Kelpies – serie

Fergus can't believe it when his brand-new digital watch starts going backwards. Then he crashes (literally) into gadget-loving Murdo and a second mystery comes to light: cats are going missing all over the neighbourhood.This book was the winner of the Kelpies Prize. Sharply and wittily observed, it's a story of unlikely friendships, unexpected allies and cat surveillance.

"Well, I didn't ask to be a pigeon! . . . I wanted to be an eagle, didn't I? . . . Why couldn't we have been eagles instead of pigeons? What a life! Nothing but cooo, cooo and peck, peck, all the time."". . . This is the High Street not the Highlands! We're no here to cause a sensation, and . . . if it weren't for your stupidity, we wouldn't be here in the first place!"Stroppy pigeons in Edinburgh's Old Town. It's not a normal part of daily life -- but things are never going to be the same again.Clara and Neil have always known the MacArthurs, the little people who live under Arthur's Seat, in Holyrood Park, but they are not quite prepared for what else is living under the hill. Feuding faery lords, missing whisky, magic carpets, firestones and ancient spells . . . where will it end? And how did it all start? Set against the backdrop of the Edinburgh Fringe and Military Tattoo this is a fast-paced comic adventure, full of magic, mayhem and mystery -- and a dragon.

'Strange as it may seem, as he came in to land at Edinburgh Airport last year, the captain of the London flight reported sighting a dragon ...'A year on, and life has calmed down for Neil and Clara MacLean. A quiet meal in The Sultan's Palace restaurant. What could go wrong? But they hadn't counted on the mirror! How is it connected to the missing Sultan's Crown, and what secrets does the mysterious Black Tower hold? Winged horses, snow witches, magic mirrors -- how did they get here and where are they going?From an Edinburgh literally cloaked in tartan, through the forbidding Highland hills, Neil and Clara set out with old and new friends on a perilous journey full of danger, daring -- and a reluctant broomstick.

Why does nobody want the mixter-maxter kitten?The little stripey cat is on a journey. He is sent from the farm to the city and passed from owner to owner. No one seems to love him for just being him.Once he moves into the tall house in Edinburgh and finds his name -- Mac -- life gets more interesting. He makes friends with two musical ladies next door and discovers he likes Bach... and cat treats. He explores, and has many adventures.Then, just when he starts to feel settled, unsettling things start to happen. Will he ever find someone to love him for always?This is a funny, heart-warming story for young readers with lively illustrations.

There has always been something unusual about Magnus Fin, a school misfit. On his eleventh birthday Magnus throws a message in a bottle out to sea, wishing for a best friend and to be more brave -- and he gets a lot more than he bargained for. Magnus discovers that he is half selkie -- part seal, part human -- and his selkie family urgently need his help.Can Magnus save his new-found family from the evil force threatening all the ocean's creatures? And will he find the friend he has always dreamed of?The winner of the Kelpies Prize 2009.

One sunny morning the triplets disappear, leaving only a few mysterious clues behind: an open upstairs window, three missing rocking horses and some strangely shaped marks on the lawn outside. Could they be hoofprints? Used to their silly pranks, older sister Pearl sets out to find them. At the garden gate she encounters Thomas, the snooty grandson of a local earl, who warns her that the moors aren't safe today. But who is he to boss Pearl around?As she searches for the triplets and tries to outwit Thomas, Pearl's journey through the rugged Scottish hills unfolds into an incredible and perilous adventure. Pearl strives to outwit living, breathing rocking horses and several powerful land magicians, who turn the very rocks of the mountains against her. But can she trust the mysterious Thomas? And can she save her brother and sisters from the unknown fate that lies ahead?A tale of dark magic and destiny set in the 1920s Scottish Highlands.

On his eleventh birthday, schoolboy Magnus Fin found out that he is half selkie -- part human, part seal. Although he looks like a boy and lives on land, he can breathe underwater.When a rusty metal chest is flung ashore in a storm, Magnus Fin decides to investigate. But he injures his hand on the strange box, and his sealskin starts to show through. His teacher realises that there's something very unusual about Magnus Fin -- and rumours start to spread. Deep in the ocean, the great sea god Neptune has problems of his own. The treasures of wisdom have been stolen, and his memory and powers are fading fast. Could his missing treasure be inside the chest that's been washed ashore? Magnus Fin is the only one who can find out and restore order under the sea. But a young journalist is investigating the rumours about 'fish people'. Can Magnus Fin complete his mission before the selkie secret is revealed and his selkie family are forced to leave the bay forever?Janis Mackay also wrote the Kelpies Prize-winning Magnus Fin and the Ocean Quest, and Magnus Fin and the Moonlight Mission. This is the third book in the series.

