A fast-paced, time-twisting, magical adventure where EVERY SECOND COUNTS. "I really couldn't put The Magic Hour down. The concept is genius, the characters are unforgettable, and the adventure is thrilling. A book I'll be recommending to everyone!" - A. F. Steadman, bestselling author of Skandar and The Unicorn Thief. "Get ready for a rip-roaring, time-twisting, mind-meltingly brilliant adventure! Lose yourself in The Magic Hour, an adventure so thrilling, hours feel like seconds!" - Ben Miller, bestselling author of The Boy Who Made The World Disappear. "The Magic Hour is twisty, fun, gripping and full of delicious and daring science and adventure." - Vashti Hardy, betselling author of Brightstorm. Eleven-year-old Ailsa Craig is always late! To everything - her own birth, school, and even her own house exploding! Although it is certainly better to be late for that than early... But then one day, Ailsa discovers the secret of a lifetime: An extra hour in the day. The Magic Hour which exists in a fantastical, parallel Edinburgh, accessed at twilight. As she explores this extraordinary place where anything seems possible, Ailsa can't believe her luck. Her grades improve and life seems to be on the up - even the popular kids start liking her. But messing with time, can have desperate consequences. When Ailsa discovers that the extra time comes at a terrible cost, she must battle the sinister forces at work and save herself, her parents and the world. What would you do with an extra hour in the day? A funny, high-octane, race-against-time adventure that is perfect for fans of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, Amari and the Night Brothers, Pages & Co and Nevermoor. Beautifully illustrated and brought to life by Alessia Trunfio. From award-winning and celebrated creator of Spooks and Versailles, David Wolstencroft.

Josh (13) woon by sy tannie Verona en haar gesin op 'n plaas in OosAfrika nadat sy ma twee jaar gelede skielik verdwyn het. Op 'n dag daag 'n vreemdeling by die plaas op en probeer Josh ontvoer. Gelukkig red Doris, die huishulp, hom uit die kloue van die bose man. Sy vertel hom dat 'n groep mense sy bloed soek en dat hy moet vlug na 'n magiese geheime vallei, Kalimbula, waar hy veiliger sal wees. Hy moet die wyseman, Ngandu, in sy grot gaan spreek. Josh en Njeri, 'n kanniedood 15­jarige meisie, se paaie kruis. Sy help hom om die wyseman te vind – en Josh word met 'n opdrag weggestuur: die opsporing van die goue kalbas. Josh weet dat al sy vrae beantwoord sal word wanneer hy die kalbas kry en hy pak die reis deur Kalimbula alleen aan. Hy ontmoet Masjeba, die heks, wat hom help om die legkaartstukkies van sy ma se verdwyning bymekaar te sit. Wanneer die kalbas uiteindelik oopgemaak word om die naam van die volgende troonopvolger te onthul, kry Josh die verrassing van sy lewe . . .

EXCITABLE - INQUISITIVE - FEARLESS - BIT OF A KNOW-IT-ALL ELEVEN YEAR OLD MARROW GETS RUDELY PULLED THROUGH A SMALL KEYHOLE IN A PAINTING. SHE THEN FINDS HERSELF IN AN ODDBALL FOREST WORLD OF CREATURES AND THINGS SHE KNOWS ABOUT, AND A FEW SHE DOES NOT! SOME OF THEM SEE HER AS A TASTY MEAL ON LEGS, AND OTHERS TRY TO HELP HER FIND HER WAY BACK. AS SHE NAVIGATES HER WAY THROUGH THIS ENDLESS LEARY WORLD OF WONDER, FUN, AND DANGER, SHE MUST USE HER IMAGINATION, WITS, AND GIRL GUIDE KNOW-HOW TO GET OUT OF ENDLESS SCRAPES AND ADVENTURES! T.L.G.

