A mysterious yellow rock that kicked off the Gold Rush in nineteenth century America; a scrabble in Egyptian sand that uncovered ancient steps to a boy-king’s tomb brimming with gold; a trio of French boys burrowing down a hole in the forest to see their simple lamp illuminating vivid, lifelike cave paintings. These are just three of the twelve thrilling true discoveries that are described in this engaging, beautiful book.
Cody Thompson has been obsessed with motor racing for as long as she can remember, so when she’s offered a job as junior engineer at Falcon Racing, it’s a dream come true. Soon Cody is travelling the world, meeting famous drivers, and impressing her new bosses with her aptitude for stats and analysis. But beneath the glitz and glamour, not everything is as it seems. Falcon’s top drivers, Carl and Austin, are locked in a bitter rivalry that threatens their chances in the championship – and when both men take an interest in Cody, things can only get more complicated …
Lilly and her assistance dog Myles are off to the stadium to see their favourite team play in a big match. This is a warm, reassuring and sensitively crafted picturebook that explores both the joy of football and the challenges a young Autistic child may face when navigating an overwhelming environment.
Hikaru Ogino loves to sing, but only ever in the comfort of her family bathhouse. She is in awe of her best friend, Ran, a former girl group idol. Ran has sung in front of large crowds and never seemed nervous. Hiraku dreams of a day when she too has the confidence to perform in front of people.
This book offers a powerful and necessary exploration of the weight of silence surrounding mental health. As Tweety prepares to dance at Bristol’s Pohela Boishakh festival, the celebration of the Bangla New Year stands in sharp contrast to her inner turmoil. This story captures the unique pressure of achieving one’s dreams while feeling completely disconnected from that reality – a struggle made worse by a community where depression is often a silenced or non-existent concept.
Always Angel represents those who are not always in the spotlight. Whittam gives a voice to her protagonist, Angel, who is living in foster care, and coping with her parent’s mental health problems. Whittam creates a genuine and sincere world in which Angel exists, and writes with flair to present authentic characters. While Angel struggles to hold onto her relationship with her mum, she also must confront toxic friendships, all while competing in the school-wide baking competition. While baking, Angel shines brightly, now all she has to do is avoid lunchtime detention!
This is a sequel to the immensely popular middle-grade fantasy The House with Chicken Legs, published in 2018, and combines the same winning team of author and illustrators. The plot of the original novel is synopsised in a short prologue, so a reader approaching the sequel won’t feel lost, though they will surely want to seek out the first volume.
Charming with a twist, this pony book is sure to catch the eye of those who love all things daring and mysterious. Katie must confront her nervousness when she is chosen to captain the Paddock Grove team to victory. However, when strange things beginning to happen, the team’s chances to win gold are cast in doubt: Katie and her friends must step up to solve the case.
Burton presents an intriguing premise in this tale of fantasy espionage, following Remira, the Shadow Queen, as she vies for political control for her half-brother Luc. Readers are thrown into a courtly world of power plays, bribery, magic and violence.
How to Find a Missing Girl is a sapphic YA mystery that follows Iris, a determined teenager searching for answers after her older sister, Stella, disappeared a year earlier. Refusing to let the case fade away, Iris forms an amateur detective group and continues investigating. When her ex-girlfriend, Heather, suddenly goes missing soon after releasing the final episode of her true-crime podcast about Stella’s disappearance, Iris becomes convinced that the cases are linked. With time running out, she races to uncover what really happened to both of them.