Ten-year-old twins Kirsty and David Murray love their crofting life in the north of Scotland. They collect shellfish, milk the cows and help their father grow oats and vegetables. Then one day the Countess's men come and burn their house, saying they must leave. The family travel across Scotland to Glasgow. City life is dirty and overcrowded, and work in the mills is hard and dangerous. The chance comes to join a ship sailing for Hudson Bay in Canada, and once again they start a long, perilous journey.Will they survive the treacherous Atlantic crossing, and what will they find in the strange new land?Kathleen Fidler had a gift for bringing characters from history to life for today's children. The Desperate Journey is her best-known story, a true Scottish classic whose thrilling plot will keep children gripped from start to end.

Kathleen Fidler's classic story is set in the ancient Stone Age village of Skara Brae on Orkney. This is a fascinating and vividly portrayed story of life nearly 3,000 years ago.Kali and Brockan are in trouble. They have been using their stone axes to chip limpets off the rocks, but they've gone too far out and find themselves trapped by the tides. Then, an unexpected rescuer appears, a strange boy in a strange boat, carrying a strangely sharp axe of a type they have never seen before.Conflict arises as the village of Skara must decide what to do with the new ideas and practices that the boy brings. As a deadly storm threatens, the very survival of the village is in doubt.Step back into the Stone Age and learn about the daily life and rituals of the ancient village of Skara Brae in this compelling, fictional account of the famous Orkney settlement. Vivid descriptions and accurate historical details bring the village to life and make this an ideal choice for those studying the Stone Age curriculum.

When Finn Learson literally stumbles out of a stormy sea into a small village on the Shetland Isles, he steals the villagers' hearts. He's handsome and charming, he helps with the fishing and the harvest, and he's particularly drawn to Robbie's older sister Elspeth, with her beautiful long golden hair. Yet there's something about Finn that makes Robbie and his dog Tam feel uneasy. Haunted by local tales of the Selkie folk, Robbie suspects there's more to Finn than meets the eye. But who would believe Robbie's wild suspicions? As the story reaches its explosive finale at the fire festival of Up Helly Aa, can Robbie reveal the truth in time to save his sister? One of Mollie Hunter's most popular novels for children, A Stranger Came Ashore was first published in 1975 to great acclaim. This new Kelpies Classics edition brings this much-loved Scottish classic to a new generation of children.

Winner of the Scottish Children's Book Award 2013 Younger Readers (8-11 years) categoryOne ordinary day, Saul is on his way to the corner shop when a girl appears suddenly in the middle of the road. She doesn't understand traffic, or the things in shops, and she's wearing a long dress with ruffled sleeves. Her name is Agatha Black.Agatha Black is from 1812, and Saul needs to find a way to get her back there. With help from his mates Will and Robbie, he tries to work out how to make time travel happen.This pacy, time-travelling adventure from Janis Mackay, author of the Magnus Fin series, is full of funny misunderstandings and gripping action.

When the shopkeeper gives Jenny a skinny, black kitten she has no idea who she has adopted. Fankle is no ordinary cat. The fiercely clever feline has lived six lives so far: lives of adventure, danger, fortune and poverty. He's stared down angry pirates, started a blood feud, won a war, advised an empress and leapt onto the moon.Fankle tells Jenny tales of his former lives -- with the king of pirates, in ancient Egypt and even with the Empress of China. So what is he doing living in a crofter's cottage in Orkney?This classic novel by George Mackay Brown is a rich and rewarding read for adults and children alike.

Winner of a 2015 Scottish Children's Book AwardWhy did the chicken cross the road?TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!!The city of Aberdeen is being terrorised by giant robot chickens who want to peck out every last sign of human resistance. The streets are empty, the adults have vanished -- and those left behind are fighting for survival.Jesse and his friends are desperate to save their families and stop the feathered fiends. They hatch a master plan... but can a gang of kids REALLY defeat an army of angry robot chickens? A hilarious, weird and wonderful adventure from a cracking new author.

Brothers Greg and Lewis are enjoying a heatwave in the summer holidays -- until Loki, the god of mischief, buries their town, St Andrews, in a huge blizzard! Loki is determined to conquer the universe and will stop at NOTHING to get his way.Greg, Lewis and their friend Susie must make a perilous journey to Asgard, the City of the Gods, to foil Loki's evil plan.Luckily, Thor, the god of thunder, has turned up to help them. Unfortunately, he's locked in the boys' garage . . .

