Thlalefo’s family is constantly moving, and she doesn’t often get to establish friendships.

At a new school yet again, she strikes up a friendship with the beautiful Boitumelo and shares the story of her secret crush on Lethabo, whom she falls for when she sees him in her taxi.

As it turns out, Boitumelo is a “mean girl” – she steals Lethabo’s attention while pretending to stay friendly with Thlalefo, leaving Thlalefo to learn a hard lesson.

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.

Ten-year-old Jamie Matthews has just moved to the Lake District with his Dad and his teenage sister, Jasmine for a 'Fresh New Start'. Five years ago his sister's twin, Rose, was blown up by a terrorist bomb. His parents are wrecked by their grief, Jasmine turns to piercing, pink hair and stops eating. The family falls apart. But Jamie hasn't cried in all that time.

To him Rose is just a distant memory. Jamie is far more interested in his cat, Roger, his birthday Spiderman T-shirt, and in keeping his new friend Sunya a secret from his dad. And in his deep longing and unshakeable belief that his Mum will come back to the family she walked out on months ago.

When he sees a TV advert for a talent show, he feels certain that this will change everything and bring them all back together once and for all.

Kalk Bay has secrets and surprises.

James explores the beach and harbour, with its whales and fishing boats, the village clinging to the hillside, and the best revelation of all: meeting the grandmother he never knew he had. But hidden from view are the abalone poachers, to whom everyone turns a blind eye . . .

Yet, no secret is as hefty as the one James carries with him: the hideous birthmark that has kept him from the water all his life. Will he find the courage to overcome his fears?

The giant couldn’t believe it. He had found the perfect Olive. So round, so shiny, so black— he must show all of his friends!

So starts the journey of the Giant as he runs to share his happiness with everyone and the sorrow and joy that grows from his jubilation.

Leo Daly, the son of iconic South African illustrator and writer Niki Daly, re-imagines the universal tale of loss, grief, and the joy of new beginnings. A simple but empathetic story borne from the pain and loss of a miscarriage, this big-hearted, humorous story of a tall Giant in love with a little olive examines our loves, passions, and the destruction of loss. A breath of fresh air that unflinchingly tackles our greatest fear.

Like Where the Wild Things Are, Frog and Toad, and A Lost Button, The Giant and the Olive tackles our fears and triumphs with humor and grace. A tale for any age from the kindergartner to the octogenarian.

Inspired by Mama, Gogo, and the African queen, Lisakhanya is proud of her natural hair that grows up towards the sun like a summer sunflower. She calls it her COILY, CROWNY HAIR.Just like Lisakhanya, you too can love and be proud of your beautiful hair. You can TIE IT UP, TWIST IT RIGHT, BRAID IT DOWN, AND WEAR IT LIKE A CROWN.

An unforgettable story that will make you laugh and cry, for fans of Holly Smale and Jacqueline Wilson.

"How far would you go for a friend? A shocking, poignant, powerful read with a message all young teens need to hear." Cathy Cassidy

Willow and Alma are best friends, sharing a love of the spotlight. All they want is fame and fortune, and Willow is determined that the best way to get it is to go viral. So they start filming dares. Okay, so getting stuck in a basketball hoop doesn't get them the sort of attention they were hoping for, but as their challenges get more extreme, their fan base grows. Duct-taping themselves to a wall? No-brainer. Eating super-hot chillis? Of course! Waxing an eyebrow off? Super funny! And if they get in a bit of trouble, it's worth it.

But if they really want to prove themselves, they have to go all-out. So they come up with the perfect idea. An idea that causes more than just a bit of trouble. An idea that might destroy not just their ambitions but their entire friendship for good.

Recommended by Malala Yousafzai, The Breadwinner is the first book in Deborah Ellis's bestselling series set in Afghanistan. This award-winning novel explores loyalty, survival, family and friendship under extraordinary circumstances.

Parvana's father is arrested and taken away by Taliban soldiers. Under Taliban law, women and girls are not allowed to leave the house on their own. Parvana, her mother, and sisters are prisoners in their own home. With no man to go out to buy food, they face starvation. Forbidden to earn money as a girl, Parvana must transform herself into a boy, and become the breadwinner to save her family.

It is a dangerous plan, but their only chance.

In fear, she goes out, and witnesses the horror of landmines, the brutality of the Taliban, and the desperation of a country trying to survive. But even in despair lies hope . . .

Ek en jy lyk dalk verskillend,
ons klink verskillend,
ons bly op verskillende plekke
en ons eet verskillende kos,
maar wanneer ek in jou oë kyk,
sien ek myself.
 
