Booklists

Challenge Level : K-2 Challenge Level : 3-4 Challenge Level : 5-6 Challenge Level : 7-9 Challenge Level : 9plus

Hash This title is usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

ID Title Author  
Obernewtyn Chronicles series
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.
Series Obernewtyn Chronicles series (7 books)
Carmody, Isobelle
No book cover.
5874

Hash
Obsidio: The Illuminae files_03
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.
ISBN 9781925266726
Series Illuminae files series (3 of 3)
Publisher Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd, 2018
Kaufman, Amie & Kristoff, Jay
Image currently unavailable
783572

Hash
Off the map
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.
ISBN 9781760877101
Publisher Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd, 2021
Gardner, Scot
Image currently unavailable
846062

Hash
Off the record
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.
ISBN 9780241367162
Publisher Penguin, 2021
Garrett, Camryn
Image currently unavailable
587857

Hash
On the come up
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.
ISBN 9781406372168
Publisher Walker Books, 2019
Thomas, Angie
Image currently unavailable
803523

New

Hash
One in a hundred thousand
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.
ISBN 9781474940641
Publisher Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2021
Ingemundsen, Linni
Image currently unavailable
2924

Hash
One long thread
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.
ISBN 9780702238925
Publisher University of Queensland Press, 2012
Jeffrey, Belinda
Image currently unavailable
903345

Hash
One more mountain
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.
ISBN 9781761068133
Series Parvana series (4 books)
Publisher Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd, 2022
Ellis, Deborah
Image currently unavailable
4539

Hash
One of our Thursdays is missing
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.
ISBN 9780670022526
Series Thursday Next series (6 of 6)
Publisher Penguin USA, 2011
Fforde, Jasper
Image currently unavailable
978216

New

Hash
One of us is back
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.
ISBN 9780593485019
Publisher Penguin, 2023
McManus, Karen M.
Image currently unavailable
5082

Hash
One of us is lying
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.
ISBN 9780141375632
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd, UK, 2017
McManus, Karen. M.
Image currently unavailable
660767

Hash
One of us is next
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.
ISBN 9780241376928
Publisher Penguin, 2020
McManus, Karen
Image currently unavailable
2906

Hash
One would think the deep
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.
ISBN 9780702253942
Publisher University of Queensland Press, 2016
Zorn, Claire
Image currently unavailable
15153

Hash
Only a matter of time: a story from Kosovo
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.
ISBN 9780750237338
Publisher Hodder Children's Books (Australia), 2001
Ross, Stewart
Image currently unavailable
3848

Hash
Optimists die first
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.
ISBN 9781783445585
Publisher Andersen Press Ltd, 2017
Nielsen, Susin
Image currently unavailable
18356

Hash
Oracle, The
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.
ISBN 9780340843765
Publisher Hodder Children's Books (Australia), 2005
Fisher, Catherine
Image currently unavailable
15309

Hash
Orphans of the queen
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.
ISBN 9780734405289
Publisher Thomas C Lothian Pty Ltd, 2004
Starke, Ruth
Image currently unavailable
6074

Hash
Othello
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.
ISBN 9781107615595
Series Shakespeare original plays mature reads (15 books)
Publisher Cambridge University Press, 2014
Shakespeare, William & Coles, Jane & Gibson, Rex & Wienand, Vicki & Andrews, Richard (ed)
Image currently unavailable
7237

Hash
Othello: graphic novel
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.
ISBN 9780810983502
Series Manga Shakespeare series (9 of 9)
Publisher SelfMadeHero, 2008
Topics / Graphic novels /
Shakespeare, William & Appignanesi, Richard (adapt)
Image currently unavailable
63607

Hash
Other wind, The
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.
ISBN 9781842552117
Series Earthsea series, The (5 of 5)
Publisher Orion, 2003
Le Guin, Ursula
Image currently unavailable
804806

Hash
Others, The
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?
ISBN 9780733641145
Publisher Hachette Australia, 2021
Brandi, Mark
Image currently unavailable
846099

Hash
Otherwise known as Pig
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.
ISBN 9781743056790
Publisher Wakefield Press, 2019
Tilly, Catch
Image currently unavailable
9263

Hash
Out of order: between age poems
An anthology that identifies the many issues of older adolescents' angst. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.
ISBN 9780237522902
Publisher Evans Bros, 2002
Peters, Andrew Fusek
Image currently unavailable
5819

Hash
Out of the blue
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.
ISBN 9781509853168
Publisher Pan MacMillan, 2018
Cameron, Sophie
Image currently unavailable
293

Hash
Out of the dust
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.
ISBN 9780590371254
Publisher Scholastic US, 1997
Hesse, Karen
Image currently unavailable
2521

Hash
Outpost
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.
ISBN 9780143305927
Publisher Puffin Australia, 2012
Baillie, Allan
Image currently unavailable
295

Hash
Owl service, The
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.
ISBN 9780007127894
Publisher HarperCollins Australia, 2002
Garner, Alan
Image currently unavailable
903351

Hash
Oxygen mask
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.
ISBN 9780571374748
Publisher Faber & Faber, 2022
Reynolds, Jason & Griffin, Jason (ill)
Image currently unavailable