Booklists

With its vivid red dirt, big blue skies, wild green bushland and golden sandy beaches, Australia is a country of extraordinary colour. Here is a celebration of the stunning plants and animals of this colourful country, from vibrant pink Flame Peas to startling blue Fairy Wrens, electric yellow Billy Buttons, glossy black Tasmanian Devils, and many more. Come and take a closer look at nature's paintbox and the rainbow of life that lives in Australia, from one of our best-loved picture book creators.

Big Cat is mysterious. Big Cat is chaotic. Big Cat is lawless. Catherine is not. She likes things to be neat, tidy and orderly. But when the two meet, they discover they have more in common than they think and that sometimes the best adventures can be found in your own backyard.

A wandering dog, a cattle dog, a dog that loves the land. With master by his side, the wilderness is no stranger. Until the storm comes.

The bay was awash with stranded whales. Their high-pitched calls filled the air. Ben had to get help. Based on the true story of a town whose people saved 120 beached whales, Stranded is the story of one little whale, and the boy who risked his life to save it.

Take a look at some pairs of animals that appear alike but are really very different. Find out how wasps differ from bees, and the difference between alligators and crocodiles. Easy to access information includes unusual or amazing facts, photographs, charts and maps.

We all know that sharks can be dangerous but find out whether they are as bad as they seem.

Animals, like people, live in many different kinds of houses. Find out about some of the more unusual animal homes, such as glowworms, clownfish and the trapdoor spider.

We are all familiar with the top layer of the ocean but let's explore what the ocean is like far beneath the surface. Find out what secrets are hidden in the deep and what creatures lurk way down where the sun doesn't shine. Easy to access information includes unusual or amazing facts, photographs, charts and maps.

Find out how robots are changing our world and whether they will ever replace humans. Easy to access information includes unusual or amazing facts, photographs, charts and maps.

Leave the world behind and dare to be different. Find out about some fabulous racing cars, hot rods, custom-made cars and monster trucks. Easy to access information includes unusual or amazing facts, photographs, charts and maps.

Many people have risked their lives to break speed records on the ground, in the air and on the water. Meet some of them and find out how, and why, they did it. Easy to access information includes unusual or amazing facts, photographs, charts and maps.

The world is full of creepy, crawly things but there's more to these critters than fangs and hairy legs. Open your eyes to the true wonders of the world of mini-beasts.

From tornadoes to hurricanes and raining frogs, find out what happens when the weather gets wild. Learn about storms, why they occur and their impact on our lives.

If football and hockey are not exciting enough for you, enter the world of extreme sports. There's no telling what people will do to get their thrills.

This series is for sailing and boating fans who love adventures on the water.

Slam poet and social advocate Solli Raphael shines a spotlight on the concerns teenagers face today with over 30 impressive new poems and performance pieces. He shares his experiences of helping to create change and contribute to a sustainable world. Packed with activities for kids and teens to find their own voices, everyone can be proactive in shaping the future.

Marcus Rashford the famous football player from England gives a empowering story of finding your identity and making a difference in the world. His powerful messages of being kind to yourself and others provides practical and empowering messages for young adults to be happy in their own skin.

At the back of the class there was an empty chair, but then one day a new boy arrives. Everyone wants to know more about this boy. He disappears at break times, he speaks no English and he is really good at soccer. Alexa and her friends learn that Ahmet has a big problem so they set about trying to help. They devise a plan, but what happens when they try to follow through with the plan?

Author Onjali Q Rauf shares some of her favourite books and characters as she leads readers on a journey to better understand how our own actions, and the actions of others, can have great and positive effects on others. Navigating our world can be an adventure where even small acts of kindness can have an enormous impact.

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.

It's 1934 and the Great Centenary Air Race from London to Melbourne will be the biggest and most exciting race that the world has ever seen. Ten year old Jack longs to see the race but he lives in Albury, miles away from the action. But, when a giant Dutch plane is lost in a terrible thunderstorm over Albury, Jack finds himself part of the action.

Mary Seacole is now known for her medical work in the Crimean war, and as a brilliant woman who combated the racial prejudice she experienced in her lifetime. But for a long time her story was lost. From growing up in Kingston, Jamaica as the daughter of a doctress to helping soldiers in the war, discover the details of the amazing life that Mary Seacole led in this beautifully illustrated book with real-life stories, timelines and facts.

Imagine hearing a ship is about to sink? In 1876 16 year old Grace Bussell hears the news of a ship that has run aground on the Australian coast near her home. She doesn't hesitate and leaps on her horse, riding for an hour to get to the sinking ship. There, she and Sam, the family's stockman, gallop into the wild surf to save the remaining crew and passengers. Read about her courageous journey.

In 1932, a young boy, Lennie Gwyther, made a 1200 mile (1931km) return journey from rural Victoria to Sydney to witness the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. He travelled on horseback, mostly alone, camping out at night and relying on the kindness of strangers for bed and food. He encountered floods and fires, and inspired a nation coping with the Great Depression. Based on a true story.

Marvellous Miss May is the inspiring true story of a tiny circus performer whose mother way too poor to keep her. 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!

Imagine trying to survive in the Australian bush, in winter, without food and very little water. Almost 150 years ago, three young children found themselves in just this predicament. Somehow, they managed to keep going for over a week, walking nearly 100 kilometres trying to find their way home.

I felt like a visitor from another planet instead of a normal human being who actually belonged on planet Earth. Daniel has moved and has to start at a new school. And to make matters worse, his mum is his new school principal! As if things are not bad enough, when his dad goes overseas, his mum starts to act really strange and does some really embarrassing things. Daniel wonders if this has anything to do with an illness that she had a long time ago. His mum needs help and it looks like Daniel has to be the one to save her.

'It's about time the grown-ups got up to speed... After all, Pluto hasn't been a planet since 2006! In this guide from Britannica astronomer Dean Regas reveals why Pluto was kicked out of the planet club.

Wabi Sabi, the little cat, sets out to find out the meaning of her name. Beautifully told and illustrated in the Japanese style with a special form of stylised Haiku poetry as a main feature.

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.

Each book in this series deals with a different aspect of Antarctica using photographs and frozen facts. Each book contains a glossary and relevant web sites.

Each book in this series deals with a different aspect of Antarctica using photographs and frozen facts. Each book contains a glossary and web site references.

Each book in this series deals with a different aspect of Antarctica using photographs and frozen facts. Each book contains a glossary and refers to web sites.

Each book in this series deals with a different aspect of Antarctica using photographs and frozen facts. Each book contains a glossary and relevant web sites.

