Hodder Children's Books

Title : Gladiator Boy 1: A Hero's Quest
Author: David Grimstone

When Decimus Rex is kidnapped by slave-takers and arrives at the Arena Primus, he is convinced he has the strength and determination to earn his freedom. However, in order to do this, he must outshine his fellow slaves and endure trials involving burning hot coals, hammers, spikes and combat. Throughout it all, he is under the burning eye of the trial-master Slavious Doom. For Decimus Rex, the journey to manhood has just begun...

Title : Gladiator Boy 2: Escape from Evil
Author: David Grimstone

Captured by slave-takers, Decimus Rex is forced to endure a series of trials in the dreaded Arena of Doom. With his five cellmates, Decimus faces a race over burning hot coals. He is then is forced into violent hand-to-hand combat with a fellow slave. Life can’t get any more difficult than this... or can it? Will he ever be free? Or will he be subject to the cruel overlord Slavious Doom for ever?

Title : Gladiator Boy 3: Stowaway Slaves
Author: David Grimstone

Decimus Rex has escaped Arena Primus in the company of a fellow slave, Olu Umbika. Together, the pair has managed to do what no one else has ever done – flee the clutches of Slavious Doom. As expected, the overlord is furious and demands their immediate capture. A frantic and determined search follows. From the wild dogs running riot in the sewers, to the soldiers scouring the towns above, it seems only a matter of time before they are caught.

Title : Gladiator Boy 4: The Rebels' Assault
Author: David Grimstone

Decimus Rex has escaped Arena Primus in the company of a fellow slave, Olu Umbika. Together, they manage to board a slave ship and sail away from the trials and Slavious Doom. But now their four friends are being used as bait to get them to return. Can Decimus and Olu get to the Suvius Tower in time to rescue them from Slavious Doom's devoted servant's evil plans?

Title : Gladiator Boy 5: Rescue Mission
Author: David Grimstone

Decimus Rex is once more back in the clutches of the evil Slavious Doom. Tasked with entering the catacombs beneath the arena to bring back the fabled Blade of Fire, Decimus immediately demands the release of all his friends in return for agreeing to take on the mission. Doom, however, has other plans...

Title : Gladiator Boy 6: The Blade of Fire
Author: David Grimstone

Decimus Rex is fighting his way through the perilous maze beneath the arena to locate the blade of fire, a legendary sword that Doom is intent upon possessing. But before he can retrieve the sword, Decimus must first rescue his friends. Will he manage it, or is his time about to run out?

Title : Diary of a Snob 1
Author: Grace Dent

Poppet Montague-Jones is 15, 87th in line to the British throne and soon to inherit a whopping trust fund. Unlike her sister Kitten - legendary wild child and society columnist in London Alive (see Diary of a Chav), Poppet is a troubled and ill-fitting teenager who is at an impressionable age, and doesn't quite know how to launch herself into the world.

Poppet spends much of her time daydreaming and getting bossed about by her flamboyant school friends, Vixen Blaze Brocklehurst and Striker Earhart. Between them, the girls get up to all sorts of high jinks a la St Trinians at school and in their stinkingly rich 'hood', not giving much thought to their future. They're rich, so who cares! Poppet's Mum Saskia has her future in hand anyway: a career in fashion and marriage to nice, loaded, Felix Hayes Burlington across the road.

Thing is, Poppet is not entirely sure it's what she really wants. Isn't there more to life than charity lunches and yoga? Is Poppet destined for a life of designer grunge and decadence without lifting a finger to earn her own living, or is she brave enough to break out of the mould?

Title : Night World Bind Up 3 (Books 7-9)
Author: Lisa J Smith

In 'Huntress', Jez Redfern is wild and dangerous, and the leader of a gang of Night World vampires. But Jez discovers a shocking secret, and faces a terrifying choice: she must either remain a deadly crusader of evil, or fight to protect innocent mortals from her former friends ... But can she resist her instinct for blood? 

In 'Black Dawn', Maggie Neely's biggest worry is leading her soccer team to victory - until her brother, Miles, goes missing. Maggie must find him. Her search leads Maggie to the vampire, Delos, to whom she is strangely attracted. But while Delos lives, Miles could be lost forever. Can Maggie bring herself to destroy him? Or will Delos get to Maggie first?

In 'Witch Light', Keller is part shapeshifter, part panther. She is searching for a new Wild Power. But can the dizzy human girl, Iliana, really be it? And then there's the dashing, romantic Galen. Keller has strong feelings for him. But he's destined to be Iliana's soulmate. Can Keller keep away? Or will she break her promise, and fall in love?