Our Favourite 9-12 Reads of 2022 So Far

The Misunderstandings of Charity Brown

Elizabeth Laird

£7.99 £7.59

This book is just so lovely and completely unputdownable! Partly based on Elizabeth Laird's childhood, it tells the story of twelve-year-old Charity Brown and her big family. They are members of a small religous group and are living their lives "apart" from the modern world - they don't go to the cinema, wear make up or do many other things that are completely accepted in wider society. But as Charity grows older and her siblings start moving away from their newly-inherited big house where her faimly looks after "the weary and the heavy laden", she starts making new friends and discovering her own truths about the world. A proper coming-of-age novel, and (I don't usually say this) a future classic. Suitable for 11+.

Pony

R. J. Palacio

£7.99 £7.59

A story of adventure and bravery, about facing your fears. Pony, the (really) long awaited new novel from R J Palacio, author of Wonder, will not disappoint. Absolutely LOVED it. Set in 1860s after his father is taken by wanted criminals, desperate to find him, Silas, his friend Mittonwood (whom only he can see) and a mysterious pony, leave their cabin in the woods to set out on an adventure that will change their lives and what they know forever. Set like an atmospheric western. This book is absolutely fantastic and will be enjoyed by adults as much children. 9+

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief: The international, award-winning hit, and the biggest fantasy adventure series since Harry Potter

A.F. Steadman

£7.99 £7.59

Forget everything you’ve ever thought about unicorns, because you won’t find anything pink and fluffy in this book! Skandar’s biggest wish has always been to become a unicorn rider. But strange things have started happening on The Island where the unicorns live, and someone is trying to prevent Skandar from achieving his dream. And when the boy finally makes it to The Island, things start getting dangerous. The mysterious Weaver is stealing unicorns and kidnapping islanders. And there is more to Skandar than meets the eye. But will his hidden power help him find the most powerful unicorn? The perfect read for all fans of Nevermoor, Amari or Harry Potter!

The Spectaculars: The Four Curses

JODIE GARNISH

£7.99 £7.59

Any lover of theatre and other performing arts will fall in love with this book! It has magic, a great adventure, a magnificent villain and feisty children – a perfect read! Wondria is a school for performing arts, but with a difference. The children attending it have magical powers – their singing makes you levitate, you join in with their dancing and the props can come alive. But when Harper joins the travelling boarding school, it seems her dreams have turned into a nightmare – the Four Curses have been awakened and it might just be Harper’s Fault … No wonder they call this book a mix between The Night Circus and The Greatest Showman, it’s fabulous!

My Heart & Other Breakables: How I lost my mum, found my dad, and made friends with catastrophe

Alex Barclay

£7.99 £7.59

A funny and sweet diary of a teenage girl. Ellery (who is slightly neurotic) and her best friend Meg are characters that you can’t help but fall in love with. The female version of Adrian Mole for today’s teens. Family, friends and first crushes – I loved this novel. A great read that will make you laugh and smile throughout. Perfect for 11+ and fans of the Lottie Brooks series who want to move up to YA

Hedgewitch: Book 1: The enchanting series brimming with mystery and magic

Skye McKenna and Tomislav Tomic

£8.99 £8.54

Delve into an alternate world where magic exits alongside the everyday and the village is protected by an ancient hedge – and Brownies is for witches! An enchanting fantasy, full of talking animal sidekicks, shapeshifters and goblins. Reading this book will make you want to join Cassie on her adventures (good thing a sequel is coming soon!). Suitable for readers aged 8+

The Offline Diaries

Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinene

£7.99 £7.59

A lovely diary style book, written by two girls, all about friendship, loyalty and staying true to yourself.

Escape to the River Sea

Emma Carroll

£7.99 £7.59

Any fan of Journey to the River Sea will enjoy this book. It takes you back to the Amazon and you will meet the familiar old characters again, but the story is centered around a different young girl so it can be read as a stand-alone.

Looking for Emily

Fiona Longmuir

£7.99 £7.59

This book is totally brilliant! If you are looking for a detective mystery and amazing characters then this is the perfect book for you! Lily’s mum has decided to move them to Edge, a small town on the coat, and Lily is not impressed! Nothing ever happens there and she doesn’t know anyone. Until she stumbles upon a special museum, dedicated to a girl called Emily. Together with her new friends, Sam and Jay, she decides to find Emily. But it turns into a more dangerous endeavour than they anticipated. A great detective story with an unexpected twist at the end. And you’re bound to fall in love with the characters; the quirky, loud Sam is definitely my favourite.

