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 CATNIP FICTION  

Edwin Spencer Mission Improbable
J.D. Irwin


‘CALLING MASTER EDWIN SPENCER! You are summoned by the court of King Janus of Hysteria. Pass through the vortex that appears before you.’ Edwin Spencer has enough problems at school as it is, without strange voices calling him into another dimension! But when he is sucked into the peculiar kingdom of Hysteria on a secret mission he feels very at home. This could be his chance at last to be a hero, even if he does have Perpetua Allbright, school swot as his sidekick.

A brilliantly funny fantasy adventure!

VISIT J.D. IRWIN’S WEBSITE!

9781846470950   |   £6.99   |   9+


BADLANDS: Death in Drygulch
Eldridge James


There were shouts and screams from both inside and outside the saloon, but Billy Joe was already running as fast as he could. Then there was another gunshot and he felt this bullet tear at his jacket. The next one would blow him apart! Billy Joe saw his father being gunned down. Now the killers are after him. The Drygulch gang have promised to save him but they’re only boys. Can they really protect him from a ruthless band of desperadoes? His life depends on it!

Book one in a thrilling new adventure series!

9781846470967   |   £5.99   |   8+

BODYSWAP



BODYSWAP: The boy who was 84
L.P. Howarth

Will Dudgeon is thirteen years old when his body is stolen. Suddenly he’s the oldest man he’s ever seen. At least he’s inherited the right job. At Nettlefold and Dad Funeral Directors he can offer really wicked, wedged, full-on, top-dog, superfine funerals, best and plushest on the terrace! But for how long? Can Will persuade the century-hopping Hornbeam to give him his young body back, or will his next funeral be his own?

A very dark but funny adventure, this is 21st century gothic for kids by an author with a totally unique voice.

9781846470752       £5.99   9+

The Riddle of the Poisoned Monk



The Nargun and the Stars
Patricia Wrightson

When Simon Brent’s parents are killed in a car accident he is taken to live with his mother’s cousins on Wongadilla, their sheep station in the Hunter Valley. Simon, with his city attitudes, feels like an outsider. But Simon is not the only thing that doesn’t belong. The arrival of heavy machinery intent on clearing the land brings to life the Nargun, a great rock, older than time itself, that has slowly dragged itself into the valley – and with it, a simmering rage that drives it to kill.

“Fantasy of a very uncommon kind: accessible yet profound, immensely readable” Susan Cooper
“Entirely convincing” The Guardian
Winner of the Australian Children’s Book Council Book of the Year Award

9781846470769       £5.99   9+


Scatterheart
Lili Wilkinson

It’s 1814 and Hannah Cheshire leads a privileged life in London, with fine clothes, servants and a handsome tutor. Then one day her father disappears and she is left to fend for herself. Not equipped for the real world she ends up penniless, and sentenced to transportation to the colonies for a crime she didn’t commit.

“Brilliant!” Sydney Morning Herald

9781846470776
£6.99


What to do about Holly
Joan Lingard

Holly is mortified when her mother dumps her on Nina Nightingale, the author who came into their school that morning. It’s only supposed to be for a short train journey, but events take an unexpected turn. What follows is an intriguing and thought provoking exploration of an unusual friendship by one of the world’s best children’s authors.

9781846470905
£5.99   9+


The Eleventh Orphan
Joan Lingard

Mr and Mrs Bigsby of the Pig and Whistle, Stoke Newington, already look after ten children. When Constable O'Dowd brings her an eleventh orphan he found on the streets, Ma Bigsby is reluctant to take her. But there's something about Elfie, it's the first day of a new century and Ma loves a mystery. What had Elfie's mother to do with her pub and why does she possess a little water colour of the Pig and Whistle? As the mystery unravels, Elfie's world will change completely.

9781846470523
Paperback   £5.99

The File on Fraulein Berg

The File on Fraulein Berg
Joan Lingard

1944. Belfast. The war drags on.

When Fraulein Berg, a real German, arrives at their school, Kate, Harriet and Sally decide their teacher is a spy and determine to prove it.

But the file on Fraulein Berg reveals a very different story – one that will haunt Kate for the rest of her life.

9781846470530
Paperback   £6.99



Tom Fletcher and the Three Wise Men
Sarah Matthias

It is 1220 and the city of London is a dirty, dangerous place, very different to the peaceful monastery of Saint Wilfred’s in sleepy St Agnes-next-the-sea. But when the new abbot returns from his investiture at Westminster Abbey it seems that he brings something wicked back with him, so that once again Saint Wilfred’s is plunged into violence and treachery. And once again, it falls to young Tom Fletcher to find the true culprit, in a matter of life and death!

