Claire Cashmore, MBE and Paralympic gold medallist, was born without a left forearm – but she never let being different stand in the way of her big dreams. Splash is based on Claire’s real-life experience: this gold-medal-winning swimmer really was scared of water … until one day, everything changed!

These are Claire’s big sisters.
They call her Bear and ruffle her hair.
And whatever Claire’s sisters can do,
Claire can do too …

But there is one thing Claire won't do …The water in the swimming pool makes her feel squirmy inside. Follow her sisters? No thank you! Not today?

Can Claire conquer her fears? Can she set foot in the water – and what will happen if she does?

Splash features a brilliantly bold heroine, who happens to be differently abled, and brims with fun, positivity and Claire Cashmore’s inspirational growth mindset message.

The Outsiders is an outstanding story of teenage rebellion, written when the author was only 17 years old. It is one of The Originals from Penguin - iconic, outspoken, first.

Youngsters in a small Oklahoma town have split into two gangs, divided by money, tastes and attitude. The Socs' idea of having a good time is beating up Greasers like Ponyboy Curtis.

Ponyboy knows what to expect and knows he can count on his brothers and friends - until the night someone takes things too far.

This book tackles the serious matter of child molestation and serves to inform and empower children. It highlights the warning signs of sexual abuse and teaches children how to react in such a situation. Kyla loves stories about fierce princess Arabia who can even fight dragons. But her older sister, Abby, don’t believe in fairy tales anymore. Abby says there is a dragon in their own home – one that fears nothing and no one. But who could it be?

From award-winning and beloved children's author Elizabeth Laird comes a stunning edition of The Garbage King, with a cover illustration by Zeamanuel Abera, an author letter and additional content from the author, including discussion notes. Inspired by the true story of an Ethiopian childhood lived on the edge of destitution, it takes you on an unforgettable emotional journey.

When Mamo's mother dies, he is abandoned in the shanties of Addis Ababa. Stolen by a child-trafficker and sold to a farmer, he is cruelly treated. Escaping back to the city, he meets another, very different runaway. Dani is rich, educated - and fleeing his tyrannical father. Together they join a gang of homeless street boys who survive only by mutual bonds of trust and total dependence on each other.

My love for you is all around, in sunshine, stream and tree. From rosy dawn to inky dusk, my love is in all you see. Discover all the colours love can take in this stunning board book celebrating the special bond between caregiver and child, Fox and Cub. Strands of colour appear as if by magic - poppy-field red, autumn-leaves orange, sunshine yellow, foliage green, river blue, stormy indigo and light rays of violet - to showcase a big, beautiful rainbow in the sky at the end of the book.

Readers will 'love' the charming display of sliding ribbons, as each page turn brings with it a new flash of colour and emotion!

Rorisang and her twin brother Mo must start the school year at a new school after their mom decides that the family needs to get out of their comfort zone. The twins have attended the school across the road since they were toddlers. All their friends are there, and their dad is best friends with the headmaster. The new school is far from their house, the extramural activities that are on offer are unfamiliar and the ones that Rorisang used to excel at in her old school is dominated by kids far better than her. Luckily Rorisang makes new friends quickly, learns to play softball and performs a praise poem at the Eisteddfod. She even survives the long trips in the car with her pest of a brother! A heartwarming story that celebrates family and friendship and finding your voice amidst change.

'My mum is up there somewhere. She's waiting -- I can feel it. I just have to find her in time, that's all ... Because when I do, I'll know the truth about who stole her. ' Told through the innocent voice of a child, this is a story that celebrates the power of hope and resilience, from the author of The Boy at the Back of the Class. On her tenth birthday, Sophie makes a wish -- a wish for her mum. After school that same day, Sophie and her brother are rushed out of school and driven far, far away. So Sophie sets out to find out the truth -- about the wish and about what happened to her mother. And in doing so she ends up on an adventure she never could have foreseen...one that involves a very clever squirrel, a homeless man named Harry, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, and the biggest star in Hollywood... A story that explores the subtle faces and endless impacts of domestic violence.

The paperback editions of The Boxcar Children Mysteries: #1, The Boxcar Children; #2, Surprise Island; #3, The Yellow House Mystery; and #4, Mystery Ranch are offered together in a cardboard case.

While not much is known about the life and legacy of Anna de Koning, this children’s book aims to make her a household name and have her story taught at schools – of how an enslaved child arrived in the Cape Colony from Bengal and would remarkably become one of the wealthiest and most influential women of her time.

Anna lived in a village surrounded by a thick rainforest filled with striped tigers that roared at night. Her mother had grown up in that village, and she would have too until strangers came and sold her family to the captain of a big ship with large white sails. When the ship finally arrived at the shores of the Cape of Good Hope, Anna’s life changed, and she was no longer free.

Woman of Freedom brings to life the historically accurate journey of a young enslaved girl who became one of the wealthiest and most respected women in the early Cape Colony.

