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Find out moreWe have a huge selection of Adventure Stories in this special section, from 3+ find the perfect adventure story for your young readers & let their imagination go wild!
Time for another Little Badman adventure. This time, Humza, Umer and Wendy must face The Undead. Welcome to Big School. Humza Khan - aka Little Badman, Eggington's greatest rapper - might have finally met his match. Evil teacher geniuses and giant killer hamsters (see previous Little Badman adventures for details) are nothing compared to starting a new school. He's already been out rap-battled by the school bully, laughed at by his classmates. Oh, and we haven't even mentioned the ancient magical orb causing havoc and very possibly leading to world destruction. At least Humza has found someone to help with his homework. It's just a shame this friend isn't exactly alive.
Discover the magical, timeless, bestselling children's adventure series from Lev Grossman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Magicians. It's been a year since Kate and Tom became conductors on the Great Secret Intercontinental Railway, and life has changed completely! Delivering animal passengers to their rightful habitats using their very own secret steam train, The Silver Arrow, is exciting and magical and fulfilling. Until one day a new and mysterious train almost rams them off the track! Its name? The Golden Swift. Kate catches a glimpse of the conductors. They're children, like them, and they're dropping animals off at all the wrong stations! Kate is determined to catch up with their rivals and confront them. Her actions will lead to an adventure bigger than she could have dreamed of, racing through the highlands of Western Scotland, trekking in the Australian outback and diving down deep into the Bering Sea on a magical submarine. Kate will have to discover a whole new way to offer endangered animals safe and lasting homes.
One boy's mission to take down a team of super-villains, with the help of his boring, dishcloth-selling grandad? When Jesse's grandad wins tickets to a retirement cruise and offers to bring Jesse along, Jesse is not exactly thrilled. A boat load of old age pensioners?! No thanks. Not to mention that he's pretty sure his parents are going to be talking about a D.I.V.O.R.C.E. while he's safely out of the way. But from the moment the pair arrive on the cruise ship, it's a different story. Mysterious cat burglars, crime lords and smugglers all seem to be on board and odder than that, Gramps knows them all! When an attempted murder occurs, Jesse decides it's time to find out what they're hiding, and catch the villain responsible. But Gramps might be hiding the biggest secret of all. Can Jesse unravel the mystery, before time runs out? A hilarious adventure with heart for fans of The Worst Holiday Ever and Gangsta Granny featuring a gorgeous intergenerational relationship between a boy and his grandad, who is determined to reconnect with his family before illness intervenes. Brought to life with fabulous illustrations throughout - this package will delight readers.
Max has a very unfortunate talent. He just has to touch something electric for it to break (and give him a nasty shock in the process). You can imagine how hard this makes his life. After an incident with their new electric car, his mum sends him to stay with his grandfather. Max has no idea what’s to come! His grandad is a Spellstopper, with the ability to remove broken or troublesome magic from enchanted objects and so is Max. He just has to learn how to control his powers. His grandfather’s village, Yowling, is full of magic and magical creatures too but their lives are made miserable by the thoroughly nasty Leandra, ensconced in a crumbling castle at its centre. Can Max and his new friends defeat her, or will she force them to make her even stronger? This adventure will be summer reading bliss for those who like their stories full of magic, the unexpected, excitement and ice-cream!
This high-octane and uproariously funny graphic novel follows Barb the Brave on another high stakes quest. Perfect for readers aged 6+ and fans of Bunny Vs Monkey, Disney's Brave and Dav Pilkey's Dog Man. Barb is a Berzerker, one of an elite crew of warriors who protect the land of Bailiwick from the scourge of monsters. The evil Witch Head has captured all of the adult Berzerkers. Cue Barb to the rescue! But she's not alone - Barb's got her own amateur crew of wannabe zerks, made up of farmers, monsters, and her best pal Porkchop the yeti. This ragtag gang must infiltrate Maug Horn, the monster capital, and find Franny Fire Fingers, who they hope will lead them to the Wise Wizards and the power to fight Witch Head. But when Barb's powerful Shadow Blade sword is no match for the evil she encounters, Barb must learn that her true power comes from her own heart. Join Barb on her second spellbinding adventure to save the day once again.
Summer 1940. As the cuckoo sings out across the Lake District, life is about to change for ever for local boy Tommy and his friend Sally, the mysterious evacuee girl who lives on the neighbouring farm. When they find a wounded Nazi airman in the woods, Sally persuades Tommy not to report it but to keep the German hidden. This starts a chain of events that leads to the uncovering of secrets about Sally's past and a summer of adventure that neither child will ever forget.
