The House With 46 Chimneys by Ken Lussey (10 November 2020). (Amazon paid link.)
Life changes dramatically for Kaleb, Jude and Sequoia when they move to live with their aunt in a rural corner
of central Scotland. It’s the beginning of April 2020, the early days of the coronavirus lockdown.
Three local children they meet – in a socially distanced way – draw them into a two-century old family
mystery involving the haunting of the nearby ruins of Dunmore Park. Do they try to right a wrong that was
done in 1828, a wrong that has had consequences ever since? Or is doing so simply too dangerous?
Read our full review.
Not the End of the World by Talya Baldwin (4 July 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
This is a true story about a real place. A place hidden behind the waves. The Vikings saw it in their dreams, and sometimes sea birds call its name.
It’s a dot on a map. The blink of an eye. The beat of a wing. Storms and songs and stickleback stop by on their travels. This is St Kilda. A tiny
group of islands; an archipelago: Hirta, Boreray, Soay, Dùn. They call them The Islands at the End of the World. Come on an adventure, far away
across the sea to the mysterious St Kilda to discover its story.
Read our full review.
Mach Book One: The Awakening by David Hutchison (2 September 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
In a time before time itself, Mach is about to reach adulthood by going through the mysterious ritual of the Awakening
Ceremony, and he is troubled because he has no idea what this ancient ceremony entails. He is blind to the conflict beyond
his land and unaware that an unseen Order of Warrior Priests will first reveal his true lineage, then take him from his
simple village life to teach him their inner ways and prepare him for the challenges that lie ahead.
Read our full review.
The Sins of Allie Lawrence by Philip Caveney (30 November 2020). (Amazon paid link.)
After a blazing row with her mother, sixteen-year-old Allie Lawrence runs away from the family home in Killiecrankie,
with no plan other than to go to Edinburgh to 'be an actor.' Then a chauffeur-driven car pulls up beside her and she's
offered a lift by its handsome and mysterious passenger, Nick. Against her better judgement, she accepts - and soon
discovers that he is a 'manager', who claims he can make all her dreams come true. She just needs to sign a contract...
Read our full review.
Anna by Laura Guthrie (25 June 2020). (Amazon paid link.)
Every cloud has a silver lining... doesn’t it? Anna is thirteen years old, lives in London with her father, and has Asperger’s syndrome.
When her father dies, she moves to Scotland to live with her estranged, reclusive mother. With little support to help her fit in, she
must use every coping strategy her father taught her - especially her ‘Happy Game’ - as she tries to connect with her mother, discover
her past, and deal with the challenges of being thrown into a brand new life along the way.
Read our full review.
A Hunter's Moon by Danny Weston (2 September 2021). (Amazon paid link.)
A fearsome beast lurks deep in the Forest of Tay. Under the cover of darkness it emerges to feed on the local farmer’s sheep
– and sometimes the farmers themselves. Frazer McCloud believes it’s a wolf, but some whisper that it’s the Cù Sìth – a creature
summoned by the mysterious ‘Walkers in the Woods.’ Callum is Fraser’s young apprentice, and he’s apprehensive when Fraser insists
that they must kill the beast. The killings become ever more audacious – and Callum realises he has every reason to be afraid...
Read our full review.
A Hebridean Alphabet by Debi Gliori (23 June 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
This is a beautifully conceived picture flat in which Debi Gliori describes and illustrates all kinds of things you might see over the course of a single
day in the Hebrides. Inspired by the landscape, seascape, weather, animals and birds, this is not simply an exquisite alphabet book, but also a wonderful
celebration of some of the most magnificent scenery in Britain.
Read our full review.
When we get to the Island by Alex Nye (21 November 2019). (Amazon paid link.)
Hani is 12 and invisible, and yet everyone wants to capture him. After escaping from Syria with his sister, he finds himself working in
atrocious conditions in Scotland. When his sister disappears, he begins a perilous journey to find her, across some of the
wildest terrain in Scotland. Mia is also on the run. When she helps Hani
escape, the two become inseparable. Her dream is to reach the island where she was last happy,
when her parents were alive, and find their little house.
Read our full review.
Fake News by C.J. Dunford (31 May 2021). (Amazon paid link.)
When four high school children, and one dog, suffer at the hands of online media they come up with a plan to show everyone how little
they should trust what they read on the internet (actually, the dog only supplies moral support). They launch their own news site that
details amazing, shocking, fascinating, utterly believable but totally untrue stories. Their intention is always to come clean, and never
to target anyone, but success goes to their heads. Before long they are enmeshed in a world of spies and aliens.
Read our full review.
Pirate Tales from Scotland by Antony Kamm (27 September 2018). (Amazon paid link.)
