Book picks similar to
The Chocolate Factory Ghost by David O'Connell
middle-grade
fantasy
fantasia
adventure
The Storm Keeper's Island
Catherine Doyle - 2018
The time has come for Fionn's grandfather, a secretive and eccentric old man, to step down. Soon, a new Keeper will rise.But, deep underground, someone has been waiting for Fionn. As the battle to become the island's next champion rages, a more sinister magic is waking up, intent on rekindling an ancient war.
The Mammoth Academy
Neal Layton - 2006
Oscar isn’t fond of schoolwork, but he loves learning outdoor sports and becoming best friends with Fox. Things are going wonderfully, until the cook’s oranges are stolen and Oscar spots some MYSTERIOUS TRACKS.Whatever made the MYSTERIOUS TRACKS has only two feet. Could it be those wild and dangerous animals called humans?
The Taylor TurboChaser
David Baddiel - 2019
The Taylor TurboChaser is a road-trip rollercoaster… with a twist. At its heart is the unforgettable Amy Taylor. Amy loves cars, and dreams of being a driver. But there’s a major catch: her slow old wheelchair with its broken wheel. When Amy finally gets a new electric one, it’s exciting… at first. But standard engines only have so much power. And that’s where Rahul comes in – Amy’s best friend and genius inventor. Soon Rahul turns a wheelchair into… a supercar! And so the Taylor TurboChaser is born. But when it all goes suddenly wrong Amy is going to have to hit the road – and drive…
Violet and the Pearl of the Orient
Harriet Whitehorn - 2014
Then her eccentric, but lovely neighbour, Dee Dee Derota, has a precious jewel stolen. Could the new family be to blame? Violet is on the case to uncover the truth…
The Griffin Gate
Vashti Hardy - 2020
At thirteen, Grace is too young become a warden, but she longs to go on missions herself. After all, if her brother Bren can do it, why can't she?So when Grace finds herself alone with the map when a distress call comes in, she jumps at the chance to prove she's up to the task. But the map transports Grace to a remote village where nothing is quite as it seems. Has she landed right in the middle of a treacherous scheme?
The Hunting of the Snark
Lewis Carroll - 1876
This irresistible version is illustrated, and has an introduction by, Chris Riddell.This is a luxury edition with both black and white and colour artwork, ribbon marker and metallic blue sprayed edges.It was first published by Macmillan in 1876.
The Lost Thing
Shaun Tan - 2000
The thing is a large, freakish creature but no-one else really notices it--it's simply not a part of their familiar day-to-day reality. So the kid takes it upon himself to try to find where the lost thing belongs...The Lost Thing is a gently humorous story that will be read and enjoyed by a wide range of ages. While the narrative is full of typical thoughts of an observant and caring young person, the illustrations provide a surreal and thought-provoking backdrop for this 'lost dog story' with a definite twist. The Lost Thing is the first book that Shaun Tan both wrote and illustrated.
The Haunting of Granite Falls
Eva Ibbotson - 1987
Hopgood will stop at nothing to make his daughter, Helen, happy—even if it means buying her an ancient Scottish castle and shipping it back to Texas. Assembling the castle isn’t a problem for the oil tycoon . . . it’s the ghosts that worry him. Hopgood has made up his mind: the ghouls have got to go. But these spirits don’t spook so easily. Instead, they make their way to America, where they meet up with a magical severed hand and three fiendish, cross-dressing kidnappers for a Texassized adventure with a ghostly Scottish flair.
The Midnight Gang
David Walliams - 2016
That is when their adventures are just beginning…When Tom gets hit on the head by a cricket ball, he finds himself at Lord Funt Hospital, and is greeted by a terrifying-looking porter. Things go from bad to worse when he meets the wicked matron in charge of the children’s ward… But Tom is about to embark on the most thrilling journey of a lifetime!The Midnight Gang tells an extraordinarily heartwarming and, of course, funny story of five children on a hospital ward – and on a quest for adventure! It is a story of friendship and magic – and of making dreams come true. Readers are set to be utterly spellbound by this heartfelt story that will bring magic to everyone.
MirrorMask
Neil Gaiman - 2005
But when haunting music draws her into a strange and magical realm, one where anything can happen, her real life is stolen by a runaway from the other side. Helena must rescue the realm from chaos in order to win back her own not-so-ordinary life.MirrorMask is a film written by Neil Gaiman and brought to life through by artist and director Dave McKean. This original novella is Helena's tale in her own voice, written by Neil Gaiman and accompanied by original art by Dave McKean and images from the film.
They Didn't Teach THIS in Worm School!
Simone Lia - 2016
Laurence is a bird that looks like a chicken. Laurence wants to gobble up Marcus for breakfast, but the worm surprises him with "Good morning!" Marcus tries to keep the conversation going, and it goes in a very unexpected direction: Laurence seems to think he's a flamingo (he's definitely NOT), and Marcus soon finds himself on a journey to Africa, where Laurence believes he can finally be happy. A tale of high adventure, wily tricks and unlikely friendship, beloved comic artist Simone Lia has created a comedy classic that will have readers wriggling with laughter.
The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter
Aaron Reynolds - 2020
He was practically born to have one. His name is Rex, for crying out loud. It's a dog's name. Any pooch is preferable, but a chocolate Labrador is the pinnacle. The best of the best. The dream of all dreams.When Rex's B-Day for Me-Day finally arrives, his parents surprise him with a box. A box with holes. A box with holes and adorable scratchy noises coming from inside. Could it be? Yes! It has to be! A . . . a . . .Chicken?Pet poultry?How clucky.One hour and fourteen minutes later, the chicken is dead (by a steamroller), Rex is cursed (by the Grim Reaper), and wild animals are haunting Rex's room (hounding him for answers). Even his best friend Darvish is not going to believe this, and that kid believes everything.Rex's uninvited ghostly guests are a chatty, messy bunch. And they need Rex to solve their mysterious deadly departures from the Middling Falls Zoo before it happens again.But how?New York Times best-selling author Aaron Reynolds delivers a wickedly funny debut title in The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter series.
Catlantis
Anna Starobinets - 2015
He likes to sit in the window, watch the birds, and eat three square meals a day. But what's a regular house cat to do if he falls in love with a beautiful street cat who has some very strange - and really rather dangerous - demands? Baguette must travel back through the Ocean of Time to the lost island of Catlantis. He must find a way to save the nine lives of all cats before it is too late. And he must outwit the wicked black cat Noir, who is hot on his tail. Only then can he hope to win the paw of Purriana...
Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost
Cornelia Funke - 1993
Lucky for Tom his grandma's best friend just happens to be the world's foremost ghosthunter. Under her expert tutelage, Tom learns the tools of the trade--which just happen to include buckets of graveyard dirt--and soon finds he has to face down not just the Averagely Spooky Ghost (ASG) in his basement but the Incredibly Revolting Ghost (IRG) in town. All while keeping the nettlesome Lola off his trail....