Showing titles in Music & Performing Arts

In Enid Blyton's best-selling school series, Elizabeth Allen is sent away to boarding school and makes up her mind to be the naughtiest pupil there's ever been. In book eight, Elizabeth is desperate to play the piano in the end of school concert. Elizabeth knows Arabella is very good - so she spends every waking minute practising. But exams are looming, and piano practice leaves Elizabeth with no time to revise. Will the Naughtiest Girl have to stay in first form another year?

The first in a brand-new series about dancing, friendship and following your dreams, from best-loved author Jean Ure. When new girl Caitlyn arrives at Coombe House School, Maddy is sure she must be a fellow ballet dancer; she certainly has all the grace and poise of a ballerina. So when Caitlyn denies it, Maddy isn't convinced. But it isn't until she comes across Caitlyn practising ballet in the gym that she realises there must be more to her story...Just what can it be? Maddy is determined to find out!

Summer has always dreamed of dancing, and when a place at ballet school comes up, she wants it so badly it hurts. Middle school ends and the holidays begin, but unlike her sisters, Summer has no time for lazy days and sunny beach parties. The audition becomes her obsession, and things start spiralling out of control.... The more Summer tries to find perfection, the more lost she becomes. Will she realise - with the help of the boy who wants more than friendship - that dreams come in all shapes and sizes?

Ray has trouble at home, and he has trouble at school - until he’s permanently excluded and ends up sleeping on the floor of a record shop. What happens to a boy like Ray? If he’s lucky, maybe he gets a chance to shine. The story of three boys who aren’t easy. They don’t fit in. They seem to attract trouble. But they know what they want, and they’ve got the talent to back it up.

Julia McKenzie, Simon Carter and Terry Molloy star in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation. On a hot, Edwardian summer's day, five children are granted a series of wishes by a strange creature they find.

Tom Falconer is in trouble. Pursued by the notorious criminal Ratsey, Tom soon finds himself alone and hungry on the streets of London. Luckily enough, the mysterious Dr Mobius soon recruits Tom to play an important role in a play to be performed in front of Queen Elizabeth. Tom knows there’s something not right about Mobius, but he’s willing to take a risk in order to keep his neck out of Ratsey’s murderous hands.

A full cast dramatisation of this classic children's book. Pauline, Petrova, and Posy Fossil are not really sisters; even their surname is invented since Great Uncle Matthew(GUM) adopted each of them on his various fossil-hunting trips. When the trio decide to "put our name in the history books because it's our very own", each Fossil uses her individual talents to achieve their joint aim in this captivating story, now a modern children's classic.

Life is going well for Sophie. She’s getting by at school, has some pretty awesome friends and their band have made it through to the semifinals of the Battle of the Bands competition. But when Sophie wakes up completely deaf one morning, the life she once knew seems like a distant memory. With lessons replaced by endless hospital appointments, and conversations now an exercise in lip-reading, Sophie grows quieter and quieter. Until she discovers the vibrations of sound through an old set of drums and wonders whether life onstage is actually still within reach.

The funniest band in the world, The Horne Section (fronted by Taskmaster's Alex Horne), tell you everything you need to know to be a music genius - with bizarre tales, absurd history and unbelievable facts. Band leader Alex Horne has also added some special tasks throughout the book, so listeners will be making their own music in no time at all - without even leaving the house!

In Mixed Messages, fourth in the middle-grade Mackenzie Blue series, Zee and her friends from Brookdale Academy launch Bluetopia, a fab social media site--which is perfect, because Zee’s band, The Beans, is about to have its biggest show ever. Everyone is talking about it on Bluetopia. At least it would be perfect if a glitch in the Bluetopia system didn’t threaten to ruin the show--and Zee’s life!

Audie Award, Middle Grade, 2016. Lost and alone in the forbidden Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each become sinterwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives, binding them by an invisible thread of destiny. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together.

Aya is 11 years old and has just arrived in Britain with her mum and baby brother, seeking asylum from war in Syria. When Aya stumbles across a local ballet class, the formidable dance teacher spots her exceptional talent and believes that Aya has the potential to earn a prestigious ballet scholarship. But at the same time, Aya and her family must fight to be allowed to remain in the country, to make a home for themselves and to find Aya's father - separated from the rest of the family during the journey from Syria.

Tess loves to dance – even when her tummy is empty and her boots are pinching. She and her brothers and sisters are all alone in the world after their mum dies and their pa abandons them. They have to eat bread and dripping, and take in washing to earn a few pennies. How will they afford food – and milk for baby Ada? Tess’s big brother and sister go out to look for work, but Tess has to stay in class at The Ragged School and look after Ada too. But Tess is determined that even though she is poor, she will still get to go to the ball . . .

Corinne Bailey Rae's “Put Your Records On” is a multi-platinum anthem about freedom and joy. Now, in this beautiful storybook, the Grammy Award-winning musician brings that empowerment and exuberance to children.

Julia McKenzie, Timothy West and Berlie Doherty star in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Charles Kingsley's classic tale of a chimney sweep who becomes a water baby.

When Wahoo Cray’s dad - a professional animal wrangler - takes a job with a reality TV show called Expedition Survival!, Wahoo figures he'll have to do a bit of wrangling himself to keep his father from killing Derek Badger, the show's inept and egotistical star. But the job keeps getting more complicated: Derek Badger insists on using wild animals for his stunts; and Wahoo's acquired a shadow named Tuna - a girl who's sporting a shiner courtesy of her father and needs a place to hide out.

Jukebox Joyride follows 12-year-old twins Jules and George on a wild adventure through time. Their Uncle Bob, a renowned ethnomusicologist (he studies music!), has discovered the secret to time travel and is having a ball joyriding through history checking out the best concerts ever...but something’s gone wrong! A sinister force has been unleashed, someone is chasing after Uncle Bob, and the fate of all music hangs in the balance! Now, it’s up to Jules and George to find their uncle before their new rival does!

The Rock War TV show is the most-watched reality show on British telly, and it's only halfway through. Jay, Summer, Dylan and their bands have all made it past the tough boot camp stage, and now the last six will fight it out until the season's finale, live on Christmas Eve. But it's not all about the music. Summer was hit by a motorbike at the end of boot camp. Jay's brother, Theo, can't keep out of trouble - or out of handcuffs. And Dylan, the outsider, is investigating corruption within the workings of the competition itself.

Every family has its secrets, but it was a huge surprise to the three young Forbeses, fresh from a country vicarage, to discover that their grandmother was a famous actress. Sent to live with her in bombed-out, wartime London, they soon discovered that they were expected to follow in the family footsteps - to the footlights! As an actress herself, Noel Streatfeild was familiar with all the details of the backstage world of the theatre. She has created an authentic, perceptive and vivid picture of theatrical life - from stage school to auditions and performances.

The ultimate audiobook of, well, everything you would want to find in another hilarious Tom Gates audiobook by the amazing Liz Pichon. What’s this one about? Everything! Packed with brand new activities, makes and stories and unique Tom Gates stuff to do which will keep you busy all year round.