Booklists

Louis and Thomas are on holiday in Sarajevo, enjoying the privileges of life in a diplomat's family. But, when a bomb explodes and the heir to the Austrian Empire is assassinated, Europe descends into war. Louis travels to the front as a war correspondent. In northern France, he witnesses the war's first battles and the beginning of trench warfare. Louis' friends join the war effort too, with and against each other.

When Australia supported Britain in its fight against Germany, young teacher Stan Moore was one of the first to join up, swapping the classroom for adventure in Europe. But the 11th Battalion was sent, with the newly formed Anzac Corp, to Gallipoli where Stan confronted the hard lessons of war. The conditions were dismal and death was everywhere. So, too, were times of humour and bravery.

The artillery bombardment did not let up for days. How anyone, on either side, could still be alive, was beyond me. The stream of casualties soon turned into a river, a raging, flooded river. The 'cooee' call to arms takes Syd from the Mallee to the fields of France. As part of the mobile veterinary unit, his horses are trained for war but face new and deadly weapons. Battle-weary diggers, shipped from Gallipoli are joined by fresh recruits from home, are met by a formidable enemy at Fromelles and along the River Somme, in a year that will be forged in legend and memory, in the trenches and the conscription battles at home.

The war in France rages in the skies, and support for the war in Australia turns cold. Alex flies high above the trenches of the Western Front, while a world away his sister Maggie finds herself in the midst of political upheaval. Somehow, both must find the courage to fight on.

The planes kept flying low above them. The signal rang out and they surged forward through the smoke. Thousands of men screaming and yelling, their line was kilometres wide. Behind them came Monash's tanks, those huge, new mobile machines. They smothered the land, flattening the crops and then any wire left standing.

In 1960 England, Isabella is forced to flee her home when her father's strong opinions lead to take a stand against the army. She takes refuge in Amsterdam with an elderly printer, who is brave enough to print topics which stir religious intolerance. This results in a dangerous journey to help him escape certain death for his books.

Nazis are still invading Poland and Felix joins a group of partisans who are targeting the Nazis troops. Felix becomes the doctor's assistant, until he is left to fend for himself, at the same time as becoming a surrogate parents to both Jewish and German young children.

Matthew (Moose) Flanagan lives on the island of Alcatraz. His father is one of the guards. His older sister, Natalie, is autistic and, in an effort to protect her, Moose now owes prisoner 85, Al Capone, who has managed to secure her a place at a special school. The price Moose might have to pay reveals itself quite spectacularly.

As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society's biggest events: the Schuylers' grand ball. Eliza can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious young colonel and General George Washington's right-hand man. When Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history. A fictionalised version of what might have been, featuring figures from the Tony winning Broadway musical.

Alexander is a Jewish boy during World War II and is being held in a camp. To survive, he toughens up and vows to make friends with nobody. He is given the job of caring for the soldiers' horses, where he is ordered to break in the commander's new horse, who is scared and damaged. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

For Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, the world is full of mazes. The miniature of a Paris neighbourhood, made by her father to teach her the way home. The microscopic layers within the invaluable diamond that her father guards in the Museum of Natural History. The walled city by the sea, where father and daughter take refuge when the Nazis invade Paris. And a future which draws her ever closer to Werner, a German orphan, destined to labour in the mines until a broken radio fills his life with possibility and brings him to the notice of the Hitler Youth. In this magnificent, deeply moving novel, the stories of Marie-Laure and Werner illuminate the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

It's fifteen years since readers were first introduced to Felix in Once and across six celebrated books, our brave young hero has survived many unforgettable and emotional journeys. Now comes the seventh and final part of Felix's story, bringing to a powerful climax a series that countless young readers around the world will remember - Always.

Bold, secretive and utterly uncompromising, renowned Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen will stop at nothing to execute his latest plan - to be the first to reach the southernmost point on the globe. Haunted by the prospect of his rival Captain Scott scooping the prize, Amundsen pushes himself and his men beyond the bounds of human experience and ever deeper into the Antarctic unknown. Can Amundsen count on the loyalty of his men to the very end? How will history view Roald Amundsen?

