What Are You Looking For?

This is a contemporary thriller about craving adventure, taking a risk and discovering that a promising escape may be dangerous.

This is a family-and-adventure story about teenage werewolf siblings balancing school and sibling relationships with a threat to the woods they secretly use.

This blends magical sea creatures with a story about caring for an injured Aquicorn and deciding how a town should live alongside the sea. Family support and Lana's growing independence also matter.

This is an emotionally focused story about a fatal skating accident, a heart transplant and two families changed by loss and survival. Its speculative connection between the girls sits alongside realistic tensions about grief, dependence, independence and parental expectations.

A relationship-focused coming-of-age story about a girl confronting a mother’s long absence, a changed family, friendship difficulties and new caring responsibilities. Poetry and supportive relationships help Apple express complicated feelings.

A horse-centred story about returning home, changing relationships and deciding whether to remain with a familiar life or pursue an uncertain new opportunity.

Caraval offers an immersive fantasy built around uncertainty: Scarlett must find her missing sister while trying to decide what within the game is real. Sisterly protection, escape from control and choosing one’s own path are central strands.

This is a character-led story about a teenager balancing home rules, friendships, school, family loyalties and hopes for change. Kendra’s architectural sketches and private thoughts suggest a young person forming ambitions while adults’ decisions shape her circumstances.

A visually imaginative story about fear, self-soothing and growing independence. Toby’s rescue of Henry shifts bravery from something supplied by an object to something he begins to practise himself.

This is a poignant historical family story about isolation, hardship and perseverance. Its emotional centre is Laura’s longing to help, belong and reunite her family, alongside compassion for a vulnerable turtle.

A tense story about a young person trying to escape a parent’s extreme survivalist rules while navigating foster care, distrust and the possibility of being found. Its emotional force comes from Amber’s guarded, sharply ironic voice.

A tense story about girls seeking safety and belonging under Sol’s control. As new relationships and demands unsettle the cabin, the book follows questions of loyalty, selfhood, survival and whether protection can become coercion.

A whimsical quest combines magical characters, tongue-in-cheek humour and determined friendship with a strong longing for home. Its imaginative surface is interrupted by abrupt, casually narrated violence that may surprise readers expecting gentler fantasy.

A romance about two teenagers navigating disability, belonging and pressure: Ellie confronts ableism after leaving her Deaf school, while Jackson faces frightening bodily changes and demanding expectations. Their connection is presented alongside anger, uncertainty, compassion and questions of self-determination.

This is an emotionally attentive story about a child whose secluded woodland life is abruptly disrupted. It explores unfamiliar family relationships, different ways of experiencing the world, and the possibility of connection without requiring October to become someone else.

A suspenseful story about a teenager carrying adult responsibilities while secret activities and threatening communications pull her into another person’s scheme. Expect twists, uncertainty and a morally complicated power dynamic rather than a straightforward adventure.

This is a family-centred coming-of-age story: Katy’s energetic adventures give way to pain, dependence and gradual change. Its strongest appeal lies in a vivid household, an imperfect heroine and a sustained focus on how relationships respond when ordinary life is disrupted.

A warm, mystery-shaped family story in which Xanthe investigates Nani’s past with friends, alongside magical visions, archaeological clues and a rooftop garden. It links family care with history, migration, friendship and belonging.

This is a thoughtful, wistful fantasy about a child resisting change. Its strongest appeal may be the combination of village detail, imaginative uncertainty and emotional honesty, while its pace and melancholy mood may suit readers who enjoy reflective stories.

A fantasy adventure about sibling independence and protection, with Fergus’s autism central to his experience. It combines familiar Neverland elements with mystery, danger and a broader cast of Lost Boys and Lost Girls.

This is a serious coming-of-age novel about a young person trying to make a life after family damage. Its emotional centre is the tension between survival, intimacy, responsibility and the limits of one person’s ability to rescue another.

This is a coming-of-age story about adapting when a planned summer disappears. Surfing, skating, friendship and family responsibilities give Anise several ways to test what feels familiar and what she can release.

This is a family-centred story about Mary Fred’s difficult choices, changing responsibilities and uncertain priorities. It also introduces disruption at home, including an overseas separation, a new baby and a forceful relative taking control.

A comic vampire adventure about twins managing separate lives, school rules and mistaken identity. Expect playful fright imagery, a concert-related disguise, and confusion around Olivia’s efforts to dress like Ivy.

A tense mystery about a foster-care survivor whose efforts to build an independent future are threatened by suspicion after a classmate’s serious injury. The story places questions of trust, reputation and responsibility alongside Joey’s struggle to grow up.

This is a grief-centred story about a child facing repeated family upheaval, resisting dependence, and encountering an orphaned wolf pup. Nature, animal care and an unfamiliar landscape appear to shape Nika’s emotional experience.

This is a character-led family story about a child who feels capable when caring for her mother, then faces an unfamiliar arrangement with Aunt Agatha. Its central movement concerns responsibility, control, and the possibility of receiving care.

This is a fantasy rescue adventure about a young prince challenging parental authority to help someone in danger. It offers peril, a fantastical setting and an ending that leaves room for more adventures.

A romantic hospital story about two teenagers whose serious lung conditions make ordinary closeness dangerous. Stella prioritises medical safety; Will wants freedom from treatment, creating a tense conflict between affection, independence and survival.