AustLit

'The powerful story of a family who lose their home in a bushfire and their journey of recovery—commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the 2009 Victorian Black Saturday bushfires.

'There is a fire coming, and we need to move quickly. Mum and Dad start packing bags, grabbing woollen blankets, the first-aid kit, torches and then the photo albums. Dad puts Ruby on her lead and ties her up near the back door. My chest feels hollow, like a birdcage.

'Atmospheric and intensely moving, this is the story of a family experiencing a bushfire, its devastating aftermath and the long process of healing and rebuilding.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'As a boy, David Cox lived in the dusty outback on a sheep station. His lessons came in a brown envelope from the Correspondence School, but out of doors his father was his teacher. David learned the stockman's skills of riding horses and mustering sheep and cattle, and when they were out riding his father would tell stories about old times. Sometimes they would repair stockyards or fences, and when the job was done his father would step back and say, 'Well, it's good enough for a sheep station.'

'David Cox concludes the moving story of his country childhood that began with The Road to Goonong and continued with The Fair Dinkum War.' (Publication summary)

'This delightful collection of Bites from the much-loved series has been specially put together for girls.' (Publication summary)

'Brilliant Bites for Boys is a collection of four popular Aussie Bites compiled especially for boys.' (Publication summary)

'Maggie is working as a children's nurse in the big house when she finds a copybook and decides to teach herself to read. She knows she shouldn't really take the book, and things only get worse when the mistress sends her home in disgrace.' (National Museum)

'Danny Allen is nervous. He didn't want to leave the farm or his life in Mundowie. But when the bank took the farm, he and his family had no choice. But life in the city frightens Danny - will he ever find his place again? Ages 9-11 years. ' (Publication summary)

'When Emily and Daniel's parents send them on a rollicking pirate adventure holiday things go horribly wrong. there's something very weird about Captain Wetbeard's ship! A bald, farting parrot, a diet of chocolate-coated shrimps, plank-walking - these weren't in the holiday brochure!' (Publication summary)

'Danny Allen lives in Mundowie with his family and his dog, Tippy. For such a small town, there's always lots of things to do. If only the man from the bank would stop bothering his parents, life would be perfect. Age 10+.' (Publication summary)

'The 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games are about to begin and everybody wants to watch them. Mick Leary has a new television, tickets to the Games and a cousin competing in the water polo team. Ray, who is in the same class as Mick, has to make do with sitting on the pavement watching a television in a shop window. It doesn't seem fair!

When the other children follow the boasting Leary boys around the playground, Ray retaliates by telling a lie. He announces that he is also going to the Games with his cousin, who is filming the Olympics from the new ABC broadcast van.

Mick doesn't believe Ray's story and demands proof in the form of a photo. Ray realises that he needs an excellent plan or he will be in all sorts of trouble with Mick and his rough brothers. And so begins Ray's own Olympic challenge. In trying to deal with the situation he has created, Ray gets some help from his brother, advice from his grandfather and support from his friend Skeeta.

Ray manages to get into the Games, find the ABC van and meet a new "cousin" who is happy to be photographed with Ray on the ABC van. It may have been a lie, but Ray gets the proof he needs.' (National Museum)

'Con and Josh build a spaceship so they can launch themselves into outer space. Blasting off is a roaring success, but the unexpected landing causes some problems.' (Publisher's blurb)

'Con and Josh become big-game hunters when they try to catch a mouse in Con's father's workshop. They're all set to spring the trap when a late discovery makes them change their minds.' (Publisher's blurb)

'It's Jeremy's birthday - the day he's been looking forward to for ages, but when his little brother Oliver disappears and everyone stops everything to look for him, suddenly Jeremy's birthday isn't so much fun anymore. ' (Publisher's blurb)