Beginning in 1490, Anacaona keeps a record of her life as a possible successor to the supreme chief of Xaragua, as wife of the chief of Maguana and as a warrior battling the first white men to arrive in the West Indies, ravenous for gold.

A novel in diary form in which the youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II describes the privileged life her family led up until the time of World War I and the tragic events that befell them.

The icon-maker and angel-summoner Liliath, long believed dead, has woken from her century long sleep to pick up the threads of a plan that has already destroyed one kingdom and may yet destroy another. To succeed, Liliath must bring together Agnez the musketeer, Simeon the doctor, Dorotea the mage, and Henri, one of the Cardinal's clerks...and take them into utmost danger. Set in an alternative seventeenth century where angels can be summoned to do the bidding of those with a talent for magic, Angel Mage is an action-packed story of angels, heroes, gunpowder and high magic. Usually read by students in Year 9, 10 and above.

The soldiers she saved called her the Angel of Waterloo. The husband she loved and lost called her Hen. The patients she treated in secret called her Auntie Love. She was Henrietta Bartlett, a surgeon's daughter, a survivor of the Napoleonic Wars. But now the battlefield is just a blood-soaked memory, and Hen dreams of peace, a home, and a society that allows women to practise medicine. On the other side of the world, the newly founded colony of New South Wales seems a paradise. But Europe's wars cast long shadows .. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

Mary and her sister, Jane, always longed to be carried off by a handsome poet. The reality of life with Percy Shelley and Lord Byron is a combination of romance and tragedy. Adult themes around their liberated behaviour may offend some readers. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Giovanna's father is the Jester in Duke Ubertini's palace. When, at the Duke's insistence, Giovanna's dad performs a new play, a play in which he mocks the Prince of the neighbouring land, he sets in motion a series of events that puts the lives of Giovanna and her new friend, Raffaele, in grave danger. In this alternate reality Renaissance Italy, we learn that words have a powerful and long-lasting impact.

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.

On 6 November 1939, Anna's father had to go away for a few hours. He left shortly after eleven o'clock and did not come back again. Seven year old Anna is locked out of the apartment and alone. She is hungry and scared, and unsure who she can trust or who she can turn to. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

As life for German Jews becomes ever more dangerous, Anna's parents make the desperate decision to send her to England. But the war follows her to Kent, and soon Anna finds herself caught up in a web of secrecy and betrayal. How can she prove whose side she's on when she can't tell anyone the truth? But actions speak louder than words, and Anna has a risky plan.

What the friends first thought would be an adventure soon turns to disaster. The day after landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, more than 2000 Anzacs are dead. As the campaign drags on, life for Wally and Roy becomes a battle of endurance against a plucky enemy, a hostile landscape, flies, fleas, cold and disease.

A simply written, moving account of Australian and New Zealand soldiers' dramatic experiences at Gallipoli, which includes extracts from their letters and diaries, along with graphic photographs. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Siki rises to the rare position of girl-warrior in an Apache tribe. She witnesses the horrors of the Indian wars against the Mexicans and the invading White Eyes. A sometimes violent and very honest story of courage, integrity, betrayal, love, hope and despair as Siki struggles to belong and learns the truth of her own story. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Archie's first hand experience of being in London during the Great War of 1914-1918 is told through his scrapbook.

Lottie collects dead creatures and lovingly cares for them, hoping to preserve them, to save them from disintegration. Her father understands - Lottie has a scientific mind, he thinks. Her aunt wants it to stop, and she goes to cruel lengths to make sure it does. And her mother? Lottie's mother died long ago. And Lottie is searching for a way to be close to her. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

It is 1665 and Hannah has come from the country to assist her sister in sweet making at the Sugared Plum sweet shop. The plague has also come to London so Hannah's life is now full of dangers as well as the sights and sounds of the crowded city.

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.

In New Zealand during World War ll, eleven year old Bert desperately wants the war to continue so that he can join up and use guns. An abandoned derelict bakery becomes a prospective bomb shelter for the family and Bert enjoys his role in setting it up. But, when the shelter becomes home to a deserter, Bert soon learns that the secrets and danger of war don't always stay at the front line.

Les Darcy, who lived from 31 October 1895 - 24 May 1917, was an Australian boxer. Though he was a middleweight, he held both the Australian Heavyweight and the Middleweight Championship titles in 1916 and has passed into Australian folk lore.

