Year 10 - 11 Suggested Reading List
Modern Classics
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The Ghosts of Heaven, by Marcus Sedgwick ISBN: 9781780622217 The spiral has existed as long as time has existed. It’s there when a girl walks through the forest, the moist green air clinging to her skin. There centuries later in a pleasant green dale, hiding the treacherous waters of Golden Beck that take Anna, who they call a witch. There on the other side of the world, where a mad poet watches the waves and knows the horrors they hide, and far into the future as Keir Bowman realises his destiny. Each takes their next step in life. None will ever go back to the same place. And so their journeys begin… |
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One Day, by David Nicholls ISBN: 9780340896983 Twenty years, two people, ONE DAY. ‘I can imagine you at forty,’ she said, a hint of malice in her voice. ‘I can picture it right now.’ He smiled without opening his eyes. ‘Go on then.’ 15th July 1988. Emma and Dexter meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows? |
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Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell ISBN: 9780340822784 Souls cross ages like clouds cross skies . . . Six interlocking lives – one amazing adventure. In a narrative that circles the globe and reaches from the 19th century to a post-apocalyptic future, Cloud Atlas erases the boundaries of time, genre and language to offer an enthralling vision of humanity’s will to power, and where it will lead us. |
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Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts ISBN: 9780349117546 A novel of high adventure, great storytelling and moral purpose, based on an extraordinary true story of eight years in the Bombay underworld. ‘In the early 80s, Gregory David Roberts, an armed robber and heroin addict, escaped from an Australian prison to India, where he lived in a Bombay slum. There, he established a free health clinic and also joined the mafia, working as a money launderer, forger and street soldier. He found time to learn Hindi and Marathi, fall in love, and spend time being worked over in an Indian jail. Then, in case anyone thought he was slacking, he acted in Bollywood and fought with the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan . . . Amazingly, Roberts wrote Shantaram three times after prison guards trashed the first two versions. It’s a profound tribute to his willpower… At once a high-kicking, eye-gouging adventure, a love saga and a savage yet tenderly lyrical fugitive vision.’ Time Out |
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The Bottle Factory Outing, by Beryl Bainbridge ISBN: 9780349123714 Freda and Brenda spend their days working in an Italian-run wine-bottling factory. A work outing offers promise for Freda and terror from Brenda; passions run high on that chilly day of freedom, and life after the outing never returns to normal. Inspired by author Beryl Bainbridge’s own experiences working at a London wine-factory in the 1970s, The Bottle Factory Outing examines issues of friendship and consent, making the novel timelier than ever. Readers will be dazzled by this offbeat, haunting yet hilarious Guardian fiction prize-winning novel. |
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The Colour Purple, by Alice Walker ISBN: 9781474607254 A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown. Abused repeatedly by the man she calls ‘father’, Celie has two children taken away from her and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker – a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. Gradually Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves. Beloved by generations, The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. |
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Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes ISBN: 9781474605731 The classic novel about a daring experiment in human intelligence Charlie Gordon, IQ 68, is a floor sweeper and the gentle butt of everyone’s jokes – until an experiment in the enhancement of human intelligence turns him into a genius. But then Algernon, the mouse whose triumphal experimental transformation preceded his, fades and dies, and Charlie has to face the possibility that his salvation was only temporary. |
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The Seventh Cross, by Anna Seghers ISBN: 9780349010410 Seven prisoners escape from Westhofen concentration camp. Seven crosses are erected in the grounds and the commandant vows to capture the fugitives within a week. Six men are caught quickly, but George Heisler slips through his pursuers’ fingers. It becomes a matter of pride to track him down, at whatever cost. Who can George trust? Who will betray him? The years of fear have changed those he knew best: his brother is now an SS officer; his lover turns him away. Hunted, injured and desperate, time is running out for George, and whoever is caught aiding in his escape will pay with their life. The Seventh Cross is one of the most powerful and influential novels of the twentieth century, a tense thriller that helped to alert the world to the grim realities of Nazi Germany. |
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Saint Death, by Marcus Sedgwick ISBN: 9781444011258 Anapra is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the Mexican city of Juarez – twenty metres outside town lies a fence and, beyond it, America – the dangerous goal of many a migrant. Faustino is one such trying to escape from the gang he’s been working for. He’s dipped into a pile of dollars he was supposed to be hiding and now he’s on the run. He and his friend, Arturo, have only 36 hours to replace the missing money, or they’re as good as dead. Watching over them is Saint Death. Saint Death (or Santissima Muerte) – she of pure bone and charcoal-black eye, she of absolute loyalty and neutral morality, holy patron to rich and poor, to prostitute and narco-lord, criminal and police-chief. A folk saint, a rebel angel, a sinister guardian. |
