Book picks similar to
Into the Sideways World by Ross Welford


books-for-school
childrens
mg-fantasy
middle-grade

The Day I Was Erased


Lisa Thompson - 2019
    Roaming the town with his beloved pet dog Monster (who he rescued as a puppy from being run over) as a way to escape his parents' constant sniping at home, he's a menace to the neighbours and teachers at school. While visiting an elderly neighbour, Maxwell comes across a mysterious cabinet of curiosities and suddenly finds himself erased from his life: it's as if he's never existed. Able to walk around anonymously might be great at first - finally, no-one is yelling at him! - but he soon realises that he misses his old life and, crucially, if he had never existed, then he wouldn't have swooped in and stopped Monster the dog from being hit by that car... Maxwell needs to find a way to reverse his erasure, with the help of his best friend Charlie and his sister Bex, who need a whole heap of persuading that this weird kid they've never clapped eyes on is actually super close to them in his former life...

Dactyl Hill Squad


Daniel José Older - 2018
    Magdalys Roca and her friends from the Colored Orphan Asylum are on a field trip when the Draft Riots break out, and a number of their fellow orphans are kidnapped by an evil magistrate, Richard Riker. Magdalys and her friends flee to Brooklyn and settle in the Dactyl Hill neighborhood, where black and brown New Yorkers have set up an independent community--a safe haven from the threats of Manhattan. Together with the Vigilance Committee, they train to fly on dactylback, discover new friends and amazing dinosaurs, and plot to take down Riker. Can Magdalys and the squad rescue the rest of their friends before it's too late?

A Tale of Magic...


Chris Colfer - 2019
    Her only escape are books, but since it's illegal for women to read in her country, she has to find creative ways of acquiring them. Working as a maid at her local library gives her the perfect excuse to be near them and allows her to sneak a few titles home when no one is looking. But one day Brystal uncovers a secret section of the library and finds a book about magic that changes her life forever. Magic is despised and outlawed throughout the world--Brystal is well aware of the severe consequences the book may bring--but her curiosity gets the best of her. By reading some of the text aloud, strange phenomena begin to occur and Brystal discovers she is capable of magic! And the more she practices it, the harder it becomes to hide. After being caught and convicted, Brystal is saved by a mysterious woman named Madame Weatherberry. The woman takes Brystal to her Academy of Magic and teaches her to become a fairy. While Brystal studies magic and befriends the other students, Madame Weatherberry is suddenly called away on suspicious matters. When she doesn't return, Brystal and her friends work together to find and save their instructor. Along the way, the students discover Madame Weatherberry's true intentions for the academy are not what they seem, and they come face to face with a sinister plot that puts the fate of the world, and the fate of magic itself, in grave danger...

Eldritch Manor


Kim Thompson - 2012
    Only when Willa is hired on as housekeeper does she discover the truth, which is far more fascinating. Eldritch Manor is a retirement home for some very strange beings indeed. All have stories to tell — and petty grievances with one another and the world at large. Storm clouds are on the horizon, however, and when Miss Trang departs on urgent business, Willa is left to babysit the cantankerous bunch. Can she keep the oldsters in line, stitch up unravelling time, and repel an all-out attack from the forces of darkness … all while keeping the nosy neighbours out of their business and uncovering a startling secret about her own past?

Thaddeus Whiskers and the Dragon


H.L. Burke - 2015
    Whiskers is a pampered palace pet, a kitten enchanted to never become a cat. Princess Clarice loves him, for in the entire kingdom, there is no other kitten as cute or as clever. He leads a life of cushions and cream until a wizard's "gift" results in his banishment. Determined to make it back to the princess he loves, he escapes into the wilderness where he discovers the lair of a dragon.Grandious, the dragon, doesn't care about anything besides himself. He wants to be left alone with his treasure. However, there is something about Thaddeus that has him entranced. He finds himself opening his home and his heart to the little cat. Thaddeus is a small creature in a big world. Between him and his beloved Princess stand conniving wizards, would-be-step-mothers, and rampaging rats. However, when danger threatens both Clarice and Grandious, Thaddeus won't allow his size to get in the way of saving his friends.

Just South of Home


Karen Strong - 2019
    At last, she can spend her summer months reading her favorite science books and bossing around her younger brother, Ellis, instead of being worked to the bone by their overly strict grandmother, Mrs. Greene. But when their cousin, Janie, arrives for a visit, Sarah's plans are completely squashed. Janie has a knack for getting into trouble and asks Sarah to take her to Creek Church: a landmark of their small town that she heard was haunted. It's also off-limits. Janie's sticky fingers lead Sarah, Ellis, and his best friend Jasper to uncover a deep-seated part of the town's past. With a bit of luck, this foursome will heal the place they call home and the people within it they call family.This debut middle-grade novel will be available from Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers in May 2019.