A hilarious whodunit adventure for readers aged 9+ from the author of Escape from Camp Boring. Full of mishaps, mayhem and Tom Mitchell's trademark wit, When Things Went Wild is also a timely call to protect our environment and its wildlife. When Kit's family move to a crumbling house in the Scottish Highlands, he's got a lot to deal with - terrible Wi-Fi, a new school in the middle of nowhere, and, as always, his annoying little brother, Jack. But it's not until the brothers find a strange object on the moors that Kit's problems really begin. A policewoman comes knocking, and the boys learn that they have found a tracker that has been removed from the leg of a golden eagle. The illegal killing of these majestic birds is all too common, and now a pair of nesting eagles are under threat. Kit and Jack start to investigate, soon joined by Tamora - the most popular girl in school - and her younger sister, Bea. Who is trying to harm the eagles, and why? Chief suspects are landowner Lord Cavendish, local farmer McNab and sinister game keeper Mosby. Can the city kids cope with the country - and catch the culprit?
Fun, fast-paced, high-octane action adventure, 21% Monster is a perfect page-turning new series for fans of Alex Rider, Percy Jackson and the MCU generation. When Darren Devlin is arrested for destroying his school with his bare hands, it's not just the police who are after him. Enter Marek Masters, 14 years old, 19% alien, and the most intelligent, most wanted almost human alive. Marek is here to tell Darren the truth - he is 21% monster, and together they must take down the secret organisation that created them. Darren and Marek are wanted, powerful and dangerous. And now it's payback time.
Kitty is a superhero-in-training with feline super powers. She dreams of being just like her superhero mum one day, but she's still got a lot to learn. Join her for a series of enchanting adventures by the light of the moon. In Kitty and the Star Stone Robber, Kitty is called to a break-in at the city museum. Dinosaur bones, glittering gems, and a special sparkling meteorite are all missing. Kitty has a clear idea of who the robber could be, but is it a case of mistaken identity?
One evening Edie is babysitting for a neighbour, Donna, who has repeatedly caught sight of an estranged friend from overseas. What is troubling Donna, however, is that it seems she's been in the same place at the same time as this friend on a number of occasions over the past few days. At Donna's request, Edie looks into these apparent coincidences, using a combination of investigative work and conversations with her rabbi (who is tutoring Edie in preparation for her bat mitzvah) about the nature of fatalism and determinism. Meanwhile, Edie's school friend Harry Coranger is suspicious of his stepfather, who has become involved with ultra-radical anti-capitalists who, furious at the state of the planet and its greed-fuelled decline, are plotting an audacious double atrocity: a bombing and a hijacking. When Harry bizarrely disappears, Edie becomes embroiled in trying to find him and, ultimately, foil the terrorists' plans. Utilising her brave instincts and skills as a supersleuth for hire, Edie sets about resolving and averting the mysteries and crises that she is confronted with as she comes to realise that things often happen outside of chance, and outside of our understanding and control. Outside Chance is the second instalment in Anthony Kessel's four-book Don't Doubt the Rainbow series a new contemporary middle-grade detective series with a difference. To solve each mystery, 13-year-old Edie Marble must harness the Three Principles, a new approach to understanding how the mind works that is currently proving invaluable in improving mental health and well-being in children internationally. Reading age 11+.
Dog Man meets the Lord of the Rings in this epic laugh-out-loud graphic novel series about two aspiring monster slayers. In their second adventure, our heroes face a new threat to Meowminster - an army of ferocious sea monsters! This is the perfect new read for fans of Captain Underpants, Dog Man and The Simpsons! The islands of Pawdor are in peril once again! Ferocious sea monsters have been spotted on shore, and the townsfolk are in a complete panic. Luckily, Kitty Quest are ready to protect the land. So what if Woolfrik and Perigold are the only guild members (besides their mentor who's a ghost), and it's just their second week on the job? How are these two amateur heroes supposed to stop a whole army of tentacled beasts? It may just take some quick thinking, a whole lot of luck, and a little help from the most unexpected of places. In order to save all of kitty-kind, Woolfrik and Perigold are going to have to learn to work together and prove that two heads are better than one.