Die Bitterbosbende kamp langs die rivier. Toe Zia en Nieke een aand badkamer toe loop, begin 'n hond verwoed blaf. Toe is daar die geluid van 'n trein wat kwaai rem aanslaan en dan 'n harde botsing. Dis eers toe Zia gil dat Nieke sien wat in haar hand is . . .  'n been?  En so begin die soeke na die geheimsinnige stoomlokomotief wat passasiers in die sewentigerjare vervoer het, wat daar naby ontspoor het. Wat het van die slagoffers, wat kinders en 'n hond ingesluit het, geword?

The danger rises and the deception grows in the heart-stopping fourth book in the New York Times bestselling Impostors series! It's time to come out of hiding... Frey has spent her life in a family of deceivers, a stand-in for her sister, manipulated at her father's command. Free from them at last, she is finding her own voice - and using it to question everything her family stood for. Tally was once the most famous rebel in the world. But for over a decade, she's kept to the shadows, allowing her myth to grow even as she receded. Now she sees that the revolution she led has not created a stable world. Freedom, she observes, has a way of destroying things. As the world is propelled further into conflict and conspiracy, Frey and Tally join forces to put a check on the people in power, while still trying to understand their own power and where it belongs. Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent Fans of The Uglies will delight in seeing main character Tally make her big return to the page. The Uglies series has been optioned as a blockbuster movie.

Join the club, find the magic! The second book in a BRILLIANT new series brimming with adventure, friendship and an amazing array of magical creatures! A must-read for fans of Beast Quest, The Boy Who Grew Dragons and The Naughtiest Unicorn. Aisha and Jayden are officially members of the Secret Beast Club and ready for another mission! This time a dragon is on the loose in Birmingham and about to cause havoc - unless the Secret Beast Club can track him down! But with a dragon hunter also on the trail, it's a race against time to find the dragon and get him to safety! Inspired by the real life story of Pablo Fanque - the first Black circus owner - and featuring fun facts about the magical creatures within each story, this exciting new series for 6+ readers is not to be missed!

Skulduggery, Valkyrie and Omen return in the 14th and penultimate novel in the internationally bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant series - and their most epic test yet... In a matter of days, the world will change. Billions of lives will be wiped away in a final, desperate search for the Child of the Faceless Ones - she who is destined to bring about the return of humankind's ancient overlords. To prevent this, Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain have one last - terrible - option: the assassination of Damocles Creed. With protests stirring in the magical city of Roarhaven, with riots and revolutions on the horizon, Valkyrie must decide who she wants to be: the hero who risks everything for a noble ideal, or the killer who sacrifices her own soul for the fate of humanity. The decision must be made, and time is running out.

The bewitching classic children's novel by Neil Gaiman, featuring spellbinding illustrations from Chris Riddell and an exclusive new introduction by the author 'I was enthralled ... a marvellously strange and scary book' Philip Pullman 'A masterpiece' Terry Pratchett There is something strange about Coraline's new home. It's not the mist, or the cat that always seems to be watching her, nor the signs of danger that Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, her new neighbours, read in the tea leaves. It's the other house - the one behind the old door in the drawing room. Another mother and father with black-button eyes and papery skin are waiting for Coraline to join them there. And they want her to stay with them. For ever. She knows that if she ventures through that door, she may never come back. This deliciously creepy, gripping novel is packed with glorious illustrations by Chris Riddell, and is guaranteed to delight and entrance readers of all ages.

The seductive and action-packed follow-up to Alex Aster’s instant #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and internationally bestselling novel, Lightlark.

Isla Crown has secured the love of two powerful rulers and broken the curses that plagued the six realms for centuries, but few know the true origins of her powers. Now, in the wake of a crushing betrayal, Isla finds herself hungry for distraction, preferring to frequent Lightlark’s seductive haunts instead of embracing her duties as the newly crowned leader of two separate realms. Worse, her fellow rulers haven’t ceded victory quietly, and there are others in Isla’s midst who don’t believe her ascent to power was earned. As certain death races toward Lightlark and secrets from the past begin to unravel, Isla must weigh her responsibility to her people against the whims of the most dangerous traitor of all: her heart.

