Booklists

Without the service of animals, many more Australians would have lost their lives during wartime. This intriguing book presents information about food, equipment, battle environments, war propaganda, uniforms, symbols and transport. Filled with authentic photos, wartime anecdotes and strange but true facts.

A taste of the intriguing history of Australia and the many entry points for readers to explore further. In the late 18th century, ragtag groups of Europeans started to arrive in Australia. Most were convicts, some were soldiers, a few had just run out of choices. They blundered onto an ancient land that had been peopled for 60,000 years. They wanted to make it just like home. They cleared the land, they fenced it, they paved it, and they put buildings on it. All the while, the country's first peoples watched on, bewildered by these clumsy immigrants and their mysterious ways. Why did Sir Joseph Banks hate bananas? Did anyone like William Bligh? Who's afraid of Pemulwuy?

Andy Macbeth doesn't mean to be a terrible person but his three spooky aunts have predicted great things for him on the school soccer team. So, when the gorgeous Fifi L'Amour starts to take an interest in him and suggests an easy way to ridicule the coach and take his place, it just might all be too hard to resist.

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.

Find out about the many different types of monkeys, from the smallest Pygmy Marmoset to the largest Mandrill. Discover where monkeys come from, their social life and order, how they use tools, and how deforestation threatens their populations. You'll soon be raving mad about monkeys.

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.

Garland Maddigan, twelve year old daughter of Fantasia's ringmaster, has made this trip before. The journey has frightening new challenges when three mysterious children join the travellers and sinister strangers follow them.

Many people have risked their lives to break speed records on the ground, in the air and on the water. Meet some of them and find out how, and why, they did it. Easy to access information includes unusual or amazing facts, photographs, charts and maps.

Follow the journey of a red jacket around the world, from being made to going in the rubbish, from the cells of a prison, to a boat floating in the ocean, connecting many people.

Magenta is worried her about her dad. He hasn't moved on since the divorce. Magenta is trying to write her fantasy trilogy but, since she registered her father on an internet dating site, she has to spend time pretending to be him and replying to the emails he doesn't know he is receiving. Now, someone wants to meet him.

With Granny distracted by Mayor Heart's campaign against the human residents of Ferryport Landing, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are ready to tackle a case on their own. They need to find out who is stealing the magical possessions of the most powerful Everafters in town. The villain's plans mean a grim future for the Grimms.

The magic fair has a lot more than just fairy floss and fun rides, it has cakes that jump and pies that fly. Enter but beware. Kayla and her cousin, Phil, soon find out that not all the surprises are nice ones. When Phil is mean to Kayla, the fair takes matters into its own hands in a very unusual way.

Soccer season is here. Ellyse is desperate to pull on her boots and start dribbling and defending. But, her best friends, Charlie and Jazz, don't want to play soccer this year. Ellyse is disappointed but has an idea to get a girls team together at school. But, things don't go to plan at school or training. When Ellyse is targetted by one of her own Hawks teammates, it scares the girls from joining the school team. Ellyse must find a way to deal with the bully and convince her schoolmates to join soccer.

When street magician Carter runs away, he never expects to find friends and magic in a sleepy New England town. But like any good trick, things change instantly as greedy B.B. Bosso and his crew of crooked carnies arrive to steal anything and everything they can get their sticky fingers on. After a fateful encounter with the local purveyor of illusion, Dante Vernon, Carter teams up with five other like-minded illusionists. Together, using both teamwork and magic, they'll set out to save the town of Mineral Wells from Bosso's villainous clutches. (Psst. Hey, you! Yes, you! Congratulations on reading this far. As a reward, I'll let you in on a little secret... This book isn't just a book. It's a treasure trove of secrets and ciphers and codes and even tricks. Keep your eyes peeled and you'll discover more than just a story--you'll learn how to make your own magic!)

In this second book, the story is focused on Leila, a girl who lives with her two dads who adopted her, above a magic store. When her parents gave her up as a baby, they gave her a key. She loves her dads, but she really wants to solve the mystery surrounding the key. A mysterious visitor might just be the reason she gets the chance.

A rude, steak-and-kidney-come-what-you-like pudding and his mates Bill Barnacle, Sam Sawnoff and Bunyip Bluegum battle the puddin' thieves in this Australian bush classic.

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.

Two friends sink through a magical puddle into Allegoria, the world of the Great Magician. Georgie Tanner is always getting into some sort of trouble or other, but nothing has prepared her for this.

The boy, the lost sister, the retired officer, the childless couple, the displaced elephant, the patient nun, the compassionate policeman, the remorseful magician, the bent and broken stonemason and the socialite crippled when the conjured elephant fell through the theatre roof and landed on her legs, all come together in the snow in this meaningful, simply but poetically told story.

This sixth book about Narnia, explains how the comings and goings between our world and Narnia first began, when Polly and Digory found the way to Narnia by accident.

Author Luke Davies wrote a poem called Childhood Terror which described, in nine lines, the fear of a magpie attack, and a boy's reaction as his father helps him face that fear. This wonderful picture book turns the poem into a story of a dog and his pup on a journey to find the magpie.

The story of a magpie raised on the Eyre Peninsula that becomes stranded on an island. Humans intervene to help him have a happy life.

Magrit lives in an abandoned cemetery. She is as forgotten as the tiny graveyard that surrounds her. One night, a passing stork drops a strange bundle into the graveyard. Master Puppet, her friend and advisor, tells her it is an awful, ugly, terrible thing and she should get rid of it. But, Magrit has other ideas.

Take a look at jokes and comedians, and what makes people laugh.

Alex will be the coolest Year 9 student with the weirdest sister in Year 7 if she can't make Jamie 'normal' before she goes to high school. Jamie doesn't realise how lucky she is getting all this great advice. Some coarse language used in context.

If you've wanted to create a YouTube video, then this book is for you. Find out how to shoot with a phone or camera, edit your clips and add effects.

Danny discovers girls or, rather, one special girl called Ella, and the joys of riding a malboard. Can he overcome the problems of surfing mates who only accept shortboards? He is new to town and needs a break on the waves and at school.

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?

Malkin is a small, black cat with a magnificent tail, who's destined to be a hero. He just doesn't know it yet. In his third life, Wild Malkin falls in love with Roux, a Domestic cat, who likes the comforts of home. Together, they explore the night and have adventures. When Roux's owners decide to move away, she chooses to become a Wild and stay with Malkin. Setting out to find a new home, they stumble across a recycling centre full of cats at war. An extraordinary adventure awaits as Malkin tries to bring peace to the land.

Mammals have adapted to many environments. They can swim, walk, fly and live underwater or high up in forest trees. Superb photographs bring their fascinating world vividly to life. The book follows a mammal from birth, showing how it grows.

Meet Olive Black... ten year old superstar. Her latest movie, Mammoth Mistake, has just been released and she is riding the rollercoaster of fame and school. When she gets caught up with the biggest bully in showbiz, everything goes pear-shaped. Olive can't understand how her relationship with her best friend could go so wrong or why she can't fix things just like in the movies.

Sam Fox is on a youth conference in Africa when the tour bus takes off without him, leaving him stranded in the wilderness. Sam uses his wits to escape an angry mother elephant, a king cobra, a hyena and a hungry crocodile. It may not be so easy to survive an encounter with a ferocious, man-eating leopard.

When the man from Ironbark visits the local town for a shave, chaos ensues. Because of a Sydney barber's joke on one of their men, long beards become the fashion in a small Australian settlement.

A classic collection of forty-six poems by Banjo Paterson.

The full text of the classic poem is beautifully illustrated and includes a CD of an unabridged recording.

A little, hairy man appears in the bedroom of a schoolboy demanding food, clothing and shelter. This story is told in cartoon style.

A former Australian of the Year, Mandawuy Yunupingu, leads the band, Yothu Yindi.

Travel the world without leaving home. Fifty two lavishly illustrated maps detail not only geographical features and political borders but also places of interest, iconic personalities, native animals and plants, local peoples, cultural events, and many more fascinating facts associated with each region. This book is a celebration of the world, from its immense mountains to its tiny insects, and everything in between.

In words and pictures, Yalata and Oak Valley community members, with author Christobel Mattingley, describe what happened in the Maralinga Tjarutja lands of South Australia, before the bombs and after.

It is 1875 and orphans, Margaret and Libby, live with kind Mrs Fredriksen in her sod house in rural Colorado. The girls are always moving on, looking for a real home. When a tornado sweeps through the town bringing an injured horse, Margaret nurses it back to good health. This might be the place to settle down.

Colin is a pizza delivery boy with a twist, he is an aspiring detective. But in sleepy Rufflington-on-Sea, there is nothing to solve until the Golden Spatula League come calling. To join their team, Colin, nicknamed 'Mark Anchovy' has to fly to Rome and track down a prized painting. The main suspect is Big Alan Fresco, notorious art thief and pizza addict.

It's 1983 and there's excitement in Marly's house. Her grandparents have arrived from Vietnam and, soon, her mum will have a new baby. While Grandma tries to make Marly into a 'young lady', Grandpa digs up the backyard. When he brings home Agnes, a goat, the neighbours want it taken away. Things get dangerous and Marly must try to protect her grandpa and her pet.

