Modern and contemporary fiction

A thrilling fictionalised account of the life of Matthew Henson, the first African-American man to travel to the North Pole, from the Carnegie-nominated author Catherine Johnson. Matthew Henson was simply an ordinary man. That was, until Commander...

A powerful and immensely moving story of friendship, family and happiness, from an award-winning author well-known for his gritty realism for teens. Aman's dad is gone, leaving her feeling lost and alone. She struggles to talk about it, but it's a fact...

Tom Palmer celebrates the unsung athletic heroes of the Armistice in a powerful tale of the fell-running messengers on the front-line of war, publishing for the centenary anniversary of the end of WWI. Lily has lots of worries. She's...

A cautionary tale of brats, cats and a little bit of magic from much loved and best-selling author Malorie Blackman. Ellie is the rudest, most spoilt child her grandma has ever met and it's time that she learnt a lesson! So with a little bit of magic...

A warm and charming tale of diversity, language, and the shared cultures that make-up modern life. Shona has always loved words. She even has her very own strange word thesaurus! When her and her classmates learn that some languages are dying out, Miss...

Former Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo spins the tender yet humorous tale of a bully who gets his comeuppance. Class bully Darren is challenged to a face-off with Olly the bull. Darren has no idea that Olly's a gentle giant. And the boy who set the...

Another hilarious sword-swinging adventure of little hero Norman from the riotously funny comedy dream team in a full-colour Little Gems package. Norman the Norman is at it again! And this time the Duchess of Normandy is determined that her William...

With an authentic Indian backdrop, this is a feel-good story of young kids chasing big dreams that shimmers with all of Alexander McCall Smith’s trademark optimism and joy – an outlook on life that makes him one of the world’s best-loved...

A fun, fast-paced story filled with facts about the solar system, doubling as the perfect celebration of grandparents and grandchildren. Billy's grandfather is a retired astronaut who likes to take Billy on trips around planet Earth. But when the ship's...

A hilarious Little Gem from Jeremy Strong, the master of comic writing for children, with character-packed illustration from Jamie Smith. Plucky young penguin Nellie Choc-Ice goes on an epic adventure when her iceberg floats off to the North Pole...

A delightfully witty and tender-hearted Christmas story like none other, introducing a unique author and illustrator collaboration to make for a very special Little Gem. Jo-Jo is convinced that Christmas is cancelled – and it's all his fault. To...

A touching story of life-long friendship and the strength of memory. From award-winning author Sita Brahmachari, this is a tender tale of overcoming loss told in her celebrated accessible and moving style. From award-winning author Sita Brahmachari, a...

An important, tender and vital story about dealing with and overcoming worry, perfectly pitched for young readers. Amy May knows about webs of worries – so many people she meets are caught in them, from her own artist dad to newly arrived refugee Rima...

A charming and witty take on a family going to the dogs and the dog who must save them, from the 2016 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award-winner. Filled to the brim with Meg’s wry humour and beautiful prose and illustrated throughout in black and...

Warm, magical and funny family tale from an award-winning author. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 8+ Tom, Ellie and Whiskers the Cat have to go and live with witchy Aunt Tab when their parents set off on a raft...

From football to flight sequences and real-life drama to fantasy, the action-packed first book in Tom Palmer's Wings sequence has it all. Jatinder seems to be living his dream – he's training for his team's youth squad, and his host parents Steve and...

Grandparents take centre stage in this charming tale as a young boy and his grandfather let their imaginations take flight for an afternoon of space exploration, with beautiful artwork from Hannah Coulson. High quality cream paper and a special easy to...

A warm, charming and ever-so-slightly batty celebration of family love, inspiring teachers and the great characters who make all our lives more interesting. Shona likes most creatures in the world but for some reason she's terrified of bats, and so...

An honest and heart-warming tale of family, growing up and 'difference' from prize-winning author Sita Brahmachari, set over the course of one life-changing day. Tender-hearted and necessary, this gem of a teen novel is a rollercoaster ride for the heart...

Alex and her dad are caught up in an intense hostage situation in this action-packed showdown, edited to a reading age of 6.5. Alex and her dad are working a routine plumbing job in the Town Hall when it is suddenly taken over by terrorists. Their...

National treasure Alexander McCall Smith joins up-and-coming illustrator Zoe Persico in this utterly adorable story of family, acceptance and difference. Part of Barrington Stoke's picture book range for all the family, with easy-read font. Jane has...

Charming countryside tale about the bond between children and animals, perfect for younger fans of Michael Morpurgo. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all. When Joe's teacher announces the new class...

Family drama set during World War II. When Jimmy and Molly lose their mother in an air-raid, their father has no choice but to leave them in the care of their Nan when he goes to fight. Will the children ever see him again? Particularly suitable for...

It's hard to hide a pancake face forever … Support severely struggling readers with this hi-lo tale about self-confidence and acceptance. Alice Peasbody has no nose. People point and stare. Only the birds in the garden are Alice's friends. She tries to...