Winner of the Blue Peter Best Story Award 2016 and the Scottish Children's Book Award 2016, and the North East Book Award 2015.When the mysterious Nowhere Emporium arrives in Glasgow, orphan Daniel Holmes stumbles upon it quite by accident. Before long, the 'shop from nowhere' -- and its owner, Mr Silver -- draw Daniel into a breathtaking world of magic and enchantment. Recruited as Mr Silver's apprentice, Daniel learns the secrets of the Emporium's vast labyrinth of passageways and rooms -- rooms that contain wonders beyond anything Daniel has ever imagined. But when Mr Silver disappears, and a shadow from the past threatens everything, the Emporium and all its wonders begin to crumble.Can Daniel save his home, and his new friends, before the Nowhere Emporium is destroyed forever?Ross MacKenzie unleashes a riot of imagination, colour and fantasy in this astonishing adventure, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman and Cornelia Funke.

Winner of a Scottish Children's Book Award.When Yann the injured centaur clip clops into Helen's life she decides to help him even though she's not exactly a vet. But that's just the beginning ... Helen's first aid kit comes in very handy when she meets Yann's friends -- a gang of fabled beasts with a habit of getting into trouble. Together they must solve riddles, fight fauns and defeat the dangerous Master of the Maze before midwinter and the end of the world.First Aid for Fairies and other Fabled Beasts is the first book in the bestselling Fabled Beast Chronicles, an exciting four-book adventure series starring creatures from myth and legend.

As Helen practises her violin for a special Midsummer's Eve concert, her friends, the fabled beasts, prepare to go to war.Helen soon joins their perilous quest against the evil Faery Queen. She battles with brownies, wrangles with wolves and tries to trick faeries. But will it be enough to help her friends and save herself?Second book in the bestselling Fabled Beast Chronicles, an exciting four-book adventure series starring creatures from myth and legend.

A centaur, a selkie, a fairy and a phoenix -- Helen has unusual friends. And in this incredible quest, they face some even stranger opponents, from mermaids to angry killer whales. Helen must help Rona the selkie to win the most important contest of the ocean world, and stop the deep sea powers from going to war. But who is trying to sabotage the competition and why?Can Helen and the fabled beasts find the real villain, and prevent the most devastating storm the world has ever seen?The third thrilling instalment of the bestselling Fabled Beast Chronicles, an exciting four-book adventure series starring creatures from myth and legend, introduces new fabled beasts from the wild north of Scotland.

One of Helen's friends is dying, stabbed in the heart by the Master, and this life-threatening injury needs a magical remedy. Helen and her fabled-beast friends unite, with the help of the dragons, to find a magical token with the power to cure. But they only have until tomorrow night.On their quests through Scotland for the enchanted healing tokens, they battle with magical lizards, monstrous goats, and a vengeful giant. Fighting together, can they cure their friend and finally defeat the power-crazed Master of the Maze?Don't miss the heart-stopping climax to the bestselling Fabled Beast Chronicles.

Winner of a Scottish Children's Book AwardThe Morton family are cursed: their house is haunted by eerie footsteps, a ghostly figure and whispers in the night.Fiona and new neighbour Samuel investigate the hauntings and discover a deadly tale of betrayal and revenge, and a family secret long forgotten.Trapped by snow and ice, can the friends escape the chill or will the Morton children be doomed to repeat the past forever?

A scream in the night, a hidden staircase to nowhere and a ghostly face: Dunadd House still has secrets.For over 400 years something has been hidden in old Dunadd House, and as another dangerous winter descends Samuel and the Morton children discover it's not just the cold sending a shiver down their spine: not all their ghosts have been put to rest.Can they unravel the family secret before they're forced to leave their home forever?The bone-chilling sequel to Scottish Children's Book Award winner Chill.

Lily's already got plenty going on living with a moody teenage sister, two feral brothers and a messy baby sister. Mum and Gran are stressed to the max, both dads are out of the picture and the cats aren't exactly pulling their weight. But when she starts getting mixed-up warnings not to go on holiday to the tiny, safe Scottish island of Cumbrae, her summer just gets weirder and weirder. The thing is, whoever's talking to Lily doesn't even seem to know she's doing it. If she's a ghost, she's not a very good one. And there's something about her that Lily finds awfully, spine-tinglingly familiar. . .Spend the summer with Lily McLean in this beautifully written, laugh-out-loud adventure by Kelpies Prize winner Lindsay Littleson.

