Publication Date 4th June 2020 MORGANA MAGE IN THE ROBOTIC AGE Amy Bond Morgana loves robots and longs to attend robotics school in the city. But when she finally finds a way, she learns of a troubling secret hiding beneath its gleaming surface: a secret that threatens the balance of civilisation. Caught between two worlds, only Morgana has the power to find a solution … • A fun, energetic and hugely relatable story about a girl caught between her two identities – witch and engineer – and figuring out how she can be both. • Shortlisted for the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition 2018, Amy Bond is a young Irish librarian with a fresh new voice for middle-grade readers. ‘Fun, fresh and exciting’ CHRIS RIDDELL Price: £6.99 ISBN: 978-1-912626-52-6 Pub Date: 4th June 2020 eBook ISBN: 978-1-913322-27-4 CBMC code: D3N79 Age: 9+ Dimensions: 198x129 mm Illustrations: N/A Word count: 50,000 (words approx.) Export: Yes Binding: Paperback Rights: World CHICKEN HOUSE 01373 454488 www.chickenhousebooks.com DESCRIPTION An extract from ‘What are they?’ she asked her father, Morgana loves robots and tugging at his sleeve. ‘Robots,’ he hissed, eyes narrowed longs to attend robotics school MORGANA MAGE IN above his bushy beard. ’Stay well away from in the city. But she’s a witch, THE ROBOTIC AGE them. They are the most dangerous creatures.’ living in a magical woodland The next one she spotted she eyed community: the closest she Amy Bond more suspiciously, but as she tried to stay out of its way she stumbled and almost fell. As comes to technology is petting Morgana stepped nervously onto the great she righted herself she realised that it was a her ancient mechanical familiar, circular sliver of city, afraid that she might be silver boot that had almost been her downfall, Kitty. She simply doesn’t belong. the one who tipped the balance and sent the and when she lifted her gaze she saw that But when she finally finds a whole thing crashing down. Once convinced it led to the leg of a jumpsuit that at first way to the City, she learns of a that the section she stood on would hold, she appeared to be silver, but became iridescent then glanced up anxiously at the city stacked and woven through with every imaginable troubling secret hiding beneath above her. colour when the light hit it. A head pile high its gleaming surface: a secret ‘Don’t worry,’ her father said, reading with blonde hair and a nose scrunched up in that threatens the balance of the question on her face. ‘They have held a distaste topped off the ensemble. civilisation. Caught between two good long time now. None of it should come ‘Ugh,’ said the woman to no one crashing down on us today.’ Morgana could see. ‘I almost fell over a little worlds, only Morgana has the She was not convinced, but she was witch child. Why do they even let them in power to find a solution … distracted from these worries as they made the city? They should be kept down in the their way further into the city, and the streets Undertown.’ became busier. Morgana couldn’t stand it at Then she strutted away, elbowing first, as she felt she might suffocate in the Morgana’s father as she went. The robot that AMY BOND Amy Bond is an Irish writer crowds. She never could have imagined as Morgana had been trying to avoid followed many people existed in the whole world as close behind the woman but kept its distance living in Dublin. Her passion were walking down the one street they were from the two of them. Morgana supposed she for reading led her to study on. All these people seemed completely mad should have been relieved at this, but she had English Literature at university, followed too, chatting away freely with the air, and a tingling desire in her fingers to reach out by a Masters in Library and Information every so often strange looking people would and touch it. This allure was probably part of Science, and she now appear that looked like they were made from their danger, she decided, as she clung closer works as a librarian. something similar to the pots and pans at to her father as they made their way down the @amylouisebond home. rest of the busy street. CHICKEN HOUSE 2 Palmer Street, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1DS Tel: 01373 454488 www.chickenhousebooks.com Publication Date 7th January 2021 SPACE ODDITY Christopher Edge You might think that this story is going to be an intergalactic adventure filled with UFOs, black holes, killer robots and some very foul-smelling aliens. And you’d be right. But it’s mostly about a boy called Jake, his embarrassing dad, and the mind- boggling question … are we really alone in the universe? • Funny, easy to read and hugely likeable, Space Oddity combines science, comedy and adventure for ages 7-11. • A new, younger story from award-winning writer Christopher Edge, author of The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day. • Came out of The Big Idea Competition, from a story entry by scientist Dr Sarah Ryan. • Cover and inside illustrations by Ben Mantle (The Land of Roar and I, Cosmo). Price: £6.99 ISBN: 978-1-912626-86-1 Pub Date: 7th January 2021 eBook ISBN: 978-1-913322-50-2 CBMC code: D3N79 Age: 7+ Dimensions: 198x129 mm Illustrations: Ben Mantle Word count: 30,000 (words approx.) Export: Yes Binding: Paperback Rights: World CHICKEN HOUSE 01373 454488 www.chickenhousebooks.com DESCRIPTION An extract from ‘I don’t believe in aliens.’ You might think that this story In reply, Dad points towards the night sky. ‘How many stars can you see, Jake?’ is going to be an intergalactic SPACE ODDITY I look up into the darkness and see the adventure filled with UFOs, Christopher Edge stars shining brightly there. I start to try and black holes, killer robots and count them, but quickly give up. some very foul-smelling aliens. ‘Don’t be stupid,’ I say, staring at my dad in ‘I don’t know,’ I say. ‘There’s too many to disbelief. ‘You can’t be an alien – you’re from count.’ And you’d be right. But it’s Wales.’ ‘Take a look here,’ Dad says, his finger mostly about a boy called Jake, tracing a silvery trail of stars as they spill across Dad shakes his head. his embarrassing dad, and the ‘I’m not actually from Wales, Jake. That’s the sky. ‘This is the Milky Way – the galaxy just something I had to put on my passport that we live in. And it contains more than one mind-boggling question … are application. I come from a planet that orbits a hundred billion stars.’ we really alone in the universe? star four light years away from Earth.’ His finger drifts across the darkness until ‘Yeah, right,’ I reply as I wait for the punch- it’s pointing to a blurry point of light, just above line to this latest Dad joke. ‘So what’s this planet the trees. called then? Tattooine? Gallifrey? Krypton?’ ‘And do you know what this is?’ he asks. CHRISTOPHER EDGE ‘Another star, I guess.’ Dad takes a deep breath and then Christopher Edge is the Dad shakes his head. makes a noise that sounds like a cow driving a award-winning author of a motorbike full speed through an electric fence. ‘This is Andromeda – a whole other number of children’s books, ‘Mmbogbjsqxmmhxzohzmmhphfszdixzs galaxy, twice as big as the Milky Way. In this tiny oe-spcxmmmmbouztjmjphphphpdi.’ point of light there are more than two hundred including The Many Worlds of Albie As this strange sound splutters to a finish, billion stars. And the universe contains trillions Bright, which was nominated for the Dad pauses to wipe his mouth with the back of of galaxies, each one with hundreds of billions of CILIP Carnegie Medal. Christopher grew his sleeve. His face shines oddly in the silvery stars. All those stars have planets spinning round up in Manchester, where he spent most them, billions just like this one. All a planet needs light. of his childhood in the local library for life to exist is an atmosphere, some organic ‘But the astronomers on this planet call it dreaming up stories, but now lives in Proxima B.’ compounds and a dash of liquid water. And Gloucestershire, where he spends most I wait for him to crack a smile to show me sometimes not even that. So do you really think that he’s joking. But the expression on Dad’s face that out of all those billions of planets, Earth is of his time in the local library dreaming doesn’t change. He looks really serious. Like he the only place where intelligent life has evolved?’ up stories. Dad gently rests his arm around my believes that it’s true. @edgechristopher My dad thinks he’s an alien and I don’t shoulder. know what to do. ‘The universe is a very big place, Jake, and I shake my head. it’s teeming with aliens.’ CHICKEN HOUSE 2 Palmer Street, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1DS Tel: 01373 454488 www.chickenhousebooks.com Publication Date 7th May 2020 DARWIN’S DRAGONS Lindsay Galvin Syms Covington has landed the job of a lifetime on Charles Darwin’s ship. But after being shipwrecked on a Galapagos island, he makes a discovery that could change the world – and make his fortune. Should he share his find, or will it lead to the extinction of a legendary species? • Robinson Crusoe meets How to Train Your Dragon – with extra science! – in the middle-grade debut from science teacher Lindsay Galvin.