84 CHARING CROSS ROAD

E874 © HELENE HANFF

# ‘Unmitigated delight from cover to cover’ -- Daily Telegraph

So begins the delightfully reticent love affair between Miss Helene Hanff of New York and Messrs Marks and Co, sellers of rare and secondhand books, at 84 Charing Cross Road, London. For twenty years this outspoken New York writer and Frank Doel, a rather more restrained London bookseller, carry on an increasingly touching correspondence to the point where, in early December 1949, Helene is suddenly worried that the six-pound ham she’s sent off to augment British rations will arrive in a kosher office.

Soon they are sharing more personal news about Frank’s family and Hanff’s career. No doubt their letters would have continued, but in 1969 the firm’s secretary informed Helene that Frank Doel had died. In the collection’s penultimate entry, Helene Hanff urges a tourist friend, ‘If you happen to pass by 84 Charing Cross Road, kiss it for me. I owe it so much.’ 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF J.S.BACH

E947.41 © DAVID CHIN

# A delightful introduction to German culture during Bach's era.

Step into the enchanting world of Johann Sebastian Bach with "A Day in the Life of J.S. Bach," a beautifully illustrated storybook created and published exclusively by Bachfest Malaysia. This inviting journey, written by renowned Bach scholar and conductor Prof. Dr. David Chin, features stunning original illustrations by Malaysian artist Grace Voo, capturing the essence of Bach’s life and times in vibrant color.

This engaging and historically accurate narrative unfolds as it explores Bach’s multifaceted roles—as a father, teacher, conductor, and friend. Perfectly tailored for children aged 4-10, this book promotes family and moral values while making Bach’s music accessible and exciting. With musical excerpts to sing and play, readers can scan QR codes for online musical examples, deepening their understanding and appreciation of Bach’s masterpieces.

BB#1 BEETLE BOY

E873 © M.G.LEONARD

# A darkly funny, Dahl-esque adventure.

Darkus can’t believe his eyes when a huge insect drops out of the trouser leg of his horrible new neighbour. It’s a giant beetle – and it seems to want to communicate.

But how can a boy be friends with a beetle? And what does a beetle have to do with the disappearance of his dad and the arrival of Lucretia Cutter, with her taste for creepy jewellery?

BB#2 BEETLE QUEEN

E873 © M.G.LEONARD

# By the end, you’ll think beetles are the coolest creatures on the planet and wish one would choose you as a companion.

Cruel beetle fashionista, Lucretia Cutter, is at large with her yellow ladybird spies. When Darkus, Virginia and Bertolt discover further evidence of her evil, they're determined to stop her. But the three friends are in trouble. Darkus' dad has forbidden them to investigate any further - and disgusting crooks Humphrey and Pickering are out of prison. Hope rests on Novak, Lucretia's daughter and a Hollywood actress, but the beetle diva is always one scuttle ahead ...

BB#3 BATTLE OF THE BEETLES

E873 © M.G.LEONARD

# HUMANITY IS UNDER SIEGE; THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON THREE CHILDREN AND THEIR BEETLES!

Darkus and his friends continue their unforgettable adventure in this final instalment of the Beetle trilogy. Arch-villainess Lucretia Cutter has a secret Biome hidden in the Amazon rainforest: can Darkus and his friends, human and beetle alike, find it before it's too late? If they can't stop Lucretia, she will release her hoard of giant Frankenstein beetles, and the planet will never be the same again ...

CODE NAME BANANAS

E873 © DAVID WALLIAMS

# A whizz-bang epic adventure!

1940. Britain is at war with Nazi Germany.

Eleven-year-old Eric spends his days at the place that makes him most happy: London Zoo. And there’s one animal in particular he loves: Gertrude the gorilla.

With bombs falling all over London, Eric must rescue Gertrude.