It's 1983 and baby mania has struck Marly's house. She has a new baby brother and Marly never realised that a new baby would take up so much of everyone's time. The school concert is coming up and Marly's secret plan is to perform the Moonwalk, the dance she's been practising all year. But, no one is helping with her costume.

It's 1983 and Marly needs a job. She wants to buy Donkey Kong cards to swap with the other kids at school but her parents think the cards are a waste of money. Then Marly's friend, Yousra, gives her an idea and she decides to start her own business. But, working on your own isn't easy and, when Marly catches a bus that goes in the wrong direction, it's just the start of her problems.

Fascinating facts about the planet, Mars, and the solar system. Includes photographs, a glossary and websites links.

There's a hill out the back of Joey's house. Hardly anyone goes there - it's not a beautiful place, just a covered-over old rubbish tip. But Joey likes it up there. It's his hill - somewhere he likes to go to wonder about life. He longs to be the best at something, to be a famous astronaut, or mountain climber, to stand out somehow. So when Joey discovers a tree house in an old peppercorn tree on the hill, he is annoyed that someone has invaded his special place. But he is also curious about who the intruder could be. But making contact isn't easy. The tree-house girl is wild and hostile and full of secrets. Joey needs to work out a way to win her over. And as he does, he finds a way to shine.

David Mitchell gives expert advice on fourteen of the most popular martial arts. Skilful holds to dramatic throws and kicks are featured.

The fast-moving and funny sequel to Martin Bridge ready for takeoff. Young Martin must face three new challenges: spending an afternoon with an irritating houseguest; sharing lunch with a boy who eats erasers; and, embarking on a frantic search for the school's lucky mascot, a parakeet.

Martin is a little boy who blushes a lot and is happiest in the summer, when everyone else has a red face too. He sets out to find a reason for his strange affliction and finds a friend, Roddy Rackett, who keeps on sneezing even when he doesn't have a cold. The events of life are quaintly told.

'Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, a magic school in the clouds where Marvellers from around the world practice their cultural arts, like brewing Indian spice elixirs and bartering with pesky Irish pixies. Despite her excitement, Ella discovers that being the first isn't easy - some Marvellers mistrust her magic, which they deem "bad and unnatural." But eventually, she finds friends in elixirs teacher, Masterji Thakur, and fellow misfits Brigit, a girl who hates magic, and Jason, a boy with a fondness for magical creatures. When a dangerous criminal known as the Ace of Anarchy escapes prison, supposedly with a Conjuror's aid, tensions grow in the Marvellian world and Ella becomes the target of suspicion. With the help of her friends and her own growing powers, Ella must find a way to clear her family's name and track down her mentor before it's too late.

Marvellous Miss May is the inspiring true story of a tiny circus performer whose mother way too poor to keep her. In 1901, aged just seven, tiny contortionist May Zinga was given away to Wirth Brothers Circus by her desperate mother. Imagine Miss May's horror when the first thing the Wirths did was cut off all her long hair. Poor May had lost both her family and her crowning glory! But this feisty, talented and determined little girl did not give up. Despite many setbacks, including a horrific accident, she kept fighting to fulfil her dream of becoming the best bareback rider in the world, performing the same dangerous acrobatic feats as male riders-only better!

Mary Poppins, the best-loved nanny, comes to stay at the Banks' household.

The nanny is back, still living with the Banks family, and still messing with the lives of the other folks on Cherry Tree Lane. This time, Mr. Banks's former governess, Miss Andrew, takes up residence in a previously empty home on the street.

In Mary's care, the Banks children meet the King of the Castle and the Dirty Rascal, visit the upside-down world of Mr Turvy and his bride, Miss Topsy, and spend a breathless afternoon above the park, dangling from a clutch of balloons.

The no-nonsense English nanny has been beloved by children and adults everywhere. Mary Poppins from A to Z offers a unique glimpse of the famous Poppins cast. Twenty-six vignettes--one for each letter of the alphabet--weave unexpected tales of Mary Poppins, the Banks children, and other characters from the timeless novels of Travers. As an added twist, each vignette is filled with fun and unusual words that start with the featured letter.

With the help of familiar visitors like the Bird Woman, Admiral Boom and Mr and Mrs Turvy, Mary Poppins teaches her irrepressible young charges the basics of cooking, from A to Z.

Only Mary Poppins can lead the Banks children on one marvelous adventure after another. Together they meet the Goosegirl and the Swineherd, argue with talking cats on a distant planet and celebrate a birthday by dancing with their own shadows.

According to Mary Poppin's tape measure, Jane and Michael have grown 'Worse and Worse' since she went away. But, the children won't have time to be naughty with all that Mary has planned for them.

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.

Mary MacKillop watched Australia grow from a collection of small colonies into a nation. Follow the changes Australia underwent during her lifetime.

The school athletic coach may be an ex-Olympian and have cutting edge training techniques but he seems to be on the other side. Mr Brainfright's methods may be unorthodox but can they prove to be effective enough to help Henry and his friends finally win the cup for their school. Then again, they just might be hopeless and, unfortunately, too much time in the banana costume seems to be playing with Mr Brainfright's head.

The Book of Lies has not been completely destroyed and Fergus takes a fragment of it on his quest to destroy the traitor Damon. Fergus, however, is in great peril so Marcel and Nicola must find him in time before he reaps his revenge.

Thirteen year old orphan, Kim, is sent to live with his elusive guardian, surly tutor and various servants in Skirl, a grand but dilapidated old house with many ghosts and a family curse. When one of the servant girls goes missing, a dark cloud descends on the house. The arrival of a stranger in the dead of night plunges everything further into mystery, and introduces a bit of magic too.

Rick lives on a farm with his mum and his grandfather. They're a normal family except for one thing. Rick and his Grandpa are engaged in a constant battle of practical jokes, trying to outdo each other and claim the title of The Master. Grandpa thinks that his grandson has much to learn from him but Rick thinks otherwise and devises what he thinks is an unbeatable prank.

Explore the many ways maths can help make sense out of life. This book WON'T test your mental maths or teach you countless ways to find x. It WILL show you just how fascinating maths can be .Can maths make people rich? Can formulas predict which sports teams will win more games? Can equations explain the mysteries of the universe? The short answer to all these is YES. This book explores and explains the ways that the tools of mathematics help people make sense of the world around them, predict the future and, just maybe, how to make life itself better.

Matilda is an exceptional child with magical powers. Her parents have called her some terrible things. The truth is, she's a genius and they're the silly ones. Find out how she gets the better of them and her spiteful headmistress, Miss Trunchbull.

Matthew doesn't care about anything as much as football. What's more, he's the best player in the whole school. But his mother has banned him from playing and she doesn't seem to care if he misses the most important match of the season. The whole team are depending on him.

Bill and Matty are neighbours and best friends. They share their deepest secrets and lean on each other when things aren't right at home. Bill misses his father and is having a hard time at his new school. Matty is realising that her family is not quite the same as everyone else's. When a new girl decides she wants Bill all to herself, Bill and Matty discover what true friendship means. Some derogatory language used in context.

Twelve year old genius Max and her friends live for adventure. From racing across glaciers in Greenland and flying in a super fancy solar powered jet to Hawaii, they visit the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia and hang out with a robot named Leo. Whenever there is a problem to solve, the friends work better together. But there is an evil group of the rich and powerful who will do whatever it takes to split them up, even as the planet is changing before their eyes. Max has one more surprise in her playbook and she needs her team around her to pull it off. Whoever said that kids can't save the world?

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.

Blue is locked up in the world's most secure prison but that has never stopped him from making his evil plans before.

Max and Linden are a bit perplexed by how Max's imaginary, top-secret spy organisation has come to life. But they don't have too much time to think about it because Spyforce is sending them on their first mission.

This is an insect-ridden, piranha- eating, alligator- munching, tarantula- crawling adventure through the Amazon Jungle to rescue Frond, find the Triatoma bug and return to Spyforce to save the agents.

During a Spy force celebration, a small deadly devise pulses in the floor beneath them. The next day during Spy training, Max Remy is found unconscious. Did she fall or was she attacked? Why are famous monuments and buildings crumbling around London? Who is behind it, and will Linden survive a madman's deadly plans? This could be the end of Spy force.

When a leading archeologist disappears from the Louvre, the world's most famous museum, Spyforce agents, Max, Linden and Toby, are sent to France to mind his spoilt daughter.

Another in the Max Remy super spy series. This time, Max is in Hollywood but it's not all glitz and glamour as she tackles high-speed snow chases, earthquakes and an evil plan to use the movie industry to destroy the world.

Max and her friend Linden go to a secret venue for the Annual Spy Awards Night. Despite the remote location and extremely high security, their top secret location is discovered by Mr Blue.

Eleven year old Max Remy hates almost everything and everyone except her fictitious friend, super spy Alex Crane. Max is unhappily bundled off to her country relations but finds they are not the hicks she thought they would be.

Venice is in danger and they've already detonated one bomb. Max, Linden and Toby join forces with a young Italian spy, Luca Cavello, to track down the culprit.

Max embarks on a seemingly easy mission to look after a scientist and his bloodsucking leeches. But, this just might be Max's most dangerous mission yet.