Shy and over-protected, Tim is the new kid in a small country town. He's slow to make friends and becomes involved with the school bully. Tim is pressured into visiting a mysterious, old woman, Granny Rags, a reclusive old lady, rumoured to be a witch. Tim gradually finds out Granny Rags' story and one visit turns to several. Soon, Tim find himself involved in a mess of corruption, secrets and danger.

Delve behind the scenes to look inside bridges, tunnels and towers around the world. Lift the flaps to reveal the mechanics and engineering of constructions including the Channel Tunnel connecting England and France, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world, and many more.

Eliza is shocked when she is sent to the Manchester cotton mills in 1842. The mill is noisy and suffocating, the work is backbreaking and dangerous and the workers are wrecked by poverty, sickness and unrest. Eliza realises she must fight to escape the fate of a mill girl and the miseries of the factory.

Claudia lives in Pompeii and begins her diary in August AD 78. She has been to the forum and felt the earth shake. It is a day of portents and omens, and on this same day, she first sees the mysterious slave boy, Aengus. Their paths continue to cross as they live in the shadow of the great volcano, Vesuvius.

Twelve year old Scarlett is the star and the victim of her mum's popular blog. The butt of school jokes, she's eager to stay firmly out of the spotlight. So, when Scarlett discovers the kitchen next door, left empty by an elderly neighbour in hospital, she begins to bake from the hand written recipe book she finds. As more people find out and Scarlett's confidence grows, The Secret Cooking Club is formed. Scarlett's life changes forever.

Jess feels that everyone just talks about netball, but she can't understand what all the fuss is about.

Sarah feels she is having a bad day, a bad year and it gets even worse when when Josh, the basketballer, falls for her.

Running. That's all Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But Ghost has been running for the wrong reasons--it all started with running away from his father, who, when Ghost was a very little boy, chased him and his mother through their apartment, then down the street, with a loaded gun, aiming to kill. Since then, Ghost has been the one causing problems--and running away from them--until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medalist who sees something in Ghost: crazy natural talent. If Ghost can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed, or will his past finally catch up to him?

This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy. Talking about boogers. Stealing pocket change. Skateboarding. Wiping out. Braving up. Executing complicated handshakes. Planning an escape. Making jokes. Lotioning up. Finding comfort. But mostly, too busy walking home. Jason Reynolds conjures ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and brilliantly weaves them into one wickedly funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life.

The world needs your voice. If you have a brilliant idea... say something! If you see an injustice... say something!

Everything you have ever wanted to know about when dinosaurs ruled Australia.

If you want to be the next rock superstar, find out what it takes to be part of a rock band on the road.

Treasure, adventure, skull and crossbones, and MP3s. Jump on board and sail away with daring pirates from long ago to the present day. Easy to access information includes unusual or amazing facts, photographs, charts and maps.

Discover what it takes to be selected and trained for this special job. Maybe it will be you one day who soars into space.

Movies show us places and creatures that only exist in our wildest dreams. From terrifying monsters to galaxies far beyond the reaches of our own, come behind the scenes and discover the secrets of this movie magic.

The sun is the Earth's closest star. For centuries, the sun has been a source of mystery and wonder. Find out lots of information about the Sun and solar activity.

Have a taste of different styles of eating and some very unusual snacks such as a deep-fried tarantula, some nutritious pig guts or perhaps a serving of crocodile

Preparations for the Ghastly-Gorm garden party and bake off are under way. Celebrity cooks are arriving at the hall for the big event and, true to form, Maltravers, the indoor gamekeeper, is acting suspiciously. Elsewhere at Ghastly-Gorm Ada's wardrobe-dwelling lady's maid Marylebone has received a marriage proposal. Ada vows to aid the course of true love and find out what Maltravers is up to but, amidst all this activity, everyone, including her father, appears to have forgotten her birthday!

Ada Goth is the only child of Lord Goth. The two live together in the enormous Ghastly-Gorm Hall. Lord Goth believes that children should be heard and not seen, so Ada has to wear large clumpy boots so that he can always hear her coming. This makes it hard for her to make friends and she is rather lonely. Then one day William and Emily Cabbage come to stay at the house and, together with a ghostly mouse called Ishmael, the three children begin to unravel a dastardly plot that Maltravers, the mysterious indoor gamekeeper, is hatching. Ada and her friends must work together to foil Maltravers before it's too late!

Lord Goth is throwing a music festival at Ghastly-Gorm Hall, with performances from the finest composers in the land. Ada cannot wait, but it is quite distracting when her grandmother is trying to find her father a fashionable new wife, there's a faun living in her wardrobe and Maltravers is up to his old tricks. Ada must make sure everything goes to plan, and luckily help is at hand from a very interesting house guest...

People are flocking to Ghastly-Gorm Hall from far and wide to compete in Lord Goth's literary dog show. The esteemed judges are in place and the contestants are all ready to win. Sir Walter Splott is preparing his Lanarkshire Lurcher, Plain Austen is preening her Hampshire Blue Bloodhound and Homily Dickinson and her Yankee Doodle Poodle are raring to go. But there is something strange going on at Ghastly-Gorm - mysterious footprints, howls in the night and some suspiciously chewed shoes. Can Ada, the Attic Club and their new friends the Vicarage sisters (Charlotte, Emily and Anne) work out what's going on before the next full moon?

Any three 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.

Ottoline and Mr Munroe love puzzles, clues and mysteries. One day, they meet an enigmatic purple fox, who offers to take them on a night-time urban safari. The fox shows them all the hidden animals of the city and Ottoline makes notes on them in her field notebook. Mr Munroe is making notes too - on the anonymous poems he finds stuck to lampposts on their journey. Who is the secretive poet, and how can he and Ottoline help them mend their broken heart?

Daring burglaries have taken place all over town and precious lapdogs are disappearing. Ottoline Brown and her best friend, Mr Munroe, must find out what is happening and do something.

Ottoline and Mr Munroe do everything and go everywhere together. That is, until the day Mr Munroe mysteriously disappears leaving a strange clue written in string... Armed with her Amateur Roving Collectors' travel pass Ottoline sets off on a journey over, under and on top of the sea to find her hairy best friend - and bring him back home.

Meet Ottoline and her hairy, helpful friend Mr. Munroe. Ottoline is off to the Alice B. Smith School for the Differently Gifted, but she is rather worried that she doesn't have a special gift. Mr. Munroe is more worried about the ghost who is said to haunt the school halls at night. Does Ottoline discover her hidden talent and can they expose the spook?

Any three 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.

