Watching You Excerpt: The First Four Chapters


Lisa Jewell - 2018
    Someone knows what you did. You’re back home after four years working abroad, new husband in tow. You’re keen to find a place of your own. But for now you’re crashing in your big brother’s spare room.That’s when you meet the man next door. He’s the head teacher at the local school. Twice your age. Extraordinarily attractive.You find yourself watching him.All the time.But you never dreamed that your innocent crush might become a deadly obsession.Or that someone is watching you.

The Strangeworlds Travel Agency


L.D. Lapinski - 2020
    All you have to do is step inside . . .When 12-year-old Flick Hudson accidentally ends up in the Strangeworlds Travel Agency, she uncovers a fantastic secret: there are hundreds of other worlds just steps away from ours. All you have to do to visit them is jump into the right suitcase. Then Flick gets the invitation of a lifetime: join Strangeworlds' magical travel society and explore other worlds.But, unknown to Flick, the world at the very centre of it all, a city called Five Lights, is in danger. Buildings and even streets are mysteriously disappearing. Once Flick realizes what's happening she must race against time, travelling through unchartered worlds, seeking a way to fix Five Lights before it collapses into nothingness -- and takes our world with it.

The Runaway Girls


Jacqueline Wilson - 2021
    Queen Victoria is on the throne and the Great Exhibition is about to open! Lucy Locket lives with her father, the New Mother and the New Baby. They sent away her beloved Nurse and replaced her with a horrid governess. Lucy desperately wants someone to be kind to her, and to have some fun - there's very little of that in her house. Kitty Fisher is a street performer who earns tin for her supper by tumbling. She has always lived on the street and on her wits, with only the kind Gaffer to help her. But now Gaffer is gone, and Kitty is all alone. When Lucy runs away from home, Kitty shows Lucy how to survive - where to find the best picnic leftovers in the park, and which trees makes the best beds. Lucy learns quickly and shows Kitty her own skills - befriending families to get free meals and singing beautiful melodies for the crowds. But the streets of Victorian London are dangerous and soon the girls find themselves under threat from thieves - and even worse, the Workhouse!

The Girl I Thought I Knew


Kelly Heard - 2020
    She had no idea just how much damage secrets could do, but she would soon learn. It’s a warm, cloudless morning on the day the envelope arrives for Daisy. Soft sunlight streams into the apartment she shares with her partner, Anderson, who is sleeping peacefully. Daisy’s fought hard for this happiness, worked her way up from being a vulnerable teenage runaway to a woman with a stable job and a loving boyfriend. But when Daisy discovers the handwritten wedding invitation from her childhood best friend, Stella, her bright morning turns suddenly dark. The wedding is back amongst the misty woods and rolling hills of Daisy’s North Carolina hometown. The same town where her heartbroken mother never spoke about her miscarriages, and her distant father drank away what little money they had. The same town where she is still known as ‘the crazy one’ for telling people about the dead girl she saw that summer’s day in the woods. A girl who looked just like her, and whose body was never found. Daisy hasn’t been back home since her parents sent her away and now, the thought of returning fills her with dread. She doesn’t know if she can forgive Stella, the girl she once called ‘blood sister’, for turning her back on her when everyone else did. And why is Stella reaching out now, after fifteen years? There’s only one thing Daisy is sure of—if she wants to build a happy future, she’s going to have to finally confront the mysteries of her dark past.

The Time Fetch


Amy Herrick - 2013
    He doesn’t know it is a sleeping Time Fetch—and touching it will release its foragers too soon and alter the entire fabric of time and space. Soon the bell rings to end class just as it has begun. Buses race down streets, too far behind schedule to stop for passengers. Buildings and sidewalks begin to disappear as the whole fabric of the universe starts to unravel. To try to stop the foragers, Edward must depend on the help of his classmates Feenix, Danton, and Brigit—whether he likes it or not. They all have touched the Fetch, and it has drawn them together in a strange and thrilling adventure. The boundaries between worlds and dimensions are blurred, and places and creatures on the other side are much like the ones they’ve always known—but slightly twisted, a little darker, and much more dangerous.A fast-paced tale filled with mythology, danger, friendship, and a shocking centuries-old secret, The Time Fetch is sure to delight fans of fantasy adventure with its tale of ordinary kids who tumble into a magical situation.For ages 10 and up, grades 5 and up.

