Children's Historical Fiction

Like many 13-year-old girls, Sofia's main worries are how to get some groovy go-go boots, and how not to die of embarrassment giving a speech at school! But when her older brother Lenny starts talking about marches and protests and overstayers, and how Pacific Islanders are being bullied by the police for their passports and papers, a shadow is cast...

Master storyteller Tom Palmer returns with a deeply moving and beautifully told novel of friendship and belonging, inspired by the incredible true story of the Windermere Boys. The best children’s fiction book I’ve yet read about the Holocaust – Tim Robertson, CEO Anne Frank Trust Summer 1945. The Second World War is finally over and Yossi, Leo, and Mordecai are...

It’s 1861, and gold fever is sweeping the world. Otherwise sensible adults have gone mad and will do anything to get their hands on the precious metal. But two children have been caught up in the rush. Michael and Atarangi couldn’t be more different, but they share one thing: each has a remarkable and magical talent. Circumstances conspire to bring...

A day no one will ever forget ... Danny Crane and his mum moved from New York City to Pearl City, Hawaii, two months ago. Every day since, Danny has been making a plan to get back to NYC. He's not afraid of the crime or dark alleys there. And he's not afraid to stow away on the next ship...

A hotel opening, a budding romance, a missing locket and . . . a ghost. Josephine Eloise Thomas and her family are getting ready for the grand opening of their hotel. And with the surprise gifting of a beautiful tabby kitten from Josephine's next-door neighbours, the Martins, things are looking up. Until chaos strikes. To start, the criminal mastermind Anastasia,...

Before the Steven Spielberg film, before the National Theatre production, there was the classic children’s novel – War Horse. From the nation’s favourite storyteller, Michael Morpurgo. In the deadly chaos of the First World War, one horse witnesses the reality of battle from both sides of the trenches. Bombarded by artillery, with bullets knocking riders from his back, Joey tells...

Visiting his dad’s hometown in Japan four months after his father’s death would be hard enough for Ben. But one morning, the pain turns to fear: first, a massive earthquake rocks the quiet coastal village, nearly toppling his uncle’s house. Then the ocean waters rise, and Ben and his family are swept away—and pulled apart—by a devastating tsunami. Can he...

It was supposed to be unsinkable... George Calder must be the luckiest kid alive—he and his little sister, Phoebe, are sailing with their aunt on the Titanic, the greatest ship ever built! George can’t resist exploring every inch of the incredible boat, even if it gets him into trouble. But one night while George is off exploring, a terrible boom...

It’s 1936 in Berlin and Evie Harris can't believe her luck: She's competing in the Olympics, along with fellow American athletes like Jesse Owens. True, there's something creepy about Germany's leader, Adolf Hitler, who watches over the games with his Nazi henchmen. But Evie's just here to win a gold medal in gymnastics for her country. Until she discovers a...

An irresistible dark fae romantasy, inspired by Welsh mythology and perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Faebound, Leigh Bardugo, and Holly Black's The Cruel Prince. Ceridwen Parry has run away with the fairies. But this is not her story. For Sabrina Parry, the world is tough, cruel, and practical. With her father in prison, her aims in life are:...

Three different kids. One mission in common: ESCAPE. Josef is a Jewish boy in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world… Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on...

Want to know the greatest feats and the funniest secrets of the gods and heroes of Greek mythology? You're in the right place. Told in the hilarious, kid-friendly voice that's sent the Greeking Out podcast to the top of the charts, these stories of heroic victories, perilous adventures, and plain old mischief are sure to delight kids and adults alike....

A thrilling new fantasy about the lengths two sisters will go for each other from Rebecca Ross, the extraordinary Sunday Times and New York Times number-one-bestselling author of Divine Rivals. Perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes, Sky In the Deep, and Court of Fives. Two sisters… one unbreakable bond Evadne is finally going to be reunited with her...

