Philip James Longbotham is twelve. His nickname is OC and he possesses a most amazing brain. It might not go round corners but it’s a whiz at science and plays chess like a dream.

“Why me? That’s what I want to ask God.” Set in rural Somerset, Broken is the story of Jem Love, whose family is torn apart by his mother’s drug taking, and whose young brother and sister are taken into care. Jem is determined to get his family back together again. But what can a 14 year-old boy do in a world dominated by adults? What he really needs is a god whom he can telephone for help, and who might just happen to have a spare angel or two to send him. He knows that’s pretty stupid; God is more likely to say he’s old enough to deal with the situation himself. In any case, likely candidates for the role are pretty thin on the ground. There’s only Katrina Jones, a hard drinking, wise-cracking, social worker, and Spooky Jarvis, who runs foul of the law as often as he has birthdays... Broken is a gritty, provocative, coming-of-age novel that will also appeal to young adults aged 16+.

Dedicated to the more mature echelons of society and delightfully illustrated by Katie Beltrami, who just happens to be young, Barbara Spencer’s Age and the Antique Sideboard takes a fun-filled look at life, in which there are some extraordinary goings-on. Age and the Antique Sideboard is the perfect gift for those difficult to buy for. Exhibiting a somewhat ‘pithy’ sense of humour, Barbara shares her travels, short stories and anecdotes from her successful writing career as well as her personal life. As she says: “Age and the Antique Sideboard versus a pair of socks for Christmas? No contest.”

New Companions. New Fun. An Awesome New Adventure It’s summer; Jack, convinced that the Kingdom of Sudana is safe at last, is only thinking about football and his forthcoming holiday to France. That is until people with the name Jack Burnside are attacked and murdered. When Jack’s home is also destroyed, there can be little doubt who is behind it – Mendorun. Yet, how can that be … Mendorun is dead, isn’t he? Jack must warn Jacob but how? The Kingdom of Sudana lies a whole starlit night away and Bud, the camel, has been reduced to slivers at wood. His only chance is to find Adolphus, one of Nelson’s guardian lions, and bring him to life. Jack doesn’t count on taking all four lions – and Nelson – and his best mates, Andy and Rob. It all sounds the greatest of fun until the Hibou strikes … Then it get serious. The Lions of Trafalgar is the third book in the Jack Burnside trilogy: the other two are, A Dangerous Game and The Bird Children.

Lives will change forever. Children of powerful and wealthy parents are vanishing. It’s serial kidnapping on an international scale and the kidnappers are calling all the shots. It started in the UK with the disappearance of PJ Scott, son of the world’s highest paid film star, and Hunter Driscol, whose Irish father is a high-tech billionaire. Then it spread to Europe and the US with no end in sight. Having eliminated the possibility of terrorists, and with no real clues, Inspector Shepperd of Scotland Yard is rapidly running out of options… And the clock is ticking.

Growing up amidst the ruins of war, four children play among the bridges and cobblestone walkways of an old city, using them as a backdrop for their games. Pieter Bader, the eldest, wants nothing more than to work with their father in the family business, designers of mirrors for royalty since the 17th century, while his young sister, Maidy, dreams of becoming a writer. She has her own special bridge, the smallest in the city, around which she weaves stories of swashbuckling pirates and princesses, dressed all in silver, who wear sandals made from the silken thread of a spider’s web. Her best friend is Ruth, a young Jewish girl whose family returned to the city as refugees after the war. Slightly the older, and both rich and very beautiful, Ruth dreams of marrying Pieter, only for him to vanish from their lives late one night. Is his disappearance linked to the arrival of the swans, feared as cursed and birds of ill-fortune? What will happen when they return six years later, on the morning of Maidy’s sixteenth birthday? And who exactly is the charismatic and mysterious Zande? Follow Ruth and Maidy’s cursed tale of love as they discover what happened to Pieter, how the appearance of Zande will affect both their lives, unleashing events as tragic and fantastical as one of Maidy’s stories.

Jack, who shares his name with the soccer superstar, Jack Burnside, is a keen footballer. When his best mate, Saleem, fails to return after a visit to his home, there is little Jack can do about it, until he receives a mysterious parcel in the post. It takes him on a journey to a land ruled by sun and peopled with tyrants, sorcerers and giant crows. Now he must find Saleem, coach a team of boys for a football march – and stay alive! … which just might prove rather difficult if you only ally is a cantankerous camel.

For every athlete or sports fanatic who knows she's just as good as the guys. This is for fans of The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, Grace, Gold, and Glory by Gabrielle Douglass and Breakaway: Beyond the Goal by Alex Morgan. The summer before Caleb and Tessa enter high school, friendship has blossomed into a relationship . . . and their playful sports days are coming to an end. Caleb is getting ready to try out for the football team, and Tessa is training for cross-country. But all their structured plans derail in the final flag game when they lose. Tessa doesn’t want to end her career as a loser. She really enjoys playing, and if she’s being honest, she likes it even more than running cross-country. So what if she decided to play football instead? What would happen between her and Caleb? Or between her two best friends, who are counting on her to try out for cross-country with them? And will her parents be upset that she’s decided to take her hobby to the next level? This summer Caleb and Tessa figure out just what it means to be a boyfriend, girlfriend, teammate, best friend, and someone worth cheering for. “A great next choice for readers who have enjoyed Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s Dairy Queen and Miranda Kenneally’s Catching Jordan.”—SLJ “Fast-paced football action, realistic family drama, and sweet romance…[will have] readers looking for girl-powered sports stories…find[ing] plenty to like.”—Booklist “Tessa's ferocious competitiveness is appealing.”—Kirkus Reviews “[The Football Girl] serve[s] to illuminate the appropriately complicated emotions both of a young romance and of pursuing a dream. Heldring writes with insight and restraint.”—The Horn Book

A New York Times bestseller! Soar into a breathtaking world of heroes and unicorns as you’ve never seen them before in this “unexpected, suspenseful, and heartwarming” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade debut perfect for fans of the Percy Jackson and Eragon series! Skandar Smith has always yearned to leave the Mainland and escape to the secretive Island, where wild unicorns roam free. He’s spent years studying for his Hatchery exam, the annual test that selects a handful of Mainlander thirteen-year-olds to train to become unicorn riders. But on the day of Skandar’s exam, things go horribly wrong, and his hopes are shattered…until a mysterious figure knocks on his door at midnight, bearing a message: the Island is in peril and Skandar must answer its call. Skandar is thrust into a world of epic sky battles, dangerous clashes with wild unicorns, and rumors of a shadowy villain amassing a unicorn army. And the closer Skandar grows to his newfound friends and community of riders, the harder it becomes to keep his secrets—especially when he discovers their lives may all be in graver danger than he ever imagined.

'Give me Harry Potter,' said Voldemort's voice, 'and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded.' As he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid's motorbike and takes to the skies, leaving Privet Drive for the last time, Harry Potter knows that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters are not far behind. The protective charm that has kept Harry safe until now is broken, but he cannot keep hiding. The Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything Harry loves and to stop him Harry will have to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes. The final battle must begin - Harry must stand and face his enemy... Having become classics of our time, the Harry Potter eBooks never fail to bring comfort and escapism. With their message of hope, belonging and the enduring power of truth and love, the story of the Boy Who Lived continues to delight generations of new readers.