AustLit

'James Gong is training for his black belt in taekwondo. One night a camera crew from Hollywood Productions turns up at training for an episode of My Life, only to see James at his most ornery aggressiveness.

'They love James’ jumping spinning sidekick, and decide to star him in a small budget flick. Trouble is, Hollywood Productions is a scam company that basically produces B-grade ‘loser’ movies to offset huge tax bills.

'Meanwhile, James, who likes his sister Caitlin’s best friend, Amber, thinks his sudden film career will curry favour. Not so. If anything, Amber shuns him even more. Hollywood Productions may want to lose money, but they underestimate their star.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A tale of the acceptance of change and loss; the importance of friends and family, and the uplifting strength that comes from hope.

'Harry’s mum runs a boarding house for transient old men who are down on their luck. To counter his frustration and anger, Harry longs for the companionship of a dog. The Annual Gala at school features a dog hurdle race and more than anything in the world, Harry would love to enter a dog into that race and win it. Such a win would give him a sense of worth and belonging. A new lodger, Jack Ellis, befriends Harry and shares a wealth of outback adventure stories featuring dogs with him. ' (Publication summary)

'A haunted house, trouble at the zoo, a girl who gets zapped into a computer game, homework-stealing aliens, a pirate war, the loudest kid alive, a princess under a magic spell, racing snails, a family of monsters and much, much more in this collection of seven-minute stories. ' (Publication summary)

'An ice-cream-eating dinosaur, a big, bad smell, a lifesaving dog, zombies playing soccer, a ghost in the garden, pets who get lost and found again, trouble with losing a tooth, seven helpful robots, a knight-slaying dragon, and much, much more in this collection of six-minute stories. ' (Publication summary)

'An anthology can be compared to a patchwork quilt, sewn by many hands. Each piece in the patchwork is different: distinctive in texture, shape, pattern, colour. Each piece, separately created, has its own individuality, is its own thing, and could exist on its own.

'You are about to enjoy some of Australia's best stories, poetry and artwork from the likes of: Shaun Tan Leigh Hobbs James Roy Justin D'Ath Kirsty Murray Simon Higgins Gary Crew Scot Gardner and many others . . .' (Publication summary)

'It's hard to save the world when you are in jail. Dantar and Velza, children of the warlock Calbaras, need to escape from jails six hundred miles apart to stop their father unleashing a catastrophically dangerous spell. Both will soon learn that they are not just special, they are also very dangerous.' (Publication summary)

'The warlock Calbaras wants to revive the ancient, forbidden magic of dragons, and his son Dantar is vital to his plans. Dantar is on the run in an enemy kingdom, unaware that he is so important. Worse, his sister Velza is now working for the enemy king.' (Publication summary)

'The Invincible has been attacked, and all seems lost. Dantar's only escape from his enemies is through the foul-smelling sewers of Savaria.

'Velza's plans to save him are soon thwarted by three enormous dragons threatening to set fire to the city.

'Can Dantar and Velza deliver the city from danger?' (Publication summary)

'There is no lower rank than cabin boy on the warship Invincible.

'But Dantar knows he is important, because anyone who threatens his life gets turned into a pile of ashes. His older sister Velza is a shapecasting warrior, in a world where only men fight. Until now.

'Together they must solve the mystery of broken magic and escape the dragon.' (Publication summary)

'In Lucy to the Rescue, kittens stuck in trees, squashed pop stars, runaway trucks...rescuing things is all in a day's work for a kung-fu hero like Lucy Lee. Or is it?' (Publication summary)

'Lucy's been employed as a kung-fu bodyguard to protect her friends from bullies. But is it Lucy's high kicks that scare off the bullies? Or something else? ' (Publication summary)

'Lucy is put in charge of her school and thinks that being a principal will be easy, but no one likes her new rules, especially Miss Brussels, the meanest teacher.' (Publication summary)

'Lucy Lee, Queen of Kung-fu. She's sure to win the Show Time talent quest with her spinning, high-kicking martial arts. It's a pity no one else agrees... ' (Publication summary)

'Lucy is accused of stealing her rival's lucky ring so she cannot compete in the kung fu contest, but her quick thinking and jam doughnut get her out of trouble.' (Publication summary)

'When evil intent is just the beginning...

'Matt Brannigan is a lawyer living on the edge. His daughter, Briony is psychic and trouble shadows his family wherever they go. Cult guru Brother Desmond knows that the power within Briony is the remaining key he needs to enter the next dimension. Once he controls this, he will have access to all that is presently denied him. When Briony is indoctrinated into the Zarathustrans, Matt and psychic Clarissa Pike enter the cult's headquarters under the cover of night to rescue her. So begins Armageddon...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In a galaxy of cut-throat companies, shadowy clans and a million agendas, spy agency RIM barely wields enough control to keep order. Maximus Black is RIM's star cadet. But he has a problem. One of RIM's best agents, Anneke Longshadow, knows there's a mole in the organisation.

And Maximus has a lot to hide.' (Publication blurb)

'Trust Me Too comprises work from over 50 of Australia's leading children's authors and illustrators. Separated into genres such as crime, adventure, romance, science fiction and fantasy, it truly covers all aspects of the classical anthology. It contains fiction, illustrations, poetry and graphics.

Contributors include a prequel to Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody, stories from many other writers including Jack Heath, Oliver Phommavanh, James Roy, Gary Crew, Margaret Clark, Phil Kettle, Michael Gerard Bauer, poems from writers such as Lorraine Marwood, Sofie Laguna and Michael Wagner, and illustrations from artists such as Shaun Tan, Leigh Hobbs, Mark Wilson and Marc McBride.' Source: Ford Street Publishing.