Lift off in the hilarious edge-of-your-seat adventure series that is a home alone story with a difference! Written by the inimitable Larry Hayes and hilariously illustrated by Katie Abey, this is the perfect read for fans of David Solomons, Tom Gates and Back to the Future! Fresh from saving their parents from the jaws of frenzied billionaire Mr Noah, ten-year-old Eliza and her genius little brother, Johnnie, are called upon once again. Their parents have disappeared into thin air and it's up to the kids to save the day, travelling back in time to 5000 BC Egypt! Can they overcome friendly locals, a mysterious boy-god, snakes, a rainbow-coloured Sphinx and another plot to end the world? And - most importantly of all - will they survive time travel? For more out-of-this-world adventure don't forget to read about Eliza and Johnnie's first adventure in How to Survive Without Grown-Ups.
Ema Vašková belongs to a family of famous scientists and yet she appears to have the very unscientific ability to predict events, but she is never allowed to talk about this. When she is sent to stay with her eccentric uncle in Prague, she fears she'll lose the chance to ever fit in and become a true scientist like her beloved older siblings. But there she meets the mysterious Silvie and soon the girls are meeting for secret midnight adventures aimed at conquering Ema’s fears. When Silvie disappears it’s up to Ema to find her with the only clue pointing to the mysterious Midnight Guild. Ema proves herself to be both resourceful and brave and she needs to be. It seems that Silvie has been on a quest to find a murderer and that Ema will discover more about her family history and her own abilities as well as save her friend. Ema is a really engaging heroine and this is an assured, inventive and original fantasy, populated with fascinating, and occasionally macabre, characters with which to follow Tooke’s acclaimed debut The Unadoptables and likely to prove just as popular.
A fast-paced teen adventure with plenty of references to pop culture and ancient legends. ‘Luke Stevens and the Blood of St George’ by Ben Peyton begins with a very intriguing prologue, setting the scene of the threat to come before we are introduced to our eponymous character. We see a glimpse of Luke Stevens' mundane life with his aunt Sarah as his 13th birthday arrives and his family history is revealed, pushing him into the middle of a battle he didn’t know was raging against an unrelenting underground Nazi group, with freshly emerging powers he hadn’t realised he had. I enjoyed the way that this book is inspired by the legend of St. George and also how the author manages to intertwine more modern pop culture references too. Patrick’s gadgets are straight out of James Bond and after Charlie and Luke’s discussions of Star Wars I couldn’t help but see similarities there as well (Luke having lost his parents, a prophecy of a chosen one, a teacher referred to as a master who “giggles” like the original Yoda, references to light and dark and a spectral appearance from beyond the grave). There’s also lots of wit, with clever puns and sarcastic comebacks that left me smirking. Luke gets the hang of using his new abilities quickly and, with the help of the other Guardians, he dives straight into the action to try to stop his enemies from gaining power. This story whizzes by and with that epilogue I’m sure teen readers will be keen to hear more from Luke Stevens in future books. Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading4Kids Ambassador
Jack is a lonely teen. His allergy to the sun puts lots of challenges in his path, his only hobby is “shadow jumping” across his local skyline at dusk. One almost calamitous evening taking part in this hair-raising activity, Jack crosses paths with Beth. A new friendship in the nick of time, as Jack’s skin is getting worse and he desperately needs to find his scientist Dad to try and find a solution. But will digging up the past and its dark rumours lead to Jack’s Dad? ‘The Shadow Jumper’ by J. M. Forster is an interesting family story about a newly separated family. I liked the way that the thread of the story is buried under the mystery of Jack’s Dad’s whereabouts. I also liked the friendship that developed between Beth and Jack, it has its ups and downs, but the pair offer so much support to one another. This is a well-written story about friendship and family that is filled with surprises, twists and turns. The outcome may not be what you’d expect, but the journey offers entertainment and food for thought.
Amy and Liam Bell have been packed off to stay at Gran's house in the wilds of Connemara for the summer. Out for a walk on the first morning of their holiday, they trace the flight of a hawk to a nearby waterfall – only to watch the bird disappear through it. Intrigued, the children follow and soon realise they've discovered the entrance to Tír na nÓg, the legendary land of eternal youth. But they’ve been tricked. Almost immediately Liam is captured by a troop of headless horsemen who take him to Finnegas, the ruling sorcerer of Tír na nÓg, who is seeking the bones of a human child for a sinister new spell. Packed with edge-of-your seat adventure, incredible imagination, humour and warmth, The Lost Girl King is the rare kind of story that has you reading long past lights out.
