cynthia Murphy

The Midnight Game – Cynthia Murphy

Rules of The Midnight Game:
Do not turn on the lights.
Do not go to sleep.
Do not leave the building.

When a group who have met on a creepy Deddit thread decide to meet in real life, they only have one plan in mind: they are going to summon the Midnight Man. And once you start the Midnight Game, you must finish it - there's no other way out! Six strangers. One night. But how many survivors?

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

The Memory Thieves – Darren Simpson

The Memory Thieves – Darren Simpson

Cyan has lived at the Elsewhere Sanctuary for as long as he can remember, freed by Dr Haven from dark memories of his past life. But when Cyan finds a mysterious warning carved into the bones of a whale skeleton, he starts to wonder what he had to forget to be so happy.

New resident, Jonquil, begins to resist the sanctuary's treatment, preferring to hold on to her memories - even the bad ones. So, when Dr Haven resorts to harsher measures, Cyan embarks on a secret mission to discover the truth about the sanctuary...and himself.

This book is suitable for all age groups.

Kay’s Marvellous Medicine – Adam Kay

Kay’s Marvellous Medicine – Adam Kay

The olden days were pretty fun if you liked wearing chainmail or chopping people's heads off but there was one TINY LITTLE problem back then . . . doctors didn't have the slightest clue about how our bodies worked.

It's time to find out why Ancient Egyptians thought the brain was just a useless load of old stuffing that might as well be chucked in the bin, why teachers forced their pupils to smoke cigarettes, why hairdressers would cut off their customers' legs, and why people used to get paid for farting. (Unfortunately, that's no longer a thing - sorry.)

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Rise of the School for Good and Evil – Soman Chainani

Rise of the School for Good and Evil – Soman Chainani

The battle between Good and Evil begins.

Two brothers. One Good. One Evil. Together, they watch over the Endless Woods. Together, they choose the students for the School for Good and Evil. Together they train them, teach them, prepare them for their fate.

Then, something happens. Something unexpected. Something powerful. Something that will change everything and everyone. Who will survive? Who will rule the School?

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Swarm Rising – Tim Peake

Swarm Rising – Tim Peake

When Danny is kidnapped by Adi - who can run through brick walls and make cars drive on water - he realises that all humans are in danger. Adi is part of a super-advanced hive mind, the Swarm, which intends to protect the Earth from the environmental catastrophe caused by the human race. Adi - Alien Digital Intelligence in the form of a girl - can bend the laws of physics and control digital data, but as a digital being she wants to know what it's like to be human. Which is where Danny comes in. But what exactly is the 'help' the secretive Swarm is offering? Can Danny and his friend Jamila help Adi stop the Swarm Agents and give humanity a second chance?

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

STEALTH: Access Denied – Jason Rohan

STEALTH: Access Denied – Jason Rohan

They're in a race to save his dad... and the world.

When his dad disappears, Arun Lal is amazed to discover that he was secretly working on a classified project and has been kidnapped by people intent on stealing it. Along with his geeky best friend Sam and tough-talking Donna, Arun is plunged into a race to rescue his father and find his creation before the thieves can turn it into a destructive global weapon...

This book is suitable for all age groups.

HappyHead – Josh Silver

HappyHead – Josh Silver

We are in an epidemic. An epidemic of unhappiness.

Friends, here is the good news: HappyHead has the answer.

When Seb is offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts to question the true nature of the challenges they must undergo. The deeper into the programme the boys get, the more disturbing the assessments become, until it’s clear there may be no escape...

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Striking Out – Ian Wright and Musa Okwonga

Striking Out – Ian Wright and Musa Okwonga

Thirteen-year-old Jerome Jackson dreams of becoming a world-class footballer. But with a difficult home life, Jerome can't see how he'll ever make this dream come true ... until he meets a mentor figure who can hopefully put him on the right track.

"The best strikers aren't the most skilful ones. They are the ones who never give up."

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

21% Monster – P. J. Canning

21% Monster – P. J. Canning

When Darren Devlin is arrested for destroying his school with his bare hands, it's not just the police who are after him. Enter Marek Masters, 14 years old, 19% alien, and the most intelligent, most wanted "almost human" alive. Marek is here to tell Darren the truth - he is 21% monster, and together they must take down the secret organisation that created them.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

A Thousand Boy Kisses – Tillie Cole

A Thousand Boy Kisses – Tillie Cole

One kiss lasts a moment. But a thousand kisses can last a lifetime. One boy. One girl. A bond that is forged in an instant and cherished for a decade. A bond that neither time nor distance can break. A bond that will last forever. Or so they believe.

When seventeen-year-old Rune Kristiansen returns from his native Norway to the sleepy town of Blossom Grove, Georgia, where he befriended Poppy Litchfield as a child, he has just one thing on his mind. Why did the girl who was one half of his soul, who promised to wait faithfully for his return, cut him off without a word of explanation? Rune's heart was broken two years ago when Poppy fell silent. When he discovers the truth, he finds that the greatest heartache is yet to come.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

What We All Saw – Mike Lucas

What We All Saw – Mike Lucas

Witches only exist in stories. Everyone knows that. But what if the stories are real?

