Modern and contemporary fiction Books

A smashed china dragon helps Tyra to bond with her new classmates in this touching tale from bestselling author Karen McCombie. Tyra gets off to a tough start at her new school. She’s loud and different and nobody seems to be particularly friendly. So...

A missing budgie inspires an unlikely friendship between a young boy and his elderly neighbour in this touching Little Gem from award-winner and Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho. Mr Buxton is always having a go at Miles and his friends for climbing the...

Engage your seriously struggling and reluctant teen readers with Barrington Stoke's SEN short fiction. Lights in the Mirror has been specially designed for teen readers with a very low reading age of 6 and is fully illustrated throughout. Engage your...

When the Prime Minister begins making Ted's great ideas a reality, he suddenly has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders … A hilarious comedy caper from Waterstones Children's Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce. Ted thinks there’s something fishy going on...

Fair is foul and foul is fair … bestseller Ross Montgomery returns with a laugh-out-loud, perfectly pitched introduction to Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Beth has been looking forward to the Prizegiving Assembly all year. She’s won best-behaved pupil two years...

Jane has always been just a little bit different – she has springs in her knees! Support severely struggling readers with this hi-lo adventure with a spring in its step. Jane has always been just a little bit different – she has springs in her knees!...

Alan Gibbons returns with an action-packed football story accompanied by fascinating facts and historical detail about famous substitutes. New boy Smithy can’t understand why everyone is so excited about a player on the football team called “Bengo.”...

A project to re-introduce beavers brings a town together against a common threat, in this touching tale from master storyteller Gill Lewis. Times are tough for Cari and her mum. A violent storm has flooded the valley where they live, destroying their...

Fagin’s infamous gang comes to life once again in this exciting Oliver Twist-inspired adventure from bestselling author Karen McCombie. Orphan Ettie Shaw is penniless and homeless on the streets of London when she is spotted by her older brother Joe.Joe...

Friendship forms in the midst of war between a young German boy and a Russian bomber-dog, in this poignant and gripping historical adventure. East Prussia, Germany, 1945. War is raging across Europe, and as Russian soldiers close in across eastern...

A search for treasure reveals the toxic consequences of modern life in this thrilling adventure set against the backdrop of the world’s largest e-waste dump. A search for treasure reveals the toxic consequences of modern life in this thrilling adventure...

Kindness is key in this funny new family drama from perennial bestseller and award-winning author Anne Fine. There are many reasons why Tansy dreads Aunt Emma coming to visit. She’s rude, she’s boring, and Tansy has to give up her room so Aunt Emma can...

Worldwide bestseller Holly Webb makes her Barrington Stoke debut with a truly adorable sausage dog tale! Ruby’s dad has arrived home with a wonderful surprise – Coco the sausage dog puppy! And when the family go on holiday to the seaside, of course Coco...

Pioneering aviatrix Dolly Shepherd comes alive in this thrilling reimagining of her death-defying exploits from bestelling author Karen McCombie. When sixteen-year-old Dolly Shepherd is offered the chance to take to the sky in a hot-air balloon, there’s...

A cast of creative creatures take centre stage in this theatrical story about community and confidence from Blue Peter Book Award-shortlisted author Laura Wood. Summer by the seaside isn’t working out as Callie hoped. Instead of enjoying sunshine and...

The Royal Family must learn to live like common people in this hilarious Barrington Stoke debut from the author of The Accidental Prime Minister. Unlucky Bertie has only gone and gambled away the entire family fortune. It's the last in a long line of...

A warm and wise tale about the unique challenges of pre-teen life from a master of the genre. Lucy has lived her entire life in her sister's shadow – Lola is always the centre of attention and constantly in need of new clothes for a party or kit for her...

Can Meg find her sunshine smile again? A wonderfully warm and wise story about new families and new relationships from bestelling author Karen McCombie. Meg is the girl with the sunshine smile. That's what they call her at the wedding fairs where she...

Award-winning author Eve Ainsworth returns with a stark, honest and deeply moving novella exploring the difficult subject of alcoholism. Violet's mum hasn't been herself for a while. A few too many glasses of wine in the evening. Mornings when she can't...

Reluctant-reader favourite Tony Bradman returns with a gentle and sensitively told story of life as a young carer. Mum won't get out of bed. His best friend has dumped him. And school work is just too difficult. Jayden wants to do the right thing – but...

It's every street kid's dream: a job testing Virtual Kombat. Until it turns into a nightmare … The first adventure in Chris Bradford’s action-packed dystopian trilogy. Street kid Scott jumps at the chance to be a Virtual Kombat gamer. If he can battle...

An unlikely friendship is forged between android and student in this wildly imaginative sci-fi mystery from YA star Lauren James. Wealthy students from across the galaxy come to learn at the prestigious academy where Hugo toils as a watchmaker. But he...

A heart-warming tale of empathy, affection and dealing with grief across generations, from award-winning author Nicola Davies. Grandpa Joe is butterfly bonkers. There's nothing he loves more than photographing the fluttering, colourful creatures in his...

A poignant and pertinent exploration of life below the poverty line from the critically acclaimed award-winning creator of My Name is Not Refugee. Mum works really hard, but today there is no money left and no food in the cupboards. Forced to visit the...

A stunning new edition of Dowd’s moving story of lives lived on the edge of society, and love in its many forms with powerful black and white illustrations from Emma Shoard. Bullying, name-calling, and a new school face Jim when his family halt at...

The Peachey family’s loyal dog steps up to save the day once more in the fourth instalment of this acclaimed, witty middle-grade series. Pa has just landed a new job, and it's put an unusual spring in his step. But a new job means a new house in a new...

Upper Dab is under attack from a mysterious invasion of toads in this hilarious adventure from award-wining author Patrice Lawrence. After a toad lands on his head as he leaves his house one morning, Leo is determined to find out where it has come from...

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...