Max Gordon is wanted for murder. Two thousand freezing metres high in the mountain peaks, Max Gordon is grappling with death. His race to win an X-treme sports challenge has become a race to survive. Max witnesses the last moments of a mysterious Basque monk, who screams a cryptic clue before plummeting to his death. The clue is a prophecy that fortells of a cataclysmic ecological event which will kill millions across Europe. Now Max is trapped in the darkness of a dead man's secret and the hunt is on. How will Max prove his innocence when nobody will trust him — and he can trust no one?

When Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother go digging in the gravel pit, the last thing they expect to find is a Psammead — an ancient Sand-fairy! Having a Sand-fairy for a pet means having one wish granted each day. But the children don't realize all the trouble wishes can cause. This is a timeless classic with an introduction by Quentin Blake, award-winning illustrator and first-ever Children's Laureate (1999-2001).

Orla is very excited about entering the local photo competition — especially since it's her chance to show that she can be as good at something as her sister. When she forgets to even take the lens cap off the camera though, it isn't a good sign! But when little chocolate brown kitten Flames comes into the picture, it looks like Orla's dreams of winning the competiton might just come true...

For Mibs Beaumont's family, the day of their thirteenth birthday could be an adventure or a disaster. It's when they get their savvy — an extra-special talent and know-how. Her brother Rocket is Mr Electric, he can send static shocks from the other side of the room, just for fun... But on Mibs' special day, their Poppa lies in a coma in hospital, and she has to reach him. The only way to get there is on the pink Bible bus, so, adventure or disaster, Mibs is getting on that bus. And who could guess what might happen then?

Bill Martin's playful story combining animals, colours and sounds, beautifully illustrated by Eric Carle, now appears in a chunky board-book format. A simple rhythmic text introduces the reader to a menagerie of wild animals from a roaring lion to a fluting flamingo and a trumpeting elephant.

'Tis the season to be jolly tra-la-la-la-la... BUT WAIT! Father Christmas' EVIL brother, Bad Christmas, is plotting to take over the world. His poisonous Christmas puddings that turn humans into zombies are pouring through from The Other Side in their millions. Millions of Christmas puddings, all made of deadly sticky matter! But four children from Plumpot Primary have escaped the puddings. Are they in time to stop Bad Christmas and save the world? Prepare to be... puddified!

Charlie really wants Lola to play cards with him, but she is far too extremely busy pretending to have a job. One minute Lola is a farmer, and the next she is a busy doctor. But when Lola is told to tidy up their very messy room, she soon discovers that it's much more fun doing things together. With six extremely exciting scenes and three pages of fabulous reusable stickers, each child can create, adapt and invent their very own Charlie and Lola adventure.

What if Fate were out to get you? The day David Case saves his brother's life, his whole world changes. He must hide, become an entirely new person to escape Fate... if he can. This stunning, thought-provoking and darkly comic novel for teenage readers was one of the most eagerly awaited books of 2006 — now available in paperback.

Hermux Tantamoq — watchmaker, cheese connoisseur and detective extraordinaire — is finally getting married to delectable daredevil Linka Perflinger. But sinister things are afoot in Thorny End: a body washes up on shore, a strange new breed of killer bees is on the loose and someone is up to no good in the lab on Jeckel Island. Hermux must find the missing link. And this time, it's personal... A comedy thriller with a twist — readers will be hooked from the very first page.

Connie Pickles is fulfilling her destiny. She's in Paris, and she has big plans. She will fall in love with someone other than William. She will find her long lost grandparents. She will become tres chic. But sometimes even destiny doesn't go to plan... Sabine Durrant has the laugh-out-loud humour of Louise Rennison, the sharp perception of Anne Fine and the instant girl-appeal of a younger Bridget Jones.

