Puffin

This is a unique look at the alphabet and friendship in a chunky board-book format. This very simple text is about two friends, Sue and Nick, who like very different things but are still best friends. They take us through their all favourite things from A all the way to Z. The artwork is stunning with each artist contributing alternate pages in their own inimitable style. The deceptively simple text is perfect for children learning to read.

This is the classic boardbook edition of the now famous Christmas tale. James builds a snowman in the garden and wakes up in the night to find that it has come to life. He shows the Snowman his house, and in return the Snowman takes him on a magical journey.

The gods of Olympus are alive in the 21st Century. They still fall in love with mortals and have children who might become great heroes, but most of these children meet horrible fates at the hands of monsters by the age of twelve. Only a few learn the truth of their identity and make it to Half Blood Hill, a Long Island summer camp dedicated to training young demigods. Such is the revelation that launches young Percy Jackson on a quest to help his real father, Poseidon, avert a war among the gods. With the help of Grover the satyr and Annabeth the daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction — Zeus' master bolt. Along the way, they face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop them. Most of all, Percy must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.

It's the last Friday before the winter holidays but Percy Jackson isn't at school: he's battling the fearsome Manticore (half human, half lion), which in itself isn't ideal... but with Annabeth missing and the goddess of the hunt held captive, things get a whole lot more serious... Greek mythology relocated to modern-day America. Action-packed, funny, accessible writing for both boys and girls aged 10+. Perfect for fans of Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl.

All I will say is – prepare to be astounded! Mildred Hubble has always been the worst witch at Miss Cackle's Academy, but she just knows this term will be different. She's done the best holiday project ever and she's sure that her form teacher, the fearsome Miss Hardbroom, will be impressed. Even her arch-enemy, Ethel Hallow, is being friendly to her! But is it all too good to be true – will disaster strike again for the Worst Witch? Mildred may be the worst witch at the academy but she's the best friend you could ever have. Millions of readers love her. And so will you...

The remarkable story of Roald Dahl's early years at school and with his family. Like his stories, Dahl's childhood tales are unmissable. This edition has a great new Quentin Blake cover and a new end section of facts about Roald Dahl.

The wonderful warm-hearted story of Mr Hoppy, Mrs Silver and the tortoise who brings them together. This edition has a great new Quentin Blake cover as well as some new biographical facts about Roald Dahl.

Streaker the dog is lost. And not just a bit lost, but REALLY LOST! It wasn't even her fault! She wanted to protect some pies from the PIE ROBBER and suddenly she's miles from home and two-legged Trevor and she has to make friends with a cat. A CAT! But it gets a lot hairier when they find themselves face-to-face with a baboon ... For the first time ever, Streaker tells her incredible adventures in her own words — and very funny words they are too. Rowan Clifford's illustrations add to the chaotic fun.

The Enormous Crocodile is very greedy and loves eating children! But the other animals plan to ruin his wicked schemes and teach him a lesson. This edition has a great new Quentin Blake cover and a new author biography. The illustrations are in colour throughout.

Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into a new year and a new school where undersize weaklings share the corridors with kids who are taller, meaner and already shaving. Desperate to prove his new found maturity, which only going up a grade can bring, Greg is happy to have his not-quite-so-cool sidekick, Rowley, along for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend's popularity to his own advantage. Recorded in his diary with comic pictures and his very own words, this test of Greg and Rowley's friendship unfolds with hilarious results.

Tired of being 'the nice one', who is always taken for granted, Binah is ready to try being something – or someone – new. But how will the new and maybe-not-so-improved Binah fit in with the English Roses? And with a certain someone – her latest crush, Ben – who might have liked the old Binah a little bit more than he’d let on? Can her friends prove just how wonderful the real Binah is before 'the nice one' is gone... for good?

Six of the best-loved nursery tales, retold with surprising and sometimes disgusting twists! Wicked beasts, brazen crooks and a ghastly giant star in these hilarious nursery rhymes with BITE.

