AustLit

'Is it possible for two very different teenagers to fall in love despite high barbed-wire fences and a political wilderness between them?

'Anahita is passionate, curious and determined. She is also an Iranian asylum seeker who is only allowed out of detention to attend school. On weekdays, during school hours, she can be a ‘regular Australian girl’.

'Jono needs the distraction of an infatuation. In the past year his mum has walked out, he’s been dumped and his sister has moved away. Lost and depressed, Jono feels as if he’s been left behind with his Vietnamese single father, Kenny.

'Kenny is struggling to work out the rules in his new job; he recently started work as a guard at the Wickham Point Detention Centre. He tells Anahita to look out for Jono at school, but quickly comes to regret this, spiraling into suspicion and mistrust. Who is this girl, really? What is her story? Is she a genuine refugee or a queue jumper? As Jono and Anahita grow closer, Kenny starts snooping behind the scenes…'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Sebastian is at a university open day with his best friend Tolly when he meets a girl. Her name is Frida, and she's edgy, caustic and funny. She's also a storyteller, but the stories she tells about herself don't ring true, and as their surprising and eventful day together unfolds, Sebastian struggles to sort the fact from the fiction. But how much can he expect Frida to share in just one day? And how much of his own self and his own secrets will he be willing to reveal in return?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'All I can tell you is what I remember, in the words that I have.

Hayley tends to her bees and follows the rules in the only world she has ever known.

Until she witnesses the impossible: a drip from the ceiling.

A drip? It doesn't make sense.

Yet she hears it, catches it. Tastes it.

Curiosity is a hook.

What starts as a drip leads to a lie, a death, a boy, a beast, and too many awful questions.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'We don’t pick and choose what to be afraid of. Our fears pick us.”

'Tash Carmody has been traumatised since childhood, when she witnessed her gruesome imaginary friend Sparrow lure young Mallory Fisher away from a carnival. At the time nobody believed Tash, and she has since come to accept that Sparrow wasn’t real. Now fifteen and mute, Mallory’s never spoken about the week she went missing. As disturbing memories resurface, Tash starts to see Sparrow again. And she realises Mallory is the key to unlocking the truth about a dark secret connecting them. Does Sparrow exist after all? Or is Tash more dangerous to others than she thinks?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'“I knew my brother. I knew when he talked too much about Timothy his imaginary pet eagle. He was scared. 'Whatever you do,' I said to Davey on the walk to school, 'Do not tell people about your eagle. Do not tell Miss Schweitzer about your eagle.' He looked crestfallen. His shoulders slumped. He looked to make sure Timothy hadn't fallen off.”

'Lenny, small and sharp, has a younger brother Davey who won't stop growing—and at seven is as tall as a man. Raised by their single mother, who works two jobs and is made almost entirely out of worries, they have food and a roof over their heads, but not much else. The bright spot every week is the arrival of the latest issue of Burrell's Build-It-at-Home Encyclopedia. Through the encyclopedia, Lenny and Davey experience the wonders of the world—beetles, birds, quasars, quartz—and dream about a life of freedom and adventure, visiting places like Saskatchewan and Yellowknife, and the gleaming lakes of the Northwest Territories. But as her brother's health deteriorates, Lenny comes to accept the inevitable truth; Davey will never make it to Great Bear Lake. An outstanding novel about heartbreak and healing by an award-winning author.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Merrick Hilton's done a runner. His folks think he's studying, but the real world has been calling for years and he can't ignore it any longer. A postie bike, a bedroll and a big sky - that's all he needs. But there's no telling how he'll handle roadkill, stolen oranges and unexpected romance, let alone the rough stuff. And in the real world nothing goes entirely as planned. Thankfully Victor - the old bloke Merrick meets on the road - knows a thing or two about broken bike chains. And broken hearts.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'Sixteen-year-old Therese lives in a small town on a small island. Her Aunt Kath calls her Tiger. Her friends call her Resey. The boy she loves calls her Champ. She’s a lot of different things for a lot of different people. Therese has always had her feet on the ground. She’s running through high school, but someone in her life is about to fall … And when he does, her perfect world falls with him. For the first time in her life, Therese can’t stand being on the ground. Girl Running, Boy Falling is a raw read about a girl and boy—who are beautifully flawed.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'Harriet Price has the perfect life: she’s a prefect at Rosemead Grammar, she lives in a mansion, and her gorgeous girlfriend is a future prime minister. So when she decides to risk it all by helping bad-girl Will Everhart expose the school’s many ongoing issues, Harriet tells herself it’s because she too is seeking justice. And definitely not because she finds Will oddly fascinating.

'Will Everhart can’t stand posh people like Harriet, but even she has to admit Harriet's ideas are good – and they’ll keep Will from being expelled. That’s why she teams up with Harriet to create Amelia Westlake, a fake student who can take the credit for a series of provocative pranks at their school.

'But the further Will and Harriet’s hoax goes, the harder it is for the girls to remember they’re sworn enemies – and to keep Amelia Westlake’s true identity hidden. As tensions burn throughout the school, how far will they go to keep Amelia Westlake – and their feelings for each other – a secret?' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But maybe that’s because a book doesn’t get to choose its own cover. A person does get to choose what they look like. It says something about them, just like any other action they might do. And why would anybody act like a tool unless that’s exactly what they are?

'WHEN Lindsay meets Elias, the signs aren’t promising. She’s a grungy introvert who doesn’t want to talk to anyone. He’s a teen fashionista who can’t shut the hell up. But since Lindsay tracked down a young runaway, word has got around that she knows how to find people. Elias is looking for his birth mother and he thinks Lindsay can help.

'The thing is, Lindsay wasn’t actually trying to find anyone. It’s just how she looks at the world. Scanning every house, every face, every car. That’s because someone is missing in Lindsay’s life: her identical twin, Frankie, who disappeared when they were seven. Since then, her parents have kept themselves busy. And angry. And Lindsay has been...looking.

'In Elias, despite their differences, she might have found someone to look with.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Seventeen-year-old Gwendolyn P. Pearson has become very good at not thinking about the awful things that have happened to her family. She has also become used to people talking about her dead mum. Or not talking about her and just looking at Gwen sympathetically. And it’s easy not to think about awful things when there are wild beaches to run along, best friends Loretta and Gordon to hang out with - and a stepbrother to take revenge on.

'But following a strange disturbance at the cafe where she works, Gwen is forced to confront what happened to her family all those years ago. And she slowly comes to realise that people aren’t as they first appear and that like her, everyone has a story to tell.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'There are worse things than school.'

'Luke sleepwalks through his days wagging school, swimming at the reservoir and eating takeaway pizza.

'That is until Charlotte shows up.

'Rumour is she got expelled from her city school and her family moved to the Blue Mountains for a fresh start.

'But when Luke's invited to her house, he discovers there's a lot more going on than meets the eye.' (Publication summary)

'Introducing Rob Fitzgerald: thirteen years old and determined to impress the new girl at school, but it's a difficult task for a super-shy kid who is prone to panic attacks that include vomit, and genuine terror that can last all day. An anonymous texter is sending Rob challenges and they might just help. Or not.

'Beautifully moving and full of heart and humour, A Song Only I Can Hear is a delightful novel about dreaming big, being brave and marching to the beat of your own drum.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'LOTTIE is fascinated with death. She collects birds, lizards and other small dead animals she finds, trying preserve them, to hold onto the life they once had. Her aunt tries to put a stop to this worrying obsession, but her father can see a scientist’s mind at work, and he introduces her to the art of taxidermy.