After ten years fighting in the Trojan War, Greek hero Odysseus faces an even greater challenge- getting home Voyages across the sea, man-eating monsters, witches, gods, and goddesses- The Odyssey is the ultimate adventure story. Take a journey across the sea and follow the heroic, catastrophic, and sometimes downright gruesome tales of the Greek king Odysseus in this modern retelling...

In Nazi-occupied Denmark, ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen is called upon for a selfless act of bravery to help save her best friend from a terrible fate. Winner of the Newbery Medal. “They plan to arrest all the Danish Jews. They plan to take them away. And we have been told that they may come tonight.” It is 1943 and life in...

A trip to Paris and Versailles, an escaped convict, an ancient underground cave network, family mysteries and . . . ghosts. Josephine Eloise Thomas is in Paris receiving a huge reward for solving one of the world’s greatest art heists. But she’s not alone. Gabriel Barbier, the gorgeous French boy who helped her solve the crime is there too, along...

From million-copy bestselling author Liz Kessler comes the powerful new landmark World War II novel for fans of Michael Morpurgo and Phil Earle. When Liv finds a secret box from her grandmother’s childhood, she uncovers an extraordinary wartime story of bravery, betrayal, and daring defiance—a story that will change Liv and her family forever… Holland, 1942. The world is at...

A lover in peril. A nation under threat. The clock is ticking . . . Winter is drawing thick in 1932 Shanghai, as is the threat of a Japanese invasion. Rosalind Lang's identity as a national spy has been exposed. Orion has been taken, his memories wiped. Their marriage might have been a sham, but Rosalind won't rest until she...

An epic and exhilarating story of deception, love and revenge, from the extraordinary Sunday Times and New York Times number-one-bestselling author of Divine Rivals. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sarah J Maas, and Shelby Mahurin. Brienna is an arden, a student of the five passions – art, music, wit, dramatics, and knowledge. On the summer solstice in her seventeenth...

All is well in Gabriel’s Gully, the ramshackle gold rush town. But not for long. Michael and Atarangi have become firm friends with Siu, a Chinese miner’s daughter who came to the schoolhouse to learn. But when bad news from the coast draws their parents away, things take a shocking turn. Disaster strikes, and sinister faces from the past reappear....

The powerful new novel from master storyteller Katrina Nannestad. I don't want to remember the truck, or the night I was taken, or the family I left behind. I am not a sad Polish girl. I am a good and happy German girl. I am. I am. I am. It's the Second World War, and Himmler's Lebensborn Program is in...

Nathaniel Fox never imagined he'd find himself in the middle of a blood-soaked battlefield, fighting for his life. He's only eleven years old! He's barely paid attention to the troubles between America and England. Instead, he's been worked to the bone by his cruel uncle. But when his uncle's rage forces him to flee home suddenly, Nate finds himself in...

Behold 20 brand-new, hilarious adaptations of classic tales from Greek mythology, written by the dynamic duo behind the smash hit podcast Greeking Out! Want to know the greatest feats and strangest secrets of the Olympians and other gods, goddesses and heroes of Greek mythology? You’re in the right place! Told in the same fresh, tongue-in-cheek voice that’s made National Geographic...

Multi-award-winning author Tom Palmer shines a light on life under wartime occupation, in a beautifully told story inspired by the childhood of Hollywood legend Audrey Hepburn. As the brutal Second World War stretches on with no end in sight, life for ordinary Dutch people in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands is fraught with peril and hardship. There is very little to eat,...

Meet Pocket, created as a good luck charm for soldiers going into battle, whose bravery and loyalty lives on long after the war. Thimble-born from tip to toe, Pocket Bear remembers every moment of his becoming: the glimmering needle, the silken thread, the tender hands as each careful stitch brought him closer to himself. Born during the throes of WWI,...

Barry's family tries to evacuate before Hurricane Katrina hits their home in New Orleans. But when his little sister gets terribly sick, they're forced to stay home and wait out the storm. At first, Katrina doesn't seem to be as bad as predicted. But overnight the levees break and Barry's world is literally torn apart. He's swept off by the...