FOUR FRIENDS. FOUR TRUTHS. ONE NIGHTMARE.

If you wander into the wood…
If you hear scratching sounds from the Old Quarry…
If you go too close to the edge…

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Archive – Recommended Reads

Autumn Term 2023

Title: Ugly Love
Author: Colleen Hoover

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up but Miles has two rules never ask about the past and don’t expect a future. They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.  Hearts get infiltrated.  Promises get broken.  Rules get shattered.  Love gets ugly.

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: The Ones We Burn
Author: Rebecca Mix

Monster. Butcher. Bloodwinn.

Ranka is tired of death.  All she wants now is to be left alone, living out her days in Witchik’s wild north with the coven that raised her, attempting to forget the horrors of her past.  But when she is named Bloodwinn, the next treaty bride to the human kingdom of Isodal, her coven sends her south with a single directive: kill him. Easy enough, for a blood-witch whose magic compels her to kill.  Except the prince is gentle, kind, and terrified of her. He doesn’t want to marry Ranka; he doesn’t want to be king at all. And it’s his sister—the wickedly smart, infuriatingly beautiful Princess Aramis—who seems to be the real threat.

When witches start turning up dead, murdered by a mysterious, magical plague, Aramis makes Ranka an offer: help her develop a cure and in return, she’ll help Ranka learn to contain her deadly magic.  As the coup draws nearer and the plague spreads, Ranka is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her power, her past and who she’s meant to fight for.  Soon, she will have to decide between the coven that raised her and the princess who sees beyond the monster they shaped her to be.

But as the bodies pile up, a monster may be exactly what they need.

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: All of Us Villains
Author: Amanda Foody

The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.

After the publication of a salacious tell-all book, the remote city of Ilvernath is thrust into the spotlight.  Tourists, protesters and reporters alike flock to its spell shops and historic ruins to witness an ancient curse unfold: every generation, seven families name a champion among them to compete in a tournament to the death. The winner awards their family exclusive control over the city’s high magick supply, the most powerful resource in the world.

In the past, the villainous Lowes have won nearly every tournament, and their champion is prepared to continue his family’s reign. But this year, thanks to the influence of their newfound notoriety, each of the champions has a means to win.  Or better yet – a chance to rewrite their story.

But this is a story that must be penned in blood.

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: Ghosted
Author: Emily Barr

Ariel’s accidental meeting with a handsome stranger called Joe is completely perfect; they have a connection like she’s never known before.  They exchange numbers and agree to meet when he is back from a trip to France.  But when Ariel messages him, the number Joe gave her is disconnected.  He’s ghosted her.  She assumes she will never see him again.

Except she does, again and again.

Ariel returns to the place she and Joe met and is stunned to find him there, not in France as he said he’d be and behaving as if he has no idea who she is.  It turns out that their first meeting has been life-changing for them both, actually it’s even more than that for Joe.  But what do you do when – with every day that passes – you’re literally growing apart from the best person you’ve ever known?

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Our Sister, Again
Author: Sophie Cameron

On a small island off the Scottish coast, Isla and her family are grieving the loss of her older sister Flora, who died three years ago.  Then they’re offered the chance to be part of a top-secret trial, which revives loved ones as fully lifelike AI robots using their digital footprint.

Isla has her doubts about Second Chances but they evaporate the moment the ‘new’ Flora arrives.  This girl is not some uncanny close likeness; she is Flora – a perfect replica.  But not everyone on their island feels the same and as the threats to Flora mount, she grows distant and more secretive.  Will Isla be able to protect the new Flora and bring the community back together?

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Title: Swan Song
Author: Gill Lewis

Excluded from school, Dylan is forced to move to a tiny village in Wales where his grandad lives.

With no Xbox or internet, life is looking pretty bleak but when Grandad takes Dylan out on his boat to see the whooper swans, things begin to change.

Out on the water, free from all the pressure he’s been under, Dylan begins to feel like himself again.  But when the swans’ habitat is threatened and tragedy strikes at home, can Dylan keep going when it feels like everything is slipping out of control again?

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Title: The Awesome Book of Animals
Author: Adam Frost

Did you know that there is a tree-climbing fish?  Or that some bees drink crocodile tears?  Or that a jellyfish was sent into space?  Be truly inspired by incredible facts about the creatures that share our planet.  Find out; if you’re as tall as an emperor penguin or a velociraptor, whether a honey badger could beat a lion in a fight and how one man was swallowed head first by a great white shark – and survived! Find out disgusting, hilarious, weird and wacky facts with this awesome book!

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Title: Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good
Author: Louie Stowell

After one prank too many, trickster god Loki has been banished to live as a kid on Earth.  If he can show moral improvement within one month, he can return to Asgard.  If he can’t?  Eternity in a pit of angry snakes.  Rude!  To keep track of Loki’s progress, King Odin gives him a magical diary in which Loki is forced to confess the truth, even when that truth is as ugly as a naked mole rat.  To make matters worse, Loki has to put up with an eleven-year-old Thor tagging along and making him look bad.  Loki is not even allowed to use his awesome godly powers!  As Loki suffers the misery of school lunch, discovers the magic of internet videos and keeps watch for frost giant spies, will he finally learn to tell good from bad, trust from tricks and friends from enemies?