From killers to conservationists, the story of three generations of the Petersen family, their history as whale hunters and later their mission to save the great whales and our planet. Summer, the Present. Fiery and fi erce, computer geek and eco-activist, Abby is holidaying with hergrandmother on an island off the Norwegian coast. Having developed and befriendedan AI computer, Moonlight, she hopes to organise a global protest. On the island, shelearns her great grandfather rejected the family's whaling livelihood, instead creatingthe fi rst whale song recording. Inspired by him, Abby and Moonlight translate thewhales' songs and discover their stories. Whales are under threat, their numbersrapidly dwindling. Abby is determined to help. Autumn, 30 years later. The world's ecosystems are collapsing. There is no sight or sound of whales. Abby, herdaughter, Tonje, and a now almost conscious Moonlight live on a isolated island in the Atlantic. They search for any sign of whales, but so far there is only silence. Winter, the future. Tonje's search was not in vain. Despite climate crisis and the threat of extinction,there is always hope for the future, as nature and technology combine in acaptivating, action-packed story with a powerful environmental call to arms.
A brilliantly funny story of what happens when a galactic princess moves in next door and almost brings about the end of the world. Exciting new fiction from the bestselling, award-winning author of My Brother is a Superhero. Gavin's got a new neighbour and she's really annoying. Niki follows him everywhere, bosses him about, and doesn't care that her parents will obliterate Earth with their galactic warships if she doesn't stop running away from them. Can Niki and Gavin sort out the alien despots (aka Mum and Dad) and save the planet? Possibly. Will they become friends along the way? Doubtful.
There are lots of laughs at every level in The 143-Storey Treehouse, from the number one Treehouse series from Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. They've added thirteen new levels to their Treehouse, including a word-o-matic (it knows every word in the whole world!); a recycling depot; a wrecking ball; a deep, dark cave with a real live, fire-breathing dragon; a complaining room; a spooky graveyard (where it's always midnight, even in the middle of the day); and a camping ground where you can have a nice, relaxing camping holiday. Andy's been a bit stressed, so Terry has decided the perfect way for them to relax is to head up to their new camping ground level for a much-needed holiday. But it turns out to be not quite as relaxing as Terry originally planned . . . Terry forgets to pack the tent and the food, their attempt at fishing ends in disaster, the spooky campfire stories are a little too spooky and then, to make matters worse, all of Andy's fellow campers start mysteriously disappearing. Can Andy brave the dark, dark woods and rescue them in time to finish writing their next book? Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up!
The second laugh-out-loud adventure for Leonora Bolt, Secret Inventor. Leonora isn't supposed to be building a submarine in a tree. Or turning the local wildlife luminous. In fact, she is supposed to be keeping her head down and drawing no attention - because Leonora Bolt is an inventor in secret. But she can't stop thinking of the clues she found to her missing parents' location. So, deep in hiding in Snorebury, desperately trying to avoid being discovered by her evil uncle, Leonora is hatching a plan. So what if involves launching a homemade submarine into the middle of the ocean, accompanied only by a couple of friends and an otter with particularly sensitive whiskers? For when disaster strikes, Leonora's wackiest plan might just be her most brilliant yet.
Princess Sabra has a simple happy life until her kingdom is attacked by a fierce, fire-breathing dragon. As she struggles to find a way of saving the land and the people, there appears only one answer and one very high cost. Can the strange soldier who appears be the only one who can rescue her and save her kingdom from the mighty beast? Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level. Topaz/ Band 13 books offer longer and more demanding reads for children to investigate and evaluate. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.
Black Panther meets Percy Jackson in this action-packed and empowering middle-grade series about a British-Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers. I close my eyes, trying to push the power bubbling in me back down . . . Hairbands snap as my hair shoots out like superfine arrows, tearing through everything in its path. Onyeka has a lot of hair – the kind that makes strangers stop in the street. She’s always felt insecure about her vibrant curls, until she makes an important discovery: she can control her hair with her mind! Her mother quickly whisks her off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari – children with superpowers – are trained. But Onyeka and her new friends at the Academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves embroiled in a momentous battle between truth and lies . . .
A glorious silver anniversary edition of J.K. Rowling’s classic first story, featuring the original 1997 cover illustration by Thomas Taylor and exciting bonus material to celebrate 25 years of Harry Potter magic. This is where the adventure begins, as Harry Potter discovers that he is no ordinary boy but a wizard of great reknown, as well as expected at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Moreover, at Hogwarts, he encounters "He Who Must Not Be Named", a master of magic whose ambition is more dark and terrifying than Harry can possibly imagine.
