Milan, 1497. The height of the Renaissance. And for Giacomo, servant of the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci, it's the most difficult time of all. His Master has been working on the "Last Supper," his greatest painting ever, for nearly two years. But has he finished it? He's barely started! The all-powerful Duke of Milan is demanding that it be completed by the time the Pope visits at Easter. And Giacomo knows that if Leonardo doesn't pick up his pace, the Duke may invite a young genius -- Michelangelo -- to finish the painting instead. Which means that Leonardo won't be paid, which means that Milan's shopkeepers (to whom he owes massive amounts) will take drastic measures against him.

It's all down to Giacomo, and whether he can come up with a brilliant solution. And if he does, will his Master go for it? After all, Leonardo still doesn't seem to trust him. He refuses to teach Giacomo how to paint; he won't help him find his parents; nor will he discuss the significance of the medallion, ring, and cross that Giacomo was carrying when Leonardo found him. But with the secret arrival of a powerful stranger, Giacomo is about to discover much more than the answers he has been looking for. And he will also receive an invitation to help arrange a meeting that could change his life. . . and the future course of history.

With more twists and turns than a spiral staircase, this thriller is as unique as its two heroes -- the most celebrated artist who ever lived, and a young man without a past, who will stop at nothing to find the truth about his life.

Written by bestselling author Saviour Pirotta, this fast-paced story is set in the Islamic Golden Age when Baghdad was the largest and most dazzling city in the world. Perfect for fans of thrilling adventure. Thirteen-year-old Jabir is hoping to save his family from being made homeless by finding work in Baghdad. Famished after his long journey to the city, Jabir is caught stealing bread and sent to prison. Luckily, one of the guards there notices that he has a gift for carving wooden models and he is released on the orders of the grand caliph Harun al Rashid himself. In return Jabir must carve twelve golden horsemen, a gift from the caliph to the emperor Charlemagne. But someone is determined to stop Jabir from completing the work and he will stop at nothing, not even arson, to achieve his aim. Can Jabir and his friend Yasmina finish the horsemen or will Jabir be sent back to prison? Ideal for readers aged 8+, this exciting and readable adventure story is packed with great characters and insight into Islamic civilisation and the historic culture of the Middle East circa AD 900, a period which is now studied in the National Curriculum. The Flashbacks series offers dramatic stories set in key moments of history, perfect for introducing children to historical topics.

Exciting, funny, moving - and featuring joyous and authentic disabled representation - Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star is the middle-grade debut of 2023. Cosima Unfortunate has spent all her life at the Home for Unfortunate Girls - a school where any disabled children, or children deemed different, are sent, whether their families want it or not. It is there that she meets her friends - Pearl, Mary and Diya - and they start to practise mini heists involving the theft of cakes, biscuits and other sweet goodies. But when Cos finds out that Lord Francis Fitzroy, the explorer behind the Empire Exhibition, is planning to adopt them, she and her friends plot the biggest heist of their life. Instead of fondant fancies, they're going to steal Fitzroy's prized tiara, containing the legendary Star Diamond of India! But, as they start preparing for the day, Cosima finds herself drawing ever closer to discovering the one secret she's always wanted to know - the truth about her parents...

The third book in the series, based on the remarkable story of the Dick, Kerr Ladies. It's 1920, and the Dick, Kerr Girls football team have a new member training with them... Martha, little sister to Hettie and Freddie, has finally been given her chance to swap street kickabouts with the local lads for the chance to play alongside the world's best female footballers. But Martha has more to worry about than keeping up with the older girls. She's dealing with new and confusing feelings, things at home are hard, and the future of women's football is under threat. Are Martha's dreams - both on and off the pitch - too far out of reach?

Pull back the curtain and enter a world where mystery and magic take centre stage in a gloriously gothic adventure from Jenni Spangler, illustrated by Chris Mould. Twelve-year-old Tig works at Manchester's Theatre Royale, cleaning, selling tickets and doing anything else that is asked of her by her tyrannical boss, Mr Snell. Tig will do whatever it takes to get closer to her dream - to become a Stage Manager and spend her days inventing new ways to imagine and build the intricate machinery and props that bring the exciting productions to life! But when a strange new act - a talking machine - arrives at the Theatre Royale, it moves and behaves in a way that Tig just can't work out. It's as though it's alive somehow . . . And when the machine appears to be hiding a dangerous secret, Tig must race against time to solve the mystery, before everything and everyone she cares about is lost forever. A Victorian adventure full of ghost, gadgets and shifty villains, from the critically-acclaimed Jenni Spangler, who's debut The Vanishing Trick, was selected as Waterstones Book of the Month. Praise for THE VANISHING TRICK: A thrilling, original, evocative and eerie tale - I adored it!' Michelle Harrison, author of A Pinch of Magic 'A thrilling page-turner. Madame Pinchbeck is a gloriously Dickensian villain' Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song 'Ghosts, gadgets, likeable villains and unlikely heroes: The Vanishing Trick is a dark and dazzling adventure' Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse 'A completely enthralling tale, oozing with atmosphere and originality' Catherine Doyle, author of The Storm Keeper's Island

A gripping football-filled adventure based in the Romani community of 19th-century Sheffield. This action-packed story is told through the eyes of young Lijah, as he navigates life and discovers football and the legendary Rab Howell. "Quick history of Rab Howell: born in a wagon on a camp like yours about thirty years ago. He played for United and England, and was one of the best players I ever saw." In this heart-stopping adventure, Richard O'Neill shows us an important and intriguing time in Britain that's sure to fascinate young readers. VOICES: A thrilling series showcasing some of the UK's finest writers for young people. Voices reflects the authentic, unsung stories of our past. Each story in the series shows that, even in times of great upheaval, a myriad of people have arrived on this island and made a home for themselves - from Roman times to the present day.

In 1861 Frank " Shanks" Russell wishes he was old enough to fight for the South alongside his pa and big brother. But Frank is too young, skinny, and weak, and is left behind with his mother and grandparents. Life in Mississippi was simple before the war between North and South. Now Frank' s boyhood is gone forever, along with his dreams of heroic battles. The shortages and horrors of war reach his home as he scrounges for food and water, and sees both Confederate and enemy soldiers at their worst. As time goes by and Frank' s friendship with Buck, the family slave, grows, he questions more and more who is the enemy and why the terrible war is being fought.