Summer Children's Middle Grade Book Picks (9-12yrs) August 2017 - UK Post Two

Mark Powers (Author) Tim Wesson (Illustrator) - Spy Toys: Out of Control! - Published by Bloomsbury Childrens (10 Aug. 2017) - ISBN-13: 978-1408870884

Toy Story meets James Bond in the second book in this incredible action-packed series!

Fresh from the success of their first mission, our heroes the Spy Toys - Dan the Snugaliffic Cuddlestar bear, Arabella the Loadsasmiles Sunshine Doll and Flax the custom-made police robot rabbit - are ready for their next task. This time, the secret code that controls every Snaztacular Ultrafun toy has been stolen and all over the world toys are revolting and turning against the children who own them. 

Can Arabella disguise herself as a super-sweet little doll in order to find out more from the daughter of Snaztacular's top scientist? Can Dan and Flax chase down Jade the Jigsaw, the puzzling prime suspect for the robbery? And can they save the day before the mind-controlled toys forget what it means to play nice?

Featuring hilarious illustrations by Tim Wesson throughout, this series is perfect for fans of Pamela Butchart and David Solomons' My Brother is a Superhero.

Lari Don - The Witch's Guide to Magical Combat (Kelpies) - Published by Kelpies (17 Aug. 2017) - ISBN-13: 978-1782503071

Molly's shape-shifting curse is getting stronger and more unpredictable. Becoming a hare she could cope with. At least she could run... fast. But now she's turning into the prey of any predator she hears. Life's pretty dangerous if you become a worm whenever you hear a bird tweet. As Molly and her friends search for a stone that can curb the Promise Keeper's powers, and each one of them must face their own monster, Molly is forced to choose: is she prepared to use dark magic to break her curse? Will she become a witch and enter into magical combat? And if she does, will she lose the friendships she most cares about? In this third and final thrilling installment of the breathtaking Spellchasers trilogy the team faces a blizzard of powerful threats. Can they bring balance to the magical world, defeat the creatures that pursue them and finally break Molly's curse? Or will darkness triumph over friendship?

Maz Evans - Simply the Quest (Who Let the Gods Out?) - Published by Chicken House (3 Aug. 2017) - ISBN-13: 978-1910655511

Elliot Hooper's troubles are far from over: his mum's health worsens, he's struggling at school, and a bunch of anarchic Greek immortals have moved into his home - including teen goddess Virgo, who's in trouble with the Zodiac. What's more, death-daemon Thanatos and his scary mum are at large. As even more immortal allies and enemies emerge, Virgo and Elliot must learn how to be heroes ...

Katherine Rundell (Author) Hannah Horn (Illustrator) - The Explorer - Published by Bloomsbury Children's (10 Aug. 2017) - ISBN-13: 978-1408854877

From his seat in the tiny aeroplane, Fred watches as the mysteries of the Amazon jungle pass by below him. He has always dreamed of becoming an explorer, of making history and of reading his name amongst the lists of great discoveries. If only he could land and look about him.

As the plane crashes into the canopy, Fred is suddenly left without a choice. He and the three other children may be alive, but the jungle is a vast, untamed place. With no hope of rescue, the chance of getting home feels impossibly small.

Except, it seems, someone has been there before them.

Summer Children's Middle Grade Book Picks (9-12yrs) August 2017 - UK Post One

Kelly Barnhill - The Girl Who Drank The Moon - Published by Piccadilly Press (24 Aug. 2017) 

ISBN-13: 978-1848126473

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is in fact a good witch who shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna's thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge - with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth's surface. And the woman with the Tiger's heart is on the prowl . . .

The Newbery Medal winner from the author of the highly acclaimed novel The Witch's Boy.

Helena Duggan - A Place Called Perfect - Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd (1 Aug. 2017) 

ISBN-13: 978-1474924160

Violet never wanted to move to Perfect.

Who wants to live in a town where everyone has to wear glasses to stop them going blind? And who wants to be neat and tidy and perfectly behaved all the time?

Violet quickly discovers there's something weird going on in the town - she keeps hearing voices, her mam is acting strange and her dad has disappeared.

When she meets Boy she realizes that her dad is not the only person to have vanished... and that the mysterious Watchers are guarding a perfectly creepy secret!

