Booklists

Anders and Rayna, along with their expanding group of dragon, wolf and human friends, get to the truth of their mother's fate and find a way that just might work to rebuild a united Vallen. But it will take a lot of courage and a little bit of luck for a group of kids to get the grown ups listen.

Agatha Oddly is a girl who has embraced her namesake and aches to be a detective just like Agatha Christie. And she's well-equipped to do just that, having read hundreds of mystery novels and collected disguises and all the tools of the trade. When a few events all line up to suggest that she has the key to solve a mystery that has the whole of London's attention, she springs into action. Living in the groundskeeper's cottage in Hyde Park, Agatha's adventures are set in the beautiful and the dark parts of London.

Alfred was just a young man when he was injured and shipped home from France. Neither honoured as a returned soldier or offered government support afforded to non-Indigenous servicemen, Alfred took up a solitary life walking the back roads - billy tied to his swag, finding work where he could.

Peijing and Biju find themselves in a new and very different country with their mum, dad and grandmother. While all family members must come to terms with the new and strange place, the girls find friends and a community at school, something the adults do not have to help them adjust. The family are faced with many kinds of change and each member will respond in their own way to these changes.

Amina and her best friend are starting year six and changes are happening around Amina which worry her. Her best friend now wants to change her Korean name to an English name and wants to hang out with one of the popular girls. Amina feels like she is losing her closest friend and wonders if she must also change to keep her friend. Events happening around her cause her to see both the challenges and rewards of being Pakistan American.

Harper McCoy has danced since she could walk. It is her passion and her talent. When her parents move her across the country, she needs to say goodbye to her friends and her dance team and start again. Her new dance team are not that welcoming and Harper wonders if she will ever be good enough for them.

A beautifully illustrated collection of twelve classical stories, which will whisk you away to the magical world of Ballet. Dance with the Nutcracker Prince, soar with the Firebird and delight in the drama of Romeo and Juliet.

Ari and Malia are both students in Indonesia, but one comes from a wealthy family and the other from a farming family in a small village. Both of them find themselves tied up in moral and ethical dilemmas where their actions, while so clearly right to them,, will not be popular with family or friends. Knowing the right thing to do does not mean it is an easy choice.

Beverly Trapinski has buried her beloved dog. One of her three friends has suddenly moved away without a goodbye. Her father is long gone and her mother does not seem interested in what Beverly does. It is August, 1979 and it seems that the only thing for Beverly to do is leave town. At age 14, she finds herself in a new town with a job clearing tables, but she knows this is not enough. If she can only open her heart a little, she will find that the small town is full of people who need a little more in their lives too.

Sometimes, 12-year-old Donte wishes he were invisible. As one of the few black boys at Middlefield Prep, most of the students don't look like him. They don't like him either. Dubbing him "Black Brother," Donte's teachers and classmates make it clear they wish he were more like his lighter-skinned brother, Trey. When he's bullied and framed by the captain of the fencing team, "King" Alan, he's suspended from school and arrested for something he didn't do. Terrified, searching for a place where he belongs, Donte joins a local youth center and meets former Olympic fencer Arden Jones. With Arden's help, he begins training as a competitive fencer, setting his sights on taking down the fencing team captain, no matter what. As Donte hones his fencing skills and grows closer to achieving his goal, he learns the fight for justice is far from over. Now Donte must confront his bullies, racism, and the corrupt systems of power that led to his arrest.

Apple is twelve and a bit of a social outcast at school. When she finds out she is on the list of the ugliest girls in her class, her world is shaken. Her so-called friends abandon her and music becomes her main escape. By escaping into music and with the help of the school music teacher, Apple finds her strength and some real, supportive friends along the way. For anyone who has ever felt like they just don't belong.

Grandmother's bowl has been passed from mother to daughter over generations. It sits on the table each evening between Sachiko's family who are grateful for the food they eat. One day soldiers arrive and planes begin flying overhead telling the people war is coming to the seaside town. The family and community are suddenly devastated at the dropping of the atomic bomb, and the effects follow the survivors for years to come. Later, when father returns to the rubble, grandmother's bowl is found miraculously in one piece. This true story was put together over several interviews with the real owner of the bowl who wanted to tell her family story of resilience, devastation and the quest for peace.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

A great evil has risen... and must be defeated. A murderer now leads the animals of the plains. The other animals believe he is the real Great Father, but the elephant Sky and baboon Thorn know the truth. While Sky leads her herd in a desperate search for Bravelands' rightful leader, Thorn is forced to flee his old troop to escape certain death. And the lion Fearless, once their friend, waits for his chance to strike down one tyrant, but may be led astray by another. The balance of Bravelands is about to shatter-unless predator, prey, and scavenger unite as one.

A false leader has been destroyed - but Bravelands is still in grave danger. The animals of Bravelands believed Stinger's death would bring them peace; but no Great Parent has stepped forward, and now the animals are caught in a perilous state of imbalance. Thorn grapples with a burden he may not have the strength to bear, while Sky yearns for the comfort of the Great Spirit - and wonders if an unthinkable act has driven it from Bravelands forever. After an ally is put in grave danger, Fearless blames himself, and his desperate thirst for revenge grows stronger. Now, with a mysterious threat lurking in their midst, all members of the Great Herd must find the strength to walk the right path, or risk the end of Bravelands forever.