DOWNLOAD AN EXCERPT HERE

Paperback
Ages 9+
9781846470691
£6.99



Tom Fletcher and the Angel of Death
Sarah Matthias

Saint Wilfred's is no ordinary monastery, and Tom Fletcher is no ordinary novice . . .

When Brother Benedict is found dead in Saint Wilfred's Beast House, eaten by Delilah, the lion he kept to terrorise the people of St Agnes-next-the-sea, there is no shortage of suspects. But when the wrong man is accused of the crime, and threatened with an agonising death, young novice Tom Fletcher has to investigate.

CLICK FOR SAMPLE CHAPTERS

Paperback
Ages 9 – 11
9781846470554       £6.99

The Riddle of the Poisoned Monk



The Riddle of the Poisoned Monk
Sarah Matthias

In medieval Northumbria there are sinister goings-on at Goslar monastery – someone is poisoning the monks. Charlie is drawn into the mystery – can he solve the riddle before it’s too late? A thrilling adventure that will keep readers on the edge of their seats!

Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award

CLICK FOR SAMPLE CHAPTERS

Paperback
Ages 9 – 11
9781846470097       £5.99

Tales from a Sick Bed, by L.P. Howart

Three collections of very strange stories. You know when you’re off school and ill in bed and everything seems large and nightmarish – when your brain dips in and out and explores strange ideas, and the wallpaper hurts your eyes? Welcome to L.P. Howarth’s fevered imagination and a world where the bizarre, the strange and the downright weird are just a heartbeat away!
Fever Dreams: 9781846470820       
The Medicine Chest: 9781846470844      
Brainstorms: 9781846470837    
Each title: £4.99   



The Wainscott Weasel
Tor Seidler, illustrated by Fred Marcellino

Bagley Brown Jr., the Wainscott Weasel, falls head over heels in love with Bridget, a beautiful bass who lives in a nearby pond. When Bridget and her pond mates are threatened by both a drought and a hungry osprey he determines to save them. A beautifully written story by one of America’s most highly respected authors.

“It’s possible that not since a spider named Charlotte saved a pig named Wilbur has there been a more tender tale of love and devotion. Tor Seidler infuses his text with warmth, subtlety, and humour.” The New York Times Book Review

9781846470783    £8.99   9+



Paradise Barn
Victor Watson

September 1940. War rages across Europe, and thousands of people, men, women and children, have lost their lives. Despite the air fights overhead life in the quiet village of Great Deeping in the Fens goes on much as usual, until an unthinkable event: a murder. Molly, Annie and Adam, an evacuee from London, are determined to solve the mystery of the Paradise Barn. But it’s one thing hunting for clues, another to track down a murderer. With the war bringing so many strangers to the village, who can they really trust?

9781846470912    £6.99   9+

Sharp



Sharp Beats
Dominic Barker

A welcome return for Dominic Barker’s teen private eye, and a sharp new story! Mickey Sharp is a private eye for teenagers. He figures that if adults have all these problems then teenagers must have them too. Loads of them.

“Stuffed full of hilarious characters, top teen observations and jokes about irritating parents, school stress and dating” The Times

9781846470516    £5.99   9+

Sharp            
Sharp Stuff 9781846470486    £5.99   9+
Sharp Shot 9781846470493    £5.99   9+
Sharp Returns 9781846470509    £5.99   9+

The Sailing Ship Tree

Jeannie of White Peak Farm
Berlie Doherty

A new edition of this compelling and beautifully written story of three generations of a Peak farming family.

Berlie Doherty is a highly distinguished writer for young people, twice winner of the Carnegie Medal.

A former teacher, she has worked in schools' broadcasting and adult education. She has also written for adults and writes plays for radio, theatre and television. She was born in Liverpool and now lives in the Peak District.

9781846470813
£5.99
Age range: 11+

The Sailing Ship Tree

The Sailing Ship Tree
Berlie Doherty

This is the story of the Big House by the Mersey and the people who lived there. In particular the twins Walter and Dorothy, whose father is the butler; Master George, the desperately lonely son of the wealthy owner; and Tweeny, the little maid treated hardly better than a slave.

9781846470448
£5.99

Granny was a Buffer Girl
Carnegie Medal Winner

Granny was a Buffer Girl
Berlie Doherty

Published to coincide with the Carnegie Medal's 70th Anniversary celebrations, a new edition of Berlie Doherty's superb novel, the heart-warming and moving stories of three generations of a Sheffield family seen through the eyes of eighteen year old Jess.

9781846470240
£5.99
Age range: 11+

TEACHERS' NOTES   
PROMPTS FOR THE READING GROUP   
READING GROUP NOTES: GENERIC GUIDANCE

Children of Winter

Children of Winter
Berlie Doherty

A new edition, recreating the time when the tiny village of Eyam in Derbyshire cut itself off from the rest of England in 1665.