Born in the year of the snake, May Tang is a dreamer who will never be sensible and obedient like her elder sister Jie Jie or clever like her brother Peter. Her parents are worried by rumoured events in China, and May finds herself on her way to a new life in Sydney. It is so different that May wonders if she will ever be able to love her new country.

In a vast maze of dripping limestone caves under the sea, our heroes must face the Guardian. At stake is the purple amethyst, symbol of truth.

McFig and his daughter, Rosie, live in a lovely little cottage far away from anywhere big. One day, McFly and his son, Anton, buy the land next door. Friendship turns to competition when McFly builds a cottage just like McFig's house. When the two start adding things onto their houses, it soon gets out of hand in this tale of jealousy, revenge and death, with a happy ending.

I am Teddy. This is my scrap book. It's about me growing up from a tiny puppy, with a boofy head and big, brown, melty eyes, to a big black labrador, weighing forty kilos, and still with a boofy head and big, brown, melty eyes. This is me, Teddy.

How we battle over borders-told from a family car trip out past the moon.

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.

Welcome to future Earth. Despite repeated warnings, the environment has become polluted to such an extent that many areas of the globe have become uninhabitable, and wildlife is now extinct. From the ashes, a new style of wildlife is created. Wildlife that will not remain harnessed by humankind. Welcome to the world of Mechanica.

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?

Find out about the knights' bloody battles during the Crusades, their armour, chivalry and code of honour. Lots of fascinating snippets of information and explanations of foreign or ancient words.

Learn about life in a monastery, discover why people wore pilgrim badges, why mystery plays were performed and how apprentices learned their trade. Excellent photographs and thoroughly researched information are presented in clear and concise, easy-to-digest snippets.

It's 1918 and the Great War rages on the other side of the world. Alice lives with her big family by the Swan River in Perth and her deepest wish is to become a ballerina. When she auditions for a famous dance teacher from London, it seems as if her dreams might come true. But, then there's a terrible accident, and Alice must ask herself whether there are more important things than dancing.

Andrew Barton Paterson spent his early years in country NSW. He was sent to finish his education in Sydney, where he eventually worked as a lawyer. Paterson missed the bush and, using the pseudonym, the Banjo, after the horse he used to ride, began to write poems and stories that brought the bush to the city. He is famous for The Man from Snowy River and Waltzing Matilda.

Captain James Cook was an explorer in the British Royal Navy. In 1768, Cook and his crew on the HMB Endeavour set sail from England in search of new lands and scientific knowledge. They discovered the east coast of New Holland (Australia) and claimed it for the King of England in1788.

It's 1930 and Daisy lives on a farm, where she loves riding her horse, Jimmy, through the paddocks. Times are tough and, when her father loses his job, Daisy and her little sister, Flora, are sent to Melbourne to live with their aunt and uncle. Daisy must leave behind everything and everyone she loves for a city she's never seen. Even her wildest daydreams can't prepare her for the new life that awaits her. Meet Daisy and join her adventure in the first of four exciting stories about a hopeful girl in troubled times.

Douglas Mawson led the first Australian expedition to the Antarctic. Under extreme conditions, he survived the dangers and challenges of the frozen continent. An inspiring story of courage.

In 1808, orphaned, London street urchin, Grace, steals three apples to feed a poor, abused workhorse. When her theft is discovered, Grace is sentenced and transported by ship to Australia. She befriends Hannah and the two girls begin new lives, sailing towards a new land.

It's 1841 and Letty's sister, Lavinia, is sailing to Australia. In the confusion of departure, Letty gets caught on deck and is suddenly sailing as well. The voyage is long and miserable, and Letty must use her wits to keep Lavinia alive when she succumbs to fever.

It is 1956 in Melbourne and Lina dreams of being a writer. Her Italian parents have other ideas. Lina has a scholarship to an expensive girls' school and in order to fit in, tries to hide her home life even from her best friend.

It's 1983 and Marly is just trying to fit in at Sunshine Primary School. But, being a refugee from Vietnam doesn't make things easy. When Marly's cousins come to stay and end up at the same school, her friends make fun of them. Marly needs to find a way to stay loyal to her cousins and keep her school friends as well.

Mary MacKillop, Australia's first saint, started her first school in 1866. It was the first of many schools she started, to educate any child, no matter how rich or poor.

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.

Nancy Bird Walton grew up during the golden age of aviation. By the time she was thirteen, Nancy knew she wanted to fly. She studied under the famous aviator, Charles Kingsford Smith. This is the story of how Nancy began her career as Australia's first female commercial pilot.

Ned Kelly was a notorious bushranger, he lived in Australia's earliest days. Ned was daring and clever and bold, in a suit made of iron, and his story is still being told.

It's 1849 and Nellie O'Neill is arriving in South Australia on a ship bringing orphan girls from Irish workhouses. Nellie and her best friend, Mary, have left the famine in Ireland far behind and are full of hopes and dreams about getting a new job, and a new future. Nellie longs to learn to read, to be part of a family once more, and to never be hungry again.

It's1941 and the war is changing Pearlie's life every day. Darwin is full of soldiers, there's a spy on the loose and people are turning against Pearlie's best friend, Naoko, just because she's Japanese. When everything falls apart, Pearlie must try to be brave enough to stand up for what's right and not let her old fears get the better of her. Meet Pearlie and join her adventure in the first of four exciting stories about a courageous girl in a world at war.

It's 1864 and Poppy, an eleven year old girl, is raised in Bird Creek Mission near Echuca by the rather stern Mother Hangtree. When Poppy's brother escapes to strike it rich in the gold fields, Poppy disguises herself as a boy and sets out to find him. Along the way, she befriends and is aided by a series of characters, including an Irish bullocky, a feral dog and the feared bushranger, Harry Power.

In 1900s Melbourne, Rose lives a life of privilege, but the social conventions are predictable. Her life seems destined to be conservative and dull until her adventurous Aunt Alice arrives. Rose realises there are opportunities out in the big world.

It's 1930 and Ruby Quinlan lives in a big house in Adelaide with her parents and her fox terrier, Baxter. As she gets ready for her twelfth birthday party, Ruby has never been happier. But, the world she knows is collapsing and people everywhere are losing their jobs and their homes. Soon Ruby's comfortable life will fall apart in ways she could never have imagined. Meet Ruby and join her adventure in the first of four stories about a happy-go-lucky girl in a time of great change.

Sidney Nolan is one of Australia's most admired and recognised visual artists. This is the story of how he developed his iconic Ned Kelly series of paintings, brought modernist art to Australia and took Australian art to an admiring international audience.

ANZAC is the name given to the Australian and New Zealand troops who landed at Gallipoli in World War I. They embarked on a journey that went horribly wrong. It changed their lives and the course of history. The name is now a symbol of bravery and friendship.

Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop was an Australian Army surgeon during World War II. This is the story of how Weary's bravery and compassion helped to save the lives and bolster the spirits of fellow prisoners of war on the Thai-Burma Railway.

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.

It is 1903, the time of the White Australia Policy, and Edward Chek Chee is the son of a mixed marriage. His father is Chinese, his mother Australian and Edward tries to fit in to both cultures. He has to cope with racism at school and bigotry from his cousin at home, while worrying about having to go back to China to understand his ancestral roots.

A family of rag dolls has survived on its own for forty years until now, but they may not be able to survive if their secret is betrayed.

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.

Fascinating facts about the planet, Mercury, and the solar system. Includes photographs, a glossary and websites links.

Cassie and her friends have been having nightmares ever since they acquired the power to morph. But, when Cassie discovers that Tobias has been having the exact same dreams about the ocean and a voice that's calling to them for help, she decides it's time to start listening. Now she and the others have to figure out if the dreams are a message or a trap.

Morgan is so excited when she thinks she's taken the winning catch in her baseball final but the thing she catches is a strange, blue object. It makes her feel calm and happy but it has different effects on other people.

Michael O'Loughlin takes us on a guided tour of the Sydney Swans. Interesting information about the team, the game and about Michael. Exciting pages and great sports photography increase the impact of the text.

Two students and a teacher from Doonside Technology High school interview the talented AFL player, Michael O'Loughlin, who plays for the Sydney Swans.

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.

Spooky things happen to Zac and Min after their father mysteriously disappears one day at breakfast time. Zac is chased in a mall by a strange man who runs on all fours and vicious snakes trap him in his bedroom. Min encounters spider-like creatures and a doll that sprints and steals. An old smelly man gives them a box with a finger bone inside. But much scarier oil-dripping things await them in this spine tingling book. Don't you dare scream.

Be warned that this hair raising book is not for the faint hearted. Min is forced to move into the old and haunted Cemetery House where there is a ghost-boy waiting for her in the library. But Zac is chased by terrible creatures that drip oil and he can't get home. Zac and Min have to dig a body out of a grave. They also have a close encounter with a vampire. Don't you dare scream.

The Yak-Yaks are on the war path and their awful king wants to eat Min who he is holding as a prisoner. Zac is desperately trying to rescue his sister but he has been tricked and is about to be flung down a rocky cliff by a ghastly spirit. Who are the Rising? Will they all be slaughtered in one last battle in the desert? Will Zac and Min's father ever be rescued? Be warned. Great excitement awaits you in this final book of the Midnight Children trilogy. Don't you dare scream.

