Adventure Books for age 11+ years and over....

Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella dreams of the faraway lands her cartographer father once mapped. When her best friend disappears, she's determined to be part of the search party. Guided by an ancient map and her knowledge of the stars, Isabella navigates the island's dangerous Forgotten Territories. But beneath the dry rivers and dead forests, a fiery myth is stirring from its sleep.

‘He gave a half-hearted laugh and withdrew a battered envelope from his pocket. Crouching down, he stuffed it into a leather pouch around Malkin’s neck. “This is for my Lily. See that she gets it." “What’s in there?” John smiled. “Secrets…”’ 

A deliciously atmospheric tale of mechanical foxes, missing fathers and mysterious crashes abounds in wit, invention and adventure.  Themes: loss of parent, friendship, philosophy  of being.

"But you probably don't believe in the Malamander. You may think there's no way a fish-man can be real. And that's fine. Stick to your ice cream and deck chairs." Spooky adventure book for 10+. Could the monstrous Malamander be lurking midst the rocks and wrecks of 'eerie-on-Sea?  Written in the first person narrative from the perspective of a  12 year old boy called Herbert Lemon.

Selvi is a wild child who loves climbing in the beautiful mountains behind her home. She is often joined by Lokka, a leopard with a beautiful coat and huge golden eyes. When hunters come for Lokka, Selvi is determined to fight. But what can she do against such powerful enemies? Turn to her friends, of course...Now they just need the perfect plan...

For anyone who ever longed to be wild... October and her dad live in the woods. They know the trees, the rocks, the lake and stars like best friends. Until the year October turns 11. That's the year October rescues a baby owl. It's the year Dad falls out of a tree in their woods. The year the woman who calls herself October's mother comes back, the year everything changes. Themes: parental separation/ loss/ emotions/ change.

One of Sophias favs...  Liska lives in Arborven, a city surrounding an extraordinary tree that gives all those living there special powers. As a shapeshifter, Liska is training as a warrior. When she discovers that the Tree is under threat, it is her duty to act - but she can't convince anyone to listen to her. So with Lug, whose power over earthworms is dismissed as useless, and a ghost-girl, Elowen, she goes on an epic journey to defeat the worst threat their world has ever known.

 'Get me some ghosts,' said Fulton Snodde-Brittle. 'Frightful and dangerous ghosts!' Fulton has gone to the Dial a Ghost agency with an evil plan. He wants to hire some truly terrifying ghosts to scare his nephew Oliver to death. The Shriekers are the most violent and sickening spectres the agency has, but a mix-up means the kind Wilkinson ghosts are sent in their place. Now Oliver has some spooky allies to help him outwit the wicked Snodde-Brittles . . . Trigger warning: scary descriptions.

 We need proper ghosts,' said Ned, 'really scary ones with heads that come off and daggers in their chests!' When Madlyn and her younger brother Rollo arrive at crumbling Clawstone Castle, they can see that emergency action is needed before Clawstone falls down completely. With the help of a team of homeless, scary ghosts –including a one-eyed skeleton and Brenda the Bloodstained Bride – they hatch a spooky plan to get the money rolling in but not everything goes to plan....

When a Hag, an orphan boy called Ivo, Ulf the troll and wizard Brian Brainsweller are sent to rescue a princess from an ogre, they briefly consider running away and hiding. But not all is as it first appears – the Ogre is depressed and the princess doesn't want to be rescued. The Norns, who rule their fates, decide to take things in hand and send a gang of the vilest, most petrifying ghouls to get the job properly...

  A modern classic, young Sophie catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste and is put under a spell...Deciding she has nothing more to lose, Sophie makes her way to the moving castle. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls...There Sophie meets Michael, Howl's apprentice, and Calcifer the fire demon, with whom she agrees a pact. 

 Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world...The first volume in Philip Pullman's incredible HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy

 Rose is an unsusual child, a North Child. For Rose was born facing north, and the old stories say she is destined to travel far from home on a dangerous journey. Making a pact with an enormous white bear, Rose travels on his back to a mysterious castle that holds a dark enchantment, a darker temptation, and the key to her true destiny... 

 For nervous young witch Clemmie, this October might see the stars descend on her for the first time, bringing with them a whole month of chaotic new power. She's spent twelve years watching her mum, aunts and cousin receive their October power and knows that, for the Merlyns, magic can get very messy.

And there are those who want to harness their magic and make it last beyond October. It's a bold experiment, until Clemmie and her coven find themselves in mortal danger. What price must be paid ?

 The Darling children's lives take an extraordinary turn when Peter Pan loses his shadow in their nursery. Soaring over a sleepy London and through twinkling stars, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell lead Wendy, Michael, and John Darling on a brilliant adventure to Neverland, where pirates, mermaids, and the Lost Boys play! With magic in the air, it all seems too good to be true until the Darling children meet Captain Hook and his terrible crew and their tick tick ticking crocodile.

 At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park standing on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, but no one can wake him. Finn's big sister, Bianca, suspects that the beautiful sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it, but the book has vanished. Each day, more children are found frozen and Bianca realizes she's running out of time. Her quest to discover the truth and rescue her brother.

 A pilot stranded in the desert awakes one morning to see the most extraordinary little fellow standing before him. "Please," asks the stranger, "draw me a sheep." And the pilot realises that when life's events are too difficult to understand, there is no choice but to succumb to their mysteries. He pulls out a pencil and paper... and thus begins this wise and enchanting fable that, in teaching the secret of what is really important in life, has changed the world forever for its readers.

 When 14-year-old Sophie encounters a mysterious mentor who introduces her to philosophy, mysteries deepen in her own life. Why does she keep getting postcards addressed to another girl? Who is the other girl? And who, for that matter, is Sophie herself? To solve the riddle, she uses her new knowledge of philosophy, but the truth is far stranger than she could have imagined. An addictive blend of mystery, philosophy and fantasy, 

...by The School of Life.

The book functions as an ideal introduction to philosophy, as well as a charming way to open up conversations between adults and children about the biggest questions we all face. The focus of these chapters are incredibly meaningful, some of my favourites include ‘People are unhappy, not mean’, ‘Learn to say what’s on your mind’, ‘Good things are (unexpectedly) hard’ and ‘Politeness matters’. 

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by 12 outlying districts. The Capitol keeps districts in line by forcing them all to send a boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 16 yr old Katniss regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place.  If she is to win, she will have to start making choices!

After winning the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta return to their district, hoping for a peaceful future. But their victory has caused rebellion to break out and the Capitol has decided that someone must pay. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitol's Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless they can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. Then comes the cruellest twist...

The final book in the trilogy! Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.