The Hunt for the Nightingale

Sarah Ann Juckes and Sharon King-Chai

£7.99 £7.59

This book will make you cry! But you won't regret reading it, it's worth all the tears. Perfect for 10+

Fireborn: Twelve and the Frozen Forest

Aisling Fowler and Sophie Medvedeva

£7.99 £7.59

Such a great fantasy novel! Set in pre-historic times, Twelve is a member of the Hunting Lodge, training to be a Hunter. For this she had to forsake her past and even her name. But then a goblin attack strikes the Lodge and one of the Huntlings is kidnapped. Twelve decides to try and rescue her, joined by two other Huntlings and the Guardian, a massive stone dog. On their way they encounter so much peril and get in mortal danger, but the twist at the end was really unexpected! An action packed story, which also deals with issues of frindship, family and loyalty. A perfect read fans of Skandar, Wolf Brother and The Hobbit, most suitable for 11+.

Alice Eclair, Spy Extraordinaire! A Recipe for Trouble

Sarah Todd Taylor

£7.99 £7.59

Alice has been helping out her Mum in a Parisian bakery, but alongside that she's also been training to become a spy. When she sets off on a mission to uncover a spy working against the country, Alice has a chance to prove herself. But everything is turned upside down, and Alice has no idea whom to trust. Will she leave this mission alive? An amazing detective story set in post-war France, in which you get to revel in descriptions of amazing cakes, join a fast-paced train adventure and test your deducting skills when helping Alice find the real baddie. Perfect for children aged 8 and up.

Humbug: the Elf who Saved Christmas

STEVEN BUTLER and Kenneth Anderson

£7.99 £7.59

An absolutely gorgeous and funny book about the magic of Christmas. When the Humbugs are judged and thrown out of the North Pole they decide to go on holiday and experience a human Christmas. It is here that they learn Christmas magic isn’t all about the toys it’s the people. However, with the North Pole falling apart without them can they save the day before Christmas is cancelled altogether. Full of brilliant characters and Elf word interpretations not only will this book have you laughing and eating ALOT of mince pies but will also give you a warm fuzzy feeling and be pleased that you are a little different from everyone else.

The Arctic Railway Assassin

M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman

£7.99 £7.59

This book is so great! I absolutely loved the setting high up in the Arctic circle, and the crime that Hal and Uncle Nat had to solve this time was totally original (after all, you don’t get many assassins in children’s literature). I really hope this won’t be the last book in the series, it’s definitely my favourite kids’ series!

Dead Good Detectives

Jenny McLachlan and Chloe Dominique

£7.99 £7.59

This book is brilliant! When Sid Jones accidentally sets a ghost free, she is in for an adventure she couldn't imagine in her wildest dreams! Turns out she can see ghosts! As for the newly free ghost - he's the ghost of a pirate, his name is Bones and he comes with a parrot called Elizabeth. Sid needs to help Bones find his treasure to be able to move on, otherwise he will become a wraith, and that would be horrible. Along the way they get help from Sid's best friend Zen and are being chased by Old Scratch, and there are so many twists and exciting turns in this book, you won't be able to stop reading! Perfect summer read (or any-time-of-year read) for children aged 10+.

The Lost Girl King

Catherine Doyle

£7.99 £7.59

Amy Bell is officially my favourite character this year! She is feisty, out-spoken and would never miss a rebellion - which is exactly what she has to do when she is saving her big brother from the evil mage in Tir na nOg. A great fantasy read for fans of Narnia and Abi Elphinstone!

The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers

CLARE POVEY

£7.99 £7.59

The second book in the Bastien Bonlivre series, and it's no less exciting. Join Bastien, Alice, Theo and their new friend Mathilde when they encounter the terrible Olivier Odieux again - and this time, even more is at stake. How will they attempt to stop him this time? This fast-paced detective novel will have you hooked until all is revealed!

