From the 2nd to 8th October 2023, Dyslexia Awareness Week  will be celebrating individuals with dyslexia from all backgrounds and walks of life. This year’s theme is Uniquely You, which celebrates the diversity of the dyslexic community and the rich variety of lived experiences of dyslexia. 

To celebrate the week we’re spotlighting some of our new Barrington Stoke books in Whitehill School Library.  Each book has a dyslexia-friendly layout, typeface and paper stock so that even more readers can enjoy it.  Barrington Stoke publish a fantastic range of fiction and non-fiction books for all ages and interests, and there are lots more available in the school library.

Click the images to get a sneak peek of first chapters. 

The day the hiccups took over

Frank has a big day ahead of him, with a trip to the dentist, a trumpet exam, a swimming contest and, most important of all, he has tickets to see his knitting hero on stage right here in his hometown! But all that is put at risk when Frank wakes up with the hiccups. And they just won’t STOP!  

Helped by his new friend Daisy, Frank tries ever more madcap ideas to get the hiccups to go away. But will the whole day end in disappointment and humiliation, or will Frank manage to turn calamity into a dramatic triumph? 

Bertie and the alien chicken

Bertie is NOT looking forward to spending the summer holidays on stinky Long Bottom Farm. But things take an interesting turn when he encounters Nugget, the alien chicken. Nugget’s mission is to find the Earth’s most valuable resource and transport it back to Nurgle 7, and he needs Bertie’s help.

But what could the Earth’s most valuable resource be, and can they find it in time to stop the Nurgles exterminating the Earth?! 

Calling the wales

When Tulsi and her best friend Satchen spot something unusual in the sea near their home in Scotland, they decide to investigate. But little do they know how much danger they are putting themselves in. After rowing out to a nearby island, they become involved in a risky rescue mission and their boat capsizes in a storm. 

But just as they think all is lost, help arrives from an unexpected source … 

Ravencave

While mucking about in the ruins of an old farm while on holiday in Yorkshire, James hears strange laughter echoing around the walls. The ghost of a young girl appears to him and urges James to follow her but at first he’s too afraid. 

When she appears again, this time James follows. But will he be able to face the terrible truth she reveals …? 

Little women

When you’re one of four sisters, it can be difficult to find your own identity. But that’s never the case for the March girls – sweet Meg, tomboyish Jo, shy Beth and precocious Amy. 

With their father away at war and their mother working long hours, the sisters have to look out for each other and make their own entertainment. Although disagreements arise, their strong bond, vivid imaginations and infectious sense of fun see them through the darkest of days in this timeless coming-of-age story. 

Frankenstein

A thrilling gothic tale of hubris gone badly wrong. A young man’s search for the secret of the spark of life leads him to a horrific experiment in which he creates a gigantic creature from dismembered body parts. Rejected by his creator, the initially gentle creature turns monstrous when his desire to find companionship and love are thwarted. 

Tanya Landman revisits Mary Shelley’s classic Gothic horror story, bringing to life Dr Frankenstein and his monstrous creation in an accessible format that more readers can enjoy. 

The curio collectors

Lily, Tom and Ma Hawker are the Curio Collectors, travelling the country and enthralling crowds with their amazing collection of treasures. When an unusual piece of scrimshaw, a shell with delicate carvings, comes into their possession, it attracts the attention of a young maid, who is searching for a special shell that belonged to her mother. But another shadowy figure is also very interested in the scrimshaw, and it appears he will stop at nothing to get his hands on it.

Can the Curio Collectors uncover the mystery behind the carvings before time runs out?

Dragonracers

Kitty Hawk dreams of taking to the skies and competing in the world’s first long-distance air race. But little does she imagine that her first flight will take place on the back of a dragon! When Kitty and her brother find an unusual egg, the little dragon that hatches from it grows rapidly into a magnificently powerful creature that learns to fly with Kitty riding on her back.

Together, can they win the huge prize that’s at stake, and will their daring adventure bring Kitty closer to achieving her dreams?