CHILDRENS BOOKS

**'A ROARSOME read with breaktaking illustrations' - Steven Lenton**Dragons are well known for being sulky and difficult. However, by following these simple but important guidelines, you might just create a lovable and (almost) friendly pet.The Dangerous Pet Lover s Guide to Dragons is the essential dragon-care manual you didn t know you needed. Full of useful tips, tricks and advice on everything from feeding and housing your dragon to grooming and washing it (top tip- DON T EVEN TRY), this handy guidebook will equip you with everything you need to bond with your new pet!This hilarious picture book is ideal for anyone who has ever wondered what it would be like to own a magical dragon - perfect for reading (and laughing!) out loud.

From Justin Somper, award-winning author of the Vampirates series, comes a fast-paced and exciting fantasy adventure series perfect for readers of How to Train Your Dragon or Artemis Fowl.

Alex Aster is a #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author as well as an internationally bestselling author and one of the most followed novelists on social media. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied creative writing, and is also the author of the critically acclaimed Emblem Island series. Explore the world of Lightlark at asterverse.com.

'There was Tolkien, there is Pullman and now there is Katherine Rundell. Wondrous invention, marvellous writing.' - Michael Morpurgo Rundell s first foray into fantasy is both a deft, rich homage to the greats of children s literature and an absorbing, profoundly poignant quest story for those aged 9+ - quite possibly her best yet - The Guardian'A book stuffed full of fantastical, magical delight, and a world of richly imagined wonder' - Cressida Cowell* WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNER * BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS' AWARD WINNER * FOYLES CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR * SHORTLISTED FOR AMAZON KIDS AND YA BOOK OF THE YEAR* THE TIMES CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK * THE INDEPENDENT CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK * SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER IN SEPTEMBER 2023There s a place where all the wildest stories began .. From Katherine Rundell, winner of the Costa Children s Book Award, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children s Book Prize comes the first novel in a landmark trilogy for 9+ fans of His Dark MaterialsChristopher is stunned when he discovers a passage to the Archipelago- a cluster of magical islands where all the creatures of myth still live and breed and thrive in their thousands. There he meets Mal- a girl from the islands, who is in possession of a flying coat and a baby griffin, and who is being pursued by a killer. Together they embark on an urgent quest to discover why the creatures are suddenly perishing, voyaging across the wild splendour of the Archipelago, where sphinxes hold secrets and centaurs do murder, in a bid to save both the islands and the world beyond them from a rising evil - before it's too late. 'Full of adventures, wonderful side characters, new lands and so many fantastic creatures. I heartily recommend it to readers of all ages' - Rick Riordan'A marvellous, imaginative fantasy told with great style and sparkle - a book to race through in a day and keep for a lifetime' - Jacqueline Wilson'The world of this new book is so intriguing and so well put together that I couldn t resist it. Readers who already know her books will seize this with delight, and new readers will love it and demand all her others at once' - Philip Pullman A masterpiece to rival Tolkien and Pullman - The Daily Telegraph'Fantastically exuberant, wildly imaginative, impossibly brilliant. Rundell s best, which is something to be marvelled at' - Kiran Millwood Hargrave An exhilarating, many-hued adventure, heartfelt and sometimes heartbreaking - Frances Hardinge'Between the covers of Impossible Creatures is a world as enchanting, as perilous, as richly imagined as Narnia or Middle Earth' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce Rundell's book packs a punch with imagination and creativity in its purest form. She has created a story with potential to be adored by fantasy lovers for years to come - The Independent'With a delightful cast of characters, breathless adventure, and an abundance of myth and magic, Impossible Creatures offers the very best of fantasy' - Aisha Bushby'A fierce, fantastic, wild-hearted adventure that roars and bristles with imagination. I devoured it like a hungry dragon' - Sam Sedgman'A rare and remarkable feat of glittering imagination from a truly masterful storyteller' - Catherine Doyle'The action is gripping. Every sentence sparkles. You can feel the flutter of griffin feathers and the menace of strange poisonous shrews. Magnificent - The Times Surely the next classic - The I'My Book of the Year' - Lauren St. John

This CBCA Honour Book from the bestselling and multi-award-winning author of Lenny's Book of Everything is a magical tale about a girl who saves a dragon and rescues her family.

