Change and transitions are hard, but Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! demonstrates how, when one experience ends, it opens the door for another to begin. It follows two best friends as they say goodbye to snowmen, and hello to stomping in puddles. They say goodbye to long walks, butterflies, and the sun...and hello to long evening talks, fireflies, and the stars. But the hardest goodbye of all comes when one of the friends has to move away. Feeling alone isn't easy, and sometimes new beginnings take time. But even the hardest days come to an end, and you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Calvin is in foster care, and he wants to trust someone, anyone, but is afraid to open his heart. He has lived in a lot of houses, but he still hasn't found his home. When he moves in with Maggie, she shows him respect, offers him kindness, and makes him see things in himself that he's never noticed before. Maybe this isn't just another house, maybe this is a place Calvin can call home, for a while.

The much anticipated new novel from international bestselling author Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places.

You were my first. Not just sex, although that was part of it, but the first to look past everything else into me. Some of the names and places have been changed, but the story is true. It's all here because one day this will be the past, and I don't want to forget what I went through, what I thought, what I felt, who I was. I don't want to forget you. But most of all, I don't want to forget me.

For her last summer before college, Claudine Henry and her mother head to a remote island off the Georgia coast. There, amidst the wild beauty of the place, she meets the free spirited Jeremiah Crew. Their chemistry is immediate and irresistible, and even though they both know that whatever they have can only last the summer, maybe one summer is enough . . .

Book Band: Dark Red, ideal for ages 10+ A contemporary story about life in foster care, perfect for fans of Jacqueline Wilson's Tracy Beaker series Ruby Ali's eighteen-year-old sister Alisha has left the care centre where they live, and Ruby is being sent to live with a new foster family. If she can sabotage life at her new home, she'll get to go and live with her sister again, right? But mission break up doesn't go exactly according to plan... This funny, heart-warming story about a Muslim girl finding her place in the world features black-and-white illustrations by Parwinder Singh. The Bloomsbury Readers series is packed with book-banded stories to get children reading independently in Key Stage 2 by award-winning authors like double Carnegie Medal winner Geraldine McCaughrean and Waterstones Prize winner Patrice Lawrence. With engaging illustrations and online guided reading notes written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), this series is ideal for home and school. For more information visit www.bloomsburyreaders.com. 'Any list that brings together such a quality line up of authors is going to be welcomed ... Bloomsbury Readers are aimed squarely at children in Key Stage 2 and designed to support them as they start reading independently and while they continue to gain confidence and understanding.' Books for Keeps

Eleven-year-old Pea and her wonderfully wacky family are back for their second adventure in this fabulously funny series. After securing herself a best friend and settling into London life, Pea is now contemplating her future and what exactly she should be when she grows up. Should she be a writer (like Mum)? An artist (like their crazy new au pair Klaudia)? A footballer? A pet therapist? Join Pea as she attempts to find out the answers - with hilarious results!

‘Hoop kings SOAR

in kicks with wings.

Game so sweet

it’s like bee stings.’

It's 1988. Charlie Bell is still mourning his father, and struggling to figure out how he feels for his best (girl) friend, CJ. When he gets into trouble one too many times, he's packed off like the Fresh Prince to stay with his grandparents for the summer. There his cousin Roxie introduces him to a whole new world: basketball. A legend on the courts is born. But can Charlie resist when trouble comes knocking once again?

From the New York Times-bestselling author Kwame Alexander, Rebound is a stunning coming-of-age novel in verse about basketball, family and staying true to yourself. A prequel to The Crossover, winner of the Newbery Medal, and follow-up to Booked, highly commended for the CLiPPA prize and nominated for the Carnegie Medal.

With comic-book illustrations from award-winning graphic novel artist Dawud Anyabwile.

