Carnival of the Hunted: BLUE PETER BOOK AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR Kieran Larwood 9780571364527

The first figure raises his crossbow, tilting his head to pinpoint the exact position of the thing in the bushes. It has stopped running now, and is muttering something. Some kind of prayer, a call for its mother, its father: anyone who might help it.

Something sinister is going on in the stinking slums of London. Sideshow acts are going missing . . . men wearing animal masks and eye goggles are hunting them down and killing them for sport. But who are this fiendish Hunters' Club? And what is the reason for their cruel game?

Sheba the wolfgirl and Pyewacket the witch's imp know all about life in a sideshow. But now they are the Carnival, private investigators working to help unusual people like them. Teaming up with new recruits half-cat Inji, her extraordinary brother, the armadillo-like Sil and Glyph the psychic, it's a race against time . . . to track down the mask-wearing villains, before anyone else comes to harm!

Kieran Larwood was born in Kenya. He moved to the UK when he was two and lived in various places before settling on the Isle of Wight, where he can still be found: exploring rockpools, climbing trees and writing - slowly disappearing behind a mountain of notebooks and empty coffee mugs. He has done a wide range of jobs, including being an archery instructor and working the night shift in a cake factory (which was nowhere near as much fun as it sounds). He taught Reception class in a primary school for fifteen long years before finally escaping to become a full-time author. Kieran's books have won several awards, including the Blue Peter Best Story and the Prix Sorcieres. He is inspired by a life-long love of fantasy stories, which all began when - as a young boy - he picked up a copy of The Hobbit and saw the map inside. It just goes to show - you never know where opening a book will lead . . .

Sam Usher is a multi award-winning illustrator. His books include the Seasons series, The Birthday Duck, The Most-Loved Bear and The Umbrella Mouse. Also a talented pianist, when he's not scribbling you'll find him perfecting a fiendishly difficult Chopin piece.