Special Collections

Giraffes Can't Dance

Dance along with Gerald in this audio edition of the bestselling picture book classic, read by Hugh Laurie. Gerald the giraffe longs to go to the great Jungle Dance, but how can he join in when he doesn't know how to tango or two-step? Everyone knows that giraffes can't dance ... or can they?With lots of music to boogie along too, this fun-filled audio book is guaranteed to get little ones dancing!(P)2002 The Watts Publishing Group Limited

Date Added: 06/06/2022

Blue Bottle Mystery

The well-loved adventure story about a boy with Asperger's who finds a mysterious magic bottle...This is a warm, fun-filled fantasy story for children with a difference: the hero is Ben, a boy with Asperger Syndrome. When Ben and his friend Andy find an old bottle in the school yard, they little realize the surprises about to be unleashed in their lives. Bound up with this exciting mystery is the story of how Ben is diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and how he and his family deal with the problems and joys that come along.Blue Bottle Mystery is a delight to read that is more than just another kid's book. For the first time, the issues and frustrations that a child may have with Asperger Syndrome are explored within a fictional format especially for children. Its portrayal of Ben as the central character offers other children with autistic spectrum disorders and their peers a positive role model. It is a valuable teaching tool that demystifies children with Asperger Syndrome, justifying their individuality as valid and interesting.In Blue Bottle Mystery Kathy Hoopmann has combined her love of children with her passion for fantasy literature to produce a delightful read for anyone who loves an adventure and wants a unique insight into the mind of an Asperger child.(P) 2017 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 06/06/2022

The Impossible Boy

Believe in the impossible this Christmas - a magical story celebrating the power of imagination, from the bestselling author of STORIES FOR BOYS WHO DARE TO BE DIFFERENT.Oleg and Emma entered their den to find a cardboard spaceship standing exactly where they usually sat. Slowly, the front door opened and out stepped a boy.'My name's Sebastian Cole,' he said. 'But you already know that.'When Oleg and Emma invent a new classmate called Sebastian, they are amazed when he appears - very much real - in their secret den.Sebastian isn't like the rest of their classmates. He's never eaten pizza, he's not sure what goose bumps are, and he has a satchel that seems to hold an endless supply of hot ice cream. But as the three friends begin their adventures, more impossible things keep happening, from a runaway goat at school to a sighting of some snowwomen on the move. They are soon pursued by the mysterious Institute of Unreality, who want to capture and erase Sebastian, to restore order to the world.With the help of a cowboy gardener, an imprisoned scientist, and the rest of their class, can Emma and Oleg protect their new friend and keep the magic of the impossible alive, just in time for Christmas?After inspiring countless young readers with tales of extraordinary people in the world around them, Ben Brooks' first children's novel is a magical adventure that celebrates friendship, the power of imagination, and ice cream.

Date Added: 06/06/2022

The Wild Before

Can one hare alone change the world? A captivating animal adventure destined to be loved by readers of all ages. A stunning hardback edition printed with recycled materials and eco packaging.One frosty winter's night, a pure white calf is born on an ordinary muddy farm in the light of a silver moon. This is the legendary Mooncalf, whose arrival has been foretold since the dawn of time.Hare knows immediately that if the calf is not saved it will be the end of all things.According to a dream passed down from animal to animal, if the calf dies a great terribleness will come - rising seas, a plague, skies raining down fire... and Hare vows to protect Mooncalf with his life.Upon Mooncalf's arrival, the old bull summons all the animals of the farm and tells them of this dream, warning that they must help Hare in his mission before it is too late.But it's easier said than done, and soon Hare realises that he must act on his own...A stunning prequel to the award-winning bestselling The Last Wild trilogy, with themes of climate change, hope and friendship.'Piers Torday is the new master of books for children who like magic and modernity with their lust for adventure' The Times(P)2021 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

When the Mountains Roared

A vivid, warm and atmospheric adventure set in the mountains of India, about a girl who is determined to protect the wild leopards of the mountain from poachers, perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell.I thought we'd live here forever ... but then, I thought Mum would be here forever too.When Ruby's dad uproots her from Australia to set up a hotel in the mountains of India, Ruby is devastated. Not only are they living in a run-down building in the middle of the wilderness surrounded by scorpions, bears and leopards, but Ruby is sure that India will never truly feel like home - not without her mum there.Ever since her mum died, Ruby has been afraid. Of cars. Of the dark. Of going to sleep and never waking up. But then the last remaining leopards of the mountain are threatened and everything changes. Ruby vows to do all she can to protect them - if she can only overcome her fears...(P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

