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'The whistling had started on their first night. At first, Layah thought it was bird song - a high thin sound which became a melody, rising and falling. And each night, it returned.' Strange things have been happening to Layah and her younger sister, Izzie, ever since their mother dragged them to a rain-soaked cottage miles from anywhere in the Lake District: there is a peculiar whistling at night, a handful of unusual feathers appear and a sudden, frightening banging at the door. And their mother is behaving very oddly. Layah is mourning the loss of her dear grandmother in Poland - and can almost hear her voice telling her the old myths, legends and fairy tales from that place. And as the holiday takes on a dark twist, Layah begins to wonder if the myths might just be real.
The real world is a hostile place for twelve-year-old Bren, his schooldays stalked by vicious bully, Shaun, and his family life fractured at home. Ever since his sister Evie died in an accident, Bren's only safe space is Furthermoor, an imagined world of mechanised trees and clockwork animals, where Evie is still alive. In Furthermoor, no one can hurt Bren...until the mysterious Featherly arrives. Now Bren is forced to confront his deepest fears and decide if his place in the real world is worth fighting for. Enter a world as vast and dark as your imagination, in this unforgettable coming-of-age story about courage, friendship and finding your voice.
Seven years after the events of The Shadow Dragons, John, Jack and Charles are finally able to return to their beloved Archipedlago of Dreams. But even as their return is celebrated by old friends, new concerns shadow the reunion, namely the threat of Echthroi, the primordial Shadow, but, perhaps even worse, the apparent splintering of Time itself. Now, the Caretakers must fight against their most fearsome enemy ever and attempt to restore Time. They must journey through a forgotten door from the destroyed Keep of Time in order to seek out the Dragon's Apprentice. If they fail, it will mean the end of both of the worlds. But success will carry its own price - a price that may be too high even for the Caretakers to bear.
Big trains, small trains, short trains, long trains . . . which do you like best? Follow fifty colourful trains as they whizz along tracks and through tunnels - up, down, around and back again! Can you find your favourite?Full of spotting and counting fun, with five trains to find on each page and an exciting fold-out race at the end, this rhyming preschool picture book has been specially developed to encourage pre-reading skills and expand language and vocabulary. With sturdy pages, a super-shiny foil cover and fun read-aloud text, Trains, Trains, Trains! is just the ticket for any transport-obsessed toddler!
"A non-stop adventure, full of spellbinding, sorcerers and selkies. Cat Gray's storytelling proves that magic really does exist." Helena Duggan, author of A Place Called Perfect "Spellstoppers is a charming page-turner and I lapped up every moment of this magical tale." Clare Povey, author of The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bon Livre Welcome to Yowling - a secretive seaside village where magic is just one step away... Max has spent years thinking he is cursed, because whenever he touches anything electrical it explodes. But then he is sent to Yowling and discovers he is a Spellstopper, someone with the rare ability to drain dangerous build-ups of magic and fix misbehaving enchanted items. When Max's Grandad is kidnapped by the cruel Keeper of the malfunctioning magical castle that floats in the bay, only Max's gift can save him. Together with his new friend Kit, Max throws himself into an adventure filled with villainous owls, psychic ice cream and man-eating goldfish. But can he really pull off the biggest spellstop ever? The perfect summer-holiday magical adventure for fans of Diana Wynne Jones, Catherine Doyle and Thomas Taylor.
On this day 24th June 1920 I turned fourteen. I plan to have a very exciting future now that I have thrown off the SHACKLES of SCHOOL! A detective is what I would most like to be. I cannot think of any reason why I could not be one. Except perhaps I am too young. And I don't like blood. Nancy Parker has recently been engaged in her first position - as a housemaid for the very modern Mrs Bryce. It's not Nancy's dream job (she'd rather be investigating crimes like they do in her beloved six-penny thrillers) but as Mrs Bryce starts to entertain her new neighbours with lavish parties, it becomes clear that something strange and interesting might be afoot. Local burglaries, a cook with a deep, dark secret - and Mrs Bryce's own glamorous but murky past. Will Nancy solve the mysteries while still keeping on top of her chores? A hilarious and energetic middle-grade mystery, narrated part in the third person and part through Nancy's journal.
'You're telling me there are fairies in this wood?' When Alice's brother gets a longed-for chance for a heart transplant, Alice is suddenly bundled off to her estranged grandmother's house. There's nothing good about staying with Nell, except for the beautiful Darkling Wood at the end of her garden - but Nell wants to have it cut down. Alice feels at home there, at peace, and even finds a friend, Flo. But Flo doesn't seem to go to the local school and no one in town has heard of a girl with that name. When Flo shows Alice the surprising secrets of Darkling Wood, Alice starts to wonder, what is real? And can she find out in time to save the wood from destruction?
This new edition has artwork from award-winning illustrator Chris Riddell. Lettie Peppercorn lives in a house on stilts near the wind-swept coast of Albion. Nothing incredible has ever happened to her, until one winter's night, when the night the Snow Merchant comes. He claims to be an alchemist - the greatest that ever lived - and in his suitcase, he carries his newest invention: snow. 'A tale of self discovery, family and friendship...an inventive and accomplished debut' - Independent on Sunday 'A delightful debut...full of action and invention' - The Sunday Times 'A germ of JK and a pinch of Pullman' - TES
Four children discover a dangerous world of magic--buried in a slum--in this Alan Garner classic.
“A MAGNIFICENTLY HILARIOUS MASTERPIECE OF MONSTER PROPORTIONS. I HOWLED WITH LAUGHTER!”, JENNY PEARSON A monstrously funny new adventure series. Readers of 8+ and fans of Mega Monster and Shrek will adore the first in the brand new fantasy series from Irish debut author, Ian Mark