The Fair is the only good thing that happens every year. And Fiona Larson is the only person in town who's never been. She's pretended to go - but she's never been allowed. Because, before Fiona was even born, her sister died there. This year, everything will be different. Fiona is about to turn 12 - older than her sister was. This summer, Fiona will save some money, make new friends and finally have some fun at the Fair.

Twitch has three pet chickens, four pigeons, swallows nesting in his bedroom and a passion for bird-spotting. On the first day of the summer holidays, he arrives at his secret birdwatching hide to find police everywhere: a convicted robber has broken out of prison and is hiding in Aves Wood. Can Twitch use his talents for bird-spotting to hunt for the dangerous prisoner and find the missing loot?

Be warned! Awful animals lurk inside. These 10 tales of the world’s craziest creatures will have you shaking with laughter. You’ll never look at pets in the same way again! Marvel at Houdini, the magician’s rabbit. Take a trip around the world with Zoom, the supersonic tortoise. Gasp at the chaos created by Griselda, a grizzly bear with a big secret. And run for your lives! It’s Furp, the monstrous goldfish!

Washed up as a baby beside a remote lighthouse and raised by a mermaid, Alpha Lux was the first foundling at Haven Point. Now the lighthouse is a ramshackle home for any disabled person who needs somewhere to belong. Looting from passing ships to make a living, they call themselves the Wrecklings, and for the children of Haven Point life is spent adventuring on the wild shore (and getting into trouble with the grown-ups).

Here are six magical stories to thrill and enchant you. Listen as Blackberry Blue rises from the bramble patch; follow Emeka the pathfinder on his mission to save a lost king; and join Princess Desire as she gallops across the Milky Way on her jet-black horse. These beautifully written and original stories will delight listeners of all ages.

Billy’s mum isn’t like other mums. All she wants is to teach him the rules of survival - how to make fire, build shelter and find food. She likes to test Billy on the rules, until one day she goes too far and Billy is sent to live with a dad he barely knows. Then the world changes suddenly and forever, as people begin to be infected with a mysterious virus that turns their skin grey. As chaos breaks out and Billy has to flee the city, he knows that this is what his mum was preparing him for - not just to save his family, but to save the whole world.

Leo and his best friend, Sangeetha, are the odd ones out in their school. In fact, they seem to be the odd ones out no matter where they go in their small town. But as Leo's dad is always telling him, it's only because he's extra special, and Sangeetha is extra, extra special. Only thing is, if they're so special, how come Leo never sees anyone who likes him in the history books he loves to read? But on a special class trip to a nearby cathedral one day, Leo's attention is drawn to a large marble slab high above the doors of the hall, featuring a short list of names.

September, 1939. When Jimmy is evacuated to a small village in Wales, it couldn’t be more different from London. Green, quiet and full of strangers, he instantly feels out of place. But then he finds a skull hidden in a tree, and suddenly the valley is more frightening than the war. Who can Jimmy trust? His brother is too little; his best friend has changed. Finding an ally in someone he never expects, they set out together to uncover the secrets that lie with the skull. What they discover will change Jimmy - and the village - forever.

Bells is always writing to her sister, Katie, but Katie never replies. Preoccupied with her glamorous career in fashion, her busy life and her boyfriend, Sam, she just doesn't have the time. Then Bells announces that she's coming to stay. She's not a secret exactly, but...Sam doesn't know she exists. For Bells doesn't fit into Katie's perfect world. But when Bells does arrive, everything changes for Katie. Perhaps her perfect life isn't so perfect after all?

New from the winner of the Guardian Children's Book Award: Home Girl is the story of Naomi, a teenage girl growing up fast in the care system. It is a wholly modern story which sheds a much-needed light on what can be an unsettling life - and the consequences that can follow when children are treated like pawns on a family chessboard. Home Girl is fast-paced and funny, tender, tragic and full of courage - just like Naomi. It is award-winning author Alex Wheatle's most moving and personal novel to date.

Moving between London and Kenya, spanning almost two decades, Homecoming is a profound and moving story of love, family and friendship. It's about coming to terms with your past, opening yourself up to the exquisite pain and pleasure of love and of what happens when three lost souls, all bound by one person, come together and finally share their truths.

Since his mum died, Lucas and his dad don’t seem to understand each other at all. And Lucas is dreading the summer drama club that his dad has signed him up for. But the people Lucas meets at the club force him to open up and start talking. Can his new-found friends teach Lucas how to be himself? A beautiful, moving story of family, friendship and self-discovery, from the author of the high-acclaimed novels Ella on the Outside and Not My Fault.

All Sam wants is a family of his own, a home instead of a ‘house’ and parents he knows will still be there when he wakes up. Because Sam has been in and out of foster care his whole life, and he can’t imagine ever feeling like he truly belongs. Then his best friend, Leah, suggests that rather than wait for a family to come to him, he should go out and find one. So begins The Perfect Parent Project - a heart-warming and unforgettable story that follows Sam on his journey to find his perfect family, with surprising and unexpected results. 

Claire Swift can't think of anything worse than another holiday with the Wellbeloved family. The last trip together was a complete disaster - yet somehow, despite Claire's best efforts, they're all off to the Cornish coast again this summer. So, this time she's coming prepared. But becoming a domestic goddess to keep up with perfect Honor Wellbeloved isn't easy - especially when Claire is known for being clumsy and burns every meal she makes. And it's not long before her carefully laid plans are going spectacularly wrong.

When Empress starts at Aniya's school, they're not exactly best friends. But, when the two teenage girls accidentally cast a spell on their 16th birthday and end up switching bodies, they quickly learn that friendship is the most important magic of all.