2001, by Arthur C. Clarke
On the moon an enigma is uncovered. So great are the implications of the discovery that, for the first time, men are sent out deep into the solar system. But before they can reach their destination, things begin to go wrong. Horribly wrong.
|
A monster calls, by Patrick Ness
Conor's mother is dying. In a book that pulls no punches, we follow Conor as he rages against the unfairness of it all.
|
All quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque
Told by a young 'unknown soldier' in the trenches of Flanders during the First World War. Through his eyes we see all the realities of war; under fire, on patrol, waiting in the trenches, at home on leave, and in hospitals and dressing stations. Contains adult themes
|
Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks
Set in France and capturing the drama and destruction of First World War era. Stephen, a young Englishman, experiences a traumatic clandestine love affair and then the grim insanity of the Great War. Contains adult themes
|
Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell
A familiar story to many, but until you've read the book you can't really appreciate the special voice and true feeling Anna Sewell gives to this best loved horse. An essential read for any horse lover.
|
Bridget Jones's diary, by Helen Fielding
Meet Bridget Jones - a 30-something singleton who is certain she would have all the answers if she could lose 7 lbs, stop smoking and find Inner Poise. Contains adult themes.
|
Carrie, by Stephen King
Carrie has the gift of telekinesis. To be invited to prom night by Tommy is a dream - but Carrie is forced to exercise her terrible gift on the town that mocks and loathes her. Some adult content.
|
Coraline, by Neil Gaiman
Coraline is not to be put off by a sign of danger read in some tea-leaves or indeed a message sent to her by some very talented mice. Eerie and unsettling.
|
Dracula, by Bram Stoker
The novel that made 'vampire' a household word, Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' has been delighting - and chilling - readers for well over 100 years. Now, the immortal Count returns in this illustrated edition, offering the complete text of Stoker's dark masterwork adorned with more than 50 illlustrations by Becky Cloonan.
|
Eragon, by Christopher Paolini
The stone that Eragon thought was a valuable gem was a dragon egg. Will Eragon become a Dragon Rider? The fate of the empire may rest in his hands and the dragon's too.
|
Goodnight Mister Tom, by Michelle Magorian
Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of WW2. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley - but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mum back in London.
|
Goodnight Mister Tom, by Michelle Magorian
As Britain stands on the brink of WWII, Willie Beech is evacuated to the country. Thomas Oakley is the most unlikely refuge you could imagine - gruff and resentful, he is forced to take on the young evacuee. Together they form a wary bond, that grows into love and trust. Willie begins to flourish; but the day comes when his mother demands that he return home, and his happiness is shattered. A powerful, heart-rending, unforgettable story.
|
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone, by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter is an ordinary boy who lives in the cupboard under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house - until he is rescued by an owl and taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft.
|
Holes, by Louis Sachar
This is a modern classic - it is a fable; a myth; a quest and a school story (even if the school is a penal institute) and just a really great tale.
|
How I live now, by Meg Rosoff
Fifteen year old anorexic Daisy arrives in England from the US to stay with her father and his pregnant partner and strange things begin to happen. Contains adult themes.
|
Howl's moving castle, by Diana Wynne Jones
In the land of Ingary, where seven league boots and cloaks of invisibility do exist, Sophie Hatter catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste and is put under a spell.
|
I am legend, by Richard Matheson
Robert Neville is the last living man on earth ...but he is not alone. Every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood. Contains adult themes.
|
I am number four, by Pittacus Lore
Nine teenagers and their guardians are hiding on Earth - protected by a charm that means they can only be killed in numeric order, three are already dead. John Smith is Number Four. And his mortal enemies are hunting him down.
|
Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke
Maggie and her father Mo love books. When a stranger comes with a warning Mo is forced to reveal an extraordinary storytelling secret that will change their lives forever.
|
Interview with the vampire, by Anne Rice
In a darkened room a young man sits telling the macabre and eerie story of his life - the story of a vampire, gifted with eternal life, cursed with an exquisite craving for human blood. Contains some adult themes
|
Lord of the flies, by William Golding
After a plane crash a group of boys set up a fragile community on a previously uninhabited island. As memories of home recede and the blood from frenzied pig-hunts arouses them, the boys' childish fear turns into something deeper and more primitive.
|
Marley & me, by John Grogan
Meet Marley, a yellow furball of a puppy who quickly grows into a large, rowdy Labrador retriever. Marley is always getting into trouble, whether he is stealing underwear or crashing through doors. But those who know and love Marley accept him as a dog like no other. He brings joy to his family and teaches them what really matters in life.
|
Nineteen eighty-four, by George Orwell
Newspeak, Doublethink, Big Brother, the Thought Police - the horrors of totalitarianism.