The Great Spirit has returned to Bravelands, and the baboon Thorn hopes to guide Bravelands to peace as its Great Father. But a pack of rogue wolves has begun to target the Great Herd, threatening to shatter that peace before it's even begun. Torn between her desire to help the new Great Father and the urge to rejoin her herd, Sky must choose between duty and family, while Fearless frantically searches for Titan-even as he begins to suspect the rogue wolves of knowing the secret of the lion's whereabouts, and the motive behind his vicious crimes.

An Aboriginal boy is removed from his mother, despite her desperate efforts to disguise his fair skin by rubbing him with charcoal from a burnt stick.

In Elipsom, Calling is a coveted skill. Despite being born into a family of Callers, Quin doesn't have the gift. But everything changes when instead of summoning an object, Quin makes something disappear. The discovery this leads to changes his whole world and he must decide where his loyalties lie and follow his moral compass.

When Jackdaw Hollow is orphaned by a lightning strike, he is taken in by the headmistress of Direleafe Hall. Even though he grows up with her love and care, he feels undeserving, as if the universe made a mistake in sparing him. As he searches for the reason he survived the storm, he befriends Angeline, a wildling girl who knows where her destiny lies - the circus. But when he goes too far in trying to find his own calling, will he lose sight of what's most important?

With a lot of cardboard, tape and imagination, the neighbourhood has become transformed into a kingdom of magic, mayhem, heroes and villains. Everyone has a role to play!

Brother and sister Ashley and Aiden share a special bond as identical twins. While much of the world has been drastically changed by environmental catastrophe, they live a privileged life thanks to the work of their scientist mother. When Aiden comes to Ashley's rescue he is hurt and their life gets turned on its head.

Cat seems to be the only one to be able to understand, calm, and even find her lilttle brother Chicken when he is having a meltdown. Since the death of their father, Cat takes on the role of a parent more and more as her mother spends more time at work. When a job opportunity arises for their mum, Cat and Chicken find themselves spending the summer with grandparents they've never met on an island they have never visited before. It might be terribly awkward or it might be a chance to come together as a family.

When Chester discovers he can mind jump, he becomes a hit on his sister Amy's YouTube channel. An instant star, he does his most daring mind jump yet, into the brain of Tito the gorilla. The trouble is, when he tries to return to his own body - it's gone! Has it been stolen? But who would want it, and why? And how come Chester suddenly wants to search Amy's hair for fleas? The quest to find the answers takes him on a journey beyond his wildest imagination.

Olive is a popular and happy year five girl with lots of friends, but when she finds herself on the outside of several groups formed to enter the school's talent show, she feels resentment and is hurt at being left out. With some good advice from her aunt, she decides she can do an act on her own and finds a new level of confidence in herself.

Harper and her fellow DanceStarz are bound for New York to compete in Nationals. This is what they have worked so hard for. Between preparing for the biggest opportunity of her life, competing against fierce rivals, and balancing new friendships with old, this trip may not be all that Harper has wished for.

Zoey has been homeschooled her entire life. So when her parents announce it's time for her to attend the local school, she's terrified about how she'll cope. In an attempt to fit in, Zoey develops an app called the Cool Code with a cute llama avatar that will tell her everything from what to say to what to wear based on pop culture algorithms she's uploaded. But when the app gives her ridiculous advice, awkwardness and hilarity ensues. With a few upgrades and a bit of debugging from the coding club, the app actually works. Zoey becomes really popular... and gets her pulled in all kinds of directions, including away from her real friends.

Sima and her family are pressed to the rough, cold ground among fifty others. They lie next to the tall fence designed to keep them in. The wires are cut one by one. When they make their escape, a guard raises the alarm. Shouting, smoke bombs, people tackled to the ground. In the chaos Sima loses her parents. Dad told her to run, so she does, hiding in a school and triggering a lockdown. A boy, Dan, finds her hiding in the toilet block. What should he do? Help her? Dob her in? She's breaking the law, but is it right to lock kids up? And if he helps, should Sima trust him? Or run? This moment, these decisions, will change the course of their lives.

Christopher is twelve thousand miles from home. The pub has a dirt floor and the owner is as rough as guts. The forest hides snakes, feral pigs and a dark secret. Mysterious, bold and strange. Expect the unexpected. And watch your step. Enter this place and you will be different for ever.

Ella and her brother Emery are alone in a city that's starving to death. If they are going to survive, they must get away, upcountry, to find Emery's mum. But how can two kids travel such big distances across a dry, barren, and dangerous landscape? Well, when you've got five big doggos and a dry-land dogsled, the answer is you go mushing. But when Emery is injured, Ella must find a way to navigate them through rough terrain, and even rougher encounters with desperate people.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Ella has started at her new high school, she is getting to know her new friends and enjoying the many things the school has to offer. Until things start to get complicated, she insults the school diva, hears a ghost in the dorm and items start to mysteriously disappear. Can Ella catch the thief and solve the mystery?

