Booklists

Alif had exciting summer plans: working on her father's archaeological dig site in the desert with four close friends ... and a very cute research assistant. Then the sandstorm hit. With their camp wiped away, Alif and the others find themselves lost on the sands, seemingly doomed, until they discover the oasis. It has everything they need: food, water, shade and mysterious ruins that hide a deadly secret. As reality starts to shift around them, they question what's real and what's a mirage. The answers turn Alif and her friends against each other and they start to wonder if they are really saved. While it was easy to walk into the oasis, it might be impossible to leave. A supernatural thriller.

When he was outcast, Torak was the hunted one. Nine moons later, he becomes the hunter when he vows to avenge the killing of one of his closest friends. Racked by guilt and grief, he follows the killer into the Deep Forest. But, there is a rottenness at the heart of the Forest for its clans have succumbed to the lies of the Soul-Eaters. Here, Torak finally learns why he is the Sprit Walker and discovers the true cost of revenge.

Elspeth has enhanced mental abilities which she must hide in a world struggling back from the brink of apocalypse.

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.

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.

Having escaped from Hong Kong, the five gatekeepers - Matt, Pedro, Scott, Jamie and Scarlett - are scattered in a hostile and dangerous world. As they struggle to re-group and plan their next move, the malevolent King of the Old Ones gathers his forces in Oblivion: a desolate landscape where the last survivors of humanity must fight the ultimate battle.

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza, but who knows what they will find seven months after the invasion? With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken. Usually read in years 9, 10 or above.

There are zero reasons for Theo Ripley to look forward to his family vacation. Not only are he, sister Laura, and nature-obsessed Dad going to Big Bend, the least popular National Park, but once there, the family will be camping. And Theo is an indoor animal. It doesn't help that this will be the first vacation they're taking since Mom passed away. Once there, the family contends with 110 degree days, wild bears, and an annoying amateur ornithologist and his awful teenage vlogger son. Then, Theo's dad hits him with a whopper of a surprise: the whole trip is just a trick to introduce his secret new girlfriend. Theo tries to squash down the pain in his chest. But when it becomes clear that this is an auditioning-to-be-his-stepmom girlfriend, Theo must find a way to face his grief and talk to his dad before his family is forever changed.

The greatest detective rat of all, Octavius O'Malley, is back. But, this time, it's personal. When Patrick the Magnificent goes missing after picking the lock at the First Rodent Bank, Chief O'Malley sets out to find him. It isn't long before the trail leads to Kurt Remarque, poisoner and disgraced businessrat, the most evil rat ever to stalk the streets of Rodent City.

It started with some missing cobblestones and a bump on the head of one of Rodent City's young police rats. But, this time, it's not the mice who are to blame. Even botching the investigation and losing his job can't stop Rodent City's finest detective from pursuing the case.

Someone has just blown up the biggest cheese factory in town and Detective Inspector Octavius O'Malley of the Rodent Police is on the case.

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.

Following the fortunes of Odysseus as he returns from the Trojan Wars, this classic tale from Greek mythology was written almost three thousand years ago.

Our home town. Sometimes it feels like the centre of the universe, sometimes it's the bum-end of nowhere. We are her sons and daughters. These are our triumphs and our heartaches, our fears and hopes for a better life. Getting lost, falling in love, pushing boundaries, exploring the world - powerfully honest stories to make you think and feel, from the award-winning author of The Dead I Know and Changing Gear. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Josie is seventeen and wants to be a journalist. When she wins a competition to write for her favourite magazine it seems her dreams have come true. But as she investigates the celebrity she is interviewing, she uncovers a dark side to the glamour of Hollywood. Will this be the end of her burgeoning career? Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

The collected voices of children with a parent who is a soldier. Their stories are sad, scared, funny, angry and loving as they speak about how war has shaped their lives, and their feelings and experiences when a parent is away for long periods of time.