Reluctantly taken to the diggings in California during the goldrush, Lucy wants to go back home to New England.

A teenager is conscripted into the Vietnam War. He has to decide whether he will go, or whether he will dodge the draft by seeking asylum in Canada. The story also considers the effects of earlier wars on other members of the family and their influence on the younger characters.

Barry Blacker is desperate to join the army like his older brother Jack, who is in a Japanese POW camp. He practises drills on the family farm in Cowra and spies on the Japanese prisoners in the camp nearby. When some of the prisoners escape, Barry's attempt to be a hero has devastating consequences.

In 1947, Bilal is shields his dying father from the truth about the violence that is threatening India and their formerly peaceful community. With determination and help from friends, Bilal persuades others to collude with him in this deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper. Bilal just wants his father to die in peace but that means Bilal has a complicated relationship with the truth.

When his mother dies, Paddy runs away from school and stows on a ship sailing to Australia. In his new land, Paddy is willing to try anything and has many jobs until he finally discovers what he really wants to do.

In Jharia, India,Valli spends her days picking up coal and fighting with her cousins. Her family won't let her go to school and there's never enough food. When Valli discovers that her 'aunt' is a stranger who was paid to take her, she leaves Jharia and begins a new life, surviving on the streets of Kolkata. A chance encounter with a doctor may change her life but Valli must decide if she trusts enough to accept help. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

In 1941, fifteen year old Lina is preparing for art school and looking forward to summer. When the Soviet secret police invade her home and forcibly remove Lina, her mother and brother, they must fight for their lives. They are transported via cattle trucks from Lithuania to remote Siberia in a harrowing, violent journey. It is also a story of incredible courage and strength. Includes violence and cruelty. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Inspired by the true story of Muslims who saved the lives of Jewish children in the Second World War. in 1942, in the Grand Mosque in Paris, 11-year-old Ruben is hiding from the Nazis. Already thousands of Jewish children have disappeared. But when the Mosque is raided, Ruben is forced to flee.

The infamous Black Jack Anderson, Australia's most notorious pirate, was a towering black American holed up with his evil-doing gang in the treacherous seas and islands off the south west coast of Australia. The fascinating details of his life and times; his mistresses, the treachery, bloodshed and escapes are as compelling as his personality, with his resourcefulness, power and passion. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

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.

In 1950s Germany, the war is over but, for the resistance, the fight continues. Death camp survivor, Yael, who has the power to skinshift, to change her appearance at will, is on the run after shooting and killing Hitler. But, the truth of what happened is far more complicated and the consequences are deadly. As Yael and her comrades move into enemy territory, trying to turn the tide against the New Order, dark secrets reveal dark truths. Sequel to Wolf by Wolf. Includes violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

It is the 1940s and for Columba and Hilda the war seems a long way away until Ellery appears at their school, unable to speak any English. Curiosity spurs Columba's search for knowledge and understanding counterbalancing Hilda's unquestioning nationalism as the war edges ever closer to Australia's shores. The sudden appearance of the blue cat brings with it an aura of mystery and uncertainty culminating in a dramatic journey to Luna Park.

After the shipwreck of the Batavia off Western Australia in 1629, a cabin boy and a soldier were involved in a grisly, notorious mutiny. Most mutineers were hanged but the two men were marooned on the mainland, becoming Australia's first European settlers. No trace of them was ever found. Later European explorers reported seeing Aboriginal Australians with blue eyes. This novel suggests what might have happened in between. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

The Kosa empire roils in tension, on the verge of being torn apart by a proletarian revolution between magic-endowed elites and the superstitious lower class, but seventeen-year-old Toma lives blissfully disconnected from the conflict in the empire with her adoptive family of benevolent undead. When she meets Vanya, a charming commoner branded as a witch by his own neighbors, and the dethroned Tsar Mikhail himself, the unlikely trio bonds over trying to restore Mikhail's magic and protect the empire from the revolutionary leader, Koschei, whose forces have stolen the castle. Vanya has his magic, and Mikhail has his title, but if Toma can't dig deep and find her power in time, all of their lives will be at Koschei's mercy. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

In Tuscany, 1096 AD, Luca sees demons. He keeps quiet about what he sees to avoid another exorcism. He also has dreams that sometimes predict the future. When Luca dreams his father's murder, he vows to stop it coming true. Suzan has dreams too. Consigned with her mute mother to a life in a convent, Suzan has a vision of a boy with an ancient book that holds some inscrutable power. He will take her on an adventure that leads to places beyond their understanding. Usually read by Years 9, 10 or above.