It is the time of the Cold War. Soviet spies are feared, and secrets are traded. People disappear.Thirteen-year-old Alasdair, living in London, knows nothing of this world. He can't wait to start his long summer holiday on the Isle of Skye, away from his mother and aunt. But things don't go quite as planned. On the journey, a stranger gives him a mysterious note before jumping from the train. Worse still, he instantly mistrusts sinister Murdo Beaton, with whom he's staying. Gradually adjusting to crofting life, Alasdair is not prepared for the web of danger and espionage that unfolds around him. Can he trust anyone?

'Are you brave?'When the mysterious Amelia Pigeon turns up at Kirby's bedroom window in the dead of night, this is the question she asks him -- right before they tumble into a world of ancient malevolent spirits who have torn their way into Kirby's quiet seaside village. Kirby isn't feeling brave at all. His mother is in a coma following a freak (or was it?) accident, and he's hardly talking to his dad. He's convinced a spider is spying on him, and now a weird girl in a yellow raincoat -- who claims to be a powerful, evil-banishing Shadowsmith -- is dragging him into unknown danger. How brave is he really?Ross MacKenzie, author of award-winning The Nowhere Emporium, weaves a world of magic and adventure which twists and turns magnificently, and keeps thrilled young readers guessing right to the end.

Molly Drummond is cursed: whenever a dog barks, she turns into a hare -- which can make life quite dangerous... So she does the sensible thing and attends a curse-lifting workshop, run by a local witch. She tumbles into a world of magical beings, all desperate to reverse their curses. But will the power that feeds on the curses prevent them from returning to their normal lives?By the author of the bestselling Fabled Beasts Chronicles series, this is the dramatic first installment in the brand new, long-awaited Spellchasers trilogy. Lari Don has once again created a world of brilliant magic, dark danger and extraordinary friendship which will enchant children of upper primary age.

Molly's curse is getting worse.The curse-breaking workshop hasn't exactly turned out how Molly and her friends had hoped. And now something is going wrong with the way curses work.The team need to find the Promise Keeper who controls all curses, but the Keeper is guarded by Atacama the sphinx and his riddle. The five friends set off on a quest that takes them past the misty giant grey men of the mountains, to spar with an ancient snake and battle terrifying Nuckelavee. Can they discover what's wrong with the Promise Keeper and stop the world of curses from spinning out of control?Magic, adventure and danger collide in the second dramatic book of this brilliant new fantasy adventure Spellchasers trilogy by award-winning author Lari Don.

Molly's shape-shifting curse is getting stronger and more unpredictable. Becoming a hare she could cope with. At least she could run... fast. But now she's turning into the prey of any predator she hears. Life's pretty dangerous if you become a worm whenever you hear a bird tweet.As Molly and her friends search for a stone that can curb the Promise Keeper's powers, and each one of them must face their own monster, Molly is forced to choose: is she prepared to use dark magic to break her curse? Will she become a witch and enter into magical combat? And if she does, will she lose the friendships she most cares about?In this third and final thrilling instalment of the breathtaking Spellchasers trilogy the team faces a blizzard of powerful threats. Can they bring balance to the magical world, defeat the creatures that pursue them and finally break Molly's curse? Or will darkness triumph over friendship?

Thanks to an unfortunately tasty-looking radioactive garden slug, eleven-year-old Murdo McLeod is now the world's worst superhero. His two powers are pretty unique: the first is sliding up walls. Quite slowly. The second is secreting slippery slime from his skin. (Yes, just as disgusting as it sounds.)In a Scotland full of awesome superheroes, Slugboy has a lot to prove. No one wants help fighting bad guys from someone with a horrible habit of (quite literally) messing things up. He's so underrated, in fact, that when an evil mastermind devises a plan to capture all the other superheroes, Slugboy isn't even on his list. Now, Slugboy has to use his not-so-super and oh-so-gross abilities to free the other superheroes and save the world. Let's hope he doesn't slip up.

Reema runs to remember the life she left behind in Syria. Caylin runs to find what she's lost.Under the grey Glasgow skies, twelve-year-old refugee Reema is struggling to find her place in a new country, with a new language and without her brother. But she isn't the only one feeling lost. Her Glasgwegian neighbour Caylin is lonely and lashing out. When they discover an injured fox and her cubs hiding on their estate, the girls form a wary friendship. And they are more alike than they could have imagined: they both love to run. As Reema and Caylin learn to believe again, in themselves and in others, they find friendship, freedom and the discovery that home isn't a place, it's the people you love. Heartfelt and full of hope, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle is an uplifting story about the power of friendship and belonging. Inspired by her work with young asylum seekers, debut novelist Victoria Williamson's stunning story of displacement and discovery will speak to anyone who has ever asked 'where do I belong?'