Cliff McNish

When her gran dies, Jess inherits Twigs - a talking cockatoo! Huge and hilarious, Twigs is Jesss best friend and, now shes starting at a new school, Jess needs a friend more than ever. But - Squawwwwk! - Twigs is noisy, and hes pushing Jesss dad to breaking point. Jess promised her gran shed take care of Twigs, but can she make the new friends she needs to save the bird she loves? A heartwarming new story about the power of friendship from the author of GOING HOME, Cliff McNish.

El maleficio, El olor de la magia y La promesa del mago, traducidas a catorce idiomas, atesoran un éxito de público y de crítica sin precedentes.Raquel y Eric se enfrentan una y otra vez a peligrosas aventuras protagonizadas por seres maleficos y fuerzas ocultas. Una lucha terrible se ha desatado... Solo gracias a su determinacion y al descubrimiento de sus propias facultades, ambos hermanos conseguiran liberar la magia de los niños.

What happens when a monster the size of a town falls in love with youand will destroy everything to find you?Lily thought her biggest worry was fending off the awkward affection of Uccello, the shy gelato maker with a penchant for fairy tales and heartbreak. But everything changes on her nineteenth birthday, when Uccellos strange gifta painting of a cyclopean sea monsteremerges from art into reality. The creature is monstrous, lonely, and obsessed with Lily, tearing through the city in its desperate search.As Sunderland trembles and the coastline cracks beneath the weight of something both impossible and real, Lily and Uccello are thrust into a waking nightmare that feels plucked straight from a twisted legend. Haunted by their own tangled feelings and the relentless devotion of the beast, they must navigate terror, obsession, and the thin line between fairy tale and reality.Blending dark romance, urban horror, and coming-of-age ache, Uccellos Monster is a gripping novella that asks: What do we owe the monsters we createand how far will they go for love?

In a scorched world ruled by alien overlords, one boys desperate love for his mother drives him to make the ultimate sacrificeand become something monstrous to survive.After the war, Earth is no longer ours.The alien tiggers have claimed the land, the skiesand now, the bodies of our young.In a bleak compound near the spaceport, humanity labors under the weight of chemical manipulation and physical transformation, repurposed to serve an alien agenda. Teenaged Jimmy is one of the smarter onesengineered to handle cargo and keep the newborn tiggers alive. His sister, Sadie, altered beyond recognition, feeds the creatures around the clock. Their mother, broken by years of servitude, is slipping fast.But Jimmy has a plan. A way to save her.In a world where even compassion is punishable, love may be the most dangerous rebellion of all. Life at the Spaceport is a deeply disturbing, darkly satirical tale of alien colonization, body horror, and the unrelenting brutality of survival.Its grotesque, unflinchingand utterly unforgettable.

The second instalment of the classic Doomspell Trilogy.Rachel and her brother are extraordinary. She is a spell-maker. He is a destroyer of spells. The High Witch, Heebra, wants Rachel and Eric crushed, and her enemies, the Wizards, destroyed. A party of witches is dispatched to find the thousands of children with powers like Rachels, and turn them into a ferocious army. Can Rachel and Eric stop the witches and win the battle between good and evil? ReviewsThe Scent of Magic continues The Doomspell story, but if anything the characterisations are deeper, the plot even more intriguing, and it is all carried off with a verve, pace and sheer passion for pure storytelling that make his novels so compulsive. AmazonMcNish tells a rattling good tale, and his well-plotted narrative races through some excellent twists and turns to a spectacular climax. The Daily Telegraph

The Wizards Promise is the third and last book in the Doomspell trilogy, and concerns the final confrontation with the Witches. I started off with two clear ambitions in this book: that Eric would be at the centre of the unravelling of it, and that no one would be able to predict the way the resolution to the story would unfold. I wanted, too, to get more complex psychologically with the Witches; I wanted to give them a little more depth without losing any of their bite.