An anteater, elephant, turtle and flamingo break out of the City Zoo and, disguised, manage to blend in for a time and enjoy their freedom in the city. Sepia drawings are a highlight of this escape adventure.

Clive Prendergast is a fox with a regular job and a place to call home in a busy city. His friend, Humphrey, is a struggling donkey with no fixed address. Life in the city isn't easy but a special-looking, blue envelope is about to change everything, at least for one night.

When a bird makes its nest on Colin Jenkin's head, his gentle and courteous acceptance redefines his life.

Nobody knows where they come from. But they come. Impossible birds of the big sky and the long night.

The epic story of Jason's quest for the golden fleece is retold for junior readers. Each short chapter adds another part to this riveting tale.

Jason has a problem. He doesn't remember anything before waking up on a school bus holding hands with a girl. Apparently she's his girlfriend Piper, his best friend is a someone called Leo, and they're all students in the Wilderness School, a boarding school for "bad kids." Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, and her nightmares reveal that he's in terrible danger. Now her boyfriend doesn't recognize her, and when a freak storm and strange creatures attack during a school field trip, she, Jason, and Leo are whisked away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood. Leo has a way with tools. His new cabin at Camp Half-Blood is filled with them. What's troubling is the curse everyone keeps talking about, and that a camper's gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist they are all-including Leo-related to a god.

After battling some cheerleaders, Percy needs to defend camp against his arch-enemy and bloodthirsty monsters. To battle this army, Percy needs to navigate his way through the Labyrinth.

If you like horror shows, blood baths, lying, stealing, backstabbing and cannibalism, then read on. Who could tell the true stories of the gods and goddesses of Olympus better than modern day demigod Percy Jackson? In this action packed tour of Greek mythology, Percy gives his hilarious personal views on the feuds, fights and love affairs of the Olympians. Want to know how Zeus came to be top god? How many times Kronos ate one of his own kids? How Athena literally burst out of another god's head? It's all here in black and white.

Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, God of the sea, is about to turn sixteen and he will discover if the great prophecy is about him and if he will save the world and Olympus, or join Kronos and the Titans.

Percy never knew he was the son of a Greek God but, when he vaporized his maths teacher, he was taken to camp and taught to sword fight, battle monsters and stay alive to find Zeus' stolen lightning bolt.

Camp Half-Blood is coming under attack and Percy needs to find the Golden Fleece to protect the camp's borders from the monsters trying to invade.

The goddess Persephone has summoned Percy, Thalia, and Nico to the Underworld in order to retrieve Hades' powerful sword before it falls into the wrong hands.

Five heroes will begin this quest, not all will return home. They must battle Titan's skeleton warriors, defeat a half-lion, half-human and save Annabeth.

Any five titles read from this series can be included as official Challenge books; up to ten 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.

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek God. I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporised my maths teacher. That's when things started really going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends, and generally trying to stay alive. This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky, thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt- and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea. Can Percy find the lightning bolt before a fully-fledged war of the Gods erupts?

Laura, an English girl, discovers that her Australian pen pal is blind. She decides to learn to use a Braille machine to send him a get-well-soon card. They are soon sending Braille letters to each other, making their letters private and confidential.

There are only two things that Jelly likes about the new house on Rosemary Street, the old apricot tree and the creek over the back fence. One night, Jelly and her cousins spot something in the creek's dark waters. At first, they think it's a bird but it's a baby angel with a broken wing. Jelly decides to keep it. But, she soon discovers that you can't just take something from where it belongs and expect that it won't be missed.

Penny has moved to Australia from China and her English is very limited. She misses her friends and her cousin is determined to make her life miserable at their school. When Penny's grandmother gives her a magic Chinese pouch, Penny has just one wish to make things right.

It's 1956...and Lina dreams of being a writer, but her strict Italian parents have other ideas. Now that she's won a scholarship to an expensive girls school, Lina has other troubles, too. But the Melbourne Olympic Games could be an opportunity for Lina to follow her dream of working on the school paper. Journey with Lina across all four exciting stories about a passionate girl finding a place to belong. Imaginative, kind and hard-working, Lina is an unforgettable Australian Girl.

Any three 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.

Polly and Buster shouldn't be friends, witches and monsters definitely don't get on. But Polly can't help it if her best friend is a monster and she knows he's not dangerous. Can they work together to prove everyone wrong and save the day?

'Polly and Buster have always believed that monsters and witches can coexist harmoniously. However, no-one else in her town seems to agree. While the witch are furious and the monsters are in uproar, a sinister menace lurks nearby. Can Polly and Buster bring everyone together in time to save their town?

In a world where witches can never be friends with monsters, Polly and Buster have managed to keep their friendship a secret. Until one day, when everything changes...

It's 1956 and Lina is working hard on the school newspaper but mean Sarah Buttersworth isn't making it easy. When Lina's best friend, Mary, gets distracted by her new television, things begin to fall apart. Meanwhile, at home, Lina starts to uncover some dark family secrets. Living in two such different worlds isn't easy and, when tragedy strikes, she makes a decision that causes her many lives to collide.

It's 1956, the Melbourne Olympic Games are over but, for Lina, the excitement is just beginning. She has a new best friend, the school magazine is a huge hit and her parents have a surprise that will change everything. When Lina has the chance to meet her idol, the famous writer Stella Davis, it seems that all her dreams have come true.

It's 1956 and the Melbourne Olympic Games have finally arrived. The whole city is buzzing with excitement and Lina can't wait to go along as a reporter for the school magazine. Now is her chance to prove to everyone that she's a real writer. Nothing could be more important until Lina makes a new friend who changes the way she sees the world.

It is 1956 in Melbourne and Lina dreams of being a writer. Her Italian parents have other ideas. Lina has a scholarship to an expensive girls' school and in order to fit in, tries to hide her home life even from her best friend.

From the lyrics of this iconic song a very special book has been created. Featuring the heart wrenching lyrics of Archie Roach and the classic artwork of his late wife Ruby Hunter, this book describes the anguish suffered by the Stolen Generation.

Eleven-year-old Alberta Bracken is having a terrible summer. Her broken arm means she can't go boogie boarding at the local beath. Her friends are acting weird, and her little sister, Clementine, is being extremely annoying. So when budding filmmaker Mikki Watanabe invites Alberta to make nature documentaries about the private life of trees, Alberta is ready for action! But then they uncover the fate of their beloved pine grove and wonder...how do a couple of eleven-year-olds save a forest before it's too late?

