How to Train Your Dragon meets Robinson Crusoe in this high-flying dragon adventure from Lindsay Galvin! 'A striking and original adventure ... just the sort of story I love.' EMMA CARROLL 'WHAT a voyage! [Darwin's Dragons] is everything you hope it will be ...' LUCY STRANGE '[A] beautifully fictionalised story' THE TELEGRAPH Syms Covington has landed the job of a lifetime - cabin boy and fiddler on Charles Darwin's Beagle - but when he is separated from the crew during a storm, his life takes a truly extraordinary turn. Shipwrecked on a Galapagos island, he makes a discovery that could change the world - and make his fortune. But should he share his find, or will it lead to the extinction of a legendary species? There's one person who could help, but he's busy writing a book ... Based on a true story and Charles Darwin's real journal! Perfect for fans of Cornelia Funke's Dragon Rider or Cressida Cowell's How to Train Your Dragon series. Effortlessly blends exciting adventure with a rip-roaring historical story and non-fiction elements.

Capture the magic of winters past with this stunning gift for all the family by bestselling author Emma Carroll, and award-winning illustrator, Sam Usher. 'A magical adventure to melt the frostiest of hearts' Ben Miller. It's Christmastime, and searching for magic, Maya finds herself transported back two hundred years to the banks of the frozen river Thames. A boy called Eddie shows Maya the bustle of the glittering frost fair, filled with music, sweet stalls and thrilling rides. Is this all a dream, or can Maya bring a piece of the beautiful frost fair home with her after all . . . ? A winter story of freedom and family, from the award-winning Emma Carroll, with stunning full colour illustrations by Sam Usher, A Night at the Frost Fair is a classic to treasure on the family bookshelf this Christmas and for years to come.

After witnessing the murder of his parents, Prince Dionisio and Princess Carlota, brave twelve-year-old Rafael barely escapes and ends up on a ship heading out to sea. There he meets Alex, an orphan boy his own age who works on the ship. Their voyage begins in 1486, during the time when Christopher Columbus sails the ocean and discovers the New World.

In spite of their vastly different backgrounds, Rafael and Alex share a faith and grow to become fast friends in a captivating story filled with excitement and daring. The boys protect each other and dodge perilous situations by using their survival skills and being guided by their strong belief in God. Traveling to the unknown, the boys grow to become men-one yearning for the heart of a special girl, the other seeking to serve God.

Readers of all ages will go back in time as author Pat Mac Donald brings history, friendship, faith, and adventure together in "Two Orphans, Columbus, and the New World."

A wonderfully murky, carnivalesque world of intrigue, unexpected friendships and mysteries solved. Sheba the wolf girl joins an unusual troupe of performers that includes Pyewacket, a witch's imp; Gigantus the giant and Sister Moon, a knife thrower. For the first time in her life she feels she might make true friends, and learn a real stage craft. But soon that's not all she has to think about . . . Children are being sucked into the Thames and there have been strange sightings of a mechanical monster. The carnival troupe know first-hand that looks only tell half a story - they become determined to find these forgotten children. Perhaps they will unravel the mystery that has defied even the law! Illustrated with black and white artwork from superstar illustrator, Sam Usher, and the first in a brand new series! 'Thrilling, original, full of zest and wit.' The London Times 'An atmospheric and exciting read.' BookTrust 'A page-turning adventure.' The Daily Mirror

Early one summer morning in 935 A.D., Malcolm the Jarl's home in northern Scotland is attacked by Viking raiders led by Heidrek the Seafarer. Struck down during the brief battle that follows, Malcolm is taken captive and imprisoned on what was once his own ship. Refusing to join the murderous Vikings, he manages to escape with two of the other prisoners, only to end up lost at sea. Through a strange series of events, the three young men come upon the young queen, Gerda, who is alone and desperately in need of help. Together, the three friends, Scottish jarl, Irish prince and English thane, pledge themselves to protect Gerda and seek to restore her kingdom which has been usurped by her evil cousin Arnkel. But first they must escape from Heidrek who is pursuing them across the northern seas. Adventure and danger abound in this exciting tale of brave manly men fighting to uphold the honor of a woman.

SPECIAL 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION with exclusive extra behind-the-scenes material from the author

It is 1939. In Nazi Germany, the country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier - and will become busier still.