The Unbelievable Biscuit Factory

The biscuit factory in Haddie's hometown is absolutely 100% NOT a Super-Secret Science Lab. Or a portal to another dimension. With orange fluffy monsters. OH NO. DEFINITELY NOT. Or ... is it? A laugh-out-loud biscuit-bonkers adventure for fans of My Brother is a Superhero and Kid Normal. *Winner of the Northern Writers' Award*I live near a biscuit factory. Sounds like a dream come true, right? But it's not all fun and jammie dodgers. You see, the biscuit factory is really a Super-Secret Science Lab. Everyone pretends it makes biscuits. It just makes life easier. Until today. Because the biscuit factory tore a hole through dimensions, and now HUGE ORANGE MONSTERS are climbing through.Oh, and if we don't do something, the world is going to go KABLOOEY in the next thirty minutes. NOT ON MY WATCH. You coming? 'So funny you'll snort custard creams out of your nose' Mr J Dodger(P)2021 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

Stonebird

When ten-year-old Liam moves house to be closer to his dementia-suffering grandma, he's thrown into an unfamiliar place with a family that seems to be falling apart. Liam doesn't remember what his grandma was like before she became ill. He only knows the witch-like old woman who snaps and snarls and eats her birthday cards. He wants to fix it, but he can't. Walking his dog one day, Liam discovers an old stone gargoyle in a rundown church, and his life changes in impossible ways. The gargoyle is alive. It moves unseen in the night, acting out Liam's stories. And stories can be dangerous things... Seeking revenge against the bullies at his new school, Liam tells a story about the gargoyle attacking them. When one of them ends up in hospital, a regretful Liam vows never to go near the gargoyle again. But his grandma's illness is getting worse, his mum isn't coping, and his sister is skipping school... What if the gargoyle is the only thing that can save Liam's family?(P)2015 WF Howes Ltd

Date Added: 04/25/2022

Swimming Against the Storm

An adventure story set in the swamplands of Louisiana about sisters, rising sea-levels and saving the environment, perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell and Lauren St John.Our land is sinking. It's disappearing into the water. And no one knows how to save it.Twelve-year-old Eliza and her sister Avery have lived their entire lives in a small fishing village on the coast of Louisiana, growing up alongside turtles, pelicans and porpoises. But now, with sea levels rising, their home is at risk of being swept away.Determined to save the land, Eliza and her younger sister Avery secretly go searching in the swamp for the dangerous, wolf-like loup-garou. If they can prove this legendary creature exists, they're sure that the government will have to protect its habitat - and their community.But there's one problem: the loup-garou has never been seen before. And with a tropical storm approaching and the sisters deep, deep in the swampland, soon it's not just their home at risk, but their lives as well...(P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

Today I'm Strong

An uplifting and empowering audiobook about finding your inner strength when school life gets tough, from the winner of The Great British Bake Off and national treasure, Nadiya Hussain.I love to go to school. Well, most days I do.There are some days when what I really wantis to stay at home with you.A touching story about building the courage to overcome bullying, with a powerful reminder to always be kind. (P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

Julia and the Shark

A captivating, powerful and luminous story from a bestselling, award-winning author about a mother, a daughter, and the great Greenland shark. Narrated beautifully with atmospheric sound effects, this is a perfect audiobook for 9+ fans of David Almond and Frances Hardinge.'A truly beautiful book, with text and illustrations in perfect harmony. A book to treasure!' Jacqueline Wilson'Julia and the Shark is deep, beautiful and true. The art shines and the writing soars - a classic from cover to cover' Eoin Colfer'A rich, immersive and wondrous journey, through deep darkness to hope and light' Sophie Anderson, author of The House with Chicken LegsThe shark was beneath my bed, growing large as the room, large as the lighthouse, rising from unfathomable depths until it ripped the whole island from its roots. The bed was a boat, the shark a tide, and it pulled me so far out to sea I was only a speck, a spot, a mote, a dying star in an unending sky...Julia has followed her mum and dad to live on a remote island for the summer - her dad, for work; her mother, on a determined mission to find the elusive Greenland shark. But when her mother's obsession threatens to submerge them all, Julia finds herself on an adventure with dark depths and a lighthouse full of hope...A beautiful, lyrical, uplifting story about a mother, a daughter, and love - with timely themes of the importance of science and the environment.(P) 2021 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

