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Books > Children's Fiction & Fun > Fiction Dealing With Specific Issues
Khanyisile is devastated when his mother dies unexpectedly. When his father takes him from their Eastern Cape village to Cape Town, his life is turned upside down even more. At his new school, Harmony High, Khanyisile meets Given, who invites him to join the amaVura gang. But how far is he prepared to go to be part of them? And how does Given know Matchstix, the mysterious stranger his father takes him to meet in prison? When Khanyisile finds out the truth, it is almost too late for him to turn back from the dangerous path he has chosen …
Sixteen year old Solomon has agoraphobia. He hasn't left his house in three years, which is fine by him. At home, he is the master of his own kingdom--even if his kingdom doesn't extend outside of the house. Ambitious Lisa desperately wants to go to a top tier psychiatry program. She'll do anything to get in. When Lisa finds out about Solomon's solitary existence, she comes up with a plan sure to net her a scholarship: befriend Solomon. Treat his condition. And write a paper on her findings. To earn Solomon's trust, Lisa begins letting him into her life, introducing him to her boyfriend Clark, and telling him her secrets. Soon, Solomon begins to open up and expand his universe. But all three teens have grown uncomfortably close, and when their facades fall down, their friendships threaten to collapse as well.
Return to the world of the Callers in this exciting middle-grade fantasy series that explores the amazing power of summoning objects into being and the ominous consequences of doing so. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan. The Callers, Book 1, which Printz Honor–winning author Garret Weyr called “beautifully told and engaging and just thrilling,” set the stage for a riveting series that introduced the world of Elipsom and its inhabitants’ unique ability to Call―or summon In Book 2, a month has passed since Quin fled his home world of Elipsom after revealing the shocking truth about Calling: that the magic ability to conjure something out of thin air actually steals resources from another place. And that other place is Evantra, a nation suffering from exploitation by the Callers. Across the country, rumors are spreading that perhaps Calling isn’t a force for good after all. Even so, Quin’s sister, Davinia, has maintained calm under the pressure of her mother, the Chief Counselor of the Callers, who is determined to keep the status quo and quash anyone who questions the rightness of Calling. But when Davinia is assigned to investigate and plant evidence in a rebellious part of the city, her loyalties begin to waver. Meanwhile, Quin and his friend Allie are in a race against the clock to heal the Vine, the source of all growing things in Evantra, which has been slowly dying. Their search leads them to a mysterious forest that may have the answers they seek―and the truth about Quin’s past. Arresting and thought-provoking, this story explores some of the most crucial topics of our time and shows the power of standing up and fighting for a better tomorrow.
From the author of the unforgettable bestseller TIME TRAVELLING WITH A HAMSTER comes another surprising, beautiful and funny novel about a child who, by disappearing, will write herself into your heart forever… Turning invisible at will: it’s one way of curing your acne. But far more drastic than 13 year-old Ethel Leatherhead intended when she tried a combination of untested medicines and a sunbed. It’s fun at first, being invisible. And aided by her friend Boydy, she manages to keep her extraordinary ability secret. Or does she…? When one day the invisibility fails to wear off, Ethel is thrown into a nightmare of lies and deception as she struggles to keep herself safe, to find the remedy that will make her seen again – and solve the mystery of her own birth…
A sprawling, evocative, and groundbreaking autobiographical novel told in the unforgettable and hilarious voice of a young Iranian refugee. It is a powerfully layered novel that poses the questions: Who owns the truth? Who speaks it? Who believes it? “A patchwork story is the shame of the refugee,” Nayeri writes early in the novel. In an Oklahoman middle school, Khosrou (whom everyone calls Daniel) stands in front of a skeptical audience of classmates, telling the tales of his family’s history, stretching back years, decades, and centuries. At the core is Daniel’s story of how they became refugees—starting with his mother’s vocal embrace of Christianity in a country that made such a thing a capital offense, and continuing through their midnight flight from the secret police, bribing their way onto a plane-to-anywhere. Anywhere becomes the sad, cement refugee camps of Italy, and then finally asylum in the U.S. Implementing a distinct literary style and challenging western narrative structures, Nayeri deftly weaves through stories of the long and beautiful history of his family in Iran, adding a richness of ancient tales and Persian folklore. Like Scheherazade of One Thousand and One Nights, Daniel spins a tale to save his own life: to stake his claim to the truth. A tale of heartbreak and resilience and urges readers to speak their truth and be heard.
‘Nearly as good as one of my books’ – David Walliams Dive in to this funny and debut heart-warming magical adventure from star of stage and screen, Matt Lucas – a festive modern classic for young readers of 8-12! Leo LOVES Christmas. And this Christmas needs to be absolutely perfect, because it’s the first one without Mum. Only it all keeps going wrong! The fairylights are in a tangle. The Christmas cards aren’t finished. The tree isn’t decorated. And the Christmas cakes have all been destroyed! Soon Leo decides he’s had enough – he makes a heartfelt wish that it would all GO AWAY. Then Leo wakes up on Christmas morning – and it’s gone!! All of Christmas! But Leo isn’t going to let it escape that easily . . . Join Leo as he sets out on a mission to undo his wish and get Christmas back in the brand-new festive classic by bestselling author Matt Lucas. Home Alone meets A Christmas Carol in a hilarious adventure with a big dollop of festive magic. Funny, sensitive and emotional in all the best ways, this warm and seasonal family story touches ever so gently on childhood grief but is wrapped up in a chaotic and heart-warming adventure.
