Read Around the Subject Y8 English – Magic and Mayhem Recommended Reading List
Name on your Wrist (14+) Author: Hiorns, Helen It's the first thing they teach you when you start school. But they don't need to; your parents tell you when you're first learning how to say your name. It's drummed into you whilst you're taking your first stumbling steps. It's your lullaby. From the moment it first appears, you don't tell anyone the name on your wrist. In Corin's world, your carpinomen - the name of your soul mate, marked indelibly on your wrist from the age of two or three - is everything. It's your most preciously guarded secret; a piece of knowledge that can give another person ultimate power over you. People spend years, even decades, searching for the one they're supposed to be with. But what if you never find that person? Or you do, but you just don't love them? What if you fall for someone else - someone other than the name on your wrist? And what if - like Corin - the last thing in the world you want is to be found? The gripping debut novel from the winner of the inaugural Sony Young Movellist Award. Northern Lights #1 Author: Pullman, Philip Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world...
Handmaid's Tale, The (14+) Author: Atwood, Margaret Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now... Written by the author of Surfacing, The Edible Woman, Dancing Girls, Bodily Harm, Bluebeard's Egg and Life Before Man, this novel is set in an overtly political territory.
Beneath Author: Arbuthnott, Gill She plunged beneath the surface, her eyes blind in the murky, green water: dived again and again until she couldn't take another breath. There was no trace. Freya was gone.' Jess has heard the rumours, old folk tales of creatures that live beneath the water: dangerous shapeshifters with a taste for human children. She's dismissed them as crazy stories -- until her best friend is stolen and Jess discovers all the legends are true...Trying to rescue her friend, she meets one of them -- a kelpie -- but he turns out to be nothing like she imagined. Caught between two worlds, between kelpies and humans, and between mysterious Finn and brave Magnus, Jess must choose between what she's always known - and what lies beneath. Gill Arbuthnott creates an enthralling world of love and revenge, divided loyalties and imminent danger in this brilliant fantasy novel for young teens set in 16th century Scotland. City of Ember #1 Author: Duprau, Jeanne Many hundreds of years ago, the city of Ember was created by the Builders to contain everything needed for human survival. It worked…but now the storerooms are almost out of food, crops are blighted, corruption is spreading through the city and worst of all—the lights are failing. Soon Ember could be engulfed by darkness… But when two children, Lina and Doon, discover fragments of an ancient parchment, they begin to wonder if there could be a way out of Ember. Can they decipher the words from long ago and find a new future for everyone? Will the people of Ember listen to them?
Bliss #1 Author: Littlewood, Kathryn It was the summer Rosemary Bliss turned ten that she saw her mother fold a lightning bolt into a bowl of batter and learned - beyond the shadow of a doubt - that her parents made magic in the Bliss bakery.
At the World's End Author: Fisher, Catherine Dramatic dystopian adventure from the bestselling Incarceron author. Caz has been living in the department store since the day the Blue Star came and killed everyone who breathed in its toxic snow. She can't do so much as look outside. But life in the store is getting dangerous and so Caz decides to take her chances in the world outside, with only Will for company. What will she find in the bleak landscape? And is there even anything to find? A compelling vision of a dystopian society. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 12+
Flood Child Author: Diamond, Emily In 22nd-century Great Britain, where climate change has caused vast flooding, the piratical Reavers kidnap the Prime Minister's daughter and thirteen-year-old Lilly Melkun, an English fisher-girl, takes her seacat on a daring rescue attempt, with a mysterious talking jewel from a past computer age tucked in her belt as ransom.
