Frogged


Vivian Vande Velde - 2013
    But since she is neither particularly good nor all that beautiful, she skips her homework to visit the pond. There she meets a talking frog who claims to be a prince under a witch's spell. Imogene kindly kisses him to remove the spell - and gets turned into a frog instead!Now the only way for the princess to un-frog herself is to convince someone else to kiss her. But before she can figure out a plan, Imogene gets kidnapped and becomes the unwilling star attraction in a third-rate traveling theater company. Can she find a way to undo the witch's spell - or will she be frogged forever?

Running with the Reservoir Pups


Colin Bateman - 2005
    Otherwise, he never would have gotten mixed up with the Reservoir Pups, the scrappy gang of boys who rule the streets in his new town. And he definitely wouldn’t have agreed to their initiation mission: to break into the hospital his mom works at. It’s just Eddie’s luck that he stumbles upon some twisted baby-snatchers on the way. And just when it seems like life can’t get any worse, he bumps into the leader of the Andytown Albinos, the most fearsome gang of all. . . .“Fast, fabulous fun . . . [an] excellent comic adventure. I loved the carefree, sheer enthusiasm of the writing and laughed aloud throughout. I’m delighted to report that it’s the first of a trilogy. Can’t wait for the next!”—The Bookseller (UK)From the Hardcover edition.

The Rainbow Years


Rita Bradshaw - 2006
    Her cousin torments her as she grows up and when she gets the chance to marry a rather older and apparently loving man she seizes the chance to escape what is becoming a dangerous situation. Tragically she's gone from the frying pan into the fire and endures some difficult years with a violent husband, made bearable only by the arrival of a baby. When tragedy strikes, she joins the WAAF at the start of WWII; in her new life she keeps her marriage a secret and eventually falls in love with a Spitfire pilot, Nick. Her chance of happiness with him seems to be blighted, though, when fate compels her to care for her now ailing husband: but her suffering has not, in the end, been in vain, and Nick will be waiting when the time is right.

The Art of the Swap


Kristine Carlson Asselin - 2018
    The Elms, the mansion where her dad works (and they both live), is one of the most esteemed historical properties on famed Bellevue Avenue. Mysterious legends and priceless artifacts clutter every inch of the marble floors and golden walls, but Hannah is most drawn to the reproduction portrait of Maggie Dunlap, the twelve year-old subject of a famous painting stolen in a legendary art heist on the day of its scheduled unveiling in 1905. Hannah dreams of how glamorous life must have been for the young oil-heiress, Maggie, at the turn of the century, but she never expects she’ll have a chance to experience it herself… until the day a mysterious mirror allows the two girls to change places in time! In 1905, Hannah races to stop the art heist from happening—something she is convinced will allow the girls to trade back to their own eras—while in current times, Maggie gets a hilarious introduction to the modern digital age and a new perspective on women's roles in society while reveling in the best invention of all: sweatpants. So long corsets! As the hours tick off to the recorded moment of the legendary art heist, something’s not adding up. Can the girls work together against time—and across it—to set things right... or will their temporary swap become a permanent trade?

A Mother to Embarrass Me


Carol Lynch Williams - 2002
    Like the way she yodels at the top of her lungs while she works (okay, she calls it singing). And plays really old music so loud the neighbors can hear (can’t she listen to normal music?). And walks around in clay-covered pajamas (yes, she is a sculptor, but still . . . ). But things are about to get much, much worse. Laura has noticed that her mother is getting a little bit, well, fat. Then one night over dinner (at a restaurant, since she almost burned down the house trying to cook), her mother announces that she’s going to have a baby. Now all the neighbors, including the gorgeous boy Laura has a crush on, will know her parents have been doing it. Maybe even in the house! There must be some way Laura can change her mother before her own life is completely, utterly ruined!From the Hardcover edition.