Bird & Sugar Boy


Sofie Laguna - 2006
    I live with my dad who has a big tattoo that says Live to Ride. He is so strong he can lift up a car, but he can't tell me what he's thinking. Maybe he's thinking about my mother who shot through.Sugar Boy is my best friend. We hang around down at the river, in the bush tunnel, or beside the railway tracks riding our bikes fast enough to beat the train. There's only two of us, but we're the whole team.I don't know what would happen if I didn't have Sugar Boy . . .

The Adventures of Superhero Girl


Faith Erin Hicks - 2013
    What if you can leap tall buildings and defeat alien monsters with your bare hands, but you buy your capes at secondhand stores, and have a weakness for kittens, and a snarky comment from Skeptical Guy can ruin a whole afternoon? Cartoonist Faith Erin Hicks brings her skills in character design and sharp, charming humor to the trials and tribulations of a young, superhero battling monsters both supernatural and mundane in an all-too-ordinary world.

I Escaped The World's Deadliest Shark Attack


Scott Peters - 2019
    Can he escape? From multi-award-winning Ellie Crowe and Scott Peters.16-year-old Josh is thrilled to be a crew member aboard the mighty USS Indianapolis. But when a Japanese torpedo strikes in the middle of the night, it tears the warship in half. Josh is thrown from the deck and plunged deep into the black ocean. In horror, he watches the massive vessel begin its death plunge, threatening to pull him down with it. Josh is no swimmer. He's a baseball player from San Antonio, Texas. He's way out of his element. Soon, hundreds of sharks begin to circle. He's living his worst nightmare, but for how long? Can he survive without a lifeboat, food or water in a sea of countless hungry sharks? Every hour is a fight because if he gives up, he'll never make it home. But does he have what it takes to survive? With no rescue team in sight, can Josh ever hope to escape?On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed at 15 minutes past midnight. It sank in 12 minutes. The survivors spent four days fighting off the deadliest shark attacks in history.This is the 3rd children's book in the I Escaped Series about brave kids who face real-world challenges and find ways to escape. Sure to appeal to fans of books like I Survived by New York Times Bestseller Lauren Tarshis, stories about the Titanic, and readers of Alan Gratz.A study guide is available at bit.ly/sharkescapeAn adrenaline-charged tale of bravery and friendship during a terrible tragedy in American history.

Time Travelling with a Hamster


Ross Welford - 2015
    Once when he was thirty nine and again four years later when he was twelve.The first time had nothing to do with me. The second time definitely did, but I would never even have been there if it hadn’t been for his ‘time machine’…”When Al Chaudhury discovers his late dad’s time machine, he finds that going back to the 1980s requires daring and imagination. It also requires lies, theft, burglary, and setting his school on fire. All without losing his pet hamster, Alan Shearer…

The Lost Track of Time


Paige Britt - 2015
    What follows is a mesmerizing journey through the Realm of Possibility where Penelope sets out to find and free the Great Moodler, the one person who may have the answers she seeks. Along the way, she must face an army of Clockworkers, battle the evil Chronos, take a daring Flight of Fancy, and save herself from the grip of time.Brimming with clever language and masterful wordplay, The Lost Track of Time is a high-stakes adventure that will take you to a place where nothing is impossible and every minute doesn't count--people do!