By her brother's graveside, Liesel's life is changed forever when she picks up a single object, abandoned in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, and this is her first act of book thievery. So begins Liesel's love affair with books and words, and soon she is stealing from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library . . . wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times, and when Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, nothing will ever be the same again.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

Now a major film from Twentieth-Century Fox starring Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson.

Codebreaker. Friend. Spy? A thrilling, nail-biting YA mystery with themes of friendship, loyalty, secrets, and a dash of romance. 'The appealing setting, nuanced and flawed heroines and engaging plot make this a gripping read' THE IRISH TIMES 'A tense and gripping period piece.' CHRIS SOUL 'Absolutely brilliant' FIONA SHARP, Waterstones Bookseller Wartime. Pearl and Ellen work at top-secret codebreaking HQ, Bletchley Park. Pearl is the youngest. A messenger at sixteen, she's untidy, lively, bright, and half in love with the wrong boy, Richard. Her circle of friends overlaps with his - the dashing young men on their motorcycles who courier the secrets that Bletchley deciphers. Ellen is a codebreaker. Reserved, analytical and beautiful. She never expected to get close to a girl like Pearl - or fall for a chap like Dennis. But when tragedy strikes, their logical world is upended, with both friends caught in a spy plot that rocks the very heart of the war effort. Who can they turn to now? Who can they trust? And above all, can they unmask the traitor in their midst before it's too late? Follows two young women, Pearl and Ellen, who are recruited to work at Bletchley Park during the Second World War Set in atmospheric 1940s England, The Secrets Act also explores serious historical themes Perfect for fans of Code Name Verity

The days were filled with boating, fishing and exploring. The nights were bonfires and ghost stories, chase games, and night swimming. Parents usually gathered to mix drinks and play cards well into the night. That made it easier for us to play on the large lawn in front of Harman's cabins, usually until late in the cooled night when the dew started to gather and the stars seemed to be so large and bright you could jump and reach them. This is where we usually had bonfires and told ghost stories. Some of my early childhood crushes were sparked with young girls from far away places vacationing at the lake. Some barely knew my name and the rest I only knew as a passing friend and a face across a fire that mesmerized a young heart for a few days during the summer. Those nights and faces are a distant memory now, but will remain a part of me forever. Sometimes while talking with friends about my childhood, I describe how fun-filled mine were and most of it revolved around those special times.

The Black Stallion meets Tamora Pierce in this adventure-filled middle grade novel about a young stable girl who discovers a secret that endangers her beloved horse and threatens her future.Sonnia loves horses more than anything. She works at her family's struggling pony ride business but dreams of the beautiful steeds in the royal stables, especially Ricochet, who she's been slowly saving money to buy--even though she knows people from her impoverished neighborhood are rarely so lucky. Then Ricochet is moved to the racetrack across town, and Sonnia lands a job there. Now, she can see Ricochet every day and earn enough money to buy him in no time--all while helping her family with her new wages! She even joins the junior racing cadre to train to become a jockey. But then she uncovers their secret pastime: competing in the Night Ride, a dangerous and highly illegal race in the darkest hours before dawn. Every race puts the horses at risk. Sonnia wants to protect the horses she's grown to care for, but she's only a kid from the poor side of town--considered expendable, just like the horses. If she just keeps her head down, soon she can buy Ricochet and get him out of there--and keep supporting her family. But would she be able to live with herself?

Bestselling author Holly Webb revisits the much-loved classic A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It is 1913, nine years after the end of A Little Princess saw Sara Crewe escape Miss Minchin's orphanage. Lottie, the smallest girl from the original story, learns about the Suffragette movement from Sara, who returns to visit from time to time. Soon Lottie finds herself sneaking out of the orphanage to attend a demonstration, in defiance of her cold, distant father. A father who has a secret to hide about her own missing mother... It's a story about lost mothers turning up in unexpected situations, the power of friendship and female empowerment. Revisit beloved characters and meet some new ones in this retelling of the classic story, A Little Princess. The original book by Frances Hodgson Burnett is one of the most loved children's classics of all time. Holly Webb has previously published a sequel to the classic novel The Secret Garden called Return to the Secret Garden.