All sixteen-year-old Naomi wants to do over December is read books and avoid other people. Jeffreys Bay promises the perfect drama-free holiday. But when she encounters the strange and imaginative Elize on the beach, everything changes.

Elize, however, isn’t the first to notice the awkward, red-haired newcomer and soon Naomi finds herself caught between a blue-eyed local surfer and Elize's dark and mysterious brother.

But what if Naomi is drawn to someone altogether different...

Shortlisted for the Independent Bookshop Week Book Award, Children's category YA stars Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan join forces to break readers' hearts in this contemporary story of star-cross'd lovers. Jess would never have looked twice at Nicu if her friends hadn't left her in the lurch. Nicu is all big eyes and ill-fitting clothes, eager as a puppy, even when they're picking up litter in the park for community service. He's so not her type. Appearances matter to Jess. She's got a lot to hide. Nicu thinks Jess is beautiful. His dad brought Nicu and his mum here for a better life, but now all they talk about is going back home to find Nicu a wife. The last thing Nicu wants is to get married. He wants to get educated, do better, stay here in England. But his dad's fists are the most powerful force in Nicu's life, and in the end, he'll have to do what his dad wants. As Nicu and Jess get closer, their secrets come to the surface like bruises. The only safe place they have is with each other. But they can't be together, forever, and stay safe - can they? An extraordinary, high-impact, high-emotion collaboration between two stars of YA. Perfect for fans of Patrick Ness, Malorie Blackman, Rainbow Rowell and John Green.

Soar into space with this glorious love story of alien folk, from the number one bestselling author and illustrator of The Gruffalo and Stick Man. 'By a loobular lake on a far-off planet There lived a young Smed, and her name was Janet. Not far away, on a humplety hill, There lived a young Smoo by the name of Bill.' The Smeds (who are red) never mix with the Smoos (who are blue). So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love, their families strongly disapprove. But peace is restored and love conquers all in this happiest of love stories.There's even a gorgeous purple baby to celebrate! Sturdy board pages with softly rounded corners are perfect for little ones With fabulous rhymes and breathtaking illustrations, this picture book from the UK's number one picture book author and illustrator is literally out of this world! Friendship, love, adventure and togetherness are at the heart of this joyful story From the creators of The Gruffalo, Stick Man and Zog, which have all been made into animated films Superworm is on BBC One at Christmas with voice artists including Oscar-winner Olivia Colman (narrator), Matt Smith (Superworm) and Rob Brydon (Crow) New for September 2022 - look out for The Baddies,the wickedly funny new picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. 'Blast off with the most exciting book yet from the creator of The Gruffalo. Get ready for a wild and wonderful journey through space in a book that is perfect for reading together.' The Sun Collect the whole Scholastic picture book series by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler: Stick Man Superworm Tabby McTat The Highway Rat The Scarecrows' Wedding The Smeds and the Smoos Tiddler Ugly Five Zog Zog and the Flying Doctors Also available in paperback, board book, book and CD and early reader formats. Each title also has a sticker activity book with over 300 stickers and pages of activities for hours of extra fun.

No one knows Yami is gay, least of all her mum, and Yami intends to keep it that way . . . Until, uh oh, she's falling in love again. Yami prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, rich Catholic school - or for being gay. So after being outed by her ex-best friend, before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami decides to lie low, make her mum proud and definitely NOT fall in love. The thing is, it's hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And cute. So cute. Told in a captivating voice that is by turns hilarious, vulnerable, and searingly honest, The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School explores the joys and heartaches of living your full truth out loud. 'Sonora's voice is one to watch!' Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin'

Stephanie Garber’s THE BALLAD OF NEVER AFTER is the jaw-dropping sequel to the ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART, featuring Evangeline Fox and the Prince of Hearts on a new journey of magic, mystery, and heartbreak.

Not every love is meant to be.

After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she'll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.

But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.

Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can. . . .

In the margins of a book's pages, sparks fly as a teenage romance begins. But in this time and place, sparks like these can only ignite trouble. It's 1994 and thanks to Section 28, there can be no mention of gay relationships in UK schools. When a kind librarian leads Jamie to a disguised novel in the library that reflects his own confused feelings towards boys, Jamie sees that he's not the only one who has checked the book out. Will Jamie and this mystery boy have the courage to meet - and if they do, what will it take to hold on to each other?

The thrilling second book in the internationally bestselling Divergent series that inspired a series of major motion pictures starring Shailene Woodley. This special 10th anniversary edition features exclusive content from Veronica Roth and a beautiful reimagined cover art from award-winning illustrator Victo Ngai.

As war surges in the factions of dystopian Chicago all around her, Tris attempts to save those she loves – and herself – while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

In times of war sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become ever more irrevocable. Radical new discoveries and shifting relationships mean that Tris must fully embrace her Divergence – even though she cannot know what might be lost in doing so.

Bestselling author Veronica Roth's second book continues the dystopian thrill ride that began in Divergent trilogy.

