Booklists

Challenge Level : K-2 Challenge Level : 3-4 Challenge Level : 5-6 Challenge Level : 7-9 Challenge Level : 9plus

Star This title also appears on the 9plus booklist.

Hash This title is usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

ID Title Author  
22306
Inferior, The
There is but one law, eat or be eaten. Stopmouth and his family know of no other life than the daily battle to survive. For Stopmouth, considered slow-witted hunt-fodder by his tribe, the future looks especially bleak. Then, on the day he is callously betrayed by his brother, a strange and beautiful woman falls from the sky.
ISBN 9780552555272
Publisher Corgi Books, 2008
O Guilin, Peadar
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480
Z for Zachariah
Set in the future after a nuclear war, a young girl believes that she is the last person left on earth. A deadly stranger proves her wrong.
ISBN 9780141300313
Publisher Puffin Australia, 1998
O'Brien, Robert
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903381

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Seven percent of Ro Devereux
Seven percent of Ro Devereux is a fast paced romance which follows Ro a creator of a app called MASH. The app becomes an overnight success but Ro is forced to partner with Miller (her ex best-friend) A story about loss, family dynamics and living your dreams. This book is a 21st Century look on life on socials! Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.
ISBN 9780063318311
Publisher HarperCollins US, 2023
O'Clover, Ellen
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12355
Through the tiger's eye
Lucy, her little brother and their puppy follow a golden-eyed Tiger into a secret tunnel to a country where strange, bizarre and violent things happen. They try to help the enslaved children of the evil military junta without falling victim to it too.
ISBN 9781865085388
Publisher Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd, 2003
O'Connor, Kerrie
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213
Island of the blue dolphins
Set in the 1800s, this is a story of a girl's survival on a deserted island.
ISBN 9780140302684
Publisher Puffin Australia, 1966
O'Dell, Scott
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2444
Adventures of Sir Roderick the not-very brave, The
Roderick doesn't want to be a knight. When Queen Emily sends her knights on a grand quest, Sir Roderick wants to stay behind. Reluctantly, he ventures forth beyond the Forest of Gilderang (filled with fearsome creatures) to the Circle of Mountains, home to giant cockroaches. En route, he meets an invisible girl, a talking bear and the most famous sorcerer in the land.
ISBN 9781742614038
Publisher Pan MacMillan, 2014
O'Loghlin, James
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8009
Into the volcano
Volcano researcher and photographer Donna O'Meara describes what it is like to be right there when a volcano erupts and hot lava, scalding steam and acidic ash are falling all around you.
ISBN 9781553376934
Publisher Kids can press, 2005
O'Meara, Donna
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579471
Weapons of math destruction: How big data increases inequality and threatens democracy
Even though you may not see them, our world is filled with algorithms. Algorithms that decide what advertisements you will see, what opportunities you will be presented with, and what costs you will have to face during your lifetime. Education, insurance, loans, health, and justice, are all at the mercy of these opaque lines of code. Mathematician and former finance industry worker, Cathy O'Neil has lifted the lid to show what is going on beneath the surface of big data. A fascinating, and frightening, insight into powerful forces that shape our lives everyday.
ISBN 9780141985411
Publisher Penguin, 2017
O'Neil, Cathy
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13032
Queen of hearts
This is not a story of happily ever after. Beneath each smile lies a secret, and Alice has not tumbled down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. Not yet... Princess Dinah will one day become the Queen of Hearts. She longs for her father's approval and a future with the boy she loves. But when betrayal breaks her heart and threatens her throne, she is launched into danger. Dinah must stay one step ahead of her enemies or she'll lose not just the crown - it will be off with her head.
ISBN 9780008175399
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 2016
Oakes, Colleen
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846152

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Dreams from my father (adapted for young adults)
'Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States and the first African-American president. This memoir has been adapted for young adults and explores family, race and identity. It is a revealing portrait of a young Black man asking questions about self discovery and belonging, long before he became one of the most important voices in America. The son of a white American mother and a Black Kenyan father, Obama was born in Hawaii, where he lived until he was six when he moved with his mother and stepfather to Indonesia. At twelve he returned to Hawaii to live with his Grandparents. Obama explores the challenges of high school and college, living in New York, becoming a community organiser in Chigago and travelling to Kenya. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 or above.
ISBN 9781922458445
Publisher Text Publishing Co, 2021
Topics / Biography /
Obama, Barack
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587853

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Becoming
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerising storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her - from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it - in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations - and whose story inspires us to do the same. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.
ISBN 9780241334140
Publisher Penguin, 2018
Obama, Michelle
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774240

