Spydus Search Results - High Interest, Low Vocabulary Books

Crush hour / by Michael Dahl ; illustrated by Euan Cook.

A young girl slides into the first-row seat of her school bus. The cool kids won't let her sit in the back. But today, she's glad to sit at the front. Row by row, the seats in the back of the bus begin disappearing! Will her row be next?
Author: Dahl, Michael
Express edition.
Published: Oxford : Raintree, 2022.
Published: ©2022
32 pages : colour illustrations ; 18 cm.
School bus of horrors

Sandringham Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - Early Junior Fiction - JF EARLY DAH - Available - 010497394

Making friends / Tanya Landman ; illustrated by Sonia Albert.

Meg treasures every moment that she gets to spend riding, and she has always longed for a pony of her own. She knows Mum and Dad can't afford a pony - they can't even afford her weekly riding lessons any more. But on the morning of her tenth birthday, Meg looks out the window to an unbelievable sight ... a pony standing in the front garden. Have all of Meg's wishes come true? Award-winning author Tanya Landman brings a fresh perspective to horse-riding stories with a heart-warming new series about friendship and dreaming big.
Author: Landman, Tanya
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2022.
Published: ©2022
48 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.
Meg and Merlin ; 1.

Sandringham Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - Early Junior Fiction - JF EARLY LAN - Available - 010593461

The mermaid in the millpond / Lucy Strange ; illustrated by Pam Smy.

Bess has left the London workhouse behind for a job at a rural cotton mill. But life at the mill is hard and cruel- a far cry from the fresh start Bess hoped for. The only way to survive is to escape, but the mill is like a prison with no way out. Meanwhile, rumours are spreading about a vicious creature that lurks in the millpond. Bess is sure it's all nonsense, until one night she sees something stir in the murky water. But is it really a monster that lives in the depths of the pond? Or a creature trapped and alone, just like Bess, desperate to escape ...
Author: Strange, Lucy
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2022.
Published: ©2022
80 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm.

Sandringham Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J STR - Available - 010613077

Super sub / Alan Gibbons ; with illustrations by David Shephard.

New boy Smithy can't understand why everyone is so excited about a player on the football team called "Bengo." He's been absent for the first few games of the season and starts the next game on the bench, so surely he can't be that special? But when their coach pulls Smithy off and sends Bengo on in his place, Smithy gets a chance to see him in action. Bengo is easily the best player Smithy's ever seen, putting in perfect crosses and generally running the opposition ragged. So why is Bengo left on the bench so often, and why does he seem to bottle it when any strong tackles come his way?
Author: Gibbons, Alan, 1953-
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2022.
Published: ©2022
73 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J GIB - Available - 010618645
Sandringham Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - Early Junior Fiction - JF EARLY GIB - Available - 010618638

Song of the river / Gill Lewis ; illustrated by Zanna Goldhawk.

Times are tough for Cari and her mum. A violent storm has flooded the valley where they live, destroying their home and cafe business. Things seem bleak but hope appears in the form of a plan to reintroduce beavers into the area, as the changes that these amazing animals make to the waterways might prevent another flood. Cari knows that she has to get involved. But with the project facing resistance from locals, can she convince them to give the beavers a chance, and will it be enough to save her home from being destroyed for a second time?
Author: Lewis, Gill
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke Ltd, 2022.
Published: ©2022
96 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J LEW - Available - 010618706
Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J LEW - Available - 010618713

Bruno and Frida / Tony Bradman ; illustrated by Tania Rex.

East Prussia, Germany, 1945. As the Russian army advances further into Germany at the end of the Second World War, Bruno must flee his home to survive. In the chaos, he finds himself face to face with a huge black dog strapped with explosives. The dog has been sent onto battle by the Russian army and Bruno realises that she is just as scared and alone as he is. Faced with a perilous journey across war-torn Germany, will the bond formed between them be enough to keep Bruno and Frida alive?
Author: Bradman, Tony
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2022.
Published: ©2022
72 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J BRA - Available - 010618652
Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J BRA - Available - 010618669

The raven riddle / Vashti Hardy ; with illustrations by Natalie Smillie.

