BOLD GIRLS

Thirteen-year-old Gwen Clayton-Fenn moves into her late grandmother’s old house with her younger siblings after their mother’s death. The old house is situated on Gloam Island and is being looked after by their stepfather. The house – once a place of summer memories, has fallen into decay, filled with strange noises and creeping mouldy walls. The island itself is reachable only by causeway, its weather is damp and oppressive. If that’s not enough of creepiness, an arrival of the new babysitter, Esme brings something sinister to the siblings’ lives …

Inspired by the author’s own childhood move from Guyana to Canada, this book is a gentle and heartfelt picturebook about Amina, a young girl adjusting to life in a snowy new city. The book’s title references the Caribbean song Brown Girl in the Ring, a song readers return to again and again throughout the book.

Four girls, four extremely different characters. Jada, the band founder, is an impassioned feminist who can’t wait to shake up the music industry. Dina, an ex-child star, is still running from her past. Sassy is an influencer and girlie-girl who may live up to her name. And finally, Silvee, a sweet, but shy girl, who has chronic stage fright. Under the name Black Dolls, they enter into a Battle of the Bands competition with the hopes of gaining traction and potential fame.

Readers follow Mae and her parents as they search for a magical flower to cure her mother’s illness. One night, Mae follows a bright light that leads her to the flower guarded by a giant dragon; he will grant her the flower if Mae saves his son.

Charley might have narrowly escaped the Harrogate Killer last year, but she knows their story is not over yet – even though she loathes sequels.

This quirky, heartwarming story combines the charm of Beatrix Potter and the silliness of Roald Dahl, with a dash of Chris Riddell thrown in for good measure!

Farah’s Nose is an extraordinary book with an important message about self-acceptance.

Shevolution is a powerful and uplifting book which shines a light on women who found the courage to speak up, stand out, and shape the course of history across an incredible span of 200,000 years.

Pia is passionate about animals and desperately wants to own a pet. However, her recently separated parents won’t even consider it. Determined, Pia finds other ways to bring animals into her life. She bonds with her new neighbour Hari over their shared love of dogs and volunteers to help train his unruly puppy Luna. Training Luna creates a rollicking ruckus, and readers will thoroughly enjoy the comic calamities that follow.

Silver is an apt name for the heroine of this delightful story! Silver is ten years old with an alluring and sparkling personality; she also happens to live on a cruise ship with her mum and her group of grown-up friends. What Silver yearns for is a friend her own age and when she meets Yana, she thinks she’s found the perfect candidate, but the reader can see that Yana is not a nice friend. Silver endures embarrassment and humiliation in her desperate efforts to find a pal, while at the same time trying to track down the thief who’s pinched two fancy watches.