The animals at The Lort Smith Animal Hospital meet every other midnight to share their stories. From little Dave, the puppy, to Gus, the guinea pig, the chosen animals tell of their own misadventures and share tales such as the story of the purposeful guinea pig, the courageous turtle and the trustworthy snake. The Lort Smith Animal Hospital and Dave are real.

Tom is hit on the head by a cricket ball at boarding school and is promptly sent to hospital to recover from his injury. While there, he becomes involved with the adventures of The Midnight Gang, a gang of patients from the children's ward, who are under the strict control of the hospital's evil, children hating Matron and scarily deformed porter. Will the Midnight Gang accept Tom into the group and can they outsmart the wicked Matron and make all the gang's wildest dreams come true?

It's a dark and stormy night at the Gateway Hotel, and the latest intergalactic visitor is the most terrifying yet. Why has he come and who is he after? With their families and the hotel in grave danger, it's up to Amelia and Charlie to save the day!

This is the story of a bushranger in Western Australia who has four comical animal friends.

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.

A humorous anthology of poetry including poems on Odysseus in Greek mythology.

When Jack's sister Maddy is carried off through a portal by an evil Ogre Jack and Lilly must pull all stops to find her and bring her back home And they do. But what is waiting for them on the other side of the doorway between worlds is an escapade they may not be ready for. Get ready for a goblin, rat, giant and dragon filled adventure between worlds with magic beanstalks and non-stop action that will keep readers on the edge of their seats right until the last page.

A wordless picture book soaked in symbolism that shows the hardship, endurance and cost of forced migration. Migrants grapples with difficult themes that are left open ended to invite the reader to draw their own conclusions. Bright, detailed illustrations show the hope and courage of each individual character and why they take such a journey.

Find out about Australia's responses to people arriving as refugees, from colonial times up until the present. Read about the contributions refugees have made to Australia and the challenges they have faced.

Mika doesn't want to go away with her family for the weekend. It's lucky she does, though, because otherwise she never would have met Max, or stayed with him on the Magic Bus, or sung in public for the first time, or made a game-changing phone call, or swum through shark-infested waters, or discovered The Meaning of Life! And all on the one special day...

Eleven-year-old Alberta Bracken is having a terrible summer. Her broken arm means she can't go boogie boarding at the local beath. Her friends are acting weird, and her little sister, Clementine, is being extremely annoying. So when budding filmmaker Mikki Watanabe invites Alberta to make nature documentaries about the private life of trees, Alberta is ready for action! But then they uncover the fate of their beloved pine grove and wonder...how do a couple of eleven-year-olds save a forest before it's too late?

Eliza is shocked when she is sent to the Manchester cotton mills in 1842. The mill is noisy and suffocating, the work is backbreaking and dangerous and the workers are wrecked by poverty, sickness and unrest. Eliza realises she must fight to escape the fate of a mill girl and the miseries of the factory.

Nine-year-old Millie Mak has discovered she has a superpower! Using everyday objects, Millie turns them into something beautiful. Through her creativity and clever thinking, Millie also deals with different friendships, tricky family challenges and learning about her world. There are detailed instructions at the back of the book so you can make the special objects Millie creates, and best of all, nothing needs to be bought!

When a bag full of money drops out of the sky, Damien and Anthony find they are very, very rich. Suddenly, the brothers can buy anything they want except for the one thing they really need. Winner of 2005 Carnegie Medal.

Starting over is like pressing the reset button on a game that makes you lose all your points and wipes out any of the good stuff you've spent hundreds of hours learning. Surviving the year is all Milo has to do. Start to finish in one whole piece. But, it's not just a new school he's dealing with. It's a new house, a new neighbourhood, a whole new life. And, it's one without his mum in it.

When grief strikes, you need an ally. For Mimi, that ally is Ableth, the wildly disobedient blue slave. He comes, he goes, he says and does whatever he likes, but he's always there when Mimi needs him most, offering his own brand of crooked wisdom.

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.

You're alone in a mysterious new world, full of hidden dangers. You have only minutes to find food and shelter before darkness falls and the monsters come looking for you. Learn how to make a shelter, find resources, craft tools, armour and weapons, and protect yourself from monsters. With tips from Minecraft experts this is the definitive guide to how to survive your first few days in Minecraft.

In Minecraft, you're never alone and the threat of attack is constant. You will learn everything you need to know to defend yourself from hostile mobs, monsters and enemy players. It's packed with tips from Minecraft experts on how to build a fort, craft armour and weapons, set mob traps and defeat your enemies in one-to-one combat.

From theme parks with water slides to entire pirate coves complete with galleons - is there nothing that can't be achieved in Minecraft. Here the experts talk you through amazing constructions which range from awe inspiring cathedrals to wacky inventions like the hilarious animal cannon that catapults cows out to sea.

Experts guide you through all aspects of working with Redstone including mining, smelting, using repeaters, circuit components and circuit designs. This handbook also includes exclusive tips from game creator Notch himself and some of the most extraordinary Redstone creations ever made.

Learn about jobs that miners and drillers do deep underground and discover if they are ideal jobs for you.

Twelve-year-old Ming Qong is convinced that girls must have changed the world, even if they are rarely mentioned in history books. So when Ming gets the chance to go back in time, she imagines herself changing destinies from a glittering palace or an explorer's ship. Instead, she ends up in Australia in 1898, living a tough life as Flo Watson on a drought-stricken farm. Luckily, Ming is rescued by Flo's Aunt McTavish. Wealthy Aunt McTavish belongs to Louisa Lawson's Suffragist Society, who are desperately and courageously fighting for women's rights. And Ming is determined to get involved, to make a difference.

Ming Qong is convinced that girls have changed the world throughout history. So when Ming is thrust back in time to Belgium during WW1, she faces a tough choice: will she send coded messages and risk her own life in this war on which the future depends? As Ming learns, change is never easy, so how can one girl change the world?

Eleven year old Minnie has no intention of allowing three little troublemakers into her life. But they come anyway, uninvited and unannounced, expecting something from Minnie that she can't possible give.

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.

Edward Tulane, a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, loves only himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores him. He travels across the country, acquiring new owners and learning some valuable lessons.

This innovative picture book is two stories designed to be read simultaneously. We experience a day in the lives of two boys and their families - one from inner city Sydney, Australia and the other from a small, remote village in Morocco, North Africa.

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?

The Baudelaire orphans are sent to live and work in a miserable mill, where they need to be wary of the surrounding town folk.

Devinaria dreams of becoming the best creature caretaker in the kingdom of Enchantasia. She can communicate with animals and they already seek her out for help. There is one problem: Devin is twelfth in line for the throne and her invitation to go to the Royal Academy has just arrived, but Devin isn't interested. She really doesn't want to be there, but she has special gifts and is even taken to school in a pumpkin carriage. Will she get along with her roommates? Will she wear her velvet gown? Most importantly, will she follow the rules or search deeper into the mysteries of the Royal Academy?

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.

Lizzie is in trouble again. This time it was bad enough to get her expelled from school. Lizzie never sets out to make trouble but seems to find it without trying. She is willing to try her hardest to show she is worthy of returning to schools and knows that it will take a lot to prove this to her school principal.

Well-illustrated, sophisticated comic or simplistic graphic novel, in which Missile Mouse, risk taker and rule-breaking, secret agent for the Galctic Security Agency, takes on his sworn enemies at RIP. They use diabolical gadgets, violent weapons and every sneaky trick possible to save or destroy the universe.

While Adalon and his friends gather supporters at the Lost Castle, the mad queen and her ruthless general continue to wage war on the seven kingdoms of Krangor. It is only when Simangee finds a legend in an ancient text that the rebels begin to hope once more. Series is best read in book order.

Jack and Jaide Shield have defended themselves against The Evil before -- but it's never been as dangerous as this. It isn't just the town of Portland that's threatened, it's the whole Earth . . . and certain dimensions beyond. The Wardens have devised a plan to get rid of The Evil once and for all. The only problem is that destroying The Evil may also mean abandoning some innocent people -- including one of the twins. The battle against The Evil is going to places it's never been -- places Jack and Jaide would have never even imagined possible. Their mission is clear: survive the storm that's coming, and save the ones who are missing.

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.

When Beck Granger follows a mysterious clue to the town of Broome in Australia, it is just the beginning of an adventure that will force him into some of his toughest survival challenges yet. The search for clues takes Beck into the heart of the outback, where he must battle raging storms, ravenous crocodiles, cunning villains and a secret that may link back to the death of his parents many years ago.

Beck Granger is hot on the trail of his kidnapped uncle, racing to find the lost city of gold and its people. He needs to fend off snakes and sharks, and help his two friends survive the jungle.

When teen adventurer Beck Granger finds himself stranded on a Himalayan mountainside, he has to draw on all his strength and skill to survive. After death-defying climbing and sheltering in some of the hardest terrain on earth, Beck also has to somehow make it through bear attacks and flash floods. But the biggest challenge of all is still ahead. Beck has to finally learn the truth about his parents' deaths and bring their killers to justice.

Young adventurer Beck Granger is invited to South Africa by an old friend of his parents' to help out on a project to prevent rhino poaching. But when he arrives all is not as it seems, and Beck is caught up in something more dangerous than anything he's ever survived before... Not only are there the poachers to contend with, but somebody seems desperate to track Beck down - whatever the cost. And then there are the hundreds of wild animals...