Eloise has spent her life at the orphanage doing chores and being a good example for the younger children, but she cannot win favour with cruel Sister Hortense. Eloise holds on to hope of a family of her own, but she is also becoming aware of the world outside the orphanage and city gates. She feels a connection to something greater than the strict rules and limited experiences of the orphanage; something magical.

Elsie Mae is pretty sure this'll be the best summer ever. She's sure that the letter she's written to President Roosevelt will save her beloved Okefenokee swamp and make her a major hometown hero. What's more, Elsie Mae gets wind of hog bandits stealing from swamper families, and she sees another opportunity to make her family proud. But when her cousin Henry James shows up and ruins her investigation, Elsie Mae will learn the hard way what it really means to be a hero.

Twelve year old Alice is an ordinary girl living in the outback mining town of Mount Magnet. One morning, during a game of backyard cricket, she is struck down with the crippling pain of acute appendicitis. Shockingly, the nearest hospital is hundreds of kilometres away and a violent storm is rapidly approaching. An urgent call is made to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The pressure is on for the RFDS to safely transport Alice to medical attention before it is too late.

Dillon is your typical eleven year old boy who loves to play cricket and is forever getting into trouble for his messy room. He's just a normal kid - except for the fact he has a rare genetic disorder and desperately needs a liver transplant. One day, in the middle of the night, Dillon and his family receive a call from a distant hospital. A donor liver is available. The Royal Flying Doctor service is the only available option to transport Dillon to the hospital and into his new life.

Fausto believed he owned everything in the world, from flowers to trees and mountains. One day he decides to inspect the world he owns, and let each thing under the sun know he is the boss.

In a world of wild weather, is anywhere safe? Isabella, Griffin and their friends have settled into New City, enrolled in school and are making new friends, including the charming Aleksander Larsen. But their home is facing a new threat - weather patterns are becoming erratic and fierce ice storms batter the city. When someone from Isabella's past returns, loyalties are tested. Who is watching her from the shadows? Can Isabella and Griffin's friendship survive this furious final storm?

For years, Audrey has always believed she is destined to be alone. Even her younger sister calls her 'Nerd Girl'. However, her life is about change forever following her family's relocation to a vineyard in outback Australia. Upon arrival, Audrey meets a mysterious boy named Finch, who seems to understand her like no one else. There's just one problem, no one in the town even knows Finch exists.

Maven and Reeve are maid and squire, teenagers who are committed to their Master and Mistress and drawn together to solve the mysterious disappearance of a magnificent jewel with a cursed history.

Ally is smart, but no one can see this. She's even been smart enough to fool most of the adults in her life so far. But when Mr Daniels arrives to teach her class, he sees through her bravado. Ally can't read and Mr Daniels can see this. But with his help, maybe Ally can beat the bullies and learn to trust those around her again.

Tonight is the night. The family has to flee. Set in biblical times, a small family sets off across a desert in search of refuge from persecution in their own country. Beset by heat and thirst, and threatening tanks, they travel towards a refugee camp and safety, while they wait for asylum in another country. An ancient story becomes a fable for our times.

Maud Mulligan is 12 years old and her life in the slums of London is going from bad to worse. Fortune telling is all the rage but Maud wonders if it's better not to know what's coming. When she is suddenly pulled into the car of a rich and commanding woman, Maud must use all of her wits, determination, new found friends and special gift to take hold of her own destiny.

Mia Tang is only ten years old. Her parents have moved their family from China to the USA in search of a better life. Only what they have found is hardship and discrimination. When Mia's parents get the opportunity to run a motel, Mia helps out on the front desk, cleaning and getting to know the longer term residents of the motel. Through kindness, her family starts to create community. But the big question - will Mia ever be allowed to use the motel's swimming pool?

A ferocious storm is raging in Eerie-on- Sea. An ancient artifact filled with a wondrous light has washed up on the beach and a mysterious hooded stranger has just checked into the Grand Nautilus Hotel. Herbie and Violet know that these events are connected and that they must act fast to save the town. But their investigation may just lead them to the cold, dark bottom of the sea.

A gifted student, Nia longs to attend high school so she can follow her dream and become a writer. She has notebooks filled with stories she's created about the mythological Dewi Kadita, Princess of the Southern Sea. But her family has barely enough money for food, let alone an education, so Nia's days are spent running their food cart and raising her younger brother. Following a miraculous escape from a bus accident, Nia is gifted with good-luck magic. Or at least that's what everyone's saying. Soon their family business is booming and there might even be enough money to return to school. But how long can her good luck last? When a secret promise threatens everything she's hoped for, Nia must find a way to break the mould and write her own future.

Wilhelmina lives a picturesque existence, running wild and free on an African farm with her horse. Every day is beautiful as she savours the reckless abandon of a carefree existence. However, one day her home is sold and Wilhelmina is sent to boarding school in England. She must learn to live and survive in this strange and unforgiving new world.