Julia Jarman - The Time-Travelling Cat and the Egyptian Goddess - Published by Andersen Press (3 Aug. 2017) 

ISBN-13: 978-1783445738

Topher and his father are trying to get over the death of Topher's mother, an Egyptologist, when they take in a stray cat. This cat bears an uncanny resemblance to a cat ornament given to Topher by his mother and so they name it 'Ka', meaning 'double'. Topher becomes very attached to Ka and is puzzled by her mysterious absences. One day when he is playing a computer game with an Egyptian theme, Ka jumps on the keys and spells out the name Bubastis, which was the centre of cat worship in Ancient Egypt. Could Ka really be leading a double life and what is she trying to tell Topher?

J .R Wallis - The Boy With One Name - Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK (10 Aug. 2017) 

ISBN-13: 978-1471157929

Twelve-year-old Jones is an orphan, training as an apprentice hunter alongside his mentor, Maitland, tackling ogres, trolls and all manner of creatures that live in the Badlands – a hidden part of our own world, and which most people think exist only in fairytales and nightmares. But all Jones secretly wants to be is an ordinary boy and to leave the magical world forever...

When an ogre hunt goes wrong and Maitland is killed, Jones finally has a chance to find out where he came from. But the truth he uncovers isn’t what he’s expecting and it seems that if Jones is going to make his dream come true he’ll have to defeat a creature not even Maitland had dared take on and he won’t be able to do it alone…
 
He’s going to need help from Ruby, the first girl he’s ever met. She’s outspoken, fearless and determined to prove she’s as good as any boy, and unlike Jones, being ordinary is the last thing on her mind. Ruby’s desperate to find her place in the world and thinks the Badlands could be it. So, working together isn’t going to be straightforward. In fact, it could be downright dangerous.
 
But who said getting what you want is supposed to easy, even if it is just wanting to be ordinary?

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teen Book Picks UK Published - August 2016 - Post Two

Lari Don - The Beginner's Guide to Curses: Spellchasers 1 - Published by Kelpies (18 Aug. 2016)  - Book Review Here
Molly Drummond is cursed: whenever a dog barks, she turns into a hare -- which can make life quite dangerous...So she does the sensible thing and attends a curse-lifting workshop, run by a local witch. She tumbles into a world of magical beings, all desperate to reverse their curses. But will the power that feeds on the curses prevent them from returning to their normal lives? By the author of the bestselling Fabled Beasts Chronicles series, this is the dramatic first installment in the brand new, long-awaited Spellchasers trilogy. Lari Don has once again created a world of brilliant magic, dark danger and extraordinary friendship which will enchant children of upper primary age. 

Matt Ralphs - Fire Witch (Fire Girl 2) - Published by Macmillan Children's Books (25 Aug. 2016)

Hazel Hooper is no ordinary girl. She is a Fire Witch, and she is furious. Ever since her mother, Hecate, sacrificed herself to the demon world in order to stop a demonic invasion, Hazel has been determined to get her back, regardless of the cost.

Hazel's only chance to find Hecate is to seek advice from Nicolas Murrell, the Order of Witch Hunters most-prized prisoner, and the very same man responsible for Hecate's loss. With only Bramley, her grumpy dormouse familiar for company, Hazel must disguise herself as a boy and infiltrate the black heart of the Order of Witch Hunters to gain an audience with Murrell. But can he be trusted? 

Or will Murrell reveal to his captors that their newest apprentice is actually . . . a witch?

Fire Witch is the fantastic sequel to Fire Girl by Matt Ralphs - perfect for young readers with a taste for the extraordinary!

Sharon Creech - Moo - Published by HarperCollins (30 Aug. 2016) 

Fans of Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech s Love That Dog and Hate That Cat will love her newest tween novel, Moo. This uplifting tale reminds us that if we re open to new experiences, life is full of surprises. Following one family s momentous move from the city to rural Maine, an unexpected bond develops between twelve-year-old Reena and one very ornery cow.

When Reena, her little brother, Luke, and their parents first move to Maine, Reena doesn t know what to expect. She s ready for beaches, blueberries, and all the lobster she can eat. Instead, her parents volunteer Reena and Luke to work for an eccentric neighbor named Mrs. Falala, who has a pig named Paulie, a cat named China, a snake named Edna and that stubborn cow, Zora.

This heartwarming story, told in a blend of poetry and prose, reveals the bonds that emerge when we let others into our lives."