|
Pride and prejudice, by Jane Austen
In early nineteenth-century England, a spirited young woman copes with the suit of a snobbish gentleman, as well as the romantic entanglements of her four sisters. Contains adult themes.
|
Private Peaceful, by Michael Morpurgo
A poignant story of war and its many life-changing effects on those involved--and about the brutality of the commanding regimes of the First World War and the relentless squalor of trench warfare. Difficult and emotionally draining.
|
Ring, by Koji Suzuki
Investigating the sudden deaths of four teenagers Asakawa views a video tape with a chilling message 'Those who have viewed these images are fated to die at this exact hour one week from now'. Stunning, cutting-edge thriller with a chilling supernatural twist.
|
Schindler's Ark, by Thomas Keneally
More than a thousand Jews were saved from death in the Holocaust by a womanizing, heavy-drinking, German-Catholic industrialist and member of the Nazi Party, Oskar Schindler. Contains adult themes
|
Stormbreaker, by Anthony Horowitz
Forcibly recruited into MI6 after the suspicious death of his guardian, Alex is sent on his first secret mission.
|
Tarka the otter, by Henry Williamson
A moving account of the life of an otter.
|
The Da Vinci code, by Dan Brown
So convincing the Church condemned it - the Code takes you on a breathtaking journey of murder and deception, through Europe, the Bible, and all that you thought you knew. Contains adult themes.
|
The birds and other stories, by Daphne Du Maurier
A collection of sinister short stories including 'The Birds' which was famously adapted for film by Alfred Hitchcock.
|
The boy in the striped pyjamas, by John Boyne
Although suitable for quite a young age, this is potentially one of the most disturbing books I have ever read. The inevitability of the ending, the innocence of the main character, and the unstoppable pace of the story combine to create a heartwrenching vision of the horror of the holocaust.
|
The diary of a young girl, by Anne Frank
A timeless story rediscovered by each new generation, 'The Diary of a Young Girl' stands without peer. For both young readers and adults it continues to bring to life this young woman, who for a time survived the worst horror the modern world had seen.
|
The eagle of the Ninth, by Rosemary Sutcliff
The ninth legion disappears into the mists of northern Britain. Marcus Aquila embarks on a quest to discover the fate of his father and the legion.
|
The fellowship of the ring: Vol. 1 of "The Lord of the Rings". Centenary ed, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Frodo Baggins sets out to destroy the power of the Dark Lord who threatens the very existence of Middle Earth.
|
The invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick
An amazing story and a spellbinding mystery told in words and pictures. Twelve-year-old Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity.
|
The princess diaries, by Meg Cabot
Mia becomes heir to the Genovian throne - apparently she really is a princess. Mia begins taking princess lessons and has to be followed everywhere by a bodyguard. But if you think she's moving to Genovia, think again!
|
The road, by Cormac McCarthy
A father and his young son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing but a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road. Originally published: 2006
|
The sisterhood of the travelling pants, by Ann Brashares
From Baja California to Greece, from film-making to football - as Carmen, Tibby, Lena and Bridget endure their first summer apart they are secure in the knowledge that their friendship is constant - and the symbol of it is only a parcel-delivery away.
|
The thief lord, by Cornelia Funke
Two orphaned children on the run in Venice are befriended by the Thief Lord. A beautiful magical treasure with the power to spin time itself threatens their new found freedom.
|
The woman in black, by Susan Hill
Just who is the ghostly woman in black? An eerie and chilling ghost story.
|
To kill a mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Steep yourself in the deep South of the 30's, where Atticus defends a black man accused of raping a white girl, and Scout and Jem Finch observe the irrationality of the adult world. A warm and funny book full of truth. Contains adult themes.
|
Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer
Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.
|
Watchmen, by Alan Moore
A dark and complex graphic novel which explores the nature of humanity and heroes. Who decides what is right? Who has the right to judge? To punish? Who watches the Watchmen? The clock is ticking as the Comedian's killer is sought, and the world spins ever closer to oblivion. Contains strong adult themes and images.
|
Watership down, by Richard Adams
Set in the once idyllic rural landscape of the south of England, 'Watership Down' follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the destruction of their home, as they head towards a mysterious promised land. Originally published: London: Rex Collings, 1972
|
White Fang, by Jack London
Half wolf, half dog, White Fang is the only grey cub in the litter. Brought up by wolves, he is captured, and doomed to die a brutal death in the ring. A tale of survival against the odds.
|
Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte
At the centre of this novel is the passionate love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff - recounted with such emotional intensity that a plain tale of the Yorkshire moors acquires the depth and simplicity of ancient tragedy.
|