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Becoming (adapted for younger readers)
What's important is our story, our whole story, including those moments when we feel a little vulnerable . . . Michelle Robinson started life sharing a bedroom with her older brother Craig, in their family's upstairs apartment in her great-aunt's house. Her parents, Fraser and Marian, poured their love and energy into their children. She would go on to become Michelle Obama, the inspirational First Lady of the United States of America. Now adapted for younger readers, with new photographs and a new introduction from Michelle Obama herself, this memoir tells a very personal, and completely inspiring, story of how, through hard work and determination, the girl from the South Side of Chicago built an extraordinary life. Usually read by students inn years 9, 10, or above.
ISBN 9780241531815
Publisher Penguin, 2021
Topics / Biography /
Obama, Michelle
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846119
Jacqueline: A soldier's daughter
When Jacqueline was a little girl living in France, World War 2 began. Her father is sent to fight while her mother becomes brave and fierce. She protects her little girl and tries to keep the family together and strong.
ISBN 9781925804911
Publisher Ford Street Publishing, 2021
Ober, Pierre-Jacques & Ober, Jules
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628182
Good son, The
Pierre wanted to be a good son. He wanted to be a good soldier. But the whole world was at war, and he couldn't be both.
ISBN 9781536204827
Publisher Candlewick Press, 2019
Topics / Displacement /
Ober, Pierre-Jacques & Ober, Jules (ill) & Coonan, Felicity (ill)
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774242
All our hidden gifts
Maeve Chambers does not have any special gifts. That is, until she finds a dusty old pack of tarot cards. She finds herself able to give readings with uncanny accuracy. When she reads for an ex-friend, a strange card appears and begins a series of events that ensure Maeve faces her inner demons and a power much older and more powerful than even the cards have proven to be.
ISBN 9781406393095
Publisher Walker Books, 2021
ODonoghue, Caroline
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774350

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Being black 'n chicken, and chips (Teen edition)
Based on Matt Okine's award-winning stand-up show, this is a heart-breaking and hilarious story about trying to grow up when everything around you is falling down. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.
ISBN 9780734420671
Publisher Hachette Australia, 2019
Okine, Matt
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61571
Jacques Cousteau: Life under the sea
To show off the beauty below the waves, pioneering oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau, developed new diving technology and innovative ways to photograph underwater life. His films opened our eyes to an unknown and spectacular marine universe and enlightened us about the complexity of the oceans' ecology, and the need to preserve it.
ISBN 9781402744402
Series Sterling biographies series (5 of 29)
Publisher Sterling Publishing Co, 2008
Olmstead, Kathleen
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88014
Matthew Henson: the quest for the north pole
He risked the great unknown and became the first man to reach the North Pole. But, it took decades to overcome the racism and give African-American explorer, Matthew Henson, rightful recognition for his extraordinary achievements. This is the story of Henson's dramatic, groundbreaking life.
ISBN 9781402744419
Series Sterling biographies series (11 of 29)
Publisher Sterling Publishing Co, 2008
Olmstead, Kathleen
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18461
Airborn
Fifteen year old Matt works as a cabin boy aboard the Aurora,a luxury airship that is part passenger cruise ship. When wealthy Kate and her chaperone come aboard, Matt discovers that she is determined to prove her grandfather's claims that he saw strange creatures flying in the sky in the area the year before. His diary describes them as huge, furry beasts with batlike wings and sharp claws. A storm forces the damaged Aurora to set down on a seemingly deserted island.
ISBN 9780340878576
Series Airborn series (1 of 3)
Publisher Hodder Children's Books (Australia), 2005
Oppel, Kenneth
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Airborn series
Any five titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top of the screen.
Series Airborn series (3 books)
Oppel, Kenneth
No book cover.
110667
Skybreaker
Matt Cruse flies higher than he ever dreamed. The former cabin boy, now a student at the prestigious Paris Airship Academy, is on a two-week training tour with a run-down cargo airship. His captain sights a legendary ghost ship and Matt recklessly heads skyward in pursuit. The Hyperion, lost in a storm in the dawn of the aviation age, is rumoured to hold great wealth, and Matt is suddenly the only person on earth who knows her coordinates.
ISBN 9780340878583
Series Airborn series (2 of 3)
Publisher Hodder Children's Books (UK), 2005
Oppel, Kenneth
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78996
Starclimber
Pilot-in-training Matt Cruse and Kate de Vries, expert on high-altitude life-forms, are invited aboard the Starclimber, a vessel that literally climbs its way into the cosmos. Soon, the ship is surrounded by strange and unsettling life-forms, and the crew is forced to combat devastating mechanical failure. What began as an exciting race to the stars has now turned into a battle to save their lives.
ISBN 9780060850593
Series Airborn series (3 of 3)
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 2009
Oppel, Kenneth
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4296
Blitz
London is being bombed and children are evacuated to the country. Since his parents died, Martin can't stand being mothered and so he heads back to the city. But, London is not what he remembers, it's in flames and Martin is in danger.
ISBN 9780237534448
Series Sharp shades series (8 books)
Publisher Evans Bros, 2007
Orme, David
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955
Plague
The year is 1665 and the plague has come to the city of London. For apprentice Henry Harper, life will never be the same. His father has died of the plague, and his mother and brother have fled to the country. Now Henry is alone and he must find a way to escape from the city he loves, before he, too, is struck down.
ISBN 9780237535223
Series Sharp shades series (8 books)
Publisher Evans Bros, 2008
Orme, David
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774231
Cuckoo's flight
Clio's family were potters, although her father came from another land and worked with horses. Clio only left the kiln for a short time, to check on her horse, but the consequences of what she saw would change her and her village forever. When raiders are spotter just off the coast, the Goddess asks for the unthinkable. Clio must face many obstacles, deal with grief, find new friends and save a village. Her grandmother creates a statue to save Clio's life, but will it be enough?
ISBN 9781760524913
Publisher Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd, 2021
Orr, Wendy
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2566

