STORIES

by Keren David (Frances Lincoln) 
It's one thing watching someone get killed. It's quite another talking about it. But Ty does talk about it. He names some ruthless people and a petrol bomb attack forces him and his mum into hiding under police protection. Shy loser Ty gets a new name, a new look and a cool new image. Life as Joe is good. But the gangsters will stop at nothing to silence him. And then he meets a girl with a dangerous secret of her own. When I Was Joe was published in January 2010 by Frances Lincoln and was Winner of the North East Teenage Book Award 2010. Long-listed for the Carnegie Medal, 2011, and highly commended for the Teenage Book Trust Prize, it has also been short-listed for the UKLA Book Award, the Redbridge Teen Book Award, the Lancashire Book of the Year and the Angus Book Award. It was runner-up in the 14 + category of the Coventry Inspiration awards, and was a Manchester Fiction City title. It is long-listed for the Branford Boase Award, the Wirral Paperback of the Year and the Catalyst Book Award.

by Savita Kalhan (Andersen Press) 
Sam knows that he and his friend Lloyd made a colossal mistake when they accepted the ride home. They have ended up in a dark mansion in the middle of nowhere with a man who means to harm them. But Sam doesn't know how to get them out. They were trapped, then separated. Now they are alone. Will either of them get out alive? ‘One of the most important books published ... I honestly can’t recommend this book highly enough.’ The Bookbag. 

ALMOST TRUE by Keren David 
(Frances Lincoln)
Ruthless killers are hunting Ty. The police have him hidden - but a bullet meant for Ty and the death of a friend means he's on the run again. Ty's in hiding with strangers...who seem to know a lot about him. He's desperate to see his girlfriend - and terrified that he'll be betrayed. Ty can't trust his own judgment, and he's making dangerous decisions that could deliver him straight back to the gangsters. 
A sequel to When I Was Joe.

by Miriam Halahmy (Meadowside Books) 
Alix is just an ordinary fourteen year old, living at the bottom of quiet Hayling Island. But one cold, misty Saturday on the beach she and Samir suddenly find themselves saving a drowning immigrant. Faced with the most difficult decision of their lives, what should Alix and Samir do? A literary coming-of-age novel, dealing with courage, prejudice, judgement and the difficulty of sorting right from wrong in our complex world. 
'Miriam Halahmy never puts a foot wrong in this gripping story focusing on an agonisingly difficult contemporary problem. Tautly written throughout, her fine novel deserves the widest audience.' Nick Tucker.  

ANGEL’S FURY by Bryony Pearce (Egmont, July 2011) 
For her whole life, Cassie Farrier has suffered from terrifying nightmares. On a trip to Germany she recognises scenes from those dreams and finds evidence of a sixty year-old massacre. Fearing for her sanity, her family sends Cassie to a retreat where she meets others with symptoms like her own and discovers that she has lived a number of past lives. However, the Doctor at the retreat is not what she seems. She believes her patients contain the trapped spirits of Nephilim and wishes to free them by twisting the children under her care until they are capable of committing atrocities terrible enough to destroy mankind. Cassie and the boy she comes to love must escape the Doctor's influence but can they also escape the misery of their shared past?
'The writing is powerful and evocative, the characters well-developed, and the plotting complex. Among the plethora of paranormal stories which have swamped the market recently, this one will stand out for its freshness of approach and the quality of its writing.' The Bookbag

by Paula Rawsthorne 
(Usborne, August 2011)
Celia Frost is a freak. At least that’s what everyone thinks. Her life is ruled by a rare disorder that means she could bleed to death from the slightest cut, confining her to a gloomy bubble of “safety”. No friends. No fun. No life. But when a knife attack on Celia has unexpected consequences, her mum reacts strangely. Suddenly they’re on the run. Why is her mum so scared? Someone out there knows – and when they find Celia, she’s going to wish the truth was a lie … A buried secret; a gripping manhunt; a dangerous deceit: what is the truth about Celia Frost? 
A page-turning thriller that’s impossible to put down.
Winner of 'The Leeds Book Award', 'The Nottingham Brilliant Book Award' 'Sefton Super Reads Award'.



LIA's GUIDE TO WINNING THE LOTTERY by Keren David
(Frances Lincoln, August 2011)
What happens when 16-year-old Lia wins an £8million jackpot. A book about money, power, growing up and  -  possibly -  the paranormal.



DARK PARTIES by Sara Grant 
(Orion, October 2011) 
Sixteen-year-old Neva has been trapped since birth. She was born and raised under the Protectosphere in an isolated nation ruled by fear, lies, and xenophobia. A shield "protects" them from the outside world, but also locks the citizens inside. There's nothing left on the outside, ever since the world collapsed from violent warfare. Or so the government says... Neva and her best friend Sanna believe the government is lying and stage a "dark party" to recruit members for their underground rebellion. As Neva begins to uncover the truth, she realizes she must question everything she's ever known, including the people she loves the most.