The Miraculous Sweetmakers: The Frost Fair

NATASHA HASTINGS and Alex T. Smith

£12.99

Remember the great frost of 1683? Probably not, a bit before your time. That winter, the Thames froze and there was a big fair held on the ice, with stalls and rides and it must have been marvellous. But if one frost fair isn't enough, this book has another one, a magical one, running alongside at night. Thomasina hopes that visiting the Other Frost Fair with the mysterious Inigo will bring back her dead twin brother. But things get stranger and stranger, there are sinister Grey-Cloaks following her and the frightening Father Winter seems to have big plans for Thomasina. With the help of her friends Anne and Henry, and the powerful Frost Bear, Thomasina will have to fight for her life. Truly unputdownable, with a magical setting, this is a perfect book to read on a dark winter night, for 10+

Always, Clementine

Carlie Sorosiak

£7.99 £7.59

An amazing book for animal lovers, chess enthusiasts and anyone who enjoys a good read about friendship and courage. Clementine is clever. Very clever. A genius. And to save her life, she will play chess. Nothing (too) unusual about that. Except – Clementine is a mouse … She’s been rescued from a lab along another lab mouse, and they ended up in the hands of Gus and his grandad Pop. The lab’s search for the two mice goes viral, and Gus and Pop quickly discover how special Clementine is. To show this to the rest of the world, they come up with a genius plan. But the lab is hot on their heels … Written completely in letters from Clementine to her friend Rosie, a lab chimpanzee, this book touches on the subject of lab animals. It’s a heartwarming story that you won’t be able to put down.

The Shark and the Scar

Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

£8.99 £8.54

Such an intriguing book. The only thing Jay knows when he wakes up in the hospitalwith a scar running the length of his body is that he was attacked by a shark. But he has no memory of the actaul attack and his dad is acting very strange. Slowly, Jay a few snipets from that day come back, and something doesn't add up. Who is lying and what really happened that day? I had so many different theories about the attack while reading, but didn't see that one coming. So worth a read! Also one of the few books about surfing out there, so get reading!

Operation Nativity

Jenny Pearson and Katie Kear

£12.99 £12.34

When a blinding flash of light wakes Oscar and Molly in the middle of the night they rush outside to investigate. They are not expecting to find a dazed Angel Gabrielwho has managed to take an unexpected detour and transport Mary, Joesph, a donkey, Wise Man and a Shepherd named Steve to Chipping Bottom. Here begins an absolutely hilarious and bonkers adventure to find all the nativity characters and send them back in time to save Christmas as we know it. A brilliant festive laugh-out-loud read that will get you into the Christmas spirit that i guarantee will have adults and children in stitches. I loved it.

The Sky Over Rebecca

Matthew Fox

£7.99 £7.59

If you're into ghost stories and time travel, this is the book for you! Set in modern Stockholm and WW2 Germany, it will keep you guessing. (Oh, it's not a scary ghost story!)

How to Be True

Daisy May Johnson

£7.99 £7.59

Boarding school story lovers - this is the book for you! Edie and her frinds and teachers are travelling to Paris, and they'll be staying with her grandmother, which Edie is not too happy about. But then they run into a burglar, trying to steal a painting that means a lot to Edie's grandmother, and everything changes. The girls in this book are such amazing characters, they will have you giggling so much. And The School of the Good Sisters is a dream boarding school, when can I join? This is the sequel to How to be Brave, but there is no need to read them in order.

Jummy at the River School

Sabine Adeyinka

£7.99 £7.59

I love boarding school stories, and this one is even more special, as it's set in Africa. Definitely one of the book that show how children all around the world really are all the same and just want the same things. Full of frinedship and sunny days!

A Beginner's Guide to Ruling the Galaxy: It’s hard to crush your enemies when your homework’s due…

David Solomons

£7.99 £7.59

This book is hilarious! If you are looking for a laugh-out-loud madcap adventure then this is for you. When Niki moves to the ordinary town of Middling and forces the “unremarkable” Gavin to be friends, little did he know that his life is about to change forever. Niki is actually a galactic princess on the run from her evil galaxy ruling parents. With Starburst Sunshine (a talking unicorn cuddly toy), Cupcake (the Bounty Hunter talking cat), an android robot and lion alien can they save Niki from her evil destiny and save the destruction of Earth? Will Gavin show them just how awesome unremarkable is? An awesome out of this world adventure that had me in stitches. About friendship and how family doesn’t always have to be blood relatives. Utterly brilliant.