When Stanley Stanwright finds a bone poking out of the earth in his back garden, he is determined to take a picture of it and send it to the Young Discoverer's Competition, thinking it will help bring his dad back home. But the bone begins to grow, reaching up out of the ground until it turns into a skeleton - a skeleton with an unusual interest in his unwell younger sister Miren. As time wears on, Miren's condition worsens, and the only time she is truly at peace is when she is playing with the skeleton. But Stanley is wary of him, especially when he finally manages to get a picture, and spots a scythe at the skeleton's feet. . . A whimsical, heartfelt story about a boy who finds a friend in Death with the help of an unusual tree growing in his back garden. With black line illustrations throughout by Victoria Assanelli.
Bitten by a werewolf while recovering from top surgery, a trans teen must race to stop himself becoming full wolf... A pulse-pounding new YA werewolf horror, perfect for fans of Cemetery Boys, Hell Followed with Us and Stephen King.
A wild night of partying and a run-in with one of the most notorious drug dealers in Gauteng turns Barries’ life upside down. The police give him one simple choice – if he wants to stay out of jail, he has to spend the next six weeks on a farm, near a small coastal town in the Eastern Cape, right in the middle of nowhere. With his estranged father. Slowly but surely, Barries comes to realise that the bottle of brandy stashed under the bed is not the only – or the darkest – secret his father is hiding. Breath, a translation of the best-selling Asem, is a gripping novel for teens that doesn’t hesitate to tackle difficult themes.
Using the colours of the rainbow to beautifully illustrate different emotions, I’m going to be a BIG SISTER, helps children understand the range of emotions they may feel when experiencing change to their family unit. With brilliant rhythmic verse, fun, bright and distinctive illustrations - this is a firm favourite with children and parents alike!
In the fifth book in Karen Kingsbury and Tyler Russell’s beloved series about the Baxter children, when things don’t turn out according to plan, the siblings must stick together and remember who they are. Things are changing in Bloomington for the Baxters. When Ashley’s teacher, Mr. Garrett, takes a month off work for the birth of his baby, the intimidating Ms. Stritch takes his place. Ashley tries but can’t seem to crack the new teacher’s tough exterior. Meanwhile, Brooke struggles when a popular girl excludes her at lunch, Erin adjusts to getting glasses, and when Kari is given a dance solo for the upcoming recital, she takes her success a little too seriously. When Principal Bond announces a new Character Awards initiative, competition breaks out between siblings and friends, until the students forget the point of the awards. Through it all, the town prepares for a major blizzard that Luke worries will cancel his class’s field trip to see the Harlem Globetrotters. With so many obstacles in their lives, the Baxter Children have the opportunity to remember what being Baxters really means.
Beloved author Gary D. Schmidt expertly blends comedy and tragedy in the story of Doug Swieteck, an unhappy "teenage thug" first introduced in The Wednesday Wars, who finds consolation and a sense of possibility in friendship and art. At once heartbreaking and hopeful, this absorbing novel centers on Doug, 14, who has an abusive father, a bully for a brother, a bad reputation, and shameful secrets to keep. Teachers and police and his relatives think he's worthless, and he believes them, holding others at arm's length. Newly arrived in town, he starts out on the same path—antagonizing other kids, mouthing off to teachers, contemptuous of everything intimidating or unfamiliar. Who would have thought that the public library would turn out to be a refuge and an inspiration, that a snooty librarian might be a friend, or that snarky redheaded Lil would like him—really like him? With more than his share of pain, including the return of his oldest brother from the Vietnam War, shattered and angry, will Doug find anything better than "okay for now"?
From bestselling author of the Shatter Me series and the National Book
Award-nominated A Very Large Expanse of Sea, Tahereh Mafi, comes a
stunning novel about love and loneliness, navigating dual-identity as a
Muslim teenager in America, and reclaiming your right to joy.
Drikus voel soos God se afskeepkind. Hy kan nie rugby speel nie. Hy het nie veel maats nie. Hy verloor die skaaktoernooi. En dan is hy in ’n fietsongeluk en daar is nie geld om dit reg te maak nie. Wat nou? Hy besluit om worsbroodjies te begin verkoop om geld te maak, en toe ontmoet hy vir Donovan, ’n straatkind met ’n unieke uitkyk op die lewe. So begin ’n ongewone vriendskap wat al twee seuns se lewens onherroeplik verander.