Surviving in the Sahara desert will be extreme, trying to find water, eating scorpions and struggling to find shade. Beck and his friend will have to rely on survival knowledge to survive in this land, before the smugglers find them.

When Beck Granger is ship-wrecked in the open seas, he needs all of his survival skills to save a small group of passengers. But the sinking was no accident. In order to stay alive, he'll have to work out who wants him dead, and why. That is, if the sharks don't get him first.

In Indonesia, Beck and his friend, Peter, need to flee flowing lava, keep cool in extreme humidity, defeat the illegal loggers and avoid crocodiles and tigers.

Beck needs to escape the freezing tundra to save his uncle after their plane crashes. Beck and his friend escape cracking frozen lakes, make their way down treacherous river rapids, melt ice to drink and eat raw fish just to survive.

In 1942, four teenagers, trained as Special Operations Agents, are sent deep into Nazi-occupied Norway. Their mission is a dangerous act of sabotage to prevent the Nazis from making the atomic bomb. If they succeed, they must survive for weeks in the frozen wilderness. But, if they fail, Europe faces destruction.

City boy, Flynn, goes to Mission Beach with his Dad to prepare Grandad Barney's banana farm for sale. Flynn has never been north before, even when his Grandad was alive. When Flynn meets local girl, Abby, and finds two lost baby cassowaries, he is determined to find out about Grandad's mysterious death, and why his Dad refuses to talk about. And, he wants to know why his Dad is so scared of cassowaries.

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are spending the Christmas holidays in snowy Cambridge. Danger is lurking in the dark stairwells of ancient Maudlin College and, just before Christmas, there' s a terrible accident. At least, it appears to be an accident, until the Detective Society looks a little closer and realises a murder has taken place. Faced with several irritating grown-ups and fierce competition from a rival agency, Wells and Wong must use all their cunning and courage to find the killer, in time for Christmas Day, of course.

Renton is visiting his dad in France and everything is brilliant until they stumble across a suspicious meeting by the beach. When his father disappears, it's up to Renton to save the day even though he doesn't speak French and can't drive. Luckily, Renton has his mobile phone.

If you are a Minecraft fanatic, this book introduces you to modding. Modding allows you to modify the game through code, giving you the ability to add a variety of game play changes, ranging from new blocks and items to new mechanisms to craft.

China, the world's largest country, is set to become the superpower of the 21st century. Find out about the dazzling array of peoples, places and cultures that make up this rapidly changing nation. Includes stunning photographs, charts, maps, web links and a glossary of terms.

Molly has a strange life. At dawn, her mama collects herbs and makes potions, and her house feels like a gypsy caravan. Molly wishes she could be more like her best friend, Ellen, who has a normal life. But, she is also drawn to Pim, who is inquisitive and odd and a little bit frightening. When Molly's mama makes a potion that has a wild and shocking effect, Molly and Pim look for a way to make things right.

When Poppy Fields goes on an activity holiday to a remote Scottish island, she is looking forward to a week of climbing, hill-walking and horse riding. But, things take a bad turn when their instructor has a fatal abseiling accident. When Poppy discovers that his rope was cut, and then more instructors start to have accidents, she and best friend, Graham, suspect foul play and investigate.

Everyone knows that Brain Davis is the smartest kid at school but he certainly isn't the luckiest. When an attack of the hiccups leaves him speechless during his appearance on Quizzical, Brain must let his best mate, Ted, take the spotlight on the richest game. But, even Brain's expert coaching cannot inspire confidence in Ted and it seems as though the evil plans of Prescott Heath may succeed again.

Beanie, nicknamed due to hair loss during leukaemia treatment, is a normal, intelligent almost ten year old, getting up to mischief with the best of them. When Beanie, with his older brother's gang, explores the derelict Black Gate, an overhead thumping spooks them. Beanie discovers the cause - a chimpanzee. With the gang's help, in particular their new deaf, signing female member, he attempts to hide Malcolm with hilarious consequences.

When Avery finds Earl, the monkey, he hides him in his room. His parents are surprised at how much fruit Avery is eating and his mother thinks he needs deodorant. Avery must help Eric before he is discovered by the wrong people.

Sensei Ki-Yaga and the Samurai kids are journeying through China when Kyoko is kidnapped. Sensei's old adversary, Lu Zeng, is challenging him to try to get Kyoko back. But, getting inside the Forbidden Palace where Lu Zeng lives will not prove easy and outwitting him to get Kyoko back will be even harder.

A miner from the 1860s and his nine year old companion find themselves in contemporary Sydney after their mining blast coincides with 20th century excavation.

During a class trip to Borneo, Mount Bako erupts, leaving Sam Fox stranded with his teacher who is suffering a heart attack. When they finally make it down from the mountain to the sea, Sam and Mr Griffin face even greater danger.

Evan visits an eerie old toy store and buys a dusty can of Monster Blood. But then he notices something weird about the slimy green ooze. It keeps growing. And growing. And growing. And all that growing has given the Monster Blood a monstrous appetite . . .

For an athlete like Matt Daniels, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's also the most dangerous. That's because somebody is about to pull a mean prank. The recipe is simple: Just add gooey, green Monster Blood. As if Matt's problems weren't big and slimy enough, an invitation to HorrorLand is also on its way. Can Matt survive inside a terrifying scream park where trouble lurks behind every turnstile? Can YOU?

IT'S BAAACK... Evan Ross can't stop thinking about Monster Blood and what happened last summer. It was so horrible. So terrifying. Too bad Evan's science teacher doesn't believe him. Now he's stuck cleaning out the hamster's cage as punishment for making up stories. Then Evan's friend Andy comes to town, and things go from bad to worse. Because Andy's got a present for Evan. It's green and slimy and it's starting to grow....

It's the slime that never dies! Evan can't stand baby-sitting his genius cousin, Kermit. Kermit refuses to play video games. He won't even play Frisbee! All he likes to do is hang out in the basement doing strange experiments and playing mean practical jokes on Evan and his friend Andy. But now Andy's found something that will teach Kermit a lesson once and for all. It's green. It's slimy. And it comes in a can marked . . . Monster Blood!

It's four times as evil! Evan Ross can't forget about Monster Blood -- the evil green slime that never stops growing. It can turn ordinary pets into ferocious animals and twelve-year-old kids into freakish giants. But now there's a new kind of Monster Blood in town. It comes in a can just like the others. Only difference is this slime is blue instead of green. And instead of just growing, it's multiplying -- into terrifying blue creatures with razor-sharp teeth....

Series about kids involved in Inter-Galactic adventures with the Arkies, Spartans, Halycrusians and Space sport. Some books are in graphic novel form.

Let Zach, Hannah, and R. L. Stine introduce you to the monsters from the Goosebumps movie! This survival guide will give kids everything they need to know to fight the dummies, ghosts, and ghoulies if they ever come to their hometown. The book includes the monsters' backstory, likes/dislikes, weaknesses, fears, and much more. It's everything kids need to fight a monster invasion. Based on the 2015 Goosebumps film.

After a series of fatal bombings across London, Jack, Scarlet and Mr Doyle are drawn into another baffling case: the reported sighting of a monster loose in the city's underground sewers. Before they can investigate, the team must travel to the Alhambra, an ancient fortress in Spain, to hunt down a group of terrorists. But just as they close in, Jack and Scarlet are kidnapped. With their lives in perilous danger, will Mr Doyle find his young assistants in time? While back in London, will the monster's true origins be uncovered before it too wreaks deadly destruction across the city?

The ancient instruments in the antique shop begin registering evil activity, and Grandma X knows more than she's willing to reveal. Meanwhile, their companion cats must fight a bloodthirsty battle of their own.

Tildy knows there are monsters - lolling on her cushions, reading her books, hiding under her bed. They're everywhere! So why can nobody else see them? They make Tildy monstrously miserable, until the new boy comes to school. Hendrik knows there are monsters too, and he knows exactly what to do about them.

Find out whether there is sound on the Moon, how long it takes for the Moon to orbit the Earth, what happens in a lunar eclipse. Lots of fascinating facts and photographs about the Moon and the solar system.

A village opts to send a lost bear cub to a rescue sanctuary rather than sell it to a bear farm, where it would have died of chronic infections after being ""milked"" of bile for Chinese medicines, the plight of Asiatic black bears in Southern China.

Wurring, almost a yearling, and the image of his great sire Winganna, is a golden chestnut with a mane and tail the color of living light of the sun. When Winganna brings a hauntingly beautiful mare and her filly foal to the herd, Wurring is drawn to the tiny filly despite himself. When the beautiful mare dies, only Wurring has the courage to approach the orphan. Where is she from? As she grows, she becomes more and more beautiful, glowing with the beauty of the moon, and it becomes obvious that her dead mother must have been of great value. What happens when an ugly and mean iron grey stallion comes looking for what he has lost? Is Ilinga's and Wurring's love for each other enough for them to overcome the odds?

After a harsh childhood spent in foster care, Luke finally feels at home on Harry's farm, working with horses. But, when Harry dies, Luke has a bitter falling out with the people around him and takes off, leaving everything behind. Luke is searching for brumbies and finds himself camped by the river with three Aboriginal elders.