Sunny Hathaway is eleven years old, an only child, an introvert, a dog lover and part-owner of Pizza-a-Go-Girl, home made pizza delivery service. And, one summer, everything and everyone in her life changes including one step-dad, two siblings, one best friend, one sworn enemy and one long lost grandmother.

From simple acts of kindness, to the creativity within us all, The Great Realisation is a celebration of the many things that have brought us together at a time of crisis. It captures, with magical resonance, the thoughts and feelings of millions worldwide as we adapt to a new way of life, cast aside old habits and reflect on what truly matters to us. It is a story for all readers, young or old, who dare to dream of a fairer, kinder, more loving world.

Well-organised under clear headings and well-presented information on Australia's critically endangered animals with contents, websites, a glossary and ideas for related things to do.

Well-organised under clear headings and well-presented information on Australia's deadly and dangerous animals and plants with contents, websites, a glossary and ideas for related things to do.

The humorous account of a fifty dollar bet for Billy to eat fifteen worms.

Peril awaits Leo and Mimi on their return to Rondo. With the help of Rondo's best witches and wizards, their friends plan to combat the Blue Queen's attacks. But defence is no longer enough. The queen has a dragon and is plotting a terrible revenge on those who defied her. A daring plan, a reckless quest and a mysterious prophecy test the friends' wits and courage as they plunge into danger and battle.

The town of Bungawitta is so dry that the youngest resident, Glory-Alice, has only ever seen rain on television. The residents have to work out how to bring people to the dying town, where the sun always shines.

Any one, but only one title from the Deltora Shadowlands quest series can be read using this PRC Book ID number. One Deltora series book can be read using PRC Book ID 2529, Forests of Silence using PRC Book ID 140, others as personal choices.

Lief, Barda and Jasmine - companions with nothing in common but their hatred of the enemy - are on a perilous quest to see the seven lost gems of the magic Belt of Deltora.

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.

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.

Four vile creations of sorcery are hidden in the land. The companions must find them and destroy them, their only clue the fragment of an ancient map, their only help the last of Deltora's dragons.

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.

To find the fifth stone, the heroes must venture almost to the border of the Shadowlands, and plunge into the darkness and terror of the realm of the monstrous toad Gellick - Dread Mountain.

Milly is feeling unsettled. Things are changing in her life over which she has no control. When mysterious newcomer Eliza Vanda sets up shop in the sleepy seaside town of Tidgy Bay, Milly is curious. Eliza is a dressmaker with a difference. In every garment she sews magical buttons. The buttons enable their owner to signal Eliza when she is needed. When she asks Milly to run an errand for her, it is not to the corner shop. Buttons three, attend to me! Take me where I want to be! If Milly speaks these words and touches the magic buttons in her pocket, she is whisked away to a fantastical place with intriguing inhabitants who need her help. Will Milly be brave enough to overcome what lies ahead?

Any three 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.

One night, Jessie discovers an amazing secret that leads to a magical Realm. Jessie must learn her grandmother's secret and help save the creatures of Realm.

The Realm needs her again because the griffins that guard the treasure house are out of control. But when the flower fairies follow Jessie out of the Realm, she is not sure she can protect them from the dangers of her own world.

Jessie's grandmother senses something wrong in the Realm, gnomes that grow the fairy-apple trees are in trouble, and not even the Queen can help them. Jessie and her friends must find out what's wrong and help the gnomes.

Jessie is chasing a rainbow, she's got to get to the end before it fades, or she may never get home. There are the Rainbow Fairies, who desperately need Jessie's help to find a lost magic treasure or they'll never get back to the secret garden.

The magical world has a terrible problem, a plague of mischievous Peskies. A wild wind has brought the tiny creatures down from the hills. They're making life in the Realm impossible and eating up all the magic.

A human child has become lost in the Realm and it's up to Jessie to find her. With the help of the magical Rainbow Wand, Jessie sets off, only to discover a secret that threatens the peace and safety of the Fairy Realm.

Every year the Realm has a great festival, called the Night of Wishes, when Queen Helena puts on the precious Star Cloak and is able to grant wishes. This year, though, the night before the festival, Giff the elf has accidentally damaged the cloak.

Jessie's helped the magical people of the Realm to escape danger. But now her own world is in danger. Forest fires threaten her beloved home, Blue Moon and only the magic of the realm can help her.

The evil creatures of the Outlands are planning an attack. So Jessie must make an impossible decision, either to save the human world, or the Realm. She knows she can't save both but she hasn't counted on the help of the powerful unicorns.

The Water Sprites are angry. Their Moon Stone has been stolen. They won't return anything that floats down to their Finding Pool until their stone is returned.

While playing a computer game, Patrick is transported into a parallel world and invited to participate in a TV game show.

The first in the Deltora Quest series, in which the evil Shadow Lord deposes the rightful ruler from the Kingdom of Deltora.

Fuzz endeavours to cope with the intrusions of stardom.

The heroes of Weld leave the walled city to find the source of the monsters attacking their city during the night. When they don't return after one year, young Rye takes it upon himself to find them and he experiences the world outside of Weld.

Lief, Barda and Jasmine have found the first part, and are now searching for the second. They go to the mysterious island of Auron where terrible dangers await.

Terrible dangers from the present and the past lie in wait for them. But the greatest shock of all lurks in the lair of the ferocious Kobb, on the desolate Isle of the Dead.

Leo has memorised the scenes painted on the old music box that has been in his family for generations. Little does he expect himself to be a part of those scenes until the day he and Mimi discover the key and plunge headlong into Rondo's magic.

Lief, Barda and their unpredictable new companion, Jasmine, are on an urgent mission to find the second stone from the magic Belt of Deltora. Their biggest challenge is the hideous guardian of the enchanted Lake of Tears.

Go on a magical journey to discover the secrets of Deltora, land of monsters and magic. A collection of legends of ancient Deltora, including the newly discovered tales of Dorne.

In a vast maze of dripping limestone caves under the sea, our heroes must face the Guardian. At stake is the purple amethyst, symbol of truth.

Lief, Bard and Jasmine must find the heir to the kingdom's throne. But the heir has been in deepest hiding from birth and only the Belt can reveal the hiding place.

Any three 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.

Ice Creepers have begun to descend from the mountain leading to the harshest winter the villagers. Rowan and his party must decipher Sheba the witch's riddles that appear to him in waking dreams that are both exhausting and terrifying. Also known as Rowan and the Bukshah.

Caught up in mystery and intrigue, Rowan must try to fulfil an ancient promise. Unable to know who he can trust, Rowan must be brave enough to face the terrors ahead.

Rowan is caught up in a web of intrigue and danger as he races against time to solve the witch's riddle.

