'Do you feel safe?' A powerful novel exploring how teenagers can be swept up into county lines. For fans of PUNCHING THE AIR and SPLINTERS OF SUNSHINE. Erik's mum is juggling the challenge of two small babies, plus the recent death of her husband due to COVID-19. Both these factors affect teenage Erik too, struggling with homework as the babies continually cry or his mum needs help. When the difficulties at home affect Erik's behaviour at school and he gets in with the wrong crowd, Erik is tempted to earn some easy money. . . But this kind of money is never truly easy to earn and comes with a terrible cost. Written in verse, the thoroughly-researched narrative exploring how teenage boys can be drawn into county lines pulls the reader in from the very first page, as Erik makes some good - and some very bad - decisions...

Natasha Devon's Click - Be Your Best Self Online is the perfect guide for young people navigating the digital world. There are three billion people online. Each of those people has their own biases, agendas and issues. It's little wonder when young people step into the digital world and are bombarded with 'hot takes', calls to cancel 'problematic' individuals, trolls, fake news and celebrity sales pitches they're likely to find it overwhelming and confusing. This book wants to change that. It will teach young people how to: - See and evaluate all sides of an argument - Spot fake news - Explain their 'take' persuasively - Use the internet to campaign for a fairer world - Get the most out of their online role models - Show allyship to marginalised groups Natasha Devon is a writer, campaigner and broadcaster. She travels to schools and colleges throughout the UK and the world, delivering classes and conducting research with teenagers, teachers and parents on mental health, body image and social equality.

Abigail has ADHD and can't concentrate, but one teacher knows just how to get her engaged. Abigail is frustrated. She can't focus on writing and fools around instead. She is sent to the cooling down room. After that is music class, and she can't make any of the instruments work! Just when things are about to go wrong again, the teacher discovers exactly what to do to engage this little girl, and Abigail ends up finding a special voice of her very own.

Multi-award-winning author Brian Conaghan's first book for 10+ readers is a future classic brimming with humour and heart

Even though I found him living in a house made of cardboard, Bruce is a massive legend. FACT. So this mine and Bruce's story. You don't have to believe it happened, but it did. All of it.

Nobody at school can see past Lenny's size to the person within. So when lessons get too tough, Lenny always goes to his bench to think. At least there no one can see him. Then one day, midway through lobbing his empty can of Irn-Bru into the canal he's stopped by Bruce. Bruce lives in a cardboard home hidden away by the banks, and he doesn't approve of kids messing up his front lawn .

But a bumpy start soon gives way to an unexpected friendship - and an epic road trip - that will change both of them for life ...

A powerful, compelling novel from the critically-acclaimed author of I Am Thunder, about making friends, and breaking them too.

Fifteen-year-old Ilyas is under pressure from everyone: GCSE's are looming and his teachers just won't let up, his dad wants him to join the family business and his mates don't care about any of it. There's no space in Ilyas' life to just be a teenager.

Serving detention one day, Ilyas finds a kindred spirit in Kelly Matthews, who is fed up with being pigeonholed as the good girl, and their friendship blows the social strata of high school wide open. But when Kelly catches the eye of one of the local bad boys, Imran, he decides to seduce her for a bet – and Ilyas is faced with losing the only person who understands him. Standing up to Imran puts Ilyas' family at risk, but it's time for him to be the superhero he draws in his comic-books, and go kick the moon.

Kick the Moon, is Muhammad Khan's explosive second novel, with original comic-book art from Amrit Birdi, bestselling illustrator of Username:Evie.

An all-new edition of the tragicomic smash hit which stormed the New York Times bestseller charts, now featuring an introduction from Markus Zusak. In his first book for young adults, Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist who leaves his school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white high school. This heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written tale, featuring poignant drawings that reflect the character's art, is based on the author's own experiences. It chronicles contemporary adolescence as seen through the eyes of one Native American boy. 'Excellent in every way' Neil Gaiman Illustrated in a contemporary cartoon style by Ellen Forney.

Big lies mean big trouble for Jay and his mates. Funny and tender, My Big Mouth, CLiPPA Award-winner Steven Camden's brilliant first novel for readers of 8 to 11, is about friendship, storytelling and the price of being cool. Brilliantly illustrated throughout by Chanté Timothy.

‘They think I’m cool.’
Dom’s face wrinkled up, ‘Who does? Who cares?’
But I did. I cared.