By a quirk of DNA and luck, Mortimer De Vere and his family live for millennia. It has its advantages, even when you've lived for ten thousand years longer than the average ten year old. When unwelcome visitors arrive, Mort and his sister have to deal with some of the stranger hobbies they've tried to keep secret from one another and the outside world. Today, might be one of the most eventful in Mort's very long life.

Mort, a mere 10 000 year old boy is on a time-travel adventure and causing chaos as he hurtles through history in his Retro, from World War II to the time of dinosaurs, Vikings and Spanish galleons, having ignored the warnings of his cloned friend Oppy about the possibility of causing a catastrophic rift in time.

Mortimer DeVere and his sister Agnetha are 10 000 years old and desperate to avoid school. They use a time traveling machine to flee from the strict teacher who would enslave them. As they travel through time and other lands they meet historical figures who are all eccentric. How are they going to navigate between crocodiles, zombies, weird authors and Queen Victoria.

Martha Grimstone is determined to find out more about her father, Mortimer, whose death, when she was a baby, dominates the household. Her mother spends much of her time in the crypt, weeping over him. Martha and her baby brother create a potion in Grandfather's apothecary and, with the doll house, recreate the events of the night Mortimer died. A gothic fairytale about a very unusual family.

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.

Katie is in trouble. Mosquito Advertising, the agency that she established, is taking up all her time and school seems boring and irrelevant. Katie promises to lift her game but things get complicated when the billionaire owner of an international airline offers Mosquito Advertising his account. Katie and her friends are flown to Sydney where everything seems just too good to be true.

When the government announces it's banning soft drink advertising, Katie is furious. All Mosquito Advertising's work to save Parfizz has been for nothing. Katie decides to rewrite the rules and make ads for fruit as cool as ads for fizzy drinks. But, great ideas aren't always enough, especially when you're also dealing with paying clients, a missing kid, moody friends, shadowy enemies and a family set to triple in size.

Katie Crisp has talent, it's just that the report card hidden in her room doesn't show it. School's out for another year and Katie is set to spend the summer lazing in her backyard. So, when she discovers that Parfitt's Family Soft Drink Company is about to be taken over by a corporate giant, leaving her mum out of a job, it's time to finally show everyone what she's made of.

As children play hide-and-seek on a hot summer night, a mosquito, Culex, hides and seeks as well. She must find foodblood to nourish the eggs in her body. Full of facts and interesting pictures.

In this compellingly honest collection of stories, Avi introduces seven boys seeking acceptance, guidance, or just someone to look up to. Luke sees the ghost of his father. Paul takes a camping trip with the grandfather he's just met. And Ryan has some surprising questions for his potential stepfather. Each story shines a different light on the question, 'What's the most important thing a father can do for his son?'

In 1867 London, twelve year old Annabel Grey is primed for a life as a proper young lady. But, when she is placed in the care of two ageing great aunts who run a magic shop, Annabel is thrust into a world of potions, broomsticks, wands and wizards. Evil Mr Angel and his terrifying dark magic extracting machine want to put an end to good magic for ever. The wizards have dreamt of Annabel, the most magical girl, to save London. But, Annabel doesn't even believe in magic or understand the strange powers inside her.

India Wimple won the Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee and is now invited to London for an international spelling showdown. The town of Yungabilla join forces to help her and her family travel to London. India and her family are invited to Buckingham Palace and she meets old friends and new spellers. When some mysterious incidents threaten to jeopardise the finals, the group sets out to discover who is involved and why.

Izzy Winkle has to learn to be rude, really rude. It's the only way she can win the Most Ungrateful girl in the world competition and save the world. Sounds easy, but Izzy's grandmother teaches manners, and insists children use them. Will Izzy be able to break the habits her Grandmother has taught her?

Mostly true account of the tragic but inspiring life of Matthew Flinders and his cat, Trim. They relate their adventures, as they map and explore Australia, and their eventful return to England. Graphic novel.

An exciting introduction to the world of motorbikes, racing and stunts. With photographs and illustrations, this book is packed with facts about motorbikes. Fold-out pages feature the insides of a motorbike, fabulous superbikes and jaw-dropping stunts.

Since Chris lost his best mate, Dave, cars are all he really cares about. Then Josh Carter moves to town. His dad is a famous racing car driver and everyone wants to be Josh's friend. But as Chris soon discovers, Josh is a bit of a motormouth, and that's where the trouble begins.

One of a series of books about extreme sports. With action photographs, diagrams and a glossary of terms, this book tells you about the history, the clothing and equipment, and basic techniques of mountain biking.

One of a series of books about extreme sports. With action photographs, extreme facts, mountain jargon and a glossary of terms, this book tells you all you've ever wanted to know about climbing mountains.

Here is a sweet tale about a pair of wind up mechanical mice, a father and son, who embark on a quest to become self-winding.

In a safe and calm world, three children conjure, from twigs and leaves and stones, a mousy thing, a chirpy thing, and a twisty legless thing. But as the children's ideas grow bolder, the power of their visions proves greater and more dangerous than they, or the gods, could ever have imagined.

For Sam, playing football is easy. He's the star goalkeeper and a key member of the team. But, writing and schoolwork are another matter. When Sam is chosen to read his match report in front of the whole school, the prospect fills him with dread. Sam is dyslexic and not all his teachers or peers are understanding.

When a new teacher arrives for the class in room 12B, the students are in for a surprise. Mr. Bambuckle is riding a unicycle and cooking his breakfast and already knows each student's name and background. He is just the teacher these students have always wanted, learning is fun and they do not even know they are doing it. Unfortunately, the principal is not so pleased and is doing all he can to replace Mr Bambuckle.

I wish Mr Bambuckle would come back. Who will cook us breakfast now? Miss Frost gave me detention just for answering a question. Mr Bambuckle said I'm about to discover magic - but how? There are some pretty strange things going on. It's almost as if Mr Bambuckle could hear us...Miss Frost says discipline is the new order, but not if the class in room 12B has anything to do with it...

Meet your new assistant principal- Miss Frost! Uh-oh, that's not good. At least we're away on camp. Mr Bambuckle lets us eat marshmallows before dinner! Is that a spark-maker beetle? Shh! What was that noise? The class in room 12B are having fun in the wilderness. Until Miss Frost crashes camp...

Principal Sternblast is up to his old tricks. But what is he plotting this time? We need to find out before it's too late. Can the new students help? Was that a croak I heard from behind the canteen? Yes, but what does that have to do with anything...? Mr Bambuckle and the class in room 12B welcome four new students following the closure of the local grammar school. Will they all join forces in time to save Blue Valley School?

Australia's favourite teacher is back- but has Mr Bambuckle met his greatest challenge yet Vex is gone! We have to find him. But how? He could be anywhere. We'll have to track him down. That's impossible. Not if we work together! Mr Bambuckle and the class in room 12B are in trouble. Can they find Vex before it's too late?

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.

Mr Bean gives advice on preparing for an overseas trip in the format of a scrapbook recording his trip to France. He provides advice on how to enjoy French food and art and even suggestions on how to mix important things together.

Mr Gum is back in another weird and wacky book, and he's as nasty as ever. In fact, he's absolutely grimsters. You'll also meet a gingerbread man named Alan Taylor who has electric muscles; the little girl called Polly; the evil butcher called Billy William The Third; the very wise man, Friday O'Leary; Jake the dog and the angry fairy that lives in Mr Gum's bathtub.

Follow Polly and Friday on another crazy adventure on the streets of Lamonic Bibber. And watch out for that dastardly villain, Mr Gum, not to mention his sidekick, Billy William. It's barking bonkers.

Mr Gum is a very nasty man. He is mean, cruel, smelly and ruthless and has a dastardly plan to make money out of Padlock the bear. Padlock is as tall as 40 hamsters and weighs as much as 19,000 grapes. He is also sad and ill because he is homesick for the Kingdom of the Beasts. His little friend, Polly, decides she must get Padlock home before he dies of a broken heart.

Mr Gum and the hideous Billy William the Third are once more mucking things up for everyone. They're a-schemin' and a-hatchin' an' making their bad plans up on Goblin Mountain. The wise old man, Friday O'Leary, and the small girl, Polly, must make it past the Three Impossible Challenges of Goblin Mountain and save the town from a fate worse than something very bad indeed.

There's an ancient curse on the town of Lamonic Bibber and, you guessed it, that old roo-de-lally Mr Gum and his trusty sidekick, Billy William the Third, have something to do with it. But, our favourite heroes, Polly and Friday, and the gingerbread biscuit, Alan Taylor, who's only 15.24 cm tall, are determined to save the town. There are also talking dogs, silly songs, Old Granny and the best chase scene ever.

Follow Polly and Friday on another crazy adventure on the streets of Lamonic Bibber. And watch out for that dastardly villain, Mr Gum, not to mention his sidekick, Billy William, up to more fiendish activities. There appears to be be eight ladies all called Pamela and Friday O'Leary may have to wrestle a man-eating Octopus.

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.

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!

A group of laboratory rats come to the aid of the intrepid Mrs Frisby and her fieldmouse family.