When a new stepfather, the ogre to the stepchildren, gives chemistry sets to both sets of children in the house, magic things start to happen.

Written in 1840, this is the classic story of Little Nell and her grandfather who inhabit a shadowy 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.

Intriguing fantasy about a solitary teenage boy fascinated by the very old, reputedly mad inventor in the mysterious mansion next door. Based on the myth of Eos and Tithonus who, by a trick of the gods, were granted immortality but not eternal youth.

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.

Thirteen year old Oliver is no ordinary New World vampire. Oliver believes that his own father, Sebastian, has been ordered to sacrifice him, and Oliver's brother, Bane, has been behaving very strangely indeed. He is yet to receive his demon to become an adult vampire.

Oliver is no ordinary New World vampire. He dreads his special destiny, which will free vampires but wreak destruction on the world of humans. Another nail biting instalment in this gripping series. Puberty will see Oliver bond with his otherworldly demon to become an adult vampire.

Thirteen year old Oliver is no ordinary New World vampire. Oliver knows that the time is now at hand for the Anointment, where he will be given strength to receive his demon and become an adult vampire. For him, this will be no ordinary rite of passage from childhood to adulthood.

Thirteen year old Oliver is no ordinary New World vampire. He awaits a special destiny which will free vampires but wreak destruction on the world of humans. This is another gripping instalment which will keep you on the edge of your seat. He has not yet received his demon to become an adult vampire.

This is the definitive ending to the Oliver Nocturne series, tying together story lines and details from the entire series and revealing the true nature of Oliver's destiny, published by the author as he originally envisioned it. Now, the series is complete.

Oliver has a fairly normal childhood, for a vampire. He sleeps during the day, eats blood angel cakes for breakfast and goes to school at night. He meets Emalie and, soon, they are on a quest to uncover the dark truth of his origins and his special destiny. He is yet to receive his demon to become an adult vampire.

When orphan, Oliver Twist, asks nasty Mr Bumble for more food, he has to flee the workhouse for the streets of London. There, he meets the Artful Dodger, who leads him to Fagin and his gang of pickpockets. When a thieving mission goes wrong, Oliver narrowly avoids prison and finds himself in the care of kind Mr Brownlow. But Fagin and the brutal Bill Sikes are determined to drag Oliver back.

A picture book retelling the classic tales by Charles Dickens. Stories included are Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol.

In On Hope, one of the lead organisers of the Australian Climate strike, 17-year-old Daisy Jeffrey shows how ordinary people are fighting back and demanding we address climate change to help save our planet. Daisy was at the centre of a movement that joined people together to drive change. She reveals what prompted the action, what she and her friends believe and why she is choosing hope over indifference and standing up to speak truth to power.

Bri is sixteen and is desperate to be a rapper. In fact, she wants to be the best rapper of all time. But as a kid who is always in trouble, comes from a difficult home life and is African American, she has a lot o challenges to overcome in order to ever break into the rap world and get her come up. She has to walk a careful line between who she really is and who the public want her to be. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Based on the lives of soldiers at Pearl Harbor and civilians in Hiroshima, this verse novel contemplates humanity and war. Lois Lowry draws from her own memories as a child in Hawaii and Japan to look back at history through a personal lens. It contains poems about individual sailors who lost their lives on the USS Arizona and about the citizens of Hiroshima who experienced unfathomable horror.

It is the time of the Iran Iraq war and nine year old Abbas must urgently leave Tehran, because the army has lowered the recruiting age to eight. With his parents forced to remain in Iran, Abbas is alone in Istanbul, with minimal funds and no Turkish language, waiting for a visa to England. He relies on his intelligence, gut instincts and resilience to survive his dire circumstances. A memoir.

Felix is hidden by his Jewish parents in a Catholic orphanage during the Nazi invasion of Poland. He runs away to find his parents and lands in the middle of the Holocaust.

A legend of King Arthur set in the 13th century.