Engaging and immersive—a delight from start to finish.

Nobody writes striking, heartfelt adventure like Phil Earle. The Dawn of Adonis is a showcase of everything he does best: humour and peril and towering stakes all wrapped up in stark, spare, powerful prose. I loved it!

In a crisis, take a stand ... A coming of age story, set against the Dismissal of the government in 1975 as battle lines are drawn, democracy is on the edge, and all of it is far too close to home. When another national crisis puts Juliet’s family beach trip on hold, Juliet is disappointed, but not surprised. When your dad has a key job in the federal government, even faraway crises hit close to home, and change is the only constant. It’s 1975 and Juliet has a lot to look forward to. It's the last year of primary school, wrongs are being set right, and there’s new attitudes, new opportunities ... as well as new friends. But as Juliet gets to know more about the people around her and the times that shape her, there are plenty of surprises still in store. But politics is casting a long shadow over the country, and it seems nothing can save Juliet, her family, and her friendships, from the biggest crisis of all.

Step right up and prepare for the most magical show of all! When Emme and Ivy—two runaway girls weighed down by grief—stumble upon a strange circus on the moors, they are flung together, as they discover a world unlike any other. Ghostly performers, mythical creatures, and a Ringmistress with dark secrets await them beneath the blood-red Big Top. To save the fading circus from vanishing forever, Emme and Ivy must uncover their hidden talents and put on a show to end all shows. But do they even have talents? And can they discover them in time? As the girls navigate dizzying trials of magic and mystery, they realize that the circus isn’t just disappearing—it’s somehow connected to the very threads of their pasts. As secrets are unravelled, Emme and Ivy must step into the spotlight and take a chance on themselves and each other, proving that you must always hold onto wonder and that even the smallest sparks of magic can change everything . A breathtaking blend of magic, mythology, and heart, The Disappearing Circus reminds us that friendship and courage can be found in the most unexpected of places, that the future is ours to hold—and that some stories are too powerful to ever truly disappear. Take your seats. The show is about to begin!

Drift Pip Harry is an Australian author, copywriter, and journalist. Her young adult novels include I'll Tell You Mine, Head of the River, and Because of You. Her middle grade novel The Little Wave won the 2020 Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers.Pip's second middle grade novel, Are You There, Buddha?, was a 2022 Children's Book Council of Australia Notable Book and was shortlisted for the 2022 NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature. Pip's next middle grade novel, August & Jones, was published by Hachette in 2022 and was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers 2023 and the 2024 YABBA Awards, and won the CBCA Shadow Judging Book of the Year for Younger Readers.Pip is also the author of two picture books: Over or Under? and The Inside Dog. See also: www.pipharry.com.