When her tribe is defeated in battle, Atapo is captured and becomes a slave of her enemies. Freedom seems impossible; the penalty for runaway slaves is death. But when sickness strikes the village, Atapo is blamed—and now it is even more dangerous to stay. To save her life, she escapes to the Pakeha mission station at Paihia. There, Atapo is...

From the bestselling author of Wonder comes White Bird - an unforgettable Second World War story about bravery, friendship, and the power of kindness. Soon to be a major film starring Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson. From the bestselling author of Wonder comes White Bird - an unforgettable Second World War story about bravery, friendship, and the power of kindness....

The seventh thrilling (and rather theatrical) murder mystery from bestselling author Robin Stevens. Someone will take their final bow . . . Fresh from their adventure in Hong Kong, Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells are off to the Rue Theatre in London to face an entirely new challenge - acting. But danger has a nasty habit of catching up with...

A new heart-wrenching, impeccably researched historical novel for middle-grade readers The Nazis want everyone to be the same. If you're different, you don't belong. Not belonging is dangerous ... Anna's little sister, Eva, is frail and needs time to learn new things. She has a huge heart and a gift for loving, but Hitler doesn't value such riches. And so...

In the 80th anniversary year, Jackie French explores the dropping of the bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, which ended World War 2. 1942 Japan has bombed Sydney Harbour. Sixteen-year-old Ossie lies about his age to protect his country, even though it means abandoning his only family, a one-eyed dog named Lucky. Kind-hearted Mrs Plum is already looking...

A battle that changes the course of the war... Paul Colbert’s French village has been under Nazi control for years. His Jewish best friend has disappeared. Food is scarce. And there doesn’t seem to be anything Paul can do to make things better. Then Paul finds an American paratrooper stuck in a tree. When Paul helps the soldier, he discovers...

Embark on an epic journey, in the jaw-dropping sequel to the bestselling and highly acclaimed Wolf Road, based on real archaeological discoveries, from award-winning historian and television presenter, Alice Roberts. Perfect for fans of Hannah Gold and Michelle Paver. The seasons are changing and Tuuli, along with her faithful wolf cub, Lupa, is on the move. Leaving her tribe behind, she...

The thrilling conclusion to Ryan Graudin's Carnegie Medal 2017 nominated alternative history and fantasy epic, WOLF BY WOLF. In 1950s Germany, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun . . .There would be blood. Blood for blood. Blood to pay. An entire world of it. With their mission to overthrow the Nazis in danger, Yael and...

The deadliest disease in the history of the world... Elsie dreams of becoming a brave warrior like her father, who is an archer fighting in England’s war against France. But life isn’t fair in 1348 Europe. Peasant girls like Elsie can’t be archers or knights or anything exciting. Then one day in the forest, Elsie and her best friend discover...

Children of the Rush - Book 3 is the third and final book in the Children of the Rush middle grade novel trilogy. It is historical fiction, set in Otago and Hokitika, New Zealand during the gold rushes of the 1860s. Atarangi, Michael, and Siu have crossed the Southern Alps and settled in Hokitika just as a new gold rush...

Don't miss any of the action in the final thrilling instalment of Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles trilogy. The Serpent's Shadow (The Kane Chronicles Book 3) follows Carter and Sadie Kane, descendants of the magical House of Life, who are in pretty big trouble. Despite their bravest efforts, Apophis, the giant snake of Chaos, is still threatening to plunge the world...

Enter the Grishaverse with the Shadow and Bone bestselling trilogy and international Netflix sensation by no. 1 New York Times bestselling author, Leigh Bardugo. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Laini Taylor. "This is what fantasy is for." - The New York Times Book Review All three books in Leigh Bardugo's New York Times-bestselling Shadow and Bone Trilogy...

Penguin Readers are made for people learning English as an additional language. The short, simple texts are also perfect for anyone looking for a shorter read. This ELT Graded Reader is made for people learning English as an additional language. The short, simple text is also perfect for anyone looking for an easier read. It is an adapted version of...

