17/07/2026
Announcing our Books of the Week!
Our first Book of the Week is a “beautifully constructed” contemporary tale, When I was a wolf by Liz Flanagan and published by Barrington Stoke.
Jasmine loves wolves, her mum and her best friend, Ella. But Jasmine's mum has fallen ill, and Ella is busy with Layla, the new girl at school. At a new art club, Jasmine learns to channel her worries and sadness into creativity, building a magnificent wolf lantern for the town parade. But when a moment of anger threatens to undo all her progress, can Jasmine find a way to control her emotions and repair her friendships?
Head of Library Services Alison praises the “likeable characters going through big and small challenges” and how “the role that art and reading play in Jasmine’s life will resonate with readers”. With Barrington Stoke’s accessibility features, this is a story you won’t want to stop reading and is a perfect addition to your library.
Our second Book of the Week is Zero override by Steve Blackman, published by Scholastic.
In a near-future London, where humans and humanoid bots live side by side, a virus is spreading through the national system. If it uploads, every intelligent machine in the country will shut down. Zero, a thirteen-year-old hacker who distrusts bots, wants nothing to do with saving the world — until the virus threatens his younger sister, Grace, whose machine heart keeps her alive. With only hours left, Zero must team up with Andi, a mysterious humanoid bot he neither likes nor trusts, to stop the upload, face MI6, and unravel his own past...
Children's Book Specialist Stephanie describes the book as a "fast paced sci-fi adventure with lots of action, suspense and clever twists along the way." The gripping pace and tech-filled adventure of Zero override are "likely to appeal to a wide audience including a reluctant reader, particularly those who enjoy action packed stories with AI and technology at the heart."
