What Are You Looking For?

A fast-moving Hardy Boys mystery combines exploration, investigation and danger. Frank and Joe follow the mystery of a swallowed statue into tunnels and an abandoned underground city, where a criminal group threatens Bayport.

Expect a fantastical sea adventure centred on friendship, magical beings and a rescue mission. The clearest tension comes from a mysterious curse, a whirlpool and the protagonists’ stated fear.

A folklore-infused fantasy about a cursed princess undertaking dangerous trials to save her brothers. Its strongest threads are family loyalty, courage, sacrifice and repairing harm, while its trials include physical danger, death and bereavement.

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 an adventurous, emotionally charged animal-led quest. It offers talking animals, friendship and humour alongside a bleak altered world, separated families, imprisonment, disease and threats to survival. The ending appears to open into a continuing story rather than resolving every possibility.

Expect a warm adventure built around protecting a vulnerable creature. Charlie’s school troubles and family uncertainty sit alongside magical danger, while friendship and practical ingenuity help move the story forward.

This is an imaginative adventure combining friendship, mystery and a robot with a society changed by water scarcity. It also gives sustained attention to Auden’s experience of achromatopsia and his changing relationship with that difference.

This is a magical forest adventure centred on Hilda and Twig’s partnership. Its distinctive offer is a more active role for Twig, alongside storm sheltering, mysterious surroundings and a rescue-shaped challenge.

A lively fantasy quest with a determined heroine, comic creatures and a school setting. Bronte’s pursuit of knighthood challenges traditional expectations while the story explores courage, responsibility and standing by others.

A fast-moving rescue adventure about courage, loyalty and learning to trust. Wolves are central companions, while Feo’s journey brings danger, humour and a friendship that develops under pressure.

Choose this for a reader who enjoys atmospheric mysteries, eccentric characters, supernatural adventure and comic wordplay. Its central appeal is following clues through an unusual seaside world while Herbie and Violet face escalating danger.

Expect a quest-led fantasy centred on bravery, friendship and teamwork. Magical creatures create danger, while the conflict is framed as a struggle against an evil wizard’s spell rather than realistic wrongdoing.

This is a magical rescue adventure featuring talking beavers, a threatening witch, most of the island’s inhabitants imprisoned, spell books and secret passages. It offers imaginative peril alongside friendship, kindness and bravery.

A young elephant wants to join a lifeboat crew, but his size appears to prevent this. When a storm puts the crew in trouble, Gabriel may be able to help, creating a story about belonging, courage and finding a way to contribute.

A contemporary Welsh-mythology adventure about a child drawn into magic, friendship and a struggle against an Otherworld ruler. Expect monsters, supernatural elements and a quest structure, alongside Vivi’s transition from Wales to London.

This is a playful introduction to emotional variety: a child may feel silly, brave, ready to try something new, or drawn to an unexpected choice such as pizza for breakfast. Its central invitation is to notice and discuss feelings.

A dark, clue-led adventure follows Serafina from secrecy beneath a grand estate into an urgent search for missing children. Its appeal lies in a resourceful heroine, eerie atmosphere, supernatural mystery and a developing friendship with Braeden.

This is a family-and-community story about rebuilding after a devastating fire. Rebecca’s separation from her parents places personal courage alongside questions of belonging, immigrant identity and the relationship between inherited traditions and new opportunities.

This is an atmospheric mountain adventure about a child confronting fear while searching for a missing father. Its strongest apparent appeal is the combination of perilous landscapes, family feeling and an unsettling supernatural presence.

This is an adventure about protection, loyalty and finding courage. Max’s journey is both physical and personal: he tries to help Rachel while questioning whether he can be “mighty” independently of Kevin.