Fox Magic

With tensions in Prague rising at the height of World War II, Isaac Wolf is forced to leave home with nothing more than a small backpack and a pendant in the shape of an eternity knot. His parents believe the pendant will keep him safe - if he can discover what it really means. This clue leads him to Rookskill Castle, home of the Special Alternative Intelligence Unit where gifted children can learn to harness their powers to support the Allies' cause.

"Keep calm and carry on." That's what Katherine Bateson's father told her, and that's what she's trying to do: when her father goes off to the war, when her mother sends Kat and her brother and sister away from London to escape the incessant bombing, even when the children arrive at Rookskill Castle, an ancient, crumbling manor on the misty Scottish highlands.

Before he became an archmage to topple an empire, before he met the legendary Eradicator Xal, Saghir was born a free ratkin, living on the streets of Gateway, a perilous desert city at the edge of the Blasted Lands. Each month, the free laborers must pay their tithe in coin, or blood. Every ratkin in Saghir's tribe searches for something of value, lest their whole people be enslaved. Ruthless Corax, carnivorous scarabs, and worse infest the city. There are countless ways for a rat to die, and all it takes is one mistake. There are no second chances.

When a pair of unruly fictional pirates escape out of their book into Victorian London, 11-year-old Odelia Hardluck-Smythe's lonely life is turned upside down. Captain Blunderfuss and Cook are rude, dangerous and obsessed with marzipan fruits, but they could be the answer to all her prayers. Pirates mean treasure, and poor fatherless Odelia could really do with some of that. Unfortunately, there's more to treasure than buried chests of rubies and diamonds, as Odelia's about to discover the hard way.

When 18-year-old Ellen accepts the post of housekeeper at Hallendorf School of Music, Drama and Dance she wasn't expecting it to be quite so unusual. For deep in the beautiful Austrian countryside, she finds an eccentrically magical world occupied by wild children and even wilder teachers, experimental dancers, and a tortoise on wheels.

When Alice’s brother gets a longed-for chance for a heart transplant, Alice is suddenly off to her estranged grandmother’s house. There’s nothing good about staying with Nell except for beautiful Darkling Wood at the end of her garden - but Nell wants to have it cut down. Alice feels at home there, at peace, and even finds a friend, Flo. But Flo doesn’t seem to go to the local school, and no one has heard of a girl with that name. When Flo shows Alice the surprising secrets of Darkling Wood, Alice starts to wonder, what is real?

Lewis Carroll's masterpiece, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, is arguably the classic children's story for ages eight to 80 and beyond. This 21st century rendition preserves Lewis Carroll's delightful tale and characters, remaining true to the events and spirit of the original work, while rendering them in a contemporary literary style and cultural context as opposed to 19th century England.

How does it feel to morph into a manta ray or slide into the body of a snake? This is what happens to Miranda, Semi, and Arnie, who survive a plane crash. They end up on a tropical island, but become candidates in Dr Franklin's sinister experiments.