'For Lottie, the beauty and tenderness she finds in her preserved creatures provide a way for her to feel close to the mother she lost.

'The Art of Taxidermy is an exquisitely imagined verse novel about sadness and loss, and the way art and beauty can help us make sense of it all.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Nothing's been the same for Beth Teller since she died. Her dad, a detective, is the only one who can see and hear her—and he's drowning in grief. But now they have a mystery to solve together. As it unravels, Beth finds a shocking story lurking beneath the surface of a small town, and a friendship that lasts beyond one life and into another. Told in two unforgettable voices, this gripping novel weaves together themes of grief, colonial history, violence, love and family.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'It’s not because Bel’s mother was murdered.
It’s not because her father is a politician.
Bel writes to a Death Row prisoner as an easy way out of an assignment.

'But now he’s written back.

'Drawn to Micah’s world inside a Thai prison, Bel finds herself falling for the boy with ragged hair, shackles and a terrible past. But is she setting herself up for more loss? And will loving him mean losing the people who mean the most to her at home?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In Bo Mitchell's country town, a 'White Night' light-show event has the potential to raise vital funds to save the skate park. And out of town, a girl from a secretive off-the-grid community called Garden of Eden has the potential to change the way Bo sees the world. But are there too many secrets in Eden?

'As Bo is drawn away from his friends and towards Rory, he gradually comes to believe that Eden may not be utopia after all, and that their group leader's goal to go off the grid may be more permanent - and more dangerous - than anyone could have predicted.

'A wonderfully compelling novel from the acclaimed author of the Every series.' (Publication summary)

'In 1472, Jeanne’s father arranges her marriage to a French lieutenant against her wishes. As armed forces threaten her beloved home, Jeanne risks all to rally the city’s women in the fight of their lives.

'In 1797, unbeknownst to their father, feisty and brave Betsy, her brother and their best friend secretly join the rebel army, hoping to liberate Ireland from the tyrannical yoke of English rule.

'In 1960's Australia, country-girl Fiona desperately wants to fit in at university and joins the anti-Vietnam protest movement, despite her family’s objections. When a friend is conscripted, Fiona’s beliefs are challenged even further.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Where can we live if not in each other's shadow? World-renowned artist Shaun Tan applies his unique imagination to a reflection on the nature of humans and animals, and our urban coexistence. From crocodile to frog, tiger to bee, this is a dark and surreal exploration of the perennial love and destruction we feel and inflict—of how animals can save us, and how our lives are forever entwined, for better or for worse. Tales from the Inner City is a masterful work, bearing all of Shaun Tan's trademark wit and poignancy in both its prose and exquisite illustrations.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Seventeen-year-old Pru Palmer lives with her twin sisters and their doomsday prepper father, Rick, on the outskirts of an isolated mining community. One day, the power goes out. In town, supplies run out and people get desperate. The world is different; the rules are different. Survival is everything. A brilliant and terrifyingly compelling YA novel with life and death stakes that will keep readers on the edge of their seat.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Tillie Bassett is sad, and she doesn’t understand why. Her parents and friends suggest very different, allegedly helpful, remedies. But it is the suggestion of her counsellor, Gilbert the Goldfish, that the answer may lie in finding the nature of happiness.

'As Tillie embarks upon her project she discovers that, when it comes to family and friends, nothing is quite as it seems. Secrets are uncovered, old tensions resurface, relationships tangle and untangle, and Tillie realises that everyone struggles balancing sadness and happiness, and living truthfully.'  (Publication summary)

'When the river rises and the city of Paris begins to disappear under water, Frederic decides to help those who can?t help themselves. But as his heroic acts escalate, so does the danger. Frederic will have to battle an escaped zoo animal and fight off pickpockets and looters but, as the waters subside, can he find justice for his father and find out what courage really means?'   (Publication summary)

'On a brilliant autumn’s day, Mr Walker arrives at the grandest hotel in town. While things get off to a wobbly start, this charming labrador is determined to put his best paw forward. And it’s just as well because the most unexpected adventures await . . .

'The Tales of Mr Walker contains four delightful stories inspired by the real-life Mr Walker, a Guide Dog Ambassador who now calls Park Hyatt Melbourne home.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'From an extraordinary novelist and an award-winning illustrator comes this lyrical and unforgettable story about a boy and the untameable wildness of a hand-reared joey.

'This is a story about a boy called Pender and a kangaroo called Brindabella, about how they became friends, and all the things that happened to them because of it.

'Pender and his father live in an old house made of honey-coloured stone in the bush by the river, with only the company of his father's paintings and the loyal dog, Billy-Bob. Then, on one winter morning, a gunshot amongst the trees changes everything.

'When Pender rescues Brindabella from the pouch of her murdered mother, an unusual friendship blossoms between the lonely boy and the orphaned joey. But Brindabella is no ordinary kangaroo. And though Pender has saved her life, the untameable wildness of the bush--and freedom--call to her...

'Lyrical and unforgettable, Brindabella explores the brutal beauty of the Australian bush.' (Publication summary)

'The funny and moving story of a boy and his friends never losing heart in a sometimes heartless world. Perfect for 8+ readers.

'Ludo helps other people. It’s how he was brought up.

'When Dad is elected to Federal Parliament, Ludo grabs the chance to make Australia an even better place.

'But he soon discovers it’s not the homeless of the national capital who most need his help - it’s the rich and powerful. ' (Publication summary)
 

'There's never a good time to be orphaned - or abandoned ... especially when you are twelve years old, and it's the Great Depression.

'In 1928, Shakespearean actors, the McAllisters, are forced to leave their daughter Adversity at the Emu Swamp Children's Home.

They fully intend to return, but things don't go according to plan.

'Then, to make matters worse, Scrimshaw, a villainous theatrical agent, hears the talented Addie sing. He plots to use her in his next money-making venture, but when he turns up at Emu Swamp to collect his prize, Scrimshaw finds she's run away.

'Together with Macbeth, her Shakespeare-quoting cockatiel, Addie is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'On his deathbed, Ellie's pop reveals a secret - a magical button-box. It's a musical instrument from the Gleam country - a land far from Spit Farm and the mountains, with talking goats, sweet grass and corn that grows so high you have to fell it with an axe.

'But the button-box's magic is sinister. When Ellie plays it, flowers bloom and crops spring up overnight - but soon the farm is cursed by drought and her beloved oma is gravely ill.

'To save her oma and discover the truth about her own identity, Ellie must embark on a dangerous journey to the Gleam country - the only place where the evil button-box can be destroyed.' (Introduction)

'Leave taking noun the act of saying goodbye

'What if you had just one week left to say goodbye to everything you’ve ever known?

'Toby and his mum and dad are leaving their family farm after the death of Toby’s younger sister, Leah. Together, they sort through all their belongings and put things aside to sell or throw out. It’s a big task, and Toby doesn’t want to leave the only place he’s called home. 

'As his last day on the farm approaches, Toby has a plan – a plan to say goodbye to all the things and places that mean something special to him and Leah, from the machinery shed to Pa’s old truck to the chook house. With the help of his best friend, Trigger the dog, he learns what it means to take your leave.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Ava would like nothing more than to tell her family she loves them, particularly her big sister, Nic. But Ava has Rett syndrome - she can't talk, can't nod her head, can't even point at a communication card. She understands everything, but no one understands her. When tragedy strikes her family, Ava becomes even more determined to talk. But it's not until she meets occupational therapist Kieran and new friend Aimee that she is hopeful for change - and to find her voice at last. A powerful novel about a subject rarely tackled - young people with disabilities and the families who love and support them.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The renowned girl hero and feisty author presents an illustrated collection of 'tilted' fairy tales featuring girls with smarts.