Marnie Clark adores horses and helps out at the local riding stables. She dreams of owning a horse but her Dad is out of work and the family is very poor. Through sad circumstances, Marnie is gifted Mrs Margaret Whitlam, a beautiful Clydesdale, who is bold, fearless and able to jump anything. From the very first ride, Marnie and Maggie get more adventure than they bargained for. Soon, Marnie is learning to negotiate newfound friendships, the pony club and how to stand up for what she believes in.

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.

Boxer, Muhammad Ali, is a symbol of courage and conviction, who had a great impact on the 20th century. His life is presented in a very appealing magazine style layout, using photos, text boxes and lots of great Ali quotes.

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?

A classic collection of humorous Australian poems.

Learn about the mummies of Ancient Egypt and where they came from. Find out how to make a mummy in 70 days. Easy to access information includes unusual or amazing facts, photographs, charts and maps.

Be an eyewitness to the amazing secrets of ancient mummies from different counttries and cultures, from the embalmed dead of Egypt to bodies preserved in bogs, sand and ice. Excellent photographs and thoroughly researched information are presented in clear and concise, easy-to-digest snippets.

Josh, Amy and Harry are consumed by a computer game and become trapped in a terrifying adventure. They must use their wits to escape.

When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. When Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym, she assumes it was a terrible accident. But, when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now, they not only have a murder to solve, Daisy and Hazel have to prove that one happened in the first place.

The Keepers Trilogy - Book 1. In the city of Jewel, children are literally chained to their parents or teachers until the Day of Separation. Impatience is a sin and boldness is a crime. Goldie Roth is both impatient and bold. When she escapes the clutches of the Blessed Guardians to find haven at the Museum of Dunt, an unforgettable adventure begins that will unlock hidden mysteries, dark secrets and awaken dangerous enemies.

Ever since Stone Age humans used slabs to create sound, man has invented an extraordinary variety of instruments in the pursuit of new ways of making music. Find out how sound is created, the three main categories of instruments, how different instruments are played and the types of sound they produce.

Martha is at the Queen's Music Academy, where she is desperate to learn how to use her music to turn back the storms which threaten her home, but why won't the teachers let her play her own compositions.

Scott's snoopy sister stumbles into Halycrus and it's all danger from there.

Times are tough in Crete and Sophia's father has decided to make a fresh start in Melbourne. Sophia struggles to learn English and to get used to the strange new customs. No matter how hard she tries, no-one at school wants to make friends with a foreigner. Then, her talent for running starts to make a difference. With Olympic fever gripping Melbourne, Sophia's courage and determination is rewarded in unexpected ways, and the 1956 Olympic Games surprises everyone.

It is 1861 and a major horse race, the Melbourne Cup, is about to be run for the first time. Thirteen year old Robby Jenkins is working as a stable hand and is convinced that his favourite horse, Archer, can win. This is Robby's diary about his love of horses, life at the stables and his dreams to become a top jockey.

Anthony and his family move to Woomera for his father's job in the army. His mother cares for Anthony as he recovers from polio. At school, one of Anthony's friends has photos of the rockets at the Woomera munitions base. When a small business arises for the boys, the townspeople become suspicious of Anthony and the police become involved.

It's 1932 and Sydney has hit hard times during the Great Depression. But, the construction of a bridge that will reach across the harbour is setting spirits soaring. Alice and Billy, whose fathers are working on the bridge, tell the story, through their diaries, of building the spectacular Harbour Bridge, which will unify a separated city from the north shore to the working class suburbs of the south.

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.

Mary Beckwith has been sent to the penal colony at Port Jackson, transported with her mother, having stolen some fabric. She describes the hardships endured as well as the growth of the settlement and meeting the indigenous inhabitants. Her story is unlike most others as she joins Nicolas Baudin, the French scientific explorer, as he explores New Holland's coastline in direct competition with Matthew Flinders.

It is 1879 and life in the Biloela Industrial School is tough for eleven year old Olivia Markham. Her windswept days are filled with sewing, washing and avoiding the girls from the Reformatory School. Sydney is rapidly growing and modernising but Olivia can only imagine what life is like beyond the shores of Cockatoo Island. She dreams of freedom, friendship and, above all, family.

An insight into the world of Jack Fairfax, a nineteen year old fighter pilot in World War 1. Jack takes to the skies and faces the skill of the German ace pilots over the Somme.

Jamie and Ellen Ross are alone in the world after the death of their father. Determined to make their fortune, they head to Beechworth, straight into the midst of the search for Ned Kelly, the most notorious bushranger of all time. There are two views of Ned Kelly, a hero wronged by the police or a cold-blooded murderer.

Marie's dad has been away for two years, fighting on the Somme battlefields in northern France. There hasn't been any word from him for months, no letters or postcards. Marie and her mother decide to travel to France, to try and find out what has happened to him. Marie experiences first-hand what war is like, as she tries to piece together the clues behind her dad's disappearance.

Shu Cheong, with his father and uncle, sets off on the arduous journey to Australia's goldfields, hoping to bring back wealth for their village. But, following their deaths, Shu cannot return home without his father's body so must stay in Australia alone. Relations between the European miners and Chinese are tense and violent attacks against the Chinese are common.

Like many Australian boys in the 1930s, Victor McDonald is cricket mad. Life is hard during the Great Depression, Victor's father has lost his job and the family is moving to Sydney. Victor keeps a diary that includes his meeting with Don Bradman.

Told in diary form by a young girl in an Australian village. It is 1915 and Australia is involved in World War 1. Emma writes of the perils and difficulties of wartime and the hatred against the German settlers in the area.

It's 2000 and the Olympics are going to be held in Australia. In a year of surprises, enthusiastic runner Mel finds out that her hero Cathy Freeman is coming to talk at her school, and her family is heading to Sydney! It becomes an unforgettable journey to Corroboree 2000, bringing together all Australians as they march and sing to celebrate Australia's Indigenous heritage, and to acknowledge past wrongs.

Jimmy Porter has moved to central Australia, to the middle of nowhere, to live with his uncle's family who are three days walk from the nearest neighbour. Life in the outback in 1927 is tough but people cope and Jimmy learns to adjust. When disaster strikes, Jimmy and his cousins must get help. This is Jimmy's diary, which tells how he adjusts, about the characters he meets and his experiences.

Life on the run with Captain Thunderbolt, famous Australian bushranger. Based on true story of young Ben Cross and the historical figures that he meets. Although his life is exciting, Ben reflects on the ethics of the choices he has made.

Strong family and community ties are tested in this fictionalised account of the days prior to the bombing of Darwin.

Prior to the 1930 Melbourne Cup horse race, an attempt was made to kill Phar Lap, the horse who won the race. Eleven year old Sally Fieldling's father is investigating and she documents the case, or what she learns of it, in her diary.

It's 1969, many social changes are underway and man is headed for the moon. Twelve year old Davey lives to surf with his older brother, Tom, and listen to the latest hits. His cherished goal is to win the inaugural Under-14 Surf Championship with his best friends, Johnno and Pete. But, when Tom is drafted into the army and sent to Vietnam, everything changes and the far-away war creates waves very close to home.

Sammy Jacobs interest in ghosts and science fiction takes a turn for the worst when an invisible being inhabits his room and won't leave.

This book tells you everything you need to know about your body from head to toe plus things you probably don't want to know. Find out about the inner workings of the human body in a very funny way.

When a grieving brother sets out to find his lost sibling, his quest takes him on an ethereal journey across land and sea. He visits fantastic, floating cities and medieval towns, vast open grasslands and eerie, silent forests. Eventually, he arrives in place of timeless beauty and light.

Luke and his big brother Ben spend the summer on the banks of Cabbage Tree Creek. Quiet Luke sketches birds, while Ben leaps off the Jumping Tree. The boys couldn't be more different but they share the same dream: winning a boat so they can explore the creek properly. Then Ben starts high school and the boys drift apart. When Luke catches Ben sneaking out at night, he knows his brother's up to something, but what? A timeless story of birds and boats and of brotherly love that is bigger than a wedge-tailed eagle, bigger than the sky.

Meet some of today's leading artists and designers from different parts of the world. Read their stories, find out what inspires them and discover the ideas behind their works of art. Each artist has included an art activity for kids to make at school or at home.

The poem, My Country, is widely regarded as the universal statement of why Australians love their country. Stunning watercolour illustrations capture the diversity of the landscape and its colours.

Feel the rhythm of the music, from your heart down to your feet. Enjoy the movements of melodies, as clapsticks keep a strong beat. This is my culture. This is me.

My Dad thinks he's funny. Whenever I say, 'I'm hungry', Dad says, 'Hello Hungry. Pleased to meet you.' My Dad thinks he's funny. But he's not. A book for anyone whose dad has made them laugh, or cringe.

Spikes on the bottom boots, my favourite colour boots, making me too deadly. Can the shoes on your feet really make you jump higher? Walk taller? Dream bigger? A joyous, empowering story about finding confidence within yourself, boots or no boots,

On his eighth birthday Eric is allowed to choose a puppy from the dog shelter. Ugly, so named because of a comment made by his sister, lives up to all of Eric's expectations for a little while but soon he realises that Ugly wants to be with mum, he is growing rapidly and becoming difficult to control as well as destroying everything he can get his mouth into.

Andrew thinks he has seen his long lost father dressed as a polar bear on a show poster. The boys have so many questions and are understandably curious, so they try to find a way to get to the theatre and find out for sure if the polar bear is their dad.