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Title: Dread Wood
Author: Jennifer Killick

It’s basically the worst school detention ever. When classmates (but not mate-mates) Hallie, Angelo, Gustav and Naira are forced to come to school on a SATURDAY, they think things can’t get much worse.  But they’re wrong.  Things are about to get seriously scary.

What has dragged their teacher underground?  Why do the creepy caretakers keeping humming the tune to Itsy Bitsy Spider?  And what horrors lurk in the shadows, getting stronger and meaner every minute . . .?  Cut off from help and in danger each time they touch the ground, the gang’s only hope is to work together.  But it’s no coincidence that they’re all there on detention, someone has been watching and plotting and is out for revenge . . .

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Title: Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun
Author: Tola Okogwu

I close my eyes, trying to push the power bubbling in me back down… hairbands snap as my hair shoots out like superfine arrows, tearing through everything in its path.

Onyeka has a lot of hair – the kind that makes strangers stop in the street.  She’s always felt insecure about her vibrant curls, until she makes an important discovery: she can control her hair with her mind!

Her mother quickly whisks her off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari – children with superpowers – are trained.  But Onyeka and her new friends at the Academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves embroiled in a momentous battle between truth and lies…

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Title: Can You Feel the Noise?
Author: Stewart Foster

Life is going well for Sophie.  She’s getting by at school, has some pretty awesome friends and their band have made it through to the semi-finals of the Battle of the Bands competition.

But when Sophie wakes up completely deaf one morning, the life she once knew seems like a distant memory.  With lessons replaced by endless hospital appointments and conversations now an exercise in lip-reading, Sophie grows quieter and quieter.  Until she discovers the vibrations of sound through an old set of drums and wonders whether life onstage is actually still within reach.

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Title: The Secret Sunshine Project
Author: Benjamin Dean

Bea’s family are happy.  Like, really happy.  Like, kind of gross but also cute happy.  So, when they visit London Pride together and have the ultimate day out, Bea doesn’t think her family could possibly get any happier.  But a year later, a grey cloud is following Bea’s family around.  Dad has passed away, without him around they have no choice but to pack their bags and move to the countryside to live with Gran.

With Bea’s big sister, Riley, taking the news hard, Bea will do anything to cheer her up.  So, with the help of new friends, The Secret Sunshine Project is formed – Bea’s plan to bring Pride to the countryside and a smile back to Riley’s face.  There’s just one teeny tiny problem – the village mayor. A grumpy old woman who’s on a mission to rain on Bea’s parade…

This book is suitable for all year groups and is part of the BookBuzz 2023 collection.

Summer Term 2023

Title: The King is Dead
Author: Benjamin Dean

James has been a prince all of his life, and since he was born, he’s been thrust into the spotlight as the first black heir to the throne. But when his father unexpectedly dies, James is crowned king at seventeen. Now, the secrets he could keep as a prince with no real responsibility – namely, his sexuality and hidden relationship – are rocked as his life irrevocably changes.  When his boyfriend suddenly goes missing, the royal secrets and scandals that only he knows start to leak online. When it becomes clear that whoever is behind the messages isn’t going to stop anytime soon, James begins to question everyone around him.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Verity
Author: Colleen Hoover

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: Five Survive
Author: Holly Jackson

Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realise that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.

A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is the target. Buried secrets are forced to light in the cramped, claustrophobic setting of the RV, and tensions within the group will reach deadly levels. Not everyone will survive the night.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Defend the Dawn
Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Book two in the Defend the Night series.

To save their kingdom, they must embark on a dangerous journey…The kingdom of Kandala narrowly avoided catastrophe, but the embers of revolution still simmer. While King Harristan seeks a new way to lead, Tessa and Prince Corrick attempt to foster unity between rebels and royals.  But the consuls who control the Moonflower will not back down, and Corrick realizes he must find a new source for the lifesaving Elixir.  When an emissary from the neighboring kingdom of Ostriary arrives with an intriguing offer, Tessa and Corrick set out on an uncertain journey as they attempt to mend their own fractured relationship.  This could be their only chance to keep the peace and bring relief to the people of Kandala, but danger strikes during the journey to Ostriary, and no one is who they seemed to be…

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: The Bullet that Missed
Author: Richard Osman

Book three in the Thursday Murder Club series.

It is an ordinary Thursday, and things should finally be returning to normal.  Except trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club are concerned. A local news legend is on the hunt for a sensational headline and soon the gang are hot on the trail of two murders, ten years apart.  To make matters worse, a new nemesis pays Elizabeth a visit, presenting her with a deadly mission: kill or be killed…While Elizabeth grapples with her conscience (and a gun), the gang and their unlikely new friends (including TV stars, money launderers and ex-KGB colonels) unravel a new mystery. But can they catch the culprit and save Elizabeth before the murderer strikes again?