This book helps young children aged 7+ find out about and understand life in a stepfamily. When a child's parent remarries, that child gains a new parent, and often, new siblings. This can be great, but it can also come with its own unique set of challenges. This informative book is designed to help readers navigate and learn from these challenges. Relatable stories are presented through the use of colourful illustrations and accessible text. This book is an excellent resource for readers who have recently become or are currently preparing to become part of a new stepfamily. It features seven stories from children who have a range of stepfamily issues from a girl who doesn't want to share to a boy who is worried because he likes his stepdad more than his 'real' dad. The end of the book features a short playscript to act out and discuss. In this series case studies combine with sensible, practical advice to help children find out what to do in difficult situations.

What happens when the very same system designed to protect children fails? That's exactly what is happening right now in the UK family courts in cases of Parental Alienation, a form of post-divorce abuse. Cafcass define Parental Alienation as 'when a child's resistance or hostility towards one parent is not justified and is the result of psychological manipulation by the other parent'; yet experts, therapists and social workers are not trained to assess or deal with cases involving Parental Alienation. I spent years making my case to judges, experts and lawyers, all of whom failed to agree on what was actually happening between my ex-wife, my kids and myself. At the time it seemed like I was constantly trying to prove a negative, to find a new direction to reach my kids, and while all were promising, all ended in expensive dead ends as my ex-wife pursued her agenda. If I had to sum up the experience of trying to prove Parental Alienation in the courts, I would describe it as being trapped in the backseat of a car while it crashes in slow motion. The system is not fit for purpose. The family courts are slow and busy, burdened by the backlog of cases. Once you do get a hearing, they are often set months away and even then, traditional safeguarding assessments fail to detect Parental Alienation. The longer the child is away from a parent, the harder it is to stop the alienation, and the longer the issue remains unaddressed, the risk of the children suffering mental health and behavioural problems increases. Alienated parents also often display signs of post-traumatic stress: paranoia, anxiety and in some cases are suicidal. It is my hope that this book will not only draw attention to the potential injustice in cases of Parental Alienation and the need for meaningful reform to prevent further irreparable damage, but that it will help a parent going through a family separation spot signs before it's too late. About the author: The author is a successful businessman, loving father and victim of parental alienation. The author has used a ghost writer to validate his story. The characters have been anonymised to both protect their privacy and lift the veil on the inner workings of the family court, which the author believes is in the public interest of protecting children from harm.

A fast-paced adventure story full of heart, courage - and horses. Ella and Johnny are distraught when Johnny's horse Storm disappears from his field. Johnny knows that he has been taken by 'the pound man'. This is plain stealing. Ella, Johnny and Ella's granny aren't going to let Storm go that easily. They round up the evidence and set off to the pound, where they confront the officials with proof that Storm is a well-cared-for animal who was snatched from a field. But it isn't so easy and Johnny and Ella will have to find another, daring plan to rescue Storm. A pageturner adventure tale of Irish Traveller children and their fight to keep their horse.

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, Jess, 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.

Thirteen-year-old wrestling fanatic Henry used to have a normal life. Now, his therapist wants him to keep a journal so he can express his feelings about what happened. Henry has moved with his dad to a new city, where nobody knows their name. He lives off a diet of pizza, whilst hiding from the comically overbearing neighbours and avoiding being an obvious target for bullies at his new school. But then he meets Farley and Alberta, social misfits who refuse to let him be alone. And bit by bit, the past begins to come out. Heartbreaking, surprising and laugh-out-loud funny, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K Larsen is about the things that remain after your life has fallen to pieces.

A group of undocumented children with letters for names, are stuck living in a refugee camp, with stories to tell but no papers to prove them. As they try to forge a new family amongst themselves, they also long to keep memories of their old identities alive.

Will they be heard and believed? And what will happen to them if they aren't?

An astonishing piece of writing that will enchant and intrigue children; perfectly pitched at a 9+ readership.

