by Katya Balen
ISBN: 9781526622990 

No two children could be more different than Zofia and Tom. Noisy Zofia lives happily with her dad as her Mum died when she was born. She buzzes with a wild energy that makes her irresistible but also something of a handful. Quiet, anxious Tom lives with his mum. He is full of fears largely caused by his scarily violent father who is now in prison. He longs to be more outgoing but doesn’t know how to manage it.

They are about to start living together and also to become half siblings to a new baby in a blended family that neither of them wants to be part of. Each tells their story in a series of contrasting short episodes that brilliantly capture their contrasting characters and their journey towards this enormous change in their lives.

Onjali Q. Raúf  

ISBN: 9781510106758 

On a school trip to Rochester Cathedral, Leo is astonished to see a World War II memorial to a man with exactly the same name as him, Leo Kai Lim. Who was the Leo commemorated with a golden lion in the cathedral, and could there be a family connection? Determined to find out more, Leo suggests forgotten heroes as the theme for the class project on WWII, and it’s chosen alongside family histories. The project takes on even more significance when the class learn it will be put forward for a national Remembrance Day competition. In his endeavour to find out more about his namesake, Leo is helped by his best friend Sangeeta, who is tracking down information on the part played by Indian soldiers in the war, and thrilled to discover more about the role played by women too. He’s also helped, to his surprise, by Olivia Morris, universally regarded as the coolest kid in school. Leo’s efforts get him into trouble with his parents (a midnight phone call to his Aunty Su in Singapore) and his school (a disastrous, but very funny secret trip to the RAF Museum), but Leo’s determination is overwhelming. When a nasty racist bit of sabotage threatens the project, Leo suddenly finds everyone is on his side, and there are more surprises to come. 

By Holly Goldberg Sloan 

ISBN: 9780593354315

For Sila Tekin and her father, life is on hold. Sila’s mother had to go back to her homeland of Turkey to sort out a problem with her immigration papers, but that was almost a year ago and she’s still not been able to return. The worry and sadness have had their effect on Sila and her teachers are concerned enough to put her into a special programme, pairing her with another silent child, Mateo. Though the two do become friends, leading to huge, positive changes for them both, that only happens as a result of Sila’s chance meeting with another lonely person, Gio Gardino, recently widowed, more recently recipient of an enormous lottery win, and his spur of the moment decision to buy an elephant. The arrival of Veda, unsurprisingly, transforms everything, even her piles of poo, carefully gathered by Sila and Mateo, turning Gio’s Oregon farm into a kind of Eden. 

By Coral Rumble 

ISBN: 9781912745166 

Ava is hiding - hiding from the small cramped room where she lives with her two little siblings and her mum, hiding from the taunts and hostility she gets at school, hiding from her sometimes lonely and joyless life. But there is love here too. Her best friend Roxy, her wise Trinidadian Nan and a stray dog she befriends.

Can Ava be brave enough to allow some light to shine into the darkest part of her being? Moving, emotive and poignant, Coral Rumble's poetic novel is a compellingly beautiful read.

by Ross Montgomery
ISBN: 9781406391190 

Miserable at moving house and struggling to get used to his baby sister, Yanni and his cousin Amy are left in charge on All Hallows Eve. When a stranger appears and steals his baby sister away leaving a changling in her place, Yanni has to do everything in his power to get her back. But the stranger is a wicked faery whose powerful magic can pull off every trick imaginable. Yanni must be quick witted and resourceful as he overcomes the outrageous challenges the Faery throws at him.  

by Joanna Nadin  
ISBN: 9781912979615 

It started “when the Albioneers won the election. Maybe before, even - before I was born. When England decided it didn’t like Europe any more.” That’s how endearing Al surmises the situation as things worsen in Albion - his non-British, non-white friends are being compelled to leave this intolerant, racist land, and war is on the horizon. As a result, Al and his little brother Sam are sent to safety by their dad, to Kernow in the country, where a community of mainly women eke out survival. While Sam believes this is all part of a game, Al is angry at being sent away, and desperate to be reunited with his dad by his imminent birthday. But time sweeps by, and war is certain. 

by Karen Foxlee  
ISBN: 9781782692997 

Pip never wants to be at home nowadays. There's no laughter anymore and her mum isn't happy. She spends most of her time alone, daydreaming and digging for treasure by the dirty creek. But one night, Pip finds something incredible - a dragon. Tiny, possibly dying, but definitely a dragon. She quickly realises that dragons don't come with instructions: what do you feed a dragon? Where could it have come from? And how can Pip cope with the enormous changes this creature will bring into her life? Full of enchanting magic and poignant truths, Dragon Skin is a moving story of friendship, family and finding a way to fly. 

by Peter Carnavas
ISBN: 9781782693505 

Even on the dark days, birds still sing Luke and his big brother Ben spend the summer on the banks of Cabbage Tree Creek. Quiet Luke sketches birds, while Ben leaps off the Jumping Tree. The boys couldn't be more different, but they share a special bond.

When a local competition to win a boat is announced, the brothers spring into action, dreaming of exploring the creek together. But then Ben starts high school, bringing unfamiliar changes into their lives. Slowly, the boys start to drift apart as the contest approaches. Can their unique friendship survive?

by Jason Reynolds
ISBN: 9781534418165 

Portico Reeves is a one of a kind boy, with a one of a kind best friend in Zola. After a tough day dealing with the local bully, Herbert Singletary the Worst, followed by a bad case of The Frets (his evocative term for anxiety), with Zola’s guidance Portico finds his superpower and Stuntboy is born, a superhero whose job it is to keep other superheroes safe, so they can get on with saving the world. But while Stuntboy performs several acts of superhero-dom around his Skylight Gardens apartment block (never blowing his own calamity-averting trumpet), he has to fend off further attacks of The Frets and figure out how to stop his parent’s constant arguments (aka “the mean time”). 

by Maisie Chan
ISBN: 9781800780019 

Danny Chung loves art. Unfortunately, everyone else – parents and schoolfriends alike - thinks he should love maths. Then his grandmother arrives from China, and she and Danny have to share a bedroom. It feels like a catastrophe, but could funny, intelligent Nai Nai turn out to be his best friend?