Hodder Children's Books

Title : Trainers v Tiaras
Author: Grace Dent

For now, Shiraz is stuck on an estate in Goodmayes, Essex, with her sister Cava-Sue, her nightmare mum Diane and her loved-up mate Carrie. Hoodies, hip-hop and hanging about outside Claire's Accessories. Taking her flatulent Staffy for a walk. Lusting after local lad Wesley Barrington Baines II. It's a limited world for this loveable Essex dreamer. But when new English Teacher Miss Brackett arrives at Mayflower Academy, Shiraz is made to see there's more to life than getting excluded, suped up Vauxhall Novas and Chicago Town pizza. It's time Shiraz began thinking what she wants to do with life. And what sort of person she wants to be. A lot of snooty folk call Shiraz Bailey Wood a chav. Well if by 'Chav' you mean 'Charming, Hilarious, Articulate and Vibrant', Shizza doesn't mind that at all. Call her what you want. She don't care. She's keeping it real.

Title : Stoneheart
Author: Charlie Fletcher

Deep in the City something had been woken, so old that people had been walking past it for centuries without giving it a second look…’

When George breaks the dragon's head outside the Natural History Museum he awakes an ancient power. This prehistoric beast, sentry-still for centuries, hunts him down with a terrifying wrath. And this is just the beginning… The taints and spits – statues with opposing natures – are warring forces; wreaking deadly havoc on the city landscape. The World War One gunner offers protection of sorts; and the wisdom of the Sphinx is legendary. But George and his companion Edie are trapped in a world of danger. And worse – they are quite alone. The rest of London is oblivious to their plight.

This epic adventure exposes forces long-layered in the fabric of London. After entering its richly original and breathtaking world, the city streets and skyline will never again seem the same!

Title : 32C That's Me
Author: Chris Higgins

Jess seems to have it all, OK her parents are boring teachers - her dad even teaches at her school - but she has a gorgeous boyfriend, Muggs, landed the lead in the school play and her best friend Ali will always stick by her. She even gets on well with her older sister!
    
Then her mum is diagnosed with breast cancer and Jess's world is turned upside down and no one seems to understand what she's going through. Muggs is too busy with the play, her dad is never around to talk to and all of a sudden Ali is avoiding her. Jess soon starts to realise that maybe having it all isn't what really matters and maybe the people you thought you could depend on aren't the ones to trust.

A fantastic and touching debut from Chris Higgins, undoubtedly a new talent who identifies exactly where teenagers are coming from.

Title : The Recruit
Author: Robert Muchamore

A terrorist doesn’t let strangers in her flat because they might be undercover police or intelligence agents, but her children bring their mates home and they run all over the place.

The terrorist doesn’t know that a kid has bugged every room in her house, cloned the hard drive on her PC, and copied all the numbers in her phone book. The kid works for CHERUB.

CHERUB is not James Bond. There are no master criminals or high-tech gadgets. CHERUB kids live in the real world. They slip under adult radar and get information that sends criminals and terrorists to jail.

For official purposes, these children do not exist.

Title : Jupiter Williams
Author: S I Martin

London 1800. Jupiter is young, black, living at the African Academy in Clapham with other boys from wealthy Sierra Leonean families. His life is a mixture of privilege and dispossession as he copes with the cruelty of his teachers, the rivalries and tensions among his schoolmates, a sense of duty towards his younger brother Robert and guilt over the death of another brother in Africa. Throughout, Jupiter strives to maintain his dignity, his Christian faith and pride in his roots. 

But beyond the relative ease of Clapham lies another London, where poor black communities struggle for survival along the squalid reaches of the Thames. A world where Jupiter’s education and background mean nothing and skin colour alone determines fate. Into this world his younger brother Robert vanishes, and Jupiter is obliged to follow …

Title : The Way I See It
Author: Nicole Dryburgh

At the age of 11, Nicole Dryburgh was diagnosed with a malignant tumour on her spine. After an operation to remove the tumour, followed by an intensive course of radiotherapy, Nicole's life returned to normal and the doctors were pleased with her progress.

Two years later, aged 13, Nicole suffered a brain haemorrhage. Desperately ill, blind and unable to move, she was given weeks to live. Against all odds, she came home. 

Now aged 18, still blind and mainly confined to a wheelchair, Nicole is wholehearted and positive, whether she is studying, fund-raising, horse-riding, playing with her mischievous dogs or hanging out with her friends. Moving, inspiring, funny, unforgettable - Nicole's account of the last four years is the triumphant story of a refusal to give up hope.

Title : Pretty Things
Author: Sarra Manning

Brie is in love with Lancome Juicy Tubes, Louis Vuitton accessories and Charlie, her gay best friend.But Charlie is in love with 1960's pop art, 1980s teen movies ...and serial heartbreaker, Walker. Walker has only ever been in love with his VW Bug, until he meets Daisy. And Daisy is far too busy hating everyone to know what love is...

This is a story about kissing people you shouldn't, falling in love and off your heels, and breaking hearts because there'e nothing to watch on telly.