Perfect for fans of Saltburn, For the Wolf, and Wuthering Heights, Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a moody, monstrously Gothic romantasy in which a young woman must bind herself to a dangerous underworld god to save her family's legacy - and herself - from ruin.Expelled from her prestigious boarding school, eighteen-year-old Lark returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the brink of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience ... to Therion, an underworld god worshipped by Lark's isolated coastal hometown.Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath, the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille.As the trio delves into the folklore of the gods, Lark falls under the spell of the Felimath siblings. Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a hedonistic ritual to repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion - and Lark as well.Praise for Tenderly, I am Devoured'Equal parts romantic and horrifying, Tenderly, I Am Devoured shimmers with aching loveliness and the deepest yearnings.' - Erin A Craig, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of House of Roots and Ruin'A folktale you'd find in the library of a gloomy seaside manor - haunting, ethereal, and lace-delicate.' - Hannah Whitten, New York Times-bestselling author of For the Wolf and The Hemlock Queen'A shimmering fever dream of a story, replete with lyrical prose and all the haunting, passionate trappings of the feminine Gothic novel ... Decadent and transfixing.' - Claire Legrand, New York Times-bestselling author of Furyborn'A dark delight.' - Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching'Softly haunting and darkly romantic ... Addictive and gorgeously written, an ethereal tale of love, betrayal, and twisted devotion that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.' - Meg Smitherman, bestselling author of Thrum'A romance that blossoms off the page, thorns and all.' - I.V. Ophelia, bestselling author of The Poisoner'Using lyrical prose that hums with tension and chemistry, Clipstone (Unholy Terrors) crafts an immersive and captivating queer gothic romance.' - Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Percy Jackson is back in this highly anticipated, brand-new adventure and faces his biggest challenge yet- getting into college - out now in paperback!<p>THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER - OUT NOW IN PAPERBACK! THE ORIGINAL HERO. A BRAND-NEW ADVENTURE.Percy Jackson has saved the world multiple times - battling monsters, Titans, even death himself - so graduating high school should be a breeze, right?Wrong. Percy needs three recommendation letters from the gods before his final year in high school comes to an end. And one thing Percy knows, the gods on Mount Olympus don't do anything for free.To secure his second letter, Percy and his friends Annabeth and Grover agree to a new quest - pet-sitting for the goddess Hecate while she's away over Halloween. They just need to follow her simple rules-</p><ol reversed><li>Look after the pets like their lives depend on it (because they do)</li><li>Don't touch anything - especially Hecate's magic potions!</li><li>See points 1 and 2</li></ol><p>But when Grover's curiosity gets the better of him, the trio find themselves with a giant goat, a destroyed house, and Hecate's (terrifying and potentially deadly) pets on the loose in New York City.Now the trio have twenty-four hours to find the pets and restore the mansion to order - or face the full fury of Hecate and her horrifying three-heads.</p>

Explore the adventures of more than 100 heroes of ancient legend, brought to life in this stunning compendiumMeet the bold, the brave, and the brilliant - over 100 individual heroes of legend from cultures around the world are profiled in an engaging and fun way!Legends from every corner of the globe are full of heroes. Legendary Heroes celebrates their timeless heroism, incredible bravery, supreme strength, keen intelligence, and exceptional self-sacrifice.<p>Join Beowulf as he comes face-to face with a fire-breathing dragon, sail with Sindbad as he grapples with gargantuan giants and sinister snakes, watch Maui lift the sky, and ride into battle with warrior princess Yennenga. This stunning visual guide brings to life a truly eclectic mix of more than 100 heroes. Some are natural born champions, others find courage in the face of supernatural monsters or vengeful rivals, and still more go on epic quests and arduous voyages to find wisdom and enlightenment. But they all come together as the stars of the most magnificent and memorable tales ever told.Featuring eye-catching photography, authentic artworks and terrific tales from cultures around the world, and inspirational illustrations, Legendary Heroes is the ultimate page-turner for budding heroes everywhere...</p>

Game of Thrones meets Fourth Wing in a debut young adult fantasy that's full of rivalry, romance...and dragons<p>When the revolution came, everything changed. The old rulers were overthrown and the city's traditions were shattered. Annie and Lee grew up in the aftermath, their lives shaped by the chaos. Brought together in the same orphanage and despite their differences, they became each other's closest ally. But years of training have turned their friendship into rivalry as they now compete to lead the city's legendary dragonriders.Just as they're finding their footing, a new threat arises- survivors of the old regime are back, determined to take revenge. As dragons soar into battle and the city's future hangs in the balance, Annie and Lee must decide what truly matters- the bonds of family, the loyalty of friendship, or the destiny they've been fighting for all along.An action-packed adventure of courage, betrayal, and the choices that shape us, this is a story about discovering where you belong - and who you are willing to fight for.</p>

Eleanor Jones stirs up more mystery and danger in this fast-paced YA mystery.Eleanor Jones isn't looking for trouble.But someone is starting fires in Cooinda - and the first one looks like a murder. Eleanor is determined not to get involved, but when she receives a note warning her to 'keep quiet' she can't help but work out who sent it. Who had motive to murder Eleanor's neighbour? Could it really be one of her classmates? And are the fires connected to the car thefts in town? The more Eleanor tries to do the right thing, the more danger she finds herself in . . .