Once by Morris Gleitzman

Once, I read a book from start to finish without putting it down. Once, I read a book that made me laugh. Once, I read a book that also made me cry. Once is the story of Felix, a young Jewish boy with a talent for storytelling - inspired no doubt by the fact that his parents once owned a bookstore. Set in Poland, 1941, the world is in turmoil in the midst of World War II - not that Felix realizes, safely tucked away in an isolated orphanage by his farsighted parents in 1939, in the hope that by disguising him as a Catholic orphan, he will escape persecution from the Nazis.
Felix waits for three and a half long years for his parents to return for him, all the while believing they have simply gone on a long trip to find out why the source of Jewish books for the store they own and run has dried up. When an entire carrot appears in his soup (a small miracle) he is certain it is a message from his parents, telling him they are returning for him. When they don't, Felix sets off by himself to find out what's keeping them from coming back. What follows is the tragic tale of a small boy, who, armed with an active imagination and his unwavering faith in his parents, is a shining light in a story black with the horror and depravation of the Holocaust. The tears you will shed when you read this book will dry, but it's message of sacrifice and hope will stay with you forever.

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Then by Morris Gleitzman (the sequel to Once)

School holiday activities

Only one week to go and you're free again - well, for two weeks at least... Don't forget there will be a tonne of cool things to do at your library these school holidays. But if you're lucky enough to be going away, why don't you take a book to read while you're lying in the glorious sun on that golden beach? Not that we're jealous or anything...

If you've got a long drive before you get there - take an audiobook to play in the car along the way. Here are a few good suggestions:

• Mates, dates and Portobello Princesses by Cathy Hopkins
• Pictures from the fire by Gaye Hicyilmaz
• Black water by David Metzenthan
• The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon
• Breathe by Penni Russon

We've also got Harry Potter on audiobook but honestly, people, think outside the square!

Top 10 borrowed books

Young adult fiction
As you can imagine, the boy wizard is still dominating most lists around the world, including ours:
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Harrows by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the half-blood prince by J. K. Rowling
3. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
4. The dead of the night by John Marsden
5. Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
6. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
7. Tomorrow, when the war began by John Marsden
8. Erak's ransom by John Flanagan
9. Every boy's got one by Meg Cabot
10. Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Junior fiction
Just because it's junior doesn't mean it's light-weight. Harry Potter casts his spell on this top 10 too.
1. The cat on the mat is flat by Andy Griffiths
2. The BFG by Roald Dahl
3. Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
4. Give peas a chance by Morris Gleitzman
5. Just shocking! by Andy Griffiths
6. The Simpson's holiday humdinger by Matt Groening
7. Big beefy book of Bart Simpson by Matt Groening
8. Big bouncy book of Bart Simpson by Matt Groening
9. Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets by J.K. Rowling
10. The witches by Roald Dahl

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell

Emmy is a sad, lonely and neglected kid. Her parents recently inherited a fortune from a long-lost uncle, and while Emmy now has everything a kid could ever want, she's never been so unhappy. Her parents are constantly traveling, and when they are home they seem distant and different. She has no friends at her new school - in fact, it's as if she doesn't even exist - even the teacher can't remember her name. She's worried she might be going completely mad because she's certain the classroom pet, a rat, talks to her. And then there's her evil nanny, Miss Barmy. Miss Barmy is like Mary Poppins, but not in the good way - there's nothing sugary or delightful about her! Emmy, fed up with being invisible to everyone and stifled by Miss Barmy's constant control, decides to finally listen to the Rat's beckoning and lets him out of his cage. Little does she know that the talking isn't the Rat's only talent, and the chain of events that follow his release could spell disaster for everyone involved. Soccer-playing chipmunks, a narcoleptic professor and farting potions make this story hard to put down; you'll find yourself cheering on the plucky Emmy Addison to victory over her sinister and sometimes stinky rival, Miss Barmy, right until the very end.

Place a reservation on Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat.

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The worry website by Jacqueline Wilson.