Showing results by narrator "Karise Yansen" in All Categories

Frankie is not happy. Not only is she stuck at Grandad's for a whole week while her parents swan off to the Arctic, now she's discovered that there's NO WIFI anywhere in the house! Also in the house are: Joel - Frankie's annoying nerd brother who spend all his times playing computer games like Elf-Quest and just generally being really super annoying. Grandad - likes gardening down the allotment and cups of tea. Oh, and is also the custodian of a secret fantasy realm called Parallelia.

It used to be the most WONDERFUL time of the year, but for years Christmas has been taken over by Winterzone. All the things that made Christmas special are gone. Instead, Christmas is run by robots, while 3D holograms of Santa Claus called Santavatars check if you’ve been naughty or nice—and on Christmas Eve, all of the presents are delivered by ZoneDrones instead of Santa’s reindeer! But when they stumble on a curious clue, eleven-year-old Etta and her friend Monty find themselves thrown into a fight to bring back Christmas.

With the Blitz over and London reeling from war, jazz musician Lawrie Matthews has answered England’s call for help. Fresh off the Empire Windrush, he’s taken a tiny room in south London lodgings, and has fallen in love with the girl next door. Touring Soho’s music halls by night, pacing the streets as a postman by day, Lawrie has poured his heart into his new home - and it’s alive with possibility. Until, one morning, he makes a terrible discovery.

Evie is used to not being noticed. But when she meets the mysterious Wainwright, she discovers that going unnoticed might just be what makes her unique. Recruited into a secret magical organization, Evie finds herself at the heart of an ancient and magical battle. Evil is returning to the land, and Evie is the only person who can stop it. But how can she defeat the most dangerous magician in the world, when she doesn't even know her own powers?

Nubis has been plunged into the Darkness by the shadowy Reaper King—a figure children know only through their nightmares. When his minions capture her parents and take over the city, Mia, her friends and her little brother must travel across the Nightmare Plains to reach Stella, the City of Light. But getting there isn't going to be easy. Mia must learn to harness her umbra taming abilities if she stands any chance of confronting the king and rescuing her parents. If she can't, she'll lose her family—and her soul—to the Darkness forever.

Things begin to go wrong for Jaz when her mum moves out, leaving her family behind. Determined to fix everything, she creates her own girl's football team to be the star her mum always wanted. First, she recruits a brilliant new group of friends to join her team. But after a shaky start, seven very different personalities to manage and no one at school taking the girls' team seriously, football stardom feels a long way off. Can Jaz keep everyone - and herself - out of trouble long enough to convince her mum to come home?

Anna Heath is divorced, a single mum and trying desperately to keep her life in order. Despite her friends' best efforts, Anna has stopped looking for love and is determined to give her daughter, Ruthie, a Christmas to remember. Sam Jackman has just been dealt with life altering news, and all he could think to do was run. He's left his American football team back in the US, stuck a pin in a map, and landed in Richmond, London.

When 12-year-old Eleanor Newton dies in an accident, she finds herself journeying down a mysterious river that takes her to The Underworld. She apprehensively embarks on her "afterlife" at The Great House, a boarding school of sorts for children who have died. The Underworld is captivating: always sunny and warm but also fractured, possibly by the sadness of the untimely deaths of its young inhabitants. Strange things have been happening to Ellie since she arrived: she knows something isn't right, and she doesn't want to be there.

Summer was supposed to be Ginika's time for fun, friends and fairs. But instead she's been sent to live at the dead-end seaside boarding house her grandparents run. Even though her parents say it’s just for a little while, she can’t help feeling abandoned and heartbroken to be missing out on everything she loves back home. And then she meets Peri. He leaps and dives through the water like a dolphin and he talks like a burst of bubbles. He’s not exactly a mermaid, but he’s definitely something Ginika's never seen before.

The Elite are imprisoned, the Reaper King is once again banished from the world, and the city of Nubis is trying to return to normal. So is Mia, but it’s not so easy. Coming to terms with new powers and being the tamer of two umbra, she’s also plagued by nightmares. Is the fear all in her imagination? Or are the agents of darkness somehow planning another assault? Once again, Mia’s skills and resilience will be tested to their limits.

Olivia Alez is delighted about finally living a life away from the royal palace in the mountains that used to be her home, after the Kingdom of Alez decides it doesn't want a royal family any more. Now she can finally give up boring princess lessons and learn about real things, like volcanoes and the ocean and space! But Olivia is completely unprepared for the world that awaits her.

As a young orphan, Jane Eyre is thrown upon the mercy of an aunt and cousins who are anything but merciful, and when they send her away to an austere boarding school for charity cases, it seems she will never be allowed to forget her humble beginnings. However, Jane has a quiet inner strength and resourcefulness, and when she takes on a role as governess at Thornfield Hall, she quickly gains both the affection and respect not only of her young pupil, but also the child's guardian, the fierce and brooding Mr. Rochester.

The earth is thriving, with wilderness status protecting land and wildlife, and scientific organisations researching new ways to support human life sustainably. Rory's mum is a geologist on one of these projects, and he is beyond excited to join her on a work trip to the Arctic. But the project isn't all that it seems, and Rory soon learns what's at stake for the people and animals who live there.

Three thirteen-year-old strangers are connected by one big secret. Nervous Ayrton was stolen from his mum as a baby. He was returned safely, but now Mum won't let him out of her sight. Curious Stanley has a Forbidden Grandmother. His mum won't even talk about her. Homeless Sen has finally found a place to live, but she'll be out on the street if she upsets her secretive landlady. What happens when their paths cross..?

Since its publication in 1982, The Color Purple has resonated with generations of readers across the globe. The novel catapulted author Alice Walker to international fame, brought Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg acting acclaim in the 1985 film adaptation, and inspired theatrical productions around the world, including the Tony Award–winning Broadway musical. This cultural touchstone—which so profoundly touches on race, family, survival, spirituality, sisterhood, and love in all forms—continues to beget new iterations, most recently a feature film.