Booklists

When Jin Wang starts at a new school, he's the only Chinese-American student. He just wants to be an all-American boy. Danny is popular and great at basketball but his obnoxious Chinese cousin's annual visits are a disaster, ruining his reputation at school. The Monkey King is the most powerful monkey on earth and his story is one of the greatest Chinese fables.These three apparently unrelated characters come together with an unexpected twist. Graphic novel. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Ashleigh is fifteen and her life makes her angry. Through a school project she meets Joyous, whose positive take on life helps to teach her to 'work things round a little'.

Teenage musician Rafael is sent to a Nazi concentration camp in World War II, where he pushes music to the side in his effort to just survive. 30 years later in Canada, he has a small family, where his daughter Annie struggles to find her place in the countryside. Another 30 years later, in Australia, Joe is uncertain about himself, his future and whether music fits in with him. Includes mature themes. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Albert Einstein's name is synonymous with genius. He revolutionised the way we understand the universe and paved the way for diverse technology such as lasers, cell phones, electron microscopes and DVD players. Follow Einstein's journey from his childhood through to his groundbreaking writings that won him the Nobel Prize.

Joan of Arc's courage, eloquence and martyrdom make her an enduring inspiration. Find out about her childhood in war-torn France and how she helped a king win his rightful crown. She fell into British hands and suffered an unjust trial for heresy but, eventually, her reputation was gloriously and posthumously restored.

The diary of sixteen year old Lady of Ch'iao Kuo is a remarkable adventure set in Southern China in the sixth century. A born leader, Lady of Ch'iao Kuo, also known as Princess Redbird, is both courageous and keenly intelligent.

Sam Khoo has one goal in life: create cool indie games. She's willing to do anything to make her dream come true - even throw away a scholarship to university. All she needs is a super-rare ticket to a game design workshop and she can kickstart her career. So when Jay Chua, aka Jerky McJerkface, sneakily grabs the last ticket, it's war. Knowing how their Australian-Malaysian community works, Sam issues him an ultimatum: put the ticket on the line in a 1v1 competition of classic video games, or she'll broadcast his duplicity to everyone. Thank you, Asian Gossip Network. Meeting in neutral locations, away from the eyes and ears of nosy aunties and uncles, Sam and Jay connect despite themselves. It's a puzzle that Sam's not sure she wants to solve. But when her dream is under threat, will she discover that there is more than one way to win?

Natasha: I'm a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Daniel: I've always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents' high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Maddy is allergic to the world. She hasn't left her house in seventeen years. Olly is the boy next door. He's determined to reach her. A story about the crazy risks we take for love. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Every Friday after school, seventeen-year-old Alice Choy and her little sister, Olivia, head to Myeongdong to sing karaoke. Since their diplomat mom moved them to Seoul, her only musical outlet is letting loose in a private karaoke booth to an audience of one: her loyal sister. Then a scout for Top10 Entertainment, one of the biggest K-pop companies, hears her and offers her a spot at their Star Academy. Can Alice navigate the culture clashes, egos, and extreme training practices of K-pop to lead her group onstage before a stadium of 50,000 chanting fans-and just maybe strike K-pop gold? Not if a certain influential blogger and the anti-fans get their way. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

Saba and her brother, Lugh, have spent their whole lives in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. When a monster sandstorm and four cloaked horsemen arrive, Lugh is captured and Saba embarks on an epic quest, in the lawless, ugly world outside Silverlake, to get him back. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

When the Taliban took control in Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On her way home from school, fifteen year old Malala was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban. She survived and began her extraordinary journey. Malala has become a global symbol of peaceful protest, the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

In this powerful and emotional book, Nobel Peace Prize winner and activist Malala Yousafzai shares various stories of displacement, including her own. Part memoir, part communal storytelling, the book introduces readers to some of the incredible girls Malala has met on her many journeys and lets each tell her story -- girls who have lost their community, relatives and often the only world they've ever known, but have not lost hope, with dreams for a better, safer world. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

Lu and Minyi have always known their places as princesses of the empire - Lu, her father's favourite, is destined to be the first female emperor, while Minyi, her mother's favourite, is resigned to live in her shadow. When their father names their male cousin Set as heir, their lives will never be the same again. Betrayal, manipulation and unlikely alliances plague the royal sisters. While Lu fights to reclaim her birthright, Minyi's hidden powers are awakened. The effect could be cataclysmic. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.