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Midwinterblood, by Marcus Sedgwick ISBN: 9781780620206 Have you ever had the feeling that you’ve lived another life? Been somewhere that has felt totally familiar even though you’ve never been there before, or felt that you’ve known someone, even though you are meeting them for the first time? Eric and Merle loved and lost one another, and have been searching for each other through time ever since. This novel comprises seven short stories and travels in time, from 2073 back to the days of Viking sagas. Across the different tales, the two souls appear as lovers, mother and son, brother and sister, and artist and child as they come close to finding each other before facing the ultimate sacrifice… |
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Revolver, by Marcus Sedgwick 1910. A cabin north of the Arctic Circle. Fifteen-year-old Sig Andersson is alone. Alone, except for the corpse of his father, who died earlier that day after falling through a weak spot on the ice-covered lake. His sister, Anna, and step-mother, Nadya, have gone to the local town for help. Then comes a knock at the door. It’s a man, the flash of a revolver’s butt at his hip, and a mean glare in his eyes. Sig has never seen him before but Wolff claims to have unfinished business with his father. As Sig gradually learns the awful truth about Wolff’s connection to his father, his thoughts are drawn to a certain box hidden on a shelf in the storeroom, in which lies his father’s prized possession – a revolver. As the stakes rise and Wolff begins to close in, Sig’s choice is pulled into sharp focus. Should he use the gun? |
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The Crow Road, by Iain Banks ISBN: 9780349139159 ‘It was the day my grandmother exploded. I sat in the crematorium, listening to my Uncle Hamish quietly snoring in harmony to Bach’s Mass in B Minor, and I reflected that it always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach.’ Prentice McHoan has returned to the bosom of his complex but enduring Scottish family. Full of questions about the McHoan past, present and future, he is also deeply preoccupied: mainly with death, sex, drink, God and illegal substances… |
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Rani and Sukh, by Bali Rai ISBN: 978-0-19-832994-7 Rani and Sukh fall in love, unaware of a dark and sinister mystery binding their families which dates back to 1960s Punjab. |
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The Stolen Ones, by Vanessa Curtis ISBN: 9781474915038 My name is Inge. I am sixteen. I live with Mama and Papa in Munich. Food is still rationed, though the war ended over ten years ago. My boyfriend is Jewish. I have to hide this from my parents. I think they are hiding something from me, too. Letters arrive every year on my birthday, but they are not addressed to me. They are for a girl named Kasia. This is her story. |
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The Dark Lady, by Akala ISBN: 9781444942972 A PICKPOCKET WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL GIFT A PRISONER OF EXTRAORDINARY VALUE AN ORPHAN HAUNTED BY DREAMS OF THE MYSTERIOUS DARK LADY Henry is an orphan, an outsider, a thief. He is also a fifteen-year-old invested with magical powers … This brilliant, at times brutal, first novel from the amazing imagination that is Akala, will glue you to your seat as you are hurled into a time when London stank and boys like Henry were forced to find their own route through the tangled streets and out the other side. |
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I, Ada, by Julia Gray ISBN: 9781839130076 Ada Byron is rich and clever, but she longs to be free. Free to explore all the amazing ideas that come to her imagination, life flying mechanical horses and stories inspired by her travels. Free to find love and passion beyond the watchful gaze of her mother and governesses. And free to learn the full truth about her father, the notorious Lord Byron. Then, Ada meets a man whose invention might just change the world – and he needs her visionary brilliance to bring it to life. A wonderfully witty and poignant portrayal of the young life of Ada Lovelace, the 19th century mathematician who is hailed as the world’s first computer programmer. |
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Cane Warriors, by Alex Wheatle ISBN: 9781839131127 Moa is fourteen. The only life he has ever known is toiling on the Frontier sugar cane plantation for endless hot days, fearing the vicious whips of the overseers. Then, one night, he learns of an uprising, led by the charismatic Tacky. Moa is to be a cane warrior, and fight for the freedom of all the enslaved people in the nearby plantations. But before they can escape, Moa and his friend Keverton must face their first great task: to kill their overseer, Misser Donaldson. Time is ticking, and the day of the uprising approaches… Irresistible, gripping and unforgettable, Cane Warriors follows the true story of Tacky’s War in Jamaica, 1760. |
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Lark, by Anthony McGowan ISBN: 978-1781128435 Things are tense at home for Nicky and Kenny. Their mum’s coming to visit and it will be the first time they’ve seen her in years. A lot has changed since they were little and Nicky’s not so sure he’s ready to see her again. When they head for a trek across the moors to take their minds off everything, a series of unforeseen circumstances leaves the brothers in a vulnerable and very dangerous position. There might even be a chance that this time, not everyone will make it home alive. |
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Rook, by Anthony McGowan ISBN: 978-1781127230 A poignant, beautifully written novella about growing up and family. A companion piece to the hugely successful Brock and Pike. McGowan warms hearts once more with the adventures of Nicky and Kenny.