Together with his Uncle Sid, a keeper at the zoo, the three go on the run. But while hiding out at the seaside they uncover a top-secret Nazi plot…

FLYING FERGUS #1 THE BEST BIRTHDAY BIKE

E873 © CHRIS HOY

# Magic – Friendship – Bikes

Fergus closed his eyes and let his feet turn backwards on the pedals once, twice, three times…

Fergus Hamilton is a boy with a big imagination. Living with his mum and grandad and his dog, Chimp, he dreams of a state-of –the-art Sullivan Swift and becoming the most brilliant boy cyclist in the world. So when he gets a rusty second-hand bike for his ninth birthday he can’t help feeling a bit disappointed. But then he discovers something amazing when he takes it for a ride…

FLYING FERGUS #2 THE GREAT CYCLE CHALLENGE

E873 © CHRIS HOY

# Magic – Teamwork – Bikes 

Fergus smiled. He knew that feeling well. Like you were about to fly…

Fergus Hamilton lives and dreams bikes and is really excited about training for the Great Cycle Challenge with his friends. But he’s also got a secret. If the pedals spin backwards on his bike, he’s magically transported to Nevermore, where cycling is banned and his dad is a prisoner. Princess Lily wants to help, but first they’ll need to brave the spooky abandoned Bicycle Graveyard…

FLYING FERGUS #3 THE BIG BISCUIT BIKE OFF

E873 © CHRIS HOY

# Magic – Fun – Bikes 

 “This had better work,” Fergus muttered. He closed his eyes and let his feet back-pedal once, twice, three times…

The Hercules Hopefuls are through to the next round of the cycling tournament, but there’s a big problem. Bruce’s Biscuits are expanding their factory – and building over the park where the team train! How can Fergus and his friends hope to stop them? Fergus has an idea, but he’ll have to return to Nevermore and summon up the courage to enter King Woebegot’s castle…

FLYING FERGUS #4 THE CHAMPIONSHIP CHEATS

E873 © CHRIS HOY

# Magic – Friends – Bikes 

Fergus pulled hard on the brakes trying to regain control, and that’s when it happened…

The District Championships are coming up and the Hercules Hopefuls are nervous. Their hard work and training are about to be put to the test. But that’s not the only thing on Fergus’s mind. Mum has been acting oddly, and when rival coach Choppy Wallace turns up with an offer that’s just too good to be true, Fergus is suspicious. It’s high time he got Dad back from Nevermore, but he’ll need a little help from his pals Princess Lily and Unlucky Luke…

HELP ME! HOW SELF-HELP HAS NOT CHANGED MY LIFE

E177.2 © MARIANNE POWER

# Equal parts touching and hilarious.

Marianne Power was stuck in a rut. Then one day she wondered: could self-help books help her find the elusive perfect life?

She decided to test one book a month for a year, following their advice to the letter. What would happen if she followed the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? Really felt The Power of Now? Could she unearth The Secret to making her dreams come true?

What begins as a clever experiment becomes an achingly poignant story. Because self-help can change your life – but not necessarily for the better . . .

Help Me! is an irresistibly funny and incredibly moving book about a wild and ultimately redemptive journey that will resonate with anyone who’s ever dreamed of finding happiness.

HIDDEN WOMEN

E785 © REBECCA RISSMAN

# The story of a group of African-American women Mathematicians of NASA. 

Think space race and what comes to mind? John Glenn orbiting Earth. Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. What you might not realize is that the success of the missions that sent these men into space rested on the astonishing math skills of a small group of African-American women. These women worked behind the scenes to make sure those men both went into orbit and landed safely back on Earth. Faced with racism, sexism, and the challenges of a brave new venture, these women dared to do the previously unthinkable – and they succeeded!

MY ROYAL STORY – CATHERINE OF ARAGON

E873 © ALISON PRINCE

# A TUDOR GIRL’S DIARY 1501-1513 

It’s the year 1501. Eva has come to London from Spain in the retinue of her friend, Catherine of Aragon, who is to marry Arthur, the eldest son of King Henry VII. But when Catherine meets Arthur’s charismatic younger brother, Prince Harry, Eva watches the pair of them and wishes that princesses were free to follow the wishes of their hearts…

MY ROYAL STORY - ANNE BOLEYN AND ME

E873 © ALISON PRINCE

# A TUDOR GIRL’S DIARY 1525-1536

It’s 1525. Elinor is lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine. Anne Boleyn is also one of the Queen’s ladies until she attracts the eye of King Henry. Elinor watches and listens, and writes down all she sees in her journal -- a witness  to Henry’s desire for a son that tore his family and his kingdom apart…

MY ROYAL STORY – ELIZABETH

E873 © KATHRYN LASKY

# A TUDOR PRINCESS’S DIARY 1544

In 1544, and Princess Elizabeth, the daughter of ill-fated queen Anne Boleyn, has jus been banished to yet another country house. Her step-sister hates her, and her father indulges and ignores her by turns. In and out of favour as her father’s wives come and go, what does the future hold for an inconvenient, invisible princess…?

