Multi-award-winning author Tom Palmer returns with a thrilling naval adventure inspired by the incredible history of the Second World War Arctic convoys. Winter 1943. Teenagers Frank, Joseph and Stephen are Royal Navy recruits on their first mission at sea during the Second World War. Their ship is part of an Arctic Convoy sailing to Russia to deliver supplies to the Soviets. The convoys have to navigate treacherous waters, sailing through a narrow channel between the Arctic ice pack and German bases on the Norwegian coast. Faced with terrifying enemy attacks from both air and sea, as well as life-threatening cold and storms, will all three boys make it home again?

Do you know how it feels to run for 1,900 miles? Or to look down at the earth from a space station? Or to swim alongside a hungry shark? Fantastic Female Adventurers by Lily Dyu is a collection of fourteen exciting and inspirational stories about the women that do. Follow them on their incredible journeys around the globe. Ski to the North Pole with Ann Daniels while watching out for polar bears and lethal cracks in the ice. Feel the air beneath your feet as you climb high on a cliff face with Gwen Moffat. Experience the thrill of racing down rocky Himalayan trails with champion runner Mira Rai. Sail the oceans with Ellen MacArthur, the girl who saved up her lunch money to buy her first boat. You'll even fly into space with Britain's first astronaut, Helen Sharman. And join Lily on other awesome adventures with Anna McNuff, Sarah Outen, Misba Khan and more - taking you from Everest to the South Pole and all the places in between. Beautifully illustrated by artist and adventurer Chellie Carroll, Fantastic Female Adventurers will leave you thinking: I can do that, too!

Norman John Gillies was one of the last children ever born on St Kilda, five years before the whole population was evacuated forever to the British mainland. People had lived on these islands for over four thousand years, developing a thriving, tightly-knit society that knew nothing of crime or money, and took care of its weakest members without hesitation. At the mercy of the seasons and the elements, a unique lifestyle evolved, based around resilience, mutual trust and caring. What was it like to grow up in such harsh conditions? Why and how did this ancient way of life suddenly cease in 1930? Where did the islanders go, and what became of them? And what became of Norman John, child of St Kilda? Shortlisted for The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2020.

From the world of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls comes the historical novel based on the life of Junko Tabei, the first female climber to summit Mount Everest. Junko is bad at athletics. Really bad. She struggles in gym class and on short hikes. Other students laugh because they think she is small and weak. In fourth grade, her teacher Watanabe-Sensei takes her class on a trip to a mountain. It's bigger than any Junko's ever seen, and she's determined to make it to the top. After the trip, Junko becomes a mountaineer in body and spirit. She climbs snowy mountains, rocky mountains, and even faraway mountains outside of her home country of Japan. She joins climbing clubs and befriends fellow climbers as passionate as she is. Then, Junko meets her biggest challenge yet: the tallest mountain in the world.

Age range 9+ Six women tried and convicted for a crime of their times. Six incredible true stories spanning five centuries: the heretic, the witch, the young first-fleeter transported to Australia; the Indian princess turned suffragette, wartime spy and Conscientious Objector. Inspirational? Foolish? Wronged? Now you can judge if these six women received a fitting punishment

No fiction can match the excitement of this real-life tale of suspense and survival. Eva Bromberg and Rysio Sokal had the misfortune of coming into adolescence just as the Germans invaded their homeland in 1939. We Who Lived is a personal memoir, authentic and true in fact and feeling. It is a tale of fear, danger, courage, resilience, and hope. Eva (later Hava) evaded the Germans and was never caught and never sent to a concentration camp. She survived entirely on her own, in total isolation from anyone she knew and could trust. Never hidden, she lived in the midst of Polish population, always on guard, aware of the danger of being discovered and betrayed. Rysio (later Ephraim) seventeen at the outbreak of World War II grew up in the bosom of a prosperous and loving family. His idyllic youth was, however, embedded in the atmosphere of raising Polish nationalism and anti-Semitism. Following the Soviet occupation of his home town in eastern Poland, he and his family were deported to Siberia by the Soviet authorities as prisoners and "enemies of the people." A tragedy at the time, this deportation ultimately saved their lives. Liberated from Siberia by the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941 and the resulting change in political alliances, he fought the Germans within the Polish Navy and the British armed forces. Reaching Palestine he joined the Israel Defense Forces, was wounded in battle to defend the fledgling State of Israel. With War's end, both Hava and Ephraim faced new realities and challenges, survival in a world they were hardly prepared for, and the need for education, profession, new goals and loyalties. They met in 1947, both young, and hopeful. Written in the first person, unique in its authenticity, simplicity and sincerity. We Who Lived is not just a lesson in history, but a terrific reading adventure. It is a glorious story of spirits triumphant over some of the worst human savagery our world has endured.

