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If Dobby is your hero here are more stories you鈥檒l #LoveToRead...

23rd October 2017

It might not have been immediately obvious but Dobby was a hero. During Harry Potter’s battles with Voldemort, the house-elf proved himself to be brave and loyal. Released from a life of servitude from the tricky Malfoys, Dobby didn’t always get things right but he did everything with honestly-held conviction.

As the , here’s some other books which celebrate the quiet, unassuming underdogs everywhere.

Meeting Dobby in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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'Don't you want to be bad?' Sootica asked him in great suprise. 'No' said Gobbolinio 'I want to be good and have people love me'
from Gobbolinio the Witch's Cat

chosen by Wakefield Libraries

The Carpet People by Terry Pratchett

The carpet people are tiny like Dobby but nonetheless have great power within them, and are extremely funny.

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

The tiny nac mac feegles are small but strong, and go on an adventure with Tiffany Aching, a young witch character who bears a passing resemblance to Luna Lovegood.

chosen by The Reading Agency

Wonder by RJ Palacio

Ten-year-old August "Auggie" Pullman doesn’t look like other children and has been home-schooled so far – but he’s determined to go to school and make friends. Like Dobby, he’s a brave and unassuming hero.

chosen by Essex Libraries

Mr Stink by David Walliams

Chloe is fantastic and refuses to be beaten by her demanding mother. Can she help Mr.Stink?

chosen by Cornwall Libraries

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre is the ultimate quiet heroine. Throughout the novel the reader follows her as she moves from an unhappy childhood to an unconventional future. Although she is a very moral person, Jane possesses a steeliness and determination that will appeal to modern readers. She may appear to represent traditional and old-fashioned values but Jane is very contemporary in her desire to be true to herself and her own values. This is reflected in the decisions she makes and the people Jane loves.

chosen by The Bookshop Bridport

The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White

Louis is a Trumpeter Swan born mute. This extraordianary tale follows the adventures of a swan struggling to find his voice as well as true love. Just glorious.

Gobbolino the Witch's Cat by Ursula Moray Williams

Gobbolino was born in a witch's cave, but all he wants is to be a kitchen cat. Abandoned by his mother and sister the brave little tabby does everything he can to find a home he can call his own. But can a witch's cat ever call a kitchen home?

chosen by Arts Council England

The Fastest Boy in the World by Elizabeth Laird

A boy who dreams of Olympic greatness becomes and unlikely hero.

Some quick fire book suggestions...

Title Author Recommended by...
The Many Worlds of Albie Bright 颁丑谤颈蝉迟辞辫丑别谤听贰诲驳别 West Sussex School Libraries
Saving Granny Maggot Rachel Delahaye West Sussex School Libraries
Flight Behaviour Barbara Kingsolver Bristol Libraries
Percy Jackson books Rick Riordan Manchester City Libraries
The Hobbit J R R Tolkien Manchester City Libraries

chosen by the staff of Waterstones Bromley

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.
Opening of The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

Kid Normal by Greg James and Chris Smith

Murph Cooper has a problem. In a school filled with kids that can fly, control the weather, and much more, he's just...normal. No superpowers whatsoever. It's time for Murph to learn how to become a hero! A fab story about unlikely heroes and becoming the best you can be!

The Legend of Podkin One-Ear

Podkin is lazy and spoilt, and would rather laze around all day in the meadows. But when the warren is attacked by terrifying creatures known as The Gorm, Podkin must be brave and step up to become a leader. A thrilling and brilliantly woven story of the character-turned-hero, plunged into the heart of adventure.

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

Odd doesn't feel like much of a lucky hero, with a shattered leg from his last adventure. When three Gods arrive at the door, Odd shrugs on his warmest clothes and sets off into the snow for an adventure of a lifetime. A great story full of determination and being strong.

chosen by the staff of The Bookshop Bridport

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Di Camillo

To save a Princess a mouse must become a hero. To save a mouse a Princess must overcome her fears.

chosen by the staff of Bookwagon Ltd

The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech

Your loving kindness will be rewarded by generations of children.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Your kindness towards others will enable your own escape from entrapment.

Little Bits of Sky by S.E. Durrant

Where your gentle, wary kindness will be repaid beyond your wildest dreams.

chosen by the staff of The Children's Bookshop Bridport

The Giggler Treatment by Roddy Doyle

The Gigglers are little creatures who take their role of child protection very seriously. Any adult who is mean to a child will find themselves in a very messy situation! Warning this book contains poo and will certainly ensure you have some gigglers of your own.

Books all children should read

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Recommendations for older readers

chosen by ExploreYork Libraries

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Unlikely heroes Tessa, Will and Jem battle vampires and demons in 19th century London. It is fast paced and fantasy, which I love reading. How could I not enjoy it?

chosen by Kent Libraries

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

Laura, the quiet heroine, inherits a huge collection of lost items from her boss, and is charged with trying to reunite them with their original owners. She builds friendships, deals with a ghost and solves mysteries; becoming stronger and helping others more than she would ever have imagined.

chosen by Rochdale Libraries

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Quiet, unassuming Harold goes out one morning to post a letter to a dying woman he once knew and just keeps on walking - from Devon to Berwick. Funny, moving and beautifully written.