"Vividly and sensitively realised" The Guardian

9781846470264
£5.99
Age range: 9 - 11

TEACHERS' NOTES   
PROMPTS FOR THE READING GROUP   
READING GROUP NOTES: GENERIC GUIDANCE

   
CATNIP FICTION BACKLIST  
Pirates

Pirates eat Porridge
Christopher Morgan and Neil Curtis

Hoist the sails! Man the poop deck! And Feather your Swordfish! Two wonderful pirate tales of the absurd and ridiculous to delight young readers . . .

9781846470585
£4.99

Pirates

Pirates drive Buses
Christopher Morgan and Neil Curtis

"The author has skillfully created characters that immediately capture the imagination. The bouncy text brimming with delightful work-play ("Well I'll be a pair of prawn's pyjamas!") nestles perfectly against Neil Curtis' exuberant black and white line illustrations."
Magpies

9781846470592
£4.99

Dragon Racer

Dragon Racer
Margaret Bateson-Hill

Joanna Morris's life is about to change for ever. School, homework, even her family take second place when she shoots to stardom as the youngest racing-dragon flyer in the country!

But beneath the glamour and beauty of dragon racing lie terrible jealousies and resentments.

Soon Joanna and her dragon Excelsior are in real danger . . .

9781846470462
£5.99

VISIT THE JOJO DRAGONFLYER WEBSITE

My First Pet Dragon
VISIT THE PROFESSOR
BLINK WEBSITE!

SEE PROFESSOR BLINK ON YOUTUBE!

My First Pet Dragon
Professor Georgie Blink

The definitive guide to looking after this most demanding but rewarding of pets, written by world expert and founding member of the International College of Serpentology Professor Georgie Blink (BSc, MSc, PhD, Dip. Drag, OBE). With special help from Amanda Mitchison. Illustrations by Andy Rowland.

Includes the all important What to do in an Emergency – e.g. Help! My dragon has black smoke pouring out of it in every direction and The dragon has bitten off my hand. What should I do? Interspersed with letters from hapless dragon owners and Professor Blink's stern replies.

Deserves to be on every child's bookshelf, whether their parents will let them get a dragon or not.

9781846470660
£6.99

Sunny Side Up

Sunny Side Up
Marion Roberts

A lively debut novel from a quirky and commercial new writer, perfect for 8 – 12 year olds.

Start with one quiet, perfect life. Add 1 step dad, 2 pre-cooked step siblings, 1 best friend, 1 sworn enemy and a long-lost grandmother. Flavour with a dash of secrets, a pinch of jealousy and a good dollop of growing up. Cook on high all summer long . . .

9781846470547
£5.99
paperback

Raven Boy

The December Boys
Michael Noonan

A marvellous coming of age story, full of vividly drawn eccentrics and unforgettable scenes: the story of four orphan teenagers growing up behind the closed doors of a Catholic convent in outback Australia in the 1960s.

The December Boys is now a major international film directed by Rod Hardy and starring Daniel Roberts as Maps.

9781846470479
£6.99

Pirates Galore

The Whipping Boy
Sid Fleischman

The prince is a brat. But it's forbidden to beat a prince - so a common boy is punished in his place. But there's trouble in store, and the boys are left with no choice but to trust each other.

9781846470277
£5.99
Age range: 9+

Pirates Galore

Pirates Galore
Sid Fleischman

Treachery, adventure, bandits, romance and pirates galore! An irresistible novel for anyone who loved Pirates of the Caribbean!

9781846470219
£5.99
Age range: 11+

A Time of Fire

A Time of Fire
Robert Westall

It is the start of World War II. Sonny is ten and like all his friends thrilled at the prospect of war, which he sees through the filter of his favourite comic Wizard. But the first bomb dropped kills his mother and everything changes.

9781846470323
£5.99
Age range: 9+

The Making of Me

The Making of Me
Robert Westall

A fascinating account of the early life of one of the most important and influential authors of the twentieth century, and provides a unique insight into his writing.

CLICK FOR SAMPLE CHAPTER

9781846470080
£7.99

The Wind Eye

The Wind Eye
Robert Westall

The Studdard family are holidaying in an inherited house on the Northumberland coast. The house faces the Farne Islands, long ago the home of the local patron saint Cuthbert – or Cuddy. The children, Michael, Beth and six-year-old Sally find a strange and very ancient boat, Resurre, which they come to suspect is driven by the power of St. Cuthbert himself. There follows a terrifying struggle in which each member of the family is changed by contact with the past, and with Cuddy.