It is 1939 in Nazi Germany. Death has never been busier and will become busier still. Liesel has just buried her brother when she picks up a book, partially hidden in the snow by his graveside. This is her first act of book thievery and the beginning of a love affair with books and words. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jewish man in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up and closed down. A sombre theme that includes some violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Things have never been easy for Antonio, but now it seems like the war will never end. So when Antonio is caught up in the dangerous world of freedom fighters and spies, will it change his life or destroy him?

When Pierrot becomes an orphan, he must leave Paris to live with Aunt Beatrix, a servant in a household at the top of the German mountains. This is no ordinary time. It is 1935 and the Second World War is fast approaching. And, this is no ordinary house, it is the Berghof, Adolf Hitler's home. Pierrot is thrown into an increasingly dangerous world of terror, secrets and betrayal, from which he may never be able to escape.

Bruno is the naive, nine year old son of the Commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp. Through his covert friendship with Shmuel, a young Jewish boy, Bruno becomes aware of the cruelty and suffering. A touching, disturbing story. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

To find freedom, you must leave behind everything you've ever known. It is 1825. You and Ma have survived on the streets of London ever since the soldiers took Da away and you fled Ireland. Now, with Ma gone too, you find yourself facing life-and-death choices at every turn. Can you carry a secret treasure across the ocean and finally be reunited with Da? You'll be asked to betray your friends, survive storms at sea and attacks by bushrangers, and trust thieves. At every turn, the choice is yours. How far will you go for freedom?

Bridie starts a new life in a new country, a young, orphaned, Irish girl sadly separated from her brother. Working in the theatre on the Australian goldfields is a very hard life. Bridie finds a way to use her talents and meets her true love. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Sophie, the diarist, is sixteen and lives in a crumbling castle on the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray with her tomboy sister, her nearly perfect cousin and the completely mad King. She loves it. The war woes of Europe rage about them, sometimes terrifyingly touching their lives, as they struggle to survive. With love interests, humour, suspense and secrets. Usually read by students in Years 9,10 or above.

When thirteen-year-old Lora tells her parents that she wants to join Premier Castro's army of young literacy teachers, her mother screeches to high heaven, and her father roars like a lion. Lora has barely been outside of Havana - why would she throw away her life in a remote shack with no electricity, sleeping on a hammock in somebody's kitchen? But Lora is stubborn: didn't her parents teach her to share what she has with someone in need? Surprisingly, Lora's abuela takes her side, even as she makes Lora promise to come home if things get too hard. But how will Lora know for sure when that time has come?

Melody and Marshall are cousins whose family is torn apart when war is declared between the North and South factions of the Union. Melody's father and uncle both go to war but they enlist on opposing sides. Marshall assists his father by acting as a spy while Melody helps her father. Both sides are presented.

There are steps that must be done, and once done, another step awaits. The last step, after six years of minute planning by her grandmother, is a bus ride away. In A-ma-ri-lo her baby brother has to be waiting. In her imaginings, he is always waiting. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

The boys of a small Polish village are used to the occupying Russian soldiers, but this fragile peace is shattered when a German plane drops a bomb on the school house and signals the coming invasion. The discovery of a soldier's discarded button begins a contest between the friends to get the best button and become king. This contest gets more and more daring as the intensity of battle for the village increases.

Lucy works as a serving maid for Dr Dee, court magician and consultant to Queen Elizabeth 1. In return for saving the Queen's life, Lucy is told that she is to work as a spy for Her Grace. When Lucy hears unexplained cries in the house, she suspects Dr Dee of foul deeds to make money and curry favour with the Queen.

