Fleur Hitchcock – författare

Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right levelA gripping retelling of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic tale of mystery and friendship. When Mary Lennox is sent to live with her uncle at his remote home on the moor, she thinks she’ll be lonely and bored. But when she finds a rusty old key and discovers a secret cousin she never knew she had, everything at Misselthwaite Manor changes.Diamond/Band 17 books offer more complex, underlying themes to give opportunities for children to understand causes and points of view.Text type: Fiction from our literary heritageCurriculum links: English: fiction from the English literary heritage

All Lottie wants to do is have adventures, but no such luck. Until she meets Sophia, a girl surrounded by mystery and danger. When the two run away from a staged kayak accident to find Sophia's mum, Lottie learns a lot about being the hero. No matter how many adventures you've read about, when you're suddenly trapped in one - cold, hungry, and being chased by the bad guy - it takes all your real-life wit and bravery to survive...From the acclaimed author of Dear Scarlett and Murder in Midwinter."Fleur Hitchcock has cornered the market in hard-boilers for beginners." - Alex O'Connell, The Times

Sitting on the top deck of a bus days before Christmas, Maya sees a couple arguing violently in the middle of a crowded Regent Street. They see her watching, she looks away, and the woman disappears. Maya goes to the police, who shrug and send her away. Then a body turns up... Now convinced she is a vital witness to a crime, the police send Maya into hiding in rural Wales. She resolves to get to the bottom of the mystery. Then the snow comes and no one can get out. But what if someone can still get in?From the author of Dear Scarlett and Saving Sophia."Fleur Hitchcock... has cornered the market in hard-boilers for beginners." - Alex O'Connell, The Times"A taut and exciting thriller. Fleur Hitchcock beautifully captures Maya's sense of unreality and fear as she untangles family relationships along with the mystery." - Scotsman"For a young readership, this is surprisingly no-holds-barred, but it handles a potentially traumatising subject with just the right balance of tenderness and gusto." - The School Librarian

A squirrel, a hot dog stand, the planet Jupiter...what will get shrunk next?After Tom moves in with his grandmother next to the Bywater-by-Sea Model Village, he makes a wish on a shooting star and gets the curious ability to shrink things. The first thing he shrinks is Jupiter, then some sheep and a boat.But without Jupiter in place, the Earth is slowly being drawn towards the Sun. With the angry (and miniaturised) school bully yelling from his pocket, Tom has to return Jupiter and save Earth -- all while trying to make friends in his new home. Debut author Fleur Hitchcock has written a hugely imaginative and quirky story that is good, clean fun.

Probably the first really noticeable thing was Mum coming back from the hairdresser''s on Friday afternoon, wearing a small black beard.Sam comes home one day to find his family turning strange - his mum is redecorating using hieroglyphics and his dad is building a pyramid in the back garden. He hopes it''s just a weird new fashion... but then the strangeness starts to spread. With the help of his friends Ursula, Henry and Lucy the Goat, Sam must save his town from rampaging Roman rugby players, hairdressers turned cavewomen, and a teacher who used to be a ''basket of kittens'' but now wants to sacrifice the Year Ones to the Aztec sun god. As history invades Sam''s world, will he be able to keep the Greeks away from the Egyptians and discover the cause of the Mummy madness?WARNING: contains dangerous dressing-up, mild historical violence and prolonged scary humour.

The sensational sequel to SHRUNK! the SUNDAY TIMES ''Book of the Week''!It seems all is quiet in the sleepy seaside town of Bywater-by-Sea until a meteorite falls to earth, landing in the middle of the Field Craft troop''s outdoor expedition camp. Now it''s not just Tom with strange powers: trouble-maker Jacob can set things on fire and sensible Eric has the power to put them out. What''s more, the excavation of the ancient castle has uncovered a mysterious glittering rock, and the dust is making Bywater-by-Sea even more eccentric than usual. NEWSFLASH: Meteorites are falling again in Bywater-by-Sea. Do NOT approach these mysterious glowing rocks. Side effects may include: heightened powers to shrink objects, water jets shooting from fingertips, firebomb fingers, ever-growing venomous sea snakes and naughty pink cockatoos. This and other magical mayhem is currently under investigation by renowned geologist Professor Lee.This SHRUNK story was created on The Story Adventure, where week by week Fleur wrote a new chapter using ideas from over 2,000 school children - characters, locations and plot twists. See if you can spot them!