When Dad leaves, ten-year-old Jay has questions.
Where has he gone?
Why did he go?

When no one can give Jay the answers he needs, he makes up his own stories, setting off a chain reaction that sees regular old Jay go from just another face in the crowd, to the centre of attention.

But being the coolest kid in school comes at a cost. And as things spiral out of control, can the most unlikely person help him learn the most important lesson of all?

A glorious boarding school adventure set in Nigeria - a story of friendship, empathy and fighting for what you believe in. 'What a joyful, vibrant story! A book for the heart' EFUA TRAORE, author of Children of the Quicksands Jummy has won a place at the River School, the finest girls' boarding school in Nigeria. Nothing can dampen her spirits, not even when she learns that her best friend Caro won't be joining her. By the Shine-Shine River, school is everything Jummy dreamt of, with friendly new girls, midnight feasts and sporting prizes - but when Caro suddenly arrives at the school to work, not to learn, Jummy must bring all her friends together to help. From a fantastic new talent in middle-grade contemporary fiction, Sabine Adeyinka, based on her own experience of attending boarding school in Nigeria A joyful, glorious collision of classic boarding-school story with vibrant 1990s Nigeria Irrepressible Jummy investigates an intriguing mystery as her best friend from home turns up at the school

When Aideen agrees to help ambitious class swot Maebh Kowalska deal with her crazy workload, she doesn’t expect to end up reluctantly pushing Maebh down the stairs. With this, Aideen becomes the school ‘fixer’: any problem a student has, Aideen will sort it out, from stealing confiscated mobiles to breaking into parties. All she asks for is a favour in return. But Aideen’s own life is a mess – her mam’s drinking again, her BFF Holly is avoiding her and she’s skipping school. Spending more time with the uptight (but annoyingly cute) Maebh and chatterbox Kavi, Aideen starts to wonder: can every problem be solved?

From comedian, actor, rapper and screenwriter Ben Bailey Smith comes a blazingly funny, big-hearted story about family, friendship and how far one boy will go to get a laugh. Perfect for fans of David Baddiel and Frank Cottrell-Boyce.

For thirteen-year-old Carmichael Taylor, life is one big joke - in a good way. He just can't understand why no one else seems to find everything as funny as he does.

When Car is filmed stumbling into performing a piece of hilarious stand-up at the school talent show - targeting his family, school and friends - the footage ends up creating international infamy. But with the promise of fame and fortune comes trouble, and it's up to Car to decide what or who he's willing to risk to chase his comedy dream.

Get ready to laugh at life with this heart-warming, unashamedly honest and hilarious look at family, friendship and what really matters.

Toby's sister and baby brother love their schools - they smell of paint and rainbows. Toby doesn't think he likes his new school at all - it smells of ogres and he's lonely. He looks and looks for friends but he can't find any anywhere. He finds an alien, a mermaid, a dinosaur expert and a pirate, but no friends! When his mum comes to pick him up he tells her the sad news - but if he didn't make any friends then who is in the playground waving at him? Rebecca Elliott's charming first experiences books, featuring her son Toby encountering new situations, help children deal with new and unfamiliar circumstances. In Mr Super Poopy Pants, Toby got used to the idea of having a new baby brother; in Missing Jack he had to come to terms with the death of his pet cat. Now Rebecca is showing that going to school isn't quite as scary as you might think, using her unique sense of humour and style to create a warm and comforting picture book, which is quirky and funny at the same time.

Jay and his mates were looking forward to the best summer ever before they become nervous little minnows heading off to senior school learning to swim with the sharks. But when Danny and Dom have to bail, Jay is left facing the long holiday alone, until his mysterious new next door neighbour makes him think hanging out at Summer School might not be such a bad idea after all. Summer School and Cyborgs, the sequel to ClIppa award-winner Steven Camden's funny and tender first novel My Big Mouth, is for readers of 8+ about friendship, growing up and working out who you want to be. Brilliantly illustrated throughout by Chante Timothy.