Rowan and his fascinating, new-found comrades decide to attempt a rescue, when his younger sister, Annad, is kidnapped by a fanged, flying grach.

Seven hearts the journey make. Seven ways the hearts will break ... The prophecy of the witch is like a riddle. A riddle Rowan must solve if he is to find out the secret of the Mountain and save his home. To the sturdy villagers of Rin, the boy Rowan is a timid weakling. Yet, incredibly, it is his help they need when the stream that flows from the top of the Mountain dries up. Without its water, their precious bukshah herds will die, and Rin will be doomed. The six strongest villagers must brave the unknown terrors of the Mountain to discover the answer to the riddle. And Rowan, the unwanted seventh member of the group, must go with them.

Any three 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.

All five stories about Rowan of Rin in one volume.

The witch Sheba has spoken, and Rowan knows he has no choice but to obey. The coldest winter in living memory is destroying the people of Rin, and he must do what he can to save them.

The Four Sisters are poisoning Deltora and starving its people. Lief, Barda and Jasmine have found and destroyed the first of the Sisters. Now they must find the second hidden within the mountains that border the Shadowlands.

Awesome creatures are used by the dark lord as he tries to control the people in the Shadowlands. Leif, Barda and Jasmine must pass through these lands on their quest.

The time has come to seek the fourth gem, kept jealously by an unknown guardian in a barren wasteland. Separation, confusion and strange, terrible enemies await the three heroes in the harsh landscape of the Shifting Sands.

Eleven-year-old Jonquil Medway is a girl with more than an unusual name. Quil's parents died in a car accident when she was a baby and she now goes to boarding school. She spends her holidays with an aunt - or at camp, which is where Quil is heading when she decides to get off early at a train stop called Hoopers Bend. There is something magical about the shop at Hoopers Bend, and it draws Quil and Bailey into an unlikely friendship as they join to fight to save the shop from developers.

Rye risks everything to save his brothers and the city of Weld. He and Sonia are determined to find and destroy the enemy, after barely escaping from the world beyond the golden door, but they won't give up, their quest must continue.

Lief, Barda, and Jasmine have defeated three of the four sisters left by the evil Shadow Lord to weaken and defeat Deltora. Now they face their biggest challenge yet, the Sister of the South.

Britta has always wanted to be a trader like her father, sailing the nine seas and bringing home precious cargo. But, her father's quest to find the fabled Staff of Tier ended in blood and horror. His shamed family is in hiding and his ship now belongs to the powerful Rosalyn fleet. When Britta gets the chance to win back her future, she knows she has to take it. But, shadows from a distant, haunted isle are watching her every move.

Britta of Del wants nothing less than to be the new Apprentice Trader of the Rosalyn fleet. Family and friends, and even the terrible secret of her parentage, will not stop her. But, it will be difficult to succeed when her true identity must surely be guessed by the crew of the Star of Deltora, and by Trader Mab, who knew her father. Relying on her wits and the kind acts of friends she makes along the way, Britta is drawn closer and closer to her terrible destiny.

Britta is now aboard the Star of Deltora, with her three rivals for the Trader Rosalyn Apprenticeship. Nothing can prepare Britta for the terror that awaits her in the perilous, forbidden swamplands of Two Moons.

Any three 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.

Rye and Sonia have faced the heart-stopping perils of the land behind the golden Door, and the cold terrors that lurk behind the silver Door as well. By a miracle, they have survived them both. But, Weld is still under threat and many questions remain to be answered. Rye knows what he has to do. One Door remains a mystery, the ancient wooden Door that he has been drawn to from the beginning. All he has to do is dare to go through it.

The hunt for the last stone and Lief, Barda and Jasmine journey to the Valley of the Lost where they have to confront the Guardian - one false move and they will be enslaved forever.

The fantastic world of Rondo can be perilous but Leo and Mimi know they can't keep away. They have to play their part in the continuing battle to keep Rondo safe from their deadly enemy, the remorseless Blue Queen.

Britta of Del wants nothing less than to be the new Apprentice Trader of the Rosalyn fleet. Family and friends, and even the terrible secret of her parentage, will not stop her. But, it will be difficult for her to succeed when her true identity must surely be guessed by Trader Mab, who knew her father, and the crew of the Star of Deltora. Relying on no more than her wits and the kind acts of friends whom she makes along the way, Britta is drawn closer and closer to her terrible destiny.

Two worlds, the real world and the one across the Barrier, are in terrible danger. Only Patrick can save them from destruction. The sequel to Finders keepers.

A colourful bestiary that depicts the terrifying creatures of Deltora's forests, mountains and deserts.

Finn loves to draw. It helps him escape his hard life in the village of Wichant. Finn's imagination comes to life on the pages of his sketchbook where the shapes of dragons, ogres and giants lurk beneath the surface of the rugged cliffs and coastline. Is he drawing what exists beyond the veil? He is soon to find out when his grandfather sells him to the mysterious housekeeper from Edge House and he slips through a magical painting into another world. A mighty fantasy adventure with extraordinary illustrations that will transport you into the wonders and perils of the Glimme.

Doran, the Dragonlover, is compelled to undertake the great task of introducing the wonders of Deltora to travellers. Follow his expedition through the seven gem territories and gain an insight into Deltora's dangers, people and places, magic and monsters, creatures and customs. Keen readers may even uncover a hidden message.

Questions answered about where the Shadow Lord came from and who were the Masked Ones. The truth about the battles and bloodlines that forged the Deltora adventures are revealed.

Nothing good was going to happen to Clara Bloom ever again. It was the end of the world! Her parents were separating and how was she going to cope? Little does Clara know that the crisis is much bigger than she thinks. For a person who hates getting into trouble and hates seeing others get into trouble Clara finds herself facing a whole lot of trouble! A mysterious illness has struck down every single man and boy in the city. Clara's Dad is away on a camping trip and she must break all the rules in a desperate mission to rescue him. With her friends, Izzy and Arabella, and a little help from social media, Clara realises that girls are in charge and it is up to the girls to find a way for everything to go back to normal.

Any three 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.

For a person who hates getting into trouble and hates seeing others get into trouble Clara finds herself facing a whole lot of trouble! A mysterious illness has struck down every single man and boy in the city. The city, now in the grip of a strange virus, is known as Girltopia. Clara's dad is safe and her mum is working hard at the Department of Health to find a cure for the virus. The race is on and social media is the key to keeping everyone connected and informed. Clara starts receiving strange messages from a mysterious group called The Girlhoods. Times are hard and even more difficult for Clara and her bestie, Arabella, who have a secret to keep. Someone's life depends upon it! Girltopia is the story of a new and different world, where Clara has tough decisions to make about who to trust and who to protect. It is up to Clara to save them all!