From No. 1 bestselling children’s author David Walliams comes his biggest and most epic adventure! Illustrated by the artistic genius Tony Ross. This is the story of a ten-year-old orphan and a 10,000-year-old mammoth… Read all about it! Read all about it! ICE MONSTER FOUND IN ARCTIC! When Elsie, an orphan on the streets of Victorian London, hears about the...

From actor and writer Felicia Day, a sapphic graphic novel about the forgotten sister of Helen of Troy, for fans of Lore Olympus and Girl Goddess Queen. Helen. Clytemnestra. Timandra. Three famous sisters and one shared curse – that each will betray their husband. As the youngest sister, Philonoe is desperate not to follow in their footsteps. After pleading with...

A deadly and strange disaster... It's been four years since Carmen and Papa moved from Italy to Boston. Life here is exciting, but not always easy. And then there's the massive metal tank that rises up over their crowded North End neighbourhood. The ugly tank, filled with sticky brown molasses, has always leaked. But nobody imagined that it could one...

A French village, new friends, fabulous food, a local mystery to be solved and... a ghost. She snaps the locket shut. Just as quickly as he appeared, the boy is gone. Josephine's heart is hammering. Her skin feels prickly and hot. Surely, she's imagined him. That's the only possible explanation. Because boys don't live in lockets. Not unless they're ghosts....

Nation by Terry Pratchett is a masterpiece—a desert island story of epic and hilarious proportions. Now available in this brand-new, stunning edition. Widely thought of as the best book Terry Pratchett ever wrote, this is a story of a Nation, a story of a friendship, a story of growing up and the truths we must learn. It is epic in...

A new heart-wrenching, well-researched historical novel for middle-grade readers. 'The weirdest thing,' continues Tove, 'is that I don't feel any different to the rest of you.' 'That's because you're not!' snaps Birgitte. 'You're Danish.' 'So why do the Nazis hate me and not you?' When twelve-year-old Viggo and his friends Finn, Tove, Birgitte and Konrad start writing rude letters to...

Enter the enthralling world of Deepdean School for Girls with the super-special 10th anniversary edition of Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens. This gripping, award-winning mystery introduces readers to the unforgettable schoolgirl detectives, Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong. In celebration of a decade of intrigue, this edition includes a new introduction from the author and exclusive, never-before-seen bonus content that...

In the dead of winter, deep in the Forest of Ardennes, as the devastation of World War II drew to a close, a desperate Nazi army launches a surprise attack on Allied forces in the early morning hours of December 16th. As the ground is blown apart by mortar shells and an endless curtain of bullets rains down upon them,...

Trapped by an evil dictatorship, will Cristian be forced to betray his family or will he risk everything he loves to resist? A powerful, heart-breaking thriller based on real events. I Must Betray You is a gripping tale set against the backdrop of a repressive dictatorship. Cristian has lived his entire life under the constant threat of fear imposed by...

The most powerful earthquake in American history... Growing up in the Alaskan wilderness, Jackson has always prided himself on being tough. His family lives in a tiny cabin where their neighbours are grizzlies and wolves. The nearest store is a three-day walk away. Jackson loves his life... until a fire destroys the family’s cabin, and they have to move to...

Perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood and Small Favors, this genre-bending page-turner from New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux follows two girls who transport themselves into the world of their favourite book only to encounter the sinister alternate reality that awaits them. No matter how different best friends Adelle and Connie are, one thing they’ve always had in...

A hilarious tale of history come to life from the nation’s favourite storyteller, Michael Morpurgo, best-selling author of War Horse. Living with a ghost can have its difficulties, I discovered, even if he is your friend. Remember Sir Walter Raleigh, who laid his cloak in a puddle so Queen Elizabeth I could walk across? Well, Bess meets his ghost and...

Holland, 1943: In the last eighteen months of World War II, 14-year-old Anna’s life becomes a perilous world of secrets and danger. Her town in German-occupied southern Holland is transformed into a war zone, where trust is rare, and courage and resistance are everything. When the Nazis begin arresting local men and deporting them to work in German factories, Anna’s...

