Tom is finding it hard to come to terms with the death of his father and life just gets worse as Mum meets a new man and a bully joins his class at school. Unkind people say that his firefighter father ought not to have risked his life in a blaze when he had a family to support, but Tom knows that his father was a true hero. Will he find the same courage within himself to stand up to the bully, and also accept his mother's new friend?A Bit of a Hero - Gervase Phinn
Tom is finding it hard to come to terms with the death of his father and life just gets worse as Mum meets a new man and a bully joins his class at school. Unkind people say that his firefighter father ought not to have risked his life in a blaze when he had a family to support, but Tom knows that his father was a true hero. Will he find the same courage within himself to stand up to the bully, and also accept his mother's new friend?Secrets of Hightower - M.G Naylor
When twelve year old Nick Collins inherits Hightower Cottage, it means leaving his old home and friends behind to start a new life in the countryside. Nick soon realises that his inheritance is a lot more than he bargained for...Running Wild - Michael Morpurgo
The epic and heart-rending jungle adventure from the nation's favourite storyteller, now available in paperback. For Will and his mother, going to Indonesia isn't just a holiday. It's an escape, a new start, a chance to put things behind them - things like the death of Will's father. And to begin with, it seems to be just what they both needed. But then Oona, the elephant Will is riding on the beach, begins acting strangely, shying away from the sea. And that's when the tsunami comes crashing in, and Oona begins to run. Except that when the tsunami is gone, Oona just keeps on running. With nothing on his back but a shirt and nothing to sustain him but a bottle of water, Will must learn to survive deep in the jungle. Luckily, though, he's not completely alone! He's got Oona.The TV Time Travellers - Pete Johnson
Zac and Izzy win a place on a new reality TV show, but they have no idea where they're going or what to expect ...They must live as if it's 1939, the start of World War Two. One by on they will be voted out by the viewing public. It's a hard life and, since each contestant is desperate to be the final winner, problems occur. When the live final arrives, the contestants and the audience will all be stunned by what occurs.Boom! - Mark Haddon
From the moment that Jim and his best friend Charlie bug the staff room and overhear two of their teachers speaking to each other in a secret language, they know there's an adventure on its way. But what does 'spudvetch' mean, and why do Mr Kidd's eyes flicker with fluorescent blue light when Charlie says it to him? Perhaps Kidd and Pearce are bank robbers talking in code. Perhaps they're spies. Perhaps they're aliens. Whatever they are, Jimbo and Charlie are determined to find out. There really is an adventure on its way. A nuclear-powered, one hundred-ton adventure with reclining seats and a buffet car. And as it gathers speed and begins to spin out of control, it can only end in one way ...with a BOOM. Note: This book was first published in 1992 under the title "Gridzbi Spudvetch!" It has now been completely re-written (Mark has changed pretty much every sentence one way or another) and given a new title that is much easier to pronounce.How Kirsty Jenkins Stole the Elephant - Elen Caldecott
Kirsty Jenkins adores the allotment her grandfather lovingly tends and, just before he dies, he asks Kirsty to look after it for him. But when horrible Mr Thomas from the council insists it must go to the next person on the waiting list, Kirsty is determined to find a way to keep her promise. After pleading with Mr Thomas and demonstrating at the council offices, Kirsty and her half-siblings undertake their most daring plan of all: to 'borrow' the stuffed elephant from the museum that Mr Thomas loves so much, in a last-ditch attempt to gain his attention and understanding. Perhaps this risky ruse might also shake Kirsty's dad from the quiet sadness he has fallen into ever since her grandfather died. A warm, funny and moving novel about family relationships, dealing with bereavement, green beans and marrows.