When fourteen year old Lukas de Boodt is orphaned, his uncle takes him as an apprentice in Prague, a refuge for Europe's greatest alchemists and natural philosophers. The uncle is court physician to the reclusive, unstable Emperor, and also curator of his bizarre Cabinet of Curiosities, four halls full of wonders and scientific marvels. When Lucas learns of a sinister plot, his life is in great danger.

Bell Sing the camel has come from Pakistan to accompany Burke and Wills as they attempt to cross Australia from south to north, but Bell Sing yearns for water and freedom on a tough journey.

An in-depth study of Gallipoli and what it meant to Australia, New Zealand and Turkey. A lesson in how futile war can be and the improbability of war if people from both sides really knew each other.

Moa has spent his life toiling on the Frontier sugar cane plantation fearing the vicious whips the overseers. When he hears of an uprising, he is ready to be a cane warrior and fight to free his people. He is still only a boy and will have to confront terrifying tasks to survive and succeed. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

Carrie is evacuated to a Welsh mining town during the bombing raids on British cities in World War II.

In Austen's society, there are two outcomes to love. Either your heart is broken or your love is returned leading to a lifetime of child-bearing and preserve-making. Find out whether Jane Austen ever met her real life Mr Darcey. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Set in the Middle Ages, Catherine objects to marrying the rich suitors her father has arranged for her to meet.

At fourteen, Prussian princess, Sophia, became Catherine the Great through an arranged marriage. Sophia writes about her home situation, the hardships of travel to Russia, her efforts to please the empress and her engagement.

This story follows two very different battles for independence, that of slave girl, Isabel, and the American War of Independence. Presents a realistic view of prejudice and slavery in 18th century America and includes some violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

It's an ordinary morning at school in rural Kashmir when the silence of dawn prayers is ripped apart by gunfire. Freedom Fighters are raiding his village and Rafiq is the first boy to cross the chalkline into a life of brutality and violence. Rafiq's memory of his family has been all but obliterated by his forced training, indoctrination and terrorist actions and is unrecognisable as the boy who left the village. Includes violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

A revolt against King John's rule, with characters including Robin Hood and his men.

The horror of Tiannaman Square confronts Leah when she is searching for her ancient links in China.

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.

From Australia's best-loved storyteller comes the final book in the bestselling Matilda Saga This is the story of our nation, told in a single sweeping love story Jed Kelly has finally persuaded her great aunt Nancy to tell the story of her grandparents. The tale that unfolds is one of Australia's greatest romances, that of Clancy of the Overflow, who gave up everything for Rose, the woman he adored, and yet still gained all he'd left and more.

In an elegantly written royal diary, Cleopatra VII has recorded every rich detail from her tumultuous times including her frightening escape and the men that she loved.

Mileva's family tree includes resistance fighters and patriots, and she was raised on the values of brotherhood and unity. Marko was born into a family where love is earned, not given, and was branded early on as a troublemaker and a lost cause. Despite their differences, the two grow to become best friends. Yet as the 1990s approach, Yugoslavia begins to crumble and ethnic tensions arise. No longer inseparable, their different cultural backgrounds force Mileva and Marko apart. Through tragic events Mileva struggles to make sense of her identity as she attempts to salvage all that is left of the life and love she once had. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

A simple but courageous boy and his friend resist treason and are loyal to their Queen and country. They are exposed to the real dangers of the streets of Elizabethan London.

Will Kerwan is kidnapped in London during 1852. He is held hostage on a boat where he is made to work as a servant. He meets Runt and finds a best friend for life. They escape in Australia and make their way to the goldfields.

The last thing Jacob Portman saw before the world went dark was a terrible, familiar face. Suddenly, he and Noor are back in the place where everything began - his grandfather's house. Jacob doesn't know how they escaped from V's loop to find themselves in Florida. But he does know one thing for certain: Caul has returned. After a narrow getaway from a blood-thirsty hollow, Jacob and Noor reunite with Miss Peregrine and the peculiar children in Devil's Acre. The Acre is being plagued by desolations - weather fronts of ash and blood and bone - a terrible portent of Caul's amassing army. Jacob and his friends will face deadly enemies and race through history's most dangerous loops in this thrilling page-turner, the final adventure in the beloved Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

For as long as she can remember, Pepper Stark has wanted one thing: to join her father, the Captain, aboard the magnificent RMS Aquitania on a voyage to New York. She has never been allowed to set foot on her father's ship - until now. From the decadent food to the star-studded passenger list, travelling First Class on Aquitania is every bit as glamorous as Pepper had imagined. And most dazzling of all is American stage sensation Perdita West, wearing the world-famous Saffron Diamond around her neck. When the priceless jewel disappears mid-voyage, Pepper unexpectedly finds herself entangled in the crime.