Free Lance and the Lake of Skulls #1 Author: Stewart, Paul Free Lance is down on his luck and stuck in the Badlands. And as usual there is an oaf who wants to take him on. But that fight leads to a job offer which has enough gold attached to it to get him out of this hole: the local lord wants him to recover an enchanted crown from the middle of the lake of skulls. Of course he omits to tell Free Lance of the terrors that await. Full of drama and humour, this swashbuckling fantasy adventure introduces a marvellous new hero by two of the leading exponents of the genre with an action hero who is both charismatic and mysterious, and told in a laconic, Marlowesque first person narrative. Certain to be enjoyed by all readers of The Edge Chronicles and Terry Pratchett, and those aspiring to read them. Part of a unique range of books aimed at 11+s that through integration of text and illustration are also accessible to those with reading abilities of as young as 8, produced in consultation with literacy consultant Wendy Cooling.
The Hunger Games #1 Author: Collins, Suzanne After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen returns to her district, hoping for a peaceful future. But Katniss starts to hear rumours of a deadly rebellion against the Capitol. A rebellion that she and Peeta have helped to create. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless Katniss and Peeta can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. This is the terrifying sequel to 'The Hunger Games'.
Day of the Dreader, The Author: Cowell, Cressida A World Book Day 2012 exclusive short story in the How to Train Your Dragon series. The Isle of Berk is being stalked by a deadly sea dragon called the BIG DREADER, fires are ravaging the forests and the Hairy Hooligans are trapped on the island without any food! All except Toothless who has found a stash of eggs that he plans to keep all to himself...But not if the BIG DREADER has anything to do with it! How to Train Your Dragon is a DreamWorks film starring Gerrard Butler, America Ferrera and Jonah Hill, out on DVD adapted from the bestselling How to Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell. Read the rest of Hiccup's exploits in How to Train Your Dragon, How to Be a Pirate, How to Speak Dragonese, How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse, How to Twist a Dragon's Tale, A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons, How to Ride a Dragon's Storm, How to Break a Dragon's Heart and How to Steal a Dragon's Sword. Check out the website for games, downloads, activities and sneak peeks! Read all about Hiccup and all of your favourite characters, learn to speak Dragonese and train your own Dragon to do tricks!
Deep Blue #1 Author: Donnelly, Jennifer When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be about reuniting with handsome Prince Mahdi, her childhood crush. Instead she finds herself haunted by strange dreams foretelling the return of an ancient evil, and dealing with the deaths of her parents as assassins storm the betrothal ceremony, plunging the city into chaos. Led only by her shadowy dreams and pursued by the invading army, Serafina and her best friend Neela embark on a quest to avenge her parents' death and prevent a war between the mer nations. In the process they discover a plot that threatens their - and our - world's very existence.
Boy Who Drew the Future, The Author: Ivory, Rhian Fifteen-year-old Blaze and Noah live in the same village, Sible Hedingham, more than 100 years apart. They both have the same gift or curse - they find they must draw pictures that later come true. In the 1860s Blaze is bullied, cheated and accused of being a witch and 'swam'. In the present day, Noah is used to everyone, even his parents, being afraid of him and is desperate to keep his drawing a secret. But as he gets closer to Beth, he must decide whether or not he can tell her the truth. Can Blaze's history help Noah and Beth work out their own story? Can the future be changed?
Coming of Dragons, The #1 Author: Lake, A J It is the Dark Ages and something evil is stirring. A ship sailing from Noviomagus across the channel to Gaul is caught in a storm and dashed against the rocks. There are only two survivors of the wreck, both children, and they are tossed up on the shore with a mysterious trunk.
Fire Girl #1 Author: Ralphs, Matt Twelve-year-old Hazel Hooper has spent her whole life trapped in a magical Glade created by her mother, Hecate. She's desperate to meet new people and find out about the world. And, more than anything, she wants to be a witch. But when her mother is kidnapped by a demon - everything changes ...Suddenly Hazel is alone in the world. Well ...not quite alone. For it turns out that Hazel does have magic - she's just not very good at controlling it. And she may have accidentally created a grumpy familiar in the form of a dormouse called Bramley. Determined to rescue her mother, the young witch and her mouse set out to track down the demon and find Hecate. However, it turns out that life outside the Glade is far more dangerous than Hazel ever could have imagined. Witch Hunters are everywhere - and the witches are using demons to fight back! Luckily for Hazel she manages to enlist the help of a handsome boy called David, and his drunken master, Titus White, who are expert demon hunters. And witch finders ...Fire Girl is a fantastic new magical adventure from Matt Ralphs - perfect for young readers with a taste for the extraordinary!
