Unhei (meaning Grace) is a young Korean girl who thinks an American name might help her fit in better. But she decides that her own name is best.
SUITABLE AGES:
5 to 7
PUBLISHED:
2001
PUBLISHER:
Dell Dragonfly Books
ISBN:
0440417996
CATEGORY:
Novel
THEMES:
Names, Personal
Koreans in the United States
Self-perception
School
Asia
Tolerance
Said, Aimee
Little sister
2011
9781921529214
TITLE:
Little sister
AUTHOR:
Said, Aimee
Allison Miller is in Year 10, with good friends and a part time job she enjoys. Life should be perfect, but for Al there is one big problem - her older sister Larrie.
Max's uncle Jack has died and, during the funeral service, Max discovers that the body is about to be cremated. This goes directly against Jack's wishes to be buried alongside his father.
In a whimsical story inspired by the journey of Bourke and Wills, Carnavas has a group of young explorers travelling across wild country to deliver a valuable parcel.
SUITABLE AGES:
5 to 7
PUBLISHED:
2011
PUBLISHER:
New Frontier
ISBN:
9781921042812
GENRE:
adventure
CATEGORY:
Novel
THEMES:
Friendship
Resilience
Voyages and travels
Success
Achievement
Imagination
Explorers
Read aloud
Leadership
Quests
AWARDS:
Early Childhood Book of the Year Award Notable Books 2012
Wolf's story : what really happened to Little Red Riding Hood
2006
1406301620
TITLE:
Wolf's story : what really happened to Little Red Riding Hood
AUTHOR:
Forward, Toby
A New York wheeler-dealer retells Little Red Riding Hood from the perspective of the Wolf.
SUITABLE AGES:
8 to 12
PUBLISHED:
2006
PUBLISHER:
Walker
ISBN:
1406301620
GENRE:
folklore
CATEGORY:
Novel
THEMES:
Fractured fairy tales
Humour
Picture books for older readers
Wolves
Persuasive text
Conflicting perspectives
Wilkinson, Carole
Stagefright
2013
9781922077585
TITLE:
Stagefright
AUTHOR:
Wilkinson, Carole
Recommendation:
Recommended
Velvet S. Pye is feeling very hard done by - with the sudden plunge of the family fortunes from very comfortably off to pretty well destitute, Velvet has lost everything she considers important. And she has to join the Cultural Studies group.
Emmanuel and Prince, from the Democratic Republic of Congo live in foster care in England. When they hear that their father is trapped in Tanzania they are determined to help him.
SUITABLE AGES:
12 to 18
PUBLISHED:
2013
PUBLISHER:
Frances Lincoln Children's Books
ISBN:
9781847803894
GENRE:
crime
CATEGORY:
Novel
THEMES:
Brothers and sisters
Africans in Great Britain
Crime - Tanzania
Tanzania
AWARDS:
Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children's Book Award
Blue Lawrence has escaped the prison of her aunt's mansion to join The Magnifico Family Circus, a travelling troupe that brings glamour and laughter to country towns gripped by the Depression.
Danika and her crew of refugees finally reach the Magnetic Valley. Will it be the safe refuge and land of freedom they had imagined? When a runaway girl is shot down before their eyes, Danika and her friends realise that this new land is no paradise. They must try to fit in at all costs - even if revealing their secrets will mean a death sentence.
Newly arrived in 1892 New England, Abigail Rook becomes assistant to R.F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with the ability to see supernatural beings, and she helps him delve into a case of serial murder which, Jackaby is convinced, is due to a nonhuman creature.
Michael's favourite toy, Monkey Moon, is missing. He never goes to bed without his toy, and determines to look until he finds it. A search of the house proves fruitless, so Michael sets off to the park.
Ella-Loo and Darryl are a couple on their way to New York, when they they find that they become addicted to murder after killing a motorist for his car. They manage to get away with multiple murders until they kill a much loved musician in New York and Lieutenant Eve Dallas puts together the clues.
Reassurance comes with every page as the mother tells her offspring that she will always be there. In simple rhyming sentences, the message is clear: that no matter what happens the mother will be around.
