Looking for summer reads that can compete with the screens and keep everyone entertained over the school break? We've got you covered with short, top-quality stories that are easy to read, hook them in from page one and chime with their existing interests. From an adorable missing tortoise, to fighting robots, to a an elaborate eco rebellion, there's something for every young reader!
Our publisher Ailsa explains why Barrington Stoke books help young readers to tackle the so-called 'summer slide' over the holidays.
Ages 5+
For the fantasy fan ...
It's race time for the animals of Moonlight, but disaster has struck! Brumble the bear wizard has lost the winners' medals! Hana and Ace must use their detective skills to track down the medals, but can they also find time to enjoy all the wonders they see along the way?
For the animal lover ...
Ava thinks that Albert, her 45-year-old tortoise, is the most boring pet ever. She can’t take him for walks or even cuddle him! But when Auntie Grace’s dog frightens Albert with all his barking, Ava comes home from school to find a great big hole under the fence — and no Albert! Now that he’s gone, Ava realises just how much she loves her tortoise. Will she be able to track Albert down and bring him home?
Ages 9+
For the mystery solver ...
It’s the night of Sir Percy’s midsummer costume party, and Mulberry Hall has been turned into an enchanting wonderland. But the evening takes a dark turn when grumpy guest Magnus Cooper is mysteriously poisoned. The bumbling village policeman is baffled, so it’s down to Eliza, Bram and Krish to solve the mystery. Can they find out who had access to the bottle of poison? Did a demon really appear in the maze? And what on earth is going on down in Sir Percy’s cellar?
For the summer adventurer ...
Joe is tired of being called average and feeling completely forgettable at school. So when he hears that a Bigfoot-like beast has been spotted in some nearby woods, he senses an opportunity. Surely capturing Bigfoot will make him stand out from the crowd and bring him the popularity he longs for? With no real plan or survival skills, Joe and his best friend Tiago set off on what turns out to be an unforgettably hilarious quest with some very unexpected results!
For the non-fiction fan ...
Dancer, singer, actress, movie star, civil-rights activist – Josephine Baker was a phenomenon! Overcoming the poverty and abuse of her childhood in a segregated America, Josephine grew up to become one of the biggest stars of the early twentieth century, particularly adored in her adopted country of France. She used her connections to help the Resistance in their fight against the Nazis during the Second World War and later became involved with Martin Luther King Jr and the civil rights movement in the US. Controversial and outspoken, she is an iconic historical figure and Catherine Johnson brings her story vividly to life for a young audience in this enthralling piece of narrative non-fiction.
For the gamer ...
Everyone is desperate to have a Blitzer, the new fighting-game craze. But Danny’s Blitzer is broken – it won’t fight! His classmates laugh at him. His brother tells him to wipe the code and start again. But Danny does something different … and everything changes. For the people behind Blitzers are hiding a deadly secret, and now everyone is in danger. Can Danny uncover the truth? Can he figure out what Blitzers are? And above all, can he save his best friend?
For the time traveller ...
When Eric Finch discovers a mysterious machine hidden in his attic, he realises that his mother has been keeping a huge secret. A brilliant mathematician, Eric’s mother has used designs from an old journal belonging to her ancestor Ada Lovelace to build the machine, but Eric has no idea how it works or what it does. Unable to resist tinkering with the machine, Eric finds himself thrust into an unforgettable adventure. But his actions have also threatened the very fabric of time, with possibly terrifying consequences …
For the thrill seeker ...
Caiden and his best friend Sam are used to coming across some pretty weird stuff while helping Caiden’s dad in his house-clearing business. But they’ve never seen anything like the grotesque mounted heads of bizarre, other-worldly creatures they find in what was Sasha Kinski’s home. It’s clear that something awful has happened here, and it’s not over yet … Alone at the company warehouse that evening, the boys make the terrifying discovery that they have brought an uninvited evil passenger back with them from Miss Kinski’s house. With their very souls in peril, can Caiden and Sam unravel the mystery in time to save themselves …?
For the football fiend ...
Football-mad Bobby and his friend Maisie are excited to hear about a new five-a-side tournament – especially as it’s happening on Diwali, or Bandi Chhor Divas as Sikhs call it! After getting their teams together, however, Maisie is told she’s not allowed to take part. Hers is the only girls’ side to have entered and they’re not allowed to play against the boys. How unfair is that? Bobby can’t believe it, and he comes up with a plan to make a stand. But will he be able to convince anyone to join him?
For the history buff ...
June 1940 – after the devastating defeat of the British forces at Dunkirk, the terrifying prospect of a Nazi invasion of Britain seems ever more likely. In these dark days, three children whose parents are involved in top-secret war work are brought together in unlikely ally ship, covering for their parents and facing down malicious gossip as they come under suspicion from their local community. Forced to confront the brutal realities of war as it affects every aspect of their lives, the children find the courage to play their part, rescuing survivors and refugees at sea, and undertaking river patrols to detect German E-boat incursions. But when it appears that the invader is at their shores, will they be able to pull off the most daring feat of all?
Ages 11+
For the sci-fi fan ...
The year is 2070, and the New You Foundation claim to have found the ultimate answer to the climate crisis. They want human beings to transform themselves into Pleekas – perfect artificial replicas. Pleekas can go on for ever but won’t create waste or use the Earth's resources. Too good to be true? When a chance meeting leads young journalist Anders Jones to the sinister truth, he must risk everything to expose New You – if it’s not already too late …
For the horror lover ...
Deep in the Texan desert, the Slade family’s trip of a lifetime takes a terrifying turn when their car crashes on the highway. Stranded and alone, they’re picked up by passing trucker Sam, who leads them to a long-abandoned ghost town, Coyote Creek. There the family are forced to enter Dr Kilgore’s House of Horrors, a nightmarish maze filled with sinister, all-too lifelike waxworks and bone-chilling secrets. Will they find a way to escape or will they become the latest victims of the horrors that await?
For the nature enthusiast ...
Kyle is less than happy about getting dumped at his eccentric old grandad’s on a Saturday afternoon. Embarrassed by his grandad’s ratty old Elvis wig and his weird three-legged dog, Kyle thinks the day is going to be a nightmare until his grandad introduces him to the marvels in the beck at the bottom of his garden. Once filthy and full of rubbish, the stream has been cleaned up and is now home to some amazing creatures. But this magical world is under threat from a new development. Kyle’s grandad is determined to stop the builders and has an audacious plan to save the beck, but when he falls ill, will Kyle find the courage to carry it out by himself?
Ages 13+
For the romance lover ...
Harvey is popular, cool, plays football and has been in a relationship with his girlfriend Summer for as long as anyone can remember. Alfie is not popular, not cool, has a sick note so he doesn’t have to play any sport, and has been in a relationship with his Xbox since forever. So when Summer dramatically dumps Harvey just a few days before the school prom, no one is expecting Alfie to ask Harvey to be his date. Least of all Alfie. But sometimes amazing things can happen when you take a chance …
For the reader who prefers a side of murder ...
When an American-style residential camp is set up in the grounds of an English stately home, the teenage camp counsellors are looking forward to a fun summer of activities. But right from the outset, things don’t feel quite right at Camp Miller. Rumours circulate of a tragedy that took place in the grounds and there are unexplained sightings of a ghostly presence. Then the incidents begin – a near-drowning out on the lake, a fatal fall from a cliff-face … Are these tragic accidents or is there something more sinister going on at Camp Killer?
Encourage reading for pleasure during the holidays with our range of free activities, designed to keep the fun going after the final page
