Annabel Pitcher – författare

Hard-hitting and achingly real, this carefully crafted YA novel from the multi-award-winning author of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece is a moving tale of mental health, sexuality and modern family life. Dads leave home all the time. It's not that unusual, really. Leon's dad walked out. So did Mo's. But Archie's? Well, that's a different story – a story that Archie must keep secret at all cost. Archie knows he should accept Dad for who he is, so he hides his turmoil until he can stand it no longer. With nowhere else to turn, he finds himself at the railway track. The track has been calling to him, promising escape, release. The only problem is, it's been calling to someone else too… Please note that this book contains mature content (with themes of homophobia, bullying and suicide) and language that some may find offensive. Particularly suitable for readers aged 13+ with a reading age of 9.

Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right levelBriony had always suspected there was something wrong with her teacher. But after doing some further investigation with her friend Sergio, she uncovers a secret conspiracy so amazing that she could never have believed it was true. Find out how the adventure unfolds in this thrilling mystery novel by Carnegie-medal nominee Annabel Pitcher. Diamond/Band 17 books offer more complex, underlying themes to give opportunities for children to understand causes and points of view.Text type: A mystery storyCurriculum links: CitizenshipThis book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Fifteen-year-old Zoe has a secret - a dark and terrible secret that she can't confess to anyone she knows. But then one day she hears of a criminal, Stuart Harris, locked up on death row in Texas. Like Zoe, Stuart is no stranger to secrets. Or lies. Or murder.Full of heartache yet humour, Zoe tells her story in the only way she can - in letters to the man in prison in America. Armed with a pen, Zoe takes a deep breath, eats a jam sandwich, and begins her tale of love and betrayal.Read by Julie Maisey

Cat and Dog are best friends (most of the time) although they are VERY different. Dog is quiet and Cat is loud. Cat is bouncy, while Dog is calm. Dog is shy, and Cat loves to be the centre of attention. So when the day of Dog's birthday arrives, Cat simply cannot believe it can't be her birthday too!A warm and witty tale of best friends, birthdays, rivalry and learning to share.

Cat and Dog are best friends (most of the time) although they are VERY different. Dog is quiet and Cat is loud. Cat is bouncy, while Dog is calm. Dog is shy, and Cat loves to be the centre of attention. So when the day of Dog's birthday arrives, Cat simply cannot believe it can't be his birthday too!A warm and witty tale of best friends, birthdays, rivalry and learning to share.

SILENCE IS GOLDFISH is a story that demands to be heard.'I have a voice but it isn't mine. It used to say things so I'd fit in - to please my parents, to please my teachers. It used to tell the universe I was something I wasn't. It lied.'Fifteen-year-old Tess doesn't mean to become mute. At first, she's just too shocked to speak. And who wouldn't be? Discovering your whole life has been a lie because your dad isn't your real father is a pretty big deal. Tess sets out to find the truth of her identity, and uncovers a secret that could ruin multiple lives. But can she ask for help when she's forgotten how to use her voice?This is the third YA novel from the bestselling and prizewinning author of MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE and KETCHUP CLOUDS.

Winner of the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2013, KETCHUP CLOUDS tells the story of one teenage girl with a very big secret. Fifteen-year-old Zoe has a secret - a dark and terrible secret that she can't confess to anyone she knows. But then one day she hears of a criminal, Stuart Harris, locked up on death row in Texas. Like Zoe, Stuart is no stranger to secrets. Or lies. Or murder.Full of both heartache and humour, Zoe tells her story in the only way she can - in letters to the man in prison in America. Armed with a pen, Zoe takes a deep breath, eats a jam sandwich, and begins her tale of love and betrayal.

Winner of the 2012 Branford Boase Award, this is Annabel Pitcher's stunning debut about ten-year-old Jamie, and the way his life and his family are shaped by the sister in an urn on the mantelpiece. Five years ago, Jamie's sister, Rose, was blown up by a terrorist bomb. His family is torn apart by their grief. His mum runs away. His dad turns to drink and hate. Rose's surviving twin sister Jasmine stops eating, gets piercings and dyes her hair pink - anything to look different to her twin. But Jamie hasn't cried in all that time. To him, Rose is just a distant memory.Jamie is far more interested in his cat, Roger, his Spiderman T-shirt, and his deep longing and unshakeable belief that his Mum will come back to the family she walked out on months ago.But moving away for a Fresh New Start introduces Jamie to something else very interesting - a girl named Sunya. Sunya is bright, exciting and fun, and the one person at school he can call a friend. But how far can this new friendship grow when Jamie is desperate that his dad doesn't find out?

Hard-hitting and achingly real, this carefully crafted YA novel from the multi-award-winning author of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece is a moving tale of sexuality, mental health and modern family life. Dads leave home all the time. It's not that unusual, really. Leon's dad walked out. So did Mo's. But Archie's? Well, that's a different story – a story that Archie must keep secret at all cost. Archie knows he should accept Dad for who he is, so he hides his turmoil until he can stand it no longer. With nowhere else to turn, he finds himself at the railway track. The track has been calling to him, promising escape, release. The only problem is, it's been calling to someone else too… Please note that this book contains mature content (with themes of homophobia, bullying and suicide) and language that some may find offensive. Particularly suitable for readers aged 13+ with a reading age of 9.