S. E. Grove - Golden Specific, The (Mapmakers Trilogy) - Published by Puffin Books (13 Aug. 2016)

The events of The Glass Sentence transformed the world, as well as the life of fourteen year old Sophia Tims. Since then she's continued searching for clues to her parents' disappearance, combing Boston's archives and libraries. Across the country, her friend Theo is searching, too. When Sophia learns that her mother's diary and the story of her parents" fate is in a distant archive, she makes a split second decision and sets off with an almost complete stranger on a sea voyage to a place where she knows no one. Weeks later, Theo returns to Boston and immediately sets off on a new voyage of his own. This book is written in alternating voices, studded with extracts from Minna Time's diary, and filled with all manner of wonders, including startlingly new kinds of maps.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teen Book Picks UK Published - August 2016 - Post One

Michelle Paver - Warrior Bronze (Gods and Warriors Book 5) - Published by Puffin (4 Aug. 2016) 

Michelle Paver's superb Bronze Age epic reaches its dramatic, spine-tingling conclusion.
Hylas and Pirra return to Akea for their final confrontation with their arch-enemies, the Crows. They must recover the dagger of Koronos if they are to end the warriors' brutal rule. Only if old and new friends join forces can they hope to triumph - but the price of victory may be higher than either Hylas or Pirra has dreamed . . .

Nicole Burstein - Wonderboy - Published by Andersen Press (4 Aug. 2016) 

A funny and frank superhero story set in the world of Othergirl. 
Joseph ‘Wilco’ Wilkes is one of life’s losers – he’s picked on, pushed around, and bullied by the rugby boys at the posh private school he attends on a scholarship. But his life is about to change: Wilco learns he can move things with his mind. Will this be his chance to play the hero, get the girl and finally stand up for himself? Or are things just going to come crashing down around his head? Becoming a proper hero will be quite the leap of faith...

Jo Cotterill (Author) Cathy Brett (Illustrator) - Electrigirl and the Deadly Swarm - Published by OUP Oxford (4 Aug. 2016)

Fully charged and ready for action.
The second title in an explosive new series, with a unique mix of stunning comic book style visuals, and action-packed prose. 
Holly Sparkes was just your average 12-year-old, that was, until a bolt of lightning crashed into her. Now Holly Sparkes is ELECTRIGIRL!  
After honing her superpowers, rescuing her best friend, and defeating the evil Professor Macavity - a holiday is just what Holly needs.  
But there's much more than sun, sea, and sand on offer in the sleepy town of Polcarrow - and when a mysterious and deadly swarm attack there's only one person that can save the day . . . ELECTRIGIRL!  

A new and exciting take on the classic superhero story - told from the original perspective of a 12-year-old girl. Part comic, part text, perfect for fiction and comic book fans alike. This accessible, fast-paced read is truly electrifying!

Louis de Bernières - Blue Dog - Published by Harvill Secker (4 Aug. 2016)
From the author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, the spellbinding story of a young boy and his dog adventuring through the outback.

When a family tragedy means Mick is sent to the outback to live with his Granpa, it looks as if he has a lonely life ahead of him. The cattle station is a tough place for a child, where nature is brutal and the men must work hard in the heat and dust. However, after a cyclone hits, things change for Mick. Exploring the floodwaters, he finds a lost puppy covered in mud and half-drowned. Mick and his dog immediately become inseparable as they take on the adventures offered by their unusual home, and the business of growing up, together. 

In this charming prequel to the much-loved Red Dog, Louis de Bernières tells the moving story of a young boy and his Granpa, and the charismatic and entertaining dog who so many readers hold close to their hearts.

With illustrations by Alan Baker

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teens UK Book Picks - June 2016 - Post Two

Shirley Hughes - Whistling in the Dark - Published by Walker Books (2 Jun. 2016)

From much-loved author Shirley Hughes comes a compelling World War Two wartime adventure for readers aged 10+ set during the Liverpool Blitz. In the hardship of war, everything is rationed - except true friendship. Joan and best friend Doreen love going to the cinema until the Blitz intensifies and then even that becomes too dangerous, especially when an army deserter is found lurking near their home. Who is he and why does he think Joan can help him? As the Blitz worsens, Joan and her friends make a discovery that will tear the whole community apart. Check out the website for the historical background to the story: www.whistlinginthedarkbook.com.

Justin Fisher - Ned's Circus of Marvels - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (30 Jun. 2016) 

From exciting debut author, Justin Fisher, comes this rip-roaring, page-turning new magical adventure. Perfect for fans of House of Secrets.