Die sestienjarige Alicia word na Oxford gestuur om te gaan kyk hoe dit met haar suster gaan. Inez het innoverende nuwe programmatuur ontwikkel, maar 'n onderduimse professor probeer dit verkoop. Voor sy weet waarin sy haar begewe, steel Alicia die verlore dagboek van Charles L. Dodgson, beter bekend as Lewis Carroll. Dit bevat ’n formule wat Inez se werk ver kan laat vorder. Met SkyTech kort op haar hakke maak almal op Alicia staat om die Wonderland-program te beskerm . . . 

A beautifully illustrated, magical retelling of one of the most beloved fairy tales, which no child's library should be without! The Little Mermaid is curious to see the world above the water, but it's forbidden. One day, when nobody is is looking, she slips above the waves and falls in love with a prince. Longing to see him again, she asks the Sea Witch to help her become human. But, for Sea Witch's spell to work, the Little Mermaid must make a difficult choice . . . Will she ever see the prince again? Based on the original story by Hans Christian Andersen, this exquisite reimagining of the classic fairy tale, loved by generations, comes ahead of the highly anticipated Disney live-action movie, The Little Mermaid.

You’re still alive in alternate universes, Theo, but I live in the real world where this morning you’re having an open casket funeral. I know you’re out there, listening. And you should know I’m really pissed because you swore you would never die and yet here we are. It hurts even more because this isn’t the first promise you’ve broken.

OCD-afflicted seventeen-year-old, Griffin, has just lost his first love – his best friend, ex-boyfriend and the boy he believed to be his ultimate life partner – in a drowning accident. In a desperate attempt to hold onto every last piece of the past, a broken Griffin forges a friendship with Theo’s new college boyfriend, Jackson. And Griffin will stop at nothing to learn every detail of Theo’s new college life, and ultimate death. But as the grieving pair grows closer, readers will question Griffin's own version of the truth – both in terms of what he’s willing to hide, and what true love ultimately means...

Zoya presteer nie op skool soos haar identiese tweelingsussie Zoe nie. Maar wie gee tog om oor wiskunde en rekeningkunde? Dis veel beter om seker te maak sy lyk altyd fantasties op ’n selfie. Dis tog hoe sy Erwee du Rand se oog kan vang. Of is dit?

Wanneer Zoya gekies word as die hoof van die balkomitee, is sy in die wolke oor die kans om tyd saam met Erwee te spandeer. Buitendien, hoe moeilik kan dit nou wees om met ’n begroting te werk? Daar is wel ’n paar probleme: die jaloerse Beula, ’n geheimsinnige matchmaker en die feit dat haar pa skielik tienersleng praat en leer skateboard ry . . .

A feminist YA horror-thriller-romance retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray by the TikTok sensation and author of The Society for Soulless Girls…

Penny Paxton is the daughter of an icon. Her supermodel mother has legions of adoring fans around the world, and Penny is ready to begin her journey to international adoration, starting with joining the elite Dorian Drama School.

When Penny’s new mentor offers her an opportunity she cannot refuse, to have a portrait painted by a mysterious artist who can grant immortal beauty to all his subjects, Penny happily follows in the footsteps of Dorian’s most glittering alumni, knowing that stardom is sure to soon be hers.

But when her trusted mentor is found murdered, Penny realises she’s made a terrible mistake – a sinister someone is using the uncanny portraits to kill off the subjects one by one. As more perfectly beautiful students start to fall, Penny knows her time is running out . . .

A seductive and searing exploration of beauty, identity, and what the pursuit of perfection can truly cost.

In Carry On, Simon Snow and his friends realized that everything they thought they understood about the world might be wrong. And in Wayward Son, they wondered whether everything they understood about themselves might be wrong. In Any Way the Wind Blows, Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha have to decide how to move forward. For Simon, that means deciding whether he still wants to be part of the World of Mages - and if he doesn't, what does that mean for his relationship with Baz? Meanwhile Baz is bouncing between two family crises and not finding any time to talk to anyone about his newfound vampire knowledge. Penelope would love to help, but she's smuggled an American Normal into London, and now she isn't sure what to do with him. And Agatha? Well, Agatha Wellbelove has had enough. Any Way the Wind Blows takes the gang back to England, back to Watford, and back to their families for their longest and most emotionally wrenching adventure yet. This book is a finale. It tells secrets and answers questions and lays ghosts to rest. Carry On was conceived as a book about Chosen One stories; Any Way the Wind Blows is an ending about endings. About catharsis and closure, and how we choose to move on from the traumas and triumphs that try to define us.

Discover the dark and seductive realm of faerie in the first book of New York Times bestseller Holly Black's critically acclaimed Modern Faerie Tales series. Kaye is used to drifting from place to place with her mother's rock band, until an ominous attack forces them back to her childhood home. Kaye's always had the unique ability to see faeries, so when she stumbles upon an injured faerie knight in the woods, she decides to save him. But this fateful choice has dire consequences, as she soon finds herself the unwilling pawn in an ancient and violent power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms. Will Kaye escape with her life?