Claudia gets herself and her father into a predicament and has to help her father get out of it.

A Vietnamese-American boy spends a day with his father on his shrimp boat, listening as he describes how his own father fished on the South China Sea. They talk about going back to Vietnam one day.

Ken is a daydreamer and a disappointment to his demanding father. When Ken finds Flicka, a wild filly, his growing love for the horse helps Ken to grow up and gain self-assurance.

Roger Bacon is a piglet who talks, walks and sings and Lucy is facing lots of trouble raising him. Like his father, Francis, Roger is chatty and curious, but he is also a piglet with ambition. Will Lucy manage to keep Roger off the airwaves and out of the clutches of the Genius Gene Corporation?

Before joining the other kids trapped in HorrorLand, Michael Munroe will learn a few new lessons in FEAR: Never trust a teacher who calls everybody "Little Monsters." Be careful if that teacher invites you to lunch at her house. And never EVER trust a teacher with a giant monster egg in her own attic--especially if it's about to hatch!

He's having a really, really bad hair day. . . . Larry Boyd just found the coolest thing in the trash. It's an old bottle of INSTA-TAN. "Rub on a dark suntan in minute" - that's what the label says. So Larry and his friends do. But nothing much happens. Until Larry notices the hair. Dark spiky hair growing on his hands and face. Really gross shiny hair. Hair that keeps growing back even after he shaves it off. . . .

Recollections of life before and during World War 2, and the horrific aftermath of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Provides a potent warning of the dangers of nuclear warfare.

The short stories feature girls as the main characters, girls who are strong and resourceful, overcome adversity, solve problems, and are determined and passionate about causes.

Everyone who loves Australia can appreciate the beauty and diversity of our wonderful country, shown through Neil Murray's song lyrics and beautiful landscape illustrations by the school children of the Kintore and Galiwinku communities.

I'm Tom Weekly. My life is an exploding chicken and the book in your hands is my attempt to glue it back together again.

I'm Tom Weekly. This book is full of my stories, jokes, cartoon characters, ideas for theme park rides and other stuff I've made up. It's where I pour out whatever's inside my head. It gets a bit weird sometimes but that's how I roll.

Tom Weekly has helped his pop escape from a nursing home. This is the third collection of stories about Tom Weekly and his funny, weird and, sometimes, gross life story.

I'm Tom Weekly. This book is full of my stories, jokes, cartoon characters, ideas for theme park rides and other stuff I've made up. It's where I pour out whatever's inside my head. It gets a bit weird sometimes but that's how I roll.

Tom Weekly's life just gets weirder and weirder - this is one runaway car ride you won't want to miss.

Candice's home is a bit hard, with her baby sister no longer with them and her parents both depressed. Her only friend, Douglas Benson from Another Dimension, wants to leave and return to the universe he claims he came from. Her penpal is not returning any of her letters and she just doesn't know what to do about her teacher's lazy eye.

The author's real life adventures, and the dogs he shared them with, make fascinating and absorbing reading.

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.

William was only 16 years old when he enlisted for the First World War. Like many other under-age boys at the time, he was accepted into the Australian Imperial Force and sent to the battlefields of France. His letters home from the front reveal how, for the boy soldiers, the 'great adventure' became a tragedy.

Rose is a young Romany gypsy girl who travels around Romania and Europe in a caravan with her family. Her life is happy, playing music with extended family and friends, until Rose suddenly finds herself an orphan after a dreadful car accident.

Toni Tapp Coutts was raised on a remote cattle station in the Northern Territory. Her descriptions of life on the land, battling snakes, spiders and goannas as well as the weather will enthrall readers.

Using maps, the author traces the history of one special Australian neighbourhood back two hundred years.

When an arrogant bus driver asks Henry and his sister, Rosie, if they know where they live, Henry tells the driver a good deal more than just his address. He launches into a lengthy and lucid explanation of the solar system, solar neighborhood, galaxy and supercluster to which Earth belongs. A clever blend of fact with fiction in this unusual picture book.

Isabella goes to live with her scary but glamorous cousin, Maxine. Maxine takes one look at mousy, little Isabella and decides the one thing she needs is a complete makeover.

Flossie is just nine years old when, in 1939, Britain declares war on Germany and her father leaves the family home to join the army. Flossie is left to bring up her baby brother and to face a whole host of new experiences on her own. Her diary becomes an outlet for relaying all the news from at home and abroad.

Sam is determined to survive in the woods and keeps a journal to describe the birds and animals with which he learns to live. A tale of the determination and bravery of a city boy who refuses to give in.

Sisters with beards, exploding bullies, a nightmare driving test, a girl whisked away by aliens and poor old Uncle Norm who got sucked up in a lightning storm. A collection of quirky, delicious and outrageously funny poems.

Fourteen year old Erika and her sister, Sif, are desperately homesick and flee the city to return to their island home. However, they find the locals are frightened by the changes occurring and the cracks forming in their once-perfect home. Erika and her family also feel the threat of the encroaching world. When a young American shell-collector uncovers a long-held family secret, Erika must prevent his revealing it.

Eva Fischer has moved from Sydney to Cabramurra, the highest town in Australia. She is surrounded by people of every nationality, with different languages, food and customs, who have come to work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

Two sixteen year olds put their ages up to join the Armed Forces and fight in the Great War of 1914-1918. An honest account of the horrors of war in the trenches, particularly sensitive and heartbreaking. Fictitious, with historical notes and photos.

It goes without saying that we all believe our parents to be strange, but growing up while my parents were shrinking is definitely unusual. A heartbreaking and heart-warming story of the sacrifices parents make for their children.

Unlock some of the strangest mysteries in the world including the Egyptian pyramids, the lost city of Atlantis, aliens and lost treasure. Easy to access information includes unusual or amazing facts, photographs, charts and maps.

Spectacular animal and plant photographs with interesting information about the wonders of nature.

Fantasy black and white illustrations provide inspiration for readers to create stories of their own.

Mr Benedict has been kidnapped by the evil Mr Curtain so the four young members of The Mysterious Benedict Society set off to rescue him. A set of clues lands them in danger onboard an unusual ship, in a castle in Portugal and on a mysterious island, where they fall into the hands of Mr Curtain and his henchmen. Their courage and amazing talents must combine to escape every predicament.

Join Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance of The Mysterious Benedict Society as they embark on a daring new adventure that threatens to force them apart from their families, friends, and even each other. When an unexplained blackout engulfs Stonetown, they must unravel clues relating to a nefarious new plot, while their search for answers brings them closer to danger than ever before.

Meet four remarkable orphans, Reynie, Kate, Sticky and Constance, whose individual gifts lead them to be selected by Mr Benedict to comprise his secret society. Their top-secret mission is to infiltrate a mysterious school, where all is not what it seems. It soon becomes clear that the fate of the world is in their hands.

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.

The evil two headed king of Coppertown is out to find the sunken treasure. Cos will do what he can to stop the king. But Cos has to first escape the glass ball hanging over the ocean. And then there is the straightjacket and shackles and padlocks. While an audience watches from the pier. Cos is the best illusionist.

Book 1 in the Mysterious World of Cosentino. This book features everyone's favourite magician in the greatest escape of all - the dungeon of the evil two-headed King of Silver City. Featuring a playing card army, an array of magical characters and some deadly magic tricks.

The second book in The Mysterious World of Cosentino, Cos needs to rescue the rabbits, before they end up being served at The King's birthday dinner! He'll need to pull some serious tricks out of his hat to pull this one off!

COSENTINO, THE GRAND ILLUSIONIST is stuck in the centre of Coppertown until the opening of his new magic theatre. He is frozen inside a block of ice . . . or is he? The real Cos is on a mission to stop the supply of silver to the King. Silver enhances magical power, and the King has too much power already. Cos must disguise himself and sneak into the silver mines. But who are all the old people at the mine, and why is Coss' old manager Wiggy down there? Could it be a . . . TRAP?

When all the pawpaws go missing from a pawpaw tree in the school garden, and then all the bananas from the banana trees too, each student at Manyallaluk School has a theory. It has to be the crows! Or could it be wild pigs? Or even an emu? Who or what is stealing fruit from their beautiful garden? How will the mystery be solved?

Pollo di Nozi, reporter-in-training, has a nose for news and strange things are happening in Riddle Gully. With Shorn Connery, her sheepish sidekick, Pollo is determined to track down the Graffiti Kid. But, maybe, Will, the new boy in town, is conspiring with the pushy mayor and a strange Transylvanian to send her sniffing up the wrong trail. Pollo is desperate for a story. But, Pollo and her reluctant offsider, Will, discover something very different from what they go looking for.

After Omri reads his great-grand-aunt's Account, he longs to try the key in the cupboard again. When his friend, Patrick, comes to stay, nothing can stop him.

Can twins Jack and Jaide find the mysterious Golden Card of Translocation and make it out of the castle alive, fighting animal agents of The Evil.

Zac and Hannah are at the Clairesville Museum when the museum's most exciting exhibit, the gold burial mask of the famous pharaoh, Ramses II, is about to be unveiled. But, the mask has vanished. Follow the clues and the red herrings, collect the evidence and check out the suspects to solve the crime of the missing mask.