Lily the elf is getting ready for Jumble Sale Day! All the elves are setting up stalls in their front gardens to sell the things they don't need any more. But Lily doesn't want to sell any of her things - they are all too precious. Will Lily be able to part with her special treasures? (Back cover)
It is the end of winter and Penelope is waiting for her mate Percy to return. Unfortunately, over winter, a new road was started and Percy and the other male possums can't cross safely. How will they get home?
Mysterious Mr Jacob : diamond merchant, magician & spy
2017
9780995359437
TITLE:
Mysterious Mr Jacob : diamond merchant, magician & spy
AUTHOR:
Zubrzycki, John
Set in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the story is centred on Alexander Malcolm Jacob, who arrived in Bombay in 1865. Jacob became well-known in his own world of commerce, in the Indian world of the time, particularly through his diamond-dealing, the stones he sourced often being worth millions.
SUITABLE AGES:
to 18
PUBLISHED:
2017
PUBLISHER:
Transit Lounge
ISBN:
9780995359437
CATEGORY:
Novel
THEMES:
Jacob, Alexander Malcolm
Merchants - Biography
Diamonds - Biography
Fraud - Biography
Trials - Biography
Economics and business
Diamonds (Minerals)
India - History - 1765-1947, British occupation - Biography
It's 1980's Dublin and life is tough for 14 year old Conor Lalor. His father has lost his job, his parents are breaking up and he has to move from his cotton wool private school to the harsh Catholic local, where the school bully and headmaster are gunning for him. Then Conor sees her: the uber cool Raphina, a 17 year old model standing near school. She may be totally out of his league but Conor decides to give it a crack and asks Raphina to be in the music video for his band. There's just one slight problem: there is no video because there is no band. (Container)
SUITABLE AGES:
M
PUBLISHED:
2016
PUBLISHER:
Roadshow Entertainment
GENRE:
humour
CATEGORY:
Novel
THEMES:
Adolescents in Ireland
Family - Ireland
Rock music
Regional culture
Dublin (Ireland) - Social life and customs
Comedies
Oppel, Kenneth
Every hidden thing
2017
9781910989579
TITLE:
Every hidden thing
AUTHOR:
Oppel, Kenneth
Recommendation:
Highly recommended
Somewhere in the Badlands, embedded deep in centuries-buried rock and sand, lies the skeleton of a massive dinosaur, larger than anything the late nineteenth century world has ever seen. To Samuel Bolt it's the 'rex', the king dinosaur that could put him and his struggling, temperamental archaeologist father in the history books. For Rachel Cartland this find could be her chance to prove herself on this expedition with her professor father.
Set in the land of Efea, similar to ancient Egypt, Jessamy lives in a stratified society. Her father, Captain Esladas, is a Patron from the conquering land of Saro, and an outstanding commander in the army but has chosen to live with an Efean woman, known as a Commoner. When her father's patron is killed he stands to lose everything, and is forced to renounce his family and marry into Patron royalty. Jes seizes the opportunity to train in The Fives and together with Kalliarkos, a Patron Prince, learns about the scheming politics of the royal family and have to try and save her mother and sisters from a horrific death.
Pelle's nemesis Mans and his minions Bill and Bull repeatedly try to trick and upset him. Mans organises a big Swing Fair for all the neighbourhood cats, but all his tricks to embarrass Pelle backfire and he ends up in a scuffle instead.
A journey from the winter camp to a place by sweet water. An abundance of animal and plant food springs from the newly arrived wet season. Featuring vibrant Indigenous artwork by Balarinji.
Captain Thunderbolt's girlfriend, Mary Ann Bugg is clever, kind and strong. So why does she stick around with Captain Thunderbolt, when trouble follows him wherever he goes? Can Tommy help rescue her from prison?
Kon Karapanagiotidis is truly an inspiring person - founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, he fights for the rights of people who have no other help available, determined to make a difference to their lives.
Max has a key and a box of midnight blue. When he turns the key in the lock - WHOOSH! Day slips inside as Night sweeps out.