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: The Lake
Author: Natasha Preston

Esme and Kayla were once campers at Camp Pine Lake.  They’re excited to be back this year as CITs (counsellors in training).  Esme loves the little girls in her cabin and thinks it’s funny how scared they are of everything–spiders, the surly head counsellor, the dark, boys . . . even swimming in the lake!  It reminds her a little of how she and Kayla used to be, once, before . . . it happened.  Esme and Kayla did something bad when they were campers.  Afterwards, the girls agreed to keep it secret.  They’ve moved on–or so they say–and this summer is going to be great. Two months of sun, s’mores and flirting with the cute boy counsellors but then they get a note.  THE LAKE NEVER FORGETS and the secret they’ve kept buried for so many years looks set to resurface.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account

Title: The Ones we Burn
Author: Rebecca Mix

Ranka is tired of death. All she wants now is to be left alone, living out her days in Witchik’s wild north with the coven that raised her, attempting to forget the horrors of her past. But when she is named Bloodwinn, the next treaty bride to the human kingdom of Isodal, her coven sends her south with a single directive: kill him. Easy enough, for a blood-witch whose magic compels her to kill.  Except the prince is gentle, kind, and terrified of her. He doesn’t want to marry Ranka; he doesn’t want to be a king at all. It’s his sister—the wickedly smart, infuriatingly beautiful Princess Aramis—who seems to be the real threat.  But when witches start turning up dead, murdered by a mysterious, magical plague, Aramis makes Ranka an offer: help her develop a cure, and in return, she’ll help Ranka learn to contain her deadly magic. As the coup draws nearer and the plague spreads, Ranka is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her power, her past and who she’s meant to fight for. Soon, she will have to decide between the coven that raised her and the princess who sees beyond the monster they shaped her to be.  But as the bodies pile up, a monster may be exactly what they need.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account

Title: I Know You Did It
Author: Sue Wallman

A secret from her past threatens to detonate her present… On her first day at a new school, Ruby finds a note in her locker saying I Know You Did It. She’s terrified that someone has found out she was responsible for the death of a girl called Hannah in a playground when they were both toddlers – a secret she has been keeping guiltily for ten years. When other pupils at the school start suffering serious accidents, the finger of blame points at Ruby. She knows she’s not the perpetrator, but who is? And what link do they have to her past…?

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account

Spring Term 2023

Title: The Magpie Society
Author: Zoe Sugg and Amy McCulloch

Illumen Hall is an elite boarding school. Tragedy strikes when the body of a student is discovered at their exclusive summer party – on her back is an elaborate tattoo of a magpie.  When new girl Audrey arrives the following term, running from her own secrets back home in America, she is thrown into solving the case. Despite her best efforts to avoid any drama, her new roommate Ivy was close to the murdered girl, and the two of them can’t help but get pulled in.  The two can’t stand each other, but as they are drawn deeper into the mystery of this strange and terrible murder, they will discover that something dangerous is at the heart of their superficially perfect school.  Welcome to The Magpie Society.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Hide and Secrets
Author: Sophie McKenzie

Fourteen-year-old Cat is facing a lonely summer. Her father is missing – presumed dead – her mother has retreated into her own world and her little sister, Bess, refuses to speak. But when a boy and his father come to stay nearby for the holidays, Cat finds herself opening up to the handsome Tyler. Discovering some long-buried information, Cat and Tyler begin to unravel the trail of lies around her father’s disappearance – a journey that will take them cross-country, uncover a dangerous gang, and a plot to steal a priceless jewel. With secrets exposed, will Cat be able to begin to mend her family?

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Forging Silver into Stars
Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Tycho of Rillisk has been a lot of things: son and brother, stable hand, prisoner, soldier and friend to the king. Now, four years after Grey took the throne of Emberfall, Tycho has taken on a new role: courier and spy.  As the only person the king can trust, Tycho carries secret messages back and forth between the kingdoms of Emberfall and Syhl Shallow. But even though the war is over, peace still seems far away. A dangerous anti-magical faction is rising, and when Tycho discovers a plot to assassinate Grey and Queen Lia Mara, ruler of Syhl Shallow, he must fight for everything he believes in.  Nothing here is as it seems, and after a devastating betrayal, it becomes clear that the danger is only just beginning …

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: The Pure Heart
Author: Trudi Tweedle

When Iseabail is employed by a wealthy merchant to be his daughter’s companion, her life changes forever. Transported from her remote island home to the Scottish borderlands, Iseabail is unnerved both by her precocious young charge and the house’s secrets: a hidden chapel, servants who speak in a foreign tongue, a mute stable boy. And then the merchant returns with a mysterious cargo. Why has Iseabail really been summoned here? And will she ever make it back home?

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Reminders of Him
Author: Colleen Hoover

After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter.