’n Warm, vertroostende boek oor vriendskap en ubuntu wat beide ons ooreenkomste en verskille vier.

Die boek is ook beskikbaar in Isizulu en Engels.

Nothing is the same for Joff this summer. His dad is sick, his mum is working, there's a new kid in town. The days are long and hot, and change is in the air. With his dog, Jet, Joff explores. The Chapel of Doom is always there, ancient and crumbling, with its warning signs and the legend of the Falling Boy. But Joff isn't going to go past those signs ... is he?

A brilliant new highly-illustrated chapter book series for 5+ readers. Destiny uses her creativity to overcomes her worries. Perfect for readers moving on from Tom Percival's BIG BRIGHT FEELINGS picture books and fans of JOJO & GRAN GRAN. Destiny can't wait to go for her first ever sleepover at her best friend's house. But she also can't help feeling a little worried ... they're going to camp outside in the garden - in a tent - but also in the dark! Destiny uses her trusty sketchbook to doodle her ideas and work through her worries. She even draws some monsters but that makes her feel a bit scared again, so she makes a tent in her room to practice in. When she goes to bed, she hears some noises from the tent and finds a monster inside! But the monster isn't frightening. He's come for a sleepover but he's not sure he's ready. Can Destiny help him? After they try midnight snacks, dressing up and telling stories under the stars, Destiny realises there's nothing to be worried about after all! The next morning, the monster has disappeared, but Destiny is more ready for a sleepover than ever! "A warm and humorous book and is a perfect next stage for children aged five and over. They will love the illustrations, the relationship that Destiny has with her dad and how she doodles in her special sketchbook. I can't wait to read the next Destiny Ink book." - Laura Henry-Allain MBE, the creator of JoJo and Gran Gran

Fourteen-year-old Emily is gloomily spending the summer with her mum’s best friend Uncle Tom, helping him renovate his house, instead of being at home hoping the gorgeous Toby will ask her out. Worse, she’s broken her phone and left her iPad at her dad’s house. How is she supposed to survive without her tech, her BFF and her social life? No one understands her despair, least of all the boomers.

Then she finds her mum’s old diary. MASSIVE CRINGE. But as Emily starts to read, she’s stunned to discover that her mum was once a teenager too. A nineties teenager called Lila MacKay, who was VERY MISUNDERSTOOD. It’s a long-forgotten era of weird fashions, TV shows and music Emily’s never heard of. There are boys too, notably cute Park Boy Tom and her mum’s dorky neighbour Weird Nicky. And as she becomes more and more invested in Lila’s teenage life, Emily begins to wonder if perhaps she and her mother are not so different after all …

Perfect for fans of Geek Girl and readers who are that next age up from Lottie Brooks.

"A joyous ode to inclusion, realised in the most delightful, uplifting way." - Cerrie Burnell YOU CAN...be brave, challenge yourself, overcome your fears, be kind, be brilliant...be YOU! Come on an amazing journey with 14 children as they grow from birth to 18 years old, learning new skills, exploring new worlds, standing up for their own and others' rights - and following their dreams. Created with real children, who sent messages of empathy, reassurance and hope, You Can! will inspire young people of all ages to be empowered and believe in themselves. This is a ground-breaking book from author and co-founder of Inclusive Minds, Alexandra Strick, with an astonishing, visual narrative by international picture book star, Steve Antony.

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.

We may look different you and I,
sound different,
act different,
eat different food,
and live in different places
but when I look into your eyes, I see myself.

A comforting and lyrical book about friendship and ubuntu that celebrates both our differences and similarities.

Also available in isiZulu and Afrikaans.

A book of affirmations that highlights each of South Africa’s eleven official languages: Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu. The affirmations are written by ten authors, adding to the piece in their home language. The book is a love letter to children (especially Black, Indigenous, and people of colour) in South Africa honouring their magic, worth, and power. It is the authors’ hope that BIPOC children discover the power of their voice through the recitation of these positive affirmations and know that they can change the world in an impactful way.

In this emotional sequel to Diary of a Teenage Girl, Caitlin O'Conner faces new trials as she grows in her faith and strives to maintain the recent commitments she's made to God. As a new believer, Caitlin begins her summer job and makes preparations for a Mexico mission trip with her church youth group. Torn between new spiritual directions and loyalty to Beanie, her best friend (now pregnant), Caitlin searches out her personal values on friendship, romance, dating, life goals, and key relationships with God and family. Tough choices threaten her progress, and her year climaxes in her realization that maturity sometimes means life-impacting decisions must be made ... by faith alone.