Time travel, family, consequences and yoghurts. Oh, and gerbils.''I don''t want my life controlled by a fridge.''Humming in the kitchen of Bugg and Dilan''s new home is a huge, mysterious fridge. Even when Bugg turns off the power, the light stays on. Plus, it''s full of strange-looking yoghurts in glass jars with wax-paper lids. Should they? Shouldn''t they? They do, but the yoghurts take them back to 1974. What follows is a desperate scramble across time and space, in which the siblings discover a 40-year-old time crime and become painfully aware that small changes they make in the past can have huge consequences for their future. Aided and hindered by go-for-it gerbil-fancier Lorna, they try to put everything back in order before time - and the yoghurts - run out completely.Another delightful, family-friendly adventure from the author of the Sunday Times Children''s Book of the Week, SHRUNK!

Something spooky is happening in Bywater-by-Sea...Victor, the ghost, is desperate to get off dreary Black Hall Island, so he steals a ride on an unsuspecting tourist boat back to Bywater-by-Sea. Two other ghosts - the terribly vain Flora Rose and the lonely but friendly Billy - know he is up to no good, so they follow him. Victor soon realises that the town is not what it seems, and his new ordinary friends, Tom, Jacob and Eric, have some very unusual powers. While Tom is distracted, trying to stop a corporation from building a theme park over his Field Craft hut, Victor sees his opportunity to take over the world. This SHRUNK story was created on The Story Adventure website, where each week, Fleur wrote a new chapter inspired by ideas from hundreds of school children, whose names are printed in the back of the book.

After finding an abandoned baby, 13-yr-old Amy sets out to find the mother.On her way home from school, 13-year-old Amy finds a newborn baby abandoned at the village bus stop. It''s wrong, just like when Mum walked out on Amy and her sister ten years ago - so she tries to fix it, by finding the baby''s mother. But as Amy searches, she uncovers another story, a secret even closer to home. A thought-provoking story exploring the complexities of family, friends and making difficult choices.

For Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh, holidays at their grandparents' cottage mean wild beaches, no curfew, Bella the dog, and most of all - adventure!Everyone is really excited about the autumn Fire Festival. Bonfires, barrel rolling, music and fireworks! But with suspicious blazes breaking out across town, the cousins realise that something sinister is going on. Can they uncover the secret of Fire Bay before things go up in flames?Fleur Hitchcock is famous for her excellent "thrillers for beginners". This action-packed series takes 7+ readers on fantastic, realistic adventures.Cover illustration by Tom Clohosy Cole.Don't miss the other Clifftoppers adventures!The Arrowhead Moor AdventureThe Thorn Island AdventureThe Frost Castle AdventureLook out for Fleur Hitchcock's stories for older readers:Dear ScarlettSaving SophiaMurder In MidwinterMurder At TwilightThe Boy Who Flew

Shortlisted for CrimeFest Awards' Best Crime Novel for Children 2019When Viv has a fight with Noah, she doesn't think it'll be the last time she sees him. But when she gets back from school, he's nowhere to be found and there are police cars everywhere, lights flashing and sirens blaring.Viv is sure Noah's run away to get attention. But it's really cold, and getting dark, and the rain just won't stop falling. So she sets off to look for him, furious at his selfishness, as the floodwaters rise. And then she finds him, and realises that a much more dangerous story is unfolding around them...From the author of Dear Scarlett, Saving Sophia and Murder in Midwinter"The story creeps in on you like darkness at dusk - a truly intriguing mystery!" - Chris Bradford, author of the Young Samurai series

A vivid adventure filled with danger and heroism from the author of Murder in Midwinter. Athan Wilde dreams of flight. When his friend, Mr Chen, is murdered, Athan must rescue the flying machine they were building together and stop it falling into the wrong hands. But keeping the machine safe puts his family in terrible danger. What will Athan choose - flight or family?From the acclaimed author of Murder In Midwinter, Fleur Hitchcock's The Boy Who Flew is a thrilling, murderous tale set among the steep rooftops and slippery characters of Athan's intricately imagined world. Perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Peter Bunzl and Philip Reeve.

For Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh, holidays at their grandparents' cottage mean wild beaches, no curfew, Bella the dog, and most of all - adventure!A picnic at a stately home takes a suspicious turn when the cousins discover a jewel heist unfolding around them. But how can they take down a gang of clever thieves when all they've got is their bikes and a very risky plan? By being braver, smarter, and sneakier than the villains they're chasing. . .Fleur Hitchcock is famous for her excellent "thrillers for beginners". This action-packed series takes 7+ readers on fantastic, realistic adventures.Cover illustration by Tom Clohosy Cole.Don't miss the other Clifftoppers adventures!The Thorn Island AdventureThe Fire Bay AdventureThe Frost Castle AdventureLook out for Fleur Hitchcock's stories for older readers:Dear ScarlettSaving SophiaMurder In MidwinterMurder At TwilightThe Boy Who Flew