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Witch, by Finbar Hawkins ISBN: 9781838935627 After witnessing the brutal murder of her mother by witch-hunters, Evey vows to avenge her and track down the killers. Fury burns in her bright and strong. But she has promised her mother that she will keep Dill, her little sister, safe. As the lust for blood and retribution rises to fever pitch, will Evey keep true to the bonds of sisterhood and to the magick that is her destiny? |
Ours and Others' World
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Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo ISBN: 9781510105249 Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold-a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed. Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite-and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift. As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation. Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition, where nothing is what it seems. |
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Nowhere on Earth, by Nick Lake It starts with a plane crash. There are survivors: a teenage girl and her little brother. They are running from something. But what? Then the men arrive. They are hunting the girl and boy. And- And that’s all we can tell you… |
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The Life and Death Parade, by Eliza Wass Strange rituals, hauntings and the occult collide in this darkly memorable YA thriller. Perfect for fans of Louise O’Neill, Sarah Waters and Donna Tartt. One year ago, Kitty’s boyfriend Nikki Bramley visited a psychic who told him he had no future. Now, he’s dead. With the Bramleys grieving inside their rural English home, Kitty sets out to find the psychic who read Nikki his fate. Instead she finds Roan, an enigmatic medium claiming he can speak to the dead. He belongs to the Life and Death Parade – a group that explore the thin veil between this world and the next. Kitty is convinced he’s a charlatan – but the ‘magic’ seems to work. The darkness is lifting. But there are things Kitty can’t ignore – evidence of strange rituals, shadows of the boy she lost, and Kitty begins to suspect that this boy had something to do with Nikki’s death. More, that he may have the very real power to bring him back… |
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Grace and Fury, by Tracy Banghart ISBN: 9781444941951 In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other on an island prison where women must fight to survive. Serina has spent her whole life preparing to become a Grace – selected to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining example of the perfect woman. But her headstrong and rebellious younger sister has a dangerous secret, and one wrong move could cost both sisters everything. Can Serina fight? And will Nomi win? |
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Words in Deep Blue, by Cath Crowley ISBN: 9781444907896 Two teens find their way back to each other in a bookstore full of secrets and crushes, grief and hope – and letters hidden between the pages. Years ago, Rachel had a crush on Henry Jones. The day before she moved away, she tucked a love letter into his favourite book in his family’s bookshop. She waited. But Henry never came. Now Rachel has returned to the city – and to the bookshop – to work alongside the boy she’d rather not see, if at all possible, for the rest of her life. But Rachel needs the distraction. Her brother drowned months ago, and she can’t feel anything anymore. As Henry and Rachel work side by side – surrounded by books, watching love stories unfold, exchanging letters between the pages – they find hope in each other. Because life may be uncontrollable, even unbearable sometimes. But it’s possible that words, and love, and second chances are enough. |
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The Summer of Us, by Cecilia Vinesse ISBN: 9781510200791 Five friends. Five cities. Two complicated love stories . . . The perfect read for fans of Jennifer E Smith and Sara Barnard. Aubrey and Rae have been planning their European tour since the moment they met. It was meant to be the perfect way to spend their last summer together before university, but now it’s not just the two of them . . . There’s Jonah, Aubrey’s seemingly perfect boyfriend, and Gabe, who Aubrey may have accidentally kissed. Then there’s Clara, the friend Rae is crushing on, hard, even though there’s no hope because Clara is into guys, not girls. And on top of all that Aubrey and Rae’s friendship appears to be falling apart. Things are more complicated at eighteen than they were at ten. Set off on a romantic adventure that embraces warm summer nights, the thrill of first kisses and the bittersweet ache of saying goodbye to the past. |
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The Belles, by Dhonielle Clayton Camellia and her sisters control beauty. They are Belles and they can make you ‘perfect’. Glossy hair, smooth skin, flawless body. You’ll feel better once it’s done. The results are worth the pain. And when they fade, the Belles will fix you all over again . . . But it will cost you. Are you willing to pay the price? |
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Afterlove, by Tanya Byrne THE LESBIAN LOVE STORY YOU’VE BEEN DYING TO READ. Ash Persaud is about to become a reaper in the afterlife, but she is determined to see her first love Poppy Morgan again, the only thing that separates them is death. Car headlights. The last thing Ash hears is the snap of breaking glass as the windscreen hits her and breaks into a million pieces like stars. But she made it, she’s still here. Or is she? This New Year’s Eve, Ash gets an invitation from the afterlife she can’t decline: to join a clan of fierce girl reapers who take the souls of the city’s dead to await their fate. But Ash can’t forget her first love, Poppy, and she will do anything to see her again … even if it means they only get a few more days together. Dead or alive … NOT EVEN DEATH CAN TEAR THEM APART. |
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The Cost of Knowing, by Brittney Morris Sixteen-year-old Alex Rufus lives with his younger brother, Isaiah, in a quiet neighbourhood in Chicago. But recently their neighbours have started calling the cops on anyone who doesn’t look like their version of safe. Alex starts avoiding his neighbourhood by taking on more shifts at the local ice-cream shop, Scoops, and spending time with his girlfriend, Talia. But when Alex picks up an old family photo, everything changes: he has an intense vision that Isaiah might die. Alex wants to save Isaiah, but he knows the dangers of the future. How will he protect his brother when the street they grew up on doesn’t feel like home anymore? A story that speaks to hard truths about race, prejudice, and the inherent injustice that permeates the world we live in. |
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The Darkest Part of the Forest, by Holly Black ISBN: 9781780621746 Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once. In the forest of Fairfold, lies a glass casket. Inside the casket lies a sleeping faerie prince that none can rouse. He’s the most fascinating thing Hazel and Ben have ever seen and they dream of waking him. But what happens when dreams come true? In the darkest part of the forest, you must be careful what you wish for…
