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Jemmy has been made to take the prince’s beatings; when Prince Brat runs away, Jemmy is forced to go with him. Their flight turns into a ransom plot involving two highwaymen, and the boys have to cooperate.

This is a basketball-centred mystery about bereavement, a murder trial and Brian’s decision whether to share information that could affect the case. Historical injustice and racial prejudice also enter the story.

The central tension is how a group’s attempts to pursue justice can shift towards revenge, with consequences the friends cannot control.

A murder accusation drives this family-centred story, with Dovey trying to clear her name while her sister’s future and her brother’s safety are caught up in the conflict.

Ben’s paid desert-guiding trip turns into a fight to survive when Madec tries to silence him after a prospector is shot. The suspense centres on exposure, thirst, gunfire and the difficulty of being believed.

Expect a fantasy sequel built around a covert struggle with royal authority, dangerous secrets and changing loyalties. Its action and suspense sit alongside Celaena’s past and complicated relationships.

A school hero whom classmates still regard as a nerd takes on a graffiti mystery, while protecting his secret identity and facing an attempt to shift blame onto him.

A fantasy adventure follows Pong, marked as a fugitive after escaping prison, and Nok, who sets out to capture him. Their paths raise questions about inequality and whether law is always just.

Two young sisters leave home to join men and women preparing to march for freedom and justice. The story foregrounds young people taking part in the Civil Rights movement.

This is a historical story of a divided society and a personal return to danger, with Darnay’s choices set against injustice and revolution in France.

A familiar Cinderella framework is recast as a Faerie-court adventure, with Ornella bargaining for freedom while becoming involved in danger surrounding the Winter King.

This is a handover story about a new Batman whose approach differs sharply from Bruce Wayne’s. Its central tension is whether harsh methods can deliver the order Jean-Paul seeks.

This is a supernatural adventure built around Kerry’s pursuit of answers and her growing knowledge of witchcraft. Its central tension is deciding whom to trust while her plans are unsettled.

This verse novel follows a teenage artist through wrongful imprisonment and his effort to preserve his humanity and pursue the truth.

A fantasy journey driven by loyalty and a rescue mission, with a former thief at its centre. Weasel’s past may shape how he approaches the people and choices he encounters.

A combination of Christmas and secret-agent adventure, with Santa and a new recruit facing a scheme that threatens to change the world’s climate.

This is a historical family peril story centred on Delia’s effort to help her brothers after their arrest. Sir Geoffrey’s suspicions add a second perspective on the accusations.

This is a high-stakes caper about a group testing the limits of rule-breaking. Its appeal may lie in the elaborate plan and the question of what the characters think they can justify.

A speculative story about waking into an unfamiliar future, with a personal dilemma that connects Tegan’s own choices to questions about challenging injustice.

This is a spy story about a young woman seeking training and help to find the person she holds responsible for her mother’s death. A second strand is Reagan’s struggle to be herself without aliases or disguises.

This fantasy centres on an unjust accusation and a risky alliance with someone Bryn distrusts, amid political secrets and the threat of war. Loyalty and romance complicate her choices.

A family move opens Kathryn’s eyes to struggles in her Métis relations’ lives, alongside a local mystery involving a Highwayman. The story combines family discovery with an apparent attempt to pin a crime on him.

A clue-following adventure with a high-stakes threat, former criminal trainees and a shift towards law and order. M’s uncertain status at the academy adds a question of trust.

A school-lunch mystery gives Marin room to investigate, with clues, traps and suspects; the comic presentation mixes narration, dialogue and varied illustrated layouts.

A cross-generational mystery unfolds through Henni’s investigation and emails with Leo. Alongside puzzles and friendship, the book examines migration, prejudice, belonging and the pressure placed on people whose home is questioned.

This is a science-fiction adventure about protection, pursuit and divided loyalties. Its emotional centre is Qui-Gon’s grief and his difficulty balancing Jedi duties with a desire for vengeance.

A lively graphic mystery about music, belonging and friendship, with Chris moving from feeling like the new girl to joining a secret vigilante group. The premise offers humour, action and a hopeful outlook on not having life figured out.

This is a fast-moving Tudor adventure centred on loyalty, injustice and a child’s effort to protect his father. It offers contrasting views of courtly wealth and London poverty, alongside historical detail about power and religious change.

A thoughtful fairy-tale adventure about a girl whose exceptional singing cannot protect her from shame, manipulation or unfair judgement. Its strongest thread is Aza’s movement towards belonging and self-worth, though beauty remains a powerful force in the story.

A comic fantasy mystery built around unusual weather, an imprisoned uncle and a determined group of friends.

This is a period mystery adventure built around collaborative problem-solving. Expect several cases, historical technology and questions about honesty, responsibility and justice, with community-minded values prominent in the characters’ world.

This is a horror-thriller built around a fatal-looking crash, moral unease and escalating intimidation. Its central hook is whether the apparent prankster is a witness, a survivor, or someone else.

This offers a plot-led fantasy involving assassination, magic, royal duty, secrets and romance. Its central appeal is the partnership between an ambitious apprentice and a highly dangerous royal agent, while the volume leaves major messages unresolved.

This is a dystopian fantasy about an oppressed community, social hierarchy and a girl resisting injustice. Its strongest appeal may be Elsha’s determined challenge to prejudice and sexism, alongside a stark, sunless setting.

Expect a fast-moving, illustrated fantasy adventure in which Prince Alfred confronts danger beyond the palace while trying to save his mother and others. Humour sits alongside suspense, sadness, destruction and a noticeably darker atmosphere.

A dark, intense revenge fantasy about a teenager confronting sexual violence, seeking to save someone important to her and using magic that comes at a stated price. Expect horror, suspense and graphic imagery.

This is a richly imagined sequel where magical danger carries emotional consequences. Alongside romance and wonder, the story examines whether compassion, memory and mercy can interrupt cycles of violence and inherited fear.

A ghostly quest combines danger, memory and moral choices. Riley’s efforts to free her friends and other spirits give the story an emphasis on understanding rather than defeating pain by force.

This is a grim historical adventure about unjust punishment, endurance and friendship. Its atmosphere is bleak, but Tom and Midgely’s imagination gives the story a counterweight of resourcefulness and hope.

An imaginative, action-led science-fiction adventure built around odd powers, unusual companions and a dangerous quest. Its elaborate world and mysteries may appeal to persistent readers, though the journey is deliberately expansive.

This is a supernatural mystery with a strongly suspenseful premise: a murdered teenager’s spirit seeks answers.

This offers a faith-centred historical-fiction story in which a teenager’s convictions meet plantation life, unfamiliar relatives and the question of how to understand slavery beyond stories heard at home.

This offers a lively quest built around an inexperienced performer, an unusual travelling companion and a widening circle of allies. Humour, peril and court intrigue sit alongside questions of courage, usefulness and inherited expectations.

A fast-moving historical adventure places a young protagonist between friendship, justice and danger. Its Robin Hood setting is paired with questions about hunger, power, reputation and what makes someone a hero.

A buoyant, unusual adventure pairs a determined child with a loving guardian and a rooftop community. Its imaginative freedom sits alongside peril, precarious living, family uncertainty and moments of physical harm.