Jane Austen: A Life

Claire Tomalin

Claire Tomalin brings her extraordinary gifts of scholarship, fluent writing and empathy for her subjects to bear on one of our greatest, and most elusive, novelists. Widely acclaimed as the finest of Austen biographies, the book offers us "a brave, sharp-tongued character who fairly bounces off the pag...

All the Ways to be Smart

Davina Bell

Smart is not just ticks and crosses,smart is building boats from boxes.Painting patterns, wheeling wagons,being mermaids, riding dragons … From the award-winning creators of The Underwater Fancy-dress Parade and Under the Love Umbrella comes this joyful ode to all the unique and wonderful qualities that...

I'd Rather Not

Robert Skinner

"I was sleeping in what might reasonably be described as a ditch, though I tried not to think of it in those terms for morale reasons … " Robert Skinner arrives in the city, searching for a richer life. Things begin badly and then, surprisingly, get slightly worse. Pretty soon he’s sleeping rough and t...

West Girls

Laura Elizabeth Woollett

'I chose the jagged rocks, the broken bones, the spattered brains. I chose beauty. I'd choose it again.' Luna Lewis is white. But her friends aren't, nor are her brothers, nor her one-time Princess of Indonesia-finalist stepmother. After transforming from pudgy preteen to 'exotic' beauty, Luna reinvent...

Artichoke to Zucchini: An Alphabet of Delicious Things from Around the World

Alice Oehr

A is for artichokes and long spears of asparagus. It's for bright, creamy avocados and salty little anchovies ... From apple pie to zeppole, and everything in between, Artichoke to Zucchini introduces young readers to fruit, vegetables, and dishes from around the globe. Full of tasty favourites and de...