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Ash, by Malinda Lo In the world of ASH, fairies are an older race of people who walk the line between life and death, reality and magic. As orphaned Ash grows up, a servant in her stepmother’s home, she begins to realise that her beloved mother, Elinor, was very much in tune with these underworld folk, and that she herself has the power to see them too. Against the sheer misery of her stepmother’s cruelty, greed and ambition in preparing her two charmless daughters for presentation at court, and hopefully royal or aristocratic marriage, Ash befriends one of these fairies – a mysterious, handsome man – who grants her wishes and restores hope to Ash’s existence, even though she knows there will be a price to pay. But most important of all, she also meets Kaisa, a huntress employed by the king, and it is Kaisa who truly awakens Ash’s desires for both love and self-respect … ASH is a fairy tale about possibility and recognizing the opportunities for change. From the deepest grief comes the chance for transformation. |
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Isles of Storm and Sorrow: Viper, by Bex Hogan Marianne has been training to be the Viper for her entire life – to serve and protect the King and the citizens of The Twelve Isles – but to become the Viper and protect the islands she loves she must find the strength to defeat her father. Power, politics and pirates collide in this epic fantasy trilogy for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean. He will make me a killer. Or he will have me killed. That is my destiny. She was born to protect the islands. But can she fight for them if it means losing her family, her home, the boy she loves – and perhaps even her life? A brave heroine. An impossible dilemma. An epic new fantasy trilogy set on the high seas. |
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The Darkest Minds, by Alexandra Bracken Ruby is sixteen. She is dangerous. And she is alive. For now. A mysterious disease has killed most of America’s children. Ruby might have survived, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse than a virus: frightening abilities they cannot control. Pressured by the government, Ruby’s parents sent her to Thurmond, a brutal state ‘rehabilitation camp’, where she has learned to fear and suppress her new power. But what if mastering it is a whole generation’s only chance for survival? |
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Dark Blue Rising, by Terri Terry ISBN: 9781444957105 The stunning first novel in a new speculative thriller trilogy from the bestselling author of SLATED. Tabby lives a transient life with her mum Cate, never sticking in one place long enough to make friends. Until one day, an accident changes everything. Cate is arrested and Tabby realises her life has been a lie: Cate is not her mother. As she adjusts to her new life, Tabby finds herself drawn to the ocean – the only place she feels happy – and enrols at a swimming summer school to help her heal. But all is not as it seems. She and her new friends are cut off from the outside world and she’s plagued by a repeating symbol of interlocking circles that follows her everywhere. As Tabby begins to learn the truth about what the circles mean, and uncovers the terrible lies she’s been told about her past, a final twist awaits her – a secret hidden in her DNA…
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The Sky Over Rebecca, by Matthew Fox ISBN: 9781444964707 When mysterious footprints appear in the Stockholm snow, ten-year-old Kara must discover where they’ve come from – and who they belong to. They lead Kara to Rebecca, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her younger brother Samuel. Kara realises they are refugees – from another time, World War Two – and they are trying to find their way home. The grief and loneliness that Rebecca and Samuel have endured is something Kara can relate to – feeling like you’re always on the outside looking in – and she finds herself compelled to help them. Through her eyes, we rediscover the magic that lies in the world around us, if only we have the courage to look for it. |
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Beauty Sleep, by Kathryn Evans ISBN: 9781474954877 Laura can’t remember who she is. But the rest of the world knows. Because Laura is famous – a dying girl who was frozen until she could be cured. A real-life Sleeping Beauty. But what happens when you wake up one day and the world has moved on forty years? Could you build a new life – while solving the mystery of what happened to the old one?
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Orphan Monster Spy, by Matt Killeen ISBN: 9781474942386 Sarah has played many roles – but now she faces her most challenging of all. Because there’s only one way for a Jewish orphan spy to survive at a school for the Nazi elite. And that’s to become a monster like them. They think she is just a little girl. But she is the weapon they never saw coming…with a mission to destroy them all.
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The Gilded Ones, by Namina Forna ISBN: 9781474959575 Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in Otera, a deeply patriarchal ancient kingdom, where a woman’s worth is tied to her purity, and she must bleed to prove it. But when Deka bleeds gold – the colour of impurity, of a demon – she faces a consequence worse than death. She is saved by a mysterious woman who tells Deka of her true nature: she is an Alaki, a near-immortal with exceptional gifts. The stranger offers her a choice: fight for the Emperor, with others just like her, or be destroyed… |
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Ace of Spades, by Faridah Abike-Iyimide ISBN: 9781474967532 Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl, Chiamaka, isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game… |
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The Outrage, by William Hussey ISBN: 9781474966184 Welcome to England, where the Protectorate enforces the Public Good. Here, there are rules for everything – what to eat, what to wear, what to do, what to say, what to read, what to think, who to obey, who to hate, who to love. Your safety is assured, so long as you follow the rules. Gabriel is a natural born rule-breaker. And his biggest crime of all? Being gay. Gabriel knows his sexuality must be kept secret from all but his closest friends, not only to protect himself, but to protect his boyfriend. Because Eric isn’t just the boy who has stolen Gabriel’s heart. He’s the son of the chief inspector at Degenerate Investigations – the man who poses the single biggest threat to Gabriel’s life. And the Protectorate are experts at exposing secrets. |
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Wilder Girls, by Rory Power ISBN: 9781529021264 Everyone loses something to the Tox; Hetty lost her eye, Reese’s hand has changed and Byatt just disappeared completely. It’s been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put in quarantine. The Tox turned the students strange and savage, the teachers died off one by one. Cut off from the mainland, the girls don’t dare wander past the school’s fence where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure as the Tox takes; their bodies becoming sick and foreign, things bursting out of them, bits missing. But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her best friend, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie in the wilderness past the fence. As she digs deeper, she learns disturbing truths about her school and what else is living on Raxter Island. And that the cure might not be a cure at all… |