Here are true pirate tales of barbaric acts, sensational trials, bravery and cowardice, loyalty and treachery - and amazing incompetence -
with extracts from original sources. Tales of pirates, whether in fact or fiction, have long excited young imaginations. The pirate stories
here all have a Scottish connection. The title is part of the Scotties series of activity books for young readers and includes a
section of activities which are photocopiable for home or classroom use.
Read our full review.
A Wee Bird Was Watching by Karine Polwart and Kate Leiper (18 October 2018). (Amazon paid link.)
A young girl and her mother settle in the woods for a night's sleep, after a long and tiring journey. But who will keep them safe
from harm? A wee bird is watching from the trees. And he knows just what to do. This is a vividly illustrated telling of a folk
tale that speaks to themes of displacement, migration and protection. The robin, one of the most recognisable birds, has become
a symbol variously of good luck, ominous portent and festive cheer.
Read our full review.
The Secret of the Dark Waterfall by Alexander McCall Smith (5 September 2019). (Amazon paid link.)
The School Ship Tobermory and its intrepid young crew are back in Hebridean waters. When a they visit St Kilda,
they discover an old fisherman's journal which tells of a mysterious shipwreck crammed with treasure. But without a precise location,
where do they start looking? Before long, Ben, Fee and their friends realize they are not the only ones searching for the lost wreck.
Read our full review.
Walking Mountain by Joan Lennon (15 June 2017). (Amazon paid link.)
Set in a future world in which greed, corruption, hypocrisy and blind ignorance threaten the very fabric of the planet, Joan Lennon's novel
has all the qualities of a classic quest peopled with a fabulous cast of extraordinary characters and animals, it is witty, lyrical, dark,
powerful, and constantly surprising. And at its heart is the friendship between three disparate and unforgettable characters, a bond that
has the reader cheering them on until the novel's extraordinary conclusion.
Read our full review.
The Colouring Book of Scotland by Eilidh Muldoon (7 April 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
A unique Scottish colouring book suitable for adults as well as children featuring 20 of the country's most iconic places. Eilidh Muldoon's are
ideal for all levels of colouring, with intricate detail for some, yet simple enough for those with
less patience or time.
Read our full review.
Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean (4 January 2018). (Amazon paid link.)
Every time a lad came fowling on the St Kilda stacs, he went home less of a boy and more of a man. If he went home at all, that is. In the summer
of 1727, a group of men and boys are put ashore on a remote sea stac to harvest birds for food. No one returns to collect them. Why? Surely nothing
but the end of the world can explain why they have been abandoned to endure storms, starvation and terror. And how can they survive, housed in stone
and imprisoned by the ocean?
Read our full review.
Soldier's Game by James Killgore (21 July 2011). (Amazon paid link.)
After football practice each week, Ross goes to visit his grandmother, and this week she has a special present for him. Pat digs out a pair
of old football boots and strip which belonged to her father, who once played for Heart of Midlothian Football Club, and who was part of a battalion of
footballers and fans who fought in the First World War at the Battle of the Somme.
Read our full review.
The Calling by Philip Caveney (31 March 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
A boy wakes up on a train to Edinburgh.He discovers that he has no idea who he is or how he came to be on the train. Her
then finds himself immersed in the chaos of the Edinburgh Fringe. After a day of wandering the crowded streets,
he falls asleep and is woken by the sound of bells tolling midnight,
only to discover that is the night of The Calling, a magical yearly event when all the statues of the city come alive.
Read our full review.
Star of Hope by Moira McPartlin (28 February 2019). (Amazon paid link.)
This third volume of The Sun Song Trilogy finds Sorlie and Ishbel working together in one last attempt to save Esperaneo.
What is the Star of Hope? All they know is that it will free the native race from slavery. Ishbel travels north through a
hostile artic forest while Sorlie heads for the southern dry lands. One final betrayal decides the fate of the mission and
their fight for freedom. The Sun Song trilogy explores life in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic Britain where society's
norms have broken down.
Read our full review.
The Glasgow Gruffalo: The Gruffalo in Glaswegian by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (11 October 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
Moan intae the scary big wood an funnoot whit the score wiz, when the wee gallus moose squared uptae an auld owl, a sleekit
snake an a ginormous gruffalo... Everybody loves The Gruffalo and now you can enjoy this children’s classic
in Glaswegian! Translated by Elaine C. Smith, this new edition of The Gruffalo will delight
both children and adults alike.
Read our full review.
The GFG: The Guid Freendly Giant (The BFG in Scots) by Roald Dahl (17 June 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
To celebrate the Roald Dahl centenary, here is one of Dahls best-loved books in Scots.
And with the Spielberg movie also coming out this summer, this addition to Dahl Scots will
be hugely popular, taking a new look at a modern classic. "Ae nicht, as the ither bairns sleep,
Sophie is wheeched fae her bed in the orphanage by the muckle haund o a giant."
Read our full review.