Nothing good was going to happen to Clara Bloom ever again. It was the end of the world! Her parents were separating and how was she going to cope? Little does Clara know that the crisis is much bigger than she thinks. For a person who hates getting into trouble and hates seeing others get into trouble Clara finds herself facing a whole lot of trouble! A mysterious illness has struck down every single man and boy in the city. Clara's Dad is away on a camping trip and she must break all the rules in a desperate mission to rescue him. With her friends, Izzy and Arabella, and a little help from social media, Clara realises that girls are in charge and it is up to the girls to find a way for everything to go back to normal.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

It is the 1850s on the Australian goldfields. People are caught up in the, often violent, grip of gold fever. Miju and her brother, kidnapped from their homeland, are working to earn their passage home. Racism and robbery make their quest more difficult.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Murder most foul. An action packed retelling of the blood-soaked story of Hamlet. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

Once there was a girl whose life was filled with wonder at the world around her. Then, one day, something happened that made the girl take her heart and put it in a safe place. However, after that, it seemed that the world was even emptier than before. It takes another little girl to demonstrate that life is there to be lived.

Henry V presents the story of a battle for power after the legendary Hundred Years War. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

Ware is looking forward to a summer with his lively grandmother instead of the loud and sweaty recreation centre where he is usually sent. However, after his grandma has an accident he finds himself sent back to the dreadful rec centre. Then he meets tough but secretive Jolene who brings him to an abandoned chuch which becomes a place of refuge, but this special place is threatened and Ware promises to save it. Can he be this hero in the real world?

Through the friendship between a black boy and a white girl, race relations and conservation are dealt with in this play.

Marinka lives with her grandmother Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga's job is to guide people through The Gate into their next life. Their house has a gate made of bones and chicken legs. A couple of times a year, the house stands up in the middle of the night and walks to another location. This sounds exciting, but Marinka longs to stay somewhere long enough to make real friends. Based in Slavic folklore, this novel is about finding your own way in life even when you think your destiny might be decided.

Pablo is homesick. He's only twelve years old, but he's lived in more countries than he can count. After his parents divorced, he and his mother have moved from place to place for years, never settling anywhere long enough to call it home. And along the way, Pablo has collected more and more fears: of dirt, of germs, and most of all, of the ocean. Now they're living in the Philippines, and his mother, a zoologist who works at a local wildlife refuge, is too busy saving animals to notice that Pablo might need saving, too. Then his mother takes in Chiqui, an orphaned girl with a cleft lip -- and Pablo finds that through being strong for Chiqui, his own fears don't seem so scary. He might even find the courage to face his biggest fear of all... and learn how to make friends with the sea.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Chet Roscow is finally feeling at home in Elm Hills, New Jersey. But Chet's summer is interrupted by shocking news. A great white shark has been attacking swimmers along the Jersey shore, not far from Elm Hills. So when Chet sees something in the creek, he's sure it's his imagination... until he comes face-to-face with a bloodthirsty shark!

George Calder must be the luckiest kid alive - he and his little sister, Phoebe, are sailing with their aunt on the Titanic, the greatest ship ever built! George can't resist exploring every inch of the incredible boat, even if it gets him into trouble. But one night while George is off exploring, a terrible boom shakes the entire boat. Soon the impossible is happening: The Titanic is sinking. George has always gotten out of trouble before. Can he survive this nightmare?

If you enjoyed the award-winning Light Horse Boy and Lighthouse Girl, you will also enjoy In the Lamplight. This book draws on Australian war history with the protagonist being Rose, a young English girl turned nurse who cares for and falls in love with Jim - the Light Horse Boy. On the long journey back to Australia they experience the appalling loss of life due to the Spanish flu epidemic. But that is not the only challenge they face together.

My name is Julia. This is the story of the summer I spent living in a lighthouse. The summer I almost lost my mum, and found a shark older than trees. Don't worry though, that doesn't spoil the ending ... Julia has followed her mum and dad to live on a remote island for the summer - her dad, for work; her mother, on a determined mission to find the elusive Greenland shark. But when her mother's obsession threatens to submerge them all, Julia finds herself on an adventure with dark depths and a lighthouse full of hope...

Rome's greatest general, Julius Caesar, returns to the city celebrating a glorious victory. But among the cheering crowds a group of conspirators are determined to prevent Caesar becoming king... With Notes on Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre and Liberty and Power in Julius Caesar.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Kensy and Max are now agents-in-training at Pharos, a covert international spy network. Christmas break sees the twins back at Alexandria for training and a celebration like no other, but where are their parents and why can't they come home? Thankfully, a school trip to Rome provides a welcome distraction. Amid the history and culture of Italy's capital, they discover a runaway boy and whisperings of Mafia involvement. It looks like Kensy and Maxs harmless excursion may just turn into their very first mission.

When does a secret become a lie? And how do you tell right from wrong when deception is all around you? Kensy and Max are gearing up for their first Pharos review, a rite of passage with no room for failure. But juggling studies and the spy life isn't without its complications. As the dust settles from their last mission, and family members find their place in the new world order, old tensions rise to the surface. There's also the school play to prepare for - in rather different ways for each twin. However, the play soon takes a back seat as missing journalists and stolen objects see Kensy and Max embarking on a hair-raising ride to the City of Lights. Will they make it before it's too late?