Alex Aster’s intricate world expands after the riveting culmination of the Centennial games, delving more deeply into Isla’s memories of her past, as her future hurtles toward two possible fates.

The #1 New York Times bestselling series is hotter than ever, and this thrilling conclusion to the Lost Continent Prophecy arc is a must-read! With talons united . . . Luna has always wanted to change the world -- to fix it, to free it -- even if she's never actually known how. Now that all of dragon - and humankind are in mortal danger, Luna is flying back home to Pantala with a team of dragons on a rescue mission, determined to be brave and useful. But saving a continent isn't as easy as a prophecy makes it sound, and "facing a great evil" definitely requires more than the fiery silk that Luna is uniquely able to create. As she fights her way to the abyss that hides the dark roots poisoning Pantala, Luna must uncover a long-buried secret and unite her friends, her enemies, and her own powers. If she doesn't, she won't get to change the world. She'll have to say goodbye to it -- forever.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard have been favourite bedtime reading in wizarding households for centuries. Full of magic and trickery, these classic tales both entertain and instruct, and remain as captivating to young wizards today as they were when Beedle first put quill to parchment in the fifteenth century. There are five tales in all: 'The Tale of the Three Brothers' Harry Potter fans will know from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune', 'The Warlock's Hairy Heart', 'The Wizard and the Hopping Pot' and 'Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump' complete the collection. These narrative gems are accompanied by explanatory notes by Professor Albus Dumbledore (included by kind permission of the Hogwarts Headmaster's archive). His illuminating thoughts reveal the stories to be much more than just simple moral tales, and are sure to make Babbitty Rabbitty and the slug-belching Hopping Pot as familiar to Muggles as Snow White and Cinderella. This edition of these much loved fairy tales from the wizarding world pairs J.K. Rowling's original text with gorgeous jacket art by Jonny Duddle and line illustrations throughout by Tomislav Tomic. The Tales of Beedle the Bard is published in aid of the Lumos (link to wearelumos.org), an international children's charity (registered charity number 1112575) founded in 2005 by J.K Rowling. Lumos is dedicated ending the institutionalisation of children, a harmful practice that affects the lives of up to eight million disadvantaged children around the world who live in institutions and orphanages, many placed there as a result of poverty, disability, disease, discrimination and conflict; very few are orphans. Lumos works to reunite children with their families, promote family-based care alternatives and help authorities to reform their systems and close down institutions and orphanages.

The first DRAGON REALM series reaches its epic finale with the fifth adventure for 9+ readers! Perfect for fans of epic conclusions. 'Packed full of fun, heart and imagination, it will make you wish you had your own dragon bond' - Anna James, author of the PAGES & CO. series All eyes are on Billy and his friends after the Dragon Realm collapses and is exposed to the Human Realm. In their search for a new home for the dragon population, they learn of the Hidden Realm, a secret so well guarded that only one dragon knows how to locate it . . . Glorious Old. But convincing her to trust them comes with its own problems, not to mention the introduction of an evil new baddie and their band of human-hating dragons. With trouble round every corner, what destiny is in store for Billy and the group? Praise for DRAGON MOUNTAIN: 'Splendidly addictive' - Guardian 'Rollicking, escapist storytelling with a dragon-sized heart' - Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of THE GIRL OF INK AND STARS 'A soaring, sizzling, fire-breathing gem of an adventure story' - Abi Elphinstone, bestselling author of SKY SONG 'A wonderful warm-hearted and action-packed adventure' - Katherine Woodfine, author of THE SINCLAIR'S MYSTERIES 'Brimming with warmth and originality, DRAGON MOUNTAIN combines edge-of-your-seat adventure, laugh-out-loud humour and hugely exciting dragons to create a sweeping fantasy that will captivate readers of all ages.' - Catherine Doyle, author of THE STORM KEEPER'S ISLAND 'DRAGON MOUNTAIN has all of my favourite things! A rich mythology and a tale of friendship, snarky dragons and daring deeds...this is the kind of breathless tale that leaves you hungry for the next instalment' - Roshani Chokshi, author of the ARU SHAH series 'DRAGON MOUNTAIN is a joy to read - adventurous and enchanting, with a heart of gold. It will make you re-live the moment you first looked at the sky and longed to see a dragon looking back' - Samantha Shannon, author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE and THE BONE SEASON series