Girltopia is a city run by women and girls and it's an amazing place. There's hardly any crime, transport is free, and lots of girls are getting a taste for change. Clara and her friends are now part of The Girlhoods, a rebel group who suspect that someone is behind the release of the virus that has affected the men and boys.

Karolina is a doll, and when the dollmaker of Krakow needs her the most, she leaves her Land of the Dolls to enter the human world and give him what he needs - love, friendship and courage. This a holocaust story that represents Polish fairy tales, kindness and love and the beautifully imperfect magic that only the very best humans have the potential to weave.

From giant sauropods and horned dinosaurs, to duckbills and ferocious theropods, kids will discover how the dinosaurs evolved, what they looked like and how they hunted. Plus, we've included the latest finds and theories.

This book takes you on an epic adventure to meet pirates throughout history. Explore what life was really like as a member of a villainous pirate crew. However, don't let the title fool you; information is included about female pirates as well.

Lily's life seems to revolve around her half-brother, Adam, who has autism. She has little time for friends or activities. Her stepfather doesn't acknowledge that Adam needs to attend a special school and Lily has yet to get over the grief of losing her mother in a car accident. When Adam meets Nori, a young dolphin with cancer, they bond instantly. But, Lily wants to get real help for Adam and help Nori to regain her freedom, without betraying her family.

An anthology of over eighty, memorable poems by a variety of poets, William Shakespeare, Banjo Paterson, W B Yeats, Emily Dickinson, Edward Lear and Carl Sandburg. The book includes colour illustrations, biographical sketches and paintings.

Over many years as a working poet, Michael Rosen has thought a great deal about what poems are, what they can do and the pleasure that comes from writing and reading poetry. In this invaluable handbook, he shares this knowledge and experience in book form for the very first time. Starting with a detailed analysis of a number of classic poems, he offers a real "writer's guide" to writing and performing poems, as well as a wealth of technical information and tips. He then takes a fascinating look at a selection of his own poems and explains how and why he wrote them.

When a blizzard traps a family outside in a whiteout, a cattle dog devises a stunning rescue in a moving, suspenseful, and gorgeously illustrated story.

Raps and chants of appeal to Aboriginal children, written by Indigenous Australians.

Drawings, pictures and fictional stories make the facts of Ancient Greece come to life in this book about the ancient Olympics.

Mozart, a child prodigy who was composing music at five years of age, is recognised as one of the greatest composers of all time. Photographs, quotations and a glossary of terms provide an insight into Mozart's life.

Any three 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.

Stella Montgomery is in disgrace. The Aunts have sent her to Wakestone Hall, a grim boarding school where the disobedient are tamed and the wilful are made meek. But when a friend disappears, Stella is determined to find her - no matter the danger... Soon Stella is thrown deeper into the mysteries of Wakestone... and her own past. Will Stella save her friend in time? And will she discover - at long last - where she truly belongs?

High on a cliff above the gloomy coastal town of Withering-by-Sea stands the Hotel Majestic. Inside the walls of this damp, dull hotel, eleven year old orphan, Stella Montgomery, leads a miserable life with her three dreadful Aunts. But, one night, Stella sees something she shouldn't have. Something that will set in motion an adventure more terrifying and more wonderful than she could ever have hoped for.

When Stella Montgomery returned to the Hotel Majestic cold and wet but exhilarated by adventure, the Aunts were furious. Now they are sending Stella away to the old family home at Wormwood Mire, where she must live with two strange cousins and their governess. But within the overgrown grounds of the mouldering house, dark secrets slither and skulk, and soon Stella must be brave once more if she's to find out who - or what - she really is...This is the thrilling and magical sequel to multi-award-winning novel, Withering-by-Sea.

From the deepest oceans to fiery deserts, from tropical jungles to icy mountains, explore and get close to the places or biomes that make our world so special. Includes stunning photographs, charts, maps, web links and a glossary of terms.

The legend of Gaiya, the giant devil-dingo belongs to people from the Cape York Peninsula.

Welcome to Dungeon Academy, where monsters and creatures train for the dark world that awaits just beyond the dungeon walls! But Zellidora "Zelli" Stormclash is a bit... different. She's the one thing monsters and creatures of the Forgotten Realms fear the most: Zelli is a human! Knowing she'll never be accepted, Zelli's parents disguise her as a minotaur in hopes she'll blend with the academy's monstrous surroundings. Zelli does her work, keeps to herself, and becomes "invisible" to everyone. While in History of Horrible Humans class, Zelli learns of the great human adventurer, Allidora Steelstrike, who oddly resembles her. Could Zelli also be a Steelstrike? Seeking answers to her true lineage, Zelli embarks on a dangerous adventure.

Something BIG has come knocking on the gates of Dungeon Academy! The undefeated Waterdeep Dragons have arrived for the Tourney of Terror games, which happens every fifty years and features every monster'ss favorite sport: Goreball! The Dungeon Academy Flumphs are outnumbered, outsized, and outmonstered! But our hero, Zelli Stormclash (a forbidden human, secretly disguised as a minotaur), is no stranger to impossible odds. Just a few weeks ago, Zelli and her crew, the Danger Club, came face-to-face with a maniacal necromancer and his army of undead! If this wasn't enough to raise scales Zelli's reoccurring nightmare of a dark entity annihilating her world may be more than just a bad dream. Something sinister is lurking in the halls of the academy, and only Zelli seems to notice. But when Zelli uncovers a dark past hidden beneath Dungeon Academy, she unlocks something that will concern everyone at school, every dragon at Waterdeep, and everything within the Forgotten Realms.

A fascinating, historical overview of clothing. The significance and purpose of period clothing and accessories are explained in brief snippets of text, accompanied by closeup, full-colour photographs. Eye-catching, two-page spreads show the changing fashions, from mid-19th century to modern day,for women's attire, bridal wear, swimwear, hats and children's clothing.

Harry Potter is in his second year at Hogwarts and it is going to be just as exciting as the first. Harry must find out what is lurking in the Chamber of Secrets, and help defeat it in order to save his friends.

When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade old secret is revealed to him that apparently he is the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts, a wizarding school brimming with ghosts and enchantments, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers which could be valuable, dangerous or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

When Harry goes back for his third year at Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There's an escaped murderer on the loose and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school. Lessons, however, must go on.