'Feisty: typically one who is relatively small, lively, determined and courageous. Girls can rescue themselves—just watch Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Thumbelina create their own happily-ever-afters in this beautiful and emboldening bedtime book. A glorious treasury for young girls—and boys—featuring artwork from four leading Australian illustrators: Beth Norling, Claire Robertson, Lucinda Gifford and Sher Rill Ng.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Black Cockatoo is a vignette that follows Mia, a young Aboriginal girl as she explores the fragile connections of family and culture. Mia is a 13-year-old girl from a remote community in the Kimberley. She is saddened by the loss of her brother as he distances himself from the family. She feels powerless to change the things she sees around her, until one day she rescues her totem animal, the dirran black cockatoo, and soon discovers her own inner strength. A wonderful small tale on the power of standing up for yourself, culture and ever-present family ties.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When his village is attacked, Hauk Johanson has no choice but to step up and lead the young Vikings on a quest for revenge. But there is one problemthe young Vikings have never fought in battle. Can Hauk and his friends master the skills of sword and axe in time? Will the Gods be on their side? And does Hauk have what it takes to lead when the fate of an entire village lies in his hands?' (Publication summary)

'The town of Spindrift is home to the Orphanage School where Finlay lives. Just outside town is the painfully posh Brathelthwaite Boarding School, home to Honey Bee. When the two schools compete at the Spindrift Tournament, stakes are high, tensions are higher, and some people are out to win at any cost. And then Whispering Wars break out, and Spindrift is thrust onto the front lines. Children are being stolen. Witches, sirens and a deadly magical flu invade the town. Finlay, Honey Bee and their friends must join forces to outwit the encroaching forces of darkness and turn the tide of the war. But how can one bickering troupe outwit the insidious power of the Whisperers? And who are the two mysterious figures watching them from the shadows?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When Freja and Tobias arrive in Claviers, Provence, it feels like home. The hilltop village is surrounded by olive groves, lavender fields and drifts of red poppies. The market square hides a world-famous pâtisserie and an antique merry-go-round. Pippin, their precocious young neighbour, and Vivi, the beautiful chef, fill their lives with chatter and laughter and love.

'For a moment, the girl, the dog and the writer are happy.

'But a spate of criminal activity casts a cloud over the village. Freja is determined to solve the mystery and uncover the villain, but the closer she gets, the more impossible things seem to become ...' (Publication summary)

'The last time William Shakespeare and Virginia went missing Cassie found them sitting on a coiled hose behind the fire station, and Dad called her ‘Cassie Andersen, Peacock Detective’. So this time she knows what to do—she’ll look for clues and track them down. But the clues lead her in an unexpected direction and Cassie finds herself investigating a confusing mystery about her family. The Peacock Detectives is a warm and engaging story for middlegrade readers about dealing with change and finding out who you are.' (Publication summary)

'I wonder if the first day of Learning is always like this - do the girls on the hill always feel the ground tremble under their feet?

'Leira is about to start her initiation as a priestess when her world is turned upside down. A violent earthquake leaves her home - and her family - in pieces. And the goddess hasn't finished with the island yet.

'With her family, Leira flees across the sea to Crete, expecting sanctuary. But a volcanic eruption throws the entire world into darkness. After the resulting tsunami, society descends into chaos; the status and privilege of being noble-born reduced to nothing. With her injured mother and elderly nurse, Leira has only the strength and resourcefulness within herself to find safety.

'A thrilling Bronze Age survival story from the acclaimed author of Dragonfly Song.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'When a pampered cat has to share her home with a lost dog, sparks are set to fly. To her surprise, Catvinkle starts to like Ula. She even tells Ula her three secrets. But a cat and a dog can’t be friends – can they?

'A tail-spin of a tale that will make you howl with laughter – and remind you that if you aren’t open to adventure, you might never meet your best friend.'  (Publication summary)

'While on a history excursion, an ill-assorted group of four kids and their teacher are left on a country road when their minibus breaks down. At the suggestion of a friendly tow-truck driver, the five take shelter in a nearby old, deserted mansion. There they find a little old desk with a secret drawer. Inside the drawer is a book containing a handwritten story and a series of vivid, strangely lifelike paintings. The book is called His Name Was Walter.

'The story begins: 'Once upon a time, in a dark city far away, there lived a boy called Walter, who had nothing but his name to call his own.' And so begins the tale of Walter - his lonely childhood, his flight from the haunted streets of the city, his discovery of Magda the witch, his quest to find Magda's lost daughter, and his meeting with the love of his life, the mysterious, tragic girl he calls Sparrow.

'As the night closes in around them and the story of Walter and Sparrow unfolds, the kids read it avidly.. Slowly the outer and inner stories begin to mesh. Slowly the story of Walter draws the five members of the group together. And in the end every one of the five plays a vital role in the uncovering of the truth.'

Source: Publilsher's blurb.

'Ottilie Colter and her brother, Gully, have always fended for themselves. So when Gully goes missing one night, Ottilie sets out to find him – and soon makes a horrible discovery. Gully has been forcibly recruited by the Narroway Hunt, a secretive male-only organisation that hunts savage, blight-spreading monsters called ‘dredretches’. 

Disguising herself as a boy, Ottilie infiltrates the Hunt – but quickly realises that taking her brother home won't be easy. Trapped in the heart of the dredretch-infested Narroway, it's impossibly dangerous for them to leave. But as she trains to become a Huntsman alongside her brother, hoping for a chance to escape, how long can she keep her true identity a secret?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'From fighting for the right to vote to nursing conscripted young men, Rose’s life changes forever when World War I arrives in the peaceful English village of Harefield. With an influx of wounded Australian soldiers, the villagers rally around to provide care and comfort, despite suffering their own casualties and grieving for their own losses. Training to nurse Australian soldiers like Jim the Light Horse boy is hard work, but with it comes much for Rose to treasure – in the gaining of a vocation, in confidence won and in finding new love in a new land.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A tiny dog, the runt of the litter, is born on a remote cattle station. She shouldn’t have survived, but when Elsie finds, names and loves her, the pup becomes a cherished companion. Life is perfect … until War arrives.

'With Japanese air raids moving closer, Elsie’s family leaves the Pilbara for the south and safety. But the small dog has to stay behind. After travelling far from home with drovers and a flying doctor, she becomes a hospital dog and experiences the impact of war on north-western Australia. She witnesses wonderful and terrible things and gives courage to many different humans.

'But through all her adventures and many names, the little dog remembers Elsie, who girl who loved her best of all. Will she ever find her again?' (Publication summary)

'Sally and Max love dinosaurs. They can’t wait to see them at the museum, but today the dinosaur exhibition is closed. Where will the dinosaurs go on their day off?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Smart is not just ticks and crosses,
smart is building boats from boxes.
Painting patterns, wheeling wagons,
being mermaids, riding dragons …'

‘Every page of this book in joyous, imaginative and life-affirming … All the Ways to be Smart is a celebration of what childhood can be, and it will likely become a classic.’

Source: Publisher's blurb. 

'Eww! What a stinker!

'Pig isn't just the world's greediest Pug, he's the DIRTIEST too.