MY ROYAL STORY – BLOODY TOWER

E873 © VALARIE WILDING

# A TUDOR GIRL’S DIARY 1553-1559

Tilly lives in turbulent times. It’s the 1550s; when Queen Mary ousts Lady Jane Grey to win the throne, her executioners are kept busy. Even Princess Elizabeth is imprisoned in the Tower. As Tilly watches the plots and politics of the Tudor court unfolding, she waits for her chance to deliver a very important  letter…

MY ROYAL STORY – VICTORIA

E873 © ANNA KIRWAN

# AN ENGLISH PRINCESS’S DIARY 1829

In 1829 Victoria is a lonely little girl, being brought up in obscurity by her widowed mother. But Victoria is no ordinary child. King George IV is her uncle, and she is the eldest grandchild of King George III. She is closer to the throne than she ever imagined. Someday she will be Queen Victoria…

MY SECRET YOUTUBE LIFE

E873 © CHARLOTTE SEAGER

# “In ten seconds’ time I’m going to click publish. Then everyone will know the truth.”

What if your favourite youtuber’s life was a lie? What if you were the one to expose it?

Superstar youtuber Lilyloves has it all; the rockstar boyfriend, the insta-worthy flat and the perfect life.

16 year-old Melissa wants that life for herself – or at least to look like she has it.

But both girls are about to discover that life with a filter might not be so perfect after all.

SKY CHASERS

E873 © EMMA CARROLL

# Adventure – History - Animals

Orphan Magpie can’t believe her eyes when she sees a boy swept off his feet by a kite… or something that twists and dances in the wind. She goes to his rescue only to find herself dangling in the sky. The world looks so different from on high and suddenly Magpie knows what she wants – to be the first to fly in a balloon above the King and Queen of France.

THE BOOK OF BOY

E874 © CATHERINE GILBERT MURDOCK

# Epic – Dangerous - Quest

The year is 1350. Boy looks after the goats that belonged to the lady of the manor before she died of the plague. She was kind to him when others laughed at the hump on his back. Monster, they called him.

His world changes with the arrival of a stranger, Secundus, on a quest for seven priceless relics. Taking Boy as his servant, he plunges them into a deadly treasure hunt as they scour dark tombs, dimly lit taverns, a golden castle and the cathedrals of Rome for a secret that might free them both.

THE LOST SYMBOL

E874 © DAN BROWN

# ‘Impossible to put down…Another mind-blowing Robert Langdon story’ 

--New York Times

What was lost will be found.

The Capitol Building, Washington DC: Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon believes he is here to give a lecture. He is wrong. Within minutes of his arrival, a shocking object is discovered. It is a gruesome invitation into an ancient world of hidden wisdom.

When Langdon’s mentor, Peter Solomon – prominent mason and philanthropist – is kidnapped, Langdon realizes that his only hope of saving his friend’s life is to accept this mysterious summons.

It is to take him on a breathless chase through Washington’s dark history. All that was familiar is changed into a shadowy, mythical world in which Masonic secrets and never-before-seen revelations seem to be leading him to a single impossible and inconceivable truth…

THE MEANING OF MAGGIE

E874 © MEGAN JEAN SOVERN

# Eleven years old. The beginning of everything!

For Maggie Mayfield, turning eleven means she’s one year closer to college. One year closer to voting. And one year closer to getting tattoo. But it’s also a year where something mysterious is going on with her cool dude dad, whose legs have permanently fallen asleep, and Maggie is going to find out exactly what the problem is and fix it. After all, nothing’s impossible when you’re future president of the United States of America, fifth-grade science fair champion, and a shareholder in Coca-Cola. Right?

THE SOUND OF WHALES

E873 © KERR THOMSON

# Magical – Wild – Adventure

On a wild Scottish island, a tragedy washes up on the storm-beaten shore: the bodies of a whale and a man. Fraser, Desperate for adventure, and American visitor Hayley, fed up with the island’s isolation, become tangled up in the mystery.