How do you keep your head in the game when someone wants you gone? When those dearest to you are far away and the future is so uncertain...Kensy and Max are back in London for no time at all before things begin to heat up - quite literally. As a result, Granny Cordelia ships them off to Australia on an undercover mission. The twins find themselves planted in a posh Sydney school where first appearances prove to be deceiving. What seems like a straightforward assignment turns into something so much bigger. Kensy and Max must employ all their spy skills - the fate of their parents, and who they've been searching for, depends on it.

Foolish and bad-tempered, King Lear divides the kingdom between his two wicked daughters, disowns his honest youngest daughter and banishes his friends. As the kingdom falls apart and Learn's humiliation turns him mad, will he finally realise what he has done?

Lenny Spink is a watchful, caring, and sharp older sister to Davey, her sweet, charming and unusually big younger brother. She is ever mindful of the challenges and moods of her single parent mother, the curious lives of the various characters in her neighbourhood, and the dark reality which comes with her brother's rare disease causing him to grow at an unhealthy and alarming rate. The regular arrival of 'Burrell's Build-It-at-Home Encyclopedia' give Lenny and Dave a window to a broader world and feeds their imagination and curiosity.

What if Anna and Elsa never knew each other? When a magical accident erases Anna and Elsa's memories, not only of magic but of each other, the sisters are separated for protection. But when Elsa unexpectedly finds herself as a young queen, mysterious magic begins to happen and questions of her past start to form. Will the sisters ever be reunited?

When bricks start to go missing from the town of Littlelight, the mayor whips his citizens into a frenzy of aggravation. But when the townspeople find the thief, and her motive, they discover perhaps it is the mayor who is the problem.

Flip Little is extremely proud of his family history - the official lightkeepers of Elston-Fright; the lighthouse keepers. When the light is missing, it is up to Flip to restore the protection the lighthouse has always offered to the people of the town. But, the light is not the only thing that goes missing! There are mysteries and secrets to uncover, and magic and magical beings to combat. But will help come from the most unexpected place? Can Flip and his friends Corpse and Girl save their friend and restore the lost magic before it's too late?

When Louisiana Elefante's granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn't overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana's life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town - including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder - she starts to worry that she is destined only for good-byes. (Which could be due to the curse on Louisiana's and Granny's heads. But that is a story for another time.)

Jonah is so busy caring for his mother that he has no time to make friends. When life seems most bleak, the discovery of a lucky button connects him to Nathaniel, a foundling boy from the eighteenth century. Nathaniel's story and his button just might be the lucky token Jonah needs.

A brilliant retelling of this wonderful tale of witches, murder and madness. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

Maddie Lee is in year six. Her best and oldest friend Katy is busy with school duties and music and scholarship plans, and Maddie feels lost and lonely. Then a new girl starts at school. Maddie wants more than anything to become friends with her. And she does. But Samara's friendship comes at a high price, with consequences Maddie could never have imagined.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

In the basement of the Grand Nautilus Hotel, a mysterious girl crashes into Herbert Lemon's 'Lost & Foundery' crying, "Hide me!" In the window of the Eerie Book Dispensary, a mechanical mermonkey sits and waits. Old Mrs Fossil scours the beach for trinkets. And...out beyond the pier, near Captain Kraken's shipwreck, something stirs. Could the legendary malamander be surfacing in the mist? Who will uncover the secret of the malamander?

In the middle of the night, Josh watched a Royal Flying Doctor Service plane land on his family's cattle station to assist his mother during a difficult childbirth. In order to thank the RFDS for their service, Josh decides to organise a community fundraiser. However, his efforts are cut short when he is bitten by a deadly snake. Will Josh get to safety in time?

Carina and her family have moved to a new home. She is determined to find a moon tree. She promised her father and she is determined to keep that promise.

Yannick's mother requires an operation so he will have to spend the summer with relatives in the South of France. Here, Yannick spends time with his aunt, uncle and beautiful cousin while working at their restaurant and discovering the beauties of the countryside made famous by Cezanne. One evening, Yannick accidentally destroys an art work by the world's greatest artist and must find a way to correct his terrible mistake.

Thirteen year old Megan discovers her mother is still alive and living in Japan. Her mother has remarried a Japanese man who lives a traditional life and they have two children. Megan has difficult choices to make.

This charming series gives young readers the chance to discover the magic of Shakespeare for themselves. In Venice, the merchant Antonio borrows money so his friend can woo a beautiful lady. He agrees that if he doesn't repay Shylock the moneylender, Shylock can take a pound of his flesh. When Antonio's ships sink and he loses his fortune, Shylock insists on the gruesome payment... With Notes on Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre and Love, Hate and Mercy in The Merchant of Venice.

A heartwarming story about a year 5 student who suffers from major anxieties. She is about to embark on the stage 3 camp of a lifetime but could think of nothing worse. She has created a BIG LIST of all the reasons why she should not attend. If that isn't enough, there is a drought in their hometown and Michaela is desperately encouraging everyone to save water. What if it never rains again? What if the town runs out of water and they won't be able to shower or wash their hands anymore? What if there are spiders at camp? What if an escaped prisoner breaks into camp? There are so many what ifs in life - how is Michaela Mason ever going to relax and enjoy life? Making lists is one way to help Michaela deal with so many challenges.