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: It Ends with Us
Author: Colleen Hoover

Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.  Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up — she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So, when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: Dry
Author: Neal Shusterman

When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, one teen is forced to make life and death decisions for her family in this harrowing story of survival.  The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers.  Until the taps run dry.  Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbours and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life—and the life of her brother—is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: The Girl’s I’ve Been
Author: Tess Sharpe

Nora O’Malley’s been a lot of girls. As the daughter of a con-artist who targets criminal men, she grew up as her mother’s protégé. But when her mum fell for the mark instead of conning him, Nora pulled the ultimate con: escape.  For five years Nora’s been playing at normal. But she needs to dust off the skills she ditched because she has three problems:

#1: Her ex walked in on her with her girlfriend. Even though they’re all friends, Wes didn’t know about her and Iris.
#2: The morning after Wes finds them kissing, they all have to meet to deposit the fundraiser money they raised at the bank. It’s a nightmare that goes from awkward to deadly, because:
#3: Right after they enter bank, two guys start robbing it.

The bank robbers may be trouble, but Nora’s something else entirely. They have no idea who they’re really holding hostage…

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Guard Your Heart
Author: Sue Divin

At a post-exam party, Aidan wanders alone across the Peace Bridge and becomes the victim of a brutal sectarian attack. Iona witnessed the attack; picked up Aidan’s phone and filmed what happened, and gets in touch with him to return the phone. When the two meet, alone and on neutral territory, the differences between them seem insurmountable. Both their fathers held guns, but safer to keep that secret for now.  Despite their differences and the secrets they have to keep from each other, there is mutual intrigue, and their friendship grows. And so what? It’s not the Troubles. But for both Iona and Aidan it seems like everything is keeping them apart, when all they want is to be together . . .

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Last One to Die
Author: Cynthia Murphy

Young, brunette women are being attacked in the city of London.  16-year-old, Irish-born Niamh has just arrived for the summer, and quickly discovers that the girls being attacked look frighteningly similar to her.  Determined to make it through her Drama course, Niamh is placed at the Victorian Museum to put her drama skills to the test, and there she meets Tommy: he’s kind, fun and attentive . . . Nonetheless, there’s something eerie about the museum.  As the two strands of present-day serial attacker and sinister Victorian history start to collide, Niamh realises that things are not as they seem. Will she be next?

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: It Starts with Us
Author: Colleen Hoover

Lily and her ex-husband Ryle, have just settled into a civil co-parenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love Atlas. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side and she immediately agrees to a date.  Her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: Believe Me
Author: J.P. Delaney

Claire Wright is desperate. A British drama student in New York without a green card, she takes the only job she can get: working for a firm of divorce lawyers, posing as an easy pickup in hotel bars to entrap straying husbands. But then the game changes.

When one of her targets becomes the suspect in a murder investigation, the police ask Claire to use her acting skills to lure him into a confession. From the start, she questions the part she’s being asked to play: Is Patrick Fogler a killer? Or is there more to this setup than she’s being told?

Claire will soon realize she is playing the deadliest role of her life.

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: When our Worlds Collided
Author: Danielle Jawando

When fourteen-year-old Shaq is stabbed outside of a busy shopping centre in Manchester, three teenagers from very different walks of life are unexpectedly brought together. What follows flips their worlds upside down and makes Chantelle, Jackson, and Marc question the deep-rooted prejudice and racism that exists within the police, the media and the rest of society.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Nothing More to Tell
Author: Karen M. McManus

Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favourite teacher. The case was never solved, but she’s sure that the three kids who found Mr. Larkin’s body know more than they are telling, especially her ex-best friend Tripp Talbot. He’s definitely hiding something.  When Brynn gets an internship working on a popular true-crime show, she decides to investigate what really happened that day in the woods. But the further she dives into the past, the more secrets she finds.  Four years ago someone got away with murder. Now it’s time to uncover the truth . . .

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: The Butterfly Assassin
Author: Finn Longman

Trained and traumatised by a secret assassin programme for minors, Isabel Ryans wants nothing more than to be a normal civilian. After running away from home, she has a new name, a new life and a new friend, Emma, and for the first time in Isabel’s life, things are looking up.  But old habits die hard, and it’s not long until she blows her cover, drawing the attention of the guilds – the two rival organisations who control the city of Espera. An unaffiliated killer like Isabel is either a potential asset . . . or a threat to be eliminated.  Will the blood on her hands cost her everything?

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Autumn Term 2022

Title: This Cruel Design
Author: Emily Suvada

Book two in This Mortal Coil series continues the story of Catarina – gene hacker and reluctant warrior.  In bunkers and strongholds across the world, people are celebrating.  There’s a vaccine to the virus that has ravaged the planet for years…but the vaccine isn’t working.  The virus is evolving and Catarina must find the one person who can help: her estranged father, who is guilty of unimaginable crimes.  Time is ticking and she only has three days before the shadowy gentech corporation Cartaxus threatens to release a lethal code to wipe out every person on the planet’s surface: kill the hosts, kill the virus.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Good Girls Die First
Author: Kathryn Foxfield

Mind games. Murder. Mayhem. How far would you go to survive the night? Blackmail lures sixteen-year-old Ava to the derelict carnival on Portgrave Pier. She is one of ten teenagers, all with secrets they intend to protect whatever the cost. When fog and magic swallow the pier, the group find themselves cut off from the real world and from their morals. As the teenagers turn on each other, Ava will have to face up to the secret that brought her to the pier and decide how far she’s willing to go to survive.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: How to Make Friends with the Dark
Author: Kathleen Glasgow