The book that all SHATTER ME fans have been waiting for is finally here. The fourth incredible instalment of Tahereh Mafi's New York Times bestselling YA fantasy series perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Victoria Aveyard's The Red Queen, Stranger Things and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows

The girl with the power to kill with a single touch now has the world in the palm of her hand.

Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But when tragedy strikes, she must confront the darkness that dwells both around and inside her.

On stage, Fin is Thor. Angry and invincible. Yet for all his potential, people always leave him. Kayla is the only girl he's ever met who’s worth loving. The only one he's ever wanted to be worth something for. Kayla knows she's weird and unlovable. But she wants to believe there is no reason to be sad anymore. In each other Fin and Kayla find the only place they've ever belonged. Until the ghosts from the past come to break them apart.

Tilda's world is just as she likes it - until, one day, it turns completely upside down! From the bestselling Big Bright Feelings series by Tom Percival Be open, be honest, be you! Big Bright Feelings for little people. Tilda's world is just as she likes it . . . until one day, it turns completely UPSIDE DOWN. All of a sudden, everything is topsy-turvy, and nothing feels right. Things that were once easy now seem incredibly challenging. Can Tilda discover a new way to approach her problems and believe in herself? Bold, bright and empowering, this is an inspiring story about coping with difficult situations. It's the ideal book for helping children to build resilience and embrace a 'can do' approach to life. Tom Percival's Big Bright Feelings series is the perfect springboard for conversations about mental and emotional health, positive self-image, building self-confidence and managing feelings. Every child's bookshelf should contain his books.

ONE MOMENT CAN CHANGE A LIFE FOREVER. 'An exceptional read' The Sunday Times 'Vital glimmers of hope enlighten this profoundly poignant book' Guardian A powerful and heart-breaking novel about three childhood friends living during the Second World War whose fates are closely intertwined, even when their lives take very different courses. Inspired by a true story, this is the perfect read for fans of The Book Thief and Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl. Vienna, 1936. Elsa, Leo and Max have always been best friends, a special team of three. Then the Nazis come. As a growing darkness descends around them, Leo and Elsa run for their lives, taking two very different paths across Europe. And Max, once their closest friend, now becomes the enemy as he is drawn into the Hitler Youth. Will the friends ever find their way back to each other? Will they want to? Inspired by a true story, WHEN THE WORLD WAS OURS is an extraordinary novel that is as powerful as it is heartbreaking, and shows how the bonds of love, family and friendship allow glimmers of hope to flourish, even in the most hopeless of times. Three friends. Two sides. One memory.

Soar into space with this glorious love story of alien folk, from the creators of The Gruffalo and Stick Man. The Smeds (who are red) never mix with the Smoos (who are blue). So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love, their families strongly disapprove.

But peace is restored and love conquers all in this happiest of love stories. There’s even a gorgeous purple baby to celebrate!

• With fabulous rhymes and breathtaking illustrations, this book is literally out of this world!
• From the creators of The Gruffalo, Stick Man and ZOG, which have all been made into animated films shown on BBC1
• Zog and the Flying Doctors animation will be shown on BBC1 December 2020.

Sure, love is hell. But it, s totally worth it.

In these supernatural stories by five of today's hottest writers--Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely), Scott Westerfeld (Specials), Justine Larbalestier (Magic or Madness), Gabrielle Zevin (Elsewhere), and Laurie Faria Stolarz (Blue is for Nightmares)--love may be twisted and turned around, but it's more potent than ever on its quest to conquer all.

From two students who let the power of attraction guide them to break the hard-and-fast rules of their world to the girl who falls hard for a good-looking ghost with a score to settle, the clever, quirky characters in this exciting collection will break your heart, then leave you believing in love more than ever.

A Polari-Prize-winning author presents an unforgettable story about a boy facing up to bullying - and his own truths. James loves dancing, poetry, and Mariah Carey (not in that order, though, because Mariah would obviously be first!). His teacher, Mr Hamilton, is getting married to his boyfriend and it seems that James will be part of a surprise choir performance at the wedding. But James's father seems uncomfortable about the plan, and a lot of other things - like any mention of Mr Hamilton, and James's dancing, and how James talks about his new friend Joel. Meanwhile, a different boy has been harassing James at school and calling him gay, and it's getting worse every day. James can find relief with his beloved Nan, she's been having worrying falls, and James can't tell anyone, or she might be sent to a faraway care home. The secrets are building up, and James is starting to lose his characteristic spark. Can he find the strength to let the truth out? A joyful, raw and timely novel about family, friends, enemies, and being true to who you really are. Perfect for fans of Alex Gino, A.M. Dassu, and The Boy At the Back of the Class. Ian Eagleton is the author of Nen and the Lonely Fisherman, which was shortlisted for The Bookseller's Book Of The Year - Discovery Category 2022