Grace and Tom are about to face their most challenging mission so far... Grace's family are wardens of the Griffin map, using its teleport technology to fight crime across Moreland. And now there's someone new on the team: Tom Eely, who has been training hard to become a warden. Grace and Tom reckon they're ready to tackle a mission together, but they're disappointed when Mum sends them to a quiet mountain village where ravens have been pestering the locals. Surely they won't be any opportunities to use their exciting gadgets or combat skills there? But as the pair investigate, the situation becomes more puzzling. Why does it seem like the ravens are protecting something? And are the villagers' tales of a mountain witch really to be believed? Grace and Tom will have to use all their wit, skill and courage if they want to solve the raven riddle ...
Author: Hardy, Vashti
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2022.
Published: ©2022
110 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.
Griffin gate ; 3.

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J HAR - Available - 010592464
Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J HAR - Available - 010592471

The swimmer / Graham Norton.

Helen is a retired teacher living on the Irish coast. She enjoys the peace and quiet - despite the burden of Margaret, her unpleasant sister. Margaret arrived three years ago for a short holiday, but somehow managed to stay and worm her way into Helen's life. One day, Helen sees a man struggling in the sea and decides to investigate. She doesn't quite know what it is, but something about it feels very strange...
Author: Norton, Graham, 1963-
Published: London : Coronet, 2022.
Published: ©2022
80 pages ; 20 cm.
Quick reads 2022

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Adult Fiction - Crime - NORT - Available - 010608745
Hampton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Adult Fiction - Crime - NORT - Available - 010687573

Trouble to the Max / by Tom Watson ; illustrated by Marta Kissi.

"Time out! Simon got Max Brutus's prized World Cup soccer ball stuck in the tallest tree in Picasso Park! Now he's in more trouble than a tater tot in ketchup. Can his friends at Table 5 help him get the ball before the big game? Or has Simon's luck maxed out"--Provided by publisher.
Author: Watson, Tom, 1965-
First edition.
Published: New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2021]
Published: ©2021
85 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.
Trouble at table 5 ; 5.
Harper chapters

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - Early Junior Fiction - JF EARLY WAT - Available - 010550686

The small things / Lisa Thompson ; illustrated by Hannah Coulson.

Anna's uncomfortable when she's picked to befriend the new girl in her class. For a start, Ellie is ill and can't come to school herself. So Anna has to communicate with her through a new kind of robot. But Anna is also worried that her life's too small and boring to be of interest to her new friend. Compared to the other girls, she doesn't have anything exciting to talk about and so when Ellie asks her a question, a little white lie pops out. Then another and another. When Ellie finds out the truth, can their friendship survive ...? Inspired by a true story, a groundbreaking robot helps friendship blossom in this poignant and uplifting novella from bestseller Lisa Thompson.
Author: Thompson, Lisa (Lisa Anne), 1973-
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
99 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J THO - Available - 010420880

Be nice to Aunt Emma / Anne Fine ; illustrated by Gareth Conway.

There are many reasons why Tansy dreads Aunt Emma coming to visit. She's rude, she's boring, and Tansy has to give up her room so Aunt Emma can sleep there. And every year Dad makes Tansy promise to be nice - even when Aunt Emma is awful. But this year, when Tansy is left alone with Aunt Emma, she decides she's going to be the nicest she's ever been - so sickly sweet that it'll drive Aunt Emma crazy! Let the games begin.
Author: Fine, Anne
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
48 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Hampton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - Early Junior Fiction - JF EARLY FIN - Available - 010420835

Tea party parade / Nick Sharratt.

Today's the day - it's the tea party parade! The kids are in their costumes and the teachers are marching too. Teacups are twirling, cake slices are spinning, and the big finale is going to be the best show of all! Join in with all the fun of the parade in Nick Sharratt's beautiful new Little Gem. Bursting with lots of rhyme, rhythm and energy for little ones to enjoy, it's the perfect book for a young reader's first steps on the path to reading independence.
Author: Sharratt, Nick
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
61 pages : colour illustrations ; 17 cm.
Little gems

Sandringham Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - Early Junior Fiction - JF EARLY SHA - Available - 010420804

Granny's little monsters / Karen McCombie ; illustrated by Lee Cosgrove.