Yellow Rabbit is lost, but she's having lots of fun without her owner, Ashley. Will she come home at all? Support severely struggling readers with this sweet hi-lo adventure. Oh no! Ashley has left her favourite toy in a hotel in Spain. She is sad, but...

Embark on a thrilling new adventure set in the world of Minecraft, where danger lurks at every turn, and our heroes must protect the Minecraft server from being shut down forever. Following the events of the Minecraft Woodsword Chronicles and the...

Bestselling YA author Melinda Salisbury exposes the dark underbelly of new technologies and online friendships in this gripping thriller. Ruby Brookes and her best friend Deva have won free places at the Ash Tree Foundation Performing Arts Camp over the...

Tickle the soft patches to hear the rhino and its friends make adorable sounds in this hilarious baby book. You'd better not tickle the rhino... because it just might snort if you do! Babies and toddlers will love exploring the hilarious world of this...

The second sensational book in a brand-new funny, accessible and action-packed space-adventure series written by the incredible Lorraine Gregory – perfect for middle grade fans of MG Leonard and David Baddiel! If the fate of the entire multiverse was in...

A touching, timely and tender exploration of refuge and migration for the youngest readers, this picture book offers a moving insight into the real journeys being made by children today. A young boy discusses the journey he is about to make with...

The blast of laughter echoes across the bay, sounding almost melancholy in the desolation of the cove.And I realise with a strange chill, there’s no one here but us. Spring break is a vibe — until someone gets murdered.Partying with popular classmates...

Join a cast of animal characters for lots of school holiday sticker fun. Set off on holiday with this cast of friendly animal characters. Join them as they spend a day at the beach, hit the ski slopes and camp beneath the stars. Children will love...

Add stickers to show the amazing variety of animals and plants in different parts of the world. From a dusty desert to the deep blue sea, discover wonders of nature from all over the world in this inviting sticker book. Children will love filling each...

The brilliant new heart-warming story from Luke Scriven, author and illustrator of The Little Fear. All Georgie wants to do is play with his big brother, who ALWAYS comes up with the best games and adventures! But recently, all Georgie hears is the same...

Are you up to the challenge? Venture with Link and Princess Zelda in this full-colour activity book based on Nintendo's classic franchise The Legend of Zelda! Fans of The Legend of Zelda series will love this full-colour activity book featuring Link,...

The complete collection of the bestselling children’s fantasy adventure trilogy, in this beautiful slipcase edition. Believing is just the beginning …When Arthur and Rose were little, they were heroes in the Land of Roar, an imaginary world that they...

Lift the soft flaps in this delightful novelty book to find a family of playful little bears playing hide and seek. Table cloths, coats, laundry on the line... there are all kinds of soft things that bear cubs just love to hide behind! Each time you...

Marvellous Marvin braves the stage to showcase the magic that can be found in true friendship in this hilarious and heartfelt tale from bestselling author Jenny Pearson. After being humiliated by a badly behaved squirrel on national television, Marvin...

Bees! Butterflies! Ladybirds! Join Dr. Seuss’s Lorax in this exciting new book about incredible insects and how best to protect them! With unique rhymes, spectacular information and heaps of brilliant images, children will love learning about the...

There's a hilarious monster waiting to jump out from behind each flap in this spectacular novelty book. You'd better not open the flaps, because the monsters might get out! There's a hilarious beastie waiting to jump out from behind each flap in this...

A heart-warming aspirational picture book for new mums and babies from First Nations tennis champion Ash Barty, with Jasmin McGaughey and Jade Goodwin, the bestselling team behind Little Ash My dream for you begins earlier than dawn,in the magical days...

The acclaimed novels from Alice Oseman, the author of the 2021 YA Book Prize winning Loveless‘The Catcher in the Rye for the digital age’ The Times SOLITAIRE My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year – before all that stuff...

A witty and uplifting story about perseverance and hope, perfect for fans of The Magical Yet, starring three endearing flightless birds determined to get aloft. Three flightless friends long to feel the wind beneath their wings. So, they try,...

Your baby loves black and white! New bubs see the world differently, and this high-contrast board book is perfect for engaging their developing eyesight, strengthening their cognitive abilities and encouraging their gross motor skills.Bond with your...

From the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of the Food Group series, Pete Oswald, and debut picture book author Phuc Tran, this is a hilarious picture book about big trucks, big feelings, and even bigger...

Written from a place of deep understanding and love, this beautiful book explores and explains for young children what it means to be gender diverse. There are so many ways to be a girl, a boy, both - or neither. Created by writer Romy Ash and...

Take to the skies and join Dragon Towers – the school where everyone has their own dragon best friend! A hilarious new series from the author of the Naughtiest Unicorn – highly illustrated, full of fun and adventure, and starring a dragon with a magical...

It’s Easter with a twist in this hilarious mix-up of eggs with legs and hot cross BUMS… Easter is a SPRINGY time of year! But SOMETHING doesn’t look right here . . .Spring into Easter with this laugh-out-loud journey through all things eggs, rabbits and...