SUITABLE AGES:
5 to 7
PUBLISHED:
2017
PUBLISHER:
Egmont
ISBN:
9781405287203
CATEGORY:
Novel
THEMES:
Night and day
Bedtime
Night
Personification
AWARDS:
Klaus Flugge Prize shortlist 2018
Donaldson, Julia Illus. Roberts, David
Cook and the King
2018
9781509813773
TITLE:
Cook and the King
AUTHOR:
Donaldson, Julia Illus. Roberts, David
Recommendation:
Highly recommended
Once there was a very hungry king, who needed a cook like anything. But cook after cook just isn't good enough. Could the shuffling, shaking Wobbly Bob get the job? (BAck cover)
Harry and Charlie are teenagers whose lives are shaped by a society that's shifting around them. He is a lonely Brit in his first term at a Las Vegas high school. She is an unlikely friend, who gets accused of mixing a batch of explosives that blew up a football player. Killer T is a synthetic virus with a ninety per-cent mortality rate, and the terrorists who created it want a billion dollars before they'll release a vaccine.
When snow shuts down Greg Heffley's middle school, his neighborhood transforms into a wintry battlefield. Rival groups fight over territory, build massive snow forts, and stage epic snowball fights. (Publisher)
For most of her twelve years, Astrid has done everything with her best friend Nicole. But after Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for derby camp, Nicole decides to go to dance camp instead. And so begins the most difficult summer of Astrid's life. (Publisher)
Hannah is stuck in the middle of a deadly outbreak. As Sydney goes into lockdown, she attempts to quarantine her home and protect her family from ominous infection around them. How far will a panicked mother go to keep her loved ones safe?
SUITABLE AGES:
15 to 18
PUBLISHED:
2015
PUBLISHER:
MidnightSun
ISBN:
9781925227031
GENRE:
mystery and suspense
CATEGORY:
Novel
THEMES:
Mothers
Epidemics
Family relations
Family relationship
Australian literature
Prior, Natalie Jane Illus. King, Stephen Michael
Wandering star
2019
9781760663339
TITLE:
Wandering star
AUTHOR:
Prior, Natalie Jane Illus. King, Stephen Michael
Recommendation:
Recommended
I have a horse, a beautiful horse, and her name is Wandering Star. We roam wild and free, from the hills to the sea, and it's magic wherever we are.
The soldiers come at night. The first Hasina knows of it is her aunt's voice, urgent, full of fear. 'Up, up. Get up!' The second thing is smoke. Then the rain of bullets. 'Run and don't stop,' her father shouts. (Publisher)
Amelie is a notorious blabbermouth with two very big secrets: 1. She is the mysterious author of the school newsletter's advice column. 2. Her uncle's dog has an adorable litter of puppies! Amelie plans to surprise everyone at school by bringing in a puppy for show and tell. Maybe she'll even win over her snarky frenemy, Paris Sheridan! But keeping so many secrets is hard when you're a blabbermouth, and letters asking for her advice are coming thick and fast. Can Amelie keep it all together? (Back cover)
When the body of an artist is fished from the moat outside the National Gallery, Murray - political minder, brushed-off lover and art buff on the make - goes looking for the big picture. If he can put the fix in, he might have a chance of staying employed.
In the crinkled shadows night-dwellers yawn, day-creatures stretch and Kookaburra laughs. Kook-kook-kook. Kak-kak-kak. The kookaburra, perhaps Australia's best-loved bird, is shown in all her glory in a stunning and vivid landscape. Follow along as Kookaburra finds food for her young and goes searching for a nest with her mate. (Publisher)
SUITABLE AGES:
5 to 10
PUBLISHED:
2020
PUBLISHER:
Walker Books Australia
ISBN:
9781760651060
SERIES:
Nature storybooks
GENRE:
animal
CATEGORY:
Novel
THEMES:
Kookaburras
Animals - Habits and behaviour
Birds
Animal behaviour
AWARDS:
Eve Pownall Book of the Year Award Notable Books 2021, Whitley Award 2021
This book is a guide to living healthily. It doesn't suggest anything radical, expensive or weird, but hundreds of small ways to taking the very best care of your health. There are tips on how to eat well, how to build exercise into your day, how to sleep better and how to cope with stress.