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We Hunt the Flame, by Hafsah Faizal ISBN: 9781529045178 (2) Zafira is the Hunter. Forced to disguise herself as a man, she risks everything to provide for her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death. A feared assassin who is forever bound to the command of his father, the sultan. Both are legends in their kingdom – but neither wants to be. And when Zafira embarks on a dangerous quest to return magic to their suffering land, Nasir is sent on a similar mission. But as their journey unfolds, an ancient evil begins to stir… |
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The Kingdom, by Jess Rothenberg ISBN: 9781509899388 Welcome to the Kingdom, a dazzling fantasy theme park where ‘happily ever after’ is not just a promise, but a rule… It’s a fairytale which ends in murder as the one of the ‘Fantasists’ goes renegade. Ana, a half-human, half-android princess, is tasked with entertaining visitors and making wishes come true but now she’s on trial, after finding herself experiencing emotions and romantic feelings against all her programming. Told through court testimony, interrogation records and fragmented flashbacks. |
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Burn Our Bodies Down, by Rory Power ISBN: 9781529022834 Ever since Margot was born, it’s been just her and her mother. No answers to Margot’s questions. No history to hold on to. Just the two of them, stuck in their run-down apartment, struggling to get along. But that’s not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past. And when she finds a photograph pointing her to a town called Phalene, she leaves. But when Margot gets there, it’s not what she bargained for. Margot’s mother left for a reason. But was it to hide her past? Or was it to protect Margot from what’s still there? |
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Lionheart Girl, by Yaba Badoe ISBN: 9781789540864 African myth and magic beat in the dark heart of this fable about witchcraft, superstition, the bonds we choose and those we cannot. Born into a family of West African witches, Sheba’s terrified of her mother who is deadly dangerous. But, like mother, like daughter – magic runs through her blood and Sheba discovers powers of her own. Her touch can unravel people’s inner-most thoughts; their hopes, their fears – their secrets. Sheba too can shape-shift. Through the communion of ancient magic, blood and friendship, she slowly uncovers the murderous truth about her stolen childhood and steels herself for the future. She must protect the hunted from the hunter – her mother. |
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Dangerous Remedy, by Kat Dunn ISBN: 9781789543667 The first in a dazzling, commercial, historical adventure series set in the extravagant and deadly world of the French Revolution. A whirlwind of action, science and magic reveals, with a diverse cast of fearless heroines and rebels like no other. Camille, a revolutionary’s daughter, leads a band of outcasts – a runaway girl, a deserter, an aristocrat in hiding. As the Batallion des Morts they cheat death, saving those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of Madame La Guillotine. But their latest rescue is not what she seems. The girl’s no aristocrat, but her dark and disturbing powers means both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries want her. But who and what is she? In a fast and furious story full of the glamour and excesses, intrigue and deception of these dangerous days, no one can be trusted, everyone is to be feared. As Camille learns the truth, she’s forced to choose between loyalty to those she loves and the future. |
Literary Heritage
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Frenchman’s Creek, by Daphne Du Maurier ISBN: 9780349006598 Exciting and tender, with magical descriptions of the Cornish coast and marvellously drawn portraits of Dora, her Frenchman and the Cornish gentry, FRENCHMAN’S CREEK is one of Daphne du Maurier’s most popular novels. |
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Jamaica Inn, by Daphne Du Maurier ISBN: 9780349006581 Mary Yellan, recently orphaned, goes to live with her aunt at Jamaica Inn – stark and forbidding and standing alone on Bodmin Moor, its very walls tainted with corruption. This is a classic and enthralling story of smuggling and Cornish secrets and Mary, who must observe it all alone. |
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Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier ISBN: 9780349006574 Rebecca is widely regarded as Daphne du Maurier’s finest novel. It tells the story of Manderley, an exquisite house with gardens down to the sea, its owner Max de Winter, and his new young wife. And, of course, Rebecca. |
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Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile, by Adelle Stripe ISBN: 9780708898956 Best known for her classic black comedy Rita, Sue and Bob Too, Andrea Dunbar wrote three plays before dying at a tragically young age. This new literary portrayal features a cast of real and imagined characters set against the backdrop of the infamous Buttershaw estate during the Thatcher era. A bittersweet tale of the north/south divide, it reveals how a shy teenage girl defied the circumstances into which she was born and went on to become one of her generation’s greatest dramatists. Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile is a poignant piece of kitchen sink noir that tells Dunbar’s compelling story in print for the very first time. |
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Remember, by Yvonne Battle Felton ISBN: 9780349700489 It is 1910 and Philadelphia is burning… The last place Spring wants to be is in the rundown, coloured section of a hospital surrounded by the groans of sick people and the ghost of her dead sister. But as her son Edward lays dying, she has no other choice. There are whispers that Edward drove a streetcar into a shop window. Some people think it was an accident, others claim that it was his fault, the police are certain that he was part of a darker agenda. Is he guilty? Can they find the truth? All Spring knows is that time is running out. She has to tell him the story of how he came to be. With the help of her dead sister, newspaper clippings and reconstructed memories, she must find a way to get through to him. To shatter the silences that governed her life, she will do everything she can to lead him home. |
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Shane, by Jack Schaefer ISBN: 9781409165668 ‘If you read only one western in your life, this is the one’ Roland Smith, author of Peak He rode into our valley in the summer of 1889, a slim man, dressed in black. ‘Call me Shane,’ he said. He never told us more. There was a deadly calm in the valley that summer, a slow, climbing tension that seemed to focus on Shane. Seen through the eyes of a young boy, Bob Starrett, SHANE is the classic story of a lone stranger. At first sight, the boy realises there is something unusual about the approaching man, but as Bob gets to know Shane, he realises that there is an inner sadness in him. SHANE is the story of a gunfighter who tries to hang up his gun but is drawn to the side of the boy’s family and other homesteaders in their struggle to keep from being forced off their land. |
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Half-Caste and Other, by John Agard The tensions brought about by differences of race and culture are at the heart of this powerful and entertaining collection by one of Britain’s most exciting and original poets and performers. John Agard, winner of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, explores the richness of human diversity in the world today. |