When Jordan Bishop set himself on fire at Haver High school as a result of internet bullying, it triggered a nationwide crackdown. New laws empower teachers to become cyber snoops in case of abuse on social media. For teen hacker, Eli Bennett, the laws put fundamental freedoms at risk. And he's not alone in thinking this. Approached by two mysterious hackers, Eli is recruited into a group that wants justice for Jordan the way Jordan would've wanted it. But what starts as a bit of fun to rile the cyber snoops soon spirals out of control. Revenge on Jordan's bullies could be classed as bullying itself... At best, Eli's school career is in jeopardy, at worst, once more lives are at risk.
Award-winning author Jessica Young and New York Times bestselling illustrator Renee Kurilla crafted a heartwarming story about the first day of school, told from the perspective of three timely characters: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. Yesterday and Tomorrow do everything together. Now that the first day of school is here, Yesterday and Tomorrow are unsure about what the day will bring! Until sure enough they discover the power of living in the present with the help of their new friend, Today. From the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Just Because, here is a gentle and uplifting picture book for anyone facing a new experience.
When Aideen agrees to help ambitious class swot Maebh Kowalska deal with her crazy workload, she doesn’t expect to end up reluctantly pushing Maebh down the stairs. With this, Aideen becomes the school ‘fixer’: any problem a student has, Aideen will sort it out, from stealing confiscated mobiles to breaking into parties. All she asks for is a favour in return. But Aideen’s own life is a mess – her mam’s drinking again, her BFF Holly is avoiding her and she’s skipping school. Spending more time with the uptight (but annoyingly cute) Maebh and chatterbox Kavi, Aideen starts to wonder: can every problem be solved?
It only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he's a minister's son, even if he doesn't act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former slaves. Despite his father's-and the town's-disapproval of their friendship, Turner spends time with Lizzie, and it opens up a whole new world to him, filled with the mystery and wonder of Maine's rocky coast. The two soon discover that the town elders, along with Turner's father, want to force the people to leave Lizzie's island so that Phippsburg can start a lucrative tourist trade there. Turner gets caught up in a spiral of disasters that alter his life-but also lead him to new levels of acceptance and maturity. This sensitively written historical novel, based on the true story of a community's destruction, highlights a unique friendship during a time of change.
Poppy's life has turned into a nightmare. Mum's new boyfriend is moving in, along with his daughter, Kayleigh - the most popular girl in school. Poppy's dad is never around and appears to be drifting further and further away. And when it seems like things can't get any worse, Poppy becomes the target of the spiteful school bullies. As the vicious online comments and humiliating pranks escalate, with even her friends joining in, it looks like Poppy has no one left to turn to. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 12+
Using the colours of the rainbow to beautifully illustrate different emotions, I’m going to be a BIG BROTHER, helps children understand the range of emotions they may feel when experiencing change to their family unit. With brilliant rhythmic verse, fun, bright and distinctive illustrations - this is a firm favourite with children and parents alike!
Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching—and ultimately uplifting—novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates. For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, at recess, one of the boys (and fellow trumpet player) Callum tells Mila it’s his birthday, and asks her for a “birthday hug.” He’s just being friendly, isn’t he? And how can she say no? But Callum’s hug lasts a few seconds too long, and feels…weird. According to her friend, Zara, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like? But the boys don’t leave Mila alone. On the bus. In the halls. During band practice—the one place Mila could always escape. It doesn’t feel like flirting—so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new place: karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others—and herself. From the author of Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice.
Witness the power of family history and family love in this funny, poignant addition to a series that the New York Times Book Review hails as “delightful and heartwarming.” It’s summer on 141st Street, and the Vanderbeekers are looking forward to Papa’s surprise fortieth birthday party. But when Papa must leave town suddenly to help his best friend, trouble in the form of their distant grandparents shows up on their doorstep. Not only must the Vanderbeekers face the disappointment of ruined plans, but they have more than one family secret to solve if they are going to give Papa the special birthday he deserves. The New York Times bestselling Vanderbeekers series is perfect for fans of the Penderwicks. As Booklist commented in a starred review: “Few families in children’s literature are as engaging or amusing as the Vanderbeekers, even in times of turmoil.” The series includes:
Aldan Valentyn is niemand nie. Hy plaas ʼn foto van homself sonder sy hemp, op Instagram. En word die bespotting van die skool. Maar dit sal binnekort verander. In die gym. Met gewigte. En die KRAG in die naalde. “Wat is die ergste wat kan gebeur?”.
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.
Sonia and I have a lot in common. Our parents are divorced. Our dads are gay. We both love barbecue potato chips. But she is different from me in at least one way: you can't tell how she's feeling just by looking at her. At all. When Bea's dad and his wonderful partner, Jesse, decide to marry, it looks as if Bea's biggest wish is coming true: she's finally (finally!) going to have a sister. They're both ten. They're both in fifth grade. Though they've never met, Bea knows that she and Sonia will be perfect sisters. Just like sisters anywhere, Bea thinks. But as the wedding day approaches, Bea makes discoveries that lead her to a possibly disastrous choice. Making a new family brings questions, surprises, and joy in this brilliant modern classic by Newbery Medalist Rebecca Stead. |
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