It’s the brightest day of summer and it’s dark outside. It’s dark in your house, dark in your room, and dark in your heart. You feel like the darkness is going to split you apart.  That’s how it feels for Tiger. It’s always been Tiger and her mother against the world. Then, on a day like any other, Tiger’s mother dies. And now it’s Tiger, alone.  Here is how you learn to make friends with the dark.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Skandar and the Unicorn Thief
Author: A.F. Steadman

A fantastic read and perfect for fans of the Percy Jackson and Eragon series.  Skandar has only ever wanted to be a unicorn rider and when he is not allowed to take the entrance exam he thinks his chances are over…until a mysterious figure knocks on his door at midnight and whisks him off to the Island.  Skandar has a secret but can he trust his newfound friends to help him or will he be declared a nomad?

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: The Girl in Wooden Armour
Author: Conrad Mason

When Hattie visits her granny for the first time in years, she’s not sure what to expect. Granny has always been unusual. Now she’s gone missing without trace.  Hattie is determined to find her, but in the strange little village where Granny lives, nothing is as it seems. Is magic real here? What is the shadowy place known as the Un Forest? Who is the mysterious girl in wooden armour? One thing is certain. An ancient evil is stirring in Brokewood-on-Tandle… and only Hattie can stand against it.

Part of the BookBuzz 2022 collection.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: The Astonishing Future of Alex Nobody
Author: Kate Gilby Smith

On the day Alex was born, crowds surrounded the hospital. On her first day of school, people spied from the gates and recently, strangers came to watch her perform in her school play … as the llama.  But why? Alex has always been a nobody.  Then a mysterious boy named Jasper starts at school and he alone seems to know the answer. Before he can tell Alex, he disappears … into the year 2100. Can Alex brave travelling into the future to discover what’s happened to him and to unravel the secret of her own astonishing destiny … before time runs out?

Part of the BookBuzz 2022 collection.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Amber Undercover
Author: Em Norry

I’m Amber Roberts. Just your average teenager. Life revolves around school and my best mate, Vi. Nothing too dramatic, and certainly nothing dangerous.  Well. That’s how things used to be. But now, my life is way more complicated: Mum and Dad have a massive secret and Vi’s being all moody. But, bigger than that-I’ve just been recruited as a secret agent! That’s right. Me. An actual spy. Exciting? It would be, if I had a clue what I was doing . . .

Part of the BookBuzz 2022 collection.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Nightshade
Author: Anthony Horowitz

Alex Rider is sent by MI6 Special Operations, to infiltrate a new and sinister organisation known only as Nightshade. Alex is on his own, with the fate of thousands of people resting in his hands.

Part of the BookBuzz 2022 collection.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Orion Lost
Author: Alastair Chisholm

After a catastrophic Unknown Event leaves the colony ship Orion stranded deep in space, it’s up to thirteen-year-old Beth and her friends to navigate through treacherous and uncharted territory to reach safety. A heavily damaged ship, a mysterious alien species, space pirates, and an Artificial Intelligence which Beth suspects may be lying to her mean that getting home has never been so difficult.

Part of the BookBuzz 2022 collection.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Waiting for Murder
Author: Fleur Hitchcock

The perfect thriller for the long, hot school holidays. It’s a long, hot summer. As the water drains away from the reservoir, a car emerges. And there seems to be a body in it, a body that then disappears… Daniel and Florence start to investigate and uncover a long-ago robbery, missing gold and murder.  When the drought breaks, everything is swept downstream and the truth is revealed…

Part of the BookBuzz 2022 collection.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Wave Riders
Author: Lauren St John

Twelve-year-old Jess and Jude live a dream life on a battered old yacht, sailing from one exotic destination to the next with their guardian. But when he vanishes one night after an argument with a stranger, the twins are left alone, facing an incoming storm and an unknown enemy.  Surviving at sea is just the start of an adventure that will take them an ocean away to the former home of their missing parents and pit them against one of the world’s most powerful men. How far do they dare go, and what will they risk, to find the truth about who they are really are?

Part of the BookBuzz 2022 collection.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: When the Sky Falls
Author: Phil Earle

Inspired by a true story. It’s 1940, and Joseph has been packed off to stay with Mrs F, a gruff woman with no great fondness for children. To Joseph’s amazement, she owns the rundown city zoo where Joseph meets Adonis, a huge silverback gorilla. Adonis is ferociously strong and dangerous, but Joseph finds he has an affinity with the lonely beast. But when the bombs begin to fall, it is up to Joseph to guard Adonis’s cage should it be damaged by a blast. Will Joseph be ready to pull the trigger if it comes to it?