Granny's hunt for the perfect pet brings some unexpected results in this goofy adventure of family, mudlarking and mayhem. Zac and Essie have been helping their Granny Mo in her search for the perfect pet. She's tried everything from cats to axolotls and just can't find the right one. But when the trio go mudlarking in the river bank they find a creature unlike anything else... Granny Mo might have set out looking for a pet but now she's got a monster on her hands, and it's about to get up to some mischief!
Author: McCombie, Karen
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
58 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.
4u2read

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - Early Junior Fiction - JF EARLY MACC - Available - 010367000

The great (food) bank heist / Onjali Q. Raúf ; illustrated by Elisa Paganelli.

Written with great empathy and Rauf's trademark humour, The Great (Food) Bank Heist is a moving story that gives a child's-eye view of the increasing problem of food poverty. On Thursdays, Nelson, Asha and Mum head out to the bank. But not just any old bank - the food bank. With its shining tins and packets of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it's the best kind of bank there is. But there's a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day, leaving people hungrier than ever. For the sake of his family and everyone else's, Nelson needs to make them stop. But can he and his friends really be the ones to catch the bank robber?
Author: Raúf, Onjali Q.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
103 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J RAU - Available - 010420842

The dog that saved the world (cup) / Phil Earle ; illustrated by Elisa Paganelli.

The only thing that Pickles loves more than football is his best friend, and owner, Elsie. She's smart, kind, funny and amazing at football. But even though Dad works hard to provide for them, life off the pitch is tough. It's their team of three against the world and right now it feels like their side is losing. With the announcement that the World Cup is coming home to England and that Elsie's team might have the chance to play in a halftime match at Wembley Stadium, it's the happiest they've ever been. But when disaster strikes their dreams are shattered and it looks like it's up to Pickles to save the world (cup)...
Author: Earle, Phil
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
104 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Sandringham Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J EAR - Available - 010552918

Everdark / Abi Elphinstone.

It is midnight in Crackledawn. Everyone is waiting for the phoenix to rise up from the forests of Everdark and renew the magic of the Unmapped Kingdoms. But something else emerges from Everdark instead: a harpy bent on stealing the Unmapped magic for itself. And so it falls to a girl called Smudge, and a grumpy monkey named Bartholomew, to set sail and stop the harpy before it's too late.
Author: Elphinstone, Abi
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: London : Simon & Schuster, 2021.
Published: ©2019
199 pages : map ; 20 cm.
Unmapped chronicles

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J ELP - Onloan - Due: 19 May 2024 - 010433705

The deep-sea duke / Lauren James.

Hugo is spending the holidays on his friend Dorian's home planet, Hydrox. Although thrilled at the invitation, Hugo is still astonished that Duke Dorian could possibly want to be friends with an android watchmaker like him. But when the pair land on Hydrox along with their friend Ada, they soon discover that there are much bigger problems afoot. A race of butterflies from a neighbouring star system have evacuated their now-uninhabitable planet, and Hydrox is struggling to find space for the growing number of refugees. Meanwhile, deep in the seas beneath Dorian's home, a strange creature is on a path of destruction... Can the unlikely trio step in before the crisis gets out of control?
Author: James, Lauren
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
109 pages ; 20 cm.

Sandringham Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Teen Fiction - T JAM - Available - 010427407

Featherlight / Peter Bunzl ; illustrated by Anneli Bray.

When the lighthouse no longer shines, what else has the power to guide you to shore? Deryn's father is the lighthouse keeper on Featherstone Island, keeping the lantern lit to protect passing boats from the treacherous rocky coastline. But when an emergency arises and her parents have to travel to the mainland for help, Deryn is left alone to keep watch over the lighthouse, and she finds herself in a terrible situation when the lamp runs out of oil during a wild storm. With a fishing boat in peril on the sea, and time running out to rescue those on board, Deryn seeks help from an unusual source. Will she be able to keep the lantern lit through the dark, dangerous night?
Author: Bunzl, Peter
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
98 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J BUN - Available - 010321071

Buck 'n' Bronco hit the road! / Guy Bass ; illustrated by Steve May.