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Leaving it to you
A story for more mature readers about the tentative friendship between Linda and old Mrs Pugh in the nursing home. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.
ISBN 9780207175923
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 1992
Orr, Wendy
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306

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Peeling the onion
Following a car accident in which her neck is broken, a teenage karate champion has to recover from this tragedy with the help of her family. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.
ISBN 9781741149333
Publisher Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd, 1996
Orr, Wendy
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568091
Swallow's dance
The noise throws us from our beds. It's too huge to be heard; it bombards us. It's the sound of the end of the world. 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.
ISBN 9781760297879
Publisher Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd, 2018
Topics / Poetry /
Orr, Wendy
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751105
Blazewrath games
Lana Torres has always dreamt of playing for her native Puerto Rico in the Blazewrath Games, a dangerous relay of dragon riders fighting and racing for glory. When the cup is jeopardised by the Sire, a legendary dragon cursed into human form, Lana finds herself navigating an International conspiracy and a world that's deadlier than her beloved sport.
ISBN 9781645670797
Publisher Pan MacMillan, 2020
Ortiz, Amparo
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Animal farm
A classic allegory in which the animals take over Manor Farm from their drunken master and all seems to be perfect as everyone is equal under the Seven Commandments. Circumstances change as the pigs become more equal than the others. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.
ISBN 9780141187389
Publisher Penguin, 2004
Orwell, George
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4601
Among believers: Pictorial journey, A
Among Believers explores the richness and diversity of the world's mainstream religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Sikhism. More than 350 remarkable photographs document worship and the rites of passage rooted in a country's culture, religious festivals, feasts and fasts, meditation, education, sacred foods and places of pilgrimage.
ISBN 9780992324018
Publisher World religions photo library, 2016
Osborne, Christine
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Heartstopper series
Any five titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to five more titles can be included as your personal choice books. To see the individual book titles and their PRC ID numbers, go to the Series lists on the Booklists page, on the website. Or, you can search for a series name or the individual titles by using the Search function on the top left hand corner of the screen.
Series Heartstopper series (6 books)
Oseman, Alice
No book cover.
751218

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Heartstopper volume 2
Nick and Charlie are best friends. Nick knows Charlie's gay, and Charlie is sure that Nick isn't. But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is discovering all kinds of things about his friends, his family ... and himself. Heartstopper is about friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.
ISBN 9781444951400
Series Heartstopper series (2 of 6)
Publisher Hachette Children's Books, 2019
Oseman, Alice
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710073

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Heartstopper volume 3
Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Nick's even found the courage to come out to his mum. But coming out isn't just something that happens once - there's Nick's older brother, and a school trip to Paris, not to mention all the other friends and family - and life can be hard, even with someone who loves you by your side. As their feelings get more serious, Charlie and Nick will need each other more than ever before. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.
ISBN 9781444952773
Series Heartstopper series (3 of 6)
Publisher Hachette Children's Books, 2020
Oseman, Alice
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814297

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Heartstopper volume 4
Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Charlie's beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you. Nick's been feeling the same, but he's got a lot on his mind - not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder. As summer turns to autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above
ISBN 9781444952797
Series Heartstopper series (4 of 6)
Publisher Hachette Australia, 2021
Oseman, Alice
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1019830

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Heartstopper volume 5
"Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They've finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick's house ... But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change? Contains discussions about mental health, eating disorders, and sexual experiences. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.
ISBN 9781444957655
Series Heartstopper series (5 of 6)
Publisher Hachette Australia, 2023
Oseman, Alice
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903366