A COYOTE'S IN THE HOUSE is Elmore Leonard's first children's novel. Antwan is a coyote, living in the Hollywood Hills, who loves life on the wild side — running free in the woods with the wind in his fur, hanging with his gang the Diablos, grooming the pack for ticks and fleas and chasing anything that moves and might be edible. There's just one thing a wild dog's got to do — and that's keep away from humans. But then he meets Buddy. Buddy is a retired movie star (canine), who since he retired has lost his sparkle. He also happens to share a house with a very tasty poodle called Miss Betty. Antwan thinks it would be good for Buddy to try life on the wild side — so they decide to swap. But first, Antwan has to try life in the clean, shampooed, tinned-food and 'walkies' world of pampered domestic pooches. Which doesn't come naturally to a wild dog like him...

Flightless, helpless and often, frankly, more than a little silly, chickens are no match for the cunning, merciless foxes stalking their coop. Or are they? Thanks to a careless farmer and generations of determined foxes, the chickens on Foxearth Farm have evolved into quick-witted, long-legged, high flying fox dodgers. Then, just a week after a vicious fox ambush in the water trough, three sisters are hatched. And Ransome, Sims and Jefferies are no ordinary chicks: they grow up determined to fight back. They are the legendary Fox Busters.

Charlie Ashanti, the hero of LIONBOY, speaks cat — the language of all cats wild and domestic alike. His unusual talent helps him on his quest to find his kidnapped parents who have discovered a cure for asthma. The local cats of his home town (a futuristic London) start him on his search to solve the mystery of his missing parents, which leads him across the channel on board a circus ship bound for Paris. It is on this wonderful vessel that Charlie establishes a close relationship with the homesick circus lions who become his accomplices. But Charlie is in danger, for close behind him on his trail, is a crony of the mysterious group who have kidnapped his parents. They want Charlie too.

This is an uncompromising, compelling and true-to-life story of two teenagers drawn into the dangerous and destructive world of heroin addiction. This tour de force by an acclaimed and provocative writer should become a definitive teenage novel on this subject.

Big, bullying tom cat, Scarface Claw, Hairy Maclary's arch-enemy, is at the centre of this story. But like most bullies, Scarface turns out to be not quite as tough as he and the other animals think when he is scared by his own reflection.

This is the fourth book about the red-haired Anne Shirley from Green Gables. Now a young woman and her romance with Gilbert Blythe beginning to flourish, Anne Shirley becomes Principal of Summerside High School. But Summerside is virtually ruled by the Pringle family, who don't want Anne at the school. It takes all of Anne's courage and tact, and the comfort she draws from the eccentric household at Windy Willows, to overcome local prejudice and confront the dreaded Pringles.

When Colin's brother Luke becomes seriously ill with leukemia, he is determined to get the best help possible. He's sent to stay with relatives in London and works to go to the very top — the Queen first and, failing her, the best cancer doctor in the world. He is helped by a young man whose partner is dying of Aids — the ending cannot be happy, but is joyous in a way because it offers comfort and truth. The story is told with a wonderfully humorous touch.

As a rule, magic carpets don't turn up in schools, but this is exactly what happens when Class Three's new teacher flies in through the classroom window and lands on the floor with a bump. Mr Majeika can behave just like any ordinary teacher if he wants to, but something has to be done about Hamish Bigmore, the class nuisance, and so he uses a little magic to turn him into a frog. And to everyone's delight it looks as if Hamish will have to remain a frog because Mr Majeika can't remember the spell to turn him back again! With Mr Majeika in charge, suddenly life at school become much more exciting — there's even a magic-carpet ride to Buckingham Palace!

A big skeleton, a little skeleton and a dog skeleton live in the dark cellar of a dark house on a dark hill. The skeletons venture out of their cellar one night to find someone to scare, but everyone is in bed so they amuse themselves by scaring each other and playing with the skeleton animals that live in the zoo.

This book presents some of the best-loved stories in the world. Originating in Persia, India and Arabia, they were the daily entertainment of the common people. In this edition they are retold especially for children. This collection includes the voyages of Sindbad the Sailor, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and the Tale of the Hunchback.