Dark Side of Magic, The Author: Lancett, Peter This title is one of a series of reading books for children and young adults aged 11 and over who are struggling to read. Dark Man is a fiction series for older children and young adults who have a reading age of approximately 5 to 8. Each book features the character Dark Man, a shadowy, brooding loner who shuns society, living in the shadows. Recruited to play a part in a secret, cataclysmic struggle between good and evil, his continued mission is to seek out an artefact, a Golden Cup, which can channel limitless power and energy. Opposed to him, and also seeking to find this cup of power, is a sinister and corrupt organisation, The Shadow Masters. The book has a strong plot to engage the reader, however reluctant, and features dark evocative illustrations. The simple, carefully written text (under 400 words) focuses on the most common words, providing access for even the poorest readers. In 'The Dark Side of Magic' the Dark Man must once again pit his powers against the evil forces of the Shadow Masters. Software and teacher's support materials are also available.
Erth Dragons, The: The Wearle #1 Author: D'Lacey, Chris The Wearle came to Erth to find out what happened to their previous colony, who never returned. Gabrial, a young blue dragon, is desperate to prove his worth. But the dragons aren't alone in the mountains. Out beyond the scorch line, Ren, a young hom boy, is fascinated by the 'skalers'. Little does he know that his fate and theirs are linked in ways he could never have imagined. A stunning new fantasy series from the New York Times Bestselling author, Chris d'Lacey.
Ender's Game #1 Author: Card Orson, Scott Ender Wiggin is Battle School's latest recruit. His teachers reckon he could become a great leader. And they need one. A vast alien force is headed for Earth, its mission: the annihilation of all human life. Ender could be our only hope. But first he must survive the most brutal military training program in the galaxy...With its explosive storyline, pump- action excitement and hugely engaging central characters, Ender's Game is 2002's absolute must-read for teenaged boys. Forget schools for wizards, this is where the *real* action is.
Reckoning #1 (14+) Author: Wilkinson, Kerry In the village of Martindale, hundreds of miles north of the new English capital of Windsor, sixteen-year-old Silver Blackthorn takes the Reckoning. This coming-of-age test not only decides her place in society - Elite, Member, Inter or Trog - but also determines that Silver is to become an Offering for King Victor. But these are uncertain times and no one really knows what happens to the teenagers who disappear into Windsor Castle. Is being an Offering the privilege everyone assumes it to be, or do the walls of the castle have something to hide? Trapped in a maze of ancient corridors, Silver finds herself in a warped world of suspicion where it is difficult to know who to trust and who to fear. The one thing Silver does know is that she must find a way out . . .
Changeling, The Author: Falconer, Helen Some of us are born to be magic. Aoife is an ordinary teenager, hanging out with her childhood friend Carla, putting up with school. The worst she has to contend with is that the boy of Carla's dreams is trying to get off with her instead. But then, after chasing a lost little girl no one seems to be able to see, Aoife starts to develop mysterious powers. Eventually her parents confess that she isn't their real daughter. Their human child was stolen by the fairies, and Aoife is the changeling left behind in her place. Shocked and disorientated, Aoife turns to Shay, the taciturn farmer's son who is the only person who might believe her story. Together, they embark on a dangerous journey, which takes them deep into the underworld and changes everything they thought they knew about fairies.
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher #2 Author: Coville, B Mr Elives' Magic Shop seems to appear from nowhere - and disappears again just as fast! Never in the same place twice, it sells only the most exclusive wares...A talking toad, anyone? A dragon's egg? There's plenty to choose from...Sheltering from bullies in the Magic Shop, Jeremy is persuaded to buy a dragon's egg by the mysterious Mr Elives. Convinced it's a wind-up, he follows the instructions for a laugh - and suddenly he's got a tiny red dragon sitting on his desk, breathing fire and demanding food. Jeremy tries to hide the dragon, but she's beginning to grow, and she just won't stop...Has he made his problems even bigger?
