Book picks similar to
The Accidental Billionaire by Tom McLaughlin
age-range-children
aram-s-books
childrens
childrens-middle-grade
A Different Boy
Paul Jennings - 2018
Anton stared enviously at the emigrants lining up in front of the wide gangplank. Heading off on a voyage to a land of peace and plenty. Leaving the land of broken buildings and crushed hopes behind. Looking forward to sunshine and steaks. How he wished that he was one of the lucky ones.' Loosely based on Paul Jennings' journey to Australia as a 'ten pound Pom', the story of Anton, who escapes from an orphanage and successfully stows away on a boat headed for the land of 'sunshine and steaks' has a timeless reality of its own. It is a tale of loss, guilt, mistaken identity and taking risks but also surprisingly heartwarming and heartbreaking. Perfect for reluctant readers in upper primary and lower secondary, it speaks of loss, migration, reslience and courage. Beautifully illustrated by Geoff Kelly
Do Not Open!
Mark Parisi - 2017
Marty Pants is a surefire hit!”—Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate seriesMove over, Wimpy Kid. Here comes the imaginative, the inquisitive, the unstoppable Marty Pants! Meet Marty in the side-splitting first book of a new series written by Mark Parisi, the award-winning cartoonist of the Off the Mark comic.Marty Pants is different from your typical middle schooler. He has the soul of an artist, and as an artist, he notices things—the kinds of things other kids don’t seem to see.So when Marty discovers a plot on his teacher’s computer to take over the world, Marty knows this is a danger he can’t just ignore. But no one, not his best friends Parker and Roongrat or his mother, father, sister, arch-enemy, Simon, or Chief of Police Pickels, believes him. So, it’s up to Marty to save the world—his way.This hilarious new series follows the endearing, frazzled, embarrassed, and, ultimately, fearless footsteps of literature’s most unlikely hero—Marty Pants.
The Queen of Dreams
Peter F. Hamilton - 2014
They know just what to expect - a tumbledown cottage, sunshine and strawberry-picking. But then Jemima sees a white squirrel wearing glasses . . . And things become even more extraordinary when their dad is captured and whisked away to a faerie world.Magical adventures await, as the two sisters discover powers they never knew they had and a series of worlds to explore. But can Taggie and Jemima rescue their dad and defeat the evil King of Night?From one of the most successful Science Fiction writers of our time comes a thrilling new children's fantasy-adventure.
Car-Jacked
Ali Sparkes - 2015
He has an IQ of 170. He speaks fluent Mandarin and Latin. And he can calculate the square root of 1,673,549 in his head. But when Jack's parents' car is hi-jacked, with him inside it, for once he's as clueless as the rest of us. The car-jacker doesn't know Jack's in the car - yet. But it's only a matter of time before he's discovered. And then anything could happen. Only one thing's for sure: Jack's in for the thrill-ride of his life ...A high-octane adventure from the winner of the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award.
The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten by Absolutely Everyone (Even the Postman)
Katy Towell - 2005
Yes, even the postman. She has everything a child could want, but not the one thing every child - and every grownup, too - needs. Love. Desperate for a friend, Emmeline makes a wish upon a magical star. It is a wish that will change the lives of everyone she knows forever.
Goosebumps Series 10 Books Collection Set (Classic Covers)
R.L. Stine - 1997
Stine's Goosebumps books have had a resurgence of late following the success of the film starring Jack Black. This collection contains 10 of the classic tales of terror - all with refreshed jacket artwork - that will give children a fright! A favourite with generations, among the books to give kids nightmares are Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes, The Haunted Car and the seminal Night of the Living Dummy - starring none other than Slappy the dummy. Having sold over 400 million copies around the world, these spooky books will be returned to time and time again by children who love nothing more than to get the creeps. Titles in this collection (10) Stay out of the Basement The Ghost Next Door Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes The Haunted Car Let's Get Invisible The Scarecrow Walks at Night The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb The Blob That Ate Everyone Night of the Living Dummy The Werewolf of Fever Swamp
I Swapped My Brother On The Internet
Jo Simmons - 2018
'Oh sweet mangoes of heaven!' Everyone has dreamed of being able to get rid of their brother or sister at one time or another – but for Jonny, the dream is about to become a reality with SiblingSwap.com! What could be better than someone awesome to replace Ted, Jonny's obnoxious older brother. But finding the perfect brother isn't easy, as Jonny discovers when Sibling Swap sends him a line of increasingly bizarre replacements: first a merboy, then a brother raised by meerkats, and then the ghost of Henry the Eighth! What's coming next?! Suddenly old Ted isn't looking so bad. But can Jonny ever get him back? A hilarious tale of wish fulfilment gone wrong that every child will relate to – perfect for fans of Pamela Butchart, My Brother is a Superhero and David Baddiel's The Parent Agency.