The Lost Magician

'If you can imagine it, it exists ... somewhere.' A spellbinding adventure from the bestselling, award-winning author of The Last Wild trilogy. 1945. They have survived the Blitz, but when Simon, Patricia, Evelyn and Larry step through a mysterious library door, it is the beginning of their most dangerous adventure yet. They discover the magical world of Folio, where an enchanted kingdom of fairy knights, bears and tree gods is under threat from a sinister robot army. The many stories of the Library are locked in eternal war, and the children's only hope is to find their creator - a magician who has been lost for centuries. What they find will change not just their own lives, but the fate of the world, for ever ...An ode to the world of Narnia, The Lost Magician is a classic in the making from one of the UK's most talented children's authors. Praise for Piers Torday:'The new master of books for children' - The Times(P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

The Forest of Moon and Sword

'A wonderful book' PIERS TORDAY'Very exciting' ANTHONY MCGOWAN When Art's mother is accused of witchcraft and captured, she is determined to get her back - at any cost. A lyrical adventure with folklore at its heart, for fans of THE HOUSE WITH CHICKEN LEGS.Twelve-year-old Art lives in a small village in Scotland. Her mother has always made potions that cure the sick, but now the townspeople say she is a witch. One cloudless night, Art's mother is arrested and taken to England. Art mounts her horse, taking a sword, a tightrope, and a herbal recipe book, and begins a journey through wild forests, using nature's signs and symbols to guide her.But will she spot the signs from the omens? Will she reach her mother, before it's too late?'Gripping. I raced through it' - A.M. Howell, author of The Garden of Lost Secrets(P)2021 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

Running on the Roof of the World

Join 12-year-old Tash and her best friend Sam in a story of adventure, survival and hope, set in the vivid Himalayan landscape of Tibet and India. Filled with friendship, love and courage, this young girl's thrilling journey to save her parents is an ideal read for children aged 9-12. There are two words that are banned in Tibet. Two words that can get you locked in prison without a second thought. I watch the soldiers tramping away and call the words after them. 'Dalai Lama.' Tash has to follow many rules to survive in Tibet, a country occupied by Chinese soldiers. But when a man sets himself on fire in protest and soldiers seize Tash's parents, she and her best friend Sam must break the rules. They are determined to escape Tibet - and seek the help of the Dalai Lama himself in India. And so, with a backpack of Tash's father's mysterious papers and two trusty yaks by their side, their extraordinary journey across the mountains begins.(P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

Ghostcloud

Twelve-year-old Luke Smith-Sharma shovels coal under Battersea Power station. He keeps his head down, hoping to one day earn his freedom and return to his family, while avoiding the wrath of the evil Tabatha Margate. When he tries to help new girl Jess, Luke is punished and sent to clean the sewers of the haunted East Wing, a place from which few return. Whilst serving his punishment, Luke realises he can see things others can't in the Power Station: ghostly things. He befriends a ghost-girl called Alma, who can ride clouds through the night sky and bend their shape to her will. But when Luke discovers the terrible truth of why Tabatha Margate is kidnapping children and forcing them to work in the Power Station, Alma agrees to help him and his friends escape. Will Alma convince the Ghost Council to help their cause? Will Luke's discovery about who he really is threaten their plans for freedom? And can Luke find his voice, while trying to find a way home?

Date Added: 04/25/2022

Halo Moon

Bravery, friendship and the magic of an unknowable universe combine in this extraordinary adventure from the heart. Great for fans of Frank Cottrell Boyce and David Almond. In Ethiopia, Ageze has unearthed an ancient device that can make predictions. It tells him: there is a date, there is a place, there is a moment when it will happen. A disaster that will change everything. Halo Moon loves stars, and the night sky is full of them in her remote Yorkshire village. It's a place where nothing interesting ever happens, let alone a catastrophe. So when a stranger appears at the end of a near-impossible journey and tells her lives are at risk, she can barely believe it. But if she doesn't help Ageze, everything and everyone she knows might disappear for ever ... As Halo says: there's a hundred ways to start this story, a hundred ways to tell it. Each one is impossible. Each one, unbelievable. But it did all happen and I promise it's all true.HALO MOON is Sharon Cohen's second novel. Her first novel, THE STARMAN AND ME, was highly commended for the Branford Boase Award 2018 and shortlisted for the Essex Book Awards 2018. It has also been shortlisted for the East Sussex Children's Book Awards 2019 and nominated for the Northern Ireland Book Award 2019. (P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 04/25/2022

Lily Grim and the City of Undone

Lily Grim's life is a mystery. She has lived with her guardian Gabriel, in their rundown second-hand shop in the City of Undone, for as long as she can remember.

