AustLit

'Have you ever wished you could fly? Well a boy called Icarus and his father built themselves wings out of feathers and wax. Up they flew into the huge blue sky. But it wasn’t as easy as it looked!

'Here are eleven easy-to-read, exciting and funny plays for children, based on stories from ancient Greek and Roman myths, where all sorts of very strange things can happen! A girl becomes a spider, a statue comes to life, a couple turn into a pair of lions and that’s just a few of the startling transformations. Inspired by the Roman poet Ovid’s Metamorphoses, these plays by multi award-winning author Ursula Dubosarsky, with lively illustrations by Amy Golbach, are great fun for group performance, reading aloud, or just curling up by yourself with your eyes wide open, ready to be amazed!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'For Katie, exploring the far reaches of the Solar System in her family spaceship is just ordinary life - but living on Earth, now THAT would be exciting! There seems no way she and her brother, Sam, will ever see Earth, until they accidentally end up on the fastest Ship in space, on its way to the Moon.

'But will they ever get there? Space Station security, smugglers, space pirates - not to mention their parents - all see ready to stop them.

'Katie and Sam aren't going to be pushed around. Neither is their gran...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Join orphan Tamly and his best friend Kym as they embark on a dangerous mission to save their home from the evil forces that threaten it at every turn! Packed with magic, adventure, and unexpected twists and turns, bestselling author Ian Irvine’s exciting fantasy quartet for younger readers, fabulously illustrated by D.M Cornish, is a treat for readers aged 8-12.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Twelve year old Eleanor doesn’t want to move from her home in the cool New England region of New South Wales, to the hot dry Western Plains and a new home on her mother’s family farm. One day, in the old schoolhouse on the farm, she makes an amazing discovery, finding her grandmother’s diary, written when she was Eleanor’s own age. Eleanor doesn’t remember her grandmother Elizabeth, who died when she was three: but as she explores the diary and its secrets, she begins to understand not only her grandmother’s life and personality, but also to appreciate the special qualities of the region where she lives. 

'But her grandmother’s diary will prove to be much more than just absorbing reading material, when great danger threatens Eleanor and her brothers… Vividly written and grippingly told, this first novel by a writer who went on to become one of Australia’s most beloved and acclaimed authors, received numerous awards: Children's Book Council of Australia: Highly Commended 1985; Angus & Robertson Writers for the Young Fellowship: Winner 1985; South Australian Literature Award Shortlisted 1985.' (Publication summary)