The Night Bus Hero

Author: Onjali Q. Raúf
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1510106782
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 192

Book Description
'The boy's an absolute menace.' 'He's a bully. A lost cause!' 'Why can't he be more like his sister?' 'I've been getting into trouble for as long I can remember. Usually I don't mind - some of my best, most brilliant ideas have come from sitting in detention. But recently it feels like no one believes me about anything - even when I'm telling the truth! Everyone thinks I'm just a bully. They don't believe I could be a hero. But I'm going to prove them all wrong...' Meet Hector: a bully whose dastardly antics spiral out of control when, after school one day, he decides to bully a homeless man in the local park. But as London's most famous statues and emblems go missing and its homeless communities are pointed to as the thieves, has Hector managed to pick on the leader of them all? And if so, what can he do in a world that won't believe a word he says? Written in lockdown when - for the first time in history - London's homeless community were gifted shelter, The Night Bus Hero explores themes of bullying and homelessness, and the potential everyone has to change for the good.

The Star Outside My Window

Author: Onjali Q. Raúf
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
ISBN: 151010514X
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 173

Book Description
WINNER OF THE DIVERSITY BOOK AWARDS, CHILDREN (UK) 2020 'I've always wanted to be a Star Hunter... But I don't want to be the kind that looks for old stars that have already been burning for millions of years. I want to find the new ones - the ones that have only just been born and are searching for the people they have left behind...' Following the disappearance of her mum, 10-year-old Aniyah suddenly finds herself living in foster care. With her life in disarray, she knows just one thing for sure: her mum isn't gone for ever. Because people with the brightest hearts never truly leave. They become stars. So when a new star is spotted acting strangely in the sky, Aniyah embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to make sure everyone knows who it belongs to. An adventure that involves the Royal Observatory of London, a mischievous scurry of squirrels and the biggest star in Hollywood... Told through the innocent voice of a child, this story that explores the subtle faces and endless impacts of domestic violence, and celebrates the power of hope and resilience, from Onjali Raúf, the award-winning author of The Boy at the Back of the Class. *Parental guidance recommended: issues relating to domestic abuse included*

The Boy at the Back of the Class

Author: Onjali Q. Raúf
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 1984850792
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 210

Book Description
Told with humor and heart, The Boy at the Back of the Class offers a child's perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn't always make sense. There used to be an empty chair at the back of Mrs. Khan's classroom, but on the third Tuesday of the school year a new kid fills it: nine-year-old Ahmet, a Syrian refugee. The whole class is curious about this new boy--he doesn't seem to smile, and he doesn't talk much. But after learning that Ahmet fled a Very Real War and was separated from his family along the way, a determined group of his classmates bands together to concoct the Greatest Idea in the World--a magnificent plan to reunite Ahmet with his loved ones. This accessible, kid-friendly story about the refugee crisis highlights the community-changing potential of standing as an ally and reminds readers that everyone deserves a place to call home. "This moving and timely debut novel tells an enlightening, empowering, and ultimately hopeful story about how compassion and a willingness to speak out can change the world." --School Library Journal, Starred Review Overall Winner of the 2019 UK Waterstones Children's Book Prize Winner of the 2019 UK Blue Peter Book Award A CLIP Carnegie Medal Children's Book Award Nominee

The Girl in Between

Author: Sarah Carroll
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0735228612
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 258

Book Description
"A deeply moving story of family, homelessness, and the ghosts that won't let us go. Haunting and unforgettable."—Megan Shepherd, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Horses of Briar Hill Told in the naïve voice of a homeless girl sheltered by her mother from the world, this is a moving debut perfect for fans of David Almond, A Monster Calls, and Room. I'm invisible. Ma says I'm supposed to be so the Authorities don't get me. She goes out into the streets almost every day but I'm not allowed. I've got to stay inside the mill so they don't see me. In an old, abandoned mill, a girl and her ma take shelter from their memories of life on the streets, and watch the busy world go by. The girl calls it the Castle because it's the biggest place they've ever stayed, a home of her own like no other. The windows are boarded up and the floorboards are falling in, but for her neither of those things matter. Then developers show up, and it's clear that their lives are about to change forever. Desperate to save their refuge from the Authorities and her mother from her own personal demons, the girl seeks out the ghosts of the mill. And with only Caretaker—the old man who's slept outside the mill for decades—around to answer her questions, she begins to wonder what kind of ghosts are haunting both the mill and her mother. The Girl in Between is a compelling, witty, and at times heartbreaking novel that explores themes of loneliness and grief with effortless warmth and an unforgettable voice that will stick with you long after you've finished.