Remember, you are bound by the Official Secrets Act… Summer, 1940. Nineteen-year-old Jakob Novis and his quirky younger sister Lizzie share a love of riddles and puzzles. And now they’re living inside of one. The quarrelsome siblings find themselves amidst one of the greatest secrets of World War II—Britain’s eccentric codebreaking factory at Bletchley Park. As Jakob joins Bletchley’s top...

From million-copy bestselling author David Walliams comes his first ever murder mystery – with thrills, spills, and laughs galore. Dilly loves a good murder. Not a REAL murder. A made-up murder. One you would find in a murder-mystery novel. Sherlock Holmes is her favourite detective. She even named her dog Watson after his faithful companion and trained him to sniff...

The biggest children's book of the year! The Midwatch is the long-awaited new middle-grade novel from internationally bestselling author–illustrator Judith Rossell, creator of the multi-award-winning novel Withering-by-Sea. ‘The city was stuffed full of wickedness, everyone knew that …’ Banished to the Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways and Unwanted Girls, Maggie Fishbone is sure she’s in for a life of drudgery....

Four Christmases have passed since the world went to war in 1914. Struggling to survive in the trenches, close to enemy lines, amid the terror of gunfire and the whine of warplanes, Kiwi soldier Henry Hunt rescues a shaken little dog. He has no idea he’ll soon be facing a disciplinary hearing. To Henry’s relief, the Major allows the little...

The powerful novel from award-winning Australian writer Katrina Nannestad. Shortlisted in the 2021 CBCA Book of the Year Awards. Winner of the 2021 Australian Book Design Awards. Longlisted in the 2021 Australian Book Industry Awards. Sometimes it's good to be wild. Sometimes you have to be wild. When the Russian Army marches into East Prussia at the end of the...

This handsome boxed set of Homer’s epics — powerfully retold by Gillian Cross and strikingly illustrated by Neil Packer — belongs on every reader’s bookshelf. Epic and thrilling, Homer’s two age-old classics have been revisited countless times. Gillian Cross and Neil Packer’s exquisite versions of The Iliad and The Odyssey make up an essential set for both Homer collectors and...

A stunning full-colour illustrated adaptation of H. G. Wells' sci-fi classic, from the illustrator of A Boy Called Christmas and The Iron Man. 1894. Across space, this Earth is being watched by envious eyes. What seems to be a meteorite falls to Earth, but from the debris unfolds a terrifying alien threat... Leon and his scientist wife race against the...

An adventure in Singapore, family bonding, ongoing threats and... many ghosts. Josephine Eloise Thomas is off to Singapore to visit her best friend Harriet and meet her uncle, aunt and cousins for the first time. With the ghost of Louis XVII and her gorgeous boyfriend, Gabriel, accompanying her, it's bound to be the trip of a lifetime. When they encounter...

Discover Puffin Clothbound Classics - gorgeously giftable editions of the best-loved classics for young readers. Find love in this stunning, abridged Puffin Clothbound Classic edition of Pride and Prejudice, designed for readers aged 9-12 years. 'My good opinion once lost is lost forever.' When two rich young gentlemen move to town, they don't go unnoticed – especially by Mrs Bennett,...

Meet accidental time traveller Lily Tripp as she bounces throughout history navigating friendship dramas, first love and family. It's Lottie Brooks meets Back to the Future! "A laugh-out-loud, brilliantly funny story that took me straight back to my teenage years and my own secret diary. Clever, time-bending, and irresistible. I can't wait to see where Lily goes next" — HANNAH...

In this gorgeous stand-alone cozy fantasy romance perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Allison Saft, a rebellious witch undertakes a last-ditch quest to restore magic to medieval Wales—as two princes vie for her heart.Magic is fading from Wales—choked off by King Offa’s Dyke, the enemy earthworks that spans the entire border. Even the dragons have disappeared. And now an...