When the Happy Ranch theme park closes down to make way for a futuristic new adventure land, park mascots Buck and Bronco are out of a job and out of a home. While Buck thinks it's time for them to spread their wings and take the show on the road, Bronco wants nothing more than for their life to be exactly as it was ... Can the pair discover new meaning beyond the park and recapture the fame they once had? Or are they destined to be yesterday's mascots?
Author: Bass, Guy
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
72 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J BAS - Available - 010321125

Swan song / Gill Lewis.

Dylan is struggling. Since he started high school, everything has become too much to handle. Now he's been expelled and is forced to move to the tiny village in Wales where his grandad lives. But when Grandad invites Dylan out on his boat to watch the Hooper swans return to their winter feeding ground, things begin to change. Grandad doesn't judge or question; he just lets Dylan be. Out on the water, with no distractions or pressure, Dylan begins to feel like himself again. But when the swans and their home are threatened, and tragedy strikes at home, can Dylan keep going when it feels like everything is slipping out of control again?
Author: Lewis, Gill
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2021.
Published: ©2021
119 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J LEW - Available - 010444695

Hercules / Benjamin Hulme-Cross ; illustrated by Alessia Trunfio.

Hercules wants to be famous forever and the only way to do that is to complete the tasks the King sets him. The tasks won't be easy; in fact, Hercules will have to face some of the most terrifying and dangerous creatures that live on earth and in hell! Join Hercules as he wrestles a man-eating lion, tricks the god Atlas, and tries to kidnap Hades' ferocious guard dog.
Author: Hulme-Cross, Benjamin
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: London : Bloomsbury Education, 2020.
Published: ©2020
96 pages : illustrations ; 19 cm.

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J HUL - Available - 010441229

Odysseus / Benjamin Hulme-Cross ; illustrated by Alessia Trunfio.

Odysseus is a hero but all he really wants to do is defeat the Trojans and go home. The trouble is both those tasks will take a bit longer than he hoped, and he'll need all his cunning to get there. What's more, once he does, there will be more challenges in store!
Author: Hulme-Cross, Benjamin
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: London : Bloomsbury Education, 2020.
Published: ©2020
96 pages : illustrations ; 19 cm.

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - Early Junior Fiction - JF EARLY HUL - Available - 010439769

The invasion of Crooked Oak / Dan Smith ; illustrated by Chris King.

Nancy's parents are acting weird. Their eyes are blank, they won't eat - it's like they're no longer themselves. Pete and Krish are obsessed with unexplained phenomena and when they offer to help Nancy investigate, they're sure they can crack the case. But the deeper the trio dig, the darker the mystery gets ... Crooked Oak is under attack from a dangerous foe, and they're the only ones who can stop it.
Author: Smith, Dan, 1970-
Dyslexic books edition.
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2020.
Published: ©2020
97 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm.

Sandringham Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J SMI - Available - 010439899

Queen of King Street / Tom McLaughlin.

Unlucky Bertie has only gone and gambled away the entire family fortune. It's the last in a long line of disasters, and nobody is going to save the Montgomery family this time. But this is no ordinary family - this is the royal family, and Bertie is the Queen's brother. So it's goodbye to the palace and hello to a little house on King Street for these royals. Who knew getting jobs and fitting in with the neighbours could be so hard? Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers.
Author: McLaughlin, Tom, 1976-
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2020.
Published: ©2020
98 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.
9 to 12

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J MACL - Available - 010439776

Noodle the Doodle / Jonathan Meres ; with illustrations by Katy Halford.

