Michael Morpurgo |
HarperCollins |
1904442714 |
Oct 2005 |
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Arthur Hobhouse, an orphan shipped to Australia when he was six years old, has only one link with his past: a small key on a piece of string, given to him by his sister Kitty. He has no idea what it is for and no clear memory of his only living relative, but he treasures it. Arthur dies never knowing if his sister ever really existed, but his daughter Allie sails across the world, all alone in the boat he built for her, to find out. |
Author Archives: dawn
The Coming of Dragons
A. J. Lake |
Bloomsbury |
1904442714 |
Oct 2005 |
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Edmund is the privileged son of a king, travelling cautiously in disguise. Elspeth is the fierce daughter of a shipmaster, working proudly at her father’s helm. Their paths are thrown together when they are the only survivors of a terrible shipwreck. |
Under The Persimmon Tree
Suzanne Fisher Staples |
Walker Books |
1904442714 |
Oct 2005 |
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As every storyteller knows, it is the tales of individual people which bring real events to life. The sanitised vocabulary and politicised angles of the news can make the realities and complexities of recent world events difficult for young adults to access. |
Clair-de-Lune
Cassandra Golds |
Orchard Books |
1904442714 |
Oct 2005 |
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A young balletomane, Clair-de-Lune, lives alone with her austere grandmother, Madame Nuit. Her mother (La Lune) died whilst dancing a dying swan ballet, and she has been mute ever since. Such overtly symbolic names emulate the methods of fairy tale, which sets the mood for this story. |
The Foretelling
Alice Hoffman |
Egmont |
1904442714 |
Oct 2005 |
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In a world where war dominates the media, and power and violence often go hand in hand, Alice Hoffman offers a timely reminder of the strength of mercy, humanity and compassion. |
Katie Milk Solves Crimes and So on…
Annie Caulfield |
Corgi Yearling Books |
1904442714 |
Oct 2005 |
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Despite the promise of the title, there’s not a whiff of a crime for at least six chapters. Instead leisurely scene setting and character introductions fill the pages. But if you can get through the slow start, you’ll be rewarded by some engaging situations and unexpected plot twists. |
Dawn Undercover
Anna Dale |
Bloomsbury |
1904442714 |
Oct 2005 |
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With a fondness for beige cardigans, Dawn Buckle is often ignored. Which makes her the perfect candidate to join the top-secret organisation S. H. H. (Strictly Hush-Hush) to work as a spy for their Pursuit of Scheming Spies and Traitors department (P.S.S.T.). Her mission takes her to the sleepy village of Cherry Bentley, in search of the notorious criminal Murdo Meek. |
Cloudsailors
Hugh Montgomery ill. by Liz Pyle |
Walker Books |
1904442714 |
Oct 2005 |
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What a beautifully produced book this is. Luxurious, thick pages, a swirling font and stunning illustrations. The blurb says simply: ‘In each myth lies a truth, like a grain of sand within a pearl’. |
Crow Girl
Kate Cann |
Barrington Stoke |
1842993461 |
Oct 2005 |
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Lily is lonely; often bullied, at best ignored. She takes refuge in the nearby woods, finding solace with the crows that live there. Her visits to spooky clearings, her desire for cobwebby outfits and her growing ability to call the crows, give this title a gothic edge. |
Snapshot
Robert Swindells |
Barrington Stoke |
184299347X |
Oct 2005 |
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Click. Victor takes a photo of a crime. Next thing he’s being followed. Someone wants those pictures. Someone with a gun. |