The Accidental Stowaway: 'A rollicking, salty, breath of fresh air.’ Hilary McKay

Judith Eagle and Kim Geyer

£7.99 £7.59

Patch and her new-found friends are such loveable characters, you will want this story to keep on going! I loved the setting on an old ocean liner, and reading about life on board a cruise ship. A great adventure and detective mystery!

While the Storm Rages: From the bestselling author of When the Sky Falls

Phil Earle

£7.99 £7.59

At times heartbreaking, and at times really funny, this book about a group of children trying to save their pets is truly unputdownable. An inspiring read, can't recommend it enough!

Alex Neptune, Dragon Thief: Book 1

David Owen

£7.99 £7.59

A seaside eco-adventure like no other! I think I'd quite like to be Alex Neptune - I'd have otters and an octopus following me around, I'd get to save a proper water dragon and I'd have some brilliant adventures along the way. A great read!

Like A Charm

Elle McNicoll

£7.99 £7.59

This is a darker than usual magical world, filled with Scottish mythology, in which Ramya encounters enormous Kelpies, evil Faeries, a nice Vampire (working as a librarian) and other Hidden Folk, including the terrifying manipulative Sirens. Even Greyfriars Bobby statue comes alive. Evocatively set in Edinburgh, with great descriptions of the location, it really feels as if you are there, running down the steep streets and hidden passageways - and you will find out why one area of Edinburgh is called ‘The Grassmarket’. Bookshops and booksellers feature - always a plus! An exciting story, with terrific momentum, with themes of friendship, appearance versus reality, trust, mystery, neurodiversity, acceptance, resilience and MAGIC -and a nice line in berets. And the promise of a sequel, can’t wait!

Ghostcloud

Michael Mann

£7.99 £7.59

Set in dystopian London, children are forced to work in Battersea Power Station, shovelling coal. But one of them, Luke, is special - he can see hosts! Will they help him free the kidnapped children? Great fantasy read, and the sequel will be set in Lewes (will we be in it?).

Frankie Best Hates Quests

Chris Smith

£7.99 £7.59

This book is brilliant! If you want a hilarious, light-hearted fantasy read then this is the perfect book for you! Frankie Best absolutely hates magic and any kinds of mythical lands or fantastical creatures. When she is sent to spend a week at her grandad’s, Frankie is fuming – she’d much rather spend time with her friends and her phone, thank you very much! And things only get worse when Grandad is kidnapped through a magical portal in his attic, and Frankie and her little brother Joel have to enter the magical kingdom of Parallelia to save him. With the help of a knelf, a gnoblin and justice Justice they will have to fight some pretty nasty baddies and have quite a few interesting encounters along the way. Come and join The Fellowship of the Bacon Roll!

The Swallows' Flight

Hilary McKay

£7.99 £7.59

Such a good follow-up to The Skylsrk's War, probably even better! You don't have to read the first one to enjoy this (although I do recommend it). Brilliant book describing life in England through WWII and its consequences.

Sabotage on the Solar Express

M. G. Leonard, Sam Sedgman, et al.

£7.99 £7.59

It's no secret that "Adventures on Trains" series is utterly brilliant, but this last one in the series (so far, let's hope for many more to come) had me reading standing up! Hal and Uncle Nat are travelling to Australia, where a prototype of a train running on solar power has been invented, by a teenage boy. They have been invited for its first ever journey, but someone will do anything to stop this train! Such an amazing read, you won't regret picking it up!

Grandpa Frank's Great Big Bucket List

Jenny Pearson and David O'Connell

£7.99 £7.59

Frank has just inherited £462,000 oh, and a Grandpa that he never knew about, his dad forgot to EVER mention him! Cue a bucket list like no other and a whole lot of money to spend. A hilarious journey about living your best life, giving everything a go and the rewards your reap from it. This book is full of humour, heart and family. I loved it!

When The War Came Home

Lesley Parr

£7.99 £7.59

This beautiful book isn't about First World War, but about the consequence if left on the menatl health of everyone involved. A very powerful, heartfelt read!