8th Grade Fugitive


Richard Clark - 2017
     "A highly addictive read, which will keep many on the edge of their seats." "A well-written, heart-pumping, action-packed read." Readers' Favorite 5★ review “Hey, it’s me, Brian. Brian Ryan. I’m 14… well, next July I am. And I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not just some skateboard freak. Sure, I wipe out a lot, but I’m into the physics of the stunts and all. I even design my own stunts… which don’t always work out… but that’s why God invented band-aids, right?” Join Brian on his craziest day ever! Accused of a serious crime, he zips around the mean streets of his suburban middle school, staying one step ahead of the cops. On the day of the Xtreme Dream Games, will Brian be able to catch the real culprit and clear his name? If you like your middle grade fiction with a twist of James Bond, Zac Power and Secret Agent 6th Grader, you'll love 8th Grade Fugitive! From the writer of My Best Friend Is a Secret Agent, this mystery thriller chapter book is a fun adventure full of action and excitement for any reader - children, tweens, teens... and beyond! This funny who-done-it is the first in a series, so if you like it, there's more to come! (Don't forget to look for the surprise after Chapter 1!)

For Duty and Honor


Leo J. Maloney - 2016
    Maloney delivers a heartpounding tale as fast, cold, and sleek as a 9mm bullet . . .FOR DUTY AND HONORThe unthinkable has happened to operative Dan Morgan. Captured by the Russians. Imprisoned in the Gulag. Tortured by his cruelest, most sadistic enemy. But Morgan knows that every prisoner has a past—and every rival can be used. With the most unlikely of allies, Morgan hatches a plan. To save what’s important, he must risk everything. And that’s when the stakes go sky-high. Dan Morgan’s got to keep fighting. For duty. And honor. And even certain death . . .

Chronal Engine: A Prehistoric Time-Travel Adventure


Greg Leitich Smith - 2012
    But after Emma is kidnapped at the exact time that her grandfather predicted, Max and Kyle are forced to believe his eccentric stories—even the one about the Chronal Engine in the basement.Now, to save Emma, Max, Kyle, and their new friend Petra must pile into a VW Bug, and use the Chronal Engine to take the road trip of a lifetime—right back to the Cretaceous period. With dangers all around, the teens find themselves dodging car-crushing herbivores in addition to the terrifying T. rex. In this ancient environment, can three contemporary teens hunt down a kidnapper, forage for food, and survive long enough to return home?

The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife


Maz Evans - 2021
    And she's about to get into BIG trouble. From the bestselling Maz Evans comes a heartfelt and hilarious new series, perfect for fans of Roald Dahl's Matilda.Scarlett Fife has BIG FEELINGS. And when she has BIG FEELINGS, they explode out of her like an over-squeezed stress ball.Scarlett's in big trouble after a BIG FEELINGS episode leads to a runaway hamster getting into the vicar's trousers at her aunty's engagement party. If she loses her temper ONE MORE TIME, she's going to miss out on her trip to Mega Awesome Sicky Fun World, the best theme park on the planet.But feelings are like slime in a party bag. No matter how much someone tells you to keep it in, it'll always find its way out. And very soon, Scarlett notices that every time she pushes her feelings down, something explodes. Like ... really, properly explodes.It might be her teacher's slimy green smoothie. A huge pot of purple paint. Or a massive pile of elephant poo at the zoo. And let's hope Scarlett doesn't get mad at Aunty's wedding - that wedding cake is HUGE ...Laugh-out-loud action for every child and parent who has ever lost control of their feelings - this is sparkling, heartwarming and beautifully illustrated throughout.

The Daughter She Lost


Lauren Westwood - 2020
    Amanda was always told there was no one she could ask about Angie, but finally she has a chance to find out about the family she lost...When Amanda arrives at the stark white house with her children, she begins to feel uneasy. There are religious quotes etched into the walls of the hallway and a jewelry box full of letters hidden in her mother’s room. She tries talking to Linda and Frances, the women she meets in town, but they are guarded not just about Angie, but about the identity of Amanda’s father.Because Linda and Frances know secrets about Amanda’s family that could have devastating consequences. And as Amanda digs further into the past, it’s not just her own happiness at stake but that of her teenage daughter.Soon Amanda will have to decide: will she risk losing everything to find out the truth?A gripping and emotional novel about what it means to belong. The Daughter She Lost is perfect for fans of Kerry Fisher, Diane Chamberlain and Liane Moriarty.