Books for Babies and Toddlers

1		Little Bear’s Little Boat Eve Bunting Tender and true, this is a beautiful story about Little Bear’s loss as he grows too big for the little boat he loves. Since he can no longer fish from the boat or dream in it, he searches for another … Download free opening extract
2		Cave Baby Julia Donaldson Best-selling author of The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson has teamed up with prize-winning illustrator Emily Gravett to create a wonderfully witty story about a cheeky little Cave Baby. When the Cave Baby scribbles on the walls of his cave he is … Download free opening extract
3		Alison Jay’s Question Blocks Alison Jay A perfect gift for a newborn baby. Four stunning board books nestle in this beautiful box. Each poses a question. Who is That?, What is Yellow?, Where is Teddy?, What is This?  The answers to all the questions are to … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 3+ readers

1		The Ice Bear Jackie Morris Stunning illustrations capture the warm emotions of this magical story and juxtaposes them perfectly with  the winter landscape of the white bears and the hunters who live in it.  When Raven steals a white bear cub and delivers him to … Download free opening extract
2		Iris and Isaac Catherine Rayner Prize-winning illustrator Catherine Rayner has produced a new outstanding title. Polar bears Iris and Isaac fall out over sharing their nest. Each stomps away in a Big Bear Huff but soon both find that they don’t enjoy anything half as … Download free opening extract
3		Zog Julia Donaldson The creators of the best-selling Gruffalo have invented a delightful new character – Zog the little dragon who always wants to do best at school. Zog’s determination to win gold stars leads him into loads of mishaps but luckily he … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		The Three Little Witches Storybook (Early Reader) Georgie Adams Perfect for reading aloud and sharing with children, these Early Reader chapter books are punctuated by catchy rhymes and speech bubbles, and with their bright, funny pictures and lively design they are hugely appealing.  They’re perfect for children from 5-7.  … Download free opening extract
2		Mr Chicken Goes to Paris Leigh Hobbs Mr Chicken has left his safe world sets off on a global adventure. He’s on a whistle-stop tour of Paris and, like a good tourist, he’s doing all the famous sites, accompanied by his French friend, Yvette. But it’s not … Download free opening extract
3		The Hodgeheg Dick King-smith This is an absolutely charming modern classic from one of Britain’s all-time favourite authors.  There is no-one more impressive when it comes to animal stories than Dick King-Smith and this one is our favourite. The Hodegheg has everything – humour, … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		Boom! Mark Haddon Everything about this deliciously improbable adventure is almost completely daft – and that’s the fun of it all. When Charlie sets up his walkie-talkie in the staff room he doesn’t hear gossip about the pupils as he had expected. Instead, … Download free opening extract
2		Letters from an Alien Schoolboy Ros Asquith This is the first in a terrific new series for 7+ year olds – both boys and girls.  Packed with some hilarious illustrations and the story itself is a real page-turner.  It features an alien who comes to spy on … Download free opening extract
3		Slog’s Dad David Almond Award-winning author/ illustrator team David Almond and Dave McKean have followed up The Savage with an equally stunning new book told partly as a graphic novel and partly as a story. Full of the kind of mystery David Almond created … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		No Such Thing As Dragons Philip Reeve This is the author’s first stand alone novel since the spectacular Here Lies Arthur, winner of the 2008 Carnegie Medal. Reeve’s brilliant imagination has conjured up a dragon story in the grand tradition of children’s fantasy fiction, but one that is spectacularly different … Download free opening extract
2		To the Extreme David Gatward A fun adventure about facing your fears with high quality graphic novel-style illustrations depicting the action throughout and gripping narrative with stacks of fun facts.  Particularly suitable for reluctant readers who prefer non-fiction/fact books. FYI, the series, also entices them … Download free opening extract
3		Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil Derek Landy Best-selling Skulduggery Pleasant has taken the world by storm. A hugely entertaining mix of fear and fun in a magical community where the strangest things seem to happen for unpredictable reasons, this fifth volume tells a new chapter in the … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		Reckless Cornelia Funke Best-selling author Cornelia Funke whose Inkheart was a world-wide phenomenon has created a wonderful new imaginary world peopled with a gigantic cast of original and outlandish characters. Searching for his missing father, Jacob Reckless steps through the mirror into a … Download free opening extract
2		Scat Carl Hiaasen Totally topical, Scat is a brilliant fast-moving eco-aware thriller set in the swamps of Florida. Nick and Marta get sucked into the world of corrupt oil prospectors and fanatical eco-activists when Mrs Starch, a formidably horrible teacher at Truman School, … Download free opening extract
3		Unhooking the Moon Gregory Hughes Shortlisted for the prestigious Teenage Book Prize 2010, the winner of which will be announced on 1st November 2010.  The shortlist of six includes: Halo by Zizou Corder, Nobody’s Girl by Sarra Manning, The Enemy by Charlie Higson, Revolver by … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		A Trick of the Dark B R Collins Prize winning B.R Collins’ A Trick of the Dark is a gripping supernatural thriller which explores the darker sides of adolescence. Annis sees her older brother Zach crushed and broken when the walls of a ruined house fall on to … Download free opening extract
2		Almost True Keren David A thrilling adventure in which the stakes are dangerously high, Almost True is an emotional roller coaster. When someone is shot dead on the doorstep instead of him, fourteen year old Ty, already under police protection since witnessing a murder, … Download free opening extract
3		The Legacy Gemma Malley What started with The Declaration and continued with The Resistance is brilliantly brought to conclusion in The Legacy.  A thrilling finale in which Anna and Peter and their friends risk all to expose the truth behind the quest for Longevity.  … Download free opening extract