In a blaze of light, rush of wind and scrabble of claws, Rachel and Eric are ripped through the wall and hurtled on to another world. Like thousands of other children before them, they have been snatched away by the Witch.But this time the Witch has met her match. Rachel discovers that she has extraordinary gifts: she can transform herself into a feather, or fly on an owls back, just as the Witch can. The Witch is excited she has found someone to use for her own evil purposes. But for the Witchs victims, Rachel is their only hope.High fantasy, richly imagined and refreshingly well-written an excellent novel. The Sunday TimesBrilliant, breathless and filled with action from page one. Kids OutGripping, racy, children have been fighting to borrow it. The Guardian

The Silver Child is the first book in a fantasy trilogy, part 1 of The Silver Sequence. Spectacular and satisfying - I was left feeling exhilarated and hungry for more.Philip Ardagh, The Guardian A genuinely original piece of writing, strongly imagined and well-written arresting fantasy. Books for Keeps From about halfway through the writing of The Scent of Magic Id had the idea of exploring the theme of human evolution. What if children started to evolve into something radically different? What if childrens eyes started to change? What if they became giants overnight? What if ... The result, given a twist of fantasy, flowed out very quickly once Id decided on my main characters. It concerns a group of children - six children - who are drawn to a deserted wind-swept wasteland called Coldharbour. The only things living in Coldharbour are a few seagulls and some well-fed rats living off the rubbish dumps. There is no food or shelter. The only other people there are groups of dangerous gang kids. Nevertheless, the six children have to find a way to survive, and over time they discover that they also have amazing powers. They are, in fact, the first part of a defence of our world against a terrifying creature approaching from the stars, a creature I call the Roar.

McNish has an extraordinary, inventive mind, matched by his skill in translating ideas, characters and raw emotions onto the page ... Silver World offers a wholly satisfying conclusion to the trilogy ... takes the reader into uncharted territory, manipulating language in the most extraordinary way. The Guardian Millions huddle in Coldharbour, waiting for the huge and terrifying Roar. Milo, the silver child, is the first line of the Earths defence. Under his wings, Helen probes the Roars mind, while the twins, Emily and Freda, struggle to free the mysterious Protector. Walters task is the hardest of all - keeping the others alive for long enough to find a weapon to defeat the Roar.Only Thomas can release that weapon - if he can finally discover the true purpose of his remarkable gift. But a second enemy is also ranged against them. As the Roar approaches from space, her firstborn, Carnac, is crawling from the depths of the Earth. Only a small number of children, the drill-handed Unearthers, led by Tanni, stand in his way.

McNish weaves a magical tale of hope, disappointment, love, loyalty and friendship - all in a wonderful read thatll keep you captivated from start to finish.Dogs Monthly Dog books can easily be formulaic and twee, but Going Home is a fresh buddy movie told with smart repartee.Nicolette Jones, Sunday Times This book is a must for animal lovers ... amusing and heart-warming. The School Librarian At the Happy Paws Rescue Centre, every pet dreams of one thing: going home.But Ralph, Mitch, Bessie and Fred are the no-hopers: dogs so difficult or troublesome they arent expected to ever go home.Ralphs face is scarred. Bessie cant stand to be touched. Mitch cant stop chasing cats and Fred . . . has just given up. Whod want to adopt any of them instead of a cute little puppy?But when Happy Paws reviews its policy of never putting an unwanted pet down, time starts running out for the dogs. Can they prove that theyre worth a second chance? Will there be hope for the no-hopers after all?

A true ghost story - the kind that lays its cold fingers on you, grips tight and doesnt let go even when the last page has been turned - Wonderfully spine-chilling.The Bookseller You shouldnt really read this before you go to sleep.The Independent on Sunday Such is McNishs skill that when you read of the young hero Jacks asthma attacks, youll find your own breathing feels constricted. He evokes the same empathy when dealing with the ghosts who haunt Jack, taking us into the realms of inventiveness that are his trademark. Breathtaking.The Guardian Jack is used to danger. His asthma has nearly killed him more than once.But his new home has a danger hes never known before - the spirits of the dead. They cant breathe, but in Jacks house they CHASE, HIDE, SCREAM.Only Jack can see them. Only he can hear them.And only he can learn their secrets in time to save himself... and his mother...