Part of the BookBuzz 2022 collection.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: You are a Champion
Author: Marcus Rashford

No matter who you are and no matter where you come from, every single person in the world has the potential to be a champion. In You Are a Champion, the nation’s favourite footballer gives you the tools you need to reach your full potential, showing you how to be the very BEST version of yourself you can be.  Written with journalist Carl Anka, this empowering guide is packed full of stories from Marcus’s own life, brilliant advice and top-tips from performance psychologist Katie Warriner. Perfect for readers who need to hear that they already are champions – they just might not know it yet.

Part of the BookBuzz 2022 collection.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Summer Term 2022

Title: This Mortal Coil
Author: Emily Suvada

Catarina is a hacker and must always make sure she stays hidden from the shadowy organisation that kidnapped her father.  When a soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie.  She also learns that before his death, her father created a vaccine and told Cole that Cat would be the only one who could release it to save the human race.  Is this just another lie?  Who can Cat really trust?

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: You’ll be the Death of Me
Author: Karen M.McManus

Three students decide to skip school together but soon wish they had gone to class.  When they follow another student and stumble on a murder the clues point to one of them being guilty.  Trying to prove their innocence is not going to be easy especially when the real culprit is hot on their trail.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: House of Sky and Breath
Author: Sarah J. Maas

Book two in the Crescent City series.  Dragged into a rebel movement they want no part of, Bryce, Hunt and their friends find themselves pitted against the terrifying Asteri – whose notice they must avoid at all costs. But as they learn more about the rebel cause, they face a choice: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: Defy the Night
Author: Brigid Kemmerer

In a kingdom where sickness stalks the streets and only the richest can afford a cure, King Harristan and his brother Prince Corrick are forced to rule with an iron fist. Tessa Cade is a masked outlaw marked for death, but she likes it that way. Together with the mysterious, handsome Weston, she robs from the rich to help the poor, distributing food and medicine to those who need it most. As it becomes clear that the only way to save her people is to assassinate the King, Tessa must face a deadly mission that will take her to the dark heart of the kingdom … and force her to work with the very people she intended to destroy.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: As Good as Dead
Author: Holly Jackson

The third and final thrilling book in the bestselling, award-winning A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy.  Pip is haunted by the way her last investigation ended. Soon she’ll be leaving for Cambridge University but then another case finds her… and this time it’s all about Pip.  Pip is used to online death threats, but there’s one that catches her eye, someone who keeps asking: who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears? And it’s not just online. Pip has a stalker who knows where she lives. The police refuse to act and then Pip finds connections between her stalker and a local serial killer. The killer has been in prison for six years, but Pip suspects that the wrong man is behind bars. As the deadly game plays out, Pip realises that everything in Little Kilton is finally coming full circle. If Pip doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears . . .

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Odd Thomas
Author: Dean Koontz

Odd by name, a hero by nature.  He’s Odd. Odd Thomas, to be precise. Something evil has come to the desert town that Odd and his girlfriend Stormy call home. It comes in the form of a mysterious man with a macabre appetite, a filing cabinet full of information on the world’s worst killers, and strange, hyena-like shadows following him wherever he goes. Odd is worried. He knows things, sees things – about the living, the dead and the soon to be dead. Things that he has to act on. Now he’s terrified for Stormy, himself and his home town Pico Mundo. He knows that on Wednesday August 15, a savage, blood-soaked whirlwind of violence and murder will devastate the town.

Today is August 14. And Odd is far from sure he can stop the coming storm…

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: Ace of Spades
Author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

A compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalised racism.  Welcome to Niveus Private Academy where money paves the hallways and the students are never less than perfect.  Until now.  Two students become the target of anonymous texter, Aces, sharing their secrets with everyone.  Someone is out to get Devon and Chiamaka, someone who holds all the aces and is planning much more than a high-school game…

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: The Boy at the Back of the Class
Author: Onjali Q. Raúf

This story offers a child’s perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn’t always make sense.  There used to be an empty chair at the back of the class but now a new boy is sitting in it.  Everyone is curious to find out who Ahmet is and why he never talks or smiles.  Ahmet is a refugee and a group of four friends make it their mission to help him.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Hideous Beauty
Author: William Hussey

An LGBTQ+ thriller that is perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Karen M. McManus.  Dylan falls for Ellis the moment he meets him – he is funny and fearless but deep down Dylan sometimes wonders if Ellis is keeping secrets from him.  When a tragic accident rips them apart,  Dylan begins to discover just how little he knows about the boy he loves and that Ellis isn’t the only person in their town who has been keeping secrets….

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Spring Term 2022

Title: Count All Her Bones
Author: April Henry

Brilliant sequel to Girl, Stolen.  After being held for ransom Cheyenne’s father is not taking any chances with her safety: hiring a bodyguard and making sure his blind daughter is trained to protect herself.  What lengths will she go to though to meet Griffin, the boy whose father is accused of kidnapping her? 

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Five Little Liars
Author: Amanda K. Morgan

Ivy, Tyler, Kinley, Cade and Mattie were virtual strangers before Dr Stratford’s psychology summer class.  This all changes when an altercation after class leaves the students standing over their teacher’s corpse.  Now they need to cover up the crime but will they turn on each other or will they protect their secret?