For years, the city-dwellers have lived in uneasy discord with The Others—a community of wanderers forced to shelter within the city walls, after they were driven from their nomadic camps in the wilderness. But Undone is a dark and dangerous place to live, especially if you're an Other: feared for their special gifts, they are persecuted by the cruel Master of the City, and taken to the Ring—a prison from which few ever return.

When the Master captures Gabriel and throws him into the Ring, Lily is saved by a young Other boy called Dekka. He introduces her to a whole Otherworld that exists beneath the City of Undone. To her astonishment Lily discovers she is an Other, too—with powerful gifts—and is now in grave danger: because the Master wants her dead. But why?

Can Lily find answers about who she is, and where she's from. And can the new friends rescue Gabriel, before it's too late?

Date Added: 05/12/2023

Wilder

A desperate town. A child who emerges from the marshes. A hawk that helps her save them all.

The child—if child it was—came out of the wild-ness. It came out of the sparse bleak marsh where few dared go and none came back. And though the town grew accustomed to the creature they did not forget from whence it came. And they whispered that there was no knowing whether she was sent as a blessing or a bane.

When the child emerges from the wilderness, no one in the town knows what to do with her. She is odd—half-wild, without speech and seems to have an unnatural bond with animals—especially the falcon, who is always circling above her. The wise-woman of the town takes her in, and names her Rhodd, but the rest of the town remain suspicious.

Over the years, as Rhodd grows, the town realises that the river, which is their connection to the wider world, is beginning to die, and eventually a dark sickness begins to spread. Soon, too soon, the townspeople turn their suspicion on Rhodd and her falcon.

And so, Rhodd sets out to discover what - or who—is causing the river to dry up…to protect her mother, her falcon and herself…

A beautiful and enthralling adventure about love, belonging, the delicate balance of nature—and the wildness within us all, for fans of The Last Wild.

(P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 05/12/2023

Brown Girl Dreaming

A mesmerising story about a young Black girl growing up in America, finding a home and discovering her voice—a multi-award winning New York Times bestseller and President Obama's 'O' Book Club pick.

Brown Girl Dreaming is the unforgettable story of Jacqueline Woodson's childhood, sharing what it was like to grow up as an African-American in the wake of the Civil Rights movement, and discovering the first sparks of an incredible, lifelong gift for writing. It's packed with wonderful reflections on family and on place, in a way that will appeal to listeners from 11 to adult.

Emotionally charged and touching, each line tells the tale of one girl's search to find her voice, her identity and her place in the world.

This book has been a bestseller in the US for almost a decade, winning every accolade and prize including the prestigious Newbery Honor Award, and is now made available to readers in the UK for the first time.(P)2014 Penguin Audio

Date Added: 05/12/2023

The Great (Food) Bank Heist

Written with great empathy and Rauf's trademark humour, The Great (Food) Bank Heist is a moving story that gives a child's-eye view of the increasing problem of food poverty.

On Thursdays, Nelson, Ashley and Mum head out to the bank. But not just any old bank—the food bank. With its shining tins and packets of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it's the best kind of bank there is.

But there's a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day, leaving people hungrier than ever. For the sake of his family and everyone else's, Nelson needs to make them stop. But can he and his friends really be the ones to catch the bank robber?

(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 05/12/2023

Floodland

A gripping, prizewinning novel about a girl surviving in a devastated world.

Imagine that a few years from now England is covered by water, and Norwich is an island. Zoe, left behind in the confusion when her parents escaped, survives there as best she can. Alone and desperate among marauding gangs, she manages to dig a derelict boat out of the mud and gets away to Eels Island. But Eels Island, whose raggle-taggle inhabitants are dominated by the strange boy Dooby, is full of danger too.

The belief that she will one day find her parents spurs Zoe on to a dramatic escape in a story of courage and determination that is handled with warmth and humanity.

This book was the winner of the Branford Boase Award 2001 and marked the start of author Marcus Sedgwick's multi-award-winning career.