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Sense & Sensibility, by Jane Austen ISBN: 9780755331451 Marianne Dashwood is young, flirtatious and ready to meet a knight in shining armour. Her sister, Elinor, is more restrained – she knows that when it comes to romance, slow and steady wins the race. But while both seem to have found what they want, the path to happiness isn’t as straightforward as they first thought. True love has a habit of breaking the rules and turning up whenever it’s least expected… |
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Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen ISBN: 9780755331475 When the gorgeous Henry Crawford and his pretty sister Mary come to Mansfield Park, they’ve no idea what a disturbance they will cause. There they find the Bertram family, with their beautiful daughters and handsome sons – and Fanny Price. Eighteen-year-old Fanny has grown up in the shadow of her glamorous relations. In fact, no one seems to remember she’s there at all, which is why they don’t notice that she’s gradually been falling in love. But while she hides a secret passion, she has no idea she’s become an object of interest herself for another admirer. As a scandal begins to unfold that will have devastating effects on everyone, Fanny discovers that love will blossom in the most unusual of places… |
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Emma, by Jane Austen ISBN: 9780755331482 Like many girls, Emma Woodhouse thinks she knows best. Her heart is in the right place – but her head isn’t. Beautiful, clever and rich, she only wants to help others arrange things as she thinks they should be done. Emma has no interest in true love for herself: convinced she’s just not destined to find it, she believes she must instead devote herself to playing Cupid for others. Ignoring the warnings of good family friend Mr Knightley, Emma sets out to find a husband for her favourite new companion, the lovely, shy Harriet Smith. But absolutely nothing goes to plan – and in the process, Emma has a lot of learning to do: about others, but most of all about herself. |
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Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen ISBN: 978-0-19-832996-1 This student-friendly version brings Austen’s beloved novel to life. |
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Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte ISBN: 978-1382007429 The classic tale of love, class and self-discovery. Suffering under the care of both her aunt and the teachers of Lowood School, Jane Eyre’s childhood is far from a happy one. Things promise to improve when Jane becomes the governess at Thornfield Hall, but the mystery of what is in the attic looms large, threatening to disrupt the love affair between Jane and the property’s owner, Mr Rochester. |
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Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens ISBN: 978-0-19-835534-2 Young Pip lives with his sister and her husband the blacksmith, with few prospects for advancement until a mysterious benefaction takes him from the Kent marshes to London. Pip is haunted by figures from his past and, in time, uncovers not just the origins of his great expectations but the mystery of his own heart. |
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The War of the Worlds, by H. G. Wells ISBN: 978-0-19-839624-6 Nobody suspects that intelligent life exists on other planets until a cylinder falls to Earth and lands in the town of Woking. From this ominous metallic cylinder emerge the unsightly Martians, equipped with terrifying killing machines. Although the Martians initially provoke local curiosity, this rapidly turns to fear as the savage attack begins. |
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Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley ISBN: 978-1382010740 Inspired by nature and excelling at science, Frankenstein learns how to create life, yet is left so horrified at his creation that he abandons it. Frankenstein is a powerful, disturbing and cautionary tale, as relevant now as when it was written. This edition of Shelley’s classic story comes complete with study notes. |
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Animal Farm, by George Orwell ISBN: 978-1382013680 Dreaming of a life of freedom and equality, the animals of Manor Farm stage an uprising against their negligent human master, Mr Jones. However, their dream rapidly turns sour and most of the animals don’t realise that one form of tyranny has replaced another until it is too late. This edition comes with accessible and informative notes. |
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A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens ISBN: 978-1382009959 It’s Christmas Eve and Scrooge is refusing to join the festivities. A visit from the ghost of Jacob Marley warns Scrooge that three spirits will show him who he really is: but will this be enough to move his stubborn soul? This edition of Dicken’s classic tale comes with accessible and informative notes. |
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The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson – ISBN: 978-1382009973 Dr Jekyll, a well-respected and successful scientist, and Mr Hyde, the perpetrator of a number of horrific crimes, seem unlikely allies. But when Gabriel Utterson investigates the strange happenings, the truth is far more sinister than anyone could have imagined… This edition of Stevenson’s thrilling tale comes complete with study notes. |
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The Sign of Four, by Arthur Conan Doyle ISBN: 978-0-19-835535-9 A beautiful young lady finds herself in the midst of a mystery and enlists the help of the great detective Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr Watson. What follows is a tale of treasure, intrigue, betrayal and murder, as they unravel the truth behind her father’s disappearance and the mysterious Sign of Four. |
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Jane Eyre: A Retelling, by Tanya Landman ISBN: 978-1781129128 Orphaned as a child, tormented by her guardian and cast out to a harsh boarding school, Jane Eyre has been raised in the shadow of cruelty and isolation. But when she takes a job as governess in Thornfield Hall, where secrets lurk in the attic and strange laughter echoes through the night, Jane meets the elusive Mr Rochester – and her life is irrevocably transformed.
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Wuthering Heights: A Retelling, by Tanya Landman ISBN: 978-1781129371 The night that Heathcliff, an unkempt orphan, arrives at the Heights, Cathy’s life will change forever, but theirs will not be a happy love story. From a harsh childhood to a foolish marriage, a troubled path of pain and punishment lies ahead. Yet no matter how they suffer, they cannot stay apart for whatever souls are made of, Cathy’s and Heathcliff’s are the same. After all these years, will Cathy’s ghost find the peace that life denied her?
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Animal Farm, by George Orwell ISBN: 978-1781129692 A dyslexia-friendly, unabridged edition of George Orwell’s masterpiece, in a format which is accessible to all readers. This edition of Animal Farm is presented using Barrington Stoke’s specially-designed font, with increased spacing and tinted paper.