Writing a sequel to a much-loved book that has deservedly achieved ‘classic’ status is no mean feat, but Emma Carroll has risen to the task masterfully. While it is a delight to meet again characters such as among others, Maia, Finn, Miss Minton and Clovis, this is a unique story with its own distinctive voice. It is such a relief that there has been no attempt to pastiche the voice or style of Ibbotson. Carroll is esteemed in her own right as an author of gripping historical adventures, and this is no exception. The central character, Rosa, escaped from Vienna (a nice link to Ibbotson’s birthplace) on the Kindertransport and spent the war years at the dilapidated West Country mansion house owned by Sir Clovis and Lady Prue, surrounded by the girls from an evacuated London school and the animals from the local zoo. Post war loneliness and the arrival of Dr Yara Fielding, a young scientist, is the catalyst for the next stage of her adventure, in the beautifully evoked Amazon rainforest where she finds the perfect found family and starts to come to terms with what might have happened to her mother and sister. But the lingering horrors of war are reaching out into the jungle too and there are dangers to face and villains to defeat. There are some fascinating themes to explore in this rich and enjoyable text: exploitation of land and resources in both the UK and the Amazon basin, the ethics of keeping animals in captivity; or the fate of child refugees whether during WWII or in the present time. Invaluable also for topic work on rainforests, South America or rivers this book will be thoroughly and deservedly welcomed in KS2 classes everywhere.
Interest Age 8+ Reading Age 8 | This is the latest in a series of books by Steve Cole which let readers see the world through the eyes of young people the same age as them but living very different lives. Hanh’s family were conned into allowing her to travel to Hanoi, ostensibly for a job as a shop assistant. Instead, she’s forced to work in a sweatshop making clothes for Western fashion outlets. Little more than slaves, she and other young girls work long hours in horrible, dangerous conditions, locked in at night and beaten by guards if they complain. It’s a grim setting, but Cole’s story emphasises Hanh’s strength, character, and resilience as together the girls form a desperate plan to escape. It’s tense and exciting, and readers will identify with Hanh from the very beginning. The story leaves them in no doubt either as to the real cost of that cute pair of ripped jeans and makes us all aware of our part in the terrible treatment of children like Hanh. Published by Barrington Stoke, this is accessible for all readers including those reluctant, struggling or dyslexic.
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month June 2022 | Tautly written and full of jeopardy, this is a fast-paced adventure with a cast of characters who's intersecting lives propel the drama excellently. Set in a crumbling society that is ruled by fear, Colony is heading towards complete destruction. But there is one girl, living secretly in the woods under the fiercely protective watch of the guardian who has cared for her since her parents died, who has an extraordinary power that may be able to change the destiny of Colony. If she summons all her mental powers, Cora can change the course of an action. Its a terrifying power that can be easily abused so it is no surprise that everyone in hunting done Cora. When she sets out on a dangerous journey how can she stay safe and who can she trust?.
June 2022 Debut of the Month | Caribbean folklore meets futuristic fantasy in Alake Pilgrim’s Zo and the Forest of Secrets, an exhilarating Middle Grade adventure driven by the determination of its endearing heroine and the shocking secrets she finds in the forest. This is heartily recommended for readers who are into adventure, fantasy and ecological issues – it’s an an absolute page-turner with real-life resonance. Zo is staying in Samaan Bay on Trinidad’s northeast coast with her mum, baby brother and stepdad, and she’s not happy. Missing her dad and friends, she decides to run away. What could go wrong? Zo’s dad has taught her everything about the forest. At least, that’s what she thinks until it takes a strange and sinister turn, and Zo must summon all her courage to find a way home, save a lost boy and navigate the unsettling truths of an abandoned research facility. The landscapes of the author’s beloved Trinidad are brilliantly evoked — rushing rivers and tangled mangroves, mountainous rainforests teeming with plants and creatures of both the familiar and fantastical variety, among them a talking pirate spider (Cap’n Peg), robotic gnats, and the fearsome Flesh-skinner. The novel also interweaves ecological topics, with Zo mentioning the devastating effects of large-scale logging and mining, and lamenting how companies have “destroyed the rich plant and animal life of the forest”. As Zo faces a thrillingly relentless succession of challenges, she makes a shocking discovery that splendidly sets the scene for the second book in this duology.
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