(P) 2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited and Listening Library

Date Added: 05/12/2023

Alexandra the Royal Baby Fairy

Get ready for an exciting fairy adventure with the no. 1 bestselling series for girls aged 5 and up.

The whole of Fairyland is very excited—there's going to be a new royal baby! But when Foster the stork fails to deliver the new bundle of joy on time, the Royal Baby Fairy asks friends of the fairies, Rachel Tate and Kirsty Walker, for their help. Just where can the extra-special baby be?

Date Added: 05/12/2023

When I See Blue

New town, new school, but the bully is in Ben's head…

There are 4 things you should know about Ben: 1. He's 12 years old. 2. He's the new kid at school. 3. His special number is 4. 4. He has a bully in his brain.

Sometimes Ben's brain makes him count to 4 to prevent bad things happening. Sometimes it makes him tap or blink in 4s. Mostly it makes the smallest things feel impossible. And with a new school, a moody big brother, an absent dad and a mum battling her own demons, Ben feels more out of control than ever. But then he meets April, and with his new friend, Ben might finally figure out how to stand up to the bully in his brain, once and for all.

An authentic and affecting #ownvoices story about living life with OCD, from the inspiring author and mental health activist, Lily Bailey. Perfect for readers of A Kind of Spark and The Goldfish Boy.

(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 05/12/2023

A New Adventure

Discover the Magic Faraway Tree and explore the amazing lands it can take you to, in an irresistible new story by bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, set in this much-loved world.

Milo, Mia and Birdy are on a countryside holiday, where they are astonished to find an Enchanted Wood. There they encounter some remarkable creatures, including a man with a head like the moon and a fairy with long, golden hair, who both live in the tallest tree in the wood. Little Birdy is only too happy to find that fairies are real. Even her older brother and sister are soon won over by the magic of the Faraway Tree and the extraordinary places they discover above it, including the Land of Unicorns and the Land of Dragons.

To some listeners (and their families), Moonface and Silky will be familiar friends already. The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton was Jacqueline Wilson's own favourite book as a very young child. Britain's favourite contemporary children's author, author of Hetty Feather and Tracy Beaker, now revisits this glorious magical world, weaving a brand-new story perfect for the next generation of young readers. Discover the magic!

(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 05/12/2023

The Shop of Impossible Ice Creams

Welcome to the Shop of Impossible Ice Creams! Step inside to discover a delicious world of magical adventure, from bestselling author Shane Hegarty. First in a comic and heart-warming audio series, for 7+ fans of The Nothing to See Here Hotel and Charlie Changes into a Chicken.

Limpet's mum is opening an ice-cream shop, full of her favourite new flavours: mushroom and tuna ice cream, anyone? Roast parsnip and gravy? Limpet's not sure about this. He likes a nice, safe life. His favourite ice-cream flavour is vanilla.

But when wicked Mr Fluffy arrives with his Mega Emporium of Amazing and Spectacular Ice Creams, Limpet knows he's got to fight back. And there are magic ingredients on his doorstep which can solve all his worries, if only he can get the recipe just right….

Written by the bestselling author of Boot, this story will make you fall in love with reading.

(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Date Added: 05/12/2023

King Flashypants Three Book Collection

The first three audiobooks in the laugh-out-loud series. 'Brilliantly original and hilarious ... it's nearly as good as one of my books' - David WalliamsIn King Flashypants and the Evil Emperor, the evil Emperor Nurbison has arrived, accompanied by scary striding music. He has had his eye on King Edwin's kingdom for some time and intends to take over! When the emperor builds a fake dragon out of a cow, green crepe paper, furry monster novelty slippers and two birthday cake candles, to scare Edwin's peasants, Edwin must come up with the first sneaky plan he's ever had in his life...King Flashypants and the Creatures from Crong: When rumours of a huge and terrifying monster called the Voolith reach Edwinland, King Edwin Flashypants decides that, to be a proper king, he needs to go and fight it. Meanwhile, Emperor Nurbison has had a similar idea, but he has a much sneakier plan for what he can do with the Voolith. And it involves squishing Edwinland.In King Flashypants and the Toys of Terror, Something weird is happening in Edwinland - Emperor Nurbison isn't evil any more! He's doing stuff like smiling and making toys of himself for the peasants. Is he up to something? Probably. But what can it be?Hold tight for three thrilling Flashypants adventure, with jousting, vegetables, fire-breathing toads and plenty of FOO-HOO-HOOing.

Date Added: 06/06/2022