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Heartstopper yearbook, The
'The full-colour Heartstopper Yearbook is packed full of exclusive content from the Heartstopper universe - including never-before-seen illustrations, an exclusive mini-comic, a look back at Alice's Heartstopper artwork over the years, character profiles, trivia, and insights into her creative process - all narrated by a cartoon version of Alice herself. By the winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us. Usually read by students in Years 9,10 or above.
ISBN 9781444968392
Series Heartstopper series (6 books)
Publisher Hachette Children's Books, 2022
Oseman, Alice
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608378

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Heartstopper: Boy meets boy
Charlie and Nick are total opposites. Charlie is gay, is a bit of a nerd and plays the drums, while Nick is a star player on the school's rugby team. In fact, they'd never even noticed each other until they were made to sit next to each other. As time passes, Nick and Charlie become close friends. Charlie slowly begins to fall for Nick, who is straight, but love works in mysterious ways. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 & above.
ISBN 9781444951387
Series Heartstopper series (1 of 6)
Publisher Hodder & Stoughton, 2019
Oseman, Alice
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830346

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I was born for this
The Ark's fandom has given her everything she loves - her friend Juliet, her dreams, her place in the world. Her Muslim family doesn't understand the band's allure, but Angel feels there are things about her they'll never understand. Jimmy Kaga-Ricci owes everything to The Ark. He's their frontman, and playing in a band with his mates is all he ever dreamed of doing, even it only amplifies his anxiety. The fans are very accepting that he's trans, but they also keep shipping with him with his longtime friend and bandmate, Rowan. But Jimmy and Rowan are just friends, and Rowan has a secret girlfriend the fans can never know about. Dreams don't always turn out the way you think and when Jimmy and Angel are unexpectedly thrust together, they find out how strange and surprising facing up to reality can be. This book explores issues of mental health. It is usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.
ISBN 9781338830934
Publisher HarperCollins Children's Books, 2018
Oseman, Alice
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854033

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Nick and Charlie
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Everyone knows that Nick and Charlie are the perfect couple - that they're inseparable. But now Nick is leaving for university, and Charlie will be left behind at Sixth Form. Everyone's asking if they're staying together, which is a stupid question - they're "Nick and Charlie" for goodness sake! But as the time to say goodbye gets inevitably closer, both Nick and Charlie question whether their love is strong enough to survive being apart. Or are they delaying the inevitable? Because everyone knows that first loves rarely last forever. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.
ISBN 9780008389666
Publisher HarperCollins Australia, 2015
Oseman, Alice
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807158

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Solitaire
My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year - before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people - I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that's all over now. Now there's Solitaire. And Michael Holden. I don't know what Solitaire are trying to do, and I don't care about Michael Holden. I really don't. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 above. This novel depicts a number of mental health issues including depression, eating disorders and OCD. Please refer to the author's website for information about potentially triggering ideas and content.
ISBN 9780007559220
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 2014
Oseman, Alice
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869572

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This winter
The festive season isn't always happy for Tori Spring and her brother Charlie. And this year's going to be harder than most. "I used to think that difficult was better than boring, but I know better now - I'm not going to think about the past few months, about Charlie and me, and all of the sad. I'm going to block it all out Just for today."Happy Christmas, " I say." Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.
ISBN 9780008412937
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, UK, 2020
Oseman, Alice
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804527

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Radio silence
What if everything you set yourself up to be was wrong? Frances has always been a study machine with one goal, elite university. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret - not even the person she is on the inside. But when Frances meets Aled, the shy genius behind her favourite podcast, she discovers a new freedom. Then the podcast goes viral and the fragile trust between them is broken. Caught between who she was and who she longs to be, Frances' dreams come crashing down. Suffocating with guilt, she knows that she has to confront her past - She has to confess why Carys disappeared. Meanwhile at uni, Aled is alone, fighting even darker secrets. It's only by facing up to your fears that you can overcome them. And it's only by being your true self that you can find happiness. Frances is going to need every bit of courage she has. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.
ISBN 9780007559244
Publisher HarperCollins Australia, 2016
Oseman, Alice
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32473
Blue noise
Ash is drooling over a guitar when he meets Charlie Novak. One jam session later and Charlie convinces Ash to play in his band and Erin to be the keyboard player. Erin thinks Charlie is a fruit loop, with his weird hair and hyperactive rantings. Besides, she's a classical pianist and it'll never work.
ISBN 9781741663754
Publisher Random House Australia Pty Ltd, 2009
Oswald, Debra
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5736

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Fifth quest, The
Rosie flirts with the value of friendship and the need to resist the surreal world of television. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.
ISBN 9780143300014
Publisher Penguin, 2002
Oswald, Debra
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325
Redback leftovers, The
Imagine the worst soccer team that you can think of and then triple it. This is a description of the debut of the Redback Leftovers, one of the most unlikely and inspiring soccer teams you are ever going to meet.
ISBN 9780141304946
Publisher Penguin, 2000
Oswald, Debra
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