Haunting and thought provoking.Cy MagA fantastic read.Jo Griffiths, WaterstonesIf you love stories about friendship, this ones a must!Bliss Two girls are inextricably linked by destiny.Stephanie is friendless, strange, a misfit.Freya cant stop seeing angels.But when one of those angels begins to stalk her, its shadow following her everywhere, Freya is forced to make decisions from which there is no turning back.ReviewsWhat a book. I simply couldnt put it down ... at moments, it reaches the sublime. I loved it.Jill Murphy, The BookbagStands out for its original subject and plot ...each book takes McNish into new territory, and this one is both assured and thought-provoking.Nikki Gamble, The BooksellerTense, quirky and highly individual, this story has plenty going for it.Nicholas Tucker, TESA deft construction McNish vividly portrays two worlds in the light of each other, creating a thin space between them that makes for a moving and thought provoking tale.Huw Thomas, BOOKS FOR KEEPSA fascinating read.CarouselThis neat combination of teen angst and behavioural ethics is complex and charged.The Daily TelegraphWhat a book. I simply couldnt put it down ... a highly charged look at personal spirituality... the writing is effortless and elegant and as it slips between character perspectives, Angel never loses an air of authenticity. And at moments, it reaches the sublime. I loved it.Jill Murphy, The BookbagThis unusual fantasy is made plausible by a very strong depiction of the underpinning pattern of teenage anxieties and everyday angst.Lesley Agnew, The Bookseller

McNishs suspenseful, fast-paced novel immerses readers in an inventive world featuring distinctly drawn characters and a graceful blending of realism and occasionally spooky fantasy. BooklistHaunting imagery, vivid depictions of the limits of humanity, and a startling, innovative plot all make this a memorable contribution to the canon of speculative fantasy.The Horn Book Guide From the desolate reaches of space, the Roar has smelled the children of Earth and her hunger knows no bounds. Children from all over the world are rushing to Coldharbour. Here, Milo, a silver boy the size of cities, has emerged as the first great defender against the Roar. But where will the second generation come from? Six special children hold the key, but their strength is dwindling. Thomas is shocked by his discovery of the eerie Unearthers. The twins are drawn irresistibly to the ocean, compelled to dive deep. Walter, the giant, must face a terrifying trial of strength, while Helen, searching for the secret of the strange little girl, Jenny, enters the mind of the Roar itself. The lines for battle are drawn.

NOMINATED FOR THE CARNEGIE MEDALSHORTLISTED FOR THE NORTH EAST TEENAGE FICTION AWARDIts beautifully written; rhythmic, lyrical ... the prose resonates, blending with its themes to stunning effect. And its genuinely creepy too ... I made the final page after an evenings breathless reading, and put down the book with a real sense of regret that it was all over.The Book Bag A monsters out there... Only one girl can stop it. But will love get in the way. Its a difficult time for fifteen-year-old Savannah Grey - shes settled into her latestfoster placement, but her body is acting oddly.Then other strange things begin to happen. Birds behave erratically; gusts ofwind blowleaves so fiercely they seem to lure people away. And Savannah discovers she has supernatural powers.Only new boy Reece Gandolfo thinks Savannahs powers are a special gift.No wonder shes attracted to him. But theres another force that wants to lureSavannah from safety into danger...

Jack está acostumbrado al peligro. Su asma ha estado a punto de costarle la vida en más de una ocasión. Pero en su nueva casa habita un peligro del que nunca antes ha oído hablar... los espíritus de los muertos. Solamente Jack es capaz de verlos. Solo Jack puede oirlos. Solo Jack podra descubrir que secreto esconden y asi salvar la vida de su madre y la suya propia.

Un dissabte al matí, una força misteriosa xucla la Rachel i l'Eric a través de la paret del celler i els arrossega cap a un altre món. Com ha fet amb milers de nens abans que ells, la bruixa Dragwena ha segrestat els dos germans per convertir-los en els seus esclaus. Pero aquest cop la bruixa ha ensopegat amb un rival de la seva talla: la Rachel descobreix amb sorpresa que te uns poders extraordinaris, i es pot convertir en una ploma o volar a cavall d'un mussol. La bruixa esta molt excitada: finalment ha trobat algu que li servira per dur a terme els seus projectes malefics. Per a les victimes de la Dragwena, els nens esclaus, la Rachel es la seva unica esperança de salvacio.

Una novela de aventuras trepidantes en un entorno mágico e inquietante con protagonistas inolvidables, como el pequeño Yemi, demasiado joven para entender el alcance de sus poderes, o esos magos misteriosos, liderados por Larpskendya, que deciden el destino de cualquier mortal.

Dos hermanos, Raquel y Eric, han sido secuestrados por la Bruja para ser convertidos en siervos obedientes. Raquel descubre con asombro que posee extraordinarios poderes: puede convertirse en una pluma o volar sobre la espalda de un búho. Raquel respresentará la única esperanza de salvación para todos los niños esclavos.