New York Times bestseller Karina Yan Glaser brings everyone’s favorite Harlem family back in this poignant fourth novel in the “delightful and heartwarming” (New York Times Book Review) Vanderbeekers series.

When autumn arrives on 141st Street, the Vanderbeekers are busy helping Mr. Beiderman get ready for the New York City Marathon and making sure the mysterious person sleeping in the community garden gets enough to eat.

But when they discover the true identity of the person making a home in the community garden’s shed, their world turns upside down as they learn what it means to care for someone in an impossible situation.

In this fourth book in the Vanderbeekers series, return to 141st Street with Isa, Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney as they attempt to make their neighborhood a better place, one heartfelt plan at a time.

Uncle Kelly is a drag performer who lives with his nephew Eli. Eli is about to start school and he has a birthmark on his face that he is afraid he will be bullied about. Uncle Kelly helps Eli find his confidence and encourages him to love himself as he is.

Eli finds a creative way of owning his insecurity and with his new confidence makes friends and inspires other children to accept their peers, and to even express their own creativity.

A book that encourages love and acceptance and embraces otherness, What’s Wrong With Glitter is a rhyming book that is filled with bright illustrations.

Sixteen-year-old Adrienne Lewis is in charge of eight-year-old Emma Warner, the youngest member of the snooty Warner family. Emma is an evil genius who has gotten all five previous nannies fired -- and she's the good news. Because then there's Emma's half brother, Graydon, who goes to college -- yet always seems to be lurking around waiting to hit on Adrienne. But worst of all is Emma's beautiful seventeen-year-old half sister, Cameron, whose reputation as a wild girl, a liar, and a user is known to everyone ...everyone, that is, except Adrienne.

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"?

Thirteen-year-old Jasper Robinson-Woods is not okay — his name is too long, he never sees his dad, he can't sleep, and his goldfish is dying. Things go from bad to worse when his mother announces her annoying boyfriend is moving in. When his mostly absent father arrives on the doorstep to take him on a road trip Jasper begrudgingly finds himself away with his father. In terrible timing, it is while he is away that his goldfish dies and Jasper is forced to face yet again one of his greatest fears, death. His nightmare even comes to visit Jasper in the night, coming to life and destroying the house they are staying in. Furious, his father takes him home, to the safety of his tree. But Jasper is mortified when the girl from school he likes comes over and he is too embarrassed to get down from the tree. Jasper lashes out at school and destroys a precious piece of art owned by his mother's boyfriend.

After being suspended from school, he finally realises things must change. He goes to see the school counsellor and starts understanding his nightmare, and what it truly represents. This is the story of a young man who learns that even when you hit rock bottom, you just don't know what, and who, is around the corner.

There’s power in a book… They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to the Wellwood Home in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened. Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. Under the watchful eye of the stern Miss Wellwood, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune. And Zinnia, a budding musician who knows she’s going to go home and marry her baby’s father. And Holly, a wisp of a girl, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who. Everything the girls eat, every moment of their waking day, and everything they’re allowed to talk about is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid…and it’s usually paid in blood. In Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, the author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group delivers another searing, completely original novel and further cements his status as a “horror master” (NPR).

Be prepared to be scared again in the nail-biting sequel to HappyHead.

FRIENDS, WELCOME TO ELMHALLOW. YOU ARE THE CHOSEN TEN.

By some miracle, Seb has survived the HappyHead programme, only to find himself stranded on a remote island under the guidance of a freakishly beautiful couple.

Far from home, Seb reluctantly teams up with Eleanor again and the pair are forced to compete in a series of ever stranger trials to prove their connection. All the while, he can’t stop thinking about Finn. Determined to find him, Seb’s search uncovers an even darker reality.

Can he escape the island and expose the sinister truth behind HappyHead?

Velile, bullied at school because of being much older than the other children in his grade, hates school. Instead, he goes to the forest to hunt for birds and other animals. After his mother dies, her sister takes him in, but Emihle, his cousin, remains unaccepting of him.

Velile becomes one of the top students in their district, but unfortunately bad choices and friends involving him in illegal mining and gambling result in suspension from high school. After being spat on by a snake (meant to make him successful and wealthy) Velile is hospitalised, where he bumps into one of his old friends, now a priest. He convinces Velile to return to school and attend ABET classes.

When he meets ex-classmate Lawukazi, who had gone to Cuba to study medicine, Velile is inspired to change his ways.