The world knows the name William Shakespeare, but what of the man behind the name- the husband, lover, son and poet? Was he happy with his riches? Who was the woman he truly loved? And could the acclaimed playwright put down his pen forever to become a gentleman? Written by Australian Children's Laureate Jackie French and based on new documentary evidence, this story is a fascinating glimpse into a life that might have been and a story that has never been told. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Kitty has a comfortable life as a country milkmaid, working for a rich family in a great house. Life changes when her handsome man vanishes, leaving her with his 5-year-old sister. She is sent on an errand to London, where she is determined to track her man down, but her fate is literally snatched out of her hands and things spiral out of control.

Eloise and her family leave Cornwall for a new life in colonial New Zealand. They leave in the hope of a better life but find that expectation does not meet reality and that things do not always go to plan. Eloise is torn leaving the past behind and forging a new life in New Zealand. She struggles with the expectations of her position in society and following her heart. An enthralling historical novel focussing on love, loss, and hope for the future.

When two rival journalists find love through a magical connection, their fate depends on their facing the depths of hell......together. The first book in a new duology, begins with an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel, filled with hope and heartbreak whilst fighting a war, and the unparalleled power of love. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

A mysterious bequest sends Rosy and Jaz on a race against time to identify thirteen strange and wonderful objects - which turn out to tell the story of medicine, from the superstitions of ancient Egypt to the modern-day ethical dilemmas of genetic testing. Can unicorns cure leprosy? What secrets of the brain did Michelangelo conceal in his Sistine Chapel paintings? Did a zombie discover the cure for scurvy? Does homeopathy actually work? Why did an Australian scientist decide to drink dangerous bacteria? Is grapefruit evil? Did the bumps on Ned Kelly's head predict his fate? And how exactly did parachuting cats save a village from the plague?

Twelve-year-old Tally, a thoughtful child, deeply loved by her father and two aunts, attends Delderton, a progressive boarding school. At the cinema, Tally learns about the small country of Bergania, whose King refuses to bend to Hitler's demands. So, when Delderton is invited to Bergania, Tally insists they attend. In Bergania, the children witness the king's assassination and must help young prince Karil escape to safety.

All her life, Safina's parents have dreamed of returning to Grandpa's native village in Crimea. But, exchanging their sunny Uzbekistan house for a squalid camp is more like a nightmare for twelve year old Safi. She wonders whether this strange land can ever become home. A compelling story about the Crimean Tatars' struggle to reclaim the land from which they were exiled in the Second World War.

Ardavan is a young Parthian soldier whose mother was a Roman. After the disastrous Battle of Carrhae, many Roman soldiers lie dead on the battlefield and the survivors must serve Parthia as mercenaries. Able to communicate with both sides, Ardavan is raised to a special position where he and the beautiful Shara must survive in a world of intrigue and plots. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

A young officer in Roman Britain sets off to discover what happened to the Ninth Legion, a legion that disappeared in the mists.

A classic story set in the 1930s about an orphaned boy who goes to live with his Cherokee grandparents in the mountains of Tennessee. His education is not formal but an ancient native wisdom and way of life.

Elena Rudina lives with her dying mother in the impoverished Russian countryside. One day, a train arrives carrying untold wealth, a cornucopia of food, and Ekaterina, a girl of Elena's age. When the two girls' lives collide, an adventure begins that includes mistaken identity, a monk locked in a tower, a prince travelling incognito and a wise-cracking Baba Yaga, a witch who lives in a house perched on chicken legs.

Eleanor, fourteen, oldest daughter of the Duke of Aquitaine in France, is next in line when her father's only legitimate son dies in 1136. She knows she will be married off. Eleanor wants to marry for love but that appears impossible.