The Secret Wild

Alex Evelyn

£7.99 £7.59

Being brought up in rainforests around the world, Fern is amazed when she comes to London and finds giant plants everywhere. But the plants are a lot more sinister than it seems. And only Fern knows that ... A great read for any plant lovers, with lots of thrills!

The Secret of Haven Point

Lisette Auton

£7.99 £7.59

How would you feel living on a piece of land that doesn't show on any maps? And it is protecetd by MERMAIDS? That's how the very diverse characters in this book live, and it's truly magical.

Libby and the Parisian Puzzle

Jo Clarke

£7.99 £7.59

Help Libby clear her aunt's name while reading about Paris! Perfect book for all budding detectives, most suitable for 8-10 year-olds.

Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow: The most joyful book you'll read this year!

Benjamin Dean and Sandhya Prabhat

£7.99 £7.59

If you’re looking for a good middle grade LGBTQ+ read, or in fact just a good read, then look no further. Its a story about Archie, who’s just found out that his dad is gay and what the impact it has on their relationship. It is also a story about the kindness of strangers and, best of all, includes such great scenes from London Pride, that it will make you long for the days we could mingle in crowds. Read it, it is great!

Monster Hunting For Beginners

Ian Mark and Louis Ghibault

£7.99 £7.59

This books is such a great laugh! By a weird coincidence (at least it looks like that), Jack becomes a MONSTER HUNTER! Sounds exciting, but when he has to deal with a whole forest full of ogres (or are they trolls?) and a very mean aunty added to the mix, life really gets quite difficult and more dangerous! This book is filled with jokes and brilliant illustrations, and it describes all sorts of different monsters - a perfect Halloween read for 8+.

Wishyouwas: The tiny guardian of lost letters

Alexandra Page and Penny Neville-Lee

£7.99 £7.59

Do you ever wonder what goes on at Post Office Underground Railway, deep below London? You'll find the answer in this thrilling, heartwarming adventure. What if the Sorters are real?

A Glasshouse of Stars

Shirley Marr, Kathrin Honesta, et al.

£7.99 £7.59

I absolutely love this book! Moving to a whole new country where she doesn’t know anyone is already difficult enough for Meixing, but when she notices that the house in which she lives is changing – adding or vanishing rooms without rhyme or reason, that is SCARY! And there is a mysterious glasshouse in the garden, which has a very unique gatekeeper. A powerful story of kindness, resilience and imagination based on the author’s childhood experience of migration. A perfect read for 9+ and every Neil Gaiman fan.

The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre

CLARE POVEY

£7.99 £7.59

A detective mystery set in Paris in the 1920s – honestly, how could someone not want to read that?!? Orphan Bastien is trying to solve the mystery of his parents’ death in a fire, and finds himself in the middle of a great adventure. Someone is kidnapping authors around Paris and it seems that Bastien is somehow connected to that. He needs to save his own life as well as find the authors, but danger is closer than he thinks. Throw in some French pastries and Parisian bookshops and this is a perfect read for any Murder Most Unladylike fans!

Amari and the Night Brothers

BB Alston

£7.99 £7.59

A brilliant fantasy book about a girl trying to find her missing brother and discovering her supernatural abilities along the way. A great feisty heroine and an unexpected plot twist!

All the Money in the World

Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

£7.99 £7.59

Penny Nolan lives in a rundown house called The Flats and visits the local school, whose teachers are not exactly trying to bring out the best in their pupils. When a chance encounter with a neighbour leaves Penny with a whole load of cash, she gets aplace at the Pearlbourne Academy for Exceptional Girls, and she reinvents herself as Lola Nolan-Fitzsimons. But are the lies really worth it, just to conceal where she comes from in front of her new friends? A great read about the value of money vs. the value of being true to yourself.

How I Saved the World in a Week

Polly Ho-Yen

£7.99 £7.59

I read this book, I want to re-read this book immediately it’s that good! Billy’s mum is obsessed with making sure he’s prepared, survival skills are everything, they are always moving on, she says something is coming. When the obsession becomes too much for her, Billy is sent to live with his dad, but when people start acting strange and turning zombie like no one believes Billy. Did his mum actually know something? And it’s down to Billy and the survival skills he learnt to save his family….and the world. . A fast paced, exciting adventure perfect for 9+ adventure, sci-fi and dystopian fans.