Today's middle school girls have it rough.
In a few short years, they go through an incredible number of biological and emotional changes, making this the most formative--and riskiest--time in their lives. Groups turn on each other, a trusted childhood friend can reveal secrets by sending a text message or updating a Facebook status, and deciding where to sit in the cafeteria can be a daily struggle. As any tween will tell you, life for a middle school girl can be summed up in one word: "drama."
Haley Kilpatrick's own turbulent middle school experience inspired Girl Talk, a nonprofit organization in which high school mentors offer a "just been there" perspective to tween girls, helping them build self-esteem and develop leadership skills. Here, Haley delivers the definitive guidebook, packed with anecdotes from real girls around the country, who offer their insight into why her friends' approval is suddenly vitally important, why she feels pressured to be perfect, why she's no longer telling her parents everything, and what three vital things adults can offer to the girls in their lives to downplay the drama.
Filled with practical strategies from tweens and teen mentors to help adults understand what girls today are facing, "The Drama Years "is a must-read for anyone struggling to help girls navigate the often difficult transition into adolescence.

Is the truth as simple as black and white? Mark My Words is the searing novel from Branford Boase Award-winner and 2020 World Book Day author Muhammad Khan, asking who you can trust when all you see is lies. 'A brilliant and powerful story that kept me on the edge of my seat. The protagonist is extremely compelling and relatable, a warrior through and through - you'll root for Dua the entire way!' - Nikita Gill 'A bold and timely book about protest and finding your voice.' - The Observer Fifteen-year-old Dua Iqbal has always had trouble minding her own business. With a silver-tongue and an inquisitive nature, a career in journalism seems fated. When her school merges with another, Dua seizes her chance and sets up a rival newspaper, exposing the controversial stories that teachers and the kids who rule the school would rather keep buried. Dua's investigations are digging up things she shouldn't get involved with about family, friends and her community and as exams rattle towards her, she needs to make some hard decisions about when to leave things alone. But when she discovers that some kids at school are being blamed for selling drugs when the real perpetrator is right in front of their noses, she can't keep quiet any longer. 'A voice long overdue in British fiction' - Alex Wheatle on I Am Thunder 'Khan has created a book steeped in drama and empathy, as well as providing two iconic superheroes' - Nikesh Shukla on Kick the Moon

Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal Nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal Boy lives in a caravan on his own in the woods. His dad, John, is in prison and promises to get out soon. All the boy needs to do is survive alone for a little while longer. But dark forces are circling - like the dangerous man in the Range Rover, who is looking for his stolen money. And then there are the ancient forces that have lain asleep in the woods for an age...

Toby's sister and baby brother love their schools - they smell of paint and rainbows. Toby doesn't think he likes his new school at all - it smells of ogres and he's lonely. He looks and looks for friends but he can't find any anywhere. He finds an alien, a mermaid, a dinosaur expert and a pirate, but no friends! When his mum comes to pick him up he tells her the sad news - but if he didn't make any friends then who is in the playground waving at him..? Rebecca Elliott's charming first experiences books, featuring her son Toby encountering new situations, help children deal with new and unfamiliar circumstances. In Mr Super Poopy Pants, Toby got used to the idea of having a new baby brother; in Missing Jack he had to come to terms with the death of his pet cat. Now Rebecca is showing that going to school isn't quite as scary as you might think, using her unique sense of humour and style to create a warm and comforting picture book, which is quirky and funny at the same time.

An achingly beautiful collection of poems about one week in a secondary school where everything happens all at once. Zooming in across our cast of characters, we share moments that span everything from hoping to make it to the end of the week, facing it, fitting in, finding friends and falling out, to loving lessons, losing it, and worrying, wearing it well and worshipping from afar. In Everything All At Once, Steven Camden's poems speak to the kaleidoscope of teen experience and life at ‘big school’.

'All together. Same place.

Same walls. Same space.

Every emotion

under the sun

Faith lost. Victories won.

It doesn't stop. Until the bell.

Now it's heaven

Now it's hell.

Who knows?

Not me

I just wrote what I can see

So what's it about? Here's my response

It's about everything

All at once.'

What's the good in keeping secrets?

Secret Friends is a heartbreaking story about friendship and bullying from the multi-award-winning Elizabeth Laird.

Rafaella doesn't find it easy to make friends. She looks and feels different from the others at school. And Lucy is the first to tease, the first to call her 'Earwig', until they get to know one another and Lucy sees that Rafaella is full of hopes and ideas, just like she is. Lucy loves keeping her own secret friend, until tragedy strikes and secrets can't be kept any longer.

Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and the Children's Book Award and reissued with gorgeous illustrations, more than twenty years after first publication, Elizabeth Laird's moving and unflinching novella brings home the crucial importance of cultivating empathy in young people.