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The shortlist for the Booktrust Teenage Prze 2007 has been released.
The books are: Theresa Breslin The Medici Seal (Doubleday); Kate Cann Leaving Poppy (Scholastic); Mal Peet The Penalty (Walker Books) Philip Reeve Here Lies Arthur (Scholastic); Meg Rosoff Just in Case (Penguin) Marcus Sedgwick My Swordhand is Singing Orion. Information about the Teenage Book Prize Read more about the shortlisted titles below:
HERE LIES ARTHUR: Gwyna is just a small girl, a mouse, when she is bound in service to Myrddin the bard - a traveller and spinner of tales. But Myrddin transfroms her - into a lady goddess, a boy warrior, and a spy. Without Gwyna, Myrddin will not be able to work the most glorious transformation of all - and turn the leader of a raggle-taggle war-band into King Arthur, the greatest hero of all time.
Buy this Book THE MEDICI SEAL This story is set in Romagna, Italy in the year 1502. Fleeing from the murderous brigand Sandino, Matteo - a young boy - is saved from drowning by the companions of Leonardo da Vinci. From this moment on, Matteo is at the Maestro's side as he carries out his work, which ranges from the painting of magnificent frescos to intricate dissection of the human body. But Leonardo is employed by Cesare Borgia, head of one of Italy's leading families. Cruel and ruthless, the Borgia punishes without mercy those who oppose him or who threaten him in any way. And as Da Vinci and Matteo travel across Italy on the Borgia's business, murder, deceit and revenge follow in their trail. For Matteo carries with him a secret - a secret that both the Borgia and Medici families would kill to obtain. A life-changing secret that must, finally, come to light for all to see
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MY SWORDHAND IS SINGING In the bitter cold of an unrelenting winter Tomas and his son, Peter, arrive in Chust and despite the inhospitability of the villagers settle there as woodcutters. Tomas is churlish - taciturn at the best of times. He digs a channel of fast-flowing waters around their hut so they have their own little island kingdom. Peter doesn't understand why his father has done this, nor why, all his life they've moved from place to place, or why his father carries a long battered box everywhere they go, and why he is forbidden to know its mysterious contents. But when a band of gypsies comes to the village Peter's drab existence is turned upside down. He is infatuated by the beautiful gypsy princess, Sofia, intoxicated by their love of life and drawn into their deadly quest. For these travellers are Vampire Slayers and Chust is a dying community - where the dead come back to wreak revenge on the living. Buy this Book THE PENALTY As the city of San Juan pulses to summer's sluggish beat, its teenage football prodigy El Brujito, the Little Magician, vanishes without trace. Paul Faustino, South America's top sports journalist, is reluctantly drawn into the mystery. As a story of corruption and murder unfolds, he is forced to confront a bitter history of slavery, and the power of the occult.
Buy this Book LEAVING POPPY Amber's family think she's gone to Cornwall on holiday, but really she's left home. She's forging a new life - new housemates, new job and (with a little luck) new boyfriend. She feels bad because her mother and Poppy need her, but she's got to make the break, get out of their clutches...Then Amber falls ill and her family come to look after her. Something in the house responds to Poppy's presence, something malign and threatening. When Poppy moves into the attic, it gets even stronger, until evil seems to permeate everywhere and Amber thinks she might never be able to escape... Buy this Book JUST IN CASE What if Fate were out to get you? The day David Case saves his brother's life, his whole world changes. He must hide, become an entirely new person to escape Fate...if he can Buy this Book
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