Forbidden Library, The #1 Author: Wexler, Django Late one night Alice Creighton hears her father having an argument with a fairy - a snarling, bald beast with warts and needle-like teeth. The next day her father disappears, never to return. And Alice is sent to live with Master Geryon, an uncle she never even knew existed. Geryon has a dark, mysterious library which is strictly off-limits to Alice. But after meeting a talking cat who is willing to sneak her in, Alice opens a book and suddenly finds herself inside it - and the only way out is by conquering the dangerous creatures within . . . Winterkill Author: Boorman, Kate A. Winterkill is the first title in a stunning new YA series by Kae A. Boorman - perfect for fans of the Hunger Games, Maze Runner and Patrick Ness. No one leaves the settlement if they want to survive. Emmeline knows this, but the trees in the woods are whispering to her, pulling her towards the wayward path. Inside the safety of the wall is a marriage she doesn't want, and a boy she can't have. But outside? The malmaci lies in wait, and the freezing Winterkill is coming...'I ripped through, desperate to know the secrets behind this captivating world...Thrilling and touching...Emmeline is a character I won't soon forget.' (James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner). Goblins Author: Reeve, Philip The goblins of Clovenstone Keep are a bloodthirsty lot. They love fighting, looting and eating. And more fighting. But Skarper is different. He is clever and cunning. Only he understands that the old magic trapped beneath Clovenstone is rising again. He's about to be flung headfirst into the wildest adventure in all of goblin history... After the Snow Author: Crockett, S D After the Snow tells the story of 15-year-old Willo as he tries to survive, alone, in an endlessly wintery environment of the next ice-age in Europe. An unforgettable adventure story that will quicken your pulse and chill you to the bone.
Riding Tycho Author: Mark, Jan Demetria has never questioned her harsh life on High Island. The endless rules, merciless bullying and the scream of the Banshee announcing another doomed escape across the sea, are all she has ever known. But then she meets political prisoner Ianto Morgan, who tells her about a strange and distant world full of stories and freedom. Demetria is captivated by the possibility of a life without limits, but is Ianto telling the truth or is it all dangerous lies? Whatever the cost, Demetria knows she must find out ... Runners Author: Kelley, Ann As mankind strives to rebuild society in the wake of climate change, over-population and global food shortages, every day is a struggle for people like Sid and his younger sister Lo. They are 'runners'- people whose very survival the government has outlawed. As they move west, trying to find family or somewhere they can call home, they must work out which of the people they meet on the way can be trusted, and which want to cut their adventure short. Encountering people on both sides of the law, as well as those who seem to exist outside it, Sid and Lo make and lose friends as they fight for their lives and each other.
Burn Mark #1 Author: Powell, Laura In a modern world where witches are hunted down and burned at the stake, two lives intersect. Glory is from a family of witches, and is desperate to develop her 'Fae' powers and become a witch herself, though witch-activity carries a threat of being burned at the stake. Lucas is the son of the Chief Prosecutor for the Inquisition with a privileged life very different from the witches he is being trained to prosecute. And then one day, both Glory and Lucas develop the Fae. In one fell stroke, their lives are inextricably bound together
Book of Pearl, The Author: de Fombelle, Timothee A compelling story of a first love that defines a lifetime; perfect for fans of David Levithan, told with the intricate and beautiful writing style of bestselling author Timothee de Fombelle. Joshua Pearl is from a world that our own no longer believes in. He knows that his great love is waiting for him in that distant place, but he is trapped in our time. As his memories begin to fade, he discovers strange objects, tiny fragments of a story from a long time ago. Can Joshua remember the past and believe in his own story before his love is lost for ever? Black Maria Author: Jones, Diana Wynne On the surface, Aunt Maria seems like a cuddly old lady, all chit-chat and lace doilies and unadulterated NICEness! When Mig and her family go for a short visit, they soon learn that Aunt Maria rules the place with a rod of sweetness that's tougher than iron and deadlier than poison. Life revolves around tea parties, while the men are all grey-suited zombies who fade into the background, and the other children seem like clones. The short visit becomes a long stay, and when all talk of going home ceases, Mig despairs! Things go from bad to worse when Mig's brother Chris tries to rebel but is changed into a wolf. Mig is convinced that Aunt Maria must be a witch -- but who will believe her? It's up to Mig to figure out what's going on. Maybe the ghost who haunts the downstairs bedroom holds the key?