Heroes in the Night

Author: Tea Krulos
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
ISBN: 1613747780
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 306

Book Description
The Watchman didn't arrive in a Batmobile but drove a tan, four-door Pontiac. He was in costume, of course—a trench coat, motorcycle gloves, army boots, a domino mask, and a red hooded sweatshirt emblazoned with a W logo. Journalist Tea Krulos had spoken to him over the phone but never face-to-mask. By the end of the interview, he wasn't sure if the Watchman was delightfully eccentric or completely crazy. But he was going to find out. Heroes in the Night traces Krulos's journey into the strange subculture of Real Life Superheroes, random citizens who have adopted comic book&–style personas and hit the streets to fight injustice. Some concentrate on humanitarian or activist missions—helping the homeless, gathering donations for food banks, or delivering toys to children—while others actively patrol their neighborhoods looking for crime to fight. By day, these modern Clark Kents work as dishwashers, pencil pushers, and executives in Fortune 500 companies. But by night, only the Shadow knows. Well, the Shadow and Tea Krulos. Through historical research, extensive interviews, and many long hours walking patrol in Brooklyn, Seattle, San Diego, Minneapolis, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Krulos discovered what being a RLSH is all about. He shares not only their shining, triumphant moments but some of their ill-advised, terrifying disasters as well. It's all part of the life of a superhero. As the Watchman explains, &“If everyone made little changes in what they did, gave a little more to charity, watched out for their neighbors, we wouldn't have the problems that we have.&”

The Life and Time of Lonny Quicke

Author: Kirsty Applebaum
Publisher: Nosy Crow
ISBN: 1788005252
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 221

Book Description
Lonny is a lifeling. He has the power to heal any living creature and bring it back from the dead. But he pays a price for this gift - by lengthening the creature's life, he shortens his own. So Lonny has to be careful, has to stay hidden in the forest. Because if people knew what he could do, Lonny would be left with no life at all... A brilliant novel from the author of The Middler about family, secrets and a terrible power.

Night Bus

Author: Zuo Ma
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
ISBN: 177046638X
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages : 412

Book Description
In Night Bus, a young woman wearing round glasses finds herself on an adventurous late night bus ride that constantly makes detours through increasingly fantastical landscapes. Meanwhile a young cartoonist returns home after art school and tries his hand at becoming a working artist while watching over his aging grandmother whose memory is deteriorating. Nostalgic leaps take us to an elementary school gymnasium that slowly morphs into a swamp and is raided by a giant catfish. Beetles, salamanders, and bug-eyed fish intrude upon the bus ride of the round-glasses woman as the night stretches on. Night Bus blends autobiography, horror, and fantasy into a vibrantly detailed surreal world that shows a distinct talent surveying his past. Nature infringes upon the man-made world via gigantism and explosive abundance–the images in Night Bus are often unsettling, not aimed to horrify, but to upset the balance of modern life. Zuo Ma is part of a burgeoning Chinese art comics scene that pushes emotion to the forefront of the story while playing with action and dreams. Translated by Orion Martin.

Ghosts

Author: Raina Telgemeier
Publisher: Graphix
ISBN: 9780606391146
Category : All Souls' Day
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn't happy about leaving her friends for Bahia de la Luna, but Maya has cystic fibrosis and will benefit from the cool, salty air tha

The Smile Shop

Author: Satoshi Kitamura
Publisher: Holiday House
ISBN: 1682633500
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 34

Book Description
Acclaimed author-illustrator Satoshi Kitamura (Hat Tricks) celebrates human connection and community in this hopeful story about a boy, a benevolent shopkeeper, and a shared smile. A small boy has saved all his pocket money, and today's the day he'll buy something special just for himself! There's lots to see and smell at the market, from tasty pies to colorful toys and noisy instruments. But before he can even make up his mind, disaster strikes, and he loses his money down a drain. Oh no! But wait, what's this? A store called the Smile Shop? Could he buy a smile? A small one, perhaps, to cheer himself? Featuring charming, classic illustrations reminiscent of Maurice Sendak and Tomie dePaola, Satoshi Kitamura's The Smile Shop is an absorbing story of community, self-worth, and the effect of a smile shared between two people. An apt parable for a time when smiles and expressions of warmth are in high demand.

The Lion Above the Door

Author: Onjali Q. Raúf
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
ISBN: 1510106766
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 233

Book Description
From Onjali Q. Rauf, the award-winning and best-selling author of The Boy at the Back of the Class, comes an incredible story about missing histories and the concept of a universal family, told with humour and heart. Leo and his best friend Sangeeta are the odd ones out in their school. But as Leo's dad is always telling him, it's because they're special. Only thing is, if they're so special, how come they never see anyone who looks like them in their school history books? Then, on a class trip to a nearby cathedral, Leo's attention is drawn to a large marble slab high above the doors of the hall. Right there, bang in the middle of a list of war heroes, Leo finds himself staring at something incredible: his own name. Desperate to know who this other Leo was, the two friends embark on a search. And together, they begin to uncover missing stories from the past, ones which they are determined to put back into their rightful place in the pages of history. Touching on themes of historical racism, The Lion Above the Door shines a light on the stories our history books have yet to contain and the power of friendships that can last through generations. The first edition of this book also contains a special collection of historical photos and stories of real life forgotten heroes from World War Two.