Sixteen-year-old Regina seeks romance, adventure, and approval. Of course, getting approval from a mother like Cora is next to impossible. For Regina, friendships have always been a rare commodity. Could it be that Regina has finally found a true friend? Or is it too good to be true? As Regina struggles to find her own identity and create her own destiny, she discovers that her fate might just be to become everything she despises.

Alice has always been devoted to the natural world. But one day she inadvertently betrays what matters most to her and so she leaves her island home, planning to begin again, to be the person she thinks she should be. Clinging to a mysterious wooden box, Alice begins a new life in Melbourne where she meets Esmerelda. As their friendship deepens, Alice is forced to choose between living a comforting lie or accepting a more difficult truth.

Sixteen year old Grace and Tippi are sisters, best friends and conjoined at the hip. As if life isn't difficult enough, they must leave their sheltered home schooling and go into a world of curious students, constant stares and whispers. But, a heart-wrenching decision lies ahead, one that could tear Grace and Tippi apart and change their lives even more than they ever imagined.

Where the mist swallows mountains and winds whisper through ancient trees, a mother and her pup run wild and free. They hunt, but they are also hunted. Carted away. Sold for bounty. And then, one careless night...The last thylacine is gone. The beautiful but heartbreaking story of Australia's last thylacine (Tasmanian tiger), which died in captivity.

The battle for the crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail? With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favour without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before- ones that put those around her in danger that she can't seem to prevent.

When Obayda's father loses a leg in a bomb explosion, the family is forced to move from Kabul to a small village. Life is very different and her father rarely leaves his room. To bring luck to the family, Obayda's aunt suggests dressing her as a boy, a bacha posh. Now, she is Obayd. Life in this in-between place is confusing until Obayd meets Rahim, another bacha posh. They can explore on their own, climb trees and play sports. But, their transformation and newfound freedoms can't last forever.

Fifteen year old Sander wishes he was like everyone else. But he has Silver-Russell syndrome, a condition that affects one in a hundred thousand. It means he is smaller than all the other kids in school, a place where the biggest and the loudest get all the attention. Like Niklas .Everyone thinks Niklas is cool and good-looking - except Sander. He doesn't like the way Niklas brags, behaves like a jerk and lies. Niklas is one of life's tall people and next to him, Sander always ends up feeling small. But Sander is different in more ways than one. He notices things other people miss, and he's noticed something about Niklas... Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

Ruby and Sally Moon are twins with very different. personalities. When divorce splits their family, and Sally moves with their mother to the Northern Territory, Ruby holds on to the thought that one day her family will be complete again. But, when tragedy strikes wrapping Sally in a cocoon from which she might never escape, Ruby learns that love is never simple but one of the many tangled branches in her family tree. Includes some mature themes. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

In one minute of silence, you can imagine a war long gone. You can share what the soldiers saw and felt as they fought. And if you try, you might be able to imagine the enemy and see that he is not so different from you.

As the Taliban come back to power in 2021 Afghanistan, 15-year-old Damsa is fleeing from a forced marriage. She finds a brief reprieve in the Green Valley community - but when the Taliban come searching, everyone is thrown into danger. Who can escape when Kabul is shut down? This latest novel in the Parvana series is a compelling story of courage, heartbreak and resilience. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

It is a time of unrest in the BookWorld as all-out genre war is rumbling. Only the diplomatic skills of ace literary detective Thursday Next can avert a devastating genre war. But, a week before the peace talks, where Thursday is to play peacekeeping emissary to the warring factions, she vanishes. Sophisticated writing and humour, some coarse language. Usually read by students in Years 9,10 or above.

