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A classic quest premise drives Alex from an unusual shop encounter towards a dragon's lair. The adventure is framed around courage, fear, friendship and choices that may change his life.

Louis’s reasons for joining include wages and the Union’s fight to end slavery. The story follows his experience in the Irish Brigade and brings together the perspectives of an Abenaki teenager and the Civil War.

A teen’s attempt to turn grief into a list of brave experiences drives this novel. Drawing, friendship, family strain and a developing crush all shape Georgia’s search for what living fully means to her.

A family-centred story about June preparing for a church choir solo, with Sunday routines and encouragement from relatives woven into the lead-up.

A fantasy adventure combines monster battles and a perilous rescue with Cameron’s struggle against anxiety. Friendship, danger and the consequences of loss drive the journey.

This historical adventure centres on Chico’s friendship with a donkey amid wartime animal transport. The story also brings together people of different ages and nationalities.

Fox’s friendship with Star shapes his familiar forest life. After Star’s light goes out, Fox feels the change and journeys beyond the world he knows to search for Star, encountering new friends.

A friendship-and-rescue story set amid occupation, food shortages and Nazi soldiers in Copenhagen. Annemarie’s family shelters Ellen, then Annemarie faces a dangerous task connected with keeping her friend safe.

This fantasy-adventure follows Wolf’s efforts to protect animals and investigate their deaths. The story also brings friendship, courage, greed and revenge into the conflict.

This is a coming-of-age story about a troubled teenager sent to live and work with an older rancher. A turquoise bear carving, Cloyd’s Ute heritage and a dangerous mountain journey shape the story.

A modern fairy-tale fantasy brings together bereavement, nightmares and a magical threat. Angel and Bavar must learn to rely on one another as they face monsters and a rift between worlds.

A nature-rich animal adventure follows a young vole family travelling in search of safety.

A playful, romantic fantasy about finding courage to approach someone you like, told through both Zuzana’s and Mik’s perspectives and shaped by an elaborate treasure hunt.

Expect a mystery-driven adventure grounded in Ranofer’s aspiration to practise goldsmithing and his effort to expose his half-brother’s theft. The ancient Egyptian setting is described in substantial detail.

A child’s attempt to turn gardening into a way to earn money becomes a story about balancing a personal goal with friendship and neighbourhood pressures.

This is a story about caring for birds and trying to address a problem beyond one school. It also follows Jimmy as he navigates attention from others and the challenge of speaking to the town council.

A curious girl challenges the mystery surrounding a feared king. Magic, a spell, and an unexpected new place in village life give this fanciful tale a playful premise.

A linked fantasy collection with different heroines and challenges: a rescue journey, a princess finding her own magical abilities, and a girl learning to manage dragon transformations.

A determined girl searches for her missing father in a forest associated with a deadly beast, in a magical Beauty and the Beast retelling.

This is a supernatural school story in which Rose balances friendship and romantic complications with escalating danger. A winter trip becomes a rescue mission after three friends leave to face the Strigoi threat.

A school lesson in getting lost on purpose sets off fantastical adventures. The overview says the girls learn about courage, strength, bravery and teamwork, but does not explain what happens in each adventure.

A historical adventure centred on Bree’s uncertain position among captors, with mystery, the hope of ransom and explicitly Christian language about courage and freedom.

A childhood story about music, friendship and adapting when illness interrupts a much-loved activity. Millie is an imagined character; Oscar Peterson’s childhood and musical path provide the real-life inspiration.

The story follows CC as she considers her future, guided by an ancient book, alongside children from different backgrounds. Its historical notes may add context to the adventure.

This is a story about a reluctant ranch summer, a horse partnership and a discovery that gives Paley a reason to act bravely.

A fantasy adventure about Midge’s encounter with fairies facing a threat to their existence, as their world meets the human one.

This is a fantasy adventure about training for a war, but it also puts Evie's ideas about princesshood, family and compassion under pressure.

This is a fantasy adventure that pairs a missing-sister search with a wider threat to a kingdom. Collun's belief that he is a coward gives his journey a personal challenge as well as external dangers.

This instalment centres on a final quest goal: finding the last gem before the companions can free Deltora. The Valley’s dark mysteries are presented as a challenge that courage and strength alone may not solve.

The story pairs an escape adventure with questions of identity and friendship: Arthur gains a name and a loyal companion after a life of harsh treatment. Its fantasy world includes animal-human groundlings and a ban on music.

This is a fantasy adventure centred on Lirael’s mission and emerging sense of destiny, with Prince Sameth also drawn into a threat to the Old Kingdom.

This is an adventure about learning a demanding warrior’s way while facing pursuit and fear. Jack’s training and the frightening ritual give the story a strong focus on courage under pressure.

This blends a child’s worry about a missing parent with a story-within-the-story about Marco Polo. The historical adventures give Mark something absorbing to follow while he waits.

This is a supernatural adventure about a boy’s attempt to find his father, alongside a ghostly companion. Horses, fear and mysteries about the past and the wider world shape the premise.

This is an animal adventure about three pets travelling through the Canadian wilderness to search for their owners. Their arduous journey involves suffering and stress, alongside loyalty and courage.

The premise centres on a young person wishing for the problem-solving certainty of fiction while facing school and family pressures.

This is a fantasy adventure about a newly adopted child who discovers a hidden connection to his family’s past and chooses to help someone trapped in another world.

This is a family-and-friendship story about a boy facing a personal challenge: finding the courage to express his feelings. Its emotional centre appears to be Louis's inner experience.

A whimsical tale of a shadow seeking a life beyond its familiar routine, as its singing, dancing and play inspire other shadows to change.

A fantasy quest puts a timid sister in an unfamiliar role: seeking a cure while facing dangers she feels unready for. Sisterly devotion and the search for courage are central.

This is both a Hardy brothers detective book and an introduction to police investigative methods, with case-based examples followed by explanations of techniques.

This is an adventure about a group of young heroes facing a puzzling search, alongside a story of friendships and romances reaching a turning point.

A fantasy mystery follows Vega as she deciphers clues after Quentin disappears, facing dangers beyond her village and within it. The story centres on investigation, secrecy and a heroine risking her life.

This is a magical-creature adventure built around a hidden sanctuary, family ties and rules that can be broken. Its central conflict grows from a threat to the refuge and Kendra’s need to face her fears.

This is an animal-led adventure built around a search for missing friends, with courage and wit tested by a difficult mountain journey.

The chickens leave the farm for a pirate voyage and enter the territory of the Dog Knights. Courage and mercy are named among the lessons of their journey.

A family’s fear grows as a huge black dog watches their home. Small Hope faces it, leads it on a chase, and discovers a playful way to bring it inside.