Noodle the Doodle, an adorable rescue pup, is joining class and he even gets to come on the school trip! But while Noodle's settled into being a class helper, and really loves being around all the pupils, taking on a school trip to the beach is a whole different ball game... Can Noodle stay on his best behaviour or is this school trip about to take a turn for the chaotic?
Author: Meres, Jonathan
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2020.
Published: ©2020
82 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J MER - Available - 010439882

The Griffin Gate / Vashti Hardy ; with illustrations by Natalie Smillie.

Grace's family are wardens of the Griffin map, using its teleport technology to help people and fight crime across the land of Moreland. At thirteen, Grace is too young become a warden, but she longs to go on missions herself. After all, if her brother Bren can do it, why can't she? So when Grace finds herself alone with the map as a distress call comes in, she jumps at the chance to prove she's up to the task. But the map transports Grace to a remote village where nothing is quite as it seems. Has she landed right in the middle of a treacherous scheme?
Author: Hardy, Vashti
Published: Edinburgh, Scotland : Barrington Stoke, 2020.
Published: ©2020
104 pages : Illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm.
9 to 12

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J HAR - Available - 010439875

A bad day for Jayden / Tony Bradman ; illustrated by Tania Rex.

Mum won't get out of bed. His best friend has dumped him. And school work is just too difficult. Jayden wants to do the right thing - but how can he when it feels like the world is conspiring against him? Everything is going wrong, and when a supply teacher turns up to take his class, Jayden's sure things will keep on getting worse. But Mrs Wilson is not quite the teacher Jayden expected ... can she help turn his bad day around? A touching and sensitively told story of life as a young carer from beloved author Tony Bradman. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+.
Author: Bradman, Tony, 1954-
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2020.
51 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J BRA - Available - 010209409

Clever cakes / Michael Rosen ; with illustrations by Ashley King.

Are you smart enough to escape from a hungry grizzly bear? Could you trick a grumpy king out of a giant golden belly-button? It pays to be able to think on your feet, especially if you're about to be eaten alive or cheated out of a valuable prize! So it's just as well that Masha and Peggy are two clever kids, each with a cunning plan ...
Author: Rosen, Michael, 1946-
Published: Edinburgh : Barrington Stoke, 2020.
69 pages : colour illustrations ; 17 cm.
Little gems

Beaumaris Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - Early Junior Fiction - JF EARLY ROS - Onloan - Due: 28 May 2024 - 010208785

Tales from Deckawoo Drive. Volume five. Stella Endicott and the anything-is-possible poem / Kate DiCamillo ; illustrated by Chris Van Dusen.

Stella Endicott loves her teacher, Miss Liliana, and she is thrilled when the class is assigned to write a poem. Stella crafts a beautiful poem about Mercy Watson, the pig who lives next door - a poem complete with a metaphor and full of curiosity and courage. But Horace Broom, Stella's irritating classmate, insists that Stella's poem is full of lies and that pigs do not live in houses. And when Stella and Horace get into a shouting match in the classroom, Miss Liliana banishes them to the principal's office. Will the two of them find a way to turn this opposite-of-a-poem day around? In the newest spirited outing in the Deckawoo Drive series by Kate DiCamillo, anything is possible - even a friendship with a boy deemed to be (metaphorically speaking) an overblown balloon.
Author: DiCamillo, Kate
Published: Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2020
85 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm.
Tales from Deckawoo Drive ; 5

Sandringham Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J DIC - Available - 010361251

The big-top mysteries. The case of the vanishing granny / Alexander McCall Smith ; with illustrations by Sam Usher.

Billy, Fern and Joe Shortbread are the stars of their family circus, but they also have another talent ... they're experts at solving mysteries! When their circus moves into a new town they soon make friends with a young boy named Tom. But Tom can't enjoy the circus because his granny has disappeared and he's worried he'll never see her again. With the help of their astonishing circus skills can the Shortbread circus stars crack the clues and find Tom's granny?
Author: McCall Smith, Alexander, 1948-
Published: Edinburgh, [Scotland] : Conkers, 2019.
111 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.
The big top mysteries ; [1]

Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J MACC - Available - 010010579
Brighton Library - (Bayside Library Service) - Junior Fiction - J MACC - Available - 010009740