Teaching children about one of South Africa’s matriarchs in an inspiring narrative true to the culture and history of our land.

WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE DARE?

In Marley's town, senior student pranks are a rite of passage. They start out simple: Marley and her friends - Atlas, Lucia and Jesse - egg houses, fill the headteacher's office with glitter-filled balloons and set chickens loose in the halls.

But when Jesse accepts a dare to drive Danger Alley, a ten-mile stretch of winding road that's notorious for car crashes, with no headlights, things take a turn for the worse. With her friends never backing down, Marley is caught between keeping the peace and keeping herself safe.

Just how far will they all go to finish a dare? And, more importantly, will any of them make it back the same?

In this laugh-out-loud funny sequel to the graphic novel Huda F Are You?, the Fahmys are off to Disney World, but self-conscious Huda worries her family will stand out too much.

Huda and her sisters can’t believe it when her parents announce that they’re actually taking a vacation this summer . . . to DISNEY WORLD! But it’s not quite as perfect as it seems. First Huda has to survive a 24-hour road trip from Michigan to Florida, with her sisters annoying her all the way. And then she can’t help but notice the people staring at her and her family when they pray in public. Back home in Deerborn she and her family blend right in because there are so many other Muslim families, but not so much in Florida and along the way.

It's a vacation of forced (but unexpectly successful?) sisterly bonding, a complicated new friendship, a bit more independence, and some mixed feelings about her family's public prayers. Huda is proud of her religion and who she is, but she still sure wishes she didn’t care so much what other people thought.

The Wave is based on a nightmarish true episode in a Californian high school, when a teacher wanted to demonstrate the dangers of propoganda and group-think.

Laurie isn't sure what to make of 'The Wave'. It had begun as a simple history experiment to liven up their World War II studies and had become a craze that was taking over their lives. Laurie's classmates are changing from normal teenagers into chanting, saluting fanatics. 'The Wave' is sweeping through the school - and it is out of control.

Laurie's friends scoff at her warnings but she knows she must make them see what they have become before it's too late.

While violence runs rampant throughout New York, a teenage girl faces danger within her own home in Meg Medina's riveting coming-of-age novel.

Nora Lopez is seventeen during the infamous New York summer of 1977, when the city is besieged by arson, a massive blackout, and a serial killer named Son of Sam who shoots young women on the streets. Nora's family life isn't going so well either: her bullying brother, Hector, is growing more threatening by the day, her mother is helpless and falling behind on the rent, and her father calls only on holidays. All Nora wants is to turn eighteen and be on her own. And while there is a cute new guy who started working with her at the deli, is dating even worth the risk when the killer likes picking off couples who stay out too late? Award-winning author Meg Medina transports us to a time when New York seemed balanced on a knife-edge, with tempers and temperatures running high, to share the story of a young woman who discovers that the greatest dangers are often closer than we like to admit -- and the hardest to accept.

Hani and Ishu couldn't be less alike - and they definitely don't like each other. But when fates collide and they pretend to date each other, things start to get messy... A heart-warming queer YA love story for fans of Becky Albertalli.

Everyone likes Hani Khan - she's easy going and one of the most popular girls at school. But when she comes out to her friends as bisexual, they don't believe her, claiming she can't be bi if she's only dated guys. Panicked, Hani blurts out that she's in a relationship... with a girl her friends can't stand - Ishu Dey.

Ishu is the polar opposite of Hani. An academic overachiever, she hopes that becoming head girl will set her on the right track for university. Her only problem? Becoming head girl is a popularity contest and Ishu is hardly popular. Pretending to date Hani is the only way she'll stand a chance of being elected.

Despite their mutually beneficial pact, they start developing real feelings for each other. But some people will do anything to stop two Bengali girls from achieving happily ever after.

A humorous, story-based look at catching a tummy bug.

It’s the Great School Bake Sale today! Tom’s tummy feels a bit funny, but he can’t wait to gobble down some sweet treats. He takes a big bite of a piece of delicious chocolate cake and suddenly feels very sick… Oh no – Tom’s got a tummy bug!

Find out all about some common childhood illnesses in Get Better Soon, from how you catch them to the symptoms, treatment and when you’ll start feeling better. It also tells you how you can avoid getting ill in the first place. For readers aged 5 and up.

The author, Anita Ganeri, is an award-winning author of children’s books, with a particular interest in health and PSHE topics.

The consultant, Dr Kristina Routh, is a fully qualified medical doctor and specialist in public health.

A humorous, story-based look at catching chickenpox.

The class are having their swimming lessons today and Sophia can’t wait to jump into the pool with her friends. But what’s that itchy red spot on her chest? Oh no – Sophia’s got chicken pox!

Find out all about some common childhood illnesses in Get Better Soon, from how you catch them to the symptoms, treatment and when you’ll start feeling better. It also tells you how you can avoid getting ill in the first place. For readers aged 5 and up.