Beautifully illustrated and simply told, this heartfelt story delves into the emotions children feel when their parents separate. Combining straightforward sentences with the bright and bold-coloured circles symbolising the family members, the gentle message is easily identifiable to children and invites dialogue during story time reading. From the familiarity of being surrounded by one's parents to the distress felt during their divorce, and then to the anger giving way to acceptance of the new situation, the emotional journey culminates with the realization that love persists and even blooms in the new extended family. This is a very difficult time for children and can be confusing, sad, joyous, and everything in between. This powerful message expresses no judgement so the child and the parent always feel good, even when the family environment changes.

Lauren, Jack, Ruby and Billy live by the seaside with their mum and dad. But their parents are always arguing, and then their dad moves out. Lauren and Jack decide they have to get them together again. And so begins Operation Eiffel Tower . . . in which the four children try to raise money to give their mum and dad a treat in an attempt to make them happier. First they want to send their parents to Paris, but quickly realise they can never afford that, so instead they set up a dinner for two under the Eiffel Tower in the local crazy golf attraction. But will it get their parents talking again? A funny and very moving story that tackles important issues with a light touch.

An adaptation for the stage of Jacqueline Wilson's popular novel. Ten-year-old Andy used to live happily at Mulberry Cottage with her family: Mum, Dad, and Radish the rabbit, who lives in Andy's pocket and shares all her secrets. But then it all went wrong: Mum went to live with Bill, and Dad went off with Carrie. And Andy is expected to shuttle between the two - living out of a suitcase - and come to terms with her strange new families. Vicky Ireland's stage adaptation of The Suitcase Kid was first staged at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, in 2007. Seen all over the country, this resourceful dramatisation is suitable for young actors as well as young audiences. Vicky Ireland has provided production notes to indicate how the play can be staged even with minimal resources - plus a lot of ingenuity!

After finding an abandoned baby, 13-yr-old Amy sets out to find the mother. On her way home from school, 13-year-old Amy finds a newborn baby abandoned at the village bus stop. It's wrong, just like when Mum walked out on Amy and her sister ten years ago - so she tries to fix it, by finding the baby's mother. But as Amy searches, she uncovers another story, a secret even closer to home. A thought-provoking story exploring the complexities of family, friends and making difficult choices.

Family; friendships; and fun, diverse, real-life situations and issues. The brand-new book by Susie Day, for girls growing up in a real, modern world . . . Billie Bright's family is pretty big for one that's got somebody missing. There's Billie who is a girl Billie and eleven and about to go to secondary school. Then there are her three big brothers and her Dad, who also runs the cafe under their flat. Life's loud but Billie likes it, even without her mum there any more. But with the new school comes having to make new friends and all kinds of other grown-up things to deal with. And at home it feels like all her brothers are keeping secrets from her. So when she decides to do a project on her mum, she has to do all the research herself and ends up finding out all kinds of things she doesn't expect to .

A positive and proactive book that helps you understand and cope with relationships.

There's two sides to every story. In Relationships, you will read two sides to the dilemmas, sticky situations or issues that children sometimes have to face when interacting with others. Encouraging you to put yourself in someone else's shoes to see why they have reacted in a certain way or said certain things, will help you to understand why different point of view arise in the first place and why your perspective might cloud your judgement or stop other seeing your point of view.

It will help you to find ways to positively and proactively resolve situations, deal with your emotions and maybe even change your mind. Relationships tackles situations including: parents not trusting you, sibling conflicts, stepfamilies, evolving friendships, peer pressure and frenemies.

The book includes top tips for dealing with your emotions and conflict resolution.

The A Problem Shared series looks at tricky situations and common problems from two sides. The books encourage the reader to not only speak out, but also to listen to what others have to say. Some of the core values of PSHE are empathy, mindfulness and engaging with debate and this series puts the reader firmly in the middle, allowing them to make up their own mind about the scenarios presented and to question their own initial assumptions or bias.

Perfect resources for students of PSHE at Key Stage 2 aged 9+, these books are also useful as opportunities for discussion topics in class or as role play situations.