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: Piecing Me Together
Author: Renee Watson

Jade is a girl striving for success in a world that seems like it is trying to break her.  She knows she needs to take every opportunity that comes her way but does her mentor on the mentorship programme for “at-risk” girls really understand her?  Will she be able to fit all the conflicting parts of her life together because more than anything, Jade just wants the opportunity to be real and to make a difference.

This book is suitable for all year groups.

Title: To Kill a Kingdom
Author: Alexandra Christo

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

This book has been rated 14-19 and is therefore suitable for years 9, 10 and 11 or for any students in years 7 and 8 that have no restrictions on their account.

Title: The Man who Died Twice
Author: Richard Osman

Brilliant follow up to The Thursday Murder Club.  When Elizabeth receives a letter from an old colleague asking for her help, she knows The Thursday Murder Club will be needed again.  Will the stole diamonds be found in time or will the bodies start piling up again?  A great read. 

This book is suitable for students in years 10 and 11 only.

Title: Tiger Heart
Author: Penny Chrimes

A magical story of a young chimney sweep and a remarkable tiger, a hypnotic ruby and a mystical land found across an ocean.  When the tiger speaks to her, she vows to help free him but will either of them be welcome in his homeland?

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Across the Risen Sea
Author: Bren MacDibble

Global warming has left small communities trying to fend for themselves on little islands.  When one of their children gets taken by strangers from the Valley of the Sun, Neoma sets off determined to rescue her friend.  A daring adventure full of sharks, pirates and floating cities. 

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Fire Boy
Author: J. M. Joseph

When Aidan receives a mysterious package of sweets from South America in the post, he and his two best friends Sadie and Hussein eat one sweet each – and suddenly develop amazing superpowers. Sadie can move objects with her mind, Hussein can control any electronic device and Aidan can ignite his body at will…though he can’t always control the resulting flames. When they discover that the sweets were sent by a dangerous criminal who is trying to hunt them down to get them back, they have to use all their new powers to outwit him … before everything goes up in a fiery blaze.

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: D-Day Dog
Author: Tom Palmer

Another brilliant read from one of our favourite authors.  Jack can’t wait for the school trip to the D-Day landing beaches.  He wants to learn more about the war heroes he has always admired – men like his dad, who is a reserve soldier.  Jack is drawn to the heart-wrenching true story of one particular D-Day paratrooper, Emile Corteil who parachuted into France with his dog, Glen.  Jack always finds comfort in the presence of his loyal dog, Finn so is determined to find out what happened to Emile and Glen.

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Slick
Author: M. M. Vaughan

Eric is an android, he just doesn’t know it. Danny has no friends and doesn’t care but when Eric takes an interest in Land X, Danny’s favourite online game, Danny thinks he might just have found a friend.  Can Danny figure out the mystery behind Eric’s odd behaviour and will he uncover his secret in time to help his friend?

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: InvestiGators
Author: John Patrick Green

Mango and Brash are the InvestiGators: sewer-loving agents of S.U.I.T. and scourge of supervillains everywhere!  The InvestiGators are undercover and on the case of their first mission together.  Can they uncover the clues, crack the case and corral the crooks? Or will the criminals wriggle out of their grasp?

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Rat
Author: Patrice Lawrence

Al knows exactly who to blame when his mum is sent back to prison.  His neighbour, Mr Brayker, has always caused trouble for them and Al is determined to get his revenge, with the help of his two pet rats, Venom and Vulture.  Should Al ignore the advice from both his gran and sister before he does something he might really regret?

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: The Haunting of Aveline Jones
Author: Phil Hickes

Aveline loves reading ghost stories, so a dreary half-term becomes much more exciting when she discovers a spooky old book. Why is one of the stories scribbled out? What happed to the owner of the book, a girl called Primrose Penberthy, who vanished mysteriously, never to be seen again? Why do all the houses have a creepy scarecrow in their front garden? Is Aveline in danger or will she be able to solve the mysteries?

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: The Middler
Author: Kirsty Applebaum

Maggie is the middle child, the middler, who as much as she loves her older brother Jed, is jealous of the attention he gets just for being the eldest.  The eldest in every family is special as they will go off to fight for their village, or will they?  After meeting Una, a wanderer, Maggie begins to question everything she has been taught.  Can she be finally be the hero or will she just be the middler that nobody wants to listen to?

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: When Life Gives You Mangoes
Author: Kereen Getten

Clara cannot remember anything about last summer, all she does know is that her best friend Gaynah has stopped talking to her and she doesn’t know why.  When she uncovers a family secret with the help of a new girl Rudy, will she finally be able to face the truth of what happened last year? 

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.

Title: Wonderscape
Author: Jennifer Bell

When three children investigate a mysterious explosion on their way to school, they find themselves trapped aboard The Principia – a scientific research ship sailing through hazardous waters, captained by one Isaac Newton.  Lost in the year 2473 in the Wonderscape, an epic in-reality adventure game, they must call on the help of some unlikely historical heroes, to play their way home before time runs out.

This book was part of the BookBuzz 2021 selection and is suitable for all year groups.