'It's high time he had a bath! But try telling Pig that . . .

'Over two million Pig books are now in print around the world!  (Publication summary)

'You can only see my tail, what insect am I? Heads and Tails: Insects is a playful follow up book to the highly successful Heads and Tails.

'At first we can only see their tails. Some clear, simple clues add detail as we learn more about each one. Now, can you guess the insect that each tail belongs to?' (Publication summary)

'A beautiful anthology of new Australian poetry for preschool and primary-aged children, from some of our country's finest writers and illustrators.

'A boat of stars came down tonight
and sailed around my bed -
it sprinkled stardust on my eyes,
put dreams inside my head

'Open worlds of imagination and explore themagic of everyday life with this enchanting new collection of poetry from some of Australia's most-loved writers and illustrators.

'Perfect for the classroom and the home, A Boat of Stars will bring a love of language, rhythm and rhyme to every child.' (Publication Summary) 

'Mabel and Robert love to collect things on their walks – leaves and stones and seeds and berries. But when they are caught in the rain and can’t take their collection home they have an even better idea. ‘I’m collecting sunshine,’ says Mabel. ‘I’m collecting wet grass on my shoes,’ says Robert.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Imagine if you found a strange egg in a mysterious forest, and then you brought it home... And when it hatched, out popped a baby DINOSAUR!

'Maybe you'd adopt it as your pet? You could play and do chores together and have lots of fun.

'But what would you do when it grows... and GROWS... and GROWS?

'Find out what Molly does, in this funny tale about a special friendship.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'From a dynamic author-illustrator team comes this fresh, fun and rhythmic exploration of colour.

'Bold and bright, it's the perfect book for reading aloud and sharing with young children as they learn to identify the colours of their world.'  (Publication summary)

'Leon and Lily do everything with their best pals Rabby and Snuggles, until one night the unimaginable happens and Snuggles is left outside. Faced with sadness, the others must find a way to save Snuggles from a frightful end. 
 
Heart-warming and playful, compassionate and true-to-life, Rabby the Brave is a story about close bonds and sibling love.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The Frolleys have to move from their beloved house at 32 Sunshine Avenue to a place with dripping taps, stinky carpets and ants. 

'But they have brought something with them that can turn any house into a home. 

'The Dress-Up Box is a story about childhood, belonging and the power of imagination.'  (Publication summary)

'Chip is back! His mission: to become a lifeguard. But his dreams soon go soggy when he's chased off the beach. So Chip and his friends fashion a plan to sneak him into to the surf club. Will their stunt earn Chip a place between the red and yellow flags?' (Publication summary)

'Bear likes to dive into the deep blue ocean, blowing bubbles and turning somersaults. He wakes with the sun and sleeps with the moon. 

'One morning, Bear is shocked to discover that his coat has changed. Is Bear dreaming? Or are two cheeky polar bear cubs responsible?'   (Publication summary)

'Noni the Pony heads out for the day, to roam the green hills behind Waratah Bay. As she and her friends wander down a green trail, they meet someone small with a very long tail. Can they help the lost baby wallaby find the way home?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Poor Tricky! Nothing is going right for him. Milk spills, pyjama buttons won’t work, his little sister wrecks their game, and when he tries to help out, everything gets worse.

'Tricky’s having a very bad day!

'Then Dad has an idea. Outside it’s wild, but there’s a lot to explore…'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Duck can see that something is falling from the sky. He tries to warn the other farmyard animals by telling them to "Duck!" but they won’t listen…' (Source: Publisher's blurb) 

'From Alarm Croc to Cheepy Head, you’ll enjoy Rhyme Cordial all day long! A fun, new take on wordplay from bestselling illustrator Antonia Pesenti. Open the pages to reveal unexpected rhymes and bold, bright illustrations.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'They cant run, swim, fly or jump... so how will these two little rocks get to the shop? Find out in this hilarious tale of adventure and persistence, to reach a snack that's totally worth it.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Stinkbug can really stink. But when it starts bugging his friends, Stinkbug wonders if it's time to stop doing what stink bugs do best. A hilarious story about a smelly bug whose unique talent saves the day.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A cheeky and hilarious story about a little bear who’s bursting with creativity.

'Bear has too many wonderful, wild and beautiful ideas for mere paper to contain. Soon her house is awash with colourful drawings and Bear must tell her parents, ‘It’s not scribble to me!’ This is a cheeky, funny and warm story that all families will relate to.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Beware the deep, dark forest! You should never, ever go in there . . . Rosie has always followed this rule until the day her pup Tinky goes missing in the woods. So Rosie decides to trek into this dangerous, muddy place. But there are many obstacles along the way - including a huge grey wolf, a scary ravine and a ferocious troll!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Your pet iguana, tap-dancing shoes, an inflatable moose … What else might you need when you’re going to the moon?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Sonam's world is dark and silent. Then one day, she follows a magical, melodious sound to a walled garden, and her world is silent no more. The sound is music, and it lifts her up amongst the stars and takes her deeper than the tree roots in the earth. How can she hold on to this feeling in a world where music is forbidden? A lyrical fable-like story about the irrepressible power of music.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The (unauthorised) biography of you, and the story of all of us. Charting from the Big Bang to birth, Philip Bunting takes us on a journey back to the start of time (in about the time it takes to eat your breakfast!) A hilarious, and beautifully illustrated book, designed to raise more questions than it answers.'  (Publication summary)

'One day Charlie finds a hole. A hole of his very own! He picks it up and pops it in his pocket.

'But it doesn’t take Charlie long to realise that a hole in your pocket is not a good thing to have . . .' (Publication summary)

'In Midnight at the Library, critically-acclaimed author, Ursula Dubosarsky, and award-winning illustrator, Ron Brooks, traverse space and time, telling the story of a book throughout history. Dubosarsky and Brooks piece together the story of a book that was opened and loved, given and taken, closed and lost, found and forgotten before being discovered, uncovered and preserved at the library. 

Beautifully written and splendidly illustrated, this is a story about the inception, creation and preservation of books and culture. This enchanting children’s book has vast educational potential and is sure to captivate the hearts of book-lovers across the nation, encouraging them to find their own book of wonder. 

Brilliantly evocative and exceptionally engaging, there is something undeniably magical about Dubosarsky and Brooks’ timeless and ageless story, Midnight at the Library.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Girl on Wire is a simple yet brilliantly uplifting allegory of a young girl struggling to build her self-esteem and overcome the anxiety that many children feel as they grow – she walks the tightrope, afraid she will fall, but with the support of those she loves, her toes grip the wire and she walks forward, on her own, with a new confidence.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'I remember when rain stopped, 
When day by day the water dropped, 
All across a sun-bleached land, 
Drought spread its withered, deadly hand. 

'From the award-winning creators of Flood, Fire and Cyclone comes Drought a moving story about the devastating effects drought has on many Australians and their farms.'  (Publication summary)

'When Go Go is allowed to buy the most beautiful shoes ever, she decides she will wear them EVERYWHERE!

'Even to the creek, where she and her brothers go adventuring.

'But - Oh no, Go Go! - that's when a terrible thing happens ...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'One fine summer's day two bugs discover the most beautiful peach of the season and are faced with a dilemma...'  (Publication summary)

'Precarious boats navigate the waters of the sea, from south to north. And more often than not, it is not only hope that drowns. A devastating indictment of our society's treatment of refugees by the creator of The Island.