Animal Farm Author: Orwell, George A new publication of simplified Chinese edition of Animal Farm, the George Orwell classic. In Simplified Chinese. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.
Bloodtide Author: Burgess, Melvin In the year 2200 London is in ruins and in the hands of two warring families. Treachery and terror reigns as the families are decimated but Silvia and a cat, a shape-changer take revenge.
Rain (14+) Author: Bergin, Virginia One minute sixteen-year-old Ruby Morris is having her first proper snog with Caspar McCloud in a hot tub, and the next she's being bundled inside the house, dripping wet, cold and in her underwear. Not cool. As she and Caspar shiver in the kitchen, it starts to rain. They turn on the radio to hear panicked voices -- 'It's in the rain ...it's in the rain ...' That was two weeks ago, and now Ruby is totally alone. People weren't prepared for the rain, got caught out in it, didn't realize that you couldn't drink water from the taps either. Even a drip of rain would infect your blood, and eat you from the inside out. Ruby knows she has to get to London to find her dad, but she just doesn't know where to start ...After rescuing all the neighbourhood dogs, Ruby sets off on a journey that will take her the length of the country -- surviving in the only way she knows how.
Single stone, A Author: McKinlay, Meg Every girl dreams of being part of the line—the chosen seven who tunnel deep into the mountain to find the harvest. No work is more important. Jena is the leader of the line— strong, respected, reliable. And—as all girls must be—she is small; years of training have seen to that. It is not always easy but it is the way of things. And so a girl must wrap her limbs, lie still, deny herself a second bowl of stew. Or a first. But what happens when one tiny discovery makes Jena question the world she knows? What happens when moving a single stone changes everything?
Boundless, The Author: Oppel, Kenneth After a murder is committed, Will finds himself in possession of a key that has the potential to unlock the train's hidden treasures. Together with Maren, a gifted escape artist, and Mr Dorian, a circus ringmaster with amazing abilities, Will must save the Boundless before someone else winds up dead. With villains fast on his heels and strange creatures lurking outside the windows, the train hurtles across the country as Will flees for his life. His adventure may have begun without his knowing...but how it ends is now entirely up to Will. Painkiller Author: Collins, Tim Esme is a painkiller. She can take pain away with just a touch. In a world where hospitals have closed and diseases are common, she's in great demand. But she's also in danger. Abbie wants to take Esme to a secret commune where she'll be safe. But bounty hunters are closing in on them, and time is running out.
5th Wave (14+) Author: Yancey, Rick The Passage meets The Hunger Games in a gripping new series from Carnegie-shortlisted Rick Yancey. After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave. On a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, until Cassie meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be her only hope for rescuing her brother and even saving herself. Now she must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. Cassie Sullivan gets up.
Enna Burning Author: Hale, Shannon Enna and Princess Ani became fast friends in The Goose Girl, but now that Ani is married to Prince Geric, Enna returns to the forest. Then Enna's simple life changes for ever when she learns of her power to wield fire. Enna is convinced that she can use her ability for good - to fight Tira, the kingdom threatening the Bayern borders. But the power of the fire grows stronger and she is soon barely able to control it. Enna becomes more and more reckless and is captured by the Tiran army. A handsome and manipulative young captain drugs and holds Enna prisoner until Ani and her old friends Finn, and Razo attempt to free her. But has the desire to burn already gone too far?