But Fraser’s younger brother Dunny is distraught by the discovery. He hasn’t spoken in years, and lately he’s been acting more strangely than ever. The whispering sea conceals a terrible secret. To discover the truth, someone must learn to listen…

WLTGO #1 WHO LET THE GODS OUT?

E873 © MAZ EVANS

# Hilarious – Heartfelt - Adventure

Elliot's mum is ill and his home is under threat, but a shooting star crashes to earth and changes his life forever. The star is Virgo - a young Zodiac goddess on a mission. But the pair accidentally release Thanatos, a wicked death daemon imprisoned beneath Stonehenge, and must then turn to the old Olympian gods for help. After centuries of cushy retirement on earth, are Zeus and his crew up to the task of saving the world - and solving Elliot's problems too?

WLTGO #2 SIMPLY THE QUEST

E873 © MAZ EVANS

# Funny – Epic – Fast-paced

Elliot and Virgo’s troubles are far from over: death-daemon Thanatos and his scary mum are at large and determined to destroy the world. As even more immortal allies and enemies emerge, Virgo and Elliot must learn how to be heroes …

WLTGO #3 BEYOND THE ODYSSEY

E873 © MAZ EVANS

# Riotous – Action – Packed – Heart-warming

Elliot's life is spiralling out of control. He's been suspended from school, his ex-convict dad is useless around the house and his mum's health is worsening. What's more, the gods are determined to forge on with the quest for the third chaos stone. An unlikely, hilarious and heart-warming odyssey begins. But Elliot has heard of a mythical potion rumoured to cure all ills - can he save his mum, even if it means sacrificing the fate of the world?

WLTGO #4 AGAINST ALL GODS

E873 © MAZ EVANS

# Laugh-out-loud hilarious!

In the series finale of Maz Evans' bestselling Who Let the Gods Out? series, Elliot faces his darkest period yet. As well as facing up to his fears, he realises that the future of mankind - and the survival of everything he holds dear - is at stake. But can a bunch of misfit gods, a lost constellation and a mortal boy stand up to the daemon hordes?

A WEEK IN THE WOODS

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS

# Collision course

The fifth-grade Week in the Woods is a beloved tradition of Hardy Elementary, where Mark Chelmsley (the Fourth) is pretty much killing time before his parents send him off to an exclusive prep school. But then Mark realizes the Week might be a chance to prove to Mr. Maxwell that he's not just another of the slacker rich kids the teacher can't stand.

But it may be too late for Mark to change Mr. Maxwell's opinion of him. On the first day of the Week, the tension between teacher and student explodes, and in a reckless moment, Mark puts not only himself, but also Mr. Maxwell, in grave danger. Can two such strong adversaries work together to save their lives?

EXTRA CREDIT

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS

# Abby Carson is failing sixth grade.

It isn’t that Abby Carson can’t do her schoolwork. She just doesn’t like doing it. And in February a warning letter arrives at her home. Abby will have to repeat sixth grade—unless she meets some specific conditions, including taking on an extra-credit project to find a pen pal in a distant country. Seems simple enough. But when Abby’s first letter arrives at a small school in Afghanistan, the village elders agree that any letters going back to America must be written well. In English. And the only qualified student is a boy, Sadeed Bayat. Except in this village, it is not proper for a boy to correspond with a girl. So Sadeed’s younger sister will write the letters. Except she knows hardly any English. So Sadeed must write the letters. For his sister to sign. But what about the villagers who believe that girls should not be anywhere near a school? And what about those who believe that any contact with Americans is . . . unhealthy? 

Not so simple. But as letters flow back and forth—between the prairies of Illinois and the mountains of central Asia, across cultural and religious divides, through the minefields of different lifestyles and traditions—a small group of children begin to speak and listen to one another. And in just a few short weeks, they make important discoveries about their communities, about their world, and most of all, about themselves.

FRINDLE

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS

# Is Nick Allen a troublemaker? 

He really just likes to liven things up at school -- and he's always had plenty of great ideas. When Nick learns some interesting information about how words are created, suddenly he's got the inspiration for his best plan ever...the frindle. Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle? Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word. Then other people in town start saying frindle. Soon the school is in an uproar, and Nick has become a local hero. His teacher wants Nick to put an end to all this nonsense, but the funny thing is frindle doesn't belong to Nick anymore. The new word is spreading across the country, and there's nothing Nick can do to stop it.