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Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck ISBN: 978-1781125939 A dyslexia-friendly, unabridged edition of John Steinbeck’s timeless classic, in a format which is accessible to all readers. This edition of Of Mice and Men is presented using Barrington Stoke’s specially-designed font, with increased spacing and tinted paper.
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The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson ISBN: 978-1781127407 A dyslexia-friendly, unabridged edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s timeless classic, in a format which is accessible to all readers. This edition of The Strange Cse of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is presented using Barrington Stoke’s specially-designed font, with increased spacing and tinted paper.
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A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens ISBN: 978-1781127537 A dyslexia-friendly, unabridged edition of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic, in a format which is accessible to all readers. This edition of A Christmas Carol is presented using Barrington Stoke’s specially-designed font, with increased spacing and tinted paper.
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The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark ISBN: 978-1781129241 A dyslexia-friendly, unabridged edition of Muriel Sparks’ masterpiece, in a format which is accessible to all readers. This edition is presented using Barrington Stoke’s specially-designed font, with increased spacing and tinted paper.
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Non-Fiction
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The 57 Bus, by Dashka Slater ISBN: 9781526361233 One teenager in a skirt. One teenager with a lighter. One moment that changes both their lives forever. Two teenagers growing up in Oakland, California. One, Sasha, was born male but identifies as agender, wears skirts and attends a private school. The other, Richard, is an African American from a poor part of Oakland who attends a rough public school. They have no reason to meet, except for eight minutes every day, they catch the same bus home. And one day, messing about, Richard spies Sasha napping. He flicks the flame of his lighter to Sasha’s skirt, and Sasha wakes up in a ball of flame. What happens next, as the victim, the perpetrator and the community struggle to come to terms with their sadness and shock, is a story of recovery, reconciliation, forgiveness and, above all, hope. It’s about the power of being true to yourself, bravery and the good and bad in all of us. And, remarkably, it’s all true. |
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Exam Attack, by Nicola Morgan ISN: 9781445170411 Exams are stressful and most people don’t love them! This book can’t remove all your exam nerves and, anyway, a certain level of stress can help you perform well. Instead this book aims to help you avoid bad stress and have the greatest chance of doing your best when exams arrive. It will give you the tools to control your body and mind during this challenging phase. And the tools will help you at many other stressful times of life. Exam Attack covers a huge range of learning techniques. You’ll find advice on food (and how to cope when you lose your appetite), sleep, panic, revision, getting help, managing screens and social media. And there’s up-to-date advice on note-taking and learning. One of the core principles in this book is that our mental and physical health, or ‘wellbeing’, affects how we perform. It isn’t a luxury or optional extra: it affects every aspect of life. Rest, relaxation and taking time-out from revision can actually help you to learn and perform more effectively. |
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In Black & White: A Young Barrister’s Story of Race and Class in a Broken Justice System, by Alexandra Wilson ISBN: 9781913068318 Alexandra Wilson was a teenager when her dear family friend Ayo was stabbed on his way home from football. Ayo’s death changed Alexandra. She felt compelled to enter the legal profession in search of answers. As a junior criminal and family law barrister, Alexandra finds herself navigating a world and a set of rules designed by a privileged few. A world in which fellow barristers sigh with relief when a racist judge retires: ‘I’ve got a black kid today and he would have had no hope’. In her debut book, In Black and White, Alexandra re-creates the tense courtroom scenes, the heart-breaking meetings with teenage clients, and the moments of frustration and triumph that make up a young barrister’s life. Alexandra shows us how it feels to defend someone who hates the colour of your skin, or someone you suspect is guilty. We see what it is like for children coerced into county line drug deals and the damage that can be caused when we criminalise teenagers. Alexandra’s account of what she has witnessed as a young mixed-race barrister is in equal parts shocking, compelling, confounding and powerful. |
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Coming Out Stories, by Emma Goswell & Sam Walker ISBN: 9781787754959 Based on the hugely popular Coming Out Stories podcast, this empowering, humorous and deeply honest book invites you to share one of the most important moments in many LGBTQ+ people’s lives. From JP coming out to his reflection in the mirror, to Jacob coming out to their Mum over email, from Christine knowing she was trans as a young child, to Kerry coming out as a lesbian in her late thirties, all of the real-life stories in this book show you there is no right or wrong way to come out, whatever your age and whatever your background. Whether you’re gay, pan, queer, bi, trans, non-binary, or an ally, this uplifting go-to resource is filled with helpful advice and tips on what to expect, and inspirational quotes from leading LGBTQ+ figures, to help you live your life as your most authentic self. Welcome to the family! |
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Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela ISBN: 9780349106533 The riveting memoirs of the outstanding moral and political leader of our time, Long Walk to Freedom brilliantly re-creates the drama of the experiences that helped shape Nelson Mandela’s destiny. Emotive, compelling and uplifting, Long Walk to Freedom is the exhilarating story of an epic life; a story of hardship, resilience and ultimate triumph told with the clarity and eloquence of a born leader. |
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Steve Jobs, by Walker Isaccson ISBN: 9780349140438 Based on more than forty interviews with Steve Jobs conducted over two years – as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues – this is the acclaimed, internationally bestselling biography of the ultimate icon of inventiveness. Walter Isaacson tells the story of the rollercoaster life and searingly intense personality of creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written, nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. And Jobs speaks candidly, sometimes brutally so, about the people he worked with and competed against. His friends, foes, and colleagues provide an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted. |