Soterion Mission #1 Author: Ross, Stewart Does the Soterion hold the key to saving civilization? In a post-apocalyptic world where no-one lives beyond their teenage years, the mysterious Roxanne arrives in Cyrus’s village, fleeing the barbaric Zeds. She claims to be on a mission that can save them all, but can she be trusted? Cyrus joins her in her quest for the legendary Soterion, but the Zeds are determined to get there first.
Fire Spell Author: Schlitz, Laura Amy Clara disappears on her birthday. Exceptionally wealthy and exceptionally lonely, she requested that a puppeteer and his two orphan helpers stage a spellbinding show for her in the vast empty house. But then the curtains close and darkness falls. . . . The puppeteer, Grisini, kidnaps Clara and uses his sinister powers to imprison her body and mind in the form of a marionette. His two young assistants realise what has happened, and all three children find themselves caught up in a terrible struggle for supernatural eminence between Grisini and a dying witch of extraordinary power.
Glimpse Author: Merle, Claire In a near future, society is segregated according to whether people are genetically disposed to mental illness. 17-year-old Ana has been living the privileged life of a Pure due to an error in her DNA test. When the authorities find out, she faces banishment from her safe Community, a fate only thwarted by the fact that she has already been promised to Pure-boy Jasper Taurell. Jasper is from a rich and influential family and despite Ana’s condition, wants to be with her. The authorities grant Ana a tentative reprieve. If she is joined to Jasper before her 18th birthday, she may stay in the Community until her illness manifests. But if Jasper changes his mind, she will be cast out among the Crazies. As Ana’s joining ceremony and her birthday loom closer, she dares to hope she will be saved from the horror of the City and live a ‘normal’ life. But then Jasper disappears. Led to believe Jasper has been taken by a strange sect the authorities will not interfere with, Ana sneaks out of her well-guarded Community to find him herself. Her search takes her through the underbelly of society, and as she delves deeper into the mystery of Jasper’s abduction, she uncovers some devastating truths that destroy everything she has grown up to believe.
Gates, The #1 Author: Connolly, John A strange novel for strange young people. Young Samuel Johnson and his dachshund Boswell are trying to show initiative by trick-or-treating a full three days before Hallowe'en. Which is how they come to witness strange goings-on at 666 Crowley Avenue. The Abernathys don't mean any harm by their flirtation with Satanism. But it just happens to coincide with a malfunction in the Large Hadron Collider that creates a gap in the universe. A gap in which there is a pair of enormous gates. The gates to Hell. And there are some pretty terrifying beings just itching to get out ...Can Samuel persuade anyone to take this seriously? Can he harness the power of science to save the world as we know it? Hunt, The #1 (14+) Author: Fukuda, Andrew Against all odds, 17-year-old Gene has survived in a world where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. The only remaining humans, or hepers as they are known, are housed in domes on the savannah and studied at the nearby Heper Institute. Every decade there is a government sponsored hunt. When Gene is selected to be one of the combatants he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow competitors whose suspicions about his true nature are growing.
