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The Unlucky Eleven (Little Gems) by Phil Earle
For 5 to 8
One thing after another has gone wrong for The Saints this season - they must be the unluckiest team ever! But Stanley's team-mates believe they finally know why... their football kit is cursed! Despite their atempts to put things right, things continue to get worse - will the team give up? Will Stanley's curse-cracking ideas save the team in time for the last game of the season? With colour ilustrations on every page, and an appealing chunky format, this is a great book to encourage reading, with a fun story line that will appeal to all sports-mad children.
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D-Day Dog (Conkers) by Tom Palmer
For 8+ Reading
Published to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, this is a dramatic and inspirational story. Jack is off on a school trip to the D-Day landing beaches. It has special meaning for him as it is his chance to learn more about the war heroes he has always admired. But when his dad, a reserve soldier, is called up to action, things at home spiral out of control and everything Jack believes about war is thrown into question. Jack finds comfort through the loyalty of his dog Finn and discovers the true story of one particular D-Day paratrooper who parachuted into France with his dog. Jack is determined to discover their fate ... Conkers were launched in 2015 to offer heavily illustrated beautifully designed fiction from author/illustrator dream teams, and as such, you can be sure that you are offering children exceptional reads that will really enhance their pleasure in reading, as well as building reading skills.
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The Disconnect by Keren David
Reading age 8+ Interest age Teen
Every month, I receive a super selection of new fiction from Barrington Stoke - there's always something new and original from acclaimed authors and this month was no exception. This book is very topical and tackles an issue close to home for nearly all today's teens (and adults too!). An eccentric entrepreneur has challenged Esther's year group to give up their screens for six weeks, and the winners will walk away with £1,000. For Esther, whose dad, sister and baby nephew live thousands of miles away in New York, the prize might be her only chance to afford flights for a visit ... But can she really stay disconnected for long enough to win? Esther is a well portrayed character and the reader is drawn into her dilemma... will she succeed? It's a book that makes you stop and think about technology and the impact it has on our daily lives. It's something we take for granted, so it's excellent to stop and think about the wider issue, and this stimulating book will make for an excellent classroom discussion.
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Into the Bin (and Out Again) by Anne Fine
For 8+ Reading age 7
Another really topical book, and another book to give the reader plenty to ponder over. Mr Frost's class are on a mission to tidy up the messy classroom and send all the things they don't need off to a charity shop - and that includes the rubbish rubbish bin that falls over at the slightest touch! From books to old toys, they bring in all sorts of items to send away in the bin, but little do they know that what one person doesn't want might be just the thing someone else has been looking for. Perfectly in tune with today's world, this is a fun and lively story with engaging illustrations which provide useful story prompts.
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Home Ground by Alan Gibbons
For 8+ Reading age 8
Sam's team are dropping down in the league this season, partly due to team captain Jordan's bad attitude. When Sam spots Hasan playing on the refugee team, he can see that Hasan's got talent and invites him along to practise with the team. Hasan and his friend Faisal prove to be exactly what the team need - but Jordan's not going to accept his new teammates so easily. Can Sam get the boys to pull together and win? The story contains an important message about sport and the way it can bring together people from different communities, helping them to integrate.
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The Case of the Vanishing Granny (The Big Top Mysteries 1) by Alexander McCall Smith
This new series, from a master of the detective story, has all the hallmarks of a great new series. Billy, Fern and Joe Shortbread are circus stars who also excel at solving mysteries. THey meet up with Tom when they visit a new town, but Tom can't enjoy the circus because his granny has disappeared. Putting their circus skills to good use, Billy, Fern and Joe crack the clues and find Tom's granny. REaders can follow along and see if they too can solve the mystery. Great characters and an exciting story combine to make an enjoyable and compelling read, with drawings by Sam Usher to enhance enjoyment and understanding.
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Toad Attack! by Patrice Lawrence
For 8+ Reading Age 8
The last thing Leo expected was that a toad would drop on his head - a flying toad, at that! So he sets out to find out where it has come from and why it is there. It seems he's not the only one affected and the residents of Upper Dab are not happy. Together with his friend Rosa, he needs to come up with some answers before the angry residents of Upper Dab take matters into their own hands - especially Mr Pringle and his prize-winning garden. Full of fun, this is a lively and humorous story with great characters.
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One Shot by Tanya Landman
For Young Adults Reading Age 9
Barrington Stoke's aim to make reading accessible to all is really epitomised in this powerful and dramatic story inspired by the life of sharpshooter Annie Oakley, which has a reading age of just 9, but engrossing content suitable for young adults. Maggie and her family are destitute following their father's death. He provided for his family by using his rifle, and Maggie intends to do the same. But when her mother is confronted with her "unladylike" behaviour, Maggie is thrown into a life of unthinkable cruelty and abuse. With no one to care for her and only the hope of escape, all Maggie can do is survive. Dramatic and heartfelt, this is an inspiring story.
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Laura Norder, Sheriff of Butts Canyon by Guy Bass
For 8+ Reading Age 8
When you are only 10, and even if you are Sheriff of Butts Canyon, it's not easy to live by the Golden Rules and ensure everyone else does so too. When no-good rule-breaking bandit Duncan Disorderly causes chaos in the town, Laura just has to take action. It's time for Laura to step up to the plate and catch the masked mischief-maker before he breaks any more of her rules! Wonderfully witty with the most superbly named characters to make children giggle (perhaps they can make up some more?), this is a Wild West adventure girls and boys will love.
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The Ghost Tower by Gillian Cross
For 8+ Reading Age 8
At Halloween, Dot and Ryan can't resist a last visit to the spooky Ghost Tower before it is demolished. When they spot an endangered species of bat., they know that the bat colony and the tower need to be saved. But they shouldn't have been there in the first place, so what are they to do? Can they find a way to stop the demolition and save the bats before it's too late? An enjoyable story with a gentle moral dilemma and an important message about caring for our precious wildlife. Like all Barrington Stoke books, this is produced on strong cream coloured paper with no glare, making it easy to read for struggling and dyslexic readers.
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Go! Go! Chichico! (4U2Read) by Geraldine McCaughrean
For 8+ Reading Age 7
When football-mad Chichico gets a trial for Santos Brazil, he can hardly believe it. But can a barefoot boy from the slums really play for the best team in Brazil? Perhaps he can... but, like us all, a little help from friends makes all the difference. An encouraging and upbuilding story that encourages children to have high aspirations. Tom Perceval's illustrations are a key part of the book and by discussing these with children, they can be helped to read and understand the story. The book has a dyslexia-friendly layout, typeface and paperstock so that even more readers can enjoy it.
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Under the Skin by Catherine MacPhail
For 8+ Reading Age 8
Omar's family are finally safe with a new home. But there are many adjustments to be made and Sam is out to cause trouble for Omar. IT seems that, whatever Omar does, Sam is there. He wants to push Omar around, but Omar's not giving up on his new life and he's ready to push back. Short chapters, strong characters who learn to unite and descriptive illustrations make this a compelling read. A realistic story, reflective of our modern world.
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Lark by Anthony McGowan
For 13+ Reading Age 9
This story starts off dramatically, with Nicky and Kenny lost on the hills in the snow. Following on from the three highly acclaimed earlier novellas, the boys' mum is coming to visit; the first time they've seen her in years. Unsure of how they feel, the boys have set off on a trek across the moors but things quickly go wrong with a sequence of events, leaving them in a vulnerable and very dangerous position. Tense and gripping, this is a beautifully told story and a fitting end to the sequence.
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