'With eloquent and devastating imagery, the creator of the multi-award-winning book The Island again asks us to examine our responses to the plight of refugees. How long will we remain silent witnesses?'  (Publication summary)

'"Every year, I stay in the same cabin at the beach with my family, and every year Chicken Smith's here too, with his Dad and his dog, Jelly. But this year, something's different."

'As we hang on the words of the narrator, we learn of the legendary Chicken Smith and the beachside town that has been the backdrop to their school-holiday adventures for years. But will Chicken Smith turn up this year? Or will a friendship of a different kind blossom.

'A story about childhood friendship, the inevitability of change and the magic of anticipation.' 

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'On a roof, as wet as a seal, as grey as a puddle, Cat was rumbling, a rumbly purr. What does Cat want most? Feather boas? Pretty pink shoelaces? A boatful of fish under a tiny tin sail – or perhaps something much more valuable? Affectionate and evocative, Maya and Cat follows a child’s kindly impulse to an unexpected conclusion.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'See my bouncing baby,
jigging on my knee.
Then snuggling for a story,
just baby, book and me.

'A gorgeous new picture book about how much we love our babies, from Emma Quay, creator of the bestselling and award-winning Rudie Nudie.' (Publication summary)

'In this sumptuous story of exploration and breaking boundaries, a young girl uncovers her very own freedom machine vehicle that carries her to all kinds of wondrous places.'  (Publication summary)

'Harvey owned a heap of stuff, but could always use more. The ORANGE 430 was the latest and the greatest. Harvey wasn’t sure what it did, but he had to have it! A cheeky picture book for anyone who’s bought a thingy or whatsit . . . and doesn’t quite know why. In his debut picture book, Michael Speechley explores our obsession with stuff in a fun and edifying way.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Cicada work in tall building.

'Data entry clerk. Seventeen year.

'No sick day. No mistake.

'Tok Tok Tok!

'Cicada works in an office, dutifully toiling day after day for unappreciative bosses and being bullied by his coworkers. But one day, Cicada goes to the roof of the building, and something truly extraordinary happens ...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Two seals are perched on a rock. When others need shelter, do they share it? Room on Our Rock celebrates the truth that there are two sides to every story. This clever picture book has one story that can be read two different ways. When read from front to back, the seals believe there is definitely no room on their rock for others. But when the book is read from back to front, the seals welcome others to shelter on their rock. A heartwarming story about sharing and compassion.' (Publication summary)

'Sunny days, weekends at the pool, games in the backyard, daylight until late and long, lovely holidays . . . that's summer, the best season ever.

'The perfect follow up to the much-loved Why I Love Footy (Notables list, Picture Book of the Year category, CBCA 2016). An ode to a uniquely Australian experience and the joy of family and friends.' (Publication summary)

'A soulful and heartwarming story about what happens when a pavement artist's drawing comes to life.'

Barnaby is a pavement artist. This morning he started drawing me. I have a head that can think, eyes that can see, ears that can hear and legs that can run. Best of all, I have a heart that can feel. Thank you, Barnaby.
(Source: Publisher's blurb)

'The streetscape is changing in 1930s city Australia. Digby and Claude meet up to create their own place, somewhere they both belong. They have adventures and make plans. But then the building site becomes full of trucks and Claude's parents stop him visiting his friend. However, when new families move into the new flats, Digby has someone new to tell his stories to. Non-fiction information at the back of the book covers housing styles and the different sorts of 'homes' we can have.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'The Flying Optometrist travels in his little red aeroplane from his practice in the city to a remote outback town. Lots of people are waiting for him! Aunty can't see well enough to carve her emu eggs and Bill the plumber has a splinter in his eye. Young Stephanie can't wait for him to arrive as she has broken her glasses and can't join in games of cricket and have fun with her friends - she can't see the ball! Hurry up Flying Optometrist! Where is he? Is he lost? 

'The townsfolk wait with bated breath until finally the Flying Optmetrist's little red plane appears, having only just missed a bad storm. A big meal waits for him in the local hotel. Then starts work checking eyesight. The Flying Optometrist doesn't have long, but he helps as many people as he can. He returns to the city but Stephanie has to wait a little longer for an exciting package to come - her new glasses!' (Publication summary)

'Rocky, an ornate dragon, lives on the granite rocks in the southwest of Australia. His ancestors have lived in this hot environment for around 10 million years, and for more than 60,000 years, they have lived alongside Indigenous Australians. Rocky's habitat is under threat, and his desert relatives in the north are facing challenges due to rising temperatures.

Using his knowledge of Indigenous culture and language, along with Western science, The Great Lizard Trek follows Rocky in his journey to see what the future may bring.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

A beautifully illustrated story of this marsupial's plight and how it was saved from extinction. The Eastern Barred Bandicoot is one of Australia's most threatened species. When their existence came under extreme threat from habitat loss, predators and human development, Eastern Barred Bandicoots found refuge in the most unlikely of places – a rubbish tip. This captivating true story details the plight these small, nocturnal marsupials faced, and the outstanding efforts that ensured their protection. Written by Rohan Cleave and illustrated by Coral Tulloch, Bouncing Back shows that even on the brink of extinction, there is hope for the survival of our most vulnerable species.

'It took millions of years of isolation and a diverse range of habitats for Australian birds to evolve the way they did. The result is many of the world's most striking and beautiful birds, including some that are stranger than fiction. In Australian Birds, acclaimed artist Matt Chun showcases 16 remarkable species that have captured the imagination of the world. From the iconic cockatoo, to the endangered Cassowary, Australian Birds has been carefully curated to inform and entrance readers of all ages.'  (Publication summary)

'Can you make a circle with your arms? 
Or a triangle with your fingers? 
If we work together, we can make a rectangle, or even a pyramid.
We can make lots and lots of shapes – just watch this!

'A bold and playful celebration of movement, energy, pattern, colour and shape.' (Publication summary)

'In 1942, Sergeant “Griff” Griffin was a prisoner of war. With Christmas approaching, he decided to make a book for the children cooped up in nearby Changi Prison. The book was said to contain the secrets to happiness. But the enemy was suspicious … With this picture book, award winners Mark Greenwood and Andrew McLean bring to life the inspirational true story of a book that became a National Treasure.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'How many germs live on your hand? How do germs make you sick? Do the germs in your gut really keep you healthy? Discover many more surprising facts in The Giant Book of Germs!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

Water begins to question who and what she is as she moves through her various forms: she asks mountains, trees, and people what they think she is.

'I live in the rainforest.
I have a spectacular tail that I raise over my head when I sing and dance.

'Night-time in Australia, animals are waking, people are exploring, discoveries are being made – under the Southern Cross. What makes ribbons of colour swirl in the sky? What are the spooky balls of light that bounce across the outback? What animal lays eggs that look like squishy ping-pong balls? Where can you watch a movie with bats circling overhead? Discover the answers to these questions and more in this factastic picture book tour of Australia after dark.' (Publication summary)

'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!

'This fourth title in Stephanie Owen Reeder’s award-winning Heritage Heroes series retells the remarkable true story of equestrienne May Wirth, while providing historical insights into life in an Australian circus at the beginning of the twentieth century.' (Publication summary)

'Every journey is perilous, every situation heartbreaking. Every refugee is a person forced by famine or war or fear to leave their home, their families, their friends and all they know. Children have travelled on the waves of migration to the shores of Australia for tens of thousands of years. 