Cunning Man Author: Rees, Celia Finn is haunted by terrifying dreams where a huge wave threatens to engulf her in watery darkness. They have been worse since she arrived at the Cornish cottage. Then she discovers the strange curse that was laid upon the cottage years ago, and she's sure vengeful Griffiths has something to do with it. She's seen him, endlessly tying and retying a length of rope, creating the knots that - superstition has it - can conjure storms. Finn knows that she's in mortal danger if she can't find a way to break the curse... A superbly spine-chilling teen thriller from the award-winning author of WITCH CHILD
Life of Pi Author: Martel, Yann One boy, one boat, one tiger ...After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra (with a broken leg), a female orang-utan and a 450- pound Royal Bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and best-loved works of fiction in recent years. All These Things I've Done (14+) Author: Zevin, Gabrielle Sixteen-year-old Anya's parents have been murdered because her father was the head of a notorious underworld gang. Now she is determined to keep herself and her siblings away from that world. But her father's relatives aren't so keen to let them go. When Anya's violent ex-boyfriend is poisoned with contaminated chocolate - chocolate that is produced illegally by Anya's criminal family - she is arrested for attempted murder. Disconcertingly, it is the new D.A. in town who releases her from jail, but her freedom comes with conditions. The D.A. is the father of Win, a boy at school to whom Anya feels irresistibly drawn. Win's father won't risk having his political ambitions jeopardised by his son seeing a member of a crime family. She is to stay away with him. Anya knows she risks her freedom and the safety of her brother and sister by seeing Win again. Neither the D.A. nor the underworld will allow it. But the feeling between them is so strong that she may be unable to resist him... Noble Conflict (14+) Author: Blackman, Malorie Years after a violent war destroyed much of the world, Kaspar has grown up in a society based on peace and harmony. But beyond the city walls, a vicious band of rebels are plotting to tear this peace apart. It is up to the Guardians - an elite peacekeeping force - to protect the city, without ever resorting to the brutal methods of their enemy. When Kaspar joins the Guardians, he has a chance encounter with a rebel - a beautiful girl named Rhea. Haunted from that moment on by strange visions and memories - memories that could only belong to Rhea - he realises he hasn't been told the truth about what the rebels really want, and what he's really fighting for.
Last Dragonslayer, The Author: Fforde, Jasper In the good old days, magic was powerful, unregulated by government, and even the largest spell could be woven without filling in magic release form B1-7g. Then the magic started fading away. Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for soothsayers and sorcerers. But work is drying up. Drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and even magic carpets are reduced to pizza delivery. So it's a surprise when the visions start. Not only do they predict the death of the Last Dragon at the hands of a dragon slayer, they also point to Jennifer, and say something is coming. Big Magic ...
Into that Forest Author: Nowra, Louis ‘Me name be Hannah O'Brien and I be seventy-six years old. Me first thing is an apology - me language is bad cos I lost it and had to learn it again. But here's me story and I be glad to tell it before I hop the twig.’ So begins this extraordinary novel, which will transport you to Australia's wild frontier and stay in your mind long after you've finished reading.
Cell 7 #1 Author: Drewery, Kerry Should she live or die? You decide; an adored celebrity has been killed. Sixteen-year-old Martha Honeydew was found holding a gun, standing over the body. Now Justice must prevail. The general public will decide whether Martha is innocent or guilty by viewing daily episodes of the hugely popular TV show Death is Justice, the only TV show that gives the power of life and death decisions - all for the price of a phone call. Martha has admitted to the crime. But is she guilty? Or is reality sometimes more complicated than the images we are shown on TV?
Siberia (Hardcover Educational Edition) Author: Halam, Ann In a future society where there are no longer any wild animals, Sloe and her mother are sent to a prison camp in the snowy North. Her mother's crime is the determination that one day the lost animals will be reborn. Years later, when her mother disappears, Sloe sets out on an epic, one-thousand-mile quest to be reunited with her, pursued at every turn. Her only companions are the Lindquists, the tiny, magical creatures bequeathed to her by her mother.
Divergent #1 Author: Roth, Veronica She turns to face the future in a world that's falling apart. For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice. Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs. Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her. The hardest choices may yet lie ahead...A debut novel that will leave you breathless.
Howl's Moving Castle Author: Jones, Diana Wynne A new look for one of Diana Wynne Jones' funniest and most popular novels. In the land of Ingary, where seven league boots and cloaks of invisibility do exist, Sophie Hatter catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste and is put under a spell. Deciding she has nothing more to lose, she makes her way to the moving castle that hovers on the hills above Market Chipping. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls! There she meets Michael, Howl's apprentice, and Calcifer the Fire Demon, with whom she agrees a pact. But Sophie isn't the only one under a curse - her entanglements with Calcifer, Howl, and Michael, and her quest to break her curse is both gripping - and howlingly funny!