The author, Anita Ganeri, is an award-winning author of children’s books, with a particular interest in health and PSHE topics.

The consultant, Dr Kristina Routh, is a fully qualified medical doctor and specialist in public health.

From prolific author Megan E. Bryant comes the first book in a young middle-grade series about nine-year-old Abby, a girl trying to grapple with all the chaos that can come from growing up, now in paperback!

For nine-year-old Abby McAdams, everything seems to be changing.

Her cousin and best friend, Zoe, has moved across the country, her mom is going back to work, and Abby is stuck in the only after-school activity still available—running—which she absolutely loathes. Her perspective on the world is changing, too, after an encounter in her community sheds light on the issue of homelessness in her town. On top of everything, sudden changes in Abby's body mean she has to deal with things like deodorant, bras, and uncomfortable conversations. And without her best friend by her side, she's not sure she can handle it all.

She's not a grown-up yet, but she definitely doesn't feel like a little kid anymore. She's Abby, in between.

Two things that are true and one that is a lie: I think my mother is dead and alive. I think if I work hard I will be very good at something. I've tried to please my dad but I don't think I ever will. Thirteen-year-old Morgan lives with his dad and his older brother, Mitch. He hasn't heard from his mum since she left when he was two. He works hard on his football skills, striving to meet his father's high expectations and 'be a man'. But what that means isn't always clear-cut. When Morgan makes a friend at school, gets injured in a game, and his long-lost mum turns up, everything changes. Then, when he meets an old woman in need of help, Morgan must decide what kind of man he wants to be. Shining a timely and much-needed light on different kinds of masculinity, Darkest Night, Brightest Star is a unique and compelling novel from a masterful storyteller.

A stellar novel about space, starting over and the best friend you could ever imagine. Ralph sat up. His voice was croaky. ‘If a shooting star past right now, what would you wish for?’ ‘To find another friend like you.’ Leo and Ralph have been best friends ever since Ralph flew down from one of Jupiter's moons. But now that Leo's older, his mum and dad think it's time to say goodbye to Ralph. When the family moves to a small town in the country, they hope Leo might finally make a real friend. But someone like Ralph is hard to leave behind...

Can you plan happiness?

It's been a year since Paige's first boyfriend died in a swimming accident and it's time she rejoined the real world.

So she makes a plan:

1. Date a boy (long-standing crush Ryan Chase seems like the perfect choice)

2. Attend parties (with best friends by your side: doable)

3. Join a club (simple enough, right?)

4. Travel (might as well dream big)

5. Swim (terrifying. Impossible)

But when she meets Ryan's sweet but so nerdy cousin, Max, he opens up her world and Paige's plans start to change.

Is it too late for a second chance at life?

Brimming with characters so real you feel you could pick up the phone and call them, The Start of Me and You will prove that it's never too late for second chances. Perfect for fans of Rainbow Rowell, Jennifer Niven and John Green. Chosen by bestselling author Amy Alward as part of the 2017 Zoella Book Club!

Shirley Temple Wong sails from China to America with a heart full of dreams. Her new home is Brooklyn, New York. America is indeed a land full of wonders, but Shirley doesn't know any English, so it's hard to make friends. Then a miracle-baseball-happens. It is 1947, and Jackie Robinson, star of the Brooklyn Dodgers, is everyone's hero. Jackie Robinson is proving that a black man, the grandson of a slave, can make a difference in America and for Shirley as well, on the ball field and off, America becomes the land of opportunity.

Notable Children's Books of 1984 (ALA)
Best Books of 1984 (SLJ)
Notable 1984 Childrens' Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
Children's Books of 1984 (Library of Congress)
1984 Children's Books (NY Public Library)
1985 Jefferson Cup Award (Virginia Library Association)

In his twisty, gritty, profoundly moving New York Times bestselling-debut, Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx.

In the months after his father's suicide, it's been tough for sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness but with the support of his girlfriend Genevieve, he's slowly remembering what that might feel like. When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron starts hanging out with a new guy, Thomas. Aaron's friends notices, and they're not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can't deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself.

Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is...

Inside Out and Back Again is a New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award Inspired by the author's childhood experience of fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama, this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration.Ha has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Ha and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope--toward America. This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny. An author's note explains how and why Thanhha Lai translated her personal experiences into Ha's story. This paperback edition also includes an interview with the author, an activity you can do with your family, tips on writing poetry, and discussion questions.Supports the Common Core State Standards

Alice doesn't believe in luck, Alice believes in love. Mostly that she's been in love with her best friend, Teddy, for the last three years. When she buys him a lottery ticket for his birthday and he wins 32 million dollars, they are thrown together with the world at their feet. Teddy decides that he will spend his money committing random acts of kindness, and who better to go on that adventure with him than Alice? In the process they get to know themselves and each other better than they ever have before, but money can't buy you love . . . Windfall is a tender and uplifting novel about love, luck, and big life changes, from Jennifer E. Smith.