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I am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai ISBN: 9781474602112 When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday, 9 October 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price when she was shot in the head at point-blank range. Malala Yousafzai’s extraordinary journey has taken her from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations. She has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and is the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. I Am Malala will make you believe in the power of one person’s voice to inspire change in the world. |
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18 Wellbeing Hacks for Students, by Aidan Harvey-Craig How can the desk in front of you reveal a whole new perspective on your life? What’s so important about refusing to board the catastrophe train? Why does the anti-rotting agent given off by plants make you feel great? Through 18 short chapters, Aidan Harvey-Craig scours every corner of psychology – from neuroscience to psychodynamics – to uncover the unexpected secrets of hacking your wellbeing. Based on the latest research, each chapter takes you on a journey of surprises, guiding you through an abundance of deceptively simple ideas which will help you to see your world in a new light and improve your wellbeing. Organised into three sections – ‘Notice’, ‘Energise’ and ‘Connect’ – each hack addresses issues that affect us all, including our sleep, relationships, stress, identity, and our dependence on smartphones. Intertwining the latest insights in psychology with practical and easy-to-use advice, this book offers new ways to empower yourself and tackle the challenges of growing up and studying in the 21st century. |
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When Likes Aren’t Enough, by Tim Bono For a rising generation of young people raised as digital natives in a fast-paced, ultra-connected world, authentic happiness still seems just out of reach. When Likes Aren’t Enough is a masterclass in happiness built for the problems young people face today – from Instagram envy and high-stakes testing, to early burnout, online addiction, stress, and helicopter parents. Written by professor of positive psychology, Dr Tim Bono, the book is filled with engaging research, practical exercises, honest advice and simple habits that can build lasting changes. When Likes Aren’t Enough is the perfect guide for a generation looking for science-based, real world ways to feel just a little bit happier every day. |
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You Got This, by Bryony Gordon ISBN: 9781526361868 I wanted to be a unicorn. I wanted to be a lawyer. I wanted to be an astronaut. But the thing I really wanted to be, more than anything else, was a little less like me. It was only recently that I realised not wanting to be me was at the heart of every dumb decision I ever made. And so now I am writing this book containing all the life lessons I wish someone had taught me. A book for the teenage girl in me. And for every teenage girl out there. Because the most powerful thing you can be when you grow up is yourself. |
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What is Consent? Why is it important? And Other Big Questions ISBN: 9781526300928 What is consent? Why does it matter? How does it affect our daily lives? Why is it such a grey area, sometimes? The concept of consent is easy to oversimplify – yes means yes, and no means no. Often, though, it isn’t that black and white. Have you ever said ‘yes’ to something when, really, you wanted to say ‘no’? Or have you ever tried to convince someone to do something they don’t want to? What is Consent? explores how consent works, and why it matters. It explains how consent plays a part in almost every interaction or relationship we have, and how it affects almost every area of life, from healthcare to the law. The book encourages children to think about what consent means to them, and about the importance of personal boundaries – both knowing your own, and respecting other people’s. It talks about how to say no, and what to do if you feel your consent has been violated. |
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Resisters, by Lauren Sharkey ‘We’re not the future. We’re doing it right now.’ Young people are uniting across the world to create change, have their voices heard and stand up for what they believe in. In this bold and brilliantly inspiring book, Lauren Sharkey profiles the powerful stories and achievements of 52 young women who are working to improve the lives of people across the globe. Some are active in feminist issues like period poverty or political problems such as police brutality and LGBTQ+ rights; while others are working in science, conservation and diversity. Yet whether it be Twitter campaigns or life-saving apps, their great ideas are all changing the world as we know it.
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Trans Mission, by Alex Bertie ISBN: 9781526360687 I guess we should start at the beginning. I was born on 2 November 1995. The doctors in the hospital took one look at my genitals and slapped an F on my birth certificate. ‘F’ for female, not fail – though that would actually have been kind of appropriate given present circumstances. When I was 15, I realised I was a transgender man. That makes it sound like I suddenly had some kind of lightbulb moment. In reality, coming to grips with my identity has taken a long time. Over the last six years, I’ve come out to my family and friends, changed my name, battled the healthcare system, started taking male hormones and have had surgery on my chest. My quest to a beard is almost complete. This is my story.
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Mary’s Monster, by Lita Judge ISBN: 9781526360410 Mary’s Monster is the compelling and beautifully illustrated story of Frankenstein‘s author Mary Shelley – the original rebel girl and an inspiration for everyone from teenage readers to adult. Aged 16 and pregnant, Mary runs away to Switzerland with the married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Few people would have guessed that that fateful act would lead to a gothic novel still celebrated 200 years later. But cast out by her family and isolated by society, Mary Shelley created Frankenstein and his monster, forged in the fire of her troubled and tragic life. Part biography and part graphic novel, Mary’s Monster is an engrossing take on one remarkable young woman and her monster.
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Trans Teen Survival Guide, by Owl and Fox Fisher ISBN: 9781785923418 Frank, friendly and funny, the Trans Teen Survival Guide will leave transgender and non-binary teens informed, empowered and armed with all the tips, confidence and practical advice they need to navigate life as a trans teen. Wondering how to come out to your family and friends, what it’s like to go through cross hormonal therapy or how to put on a packer? Trans youth activists Fox and Owl have stepped in to answer everything that trans teens and their families need to know. With a focus on self-care, expression and being proud of your unique identity, the guide is packed full of invaluable advice from people who understand the realities and complexities of growing up trans. Having been there, done that, Fox and Owl are able to honestly chart the course of life as a trans teen, from potentially life-saving advice on dealing with dysphoria or depression, to hilarious real-life awkward trans stories.
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