Murder at Twilight


Fleur Hitchcock - 2018
    But when she gets back from school, he’s nowhere to be found and there are police cars everywhere, lights flashing and sirens blaring.Viv is sure Noah’s run away to get attention. But it’s really cold, and getting dark, and the rain just won’t stop falling. So she sets off to look for him, furious at his selfishness, as the floodwaters rise. And then she finds him, and realises that a much more dangerous story is unfolding around them…From the author of Dear Scarlet, Saving Sophia and Murder in Midwinter

Dog Tales


Emily Rodda - 2001
    Mavis is actually a goat, but she didn't know this and none of the others liked to tell her. Life for the Dolan Street dogs is not all lying around watching Dog Hospital, it can be very exciting. There's the day they saved the world, the haunting, the night the burglars came ...

Twist of Gold


Michael Morpurgo - 1989
    They survive a shipwreck and land safely in America searching for their father. But their new land is one of hardship and they live in poverty on the streets of Boston. However, their adventure is just beginning.An unforgettable tale of struggle, adventure and hope from War Horse author and former Children's Laureate, Michael Morpurgo. ‘There’s a plague, a fever, call it what you will, sweeping this country, and it’s coming closer all the time.’ Sean and Annie have one chance to escape the potato famine in Ireland, but they must leave their dying mother behind. They travel in search or their father, across rough seas, to a new land of hardship: America. It’s a long and dangerous trip, but their family’s survival depends on it. And the journey there is only the beginning …

Journey to Mermaid Kingdom


Celesta Thiessen - 2016
    The four children, their mother, and their two cats are transformed into mermaids! Well... the cats are turned into mercats. Join their adventure as they encounter sharks, octopuses and even sea dragons as they journey to Mermaid Kingdom. Best-selling author, Celesta Thiessen, wrote this book with her daughters, Keziah and Priscilla Thiessen. Keziah, who is thirteen, enjoys writing stories, sketching and dragons. Priscilla, who is seven, loves playing with cats, daydreaming and drawing inventions. Celesta, Keziah and Priscilla all love adventures!

Rebel Genius


Michael Dante DiMartino - 2016
    Every artist possesses a Genius, a birdlike creature that is the living embodiment of an artist's creative spirit. Those caught with one face a punishment akin to death, so when Giacomo discovers he has a Genius, he knows he's in serious trouble.Luckily, he finds safety in a secret studio where young artists and their Geniuses train in sacred geometry to channel their creative energies as weapons. But when a murderous artist goes after the three Sacred Tools--objects that would allow him to destroy the world and everyone in his path--Giacomo and his friends must risk their lives to stop him.

The Mask Of Aribella


Anna Hoghton - 2020
    Aribella and her new friends have sworn to defend Venice, but can they defeat the evil rising from the Island of the Dead?A captivating middle-grade fantasy in the entrancing setting of historical Venice.

Dragon's Green


Scarlett Thomas - 2017
    After a mysterious incident leaves Griffin close to death, Effie is given an unusual silver ring and told she must look after her grandfather’s library of rare and powerful books. But then the books fall into the hands of shady scholar Leonard Levar, and Effie is propelled into the most dangerous adventure of her life.Now, Effie and her friends—nerdy Maximilian, rugby-mad Wolf, helpful Lexy, and eccentric Raven—must discover their true powers if they are to get the books back. And Effie alone will have to travel to the Otherworld, where she will uncover the true meaning of the strange old book called Dragon’s Green…

The Somerset Tsunami


Emma Carroll - 2019
    But now is not the time for a girl to be drawing attention to herself and she is sent away to find work dressed as a boy. Luckily a rich manor house is hiring.Yet Barrow Hall's inhabitants harbour dangerous secrets of their own, the suspicious owner is hunting for witches, and the house itself is a little too close to the sea...

Teenage Treasure Hunter


Daniel Kenney - 2015
    She wants him to find The Romanov Dolls, a fantastic treasure stolen from the Manhattan Art Collective when she was only a child. Despite having an overbearing famous father - who has already mapped out his son's future - Curial follows his heart and his mother's clues to Russia where he teams up with the granddaughter of a Russian History Professor to unravel the mystery behind the priceless treasure. Teenage Treasure Hunter is the first book in this exciting new treasure hunting series. Full of history, humor, and danger, these books are perfect for readers ages 10-14 (4th through 8tjh grades). Daniel Kenney is also the author of The Beef Jerky Gang, Katie Plumb & The Pendleton Gang, The Math Inspectors, and other awesome books for young readers. Find out more at www.DanielKenney.com