Ned Waddlesworth has always considered his world to be exceptionally ordinary. Until the day he discovers it ISN’T. AT ALL. Because on Ned’s thirteenth birthday he discovers that everything magical he’s ever read about or imagined is REAL.
And without him, the world will soon be engulfed in monstrous beasts and beings.

So with the help of a robot mouse, a girl witch and a flying circus unlike any other, it’s up to Ned to swoop in and save the day!

Roll up, roll up, and prepare to be AMAZED by Ned and the marvellous, magical, monstrous flying circus!

Lauren Wolk - Wolf Hollow - Published by Corgi Childrens (30 Jun. 2016)

Annabelle has lived in Wolf Hollow all her life: a quiet place, still scarred by two world wars. But when cruel, manipulative Betty arrives in town, Annabelle's calm world is shattered, along with everything she's ever known about right and wrong.

When Betty accuses gentle loner Toby - a traumatised ex-soldier - of a terrible act, Annabelle knows he's innocent. Then Betty disappears . . . 

Now Annabelle must protect Toby from the spiralling accusations and hysteria, until she can prove to Wolf Hollow what really happened to Betty.

Powerful, poignant and lyrical, Wolf Hollow is an unforgettable story.

Sofi Croft - Indigo's Dragon (Indigos Dragon 1) - Published by Accent Press Ltd (23 Jun. 2016) - Book Review Here - Guest Post Here 

Fans of How to Train your Dragon, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson will love the debut novel Indigo's Dragon, a tale of adventure, mystery, and a legendary trip where he encounters a monster or two ...Indigo lives in the Lake District, and spends his time exploring the mountains he loves. An unexpected parcel arrives containing a first aid kit inside his grandfather's satchel. Indigo's curiosity is raised as he looks through his grandfather's notebook to discover drawings of mythical creatures. Strange things begin to happen and Indigo finds himself treating an injured magpie-cat, curing a cockatrice of its death-darting gaze, and defending a dragon. Indigo realises he must uncover the secrets his family have kept hidden, and travels alone to the Polish mountains to search for his grandfather and the truth. Danger looms as events spiral out of control, and Indigo needs to make choices that change him, his world, and his future forever...

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Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Teens/Children's Book Picks Published UK - June 2016 - Post One

Jennifer Bell - The Crooked Sixpence (THE UNCOMMONERS) - Published by Corgi Childrens (2 Jun. 2016)

Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems . . . 

When their grandmother Sylvie is rushed to hospital, Ivy Sparrow and her annoying big brother Seb cannot imagine what adventure lies in store. Returning to Sylvie’s house, they find it has been ransacked by unknown intruders – before a mysterious feather scratches an ominous message onto the kitchen wall. A very strange policeman turns up on the scene, determined to apprehend them . . . with a toilet brush. Ivy and Seb make their escape – only to find themselves in a completely uncommon world, where ordinary objects have amazing powers.

The forces of evil are closing in fast, and Ivy and Seb must get to the bottom of a family secret . . . before it’s too late. 

Dive head first into the world of Lundinor in this magical adventure story for anyone with a Hogwarts-shaped hole in their life.

D. D. Everest (Author) James del la Rue (Illustrator) - Archie Greene and the Alchemist's Curse - Published by Faber & Faber (2 Jun. 2016)

Archie's cousin, Thistle, is about to start his apprenticeship at the Museum of Magical Miscellany. But when it comes to his initiation, the firemark that burns into Thistle's hand is a strange one, and Archie and Bramble are given it too. 

The Golden Circle is the mark of an ancient alchemist's club and when Archie and his cousins learn about a curse that threatens their beloved museum, they have no choice but to start their own alchemist's club, and face the darkest kind of magic.

Helen Dennis (Author) Bonnie Kate Wolf (Illustrator) - Zenith (River of Ink 2) - Published by Hodder Children's Books (2 Jun. 2016)

Jed must confront the revelation of his true identity: he is the alchemist Fulcanelli who discovered the elixir of life and used it to become young again. He must take the elixir one more time in order to live for ever. If he doesn't take it he will die. But Jed only has nine months left to take the elixir. And he has absolutely no idea how to make it. 

The challenge is clear. Jed, Kassia and co. must hunt down the secret recipe.Their quest takes them to Prague and then on to Paris - but hot on their heels are NOAH, the secret organisation that will do anything to get their hands on the secret to eternal life. 

Jed has everything to live for. But who can he trust?