Any two 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.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard has been favourite bedtime reading in wizarding households for centuries. Full of magic and trickery, there are five tales in all: 'The Tale of the Three Brothers' Harry Potter fans will know from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune', 'The Warlock's Hairy Heart', 'The Wizard and the Hopping Pot' and 'Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump' complete the collection. These narrative gems are accompanied by explanatory notes by Professor Albus Dumbledore (included by kind permission of the Hogwarts Headmaster's archive). His illuminating thoughts reveal the stories to be much more than just simple moral tales, and are sure to make Babbitty Rabbitty and the slug-belching Hopping Pot as familiar to Muggles as Snow White and Cinderella.

A perennial bestseller in the wizarding world and one of the most popular books in the Hogwarts School library, Quidditch Through the Ages contains all you will ever need to know about the history, the rules - and the breaking of the rules - of the noble sport of Quidditch. Packed with fascinating facts, this definitive guide by the esteemed Quidditch writer Kennilworthy Whisp charts the game's history from its early origins in the medieval mists on Queerditch Marsh, through to the modern-day sport loved by so many wizard and Muggle families around the world. With comprehensive coverage of famous Quidditch teams, the commonest fouls, the development of racing brooms, and much more, this is a must-have sporting bible for all Harry Potter fans, Quidditch lovers and players, whether the weekend amateur or the seasoned Chudley Cannons season-ticket holder.

An approved textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since publication, Newt Scamander's masterpiece has entertained wizarding families through the generations. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the Wizarding World. In this comprehensively updated edition, eagle-eyed readers will spot a number of new beasts and an intriguing new author's note. Scamander's years of travel and research have created a tome of unparalleled importance. Some of the beasts will be familiar to readers of the Harry Potter books - the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail ... Others will surprise even the most ardent amateur Magizoologist. Dip in to discover the curious habits of magical beasts across five continents.

Artie and his best friend, Bumshoe, have stumbled upon a Cave-of-Possibly-Stolen-Stuff, and a gang of shady characters, including scary Mary, fang-toothed Funnel-web and the devious Mayor Grime. Artie and Bumshoe's attempt to solve the mystery sparks a chaotic chain of events that involves kidnapping, puppy-dog cutlets, modern art and pioneering the sport of the bungee- wedgie. Winner Book of the Year Award Speech Pathology Australia 2018 (8-10 Years Category)

When Captain Mack is released from prison camp at the end of the war, no-one is sure what to expect, least of all his son Billy. He might be the same man who went off to war full of hope and pride or his experiences may have changed him forever.

Danny has a difficult time at school. The school bully picks on him and Danny's friend, Captain Mack, still thinks that he is a POW and wants to return home.

Any three 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.

Edsel and his friend, Jacq, are digging a hole under the blazing Widen sun but they don't know why. And, when they finally make their way to Grand City, the list of things they don't know just gets longer and longer. Everything they see and everything they're told just makes them more confused. They hover between dreams, hallucinations, reality and unreality.

The adults have fled Verdada, the kids are in chaos and lost things keep turning up to Edsel Grizzler. Edsel receives desperate messages to return to Verdada to help. Find out if Edsel really is the key to their survival.

Edsel has been transported to a parallel dimension where every child stays forever young, has many friends, doesn't go to school and plays most of the day. Edsel begins to feel uneasy when he is always called Robert, every wave at the beach is identical and he begins to forget his family.

Lizzie is in trouble again. This time it was bad enough to get her expelled from school. Lizzie never sets out to make trouble but seems to find it without trying. She is willing to try her hardest to show she is worthy of returning to schools and knows that it will take a lot to prove this to her school principal.

Thicky convinces his mate, Noddy, to help him drag a wreck of a bike, they have discovered in the weeds, back to his place. With Shirley's uninvited help, they hatch a novel plan to make money for the three of them but it may backfire.

Stuff happens sometimes. Everyday stuff, at school, at home, with sport and with mates. For Lennie, it happened when he argued with a teacher.

Liam and Barney persuade their parents to let them camp out alone overnight to catch Big Red, the legendary giant cod rumoured to live in Bailey's Swamp. Darkness, strange noises and a thunderstorm test their determination and bravery.

It's Lizzie's dream to have her own horse. Her family seems to have just enough money for everyone else, except Lizzie.

This is an illustrated, rhyming book with modern language and scenarios in which Sharon is marrying Jase and moving into his shed which is not quite big enough. Jase has an interesting solution to the problem.

A story of mystery and suspense, centred around Jai, who is at a strange boarding school headed by the monstrous Mr Drake.

Music is great because it means we can sing along to our favourite songs, play instruments with our friends and read sheet music- it's like a secret code. With this book you will be a marvellous musician in no time.

After surviving the crash of their small plane in The Amazon, four children with no food, water or hope of rescue. But, details of another earlier person takes our four survivals on an suspenseful adventure through the forest, on the river and through the ruins of this mighty forest.

Wilhelmina lives a picturesque existence, running wild and free on an African farm with her horse. Every day is beautiful as she savours the reckless abandon of a carefree existence. However, one day her home is sold and Wilhelmina is sent to boarding school in England. She must learn to live and survive in this strange and unforgiving new world.

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. True, there were no other recorded female survivors from the shipwreck that left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive - but "almost" means that it's not impossible. And you should never ignore a possible. So when the Welfare Agency writes to her guardian, threatening to send Sophie to an orphanage, they takes matters into their own hands and flee to Paris to look for Sophie's mother, starting with the only clue they have - the address of the cello maker. Evading the French authorities, she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers - urchins who live in the hidden spaces above the city. Together they scour the city in a search for Sophie's mother - but can they find her before Sophie is caught and sent back to London? Or, more importantly, before she loses hope?

In Russia, Feodora and her mother are wolf wilders. A wolf wilder trains domesticated wolves to fend for themselves in the wild. When her mother is taken captive and her own life is threatened, Feo flees to the woods, with her three precious wolves and a young trainee soldier, on a journey to save her mother. As a furious General Rakov pursues them across the snow, Feo must learn from her wolves how to survive.

This wise and witty companion to Rudyard Kipling's 1894 classic is likewise a series of connected stories about the man-cub Mowgli and his adventures among the animals in the Indian jungle. It includes all the original favourites like Baloo and Bagheera and gives female characters, like Mother Wolf, a more prominent role in Mowgli's upbringing. The timely theme of the possibility of understanding and empathy across species, cultures, and genders will resonate with contemporary readers.