LOST AND FOUND

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS 

# It’s double trouble…

While it can be a drag to constantly be mistaken for your identical twin, in truth, there’s nothing better than having a sibling there with you during those first days at a new school. But on day one of sixth grade, Ray Grayson stays home sick, and Jay Grayson is on his own. Well, no big deal. The kids seem nice enough, after all.

But Jay quickly discovers a major mistake: No one at the new school seems to know a thing about his brother. Ray’s not on the attendance lists, doesn’t even have a school folder. Jay almost tells the school – almost – but then decides that this information could be very … useful. And fun.

LUNCH MONEY

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS 

# Meet Greg Kenton, billionaire in the making.

Greg Kenton has always had a natural talent for making money -- despite the annoying rivalry of his neighbor Maura Shaw. Then, just before sixth grade, Greg makes a discovery: Almost every kid at school has an extra quarter or two to spend almost every day.

Multiply a few quarters by a few hundred kids, and for Greg, school suddenly looks like a giant piggy bank. All he needs is the right hammer to crack it open. Candy and gum? Little toys? Sure, kids would love to buy stuff like that at school. But would teachers and the principal permit it? Not likely.

But how about comic books? Comic books might work. Especially the chunky little ones that Greg writes and illustrates himself. Because everybody knows that school always encourages reading and writing and creativity and individual initiative, right?

In this funny and timely novel, Andrew Clements again holds up a mirror to real life, and invites young readers to think about money, school, friendship, and what it means to be a success.

NO TALKING

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS 

# Boys vs. Girls

Who can talk less for two whole days, boys or girls? The fifth graders at Laketon Elementary are the noisiest class in history, so when Dave Packer challenges Lynsey Burgess to a boys vs. girls “no talking” contest, it’s not going to be easy for either side.

Teachers and school administrators are in an uproar, until one creative teacher sees the kids’ experiment as a unique opportunity to look at language and communication in a fresh new way – and that’s when things get really interesting.

ROOM ONE: A MYSTERY OR TWO

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS

# A FACE IN THE WINDOW

Ted Hammon loves a mystery, and the face he sees in the window of an abandoned farmhouse is a good one. It’s almost enough to distract him from the other mystery he’s trying to solve – how can his one-room schoolhouse, with only five students, stay open next year?

At first there seems to be no connection between Ted’s two mysteries. But Ted soon learns that in a very small town, there’s no such thing as an isolated event. And the mystery of the face in the window may just be the key to saving his school.

THE JANITOR’S BOY

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS

# IT WAS THE PERFECT CRIME…

Unfortunately, it also led to the perfect punishment. When Jack Rankin gets busted for defacing a school desk with a huge wad of disgusting, watermelon bubble gum, the principal sentences him to three weeks of after-school gum cleanup for the chief custodian. The problem is, Jack's anger at the chief custodian was the reason for his gum project in the first place. The chief custodian happens to be Jack's dad.

But doing time in the school basement after hours reveals some pretty surprising about the school, about Jack's father, and about Jack himself.

THE LANDRY NEWS

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS

# NEW STUDENT GETS OLD TEACHER

The bad news is that Cara Landry is the new kid at Denton Elementary School. The worse news is that her teacher, Mr. Larson, would rather read the paper and drink coffee than teach his students anything. So Cara decides to give Mr. Larson something else to read -- her own newspaper, The Landry News.

Before she knows it, the whole fifth-grade class is in on the project. But then the principal finds a copy of The Landry News, with unexpected results. Tomorrow's Will Cara's newspaper cost Mr. Larson his job?

THE SCHOOL STORY

E874 © ANDREW CLEMENTS

# Author! Author!

Natalie's best friend, Zoe, is sure that the novel Natalie's written is good enough to be published. But how can a twelve-year-old girl publish a book? Natalie's mother is an editor for a big children's publisher, but Natalie doesn't want to ask for any favors.

Then Zoe has a brilliant idea: Natalie can submit her manuscript under a pen name, with Zoe acting as her literary agent. But it's not easy for two sixth graders to put themselves over as grown-ups, even with some help from a couple of real grown-ups who are supportive but skeptical. The next bestselling school story may be in their hands—but can Natalie and Zoe pull off their masquerade?