After Tomorrow Author: Cross, Gillian What if you woke up tomorrow and everything had changed? Money is worthless. Your friends are gone. Armed robbers roam the streets. No one is safe. For Matt and his little brother, Taco, that nightmare is a reality. Their only hope of survival is to escape through the Channel Tunnel. But danger waits on the other side...Stay or go. What would you do?
Nightfall Author: Halpern, Jake After fourteen years of Day, comes fourteen years of Night. Don't get left in the dark. On Marin's island, sunrise doesn't come every twenty-four hours - it comes every twenty-eight years. Now the sun is just a sliver of light on the horizon. The weather is turning cold. The shadows are growing long. The dark is rising. And soon it will be Night. The eerie Evening sunset is causing the tide to begin its slow roll out hundreds of miles, and so Marin, along with her twin brother Kana and the rest of the islanders, must frantically begin preparations to sail south, where they will wait out the long Night. But first the house must be made ready for their departure. Locks must be taken off doors. Furniture must be arranged just so. Tables must be set as if for dinner. The rituals are bizarre - unnerving, even - but none of the adults will discuss why things must be this way. And then just as the ships are about to sail, the twins' friend Line goes missing. Marin and Kana know where he has gone, and that the only way to rescue him is to do it themselves. And surely the ships will wait? Because Night is falling. Their island is changing. And something is stirring in the dark.
Lord of the Flies Author: Golding, William William Golding's compelling story about a group of very ordinary small boys marooned on a coral island has become a modern classic. At first it seems as though it is all going to be great fun; but the fun before long becomes furious and life on the island turns into a nightmare of panic and death. As ordinary standards of behaviour collapse, the whole world the boys know collapses with them—the world of cricket and homework and adventure stories—and another world is revealed beneath, primitive and terrible. Lord of the Flies remains as provocative today as when it was first published in 1954, igniting passionate debate with its startling, brutal portrait of human nature. Though critically acclaimed, it was largely ignored upon its initial publication. Yet soon it became a cult favourite among both students and literary critics who compared it to J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye in its influence on modern thought and literature.
Crown of Acorns Author: Fisher, Catherine In an absorbing mystery thriller, a teenage girl with a past arrives in a city: new name, new identity, new foster family. She has chosen the city herself, and is fascinated by its harmony and beauty, but is clearly in fear of discovery. She is nursing a secret from her early childhood, a secret that produces new terrors for her the moment she fears her identity has been spotted. A parallel narrative tells of a young architect's apprentice, Zak, in 1750 - working with Jonathan Forrest, a man obsessed with past Druidic mysteries and a new architectural vision for the city. He plans to create the world's first circular terraced street, the King's Circus - a plan greeted with scorn and derision. Zac soon realises there's more than just obsession with an architectural vision; there is some secret associated with building a hidden chamber in the centre of the Circus. But Zac himself has his own confused and highly destructive agenda ... These narratives are framed by the voice of Bladud - mythical first builder of the city, destined to die in trying to fly. And ultimately his narrative brings all together in a clever and brilliantly intriguing climax.
Breathe (14+) Author: Crossan, Sarah When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from the Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from? A dystopian thriller about courage and freedom, with a love story at its heart.
Foundling Author: Oldham, June When Ren's mother realises that she's expecting her second child, she knows that Ren must be sent away. The tax on excess children is more than she can afford, and a relative, Greta, has offered Ren shelter in the north. But the journey to Greta's goes terribly wrong, and Ren finds herself alone on the desolate moors. There she meets Brocket, Lil, Hilary and Mrs Gimmer. Like Ren, they are determined to remain concealed in the wilderness, away from the dangers of the cities. All their lives are changed by the discovery of an abandoned baby. In their efforts to protect her, each of them must overcome their deepest fears ...