ONE MOMENT CAN CHANGE A LIFE FOREVER. "An exceptional read" — The Sunday Times "Vital glimmers of hope enlighten this profoundly poignant book" — The Guardian A powerful and heart-breaking novel about three childhood friends living during the Second World War whose fates are closely intertwined, even when their lives take very different courses. Inspired by a true story, this...

A powerful new historical novel from one of New Zealand's best-loved YA authors An exciting new novel from the author of Alex. In September 1840, two ships arrive on the shores of the Waitemata Harbour to establish Auckland, the new capital of New Zealand. Among the settlers on board the Platina is young Harry, travelling alone and determined to return...

The adventures of the time-travelling Butterfly Club continue . . .Film is set to become the new craze. Butterfly Club member and filmmaker Georges Mlis pleads to be allowed to go forward in time to harvest a movie camera from the future to make his ambitious film, A Trip to the Moon.The Butterfly Club call up Professor Lorenz's hologram from...

Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer is an intriguing tale where Harper Wells finally gets a bedroom of her own, away from her annoying big brother. However, on the first night in her new bed, she mysteriously wakes up in the past and meets a troubled young girl named Edie. Has befriending Edie changed the course of Australia's history? Who does...

An eleven-year-old’s straight-from-the-heart account of life through the Canterbury quakes and shakes of 2010-11. Anyone would think Maddy’s world had crumbled when she didn’t get a cell phone for her eleventh birthday. But Maddy soon has far more important things to worry about. In the dark of night, with a terrifying rumble and a deafening roar, the world turns upside...

Fall head over broomstick in love with this swoon-worthy, witchy romantic fantasy, perfect for fans of Twin Crowns, Divine Rivals and Stephanie Garber. For the Kingdom. For the magic. And for love . . . Seventeen-year-old Aurelia Wycherley is entering her debutante season as a witch. Aurelia should be excited about finding the perfect match to tether her magic to....

Twelve-year-old twin sisters Rada and Dariia Popkova couldn't be more different. Dariia is outgoing and chatty while Rada is quieter and artsy. But what they have in common is their love for each other and their home. The family lives in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which is attacked by the Russians on February 24th, 2022. The attack separates the...

Five minutes ... Two minutes ... Young soldier Jim McLeod waits in the trenches of World War I for the order to attack the enemy. With him are his friends and Nipper, the messenger dog. When they charge across no-man’s land, Jim is shot ... and finds himself face-to-face with an enemy soldier. A sensitively-written war story that shows the...

Peter, a boy of five, makes an extraordinary journey through war-torn Europe, travelling with his parents from a small Hungarian town, through Austria and on to Germany. Along the way, unforgettable images of adventure flash one after another: sleeping in a tent and then under the night sky, discovering a disused brick factory, catching butterflies in the meadows. Before Peter...

Young Joe is living in pre-World War II Berlin, with his British father and NZ mother, attending school and witnessing the excitement of his friends who are enthusiastically joining the Hitler Youth Movement. Joe feels uncomfortable with the growing mistreatment of local Jews, and after the arrest of his father as a spy, he is forced to escape from Berlin...

"I have been accused of whitewashing the Nazi leadership in my memoirs. Some people say I make them seem human. But therein lies the problem. I saw these men up close. They were human. If we think of them only as monsters and demons we may lose sight of the fact that they were very much like you and I....

Young Michael Morpurgo always loved the small painting of a boat hanging on Aunty Iris’s wall. But all she would ever say about it was that her beloved Alfie had painted it and given it to her years ago—before he’d left for France during World War II and had never come back. Michael decides to try and find out what...

Sometimes your only weapon is the will to survive... Taken from their home, forced to leave their country, put to work in labour camps, frozen and starved, Adam and his family doubt that they will ever make it out alive. Even if they were to get away, they might freeze to death, or starve, or the bears might get them....

Four wonderful stories from the world of nature written by master storyteller, Michael Morpurgo. You have to breathe the world in deep, and all its creatures too ... become part of it. Immerse yourself in the great outdoors and travel around the country in these four heart-warming modern fables. Join Michael, who spots a whale on the shores of the...