Ever since Simon died in detention, life hasn't been easy for the Bayview Crew. First the Bayview Four had to prove they weren't killers. Then a new generation had to outwit a vengeful copycat. Now, it's beginning again. At first the mysterious billboard seems like a bad joke: Time for a new game, Bayview. But when a member of the crew disappears, it's clear this 'game' just got serious - and no one understands the rules. Everyone's a target. And now that someone unexpected has returned to Bayview, things are starting to get deadly. Simon was right about secrets - they all come out in the end. And Bayview has a lot it's still hiding. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

On Thursday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app. Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Thursday, he died. But on Friday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they just the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Bayview High is just about recovered from the death of gossip king Simon Helleher a year ago. Now there's a new copycat in town who isn't ready to forget him just yet. A school-wide game of Truth or Dare seems fun, right? But this game is lethal. Choosing the truth may reveal your darkest secrets, but accepting the dare could be dangerous - or even fatal. The teenagers of Bayview must work together once again to find the culprit, before it's too late... Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

You're about to go to a place where thousands, even millions, of kids live every day. You're about to enter a war zone. There's been an attack. Grabbing his camera, a newspaper photographer rushes to the nearest clinic. What he finds there will change the way he thinks forever. Inspired by real events in the Middle East, events you might see any day on the TV news, this groundbreaking and acclaimed picture book for older readers will take you to a place far from comfort and safety. What could you possibly have in common with the kids who live there? You're about to find out...

Agabande, Rwanda, April 1994. Pascal and the children in his small village play with the toys they make, go to school and church, and do their chores. But, there are whispers and looks, messages of hate on the radio, and people are leaving. Pascal's simple but happy world is about to change forever. As a ten year old, co-author Noel Zihabamwe actually lived through these atrocities.

Lily, the sensible one in her family, wants to be like other teenagers, fall in love and not be responsible for everyone. She wants to bring her freakish family together for just one whole and perfect day.

Sam has always had things going on in his head that no-one else understands, not even his mum. Now she's dead, it's worse than ever. With his skateboard and a few belongings in a garbage bag, Sam goes to live with the strangers his mum cut ties with seven years ago, Aunty Lorraine and his cousins, Shane and Minty. As the days slowly meld into one another and ghosts from the past reappear, Sam has to make the ultimate decision. Mature read. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Ned fired just one shot from the forbidden gun. But someone was watching. When a one-eyed cat turns up in an elderly neighbour's yard, Ned is caught in a web of guilt, fear, and shame when he fears his shot wounded the one-eyed cat.

Nam-Huong escaped from Vietnam and lost her grandfather on the long terrible voyage. She finds it hard to release her pent up grief, until her teacher falls ill.

Drita, an Albanian, and Zoran, a Serb, become friends but this is Kosovo, and Serb-Albanian tension is rising. They find their families are now enemies and they are forced to meet in secret. They are about to begin a fight for their lives. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Every family has its secrets, the summer Joan Chang-Hunt goes to stay with her gran in London, she learns hers is bigger than most. The Hunts are one of twelve families in London with terrifying hidden powers. Joan is half-monster. And what's more, her summer crush Nick isn't just a cute boy - he's hiding a secret as well; a secret that places Joan in terrible danger.

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn't know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that's exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organisation dead set on kidnapping her. Now the danger follows her everywhere, and even Cammie "The Chameleon" can't hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent, Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers, or even her own heart.

It is Shanghai in 1920. While on board the Expedient, Doug and Becca stumble across an amazing secret. What unfolds is a story of two young people caught up in an astonishing adventure and a story of an ancient order created to protect the world from evil. Book 1 of The Guild trilogy.

Becca and Doug are back at their old family home in India, where they discover research papers containing clues to the expedition route of their missing parents and the location the fabled Storm City. Soon, they are on a perilous journey to the Takla Makan desert, racing against the enemy by steam train, riverboat and airship across the Himalayas. Book 3 of The Guild Trilogy.

Battered by a typhoon, the Expedient is shipwrecked on a volcanic island in the Celebes Sea. There is no radio, no rescue and no escape. Doug and Becca MacKenzie's search for their missing parents must wait. When they unearth a strange riddle, Doug and Becca wonder if it holds the key to the dark secrets of the Guild and a means to escaping the island. Book 2 of The Guild trilogy.

