England (UK)

I Believe In Unicorns

A tale of the transformative power of stories. Eight-year-old Tomas hates reading. He would much rather be clambering around his beloved mountains. But when his mother forces him to visit the library, he can’t help but listen to the enchanting tales the librarian spins as she sits on a lifelike wooden unicorn. When war comes to their village, it is Tomas’s newfound love of books that helps save the library’s holdings from destruction. Set against a backdrop of encroaching war, the book is an eloquent reminder of the power of storytelling to alter our lives.

Close To The Wind: The Beaufort Scale

In 1810, a British naval officer and surveyor named Francis Beaufort developed a scale to give sailors a common language for describing the wind. From 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane), stunning artwork and jaunty prose show what life at sea must have been like for a young boy serving as a midshipman in the 1800s. As William sails from Naples to the Caribbean, we learn intriguing historical information and nautical terminology, and witness how the wind affected day-to-day life on a ship. Detailed illustrations show the wind at work, and readers will be engrossed and fascinated as they watch the storm develop in magnificent full-color paintings.

The Last Apprentice: Curse Of The Bane (The Last Apprentice)

The Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, rid the county of witches, ghosts, boggarts, and other creatures of the dark. And there’s some unfinished business to attend to in Priestown. Deep in the catacombs lurks a creature the Spook has never been able to defeat; a force so evil that the whole county is in danger. The Bane!

But the Bane is not their only enemy. The Quisitor arrives, intent on hunting down anyone who meddles with the dark. Thomas Ward and the Spook must prepare for the battle of their lives.

Fight Game

When rogue gypsy boy Freedom Smith runs into trouble with the law, he strikes a deal with the police: Instead of going to prison for a crime he didn’t commit, he’ll go undercover — and underground — using his incredible strength and boxing skills to infiltrate a nefarious, high-tech fight club known as The Bear Pit. His mission: to save other street children from the terrible fate the Pit has in store for them. Freedom thinks he can trust Java, his newfound friend, with his secret life. If only he knew that this high-spirited, upper-class girl has a secret of her own….

Little Apple Goat

Little Apple Goat is ordinary in every way — except for one. Instead of munching on oats or grass or laundry left on the line, she prefers to eat fruit from the orchard. But one stormy night, all of the fruit trees in the orchard are destroyed. The trunks are chopped down and the land is cleared. The farm animals cannot imagine life without the orchard, and Little Apple Goat doesn’t know how she will manage without her fruit. But time passes, and something mysterious begins to happen on the farm . . . Sweet, colorful illustrations bring to life this clever tale that will charm young readers and also introduce them to the changing seasons.

Without Warning: Ellen’s Story, 1914-1918

After World War I calls her brother to the front lines, a young woman sets out to make a difference in this powerful historical novel.”I don’t know much about wars except soldiers and sailors get killed and Jack might get killed with them. But grown-up people say . . . they’re a chance for young men to go off to foreign parts and be brave and come home heroes.”England, 1914. The piercing tone of the bugle changes a sleepy British village and Ellen Wilkins forever. It is the call to enlist — a chance Ellen’s brother, Jack, won’t miss. The call also spurs Ellen to leave the safety of home and begin a journey of self-discovery, one that takes her close to the front lines to pursue her calling as a nurse. In this gritty and insightful novel, Dennis Hamley deftly portrays the everyday realities of life in wartime, along with harrowing accounts of war’s lifelong effects on the young people caught in its path.

Dino-Dinners

Dinosaurs had huge appetites. But what did they eat? Some grated plants into mush with their powerful jaws. Others swallowed fish whole. And some prowled the land, hunting other dinosaurs for dinner-including their own kind! Young dinosaur fans will find out exactly what-or who-was on the prehistoric menu, as well as interesting facts about each dino’s life, size and shape, and eating habits. This book was created in association with the Natural History Museum in London, England.

Tunnels

14-year-old Will Burrows has little in common with his strange, dysfunctional family. In fact, the only bond he shares with his eccentric father is a passion for archaeological excavation. So when his dad mysteriously vanishes, Will is compelled to dig up the truth behind his disappearance. He unearths the unbelievable: a subterranean society that time forgot. “The Colony” has existed unchanged for a century, but it’s no benign time capsule of a bygone era. Because the Colony is ruled by a merciless overclass, the Styx. Will must free his father–is he also about to ignite a revolution?

KIDS DIG TUNNELS!

“My eyes were my gray metal shovel and my dark unexpected tunnel was the book. I kept digging my way deeper into the plot to find out what was going to happen next.”–Alexa, age 12

“…a unique mix of fantasy and adventure that keeps you wondering what’s going to happen next….the vivid descriptions will transport you to a whole new world.”–Matt, age 14

“…I was on the edge of my seat until the last page. It was intricately mystifying. Full praise to TUNNELS–I want more!”–Garrett, age 12

The Mammoth Academy

Oscar and his sister, Arabella, are starting their first year at the Mammoth Academy. Oscar isn’t fond of schoolwork, but he loves learning outdoor sports and becoming best friends with Fox. Things are going wonderfully, until the cook’s oranges are stolen and Oscar spots some MYSTERIOUS TRACKS. Whatever made the MYSTERIOUS TRACKS has only two feet. Could it be those wild and dangerous animals called humans?

Black Rabbit Summer

Thoughtful Pete, tough Pauly, twins Eric and Nicole, strange Raymond: As kids they were tight; now they’ve grown up–and apart. They agree to get together one last time, but, twisted by personal histories and fueled by pharmaceuticals, old jealousies surface. The party’s soon over, and the group splinters off into the night. Into the noise and heat and chaos of the carnival. Days later, a girl goes missing. The prime suspect in her disappearance? One of their own, one of the old gang. Pete doesn’t know what to believe: Could one of his childhood friends really be a cold-blooded killer?