The second in an action-packed series full of adventure, this book has an illustrated narrative running through it, helping readers to solve the mystery alongside the characters in the story.

Robin Jarvis - The Power of Dark (The Witching Legacy) - Published by Egmont (30 Jun. 2016) - Book Review Here - Interview Here Check them out.

An enthralling mix of magic and horror – first of a new series from fantasy legend Robin Jarvis. 

Something is brewing in the town of Whitby. To best friends Lil and Verne, it just seems like a particularly bad storm. But Cherry Cerise, the last of the Whitby witches, fears that ancient forces are at work, reviving the curse of a long lost magical artefact.

The legend goes that the Nimius was created by magician Melchior Pyke, with the assistance of a young witch known as Scaur Annie. But they were both betrayed by Pyke’s villainous manservant, Mister Dark, causing a feud that has survived even beyond death.

As Mister Dark, with his horrific winged familiar, arises to mastermind Whitby’s very own apocalypse and take the Nimius for his own evil purposes, can Lil and Verne join with Cherry to quell his plans and save their home?

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: New Middle Grade Children's Book Picks - August 2015 - UK Post One

Curtis Jobling - A New Hero (World of Warriors book 1) - Published by Puffin (6 Aug. 2015)

Richard 'Trick' Hope is used to getting into trouble, but not like this. . .

On the run from bullies, Trick finds himself transported to the mystical Wildlands, a place where the greatest warriors throughout history have been summoned to fight in a battle for survival - from Romans and Vikings to Knights and Samurai!

A cryptic old man tells Trick that he's there for a reason - to deliver the Wildlands from the evil Boneshaker, who rules with an army of terrifying minions. Trick has been chosen to form a band of the seven greatest warriors to defeat this terrible enemy.

As Trick begins his epic quest the stakes couldn't be higher:defeat Boneshaker or never see home again.

Matt Ralphs - Fire Girl - Published by Macmillan Children's Books (13 Aug. 2015)

Twelve-year-old Hazel Hooper has spent her whole life trapped in a magical Glade created by her mother, Hecate. She's desperate to meet new people and find out about the world. And, more than anything, she wants to be a witch. But when her mother is kidnapped by a demon - everything changes . . .

Suddenly Hazel is alone in the world. Well . . . not quite alone. For it turns out that Hazel does have magic - she's just not very good at controlling it. And she may have accidentally created a grumpy familiar in the form of a dormouse called Bramley.

Determined to rescue her mother, the young witch and her mouse set out to track down the demon and find Hecate. However, it turns out that life outside the Glade is far more dangerous than Hazel ever could have imagined. Witch Hunters are everywhere - and the witches are using demons to fight back!

Luckily for Hazel she manages to enlist the help of a handsome boy called David, and his drunken master, Titus White, who are expert demon hunters.

And witch finders . . .

Fire Girl is a fantastic new magical adventure from Matt Ralphs - perfect for young readers with a taste for the extraordinary!

Jacob Grey - The Swarm Descends (Ferals, Book 2) - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (27 Aug. 2015)

The second book in this gripping, high-impact, high-energy new series.

After the Spinning Man was banished to the Land of the Dead in an epic struggle between good and evil Ferals, Caw’s life has become safer, free of the darkness that had stalked Blackstone for so long. But there’s a new villain in town – and the Mother of Flies will stop at nothing to make crime, corruption and chaos descend once more.

Caw must use every ounce of courage, and every friend he can find, to face-off against some truly terrifying Ferals. Dark family secrets will be revealed – and he will learn to be very careful about who to trust…

Zoe Ferraris - The Galaxy Pirates: Hunt for the Pyxis - Published By Random House Books, (10Aug. 2015)

In this first book of an exciting fantasy-adventure trilogy for young readers, contemporary kids are introduced to a galaxy full of pirates, monkeys, and a colorful cast of other creatures both human and otherwise.

 On the night Emma Garton's supposedly boring parents are kidnapped, she is forced to face the truth: they've been lying to her about many things, including the Pyxis, a mysterious amulet that holds the key to saving another world and worse, they aren't even from planet Earth. 
 
To find her parents, Emma and her best friend, Herbie, must leave Earth and enter the Strands the waterways of space, where huge galleons ply the intergalactic seas. But a journey through the constellations won't be easy not with evil Queen Virgo and every scoundrel in the galaxy determined to find them.
 