FIFTEEN DAYS WITHOUT A HEAD 
by Dave Cousins (Oxford, January 2012) 
How far would you go to keep your family together? Living in a grotty flat with cockroaches in the kitchen, a six-year-old brother who thinks he’s a dog, and a mother who can’t cope without a bottle of wine, fifteen-year-old Laurence Roach already has problems. But when Mum fails to return from work one evening, he’s suddenly responsible for himself and his brother. With no food, no money, and no idea when, or even if, Mum’s coming back, Laurence is forced to take desperate measures: dressing up as his mum, and impersonating a dead man on the radio. But how long can he keep up the pretence?
'Excellent. A tough and turbulent tale of growing up the hard way, but there's heart and soul on every page.' Keith Gray
'This book is truly awesome! It has everything a good book needs. It is funny and witty, but with a serious edge giving the novel another layer.' Rewan Harper, 14

SOMEEONE ELSE’S LIFE 
by Katie Dale (Simon & Schuster, Spring 2012)
When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s disease, her whole world falls apart. Not only does Rosie desperately miss her mum, but she now has to face the fact that she could have inherited the fatal illness herself. Until she discovers that Trudie was not her biological mother after all … Rosie is stunned. Can this be true? Is she grieving for a mother who wasn’t even hers to lose? And if Trudie wasn’t her mother, who is?
But as Rosie delves into the secrets of her past to discover who she really is, she is faced with a heart-breaking dilemma – to continue living a lie, or to reveal a truth that will shatter the lives of everyone around her …






 Half Lives     by Sara Grant
Icie is a typical teenager, until disaster strikes. Her only hope of survival is escaping to a top-secret mountain bunker. Hundreds of years later, 18-year-old Beckett leads a cult that worships a sacred Mountain. But Beckett and his beliefs are under attack. Icie and Beckett must fight to survive. They are separated by time but connected by a dangerous secret that both must protect at any cost. Half Lives is a story told in two voices from a pre- and post-apocalyptic time – challenging the nature of faith and the power of miscommunications but most of all the strength of the human spirit to adapt and survive.
The Emergency Zoo By Miriam Halahmy
 It is late August 1939: Britain is on the brink of war, and preparations are under way to evacuate London's children to the countryside. When twelve-year-old Tilly and her best friend Rosy find out that they will not be able to take their beloved dog and cat with them - and that, even worse, their pets will, along with countless other animals, be taken to the vet to be put down - they decide to take action. The two girls come up with the idea of hiding them in a derelict hut in the woods and, when other children find out and start bringing their rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters, their secret den turns into an emergency zoo. Inspired by real events during the Second World War, Miriam Halahmy's novel is a touching tale of courage, resourcefulness and camaraderie in desperate times, as well as a stirring defence of animal welfare.

Another Life   by Keren David (Frances Lincoln, 2012)  

Third in the 'Joe' trilogy, Ty's paying the price for mistakes he's made in the past, and his cousin Archie is trying to uncover the truth, with dangerous consequences. 







Wave Fuction by Bryony Pearce
Kane Christopher is no angel. When the robbery he’s involved in goes horribly wrong, he realises he’s made some bad decisions. And it is then, wishing that his choices had been different, that he discovers that he can travel between universes. As he journeys he meets – and falls for – the same girl over and over again.
Soon Kane realises that someone or something is destroying worlds – stealing man’s free will by removing his capacity for choice.
Only Kane can see it. Only Kane can stop it.
But that might mean losing Pen forever.
And Kane is no angel.


Illegal by Miriam Halahmy (Albury Books)

“If Jemma had lived, none of this would have happened. I'd have been too busy to get dragged into this filthy, illegal business...”

 Since Lindy's baby sister died, her family have been caught in a downward spiral. Her brothers are in prison and her parents have given up. Soon Lindy is out of her depth too, caught in the centre of an international drugs ring with no way out. Then Lindy finds help from an unexpected ally: weird, mute Karl from school. Together they plan a daring and desperate escape. But when you're in this deep, can you ever be free?