A revealing portrait of a young Black man asking questions about self-discovery and belonging - long before he became one of the most important voices in America. The son of a white American mother and a Black Kenyan father, Obama was born in Hawaii, where he lived until he was six years old, when he moved with his mother and stepfather to Indonesia. At twelve, he returned to Hawaii to live with his grandparents. Obama brings readers along while facing the challenges of high school and college, living in New York, becoming a community organiser in Chicago, and travelling to Kenya. Through these experiences, he forms an enduring commitment to leadership and justice. Via the lens of his relationships with his family - the mother and grandparents who raised him, the father he knows more as a myth than as a man, and the extended family in Kenya he meets for the first time - Obama examines the complicated truth of his father's life and legacy and comes to embrace his own divided heritage. On his journey to adulthood from a humble background, he forges his own path by trial and error while staying connected to his roots. Barack Obama is determined to lead a life of purpose, service and authenticity. This powerful memoir will inspire readers to reflect on both where they come from and where they are capable of going.

When Mick rescues an injured baby jackdaw in the park, little does he know that the bird is about to change his childhood for ever. Jacko soon recovers, and Mick teaches him how to fly. It’s not long before Jacko becomes a beloved member of the community, amusing the punters in the family pub and guiding the trains into the station. As Jacko’s adventures gain greater fame, Mick has to face whether he can ever bear to say goodbye to his beloved pet jackdaw…

"Young readers are sure to find inspiration as they read about unique children from all over the world who were able to change the world around them and be encouraged to follow their dreams and fight for what is right." --Booklist Anyone--no matter how young--can make a difference! Meet 50 incredible kids who had a positive impact in their communities . . . and the world. From Picasso, who changed the art world forever, to Malala Yousafzai, the brave teen who was shot for advocating education for girls, the 50 kids profiled in Never Too Young! will inspire and empower young readers. Some, like Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, and Stevie Wonder, are prominent figures, while others are lesser known though their achievements are just as compelling. They come from a variety of historical periods and backgrounds, and have made an impact in politics, sports, the arts, science, and more. Includes: Louis Armstrong, Louis Braille, Ruby Bridges, Thandiwe Chama, Michael Chang, Nadia Comaneci, Kelvin Doe, Bobby Fisher, Anne Frank, Tavi Gevinson, Om Prakash Gurjar, S.E. Hinton, Askrit Jawal, Joan of Arc, Helen Keller, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Pele, Pablo Picasso, Pocahontas, Sacagawea, Shirley Temple, Venus and Serena Williams. Stevie Wonder, Malala Yousafzai, and more!

Describes the travels and adventures of Arctic and Antarctic explorers throughout history, from Eric the Red in 981 or 982 to Gretel Ehrlich in 2000.

Matthew Henson was simply an ordinary man. That was, until Commander Robert E. Peary entered his life, and offered him a chance at true adventure. Henson would become navigator, craftsman, translator, and right-hand man on a treacherous journey to the North Pole. Defying the odds and the many prejudices that faced him to become a true pioneer. This is his incredible and often untold story. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+

OLYMPIAN, HOCKEY WORLD CUP GOALKEEPER OF THE TOURNAMENT, WINNER OF FOUR ALL AMERICAN AWARDS 'It was down to Ayeisha now. If she saved the next penalty, Ireland, the tournament underdogs, would be in the final - for the first time ever.' Growing up in Larne in County Antrim, Ayeisha was fearless. If she wasn't climbing trees, she was playing soccer, Irish dancing or throwing the javelin. When Ayeisha discovered hockey, she was hooked! The inspirational story of one of the best hockey goalkeepers in the world, who lost her mum at a young age, went into foster care, and found a home between the goal posts in the Senior Women's Irish hockey team.