'This book tells some of their stories.Waves is a narrative non-fiction book about the waves of migration to the shores of Australia.' (Publication summary)

'Stars, mirrors, eye tricks and the impossible! These are just a few of the things that inspired artist M. C. Escher (Maurits) to create some of the most fascinating images of the twentieth century. In this book, read about the artist’s life, his travels, and his passion for creating optical illusions that play tricks with our minds. Along the way, learn about the anatomy of the eye and test your wits with riddles and quizzes.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

My Modern Art Book explores a selection of exhibited works of art and design, and their creators. Meet the artists and designers, and learn about their works, experimental approaches and big ideas. It features twenty-three artists and designers from the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York including: Frida Kahlo, Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Rineke Dijkstra, Jackson Pollock, Joaquín Torres-García, Simone Forti, Andy Warhol, René Magritte, and many more.

Source: Bookseller's blurb.

'In this companion to the award-winning, My Gallipoli, many voices will recall the day the Great War ended and the monthsthat followed before peace rang out around the world.

'On 11 November 1918, after four years of fighting, the Allied powers signed an agreement with Germany to end the Great War and to begin peace negotiations. The armistice, as it was known, took effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. But it would take more than seven months before peace would finally be declared at Versailles on 28 June 1919. The Great War was over. But the world as it had been known was changed forever.

'In this book, many voices recall the day the war ended,and the months that followed before peace rang out around the world. Armistice will bring these stories to life and is published to commemorate the 100th anniversary since the fighting stopped.' (Publication Summary)

'A delightful gift book of birds from around Yirrkala, which is Siena’s home in North East Arnhem Land. This beautiful little book includes the English and Yolngu names of the birds and their Yolngu moiety.

'In Yolngu culture, everything is divided into two moieties: Yirritja and Dhuwa – and as a result all things are classified, from a body of water to a specific type of tree and all our birds. Birds give themselves their Yolngu name by the sounds they make.

''There are so many birds in Arnhem Land it is difficult to keep count', says Siena, however she has been able to capture some for this whimsical little title. Our Birds also includes beautifully captured landscapes from a child’s perspective.

'When Siena was 12 years old, she took up photography on her iPad, but was gifted a camera from her aunty. In a short period of time, Siena was an avid photographer and had published her own book of birds. This book is the result of that inspiration.' (Publication summary)

'There was a hum of excitement.
Flags flickered in the breeze as Maggie’s heart danced with delight.
‘This is a very special day!’ her mother said.

'Maggie holds tight to her mother as they await the long anticipated apology to show a willingness to reconcile the past for future generations. In the excitement of the crowd Maggie loses touch of her mother’s hand as is lost.

'In a time ‘long ago and not so long ago’ children were taken from their parents, their ‘sorrow echoing across the land’.

'As the Prime Minister’s speech unfolds Maggie is reunited with her mother. But the faces and memories of the stolen generation are all around them.

'Two stories entwine in this captivating retelling of the momentous day when the then Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, acknowledged the sorrows of past and said ‘Sorry’ to the generation of children who were taken from their homes.

'The book includes a foreword from Lee Joachim; Chair of Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative and Director of Research and Development for Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation.' (Publication summary)

'Fuelled by pizza, late nights and unparalleled geekery, this is the history of some of the world's most important milestones in the development of technology - from the earliest computers made of light bulbs and an old tin to Wikileaks and smartphones. Packed with weird facts, astonishing tidbits and extraordinary anecdotes, travel around the world and meet the people who made the world we live in today.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Second-hand bookshops are full of mysteries

'This is a love story.

'It's the story of Howling Books, where readers write letters to strangers, to lovers, to poets, to words.

'It's the story of Henry Jones and Rachel Sweetie. They were best friends once, before Rachel moved to the sea.

'Now, she's back, working at the bookstore, grieving for her brother Cal. She's looking for the future in the books people love, and the words that they leave behind.

'Sometimes you need the poets

'The new novel from the award-winning author of Graffiti Moon.' (Publication summary)

'Subhi's imagination is as big as the ocean and wise as the sky, but his world is much smaller: he's spent his whole life in an immigration detention centre. The Bone Sparrow is a powerful, heartbreaking, sometimes funny and ultimately uplifting hymn to freedom and love.

'Sometimes, at night, the dirt outside turns into a beautiful ocean. As red as the sun and as deep as the sky. I lie in my bed, Queeny's feet pushing up against my cheek, and listen to the waves lapping at the tent.

'Subhi is a refugee. Born in an Australian permanent detention centre after his mother fled the violence of a distant homeland, life behind the fences is all he has ever known. But as he grows, his imagination gets bigger too, until it is bursting at the limits of his world. The Night Sea brings him gifts, the faraway whales sing to him, and the birds tell their stories.

'The most vivid story of all, however, is the one that arrives one night in the form of Jimmie, a scruffy, impatient girl who appears from the other side of the wires, and brings a notebook written by the mother she lost. Unable to read it, she relies on Subhi to unravel her own family's love songs and tragedies.

'Subhi and Jimmie might both find a way to freedom, as their tales unfold. But not until each of them has been braver than ever before.' (Publication summary)

'The Swimmer.

The Rebel.

The Nerd.

'All Ryan, Harley and Miles had in common was Isaac. They lived different lives, had different interests and kept different secrets. But they shared the same best friend. They were sidekicks. And now that Isaac's gone, what does that make them?

'Will Kostakis, award-winning author of The First Third, perfectly depicts the pain and pleasure of this teenage world, piecing together three points of view with intricate splendour.' (Publication summary)

'A powerful, captivating story about Alice, who is reaching out to express herself through her beautiful-broken words, and Manny who is running to escape his past. When they meet they find the tender beginnings of love and healing.

'Alice is fifteen, with hair as red as fire and skin as pale as bone, but something inside her is broken. She has acquired brain injury, the result of an assault, and her words come out slow and slurred. But when she writes, heartwords fly from her pen. She writes poems to express the words she can't say and leaves them in unexpected places around the town. Manny was once a child soldier. He is sixteen and has lost all his family. He appears to be adapting to his new life in this country, where there is comfort and safety, but at night he runs, barefoot, to escape the memory of his past. When he first sees Alice, she is sitting on the rusty roof of her river-house, looking like a carving on an old-fashioned ship sailing through the stars.' (Publication summary)

'Sam stared at the picture of the boy about to be tipped off the edge of the world: the crushing weight of water about to pummel him. Sam knew that moment exactly, the disbelief that what was about to happen could even be possible. The intake of breath before the flood.

'Sam has always had things going on in his head that no one else understands, even his mum. And now she's dead, it's worse than ever.

'With nothing but 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.

'Despite the suspicion and hostility emanating from their fibro shack, Sam reverts to his childhood habit of following Minty around and is soon surfing with Minty to cut through the static fuzz in his head. But as the days slowly meld into one another, and ghosts from the past reappear, Sam has to make the ultimate decision ...... will he sink or will he swim.' (Publication summary)

'Frankie Vega is angry. Just ask the guy whose nose she broke. Or the cop investigating the burglary she witnessed, or her cheating ex-boyfriend or her aunt who's tired of giving second chances...

'When a kid shows up claiming to be Frankie's half brother, it opens the door to a past she doesn't want to remember. And when that kid goes missing, the only person willing to help is a boy with stupidly blue eyes … and secrets of his own.

