A beautiful and classic anthology of frosty, magical short stories from acclaimed children’s writers.The Dreamsnatcher’s Abi Elphinstone heads up this gorgeous collection of wintery stories, featuring snow queens, frost fairs, snow dragons and pied pipers . . . from classic children’s writers Michelle Magorian, Geraldine McCaughrean, Jamila Gavin, Berlie Doherty, Katherine Woodfine, Piers Torday, Lauren St John, Amy Alward, Michell...

The unforgettable tale of an orphan in Victorian London, based on the boy whose plight inspired Dr Barnardo to found his famous children’s homes.When his mother dies, Jim Jarvis is left all alone in London. He is sent to the workhouse but quickly escapes, choosing a hard life on the streets of the city over the confines of the workhouse walls.Struggling to survive, Jim finally finds some friends… only to be snatched away and made to work for the remorselessly cruel Grimy Ni...

The sisters of STREET CHILD tell their story…A companion novel to bestselling story of Victorian orphan Jim Jarvis based on the founding of Dr Barnardo’s homes for children.When Jim Jarvis is separated from his sisters, Lizzie and Emily, he thinks he will never see them again. Now for the first time, the bestselling author of STREET CHILD reveals what happened to his orphaned sisters.In Victorian London, Lizzie and Emily are left in the care of a cook but their stor...

The moving and very real story of two teenagers and an unplanned pregnancy. It is told from two viewpoints - that of Helen as she writes her thoughts in a series of letters to the unborn baby, the Dear Nobody of the title, and of Chris as he reads the letters and relives events as Helen is in labour.

The only life Gioga has ever known is that of a fisherman's daughter on remote Hamna Voe. But as a baby she was a gift of the sea to childless Munroe and Jannet, and now the Lord of the Oceans wants her back.Torn between her love for her adopted parents and her strange attraction to the seal people, which will she choose - the sea or the land?From the traditional folk-tale of the selkie, award-winning author Berlie Doherty has created her own lyrical and timeless story of a ...

Grace put out her hand, almost touching the mirror. Her image did the same.'There's another world in there.''We could float in and out of it.'Deep in a Derbyshire valley live two girls, twins, so alike that even their family can't tell them apart. But tragedy is waiting. When the valley is sold to be flooded for a huge dam, the villagers are forced to leave their homes. Deep secrets are uncovered. New characters enter their lives and desires, love and grief c...

Two girls, from very different places, are brought together in a tale of loss, courage and family.Abela has lost everything, and now she must leave her home in Tanzania and flee to Britain.Rosa's struggling to cope with her mum's wish to adopt a child.When they are brought together, will Abela and Rosa ever be able to love one another like sisters?From the Carnegie Medal-winning author Berlie Doherty, The Girl Who Saw Lions is a powerful and moving stor...

It was a seascape, moody with rocks and cliffs and wild showers of spray. Ellie’s own reflection was drawn into it, like a ghost image among the lights and shadows.‘That’s our island*,’ Morag said.*‘It looks mysterious.’‘It is. That’s where we’re going tomorrow.’Ellie is excited to be going with Morag’s family to their beautiful island, but when she finds herself abandoned there, things begin to change. Footsteps, shadows, st...

Follow Tam on three exciting adventures to the land of Faery - where he'll battle castle nightmares, evil creatures and mischevious fairies!THE STARBURSTERAt first, Tam isn't at all keen on his baby sister, Blue. But with a little inventive persuasion from Great-grandpa, Tam changes his mind. One terrible night, Blue is stolen - and an ugly fairy changeling is left in her place! It falls to Tam to journey to the magical land of Faery, return the changeling a...

Magic beans. Sow them. Plant them. Watch children grow.'If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!' - Shel Silverstein, PoetEach and every one of the stories in this anthology is a magic bean: a wondrous tale that will capture your imagination. Prepare to be dazzled by Rapunzel's golden tresses. Prepare ...

Derek Landy, Philip Reeve, Joseph Delaney, Susan Cooper, Eleanor Updale, Jamila Gavin, Mal Peet, Matt Haig, Berlie Doherty, Robin Jarvis and Sam Llewellyn have come together to bring you eleven ghost stories: from a ghost walk around York; to a drowned boy, who's determined to find someone to play with; to a lost child trapped in a mirror, ready to pull you in; to devilish creatures, waiting with bated breath for their next young victim; to an ancient woodland reawakened. Some will make yo...

Two spooky stories from double-Carnegie-winner, Berlie Doherty. Dark and atmospheric these two tales send a chill down the spine. A desolate winter moor is the backdrop to the first story of a haunting friendship, and, in the second, when the past comes back to haunt Charlie, it becomes impossible to tell what is real and what isn't.Diamond/Band 17 books offer more complex, underlying themes to give opportunities for children to understand causes and points of view....