The Borrowers own nothing at all; they live in the secret places of quiet old houses — behind the mantelpiece, inside the harpsichord, under the kitchen clock. Everything they have is borrowed from the 'human beans', who don't even know they exist. Arrietty's father, Pod, is an expert Borrower — he can scale curtains using a hatpin and bring back a doll's teacup without breaking it. Girls aren't supposed to go borrowing but as Arrietty is an only child her father breaks the rule. But then Arrietty makes friends with a boy — a 'human bean' — and from that moment danger is never far away for, above all else, they must avoid the great disaster of 'being seen'. The «Borrowers Afield»: The Pod family escape to the fields where their cousins live, but it's a long and dangerous journey. At last they find a new home and adapt to country life. The «Borrowers Afloat»: Homeless again, Arrietty looks forward to a life away from the dark country cottage, to one full of sunshine. The «Borrowers Aloft»: The family are now living in the model village of Little Fordham — a complete village tailored to their size. All they have to do is avoid being seen by the visitors, but one night the owner of a rival village comes with a cardboard box ready to catch them... «The Borrowers Avenged»: Pod, Homily and Arrietty have managed to escape with the help of Spiller. They move into the old rectory where they live happily until the Potters come looking for them. After a horrifying encounter in the church, the Potters get their just desserts and the Borrowers can live peacefully once and for all. Poor Stainless: Young Stainless, a Borrower boy, goes missing on a mission to borrow some parsley and an enormous search ensues.

Krazy Kow is Jamie Fink's idea — a cow superhero with some amazing udder attachments. He's trying to make a film starring the Kow as she battles against the Dark Contaminator. But first he has to cope with a few little problems, like exploding strawberries, rampaging toddlers and hostile football fans. After this, saving the world should be a doddle!

Bill Martin's playful story combining animals, colours and sounds, beautifully illustrated by Eric Carle, now appears in a chunky board-book format. A simple rhythmic text introduces the reader to a menagerie of wild animals from a roaring lion to a fluting flamingo and a trumpeting elephant.

'Tis the season to be jolly tra-la-la-la-la... BUT WAIT! Father Christmas' EVIL brother, Bad Christmas, is plotting to take over the world. His poisonous Christmas puddings that turn humans into zombies are pouring through from The Other Side in their millions. Millions of Christmas puddings, all made of deadly sticky matter! But four children from Plumpot Primary have escaped the puddings. Are they in time to stop Bad Christmas and save the world? Prepare to be... puddified!

Charlie really wants Lola to play cards with him, but she is far too extremely busy pretending to have a job. One minute Lola is a farmer, and the next she is a busy doctor. But when Lola is told to tidy up their very messy room, she soon discovers that it's much more fun doing things together. With six extremely exciting scenes and three pages of fabulous reusable stickers, each child can create, adapt and invent their very own Charlie and Lola adventure.

It's the summer term at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches and disaster-prone Mildred Hubble is in deep trouble yet again – and all because of the new girl, Enid Nightshade, who isn't nearly as angelic as she looks.

They are not like other rats. They work at night, in secret... Time is running out for Mrs Frisby. She must move her family of mice before the farmer destroys their home. But her youngest son, Timothy, is too ill to survive the move. Help comes in the unexpected form of a group of mysterious, super-intelligent rats. But the rats are in danger too, and little by little Mrs Frisby discovers their extraordinary past.

The sloth moves very slowly and takes life very gently; all the other animals in the rainforest want to know why he is so slow, so quiet, so boring and so lazy. The sloth's reply is a good and surprising one — quite a philosophical statement in favour of slowness!

Have you ever heard of the English Roses? Here is what they are not: A box of chocolates. A football team. Flowers growing in the garden. «The English Roses», is a story of rivalry and friendship among schoolgirls in contemporary London, with whimsical, colourful illustrations by renowned fashion artist, Jeffrey Fulvimari.

This is an uncompromising, compelling and true-to-life story of two teenagers drawn into the dangerous and destructive world of heroin addiction. This tour de force by an acclaimed and provocative writer should become a definitive teenage novel on this subject.

Angus is forced to be much more grown up than he wants to be — he has to look after his sister and baby brother and he's only eleven. He dreams of being wild and free like the pirate in a story he tells Imogen and Leo but instead he spends lots of time changing nappies and cleaning up. His mum, a TV star, calls him Mr Dependable, but he can barely cope and knows that another baby in the family could mean disaster. He must find out about contraception, and convince his mother that he is still a child. Finally his friend Rindi, who has troubles of her own, gives him an idea that delights all the children and makes clear his need to be free.

Greasers, Rockers, different place, different name — but wherever they are, they're outsiders; the rough, tough, long-haired boys from the other side of town, with little hope of Mustangs, madras shirts and the good things of American life in the Sixties. Their story is told by Ponyboy, a greaser with good reason to rear the lucky boys in Mustangs, and a witness to the savage baiting that leads his best friend to manslaughter. More than a story of hatred and violence, also a story of loyalty and friendship as teenagers of the urban slums search for personal dignity and a place in the world.