'Frankie's search for the truth might change her life, or cost her everything.' (Publication summary)

'London, April 1812. Lady Helen Wrexhall is set to make her debut at the court of Queen Charlotte and officially step into polite Regency society and the marriage mart. Little does Helen know that step will take her from the opulent drawing rooms of Mayfair and the bright lights of Vauxhall Gardens into a shadowy world of missing housemaids and demonic conspiracies.

'Standing between those two worlds is Lord Carlston, a man of ruined reputation and brusque manners. He believes Helen has a destiny beyond the ballroom; a sacred and secret duty. Helen is not so sure, especially when she discovers that nothing around her is quite as it seems, including the enigmatic Lord Carlston.

'Against a backdrop of whispered secrets in St James's Palace, soirees with Lord Byron and morning calls from Beau Brummell, Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club is a delightfully dangerous adventure of self-discovery and dark choices that must be made ... whatever the consequences.'

source: Publisher's blurb.

'If only we could all go back to the way it was before…Jake and Alex. Best mates. One terrible mistake. Two lives that will never be the same.Told in reverse, this powerful and gritty novel moves through the wreckage of a broken friendship, back to the moment when everything changed.' (Publication summary)

'Two best friends crushing on one very cute guy ... someone's going to get their heart broken. Emily has been friends with Adriana since Year One, way back when Adriana had a huge gap between her teeth and was super skinny. Emily wasn't any less awkward looking, but the girls are the best of friends and that is the way it has always been.

'When Adriana's mother dies, very suddenly, everything changes. Adriana's father accepts a job in Borneo and the girls spend Year 10 apart. Despite the rubbish internet connection (on Adriana's side of things) the girls manage to stay in touch. And then Adriana returns home. And she has gone from awkward to AMAZING and turned into a goddess! But the saving grace is that Adriana is no different on the inside. She's still the same best friend Emily knows and loves, and they're certainly not going to lose their friendship over the fact that Adriana has lucked out genetically.

'Emily just wishes that one guy, any guy, would want to get to know her for some other reason besides being Adriana's best friend. In the meantime, she's committed to helping Adriana manage the throngs of potential suitors that are texting, emailing and adding Emily on Facebook in the hope of an introduction to 'the goddess', as Adriana is still pretty shy around boys and no-one's made her want to step out of her shell. That is, until she sees the brand new and super cute guy in Emily's art class. The one who really is called Theo James and makes Emily laugh. The one who doesn't seem all that affected by Adriana's appearance. Two best friends crushing on one very cute guy ... someone's going to get their heart broken. My Best Friend is a Goddess is about what happens to a friendship when two girls change - and not just on the outside.' 

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Teenagers on skateboards jumped off walkways, dropped a dozen floors and activated rockets to safely land walkways below. Blake took a deep breath, inhaling something that smelt like a cross between burnt plastic and toffee apple. Neo City, Blake thought. Home, sweet home.

'NEO City, 2509. After a series of operational bungles, as well as the accidental death of his partner, special agent Blake Carter’s career at the Planetary Bureau of Investigation is in trouble.

'To make matters worse, he’s just been assigned a new partner—and the beautiful and brilliant Nicki Steel happens to be a cyborg.

When universe-famous criminal Bartholomew Badde steals a weapon capable of destroying whole planets at a time, Blake and Nicki must work together to recover it—an investigation that takes them to all corners of the weird and wonderful galaxy.

But things get serious when Badde kidnaps Blake’s teenage daughter, Lisa. Can Blake prove he’s still a first-rate agent—not to mention father—and save Lisa in time?' (Publication summary)

'Eliza wasn't at the bus stop that morning. The bus drove right on past and all Eliza's friends peered out to see where she'd gone. It was a mystery. A scandal. Eliza's disappearance was the hottest trending topic online. People knew something was up, but what?

'Nobody knew she was with me, Montgomery Ferguson, the lowest of the low. So it was that I first got to hang out with Eliza Robertson, the hottest girl in school with a heart of sheer contempt.

'I couldn't have been happier.

'On his fifteenth birthday, Monty is at rock bottom. Ignored by his parents, bullied at school, and with a brain that's prone to going walkabout, he's all by himself. Until he meets the black dog for the first time.

'It's just like any other dog, except that only Monty can see it. And it talks. And Monty's not sure whether it's a friend - or a foe. But the black dog gets him talking to pretty, popular Eliza Robertson for the first time. It takes him to places he's never been. And eventually it will take him, and the people around him, to the very edge.

'The Hounded is a book about depression and working out who you really are, from one of Australia's most prolific children's television writers.' (Publication summary)

'John Hughes meets John Green in this irresistible story of first love, broken hearts and the golden seams that put them back together again.

'Henry Page has never been in love. He fancies himself a hopeless romantic, but the slo-mo, heart palpitating, can't-eat-can't-sleep kind of love that he's been hoping for just hasn't been in the cards for him – at least not yet. Instead, he's been happy to focus on his grades, on getting into an Ivy League college and finally becoming editor of his school newspaper. Then Grace Town walks into his first period class on the third Tuesday of senior year and he knows everything's about to change.

'Grace isn't who Henry pictured as his dream girl – she walks with a cane, wears oversized boys' clothes and rarely seems to shower. But when Grace and Henry are both chosen to edit the school paper, he quickly finds himself falling for her. It's obvious there's something broken about Grace, but it seems to make her even more beautiful to Henry and he wants nothing more than to help her put the pieces back together again. And yet, this isn't your average story of boy meets girl. Krystal Sutherland's brilliant debut is equal parts wit and heartbreak, a potent reminder of the bittersweet bliss that is first love.' (Publication summary)

'As night fell, something stirred in the darkness. Birds shrieked, rising into the air as the peace cracked and fell apart. Flashes of crimson uniform cut through the smothering black of the woods. The smell of smoke lifted through the boughs and choked the leaves. A drum beat out a steady pulse as soldiers tore over the dead leaf matter, hacking their way through the web of forest. The prisoner ran. When Lowell Sencha finds the strange girl lying as if dead on the riverbank, he is startled to find that she is like them: waer. Human, but able to assume the form of a wolf. The Sencha family’s small community has kept itself sequestered and unnoticed, free from persecution. The arrival of a fellow traveller, and a hunted one at that, threatens their very survival. Sure enough, the soldiers of the blood-purist Daeman Leldh soon descend on the village searching for her, burning and slaughtering. Lowell and the mysterious stranger are among the few to escape. And now they must find their way to the city of Luthan where, she says, they will find people to help them bring down Daeman Leldh. If she can persuade them not to kill her.' (Publication summary)

'Yellow is a YA murder mystery with a slight supernatural edge, but at heart it's about the redemptive power of kindness. Publishing in February 2016, it’s a beautifully written coming-of-age story about family, first love, finding your place and uncovering the secrets of the past.

'If fourteen-year-old Kirra is having a mid-life crisis now, then it doesn't bode well for her life expectancy. Her so-called friends bully her, whatever semblance of a mother she had has been drowned at the bottom of a gin bottle ever since her dad left them for another woman, and now a teenage ghost is speaking to her through a broken phone booth. Kirra and the ghost make a pact. She'll prove who murdered him almost twenty years ago if he does three things for her. He makes her popular, he gets her parents back together, and he doesn't haunt her. Things aren't so simple however, and Kirra realises that people can be haunted in more ways than one. ' (Publication summary)

'Tonight we are wolves.

'Our pack moves as one, past empty shop fronts and faded billboards.

'After sixteen-year-old Rory (Aurora) is the only one of her gang caught in a racially motivated attack on a local Indian restaurant, she is sentenced to community service at St Mary's aged care facility.