The Day Joanie Frankenhauser Became a Boy


Francess Lin Lantz - 2005
    But how long can she keep pretending? And even if she could keep her identity secret, would she want to? Being a boy is no walk in the park! Francess Lantz seamlessly weaves great sports action, a compelling family drama, and Joanie's secret stories about SuperKid into a funny, thought-provoking novel about friendship and self-discovery.

Bad Magic


Pseudonymous Bosch - 2014
    Cheesy. Unreal. At least, that's what Clay, who has seen one magic show too many, thinks.When words from his journal appear mysteriously on his school wall as graffiti, he never imagines that magic might be to blame. And when the same graffiti lands him at Earth Ranch, a camp for "troubled" kids on a remote volcanic island, magic is the last thing he expects to find there.But at Earth Ranch, there is one strange surprise after another, until Clay no longer knows what to expect. Is he really talking to a llama? Did he really see a ghost? What is the scary secret hidden in the abandoned library? The only thing he knows for sure is that behind the clouds of vog (volcanic smog), nothing is as it seems. Can he solve the riddle of Earth Ranch before trouble erupts?Elusive author Pseudonymous Bosch introduces an extraordinary new series that will have you believing in the unbelievable.

Half-Minute Horrors


Susan RichMelissa Marr - 2009
    Stine, Holly Black, Brett Helquist, and many more. You’ll never look at your closest door, your cat, your sock drawer, or even yourself in the mirror the same way again.

Gone Missing


Jean Ure - 2007
    Jean Ure returns with more warmth and wit in a brilliant book about what happens when two girls decide to run away from home.Fourteen-year-old Jade is fed up with fighting with her mum and step-dad, and her shy sixteen-year-old friend Honey is having a miserable time with her mum, but when Jade decides they should both run away, Honey isn't so sure.It's only when they get to London and things don't work out quite how they expected that Honey shows she has hidden depths, and Jade realises that home is not so bad after all…

The Last Dragonslayer


Jasper Fforde - 2010
    But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer. Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic.

Epic Kids


David Blaze - 2019
    My name is Jake, and I’m just an average 6th grader that was invited to sit at the cool kids’ lunch table. Now I’ve got to rescue a crazy girl who thinks she’s a princess. Before I can do that, I’ll be chased by an angry monkey, hunted by a hungry dinosaur, and abducted by an ugly alien (and that’s not all)! I should mention that the princess thinks she’s from another planet. Nothing weird about that.The only way I can make everything right is to find out what’s behind the glowing door I’ve dreamed about every night of my life.

Torn in Two (The Frankie Black Files #1)


J.D. Weston - 2019
    A kidnapped girl. And a man with everything to prove… Emma Fletcher is special. She is the daughter every mother dreams of and the girl that many would choose to be. But when Emma is kidnapped on a family holiday, her captors force her to undergo a terrible change… to embrace her darker side. To survive the ordeal, Emma must forget her purity, discard her innocence and become the girl her mother tried so hard to keep hidden. Only then does she discover a new reality - that she can have anything she desires…Frankie Black is a grieving widower and a single father struggling to raise his son. He gets by doing the only thing he’s ever been truly good at - finding people. The call to find Emma Fletcher could not have come at a worse time. Days away from entering into a custody battle over his son, Frankie is forced to reveal his vocation and faces an ultimatum - find Emma Fletcher… prove he has what it takes to be a real father… or lose all that he has left to live for…But when a girl’s body washes up on the beach, the tangled web of lies begins to unravel. Can Frankie judge who to trust when both friends and family muddy the waters? Will he rescue Emma before her darkest desires lead her on a path from which she can never return? And can Frankie prove that he has what it takes to be a father?Torn in Two is the heart-stopping and powerful debut in a new thriller series from award-winning and bestselling crime writer, J.D. Weston.  If you enjoy the complex twists of a mystery, the tense drama of psychological thrillers and love to lose yourself in the deepest of characters, then buy Torn in Two and meet Frankie Black now. Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, Ian Rankin, Adam Croft and JD Kirk.