Ophelia, daughter of Denmark's Lord Chancellor and loved by Prince Hamlet, is the girl who will be queen. While Hamlet's family stab, poison or haunt one another, feisty, intelligent and ambitious Ophelia plans a sensible rule, filled with justice and the making of delicious cheeses. Even if she has to pretend to be mad to make it happen, Ophelia will not let anything, not even howling ghosts, stand in her way.

Petula has avoided friendship and happiness ever since tragedy struck her family and took her beloved younger sister Maxine. Worse, Petula blames herself. If only she'd kept an eye on her sister, if only she'd sewn the button Maxine choked on better, if only...Now her anxiety is getting out of control, she is forced to attend the world's most hopeless art therapy class. But one day, in walks the Bionic Man: a charming, amazingly tall newcomer called Jacob, who is also an amputee. Petula's ready to freeze him out, just like she did with her former best friend, but when she's paired with Jacob for a class project, there's no denying they have brilliant ideas together - ideas like remaking Wuthering Heights with cats. But Petula and Jacob each have desperately painful secrets in their pasts - and when the truth comes out, there's no way Petula is ready for it. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Sixteen year old Siobhan has travelled back in time to medieval Scotland, before fairies and humans were at war. Her task is to bring back one of the scattered rath stones so that the bloodshed can finally end. Watching the beginnings of the hostility between the Fey and humans, Siobhan breaks free of her own timidity and galvanises those around her to create alliances, rescue captives and recover the rath stone.

In a distant, desert land where servants of the god rule supreme, new Bearer, Mirany, receives visions which reveal the true heir to the kingdom. She must try to stop the corrupt High Priestess from seizing power. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Wealthy Rachel Armstrong was struck on the back of the head by a heavy, iron poker and died instantly. Everything points to her estranged, adopted son, Jacko. His alibi that he was picked up by a stranger cannot be confirmed. Jacko is sentenced and dies in prison. But, one day, the stranger returns and the case is reopened because Jacko couldn't have done it. Beautifully illustrated by Chandre.

Hilly and her brother, Egg, were promised sunshine, plenty of food and someone to look after them. When they arrived from England, they were separated. Hilly was sent to a cruel orphanage in Adelaide. Includes mature themes and some strong language. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

William Shakespeare's Othello takes place in 16th-century Venice and also Cyprus. Othello who is a noble black warrior in the Venetian army that secretly married a beautiful white woman called Desdemona who is the daughter of a prominent senator named Brabantio. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

An argument in a street in Venice fuels grudges and passionate jealousies. Military heroism and love; the nature of appearance and reality; the dangers of isolation, jealousy and betrayal are explored. Masks may hide some characters' true motives but the real emotions of Othello and Iago are dramatically revealed. Graphic (Manga) novel with authentic Shakespearean text.Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Alina has always dreamed of a career as a ballet dancer but in a blink of an eye, her dreams and leg are left shattered. Alina recovers from her physical injury but must now learn who she is when she is no longer able to define herself as a dancer. Alina joins the high school musical in the hope that it will help her forge a new identity and purpose. She struggles to adapt but with the help of Jude, attractive, optimistic and supportive she begins to find a new purpose and interest in her life. Alina loved being a ballet dancer but stepping aside highlights some of the negative aspects of a sport she once loved. Will she be able to forgive her dance teacher for her racist treatment? Will she get the guy? and most importantly, will she be able to find out who she really is?

On a planet with two moons there is the Below and the Skyland. Goddess of the Below is Nimhara and Prince of the Skyland is North. When North loses control of his glider and falls from Alciel to the Below, he is sure he will die. However, for Nimh, his arrival sparks certainty that he represents her destiny. And did we mention the cat? You're going to love the cat.