9781846470288
£6.99

Christmas Spirit

Christmas Spirit
Robert Westall
Illustrated by John Lawrence

Two haunting and atmospheric stories, perfectly illustrated by John Lawrence.

9781846470370
£9.99
Age range: 8 -12

Strange Hiding Place

Strange Hiding Place
Graham Marks

Another thrilling sci-fi adventure from the best-selling author of Takedown and Faultline.

Eleven years ago aliens from another planet came to Earth to hide something. Now they need it. But so do their arch enemies. As Earth becomes a battleground, one boy is caught up in the very heart of the fighting.

Does Dez have the strength to survive? The future of more than his own planet depends on him.

9781846470332
£5.99


Graham Marks

Graham Marks had his first book of poetry published when he was at art school. After a successful career as an art director he decided it was time for a change and now works as a journalist and author.

He has written comic strips for Marvel, film tie-ins, advertising copy and novels. Graham's best-selling books for children include Snatched!, Tokyo, Zoo, How it Works and Kai-Ro, as well as for Catnip Takedown and Faultline.

Takedown

Takedown
Graham Marks

It's 2667 and the safety of the world is in the hands of one man, a soldier more used to taking life than saving it.

In turn, he has to rely on a sixteen year old boy . . .

9781846470229
£5.99
Age range: 9+

Shortlisted for the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards AND The John Lewis Solihull Children's Book Award.

Faultline

Faultline
Graham Marks

Someone, somewhere, has learned how to use history as a weapon. And the result is going to be destruction on a massive scale.

Unless Jamie can stop them . . .

9781846470233
£5.99
Age range: 9+

Prince in Exile

Ramose: Ascent to the Sun
Carole Wilkinson

Heir to a throne – now Ramose is on the run and facing death in the desert.

Enter the world of the Pharaohs in Ramose's quest to discover his destiny.

9781846470424
£4.99

Prince in Exile

Ramose: Fury of the Gods
Carole Wilkinson

Carole Wilkinson is an Anglish-born Australian writer with a deep interest in history. She's the best-selling author of Dragon Keeper, a mythical story set in China.

"An exciting adventure that takes you to the heart of the Egyptian world"
Lovereading4kids

9781846470400
£6.99

The Eye of the Cannon


The Eye of the Cannon
Sam Llewellyn

The sharpest seaborne adventure in many a tide! It’s 1814 and, like many children, Kate Griffiths has a hard life.  But things get much harder the day she falls asleep on a Royal Navy ship and wakes to find herself out of sight of land, mistaken for one of the crew, and chasing an American man-of-war.

9781846470202
£5.99
Age range: 9+

Raven Boy

Raven Boy
Pippa Goodhart

This novel by Pippa Goodhart, popular author of over thirty children's books, is firmly rooted in history and vividly describes the horror of the Plague and the Great Fire.

At its heart though is a thrilling adventure about a boy, his battle with injustice, and his special relationship with a wild animal.

9781846470250
£5.99
Age range: 9 - 11
Shortlisted for the Stockton Children's Book Award

The War and Freddy

The War and Freddy
Dennis Hamley

A new edition of Dennis Hamley's funny, wise and readable account of a young boy growing up during World War II.

". . . a wonderful, thought-provoking and above all, humorous book." School Librarian

9781846470417
£5.99
Age range: 8+

I'm Trying to Tell You

I'm Trying to Tell You


9781903285992

Rights: World     £3.99

Café on Callisto

Café on Callisto

What's so wrong with living on earth? Quite a lot if you live twenty-five floors underground and even school is just a network link on a computer. A café on Callisto can't fail.

B format paperback
Ages 9 – 11

184647003X
9781846470035    £4.99

Vampire Slugs on Callisto

Vampire Slugs on Callisto

What's worse than mutant cockroaches? Vampire slugs, that's what. Soon there'll be no trees or plants left on Callisto. Someone has to do something!

B format paperback
Ages 9 – 11

1846470056
9781846470059    £4.99

Space Pirates on Callisto

Space Pirates on Callisto

Sam and Cherry are kidnapped by evil space pirates and held to ransom in return for the fabulous treasure known as the Golden Queen. What is the Golden Queen - and more importantly - where is it?

B format paperback
Ages 9 – 11

1846470048
9781846470042    £4.99

KIDZ

KIDZ
Fiona Kelly

Three ordinary kids with a special talent for solving mysteries. This can be a risky business, but you can bet that the K.I.D.Z. will be having fun at all times!

Treasure Hunt
9781846470301
Kidnap!
9781846470318
The Empty House
9781846470387 
Hostage!
9781846470394 
All titles £4.99    Age range: 8 - 11
A Pony Called Magic

A Pony Called Magic

A new, bumper collection of stories about Magic in one book!


9781905117314    £3.99

 
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