In this interstellar adventure, YALSA Alex Award winning author Zoë Ferraris transports readers to a vast, magical universe filled with fantastical creatures, merciless villains, and fearless heroes.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teens Book Picks - July 2015 - UK Post Two

Chris Wooding - Velocity - Published by Scholastic Press (2 July 2015)

Cassica and Shiara have grown up in an outback settlement far from anywhere. Life's hard where they live, but these two girls have a dream. They want to take on the Widowmaker: an off-road rally through some of the most dangerous places on Earth. It's their ticket to fame and fortune. But it just might be the death of them...

Kevin Brooks - The Snake Trap ( Travis Delaney Investigates ) Published by Macmillan Children's Books (2 July 2015)

Following a death-defying escape from the hands of a criminal overlord, young PI Travis Delaney thinks he might finally be getting closer to finding out who killed his parents, and why. But things are about to get a whole lot more deadly . . .

One moment Travis is trapped in an armed face-off in the offices of Delaney & Co, private investigators. The next terrorists have stormed the building and he's been abducted. Kept captive alongside Winston, the rogue security officer who Travis believes is responsible for his parents' death, Travis is quickly plagued by more questions than answers.

As the truth begins to emerge, Travis is faced with the ultimate dilemma: how do you choose between saving your own life or saving the life of someone you love?

Lu Hersey - Deep Water - Published by Usborne Publishing Ltd (1 July 2015)

When her mum vanishes, Danni moves to a tiny Cornish fishing village with Dad - where the locals treat her like a monster. As the village's dark, disturbing past bubbles to the surface, Danni discovers that she's not who - or what - she thought she was. And the only way to save her family from a bitter curse is to embrace her incredible new gift.

David Hofmeyr - Stone Rider - Published by Penguin (16 July 2015)

Adam Stone wants freedom and peace. 

He wants a chance to escape Blackwater, the dust-bowl desert town he grew up in. Most of all, he wants the beautiful Sadie Blood.

Alongside Sadie and the dangerous outsider, Kane, Adam will ride the Blackwater Trail in a brutal race that will test them all, body and soul. Only the strongest will survive.

The prize? A one-way ticket to Sky-Base and unimaginable luxury.

And for a chance at this new life, Adam will risk everything . 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Children's/Teens Book Picks - July 2015 - UK Post One

Robin Stevens - First Class Murder: A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery - Published by Corgi Children's (30 July 2015)
This book is from the author of Murder Most Unladylike. Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are taking a holiday on the world-famous Orient Express. From the moment the girls step aboard, it's clear that each of their fellow first-class passengers has something to hide. Even more intriguing: rumour has it that there is a spy in their midst. Then, during dinner, there is a scream from inside one of the cabins. When the door is broken down, a passenger is found murdered, her stunning ruby necklace gone. But the killer is nowhere to be seen - as if they had vanished into thin air. Daisy and Hazel are faced with their first ever locked-room mystery - and with competition from several other sleuths, who are just as determined to crack the case.

Shane Hegarty - Worlds Explode: Darkmouth BK 2 - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (30 July 2015)

The second book in the monstrously funny and action-packed new series: Darkmouth. It’s going to be legendary. The adventures of the most unfortunate Legend Hunter ever to don fighting armour and pick up a Dessicator continue…

On a list of things Finn never thought he'd wish for, a gateway bursting open in Darkmouth was right up there. But that's about his only hope for finding his missing father. He's searched for a map, he's followed Steve into dead ends, but found nothing. And he's still got homework to do.

But soon Finn and Emmie must face bizarre Legends, a ravenous world and a face from the past as they go where no Legend Hunter has gone before. Or, at least, where no legend Hunter has gone before and returned with their limbs in the correct order.

Emma Carroll - In Darkling Wood - Published by Faber & Faber (2 July 2015)

'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?

Leo Hunt - 13 Days of Midnight - Published by Orchard Books (2 July 2015)

When Luke Manchett's estranged father dies suddenly, he leaves his son a dark inheritance. Luke has been left in charge of his father's ghost collection: eight restless spirits. They want revenge for their long enslavement, and in the absence of the father, they're more than happy to take his son. It isn't fair, but you try and reason with the vengeful dead.

Halloween, the night when the ghosts reach the height of their power, is fast approaching. With the help of school witchlet Elza Moss, and his cowardly dog Ham, Luke has just thirteen days to uncover the closely guarded secrets of black magic, and send the unquiet spirits to their eternal rest. The alternative doesn't bear thinking about.