We'll Meet Again


Elise Darcy - 2020
    A resident with a secret past. A woman starting over, unsure what the future holds.Working as an Occupational Therapist in a busy London hospital, Cassie loves her job but is looking forward to early retirement in five years when she reaches fifty. However, her husband has other ideas…Suddenly single, Cassie needs a fresh start. Responding to an ad for a live-in position, Cassie arrives at Fletchling Hall, a grand stately home, its corridors echoing with stories from the past.Her new position seems too good to be true, living in a cottage in the grounds, the commute into work a glorious stroll through the gardens to the imposing house in the Sussex countryside.In the cellar, a forgotten diary has languished undisturbed for nearly seventy years. When Cassie discovers the diary, she unravels the heartfelt story of two young souls from the war years, and a little boy called Ted, a young evacuee. It reveals the surprising connection Cassie, a Canadian, has to the house and its resident.An unforgettable tale of a secret spanning decades, love found, and the importance of belonging.

The Last Vampire Complete Series Omnibus: The Girl Behind The Wall, The Girl in The Back Row, The Girl With a Secret, The Girl in Plain Sight, The Girl Unleashed...


Judith Berens - 2020
    That is, until she’s accidentally woken up by a father and daughter on a vacation.Cars? Cell phones? What’s an Instagram? How can Craig and Alexis explain the world? No one said educating a teenage vampire would be easy. The Girl in The Back Row: High school means classes, making friends, hanging out, cutting classes… and keeping your fangs to yourself. Watch out world, this teen’s bite is worse than her bark. Welcome to public school Vampire teen. Keep an eye out for the ones who would rather put you back in a box, but this time forever.Vicki is getting a crash course in teenage life, if she can just keep her true nature hidden.Fortunately, she wants to make new friends more than mayhem. Too bad others aren’t going to make that so easy. The Girl With A Secret: Vickie’s a 400-year-old teenage vampire in a suburban public school. Combine that with vampire strength and speed, mix in typical teenage impulse control and trouble follows. Her new dad, Craig and adopted sister, Alexis are having trouble helping Vickie keep her identity under wraps – especially as classmates realize there’s something different about her. Is time running out? Reports of a Last Vampire are getting back to the centuries old Circle. Dedicated to hunting down vampires, they are getting closer to tracking her down. The GIrl In Plain Sight: New semester. New classes. New challenges. Can a 400-year-old teenage vampire learn to control her powers enough to manage the halls of public school? And not bite anyone of course… Vickie is making friends with a new girl, someone Alexis doesn’t trust. Alexis is starting a romance with Will, and Vickie smells trouble. Are the girls worried about the wrong things or can they help each other out? The Girl Unleashed: No matter the century, being a teenage vampire is hard when there’s no one around to teach you how to be cool, date and lift a car out of the way without getting caught. Vickie has grown into a rockstar vampire with her powers, but she can still cause harm. Not a good way to stay hidden when everyone has the number to TMZ and a camera in their pocket. Selfie with the teenage vampire anyone? Social media can bite worse than a vampire’s fangs. The Girl Revealed: Even though she’s a 400-year-old teenager, Vickie still hasn’t grasped the dangers of modern technology. Everyone has a cellphone and can catch anything on video… It’s only a matter of time before our favorite hero with fangs ends up on everyone’s small screen.

Gangsta Granny


David Walliams - 2011
    A story of prejudice and acceptance, funny lists and silly words, this new book has all the hallmarks of David’s previous bestsellers.Our hero Ben is bored beyond belief after he is made to stay at his grandma’s house. She’s the boringest grandma ever: all she wants to do is to play Scrabble, and eat cabbage soup. But there are two things Ben doesn’t know about his grandma.1) She was once an international jewel thief.2) All her life, she has been plotting to steal the Crown Jewels, and now she needs Ben’s help…