'There she meets Jack, an old tent boxing champion with enough of an attitude to match Rory's. After being threatened for her role in the attack, Rory is surprised to discover a connection between Jack and one of the migrant boys Essam. Feeling disillusioned with her gang, Rory takes up Essam's offer to teach her to box.

'Through her new friendships and interests, Rory learns more about the migrant community and she finds not only a new pack, but herself as well.' (Publication summary)

'The cataclysmic final book in the Ship Kings series. In search of a new world, Dow and Nell must face the final frontier - the treacherous Doldrums. Their journey will be filled with wonders; the rewards could be great - but the cost might be everything, for there are good reasons why none who have sailed the Ocean of the Dead have returned to tell the tale.

'It is no easy thing, to take leave of the world.

'At very long last a captain of his own ship, Dow Amber is determined to venture beyond the final frontier - the still, stagnant waters of the Doldrums - in search of a New World. With Nell finally by his side, he is hopeful that they can start again, far from politics, betrayal and war.

'But none who have sailed the Ocean of the Dead have returned to tell the tale. Before long, an old enemy appears. And with the enemy new dangers. Does the fleet sail to certain death, or to glorious new life beyond the treacherous Doldrums?

'The Ocean of the Dead is the cataclysmic conclusion to Andrew McGahan's stunning Ship Kings series.'

'The powerful story of a young boy whose father develops Alzheimer's disease, from the highly acclaimed author of A Small Madness.

'Foster suddenly recognised the feeling that rolled over him and made him feel sick. It was this: Dad was going away somewhere all on his own. And Foster was already missing him.

'Foster Sumner is seven years old. He likes toy soldiers, tadpole hunting, going to school and the beach. Best of all, he likes listening to his dad's stories.

'But then Foster's dad starts forgetting things. No one is too worried at first. Foster and Dad giggle about it. But the forgetting gets worse. And suddenly no one is laughing anymore.

'A heartbreaking story about what it means to forget and to be forgotten.' (Publication summary)

'While treating a patient with dysentery, Sister Annie Barnaby encounters a strain of lethal bacteria. As the invaders journey deep into her gut, the resident microbes must ght to survive. Annie’s life hangs in the balance. Enter the phage, a deadly predator, ready to wage war to protect their host.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Isabel is on a plane heading back to her island birthplace in Papua New Guinea. Izzy is looking forward to seeing her family again, but there's another tragic reason for the trip. Izzy's twin brother, Ray, died in a freak diving accident, and Izzy and her mum are taking his ashes home for traditional death ceremonies.

'After they arrive, Izzy realises things have changed since their last visit. Logging threatens the community's way of life and sharks no longer answer the song of the shark callers.

'Izzy's cousin Noah explains that the clan needs someone to undertake a traditional diving ritual. The person must be a twin from the shark calling lineage. The dive will be perilous.

'And Izzy is the last twin.

'Will she have the courage to attempt the dive? And what deep, dark secrets will the ocean reveal if she does?' (Publication summary)

'Hugely readable historical fiction in the classic style of Little House on the Prairie – this warm and engaging story, inspired by the author’s own family, offers a glimpse into a life rich with tradition, celebration and love.

'Meet the Rabinowitzes: mischievous Yakov, bubbly Nomi, rebellious Miriam, solemn Shlomo, and seven more! Papa is a rabbi and their days are full of intriguing rituals and adventures. But the biggest adventure of all is when big sister Adina is told she is to be married at the age of fifteen – to someone she has never met.

'Based on the author’s real family, the Rabinowitzes dance, laugh and cook their way through an extraordinary life in 1920s Poland. We join them for breakfast, and listen to the samovar bubbling while ten-year-old Nomi accidentally trails her long hair in the bowl of oily herring. We go shopping with them at the market, and watch eight-year-old Yakov struggle to carry home a huge fish. Day by intimate day, we follow them through the summer, until at last we reach the grand finale of Adina’s wedding.

'In the classic tradition, this highly readable story is fascinating, amusing and as warm as freshly baked bread. ' (Publication summary)

'When Madeleine is shipped off to stay with her eccentric grandmother for the holidays, she expects the usual: politics, early-morning yoga, extreme health food, and lots of hard work. Instead, Madeleine tumbles back in time to 1900, where the wealthy Williamson family takes her into their home, Lyrebird Muse...

'At a time when young girls have no power and no voice, set against a backdrop of the struggles for emancipation, federation and Aboriginal rights, Madeleine must find a way to fit in with the Williamson family's four sisters - beautiful, cold Bea; clever, awkward Gert; adventurous, rebellious Charlie; and darling baby Imo - as she searches desperately for a way home...

'Meanwhile, the Williamson girls' enchanting German cousin, Elfriede, arrives on the scene on a heavenly wave of smoke and cinnamon, and threatens to shatter everything....'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Ming survived the famine that killed his parents during China's 'Great Leap Forward', and lives a hard but adequate life, working in the fields with his fellow villagers...When a group of city boys come to the village as part of a government re-education program, Ming and his friends aren't sure what to make of the new arrivals. They're intellectuals not used to hard labour and village life. But despite his reservations, Ming befriends a charming city boy called Li. The two couldn't be more different, but slowly they form a bond over evening swims and dreamlike discussions...But as the bitterness of life under the Party begins to take its toll on both boys, they begin to imagine the impossible: freedom.' (Publication summary)

'Twelve-year-old Iris has been sent to Spain on a mission: to make sure her elderly and unusual aunt, Ursula, leaves her fortune – and her sprawling estate – to Iris's scheming parents.

'But from the moment Iris arrives at Bosque de Nubes, she realises something isn't quite right. There is an odd feeling around the house, where time moves slowly and Iris's eyes play tricks on her. While outside, in the wild and untamed forest, a mysterious animal moves through the shadows.

'Just what is Aunt Ursula hiding?

'But when Iris discovers a painting named Iris and the Tiger, she sets out to uncover the animal's real identity – putting her life in terrible danger.' (Publication summary)

'Whatever is coming, we'll face it together, as a family. As long as we're together, we'll be okay. For Miri and her family, life in Warsaw is full of simple joys. The smell of freshly baked challah, the pink flowers that bloom in their courtyard, the promise of summer holidays, and Fridays when everyone comes together to celebrate Shabbat. But the Nazis have a hold on Europe, and have stepped up their discrimination and attacks on Jews. How can Miri's family stay together, when the invading Nazis come to destroy them? Miri's world closes in on her, as she and her family are forced into the ghetto, where they must try to survive, against impossible odds.' (Publication summary)

'Marli is staying with her dad in Melbourne, and missing her friends. Then she discovers a mystery – a crumbling, abandoned mansion is to be returned to her family after ninety years. Marli sneaks into the locked garden to explore, and meets Luca, a boy who has his own connection to Riversleigh.

'A peacock hatbox, a box camera and a key on a velvet ribbon provide clues to what happened long ago . . .

'In 1922, Violet is fifteen. Her life is one of privilege, with boating parties, picnics and extravagant balls. An army of servants looks after the family – including new chauffeur Nikolai Petrovich, a young Russian émigré.

'Over one summer, Violet must decide what is important to her. Who will her sister choose to marry? What will Violet learn about Melbourne's slums as she defies her father's orders to help a friend? And what breathtaking secret is Nikolai hiding?

'Violet is determined to control her future. But what will be the price of her rebellion?' (Publication summary)