The course of true love never did run smooth... A magical retelling of the classic love story of Hermia, Helen, Demetrius and Lysander - and of the impish fairy Puck, who meddles in their tangled web of love with hilarious consequences. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

We know Snow White meets and falls in love with a handsome prince. We know the Evil Queen, Snow White's stepmother, wants her dead. We know a mirror breaks the news to the Queen that she is not, in fact, the fairest of them all. But what happens if it's the prince who falls under the queen's spell and it's a feisty Snow White who has to save the day?

Penny Pickering is a creative girl with an imaginative, fanciful mind which doesn't quite fit her school for enquiring minds. When her Aunt, a famous authoress, turns up at her school to whisk her away on an adventure, it is like a dream come true for Penny. Penny and her Aunt are fascinated by a group of bewitched kittens who have tea parties, but not all is as it seems.

Chloe is a lonely girl who has a difficult family life and a hard time at school. She meets the local tramp Mr Stink and befriends him. He is the one of the few people who have ever been nice to her. So when it gets cold and Mr Stink needs a warm place to stay, Chloe invites him to live in the garden shed unbeknownst to her parents. Chloe soon discovers that secrets are not so easily kept and have a way of leading to disaster!

The hilarious tale of two couples, one in love and one in hatred. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

As soon as she saw the adorable thatched cottage Immy felt it calling deep within her. The house was perfect but it was the ancient, dark, fierce-looking mulberry tree standing outside in the garden that was drawing her in. There was a mystery in this house. The current owners refused to live there until their daughter had celebrated her eleventh birthday and the agent was reluctant to lease it to Immy's family. How could she convince her parents to move in? Escaping the cloud of problems that had haunted their life in Australia had they come to a whole set of new ones in the tiny village in Cambridgeshire, England? Would Immy, soon to be eleven, be safe in this house knowing the legend of the girls who went missing on the eve of their eleventh birthdays? How was the mulberry tree responsible for their disappearance? Would her family ever be whole again?

Amy loves to read about real life heroes. When she is faced with a life threatening situation at her Gran's house, her understanding of what it takes to be a hero might just save her life, and her Gran's. Summer in Australia means bushfires, and when Amy and her Gran are faced with a bushfire far too close for comfort, Amy knows just what to do.

Raymond goes to Barryjong Primary School and he is a follower. He knows that people think his school is rubbish and he knows they have a bullying problem. But he doesn't think he can fix it. Then the school gets another new Principal. They never last long... but this one is different. And when he announces his plan to have prefects and improve the school's reputation, Raymond decides to take a chance on maybe moving from Loser to Leader.

Eleven year old Aya has arrived in Britain with her mother and baby brother seeking asylum from Syria. A local ballet teacher notices Aya's talent and her fascination with the dance classes. While Aya finds friends and begins to settle into life in Britain, she and her family must fight for survival and to stay in the country.

Brave and clever Odysseus, finished with battle at Troy, longs to return home to his wife and family on Ithaca and put his days of war behind him. His journey home is full of danger and challenges, including giants, the legendary Cyclops, a very angry Poseidon, six headed sea dragons, and more. Homer's epic is retold in comic format to introduce readers to an action packed classic.

Harry is reluctantly hiking the Bibbulmun track with his mother, her friend Ana and Ana's daughter Deepika. at first all he thinks about are snakes, spiders and insects in the bush and no mobile phones. Then, just as he starts to enjoy himself Harry discovers that things can go really wrong in the bush.

Who can you trust? Othello grapples with this question, as his right hand man tries to convince him that his wife is unfaithful. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Strange things are happening. The book wandering world is changing and it appears to be affecting all readers. The Underwoods are after Tilly. Bea is determined to keep her daughter safe and help her on the quest to locate the archivists. Wandering through layers of stories will expose Tilly and Oskar to new dangers and some very famous literary faces.

You can't always decide where life will take you especially when you're a kid. Carlie knows she's got no say in what happens to her. Stuck in a foster home with two other kids, Harvey and Thomas J, she's just a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. As soon as you get settled, somebody puts another coin in the machine and off you go again. But against her will and her better judgment, Carlie and the boys become friends. And all three of them start to see that they can take control of their own lives.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Polly and Buster shouldn't be friends, witches and monsters definitely don't get on. But Polly can't help it if her best friend is a monster and she knows he's not dangerous. Can they work together to prove everyone wrong and save the day?

'Polly and Buster have always believed that monsters and witches can coexist harmoniously. However, no-one else in her town seems to agree. While the witch are furious and the monsters are in uproar, a sinister menace lurks nearby. Can Polly and Buster bring everyone together in time to save their town?

The new occupants in the apartment upstairs turn out to be two women friends who are heavily involved in the suffragette movement. Polly is inspired by their beliefs and finds herself questioning the views of those around her.