Completely free for all children and families, the extraordinary collection of short stories, poems, essays and pictures has contributions from more than 110 children's writers and illustrators, including Lauren Child, Anthony Horowitz, Greg James and Chris Smith, Michael Morpurgo, Liz Pichon, Axel Scheffler, Francesca Simon and Jacqueline Wilson. Stories to make you smile, poems to make you laugh, and plenty of hope for everyone! Available from https://literacytrust.org.uk/family-zone/9-12/book-hopes/

Cooper and Molly are twins but, on the eve of his tenth birthday, Cooper discovers Molly is actually an alien sent to protect and help him fulfil his destiny. One day, he is going to save the universe. Cooper doesn't think he has any special skills so he wonders how on earth, or rather Peregrination, is he going to do it.

As soon as she saw the adorable thatched cottage Immy felt it calling deep within her. The house was perfect but it was the ancient, dark, fierce-looking mulberry tree standing outside in the garden that was drawing her in. There was a mystery in this house. The current owners refused to live there until their daughter had celebrated her eleventh birthday and the agent was reluctant to lease it to Immy's family. How could she convince her parents to move in? Escaping the cloud of problems that had haunted their life in Australia had they come to a whole set of new ones in the tiny village in Cambridgeshire, England? Would Immy, soon to be eleven, be safe in this house knowing the legend of the girls who went missing on the eve of their eleventh birthdays? How was the mulberry tree responsible for their disappearance? Would her family ever be whole again?

Flossie Birdwhistle is the Turnkey at London's Highgate Cemetery. Seven years have passed since Flossie saved her country from a ghostly invasion during World War II. Since then, things have been quiet. That is, until Flossie's nemesis, Hugo Howsham, reveals a secret the pair have been keeping - the keys of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries can be combined to make a Turnkey not only mortal, but immortal. When Hugo Howsham begins stealing keys, the other Turnkeys turn against Flossie, trusting her no longer. With family, friends and her cemetery in danger, can Flossie find the inner strength to protect everything she has ever cared about?

Twelve year old Flossie Birdwhistle is no ordinary girl. Chosen to be the Turnkey at London's Highgate Cemetery, Flossie has the special task of looking after the souls that reside there. When she discovers the ghost of a mysterious German soldier, far from his home and carrying a strange object, Flossie uncovers a terrible secret that threatens the worlds of both the living and the dead. With the help of the other cemetery Turnkeys, Flossie must unravel the mystery In order to save London.

Tamsin lives next door to Edie St Clair, a famous author know for her ten book graphic novel series. Edie shares a secret with Tamsin, and the two begin an unusual friendship. When Edie goes missing, Tamsin knows she has to find her, following Edie into a different London. Tamsin discovers that Edie needs her desperately - only she can write the perfect ending to the last book in the series. But it will come at great cost..."

Penny and her Aunt Harriet, a writer of penny dreadfuls for the newspapers, explore the mysterious Mermaid of the Thames. Meanwhile another cryptic postcard arrives from Penny's missing parents. Nothing is as it seems. Will she be able to piece together all the clues?

Penny Pickering is a creative girl with an imaginative, fanciful mind which doesn't quite fit her school for enquiring minds. When her Aunt, a famous authoress, turns up at her school to whisk her away on an adventure, it is like a dream come true for Penny. Penny and her Aunt are fascinated by a group of bewitched kittens who have tea parties, but not all is as it seems.

Interesting information about some of the more colourful characters in Australia's bushranging history.

It's 1914. Gretta lives a privileged life in Singapore, the daughter of a businessman; Tilly lives a modest life in Brisbane, the daughter of a baker. When war breaks out and both countries turn on their families for being German, the two girls find themselves taken from their homes, interned at a camp in rural New South Wales. Far away from everything they have ever known, Gretta and Tilly are forced to face prejudice, overcome adversity and to make their own community.

In 1940, bombs are falling in London. Ten year old Margaret Rose survives a deadly raid but her family and home are destroyed. In faraway Townsville in Queensland, Margaret's aunt is ready to take her in but her cousin, Lizzie, is not so sure and certainly doesn't want to share her room. But, first, Margaret Rose must undertake a long and dangerous voyage to a strange country, also at war. She knows it's not going to be easy, and Lizzie's not about to make it any easier.

Parsley Patterson's first year of high school is not turning out as she had expected. It's not only her name that's the problem. Parsley is targeted by Danielle and her mean group, and bullied about her hippie family and her Possum Creek address. But, just as she decides to keep her head down and try to ignore it all until it blows over, her father's announcement causes the spotlight to rest firmly again on Parsley.

When gaming obsessed Casey Henderson - aka CASEY_FLOW - is invited to attend an international gaming tournament, she is torn by the fact that this would mean her true female identity would be revealed to her team mates and her desire to play the game she loves. This becomes an insignificant drama when the world is turned upside down by a tournament turned alien invasion.

Information about the voyages of discovery made by Captain Cook and Bass and Flinders as well as the many significant expeditions carried out by the early explorers of Australia's inland.

When Josie moves house with her Mum, she is a million miles away from her best friend, the beach and everything. But, when Josie finds a secret treasure map, her world in Michael Street becomes exciting.

Some mysteries are too dangerous to leave alone... Nate's not happy about his family moving to a new house in a new town. After all, nobody asked him if he wanted to move in the first place. But when he discovers a tape recorder and note addressed to him under the floorboards of his bedroom, Nate is thrust into a dark mystery about a boy who went missing many, many years ago. Now, as strange happenings and weird creatures begin to track Nate, he must partner with Tabitha, a local girl, to find out what they want with him. But time is running out, for a powerful force is gathering strength in the woods at the edge of town, and before long Nate and Tabitha will be forced to confront a terrifying foe, and uncover the truth about the Lost Boy.

After an uneventful holiday in the Cayman Islands, young Ben is advised to avoid an approaching hurricane. Managing to survive a skyjacked plane, a resulting crash landing and a kidnapping, Ben must rescue his friend from a precipice with one good arm because the other one has been broken. But, Ben will have to do this without exploding a detonator and before the hurricane hits.

Meet some of today's leading artists and designers from different parts of the world. Read their stories, find out what inspires them and discover the ideas behind their works of art. Each artist has included an art activity for kids to make at school or at home.

Join Theo, a little field mouse, to find out about Vincent's lifelong love of the seasons and the world around him. Along the way, there are activities and quizzes for kids to do with family and friends. A selection of iconic works by Van Gogh such as 'A Wheat Field, with Cypresses' (early September, 1889) and 'Orchard in Blossom' (April, 1889), are featured throughout, and these are paired with interesting facts about the changing seasons, Van Gogh's life and artistic techniques.