From foremost radio and television broadcaster Ryan Tubridy, and Kate Greenaway Medal-winner P. J. Lynch, comes a picture book about President John F. Kennedy's return to his ancestral home in Ireland. When the much-loved President visited Ireland in 1963, he described it as the best four days of his life and, for a generation of Irish people, it was a trip they never forgot. In this warmly told, big-hearted picture book, Ryan captures the fevered excitement in the build-up to JFK's visit - all evoked through the eyes of a young boy called Patrick who wants to know, more than anything, what it would feel like to shake the President's hand... Rooted in historical fact, and marking the centenary of JFK's birth, this feast of a book offers readers a very pure and personal take on JFK's visit to County Wexford and includes a time line in the back matter.

Malcolm X grew to be one of America's most influential figures. But first, he was a boy named Malcolm Little. Written by his daughter, this inspiring picture book biography celebrates a vision of freedom and justice.
Bolstered by the love and wisdom of his large, warm family, young Malcolm Little was a natural born leader. But when confronted with intolerance and a series of tragedies, Malcolm's optimism and faith were threatened. He had to learn how to be strong and how to hold on to his individuality. He had to learn self-reliance.
Together with acclaimed illustrator AG Ford, Ilyasah Shabazz gives us a unique glimpse into the childhood of her father, Malcolm X, with a lyrical story that carries a message that resonates still today--that we must all strive to live to our highest potential.

How far would you go to save a life? Scrambling from the wreckage of his school after an earthquake, a nine-year-old Sichuan boy rescued two unconscious friends. 'I was hall monitor,' he said afterwards. 'It is my job to look after my classmates.'

Whether dragging a friend from a blazing car, masterminding a search far below the earth's surface, or recovering astronauts from an aborted space mission, Rescue reveals the ingenuity, courage and doggedness of the human spirit all over the world.

Another unputdownable collection of eye-opening and moving true adventures, both contemporary and historical. Impeccably told by David Long and brought to vibrant life by illustrator Kerry Hyndman.

Based on the New York Times bestselling book and the Academy Award–nominated movie, author Margot Lee Shetterly and illustrator Laura Freeman bring the incredibly inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space to picture book readers!

Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math…really good.

They participated in some of NASA's greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America's first journeys into space. And they did so during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do. But they worked hard. They persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world.

In this beautifully illustrated picture book edition, we explore the story of four female African American mathematicians at NASA, known as "colored computers," and how they overcame gender and racial barriers to succeed in a highly challenging STEM-based career.

Step into historic London and follow two young wildcats caught in the Great Fire, in The Fire Cats of London: a story of daring, courage and loyalty from bestselling, award-winning author of The Umbrella Mouse, Anna Fargher. Beautifully illustrated throughout by Sam Usher. 'Ambitious and wonderful' - Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse on The Umbrella Mouse. Young wildcats, Asta and Ash, find themselves captured and taken from their home in the forest to an apothecary's shop in the heart of London in the summer of 1666, when fear and superstition are rife. Asta's determination to escape London and return to the wild takes her on a perilous race against time to foil a dangerous plot that threatens the city and her brother, Ash, as the flames take hold. Asta and Ash will take you on an inspiring journey around London during the most infamous fire in British history.

Wildlife veterinarian and super-fashionista Dr. Gabby Wild takes young readers on a journey around the world to discover amazing animals and how to care for them. Travel the continents to meet some of Earth's most incredible critters through the eyes of a windblown, adventurous wildlife veterinarian. Join Dr. Gabby Wild as she performs dental work on a jaguar, teaches a baby bird to fend for itself, and gives a chimp a check-up. Learn about animal anatomy and behaviors, diets, families, and the dangers they face in the wild. Get up close-and we do mean CLOSE-to more than 80 animals that are both familiar and not so familiar, including regal lions, playful pandas, fearsome Gila monters, and creepy tarantulas. Examine world maps to learn about amphibians, wild cats, and primates across the globe. Read about some special human-animal relationships as well as challenges that arise when they share a habitat. Then learn how people are working to save and protect endangered species. And for your final thrill, find out how YOU can become a wildlife vet, too!

A compelling account of the story of slavery - from ancient times, through the plantations of the Caribbean and America, to the official abolition of the slave trade more than 200 years ago. Recounts the stories of people who were enslaved, including their daring tales of resistance and escape. Highlights the continued existence of slavery today and what you can do to help stop it.