Spelhorst, an old and lonely sea captain, encounters a puppet which resembles a loved one from his past. He unexpectedly purchases the set of puppets and puts a story in motion just as his own story is about to end. The puppets change hands and have unexpected adventures as they wonder just when their story will begin.

Young soldier Jim McLeod waits in the trenches of World War I for the order to attack the enemy. With him are his friends, and Nipper, the messenger dog. When they charge across no-man's land, Jim is shot and finds himself face to face with an enemy soldier.

When Captain Shang is mortally wounded by Shan Yu in battle, Mulan must travel to the Underworld, Diyu, in order to save him from certain death. But King Yama, the ruler of Diyu, is not willing to give Shang up easily. With the help of Shang's great lion guardian ShiShi, Mulan must traverse Diyu to find Shang's spirit, face harrowing obstacles, and leave by sunrise -- or become King Yama's prisoner forever. Moreover, Mulan is still disguised as the soldier called Ping, wrestling with the decision to reveal her true identity to her closest friend. Will Mulan be able to save Shang before it's too late? Will he ever be able to trust her again? Or will she lose him -- and be lost in the Underworld -- forever?

Richard 3 was an unpopular king, and this tale explores how he gained, then lost, power during his reign. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

Together, they watch over the Endless Woods. Together, they choose the students for the School for Good and Evil. Together, they train them, teach them, prepare them for their fate. Then, something happens. Something that will change everything and everyone. Who will survive? Who will rule the school? The journey starts here. With magic, surprises and daring deeds at every turn, courage and loyalty will be put to the test, only to lead you to the very beginning of the adventures that are The School for Good and Evil.

The classic tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet, two young lovers from warring families. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

Like a turtle, Salih carries his home on his back. He must cross a raging sea in search of a safe home. Salih paints his happiest memories and sends them as messages in bottles. Will someone find them and understand? Will Salih find a new home?

Samsara Dog lived many lives. Some were long, while others lasted only a few days. Dog never remembered them. He lived each life as it came until he learned the most important lesson of all.

Rafaella is new to secondary school as is Lucy. Rafaella is a little different and unsure on how to make friends. In an awkward moment when meeting Rafaella, Lucy calls her a name which will stick with Rafaella and make it even harder for her to make friends. On their walks home from school they begin to form a friendship, and Lucy finds warmth and love in the home of Rafaella's family. However, Lucy keeps this friendship secret and it is only under the most terrible of circumstances that she realises the consequences of her decisions.

The book follows twelve year old Sharni on a journey into the Tingle Forrest. It is exactly a year since Sharni's father died in a horrific forestry incident and she is still in deep mourning. Sharni blames her mother for her father's death.

Any two titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Nettie Sweeney is the youngest in her family and wishes they had a Mum. When her new Mum finally arrives, it seems like the Sweeney family have it made. But tragedy strikes and nothing will ever be the same again: Nettie attempts to help fix things but will her actions lead to disaster?

An ordinary boy in an ordinary world. This wordless picture book tells the story of a boy who feels alone with his worries but who learns that help is always close by.

Scripts for the stage adaptations of four of Paul Jennings' popular stories.

Aimee is tired of playing second fiddle to Serena Sweetmay, who it seems, can do no wrong and is great at everything. Aimee is determined to outdo Serena when her class is asked to present the school Christmas play.

This is the story of Kirsten, an apparently happy and successful eleven-year-old reality-TV star who meets a ship that comes alive. Inspired by the true history of the SS Great Britain, Starboard is about the friendship, heroism and bravery that you can find in others, whether they're made of flesh or iron. It's about going on epic adventures. But most of all, it's about finding out who you really dare to be when you're completely out of your depth.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Freya has moved with her mother from a regional area to the inner city of Melbourne. She has left behind her two best friends, her basketball team and the world she loves the most. She is stuck and needs to develop resilience for a whole lot of issues that come her way: school, kids, netball, eleventh floor apartment and just being the new girl on the block. What is the connection between Freya and the illuminated skipping girl on the side of her building? Can Freya figure out how to belong on Vinegar Street?

Have you ever had a chaotic birthday party? Have you ever eaten your Teddy Bear? Do you ever wish you had the power to bring an object to life, or to speak to birds? Have you ever done odd jobs around the house to earn pocket money? Do you wish you could speak a secret language? Then this is the magazine for you! Flip open the pages and enjoy your reading adventure! An amazing publication written by Ursula Dubosarsky, the 2020-2021 Australian Children's Laureate, produced by The School Magazine team of the NSW Department of Education 2020.

Lovely Bianca has a queue of admirers anxious to marry her. But her older sister, Katharina, must get married first. Katharina has such a fiery temper she is known as 'the shrew', and no man is brave enough to propose. Can Petruchio tame her with his outrageous behaviour? With Notes on Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre and Love and Marriage in The Taming of the Shrew.

Stranded on an island, Prospero causes a storm to destroy the ship carrying his enemies. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

When Buddy wakes up in the middle of a garbage dump, he is aware he is a teddy bear that was waiting patiently for a child to love him but something has gone terribly wrong. After finding other discarded teddies, he takes lead of the troop who are determined to get back to the store. This perilous and unforgiving journey will present them with unsurmountable challenges which may claim a few of them before the end.

