What Are You Looking For?

A brisk, playful fairy-tale mash-up centres on a resourceful girl whose petty theft has consequences. Expect magic, mischief, action and uncertainty about which characters can be trusted.

A fast-moving historical crime novel with alternating viewpoints, moral uncertainty and romantic tension. Caitlin’s determination drives a search through sharply unequal New York, while William’s divided loyalties complicate ideas of justice and personal change.

A tense, twist-led survival mystery for readers who enjoy competing viewpoints, dangerous games and uncertainty about whom to trust. Its strongest pull is the combination of personal desperation and escalating threat.

A bleak, lyrical survival story that combines a flooded social landscape with a dangerous escape. Its strongest material appears to be the evolving bond between Kel and Rose, though the style and rushed plotting may divide readers.

This is a coming-of-age story about what money appears to make possible, and what it may cost. Penny’s circumstances invite attention to poverty, social treatment, identity and the difference between happiness and wealth.

A football mystery with international stakes, Off Side combines investigation and danger with questions about who controls clubs, opportunities and young players’ futures. Its strongest appeal is likely the meeting of sporting excitement and real-world fairness concerns.

This offers a fast-moving mystery built around public voting, televised punishment and an apparently guilty teenager. Its strongest appeal is suspense; its central interest lies in questioning who controls justice and whose story gets believed.

This is a dark, visually distinctive folktale about a poor fisherman, Death’s unusual fairness, medicine, deception and consequences. Its accessible story shape is paired with a bleak ending that may invite thoughtful discussion.

Expect an imaginative factory adventure centred on five children, with comic fantasy, moral contrasts and a strong focus on Charlie’s honesty. The story also includes poverty, rule-breaking and punishments that may prompt differing reactions.

This is a serious, emotionally intense survival story about two boys whose very different family circumstances bring them into the same vulnerable community. Friendship and mutual dependence are central, alongside stark social hardship.

This offers a contemporary child’s perspective on poverty and family difficulty, deliberately read beside Oliver Twist. Its strongest feature is the connection between classroom literature and problems affecting Shona’s life.

This is a fast-moving fantasy about survival, theft, vengeance and shifting loyalties. Kyra’s independence and uncertainty about her identity sit alongside Tristam’s grief-driven mission, while their partnership complicates both their goals.

This is a fantasy quest about survival, uncertain trust and a boy’s movement towards adulthood. Its world is harsh and dangerous, with a concealed prophetic role adding a mystery beyond Rejji’s immediate struggle.

A historical ghost mystery with strong atmosphere: Remi and Niya investigate a repeated murder, a missing child and a house connected to an old crime, while confronting a dangerous supernatural world.

This looks like a brisk fantasy adventure centred on a resourceful child whose habits of survival bring her into contact with real magic. Its strongest offer is the tension between streetwise independence and the possibility of trust, training and change.

This is an adventure about sudden wealth gained through a risky secret. Its main interest lies in what happens after Ali Baba takes the bandits’ treasure and the secret becomes known.

This is a tense story about poverty, hope and a dangerous attempt to reach a promised better life. Manny must judge both physical risks and whether an older stranger is safe to trust.

A historical family story centred on Jaynell’s affection for her grandfather and her growing curiosity about his connection with another family. A concealed family matter appears to have consequences beyond the household.

This is a stark survival story about poverty, deception and sexual exploitation, centred on Lakshmi’s endurance and friendships after she is taken from Nepal to India.