An enchancting, lyrical novel from the acclaimed author of A Light Between Worlds! 'Weymouth's prose is lush and evocative, filled with palpable descriptions and compelling mystery' KIRKUS 'With lush prose and an eye for atmospheric detail, Weymouth adeptly spins a tale in which thge heroine is torn between passion and purpose, destruction and duty.' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY When her father is convicted of high treason, Violet Sterling is exiled. Seven years later she has a chance to return to her beloved Burleigh House and to Wyn, the boy she left behind. But Burleigh - one of the six great magical houses of England - has gone wild with grief after the death of Violet's father and now the capricious King of England has threatened to raze it to the ground. Vi must decide whether her destiny is set in stone, before Burleigh destroys everything she loves. The second novel by acclaimed YA talent and author of The Light Between World, Laura Weymouth. A curious and original alternate history of living great houses, set in a vividly imagined, enchanting world.

Kurt, sy suster Nieke en hul maats is in Gr 5 in Laerskool Bitterbos, en bly in die koshuis. Die nuwe skoolhoof waai soos 'n yskoue onweerswind by die eerste saalbyeenkoms in. Daar's 'n NW-taak wat moet klaarkom, as groepwerk! Toe Kurt-hulle se idee vir 'n sonkrag-oondjie TE goed werk en hulle 'n mini-ontploffing in die vierkant veroorsaak, word hulle na die hoof se kantoor ontbied - met verrassende gevolge . . .   

The fourth adventure in the ROARsome DRAGON REALM series for 9+ readers! Perfect for fans of nail-biting mysteries and cinematic battles. Dragon Destiny, the fifth and final instalment, is now available. 'A joy of a thing. It's for every child who has ever longed to bond with a dragon' - Katherine Rundell, bestselling author of THE ROOFTOPPERS Billy, Dylan, Charlotte and Ling-Fei are back in their hometowns, missing each other and their dragons. While out surfing one morning, Billy panics when a water dragon emerges out of the waves, and soon strange sightings are being spotted all over the world. Meeting back in Dragon Realm, the friends, their dragons and two new acquaintances join forces to investigate. But what unravels is a dastardly plan concocted by an evil baddie and a human and dragon battle that will go down in history. It's up to Billy and friends to save the world, but can they do it? Praise for DRAGON MOUNTAIN: 'Splendidly addictive' - Guardian 'Rollicking, escapist storytelling with a dragon-sized heart' - Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of THE GIRL OF INK AND STARS 'A soaring, sizzling, fire-breathing gem of an adventure story' - Abi Elphinstone, bestselling author of SKY SONG 'A wonderful warm-hearted and action-packed adventure' - Katherine Woodfine, author of THE SINCLAIR'S MYSTERIES 'Packed full of fun, heart and imagination, it will make you wish you had your own dragon bond' - Anna James, author of the PAGES & CO. series 'Brimming with warmth and originality, DRAGON MOUNTAIN combines edge-of-your-seat adventure, laugh-out-loud humour and hugely exciting dragons to create a sweeping fantasy that will captivate readers of all ages.' - Catherine Doyle, author of THE STORM KEEPER'S ISLAND 'DRAGON MOUNTAIN has all of my favourite things! A rich mythology and a tale of friendship, snarky dragons and daring deeds...this is the kind of breathless tale that leaves you hungry for the next instalment' - Roshani Chokshi, author of the ARU SHAH series 'DRAGON MOUNTAIN is a joy to read - adventurous and enchanting, with a heart of gold. It will make you re-live the moment you first looked at the sky and longed to see a dragon looking back' - Samantha Shannon, author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE and THE BONE SEASON series