For Aiden, Chloe, Ava and Josh, holidays at their grandparents' cottage mean wild beaches, no curfew, Bella the dog, and most of all - adventure!The lead actress in Frost Castle's winter play is sure she's cursed! A break-in, a car accident, and now her precious locket is missing. But the cousins suspect a ruthless thief. With a blizzard raging outside and a legendary ghost in the castle corridors, unmasking this villain will take all their bravery and skill...Fleur Hitchcock is famous for her excellent "thrillers for beginners". This action-packed series takes 7+ readers on fantastic, realistic adventures.Cover illustration by Tom Clohosy Cole.Don't miss the other Clifftoppers adventures!The Arrowhead Moor AdventureThe Thorn Island AdventureThe Fire Bay AdventureLook out for Fleur Hitchcock's stories for older readers:Dear ScarlettSaving SophiaMurder In MidwinterMurder At TwilightThe Boy Who Flew

The perfect thriller for the long, hot school holidays.It's a long, hot summer. As the water drains away from the reservoir, a car emerges. And there seems to be a body in it, a body that then disappears... Daniel and Florence start to investigate and uncover a long-ago robbery, missing gold and murder. When the drought breaks, everything is swept downstream and the truth is revealed...Another thriller from the brilliant author of Murder at Midwinter.

Murder and mayhem disrupt a family Christmas by the sea - a perfect thriller to keep you gripped this festive season!George and his family are celebrating Christmas by the sea. But when a body washes up on the beach, George can't stop thinking about the strange lights he saw on the cliff top... Neither can his cousin, Isla. Together, they follow the clues, and as they draw nearer to the truth, they step further into danger. On land, or at sea, someone is desperate to stop them, whatever it takes. And that someone may be closer to home than they realise...

A thrilling Christmas murder-mystery adventure - the perfect cosy crime read to keep you gripped this festive season!After another dreary term away at school, Grace is desperate to see her mum and brother again. Excited to spend Christmas with them, she arrives in Bath full of expectation and happiness. But the family's time together is suddenly interrupted when a shocking murder at their hotel throws everything into chaos. And when Grace's mum disappears soon afterwards, Grace trusts nobody.With her mum missing and younger brother Billy in tow, Grace enlists the help of new friends Olive and Doug. Streetwise and clever, they help Grace and Billy come up with a plan to find out why Mum left the hotel and what happened to her.Full of twists and turns, the mystery takes the four friends on an adventure. And as they start to uncover the truth behind the murder, they wonder if anyone at the hotel is really who they say they are.More exhilarating reads from Fleur Hitchcock:Murder in MidwinterMurder at TwilightWaiting for MurderMurder at Snowfall

A gripping thriller for readers who like danger and mystery and chills and spills from the comfort of their sofas... Unputdownable.The Times and Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week."Much more Junior Line of Duty than Junior Miss Marple" - The Sunday Times"Just the right level of intrigue and jeopardy" - The TimesWhen Lucas and Ruby find an abandoned trunk covered in snow, Lucas says there's bound to be a body inside. Ruby laughs but what if he's right? Nervously she starts to open it, and immediately wishes she hadn't. From that moment on, they're drawn into a thrilling mystery, one that they have to solve before the falling snow smothers all trace of wrongdoing...

All this time Scarlett's thought her dad was a thief, but years after his death a strange man turns up at the door and hands her a box, "on her father's instructions". Inside is a baffling series of clues that leads Scarlett and her friend, Ellie, on a wild, scary, often funny journey of discovery about her father and his mysterious life. But the more the girls learn, the more danger they're in. They must stay one step ahead of the sinister mayoress and her chauffer as they race to unravel her dad's final clue: Keep looking up...From the acclaimed author of Saving Sophia and Murder in Midwinter."Fleur Hitchcock has cornered the market in hard-boilers for beginners." - Alex O'Connell, The Times

After finding an abandoned baby, 13-yr-old Amy sets out to find the mother.On her way home from school, 13-year-old Amy finds a newborn baby abandoned at the village bus stop. It's wrong, just like when Mum walked out on Amy and her sister ten years ago - so she tries to fix it, by finding the baby's mother. But as Amy searches, she uncovers another story, a secret even closer to home.A thought-provoking story exploring the complexities of family, friends and making difficult choices.

This atmospheric thriller, full of daring stunts and sinister villains, is perfect escapism for 9+ readers.Mouse, a foundling, loves her pieced-together family at the Moth Theatre fiercely. When their leading man, Walter, is wrongly arrested for murder, Mouse swears she'll free him. But another member of the cast has a secret identity ­- as a ruthless killer. As Mouse's investigation leads her ever closer to their true, deadly nature, can she outwit them without losing everything she holds dear?A masterfully told adventure from the acclaimed author of The Boy Who Flew and Murder in Midwinter, Mouse Heart is ideal for fans of Philip Pullman, Katherine Rundell and Philip Reeve.