 Excellent! Beautifully written and a really strong and gripping story. Wendy Cooling MBE, co-founder of Bookstart
WAITING FOR GONZO by Dave Cousins  (Oxford University Press), 2013 (11+)
Oz has a talent for trouble, but his heart's in the right place . . . usually. Uprooted from his friends and former life, Oz finds himself stranded in the sleepy village of Slowleigh. When a joke backfires on the first day at his new school, Oz attracts the attention of Isobel Skinner, the toughest kid in Year 9. After causing an accident that puts his mum in hospital, Oz isn’t exactly popular at home either. His older sister’s no help, but then she’s got a problem of her own—one that’s growing bigger by the day. Oz knows he’s got to put things right, but life isn’t that simple—especially when the only people still talking to you, are a hobbit-obsessed geek and a voice in your own head! Waiting for Gonzo also has its own original soundtrack album and music videos.
“Dave Cousins applies his subtle, humorous touch to big issues in this wonderfully fun, yet poignant, novel.” —The Scotsman.
“Dave Cousins has created a distinctive narrator in Oz, as well as a hugely believable cast of supporting characters in this heart-warming and humorous novel. Dealing with some serious issues, Waiting for Gonzo manages to be simultaneously funny and thought-provoking.”—Booktrust.
Grampian Children’s Book Award Winner.  Nominated for the Carnegie Medal.


Little White Lies By Katie Dale (Simon &Schuster)
The first time Lou meets tall, dark, and handsome Christian, she knows he's hiding something. Why does he clam up every time she asks about his past? Why doesn't he have any family photos and why does he dye his blond hair black?
Then suddenly his terrible secret is unveiled to the world - and it seems everything he's ever told Lou is a lie. Can what the media are saying about him really be true? Should Lou trust him? Or is she in terrible danger? But Christian isn't the only one keeping secrets. For what if their chance meeting was no accident at all?
As lie follows lie, nothing is as it seems, and soon Lou finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit, her loyalties torn, her emotions in tatters as she faces a heart-wrenching dilemma: should she shatter the lives of those she holds dearest, or betray the guy who, against all odds, she's fallen in love with?
Full of family secrets, surprising twists and unexpected revelations, Katie Dale's second novel will have readers on the edge of their seats.



BLOOD TRACKS by Paula Rawsthorne (Usborne)

GINA WILSON IS ON THE EDGE …

Her dad has died in mysterious circumstances and she is the only one convinced that something isn’t right.  As she struggles to find the truth, Gina is plunged into a world far removed from the one she has known – a world of lies, crime and betrayal.  A world she can’t run from…

A dark and dangerous thriller with a harrowing secret at its heart.  Winner of ‘The Rib Valley Book Award’





Stuffed by Miriam Halahmy  (Albury Books)
“I didn't know that my life was going to fall through the floor for the second time before my 16th birthday.”
Jess is 15, Ryan is 17 and they are falling in love... but each is keeping a terrible secret from the other, threatening to destroy their bond. On a weekend away rock climbing they move closer than ever, until a terrifying incident drives a new wedge between them.
Can Jess save her family from Dad's mistakes, and will Ryan resolve his own mess from the past? If not, their love is doomed to failure.  
This is good stuff...I was totally caught up and I didn't cringe once, the way you sometimes do over books about teen romances and teen problems.  The Bookwitch

Cuckoo by Keren David (Atom 2016)
 Jake is an actor, a household name thanks to his role on the UK's most popular soap. But his character went upstairs to his bedroom six months ago and never came down again, and now Jake is facing an uncertain future. Add to that his dad's anger issues, the family's precarious finances and the demands of a severely autistic brother; Jake's home feels like a powder keg waiting to explode. It's easier to spend nights on friends' sofas and futons, but what happens when you feel like a cuckoo in every nest?
Cuckoo is a novel about the roles we play when we don't fit in anywhere, and finding unlikely solace when home is the least welcoming place of all.


The Weight Of Souls by Bryony Pearce
Sixteen year old Taylor is cursed: if she is touched by the ghost of a murder victim, then they pass a mark beneath her skin.  She has three weeks to find their murderer and pass the mark to them-letting justice take place and sending them into the Darkness.  And if she doesn't make it in time?  The Darkness will come for her.
When Justin, the boy who bullies her at school, is murdered everything gets a whole lot more.  Can she find out who was responsible for his murder before the Darkness comes for her?  Can she put aside her hatred for the former bully to truly help him?  And what if she starts to fall for him?  




Chasing Danger by Sara Grant                        
When fourteen-year-old Chase Armstrong is sent to visit her grandmother at a remote tropical resort, she’s looking forward to sunbathing, swimming and snorkelling. The last thing she expects is danger. But she’s in for some surprises. She discovers another girl hiding out on the island and uncovers a devastating secret about the mum she’s never known. When modern-day pirates attack the island, it’s up to Chase to outrun, out-think and outfight the pirates . . . before it’s too late!