Books for Babies and Toddlers

1		Flip Flap Flop Mary Cartwright Perfect for ‘reading’ in the bath; penguins slip and slide, swim and glide and  flip and flap agreeably through the pages. If you’re looking for other great books for this age range then go to our Babies and Toddlers category. … Download free opening extract
2		That’s not my frog Fiona Watt Shortlisted for Baby Book Award, Early Year Awards 2009 Irresistible to inquisitive fingers, the strokeable features within each book in the ‘That’s not my…’ series help an owner to know more about an animal.  In That’s Not My Frog, the frog’s … Download free opening extract
3		The Big Night-night Book Georgie Birkett Shortlisted for the Baby Book Award, Early Year Awards 2009 With cuddly touch and feel pages this board book will provide comfort to the smallest toddler.  With a blanket to cuddle, curtains to open, PJs to feel and furry Ted to … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 3+ readers

1		Tom’s Tree Gillian Shields A truly uplifting story about love, hope and the importance of patience.  Tom plants a seed and imagines what it will be like as it grows – the trunk is a tall mast of a ship with dragons hiding in … Download free opening extract
2		Oliver Who Travelled Far and Wide Mara Bergman Winner of the Pre-School Award, Early Year Awards 2009 Through the terrific rhyming text and bold illustrations Oliver discovers that, though small, he is indeed mighty as he lives through his fears in this glorious, rollicking work of imagination. A picture … Download free opening extract
3		The Tail of the Whale Ellie Patterson, Christine Pym Shortlisted for the Pre-School Award, Early Year Awards 2009 An absolutely delightful debut from a brilliant new talent in the form of Christine Pym.  Dive into this exquisitely decorative picture book of a bright underwater world, rich with colour and full … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom Nelson Mandela, Chris Van Wyk Nelson Mandela’s inspirational life story has been adapted into a wonderfully child-friendly version. It tells of his childhood as an ordinary boy in a village and how his belief in democracy was already strongly developed while a student. Mandela’s fight … Download free opening extract
2		The BFG Roald Dahl This is a delightful, funny and exciting story about a special friendship between two people from different worlds – a giant and a child. As the story develops it shows how trust and love develops between them. It also … Download free opening extract
3		The Tear Thief Carol Ann Duffy This is a warm, poignant and beautifully illustrated story set in a magical world where the tears of children arising from every emotion are of a different colour. An underlying thought-provoking message about emotions lies at its heart. The multi-coloured … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		The Best of Times Michael Morpurgo A story that is by turns heart-wrenching but also ultimately uplifting as the protagonist in the story, a recently married Prince must find a way to bring love and laughter out of the sorrow and tears that his Princess feels. This square little hardback … Download free opening extract
2		Tollins: Explosive Tales for Children Conn Iggulden It’s Peter Pan with attitude as Conn Iggulden, creator of the phenomenal bestseller The Dangerous Book for Boys, introduces an explosive and magical new fictional world of the Tollins – flying creatures that aren’t fairies! – all beautifully illustrated in … Download free opening extract
3		Boom! Mark Haddon Everything about this deliciously improbable adventure is almost completely daft – and that’s the fun of it all. When Charlie sets up his walkie-talkie in the staff room he doesn’t hear gossip about the pupils as he had expected. Instead, … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		The Robbers Josh Lacey Peter is minding his own business depositing his savings in a bank when there’s a ‘hold-up’.  Can Peter’s quick thinking surprise and overcome the robbers in order to save his and other people’s money.  Edge of your seat writing for … Download free opening extract
2		I Spy: The Constantinople Caper Graham Marks An absolutely gripping spy adventure packed full of mystery, intrigue and high paced drama. It combines the action-packed exploits of Alex Rider, with the historical advnetures of Young Indiana Jones, in a classic story of one boy’s fight to find … Download free opening extract
3		A Misfitz Mystery: Two Tigers on a String Josh Lacey Humour and pace are the hallmarks of Josh Lacey’s writing (Grk series and Bearkeeper) and this new series (this is the second title) makes this an absolute must read for 9+ year olds.  The Misfitz are four children who share … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		The Pain Merchants (The Healing Wars) Janice Hardy Part one of a powerful historical fantasy full of politics, magic and enchantment. The Healing Wars tells of the unusual powers of fifteen year old orphan, Naya. In a world where many have special power, Naya stands out from the … Download free opening extract
2		The Return of Johnny Kemp Keith Gray A really gripping thriller for teenage boys.  Short and fast-paced, it’s the story of Johnny Kemp, a boy that no one is prepared to mess with, until that is, Dan manages to get him excluded from school.  But now he’s … Download free opening extract
3		Threads Sophia Bennett Fresh, witty and wholly contemporary, prize winning Threads won The Times/Chicken House writing competition in 2009. How three teenage friends with completely different interests – one’s into fashion, one plans to save the world and one is a budding young … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		The Traitor Game B R Collins Winner of for the 2009 Branford Boase Best Debut Novel Award An extraordinary fantasy novel from a supremely talented debut novelist. Set partly in a boys’ school and also in another world that is both fierce and dangerous, it has themes … Download free opening extract
2		Pastworld Ian Beck Take a thrilling journey into the past in this clever time slip mystery which, written in different voices from different times, takes its readers from a dystopian future to a Dickensian past. Caleb is on a tourist trip to the … Download free opening extract
3		A Trick of the Dark B R Collins Prize winning B.R Collins’ A Trick of the Dark is a gripping supernatural thriller which explores the darker sides of adolescence. Annis sees her older brother Zach crushed and broken when the walls of a ruined house fall on to … Download free opening extract

Tags

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