The Valley of Lost Secrets

Lesley Parr

£7.99 £7.59

This book is great, I don’t know where to start! This middle grade mystery, is a story about Jimmy and his little brother Ronnie, who get evacuated from London to Wles during WWII. Not only does Jimmy face a whole different way of life, he also finds out some hard truths about his friends and makes some great new ones along the way. However the real adventure starts when he finds a skull hidden in a tree trunk and wants to find out whose it is. The answer to that was really unexpected and heartbreaking. The characters in the book were so believeable and the setting beautiful. I loved it.

How to Be Brave

Daisy May Johnson

£8.99 £8.54

Love it, love it, love it! A boarding school story with loads of cakes amd a few villains thrown in. But best of all – amazing & hilarious characters, especially the little French revolutionary. So funny!

Twitch

M. G. Leonard

£7.99 £7.59

M.G. Leonard has done ti again – this book is as unputtdownable as all her stories! A must for everyone, but especially bird lovers young & old.

The Life and Time of Lonny Quicke

Kirsty Applebaum

£7.99 £7.59

UTTERLY BRILLIANT! Everyone MUST read this book, it will change your life! If you had the power to save lives but each time it meant you got older, would you? Well this is the choice that Lonny has to make everyday, he’s a Lifeling and has been kept hidden away in the forest his whole life, but Lonny is desperate to see the world there has to be more to life than this, he’s seen it in old photographs of his mother. A story of hope, friendship, adventure and living in the right now. This really is one marvellous book.

The Ice Whisperers

Helenka Stachera

£7.99 £7.59

A time travel adventure like no other, as Bela meets her sister who was born 40.000 years before her. Set in frozen lands, this book brings adventure, friendship, betrayal - it's a must read!

The Unadoptables: Five fantastic children on the adventure of a lifetime

Hana Tooke and Ayesha L. Rubio

£7.99 £7.59

Beautifully written novel about finding your place in the world, set in historic Amsterdam. AN AMAZING READ!

Maggie Blue and the Dark World: Shortlisted for the 2021 COSTA Children's Book Award

Anna Goodall

£7.99 £7.59

Maggie Blue and the Dark World” by Anna Goodall features an “underdog” girl protagonist saving her school enemy from the horrible Dark World and its evil ruler, with the help of the talking cat Hoagie (who has serious attitude problems ). Seriously great reading, and I am already checking when the sequel will be announced.

The House on the Edge

Alex Cotter

£7.99 £7.59

The House on The Edge finally made it to the top of my to read pile. Such a fabulously exciting novel for 9+ Full of mysteries, ghosts, adventure, history and hidden treasure. Faiths father has gone missing, her brother is convinced he’s talking to sea ghosts, her mother won’t get out of bed, and any day now her house could fall off the cliff( the crack in the garden is definitely getting bigger) but Faith is determined to hold her family and house together. However when her brother goes missing, with her new history obsessed friend, Sam, faith will encounter a whole journey of her own. I loved it and a great summer read!

The Incredible Record Smashers

Jenny Pearson and Erica Salcedo

£7.99 £7.59

Laughter is the best therapy so I am prescribing The Incredible Record Smashers to absolutely everyone. Sandesh and Lucy are such an unlikely duo but perfect together in this absolute smasher of a book. Genuinely hilarious with so many funny shenanigans I was cackling away constantly, also Aunty Sheila is bonkers and I want her in my life.

Sequins and Secrets

Lucy Ivison and Catharine (Illustrator) Collingridge

£6.99 £6.64

This book has friendship, excitement and fabulous clothes – splendid ballgowns of Bridgerton and domestic life drama of Downton Abbey for 9 – 12 year olds! A brilliant feel-good read!

The House at the Edge of Magic

Amy Sparkes

£7.99 £7.59

This book is completely bonkers and everyone who enjoyed Howl’s Moving Castle will absolutely LOVE this! I mean who wouldn’t enjoy being in the company of a sad-looking housekeeping troll, a quite useless wizard and a spoon dressed in a kilt brandishing a sword? It’s up to the feisty heroine Nine to break the curse cast on their house, before it (and everyone inside it) ceases to exist. Read it, it’s great!