What if you thought you had forever... To live your life. To tell your story. But what if forever was taken from you? When your tomorrows are counted, all you have is this moment. And this story you wish was never yours to tell. When Abby traded her life in the city for a wholesome new life on the coast, it was meant to be a fresh start for her family. Behind them was the sickness and sadness of the past. But sickness doesn't always play by the rules. And as Abby's past threatens to swallow her future, she is forced to decide what is most important. What she will fight for. And she will fight. For however many days she has left.

Earthsea is threatened by the return of the dragons and an invasion by the dead. But, it is Alder's desire to be reunited with his beloved dead wife that creates the greatest threat. Recognising this, Alder takes Sparrowhawk's advice and journeys to the Immanent Grove on Roke. His companions are Tenar, Tehanu, the young King Lebannen and the amber-eyed Irian, a dragon able to take the shape of a woman. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

On his 11th birthday, Jacob's father gives him a diary to write about things that happen. But Jacob knows something should not be written down. Some things should not be remembered. The only things he knows for sure what his father has taught him. Jacob is sheltered, protected, isolated. But who is his father protecting him from? And how far will his father go to keep the world at bay?

Morgan Lodhi has been the target of bullies since he was in primary school. He seems to just attract them. He becomes known across the school as Pig and everyone around him find it easier to either ignore the bullying or just join in. High school is a battle ground but it is not without some pockets of kindness. Contains scenes of bullying which some readers may find confronting. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

An anthology that identifies the many issues of older adolescents' angst. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan-an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers that months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie's summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home. Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It's a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

When angels start falling from the sky, it seems like the world is ending. But for Jaya the world ended when her mother died, two weeks before the first angel fell. Smashing down to earth at extraordinary speeds, wings bent, faces contorted, not a single angel has survived and, as the world goes angel crazy, Jaya's father uproots the family to Edinburgh, intent on catching one alive. But Jaya can't stand his obsession and, struggling to make sense of her mother's sudden death and her own role on that fateful day, she's determined to stay out of it. Then something extraordinary happens: an angel lands right at Jaya's feet, and it's alive. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 & above.

Billie Jo describes the difficulties of rural life in Oklahoma during the dust storms of 1934 and 1935, the brutal reality of her mother's death, her own injuries and her father's illness. Billie Jo's story is dark and intriguing, with a trace of hope. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

For two moons, Torak has hidden a terrible secret and now it is revealed. He bears the mark of the Soul-Eater and must pay the price. Cast out from the clans, he is alone, cut off from his best friend and his beloved pack-brother. Torak flees to the haunted reed-beds of Lake Axehead where he is hunted by the Otter Clan and taunted by the Hidden People. As soul-sickness claims him, he falls prey to an even greater menace.

An escape into the snowbound winter night starts a life-long enmity between two young creatures - a badger and a ferret. By turns they become the hunter and the hunted, which stretches from the north to the east wastelands.

First in the Outcast Trilogy, this story introduces the chip-enhanced city dwellers of the future. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Described as a kind and gentle man, who was also a bank robber, thief and murderer, Ned Kelly is Australia's most famous bush ranger.

Life on the remote moon Ord is dangerous. Random eruptions in the ice, extreme cold, loneliness and loss: it's all Dece knows. Until one day he sees a mysterious object caught in the rings of the nearby gas planet, Cotal. With no choice but to investigate, what he will find is so extraordinary that it is almost beyond understanding. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Jane, Barney and Simon have their first journey with Great-Uncle Merry to find the gleaming grail in the battle against the Dark.

Three children find a mysterious set of dishes in an attic which sets off a chain of events from an ancient Welsh drama. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

With the common theme of narrative verse, this collection of poems contains humorous and serious verse for children and adults.

An anthology for middle years' students for all times.

Set in a family home in New York, the book acts as something like a diary describing the monotony and helplessness of being confined in a small space, and the absurdity of being held captive by a TV which never seems to turn off. This is a work of hope, but one requiring the reader's willingness to engage in adventurous and dramatic collage and spare story telling. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.