When Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is in shock. Seemingly an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with parents, wives at war with husbands, teachers at war with pupils…Pagford is not what it seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy was 
J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults. It was published by Little, Brown in 2012, and was adapted for BBC and HBO television in 2015.

 

Publishers:
UK Print & eBook – Little, Brown
US Print & eBook – Little, Brown

 

Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination, is J.K. Rowling’s deeply affecting, celebrated 2008 Harvard commencement speech, published in book form. In her speech, J.K. Rowling asks the profound and provocative questions: How can we embrace failure? And how can we use our imagination to better both ourselves and others? Drawing from stories of her own post-graduate years, she addresses some of life’s most important issues with acuity and emotional force. As well as contributing towards university-wide financial aid at Harvard University, sales of Very Good Lives directly benefit Lumos, the non-profit international children’s organisation founded by J.K. Rowling, which works to end the institutionalisation of children around the world.

Very Good Lives, J.K. Rowling’s Harvard Commencement speech, was published in April 2015 by Little, Brown and Company, with new illustrations by Joel Holland.

 

Publishers’ links:
UK Print & eBook – Little, Brown
US Print & eBook – Little, Brown

 

The Ickabog is coming… A mythical monster, a kingdom in peril, an adventure that will test two children’s bravery to the limit. Discover a brilliantly original fairy tale about the power of hope and friendship to triumph against all odds, from one of the world’s best storytellers.

The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustaches you could possibly imagine, and butchers, bakers and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them.

Everything was perfect – except for the misty Marshlands to the north which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth, to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own.

Could a myth unseat a beloved king? Could a myth bring a once happy country to its knees? Could a myth thrust two children into an adventure they didn’t ask for and never expected?

If you’re feeling brave, step into the pages of this book to find out…

More about the The Ickabog can be found here – theickabog.com

 

Publishers:
UK print – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
US print – Scholastic
UK eBook – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
US eBook – Scholastic
Digital Audiobook UK – Audible
Digital Audiobook US – Audible

Jack loves his childhood toy, Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve, something terrible happens – DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life… even toys. And Jack’s newest toy – the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) – has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known…

A heartwarming, page-turning adventure about one child’s love for his most treasured thing, and how far he will go to find it. A tale for the whole family to fall in love with, from one of the world’s greatest storytellers.

A gorgeously gifty hardback, with full-colour jacket and featuring 9 black and white spreads and decorative inside art from renowned illustrator, Jim Field.

To find out more, go to JKR Stories.

Publishers:
UK print – Hachette Children’s Group
US print – Scholastic
UK eBook – Hachette Children’s Group
US eBook – Scholastic
Digital Audiobook UK – Audible
Digital Audiobook US – Audible