Ways of the Doomed by Moira McPartlin (18 June 2015). (Amazon paid link.)
It's the year 2089 and everything is altered. The revolutions of the early 21st century have created a world divided. Sorlie is enjoying a
typical carefree privileged teenage life until it is smashed apart by the cruel death of his parents and he is spirited away to live with his ice-cold
grandfather at a mysterious island penal colony.
Read our full review.
Tappety Tam Fairley by Tim Archbold (23 June 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
Tappety Tam Fairley is the odd-job man in High Hope village, where he keeps everything neat and tidy. So much so, in fact,
that High Hope wins the Best Kept Village competition every year - much to the annoyance of the inhabitants of Low Hope Village,
who have never won anything at all..
Read our full review.
Day of the Trolls by Ron Butlin and James Hutcheson (4 August 2017). (Amazon paid link.)
It's the Day of the Trolls: Fart-Fart and all the trolls are back! Join them in the shopping mall where they go wild,
causing havoc as they overrun the place. But when they follow sign saying All Trolls - This Way, things turn out very
differently to what Flycatcher, Bumscratcher, SnotFace, Squeer and the rest of them expected ...
Read our full review.
The Troll and the Kist o Gowd: The Troll in Scots by Julia Donaldson and James Robertson (20 September 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
There wis yince a troll that steyed ablow a brig. (That s jist whaur trolls are meant tae stey.)
Meanwhile, awa oot tae sea, there wis some pirates that steyed in a ship. So begins this hilarious tale of the
adventures of a bunch of incompetent pirates who can't cook, and a crabbit auld troll who can.
Read our full review.
The Celts and All That by Alan Burnett & Scoular Anderson (30 August 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
A book bursting with blood-curdling battles and dead important details about the ancient Celts. Everything you need to know about human
sacrifice and headhunting is all here, plus a recipe for making your own Celtic bog butter! Packed with incredible illustrations of everything
from iron-age jewellery to timber fortresses, this is an essential guide to a brilliant bunch of ancient Europeans who shaped our world.
Read our full review.
Clarty Jim McCloud by Tim Archbold (23 June 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
Every day Clarty Jim McCloud's granny makes him sandwiches so truly terrible that he feeds to a hungry catfish on the way to school.
One day Jim gets a job at Shove & Bargeworth Ironwork Company and no longer passes the river so the catfish gets hungry and
searches for other things to eat.
Read our full review.
Maggie's Mittens by Coo Clayton and Alison Soye (10 October 2017). (Amazon paid link.)
Maggie doesn't like her mittens. They're hot. They're fuzzy. And Mum wants her to wear two of them! Maybe she can find
them a new owner on her trip around Scotland . . . somewhere Mum won't notice! Join Maggie and her mittens on this charming
and delightful tour of Scotland. Coo Clayton grew up in St Andrews, Fife. She studied at Edinburgh University and currently
works as a primary teacher. Alison Soye is a Northern Irish illustrator based in Edinburgh.
Read our full review.
Young Bond: SilverFin by Charlie Higson (5 May 2011). (Amazon paid link.)
Before the name became a legend. Before the legend became a man. Meet Bond. James Bond. The first explosive adventure in the Young Bond
series, in a special edition with all new material and a fantastic redesigned cover. A great read and an atmospheric Scottish location set in the
1930s.
Read our full review.
Wants of the Silent (The Sun Song Trilogy) by Moira McPartlin (31 July 2017). (Amazon paid link.)
This second volume of the Sun Song trilogy takes Sorlie to the floodlands of southern Esperaneo. Sorlie joins his grandmother Vanora's revolutionary
army where he finds murder and mayhem. With her army in disarray and her network of supporters disappearing, Vanora chooses Sorlie to become her warrior.
The Sun Song trilogy explores life in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic Britain where society's norms have broken down and life has to
be lived differently.
Read our full review.
Rally Car/Tractor/Digger by Benedict Blathwayt (13 July 2017). (Amazon paid link.)
Benedict Blathwayt's award-winning illustrations are full of detail which are guaranteed to stimulate the interest of very young children
(aged 0-5) and help develop their powers of observation. Each of these books take a subject likely to be of interest to a young child, and
brings it to life. Digger is set against the backdrop of Edinburgh, while Rally Car is based on the Mull Rally. We think that Tractor may
also have settings inspired by the author's native Isle of Mull.
Read our full review.
The Covenanters by Claire Watts (Scotties) (16 December 2011). (Amazon paid link.)
This title in the "Scotties Series" explains the complex topic of the Covenanters of the 1600s to children and is also a useful introduction
to the subject for adults. "Scotties Books" contain a wealth of interesting facts, stimulating activities, websites and suggestions for places to visit.
Read our full review.