Salvage by Keren David  (Atom, 2014)
Separated as young children,  siblings Aidan and Cass have grown up in very different worlds. But now Cass's comfortable life is falling apart and Aidan's tracked her down through social media. Their reunion nearly destroys them both.  Salvage was shortlisted for the Bookseller YA Prize and nominated for the Carnegie medal. 





 


Windrunner's Daughter by Bryony Pearce
A sabotaged colonization attempt leaves the last humans in the universe stranded on Mars. Braving a half-terraformed atmosphere, terrifying indigenous species, and a colony government that is openly hostile, a young girl named Wren must defy tradition to save her mother and perhaps, every human left.
It is forbidden for women to steal the wings that allow a select group of runners to carry messages and goods between colonies. It is forbidden to cross the wastes with a sand storm on the horizon and it is certainly forbidden to share the secrets of the windrunners with those who spend their entire lives in the biospheres.
But what choice does she have?



This is Not a Love Story by Keren David (Atom, 2015)  
 Kitty dreams of romance and where her mum suggests moving to Amsterdam, Kitty doesn't take much persuading.  Will this be her opportunity to make her life picture perfect?  In Amsterdam she meets moody, unpredictable Ethan, and clever, troubled Theo.  Two enigmatic boys, who can harbour their own secrets.  In a beautiful city and far from home, Kitty finds herself falling in love for the first time.




Phoenix Rising by Bryony Pearce
Sail. Salvage. Survive. Toby's father is a wanted man. For as long as Toby can remember, they've been on the run. The Phoenix has become their home, their backyard the junk-filled seas surrounding it. The crew of the Banshee lives for hunting down the Phoenix and now they're closing in. Ayla has spent her whole life fighting - preparing for the moment when the Banshee will face its ultimate enemy. But Toby doesn't want to run any more and Ayla is his only hope. Can he turn an old feud into a new alliance? The future is in their hands. Perfect for fans of Veronica Roth, Anthony Horowitz, Philip Reeve and Suzanne Collins.








Mumnesia by Katie Dale (Middle Grade)
Lucy's mum is so out of date she's practically mouldy!  She's super strict, overprotective and Lucy can't believe that she was EVER a teenager ... until one morning her mum wakes up with no memory of the last thirty years- and thinks she's a twelve year old time-travelling from the 1980s!  All Lucy wants is fro her mum to go back to being her old self - but how? 
 Fairy Tale Twists by Katie Dale (5+) Was the Big Bad Wolf really Little Red Riding Hood's werewolf granny?  Were Prince Charming and the Stepmother really just unlucky in love, and the well-meaning Wicked Witch terrible at magic?  Find out in this series.  Illustrated by the fantastic Matt Buckingham, each funny rhyming story takes a familiar fairytale character and reveals their 'true' version of events as you've never seen them before!

Charlie Merrick's Misfits by Dave Cousins (OUP 2015) (7+)
 Charlie loves football. He watches it, memorizes facts about it, and he's even the captain of the local youth team, North Star Galaxy.
When Charlie discovers that youth teams are being selected to play in exhibition matches at the World Cup tournament later that year he decides to enter North Star. There's one problem. He's got to prove that North Star deserve a place at the tournament and that's not easy when your team are kind of rubbish at football!




Charlie Merrick's Misfits- I'm a Nobody, Get me out of here! by Dave Cousins (OUP) (7+)
This book takes the form of Charlie's competition entry for his team to play a warm-up match at the World Cup - it's crammed with hilarious doodles, true facts, and match reports, and is totally accessible for boys, girls, reluctant readers, and footie-mad kids everywhere!  "It's football Tom Gates style, in this funny, accessible tale." The Bookseller
Charlie loves football. He watches it, memorizes facts about it, and he's even the captain of the local youth team, North Star Galaxy.
When Charlie discovers that youth teams are being selected to play in exhibition matches at the World Cup tournament later that year he decides to enter North Star. There's one problem. He's got to prove that North Star deserve a place at the tournament and that's not easy when your team are kind of rubbish at football!

This book takes the form of Charlie's competition entry for his team to play a warm-up match at the World Cup - it's crammed with hilarious doodles, true facts, and match reports, and is totally accessible for boys, girls, reluctant readers, and footie-mad kids everywhere!


Magic Trix by Sara Grant (younger readers)

When Trixibelle Morgan turns ten years old, she receives the best surprise ever. She discovers that she has the gift of magic. Now she’s training with Lulu, a magical librarian, and four other new witches. The best and the brightest witches will become fairy godmothers one day. Trix’s first attempts at magic go horribly and hilariously wrong. She’s also not sure if can keep her new abilities a secret – especially from her best friend Holly. But Trix will learn that she has a talent for helping others – and making magical messes.