We Are Giants
Amber Lee Dodd - 2016
. . different from other kids' parents. As Amy explains it, when she was a girl she got to 48 inches tall and then stopped growing right there. It's the perfect height, in Sydney's opinion: big enough to reach the ice cream at the supermarket, but small enough to be special. Anyway, Sydney's big sister Jade is always there to help out with the stuff on the highest shelves. And though Sydney's dad died when she was only five, she's never felt alone or that there isn't enough love to go around. But when they are forced to move to another neighborhood, things get more difficult for their little family. Sydney and Jade have to get used to different routines, make a whole new set of friends, and deal with the bullies at their new school.And then there's the whole business of growing up. But Sydney doesn't want to grow up--not if it means getting taller than her mom.
The Great Hamster Massacre
Katie Davies - 2009
I'm supposed to be writing my What-I-Did-In-The-Summre-Holidays story for school, but I'm going to write this story first...Anna and het brother, Tom, have always wanted a pet. After their latest pestering campaign Mum finally gives in and lets them choose a pair of hamsters from the local pet shop. But their happiness soon turns to horror when they discover the hamsters mysteriously slaughtered in their cage. Anna and Tom begin an investigation into the hamster homicides. Can they solve the case of the Great Hamster Massacre?
Petunia Perry and the Curse of the Ugly Pigeon
Pamela Butchart - 2015
She wants the world to know what it’s like to start secondary school with a best friend who stages one-person flash mobs in the canteen, a mother who over-shares at parents’ evenings and an unwelcome suitor who draws pictures of her as a unicorn. But it’s when she decides to start a band with a spoon-player and a lead-singer who’s a cat that things take a turn for the truly crazy…With kooky, cool incidental illustrations throughout, this hilarious novel about how to fit in when you don’t want to conform will be adored by fans of Louise Rennison and David Walliams.
Diary of a Soccer Star
Shamini Flint - 2010
But his Dad is convinced that Marcus has magic in his feet. Read the hilarious diary of a reluctant soccer star and how Marcus scores a goal in a way no one has seen before!
Episode 1: Growing Girl: The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Cassandra Jones
Tamara Hart Heiner - 2017
She’s as ordinary as any other 12-year-old.Except no matter how hard she tries, Cassie just can’t seem to fit in. Excited to fill the summer before her seventh grade year, Cassie enrolls in soccer camp. She can’t wait to improve her ball-kicking skills and make a few goals.But Cassie quickly discovers a few obstacles in her path. Namely: herself. As much as she wants to be, she just isn’t very good at the sport. Either camp will be her chance to improve, or it will be the last time she ever plays.
The Hen Who Wouldn't Give Up
Jill Tomlinson - 1967
And when Hilda makes up her mind, nothing can stop her. Hilda’s auntie has just had a family of chicks, and she’s determined to visit them. But how is Hilda going to travel the five miles to her auntie’s farm?
The Chocolate Factory Ghost
David O'Connell - 2018
That's a new home, a fortune and a lifetime's supply of treats rolled into one!But all is not well in Dundoodle, and when Archie reads the mysterious letter his great-uncle left him he finds himself on a quest to save his family's company from ruin. With the help of his new friends Fliss and Billy, Archie has to try to figure out the puzzles of Honeystone before his sweet future melts away like an ice lolly in the sun!
Barry Loser and the Curse of Terry Claus
Jim Smith - 2014
Perfect for young fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Mr Gum and Tom Gates!When Barry discovers that his mum and dad have failed to get him a superhero Future Ratboy costume (the keelest superhero in the WORLD) he is com-per-lee-ter-ly unimpressed to say the least. In fact, Barry has had enough of Christmas - and he's not the only one. Terry Claus, Father Christmas's smelly and disgusting younger brother is out to ruin Christmas for everyone - and he's taking Barry with him!Don't miss the other books in the series: I am not a Loser, I am still not a Loser, I am so over being a Loser, I am sort of a Loser, Barry Loser and the Holiday of Doom and Barry Loser and the case of the crumpled carton