The Book/Buke of the Howlat by James Robertson & Kate Leiper (12 September 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
A young owl longs to become as handsome as the Peacock who struts around the castle garden. The Peacock calls all
the other birds together to discuss what should be done, and they appeal to Nature to grant the Howlat's wish. This is a beautifully told and illustrated
reimagining of a poetic gem dating back to the 1440s, available in English language and Scots language editions.
Read our full review.
The Slithers by Philip Caveney (30 October 2017). (Amazon paid link.)
After the death of his mother and the end of his father's high-powered career, Zach and his Dad have come to the north of Scotland to
live rent-free in Grandfather Alistair's cliff-top cottage. Dad asks Zach to clean out the old garden pond, a rotting nightmare where
not even a tadpole can survive. But when he drains the pond, he unearths something unexpected- a trapdoor leading down into darkness...
He ventures down there and discovers something amazing - a glowing egg-shaped stone.
Read our full review.
Chairlie and the Chocolate Works: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in Scots by Roald Dahl, Matthew Fitt and Quentin Blake (28 September 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
When Mr Wullie Wonka invites five bairns ben intae his warld-famous chocolate factory, some o them turn oot tae be spoilt wee bampots. For Chairlie Baffie,
the tour o Wonka's chocolate works is the adventure o a lifetime. Has Violet Boakregarde bitten aff mair than she can chaw? Will Mike Teeveeheid finally
end up on TV? Find oot in Matthew Fitt's gallus new Scots translation.
Read our full review.
The Vikings and All That by Alan Burnett & Scoular Anderson (30 August 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
A skull-splitting saga about the wild, seafaring warriors who burst into history in the 8th century and looted, plundered, pillaged and burned their way from
their native Scandinavia to the British Isles and much of Europe. Packed with fantastic, fun illustrations of everything from the Vikings' warships to their
favourite board games, this is the book that answers all the key questions you might have.
Read our full review.
The Sands of Shark Island by Alexander McCall Smith (15 September 2016). (Amazon paid link.)
Ben and Fee MacTavish feel they can learn all about nautical life on board School Ship Tobermory. But it's not
long before Ben, Fee, their fellow students and the crew find themselves embroiled in another adventure that leads them thousands of miles from
Mull to a small island in the Caribbean, where they learn extraordinary details about Captain Macbeth's past.
Read our full review.
Supernatural Scotland (Scotties) by Eileen Dunlop (1 April 2011). (Amazon paid link.)
This title in the Scottie Books series covers: Ghosts and Graveyards; Haunted Houses - such as Haddington House with its ghostly horse;
Witches - good spells and bad spells; Hallowe'en; Fairies and more; Glaistigs and Brownies; and, Merfolk.
Read our full review.
The Coming of the Unicorn: Scottish Folk Tales for Children by Duncan Williamson
(22 March 2012). (Amazon paid link.)
This collection includes tales about cunning foxes and storytelling cats, hunchbacked ogres and beautiful unicorns, helpful broonies and
mysterious fairies, as well as about ordinary folk trying to make their way in the world. The stories have been written in Duncan's unique storytelling voice,
full of colour, humour and life.
Read our full review.
Create & Colour Scotland: Art, Design, Colouring by Yvette Walker (30 October
2015). (Amazon paid link.)
A unique, handcrafted activity book with a Scottish twist. It's jam-packed with fantastic, creative things to do, including colouring-in,
drawing, design and craft activities that will both inspire and relax as you let your imagination run free. Want to make a fingerprint Loch Ness Monster? Or
Create your own tartan?
Read our full review.
Viking Gold by V. Campbell (7 November 2011). (Amazon paid link.)
Sixteen-year old Redknee never knew his father. Now his uncle is Jarl and wants Redknee to be a great Viking warrior. But Redknee is more
interested in tracking the wild deer of the forest. Then the young Viking stumbles upon a war-party making for his home; the brutal Ragnar burns the village,
taking for spoils only a mysterious book.
Read our full review.
The Hebridean Colouring Book by Eilidh Muldoon (20 July 2017). (Amazon paid link.)
The Hebrides contain some of Scotland's most breathtaking scenery, magnificent castles, picturesque villages, as well as
other features of interest. In this book Eilidh Muldoon presents 31 of the most iconic Hebridean places. Places featured include:
St Clements Church, Rodel, Harris; Kisimul, Barra; Dunvegan, Skye; Kinloch Castle, Rum; Muck Harbour; Iona Abbey; Tobermory; Bowmore,
Islay; St Kilda and more.
Read our full review.
Crow Boy by Philip Caveney (8 November 2012). (Amazon paid link.)
Young Tom Afflick has never felt so alone. His mother has relocated him, hundreds of miles away from his home in Manchester to the unfamiliar
city of Edinburgh. On a routine school trip to Mary King's Close, Tom follows the ghostly figure of a young girl,
only to find himself transported back in time
to 1645, the year of the Edinburgh plague.
Read our full review.