A classic tale of romance from Shakespeare. This series gives young readers the chance to discover Shakespeare for themselves. Also included are useful notes on the themes within the stories and a background to the Globe Theatre.

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

Something strange is happening at Huggabie Falls, something indescribable has turned up and entranced the town everyone is acting very weird. Kipp, Tobias and Cymphany don't know what it is but they do know they must stop it. But how do you stop something so strange and bizarre that is can't be described. This is what they must work out, and quickly before the whole town is trapped.

High on the snowy slopes of the Mabombo ranges lies the Grandest Hotel on Earth. This is the most magical, fantastical place on Earth where even seeing is not believing. When ordinary Vincent has the opportunity to leave his life for a short while and experience this grand place he cannot believe his fortune. What he doesn't count on are the temptations and life altering choices he will have to make.

John is the son of a solider and his mother works at the munitions factory making weapons for the first World War. More than he wants a glorious victory for the British, he wants his family back together and all families back together. Even the German families. John finds that wanting peace during war time can be as dangerous as being at the front, yet without a vision for peace, how can it ever be found?

Any three titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.

In this super edition, set during the events of A Vision of Shadows, one of ShadowClan's most loyal warriors must go on a perilous quests...one that will take him and the ThunderClan warrior Dovewing to the heart of a dangerous territory unlike any they have seen before. Long one of the proudest warrior Clans, ShadowClan now faces an unprecedented period of darkness and uncertainty. Its deputy, Tigerheart, is determined to help his Clan survive. But a crossroads is fast approaching...and when their medicine cat has an ominous vision, Tigerheart discovers that the only way to save his Clan may be to leave it behind forever.

Libby adores her big sister, Nonny, who always makes her feel special. Nonny doesn't care that Libby has Turner Syndrome, and stands out a little from the other kids. Libby tries not to mind, too: she knows it won't stop her from being an amazing scientist one day, liker her hero, astronomer Cecilia Payne. When she discovers that Nonny is in trouble Libby comes up with a great plan to help her.

There are 4 things you should know about ben: 1. He's 12 years old 2. He's the new kid at school 3. His special number is 4 4. He has a bully in his brain.

Tamsin lives next door to Edie St Clair, a famous author know for her ten book graphic novel series. Edie shares a secret with Tamsin, and the two begin an unusual friendship. When Edie goes missing, Tamsin knows she has to find her, following Edie into a different London. Tamsin discovers that Edie needs her desperately - only she can write the perfect ending to the last book in the series. But it will come at great cost..."

After being abandoned by their thespian parents, Whimsy and Woe Mordaunt are left in the care of their awful Aunt Apoline. Forced to work in Apoline's boarding house, slaving at the beck and call of outlandish guests and sharpening the thorns of every plant in the poisonous garden, Whimsy and Woe lose all hope that their parents will ever return. Until one day, quite by accident, the siblings stumble upon a clue that sets them on an adventurous path to finding freedom and hopefully their parents.

In the final act of this dramatic search for their parents, Whimsy and Woe Mordaunt must escape villainous thieves, travel beneath a desert in an untested machine of an ingenious inventor, climb the Mountainous Mountains and perform a death-defying trapeze act in the Big Top of Benton Brothers Circus... all before going undercover at the annual Thespian Society Masquerade Ball. Can they stop the Purple Puppeteer's evil plan in time to rescue their parents? Or will the Purple Puppeteer pull their family's strings forever?

Roz is not a normal robot. She is a wild robot who has lived with animals her entire life. Roz has even adopted and raised a baby gosling named Brightbill. But Roz has been taken away from her home and been forced to work for humans like a normal robot. Now Roz must find a way to escape her confines and be reunited with her son. Will she be able to escape the prying eyes of humans and a gang of robots following her every move?

It's January 1871 when Edith, the sheltered daughter of a wealthy widow, pays her first eventful visit to the workhouse for the poor. There, she meets Rosie, a rebellious, quick-tempered orphan who is always getting into trouble. Edith soon finds herself drawn into Rosie's wild schemes and both their lives are never the same again.

When Stella Montgomery returned to the Hotel Majestic cold and wet but exhilarated by adventure, the Aunts were furious. Now they are sending Stella away to the old family home at Wormwood Mire, where she must live with two strange cousins and their governess. But within the overgrown grounds of the mouldering house, dark secrets slither and skulk, and soon Stella must be brave once more if she's to find out who - or what - she really is...This is the thrilling and magical sequel to multi-award-winning novel, Withering-by-Sea.

At 12 years old, Liberty already has a lot of changes in front of her, including her approaching start at high school, but her parent's separation and divorce makes it feel as if her life is crashing to earth. Neither of her parents speak openly about what is happening or why, which leaves Liberty to understand her dad's depression and her own reaction to this huge life change.

Jilly P is just starting year 7 and is a confident and happy girl with good friends in real life and in the chat site devoted to her favourite fantasy books. When her baby sister is born deaf, she reaches out to her deaf and Black friend Derek for insight. Jilly begins to realise the diverse challenges others face and how difficult it can be to really understand others.