Climb into the adventure of your dreams in the bestselling adventure from bestselling author, Ben Miller - the perfect gift this Christmas! Lana and Harrison are staying with their grandparents, when they discover their favourite tree to play in is under threat. That night, a magical golden thread leads them up through the hollow of the tree into a storybook land, where wind and rain rage and a mysterious creature lives. When Harrison is kidnapped by the evil Spider Queen, Lana must do whatever it takes to find him, save the villagers and restore the balance of the storybook world, before the night is out. A breathtaking journey through magical worlds for all the family, featuring Lana and Harrison, the adventure-loving siblings from the smash-hit The Day I Fell into a Fairytale, from master storyteller, Ben Miller. Praise for Ben Miller: 'Wonderful, funny, magical' Chris Evans on How I Became a Dog Called Midnight 'A magical adventure' Sunday Express on The Day I Fell into a Fairytale 'Bubbles with warmth and mischievous humour . . . irresistible' Alexander Armstrong on The Night I Met Father Christmas

What happens when the girl who could fly can't fly anymore? Piper's ability has disappeared, perhaps the result of some dark spell put on her, or perhaps because her ability has simply vanished forever. There is a worldwide calamity that Piper, Conrad, and their exceptional friends must tackle to save the planet, but Piper is left behind. If she can't fly, then what use is she? Piper learns she can't do a lot of things - cook, clean, and help Ma around the house, for example. She feels more helpless than ever. It is the 'normal' kids around her, kids she felt never liked her before, who end up helping her believe in herself again. Does she fly again? Yes. And in the process, she learns that life is always exceptional, and 'abilities' come in many forms.

Soar into space with this glorious love story of alien folk, from the number one bestselling author and illustrator of The Gruffalo and Stick Man. 'By a loobular lake on a far-off planet There lived a young Smed, and her name was Janet. Not far away, on a humplety hill, There lived a young Smoo by the name of Bill.' The Smeds (who are red) never mix with the Smoos (who are blue). So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love, their families strongly disapprove. But peace is restored and love conquers all in this happiest of love stories.There's even a gorgeous purple baby to celebrate! Sturdy board pages with softly rounded corners are perfect for little ones With fabulous rhymes and breathtaking illustrations, this picture book from the UK's number one picture book author and illustrator is literally out of this world! Friendship, love, adventure and togetherness are at the heart of this joyful story From the creators of The Gruffalo, Stick Man and Zog, which have all been made into animated films Superworm is on BBC One at Christmas with voice artists including Oscar-winner Olivia Colman (narrator), Matt Smith (Superworm) and Rob Brydon (Crow) New for September 2022 - look out for The Baddies,the wickedly funny new picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. 'Blast off with the most exciting book yet from the creator of The Gruffalo. Get ready for a wild and wonderful journey through space in a book that is perfect for reading together.' The Sun Collect the whole Scholastic picture book series by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler: Stick Man Superworm Tabby McTat The Highway Rat The Scarecrows' Wedding The Smeds and the Smoos Tiddler Ugly Five Zog Zog and the Flying Doctors Also available in paperback, board book, book and CD and early reader formats. Each title also has a sticker activity book with over 300 stickers and pages of activities for hours of extra fun.

There are secrets hidden beneath the ice . . . bring the magic home in the frosty fourth instalment of the bestselling Pinch of Magic Adventures, from the award-winning author Michelle Harrison.

When the Widdershins sisters and Granny are called away in deepest winter to look after cousin Clarissa, it doesn’t take long for adventure – or trouble – to find them. The town of Wilderness has plenty to explore with its frozen lake and winter market, as well as being haunted by a doomed highwayman and his secret love. But the legends are true and seeing a ghostly figure one night, the girls realise that Granny is in terrible danger.

As an icy storm rages, the race to save her begins – can the sisters lay Wilderness’s ghosts to rest before another soul is claimed?