Although not the most influential European royals, Elisabeth is still fascinating. As she begins her diary, the fifteen year old reveals her true passions, the outdoors, her family's home called Possenhofen, poetry, her pets, her father and horseback riding.

Daughter of a fallen queen, young Princess Elizabeth lives a complicated and dangerous life. She fears her father's famous temper but loves him dearly, she loves her brother Edward, heir to the throne, but doesn't like her older sister Mary, who torments and conspires against her.

Ellie's recount of harrowing experiences in a concentration camp. Taken at thirteen years of age, from her beautiful home and imprisoned in Auschwitz and Dachau as part of Hitler's final solution, she emerges a year later, looking like a sixty year old. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Not quite the full life story of Elvis Presley, told in chronological order and with humour, including some of his 'lost diary'.

It is 1942 and Ester and her family are arrested as capitalists by Stalin. For the next five years, they live in exile in the endless wasteland of Siberia.

Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of her more famous brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. But she has all the wits, skills, and sleuthing inclinations of them both. When a young professional woman, Miss Letitia Glover, shows up on Sherlock's doorstep, desperate to learn more about the fate of her twin sister, it is Enola who steps up. It seems her sister, the former Felicity Glover, married the Earl of Dunhench and per a curt note from the Earl, has died. But Letitia Glover is convinced this isn't true. The Earl's note is suspiciously vague and the death certificate is even more dubious, so Enola goes undercover, soon finding out that this is not the first of the Earl's wives to die suddenly and vaguely - and that the secret to the fate of the missing Felicity is tied to a mysterious black barouche that arrived at the Earl's home in the middle of the night.

Enola Holmes is a young girl from the 1890's trying to solve a mystery case before her brother Sherlock solves it first. A fast past mystery full of historical notes about friendships, disguises and sibling relationships.

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.

Sara, a strong and resourceful young woman, escapes with her father from Carthage by sea to face the hostile Roman navy and pirates. The naval tactics, medicine and international relations of the third century, and the insights into trades such as jewellery and sword-making, are an exciting backdrop to their perilous voyage and the political intrigue they encounter. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Frank lives in London and when his father is drafted and his neighbourhood is bombed, Frank is evacuated to the countryside. There, he meets a German Jewish girl named Hannah and learns how much is at stake in the war with Nazi Germany.

Overseers, superintendents and gaol bullies make the lives of boys transported to Van Diemen's Land in the 1830s miserable, even dangerous. Determined not to be stuck at Point Puer, Sam and Jemmy find plans can so easily go wrong.

Living one hundred years apart, two seventeen year old men are artists and share a love of painting. In 1915, Maurice enlists to fight in World War l and his story allows us to see the brutality and futility of war, as well as the friendship and loyalty that develops. A century later, it is Maurice's diary, preserved in a tin box, that saves his deeply-troubled nephew, Oliver, from entering a downward spiral. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Chiara's family can no longer afford to keep her so she is given to the Poor Clare's nunnery. Silvano has been accused of a brutal murder and must take refuge in the nearby friary. When two more murders occur, Chiara and Silvano attempt to solve the crimes.

Lucas' grandfather has died and his mother decides they should stick with their plan to spend summer in his home, even though he is no longer there to enjoy their visit. A chance encounter with Caitlin from next door, a girl he only vaguely remembers from his childhood summer visits, reveals the stark truth that his grandfather's past is a mystery he may wish he hadn't revealed. And when he and Caitlin are faced with a life or death situation, Lucas finds himself being compared to his grandfather for all the wrong reasons. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

When the river rises and the city of Paris begins to disappear under water, Frederic decides to help those who can't help themselves. But as his heroic acts escalate, so does the danger. Frederic will have to battle an escaped zoo animal and fight off pickpockets and looters, but as the waters subside, can he find justice for his father and find out what courage really means?

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.

In 1793, fourteen year old Mattie hates getting out of bed and being nagged by her mum. Her friend, Polly, comes down with yellow fever. The disease starts to spread through the city, and even Mattie has to get serious as the panic spreads.

A German teenager is sent to a prisoner of war camp in the bush near Perth. From a position of pride and resistance he finds a new sense of self. Sixty years later another adolescent is escaping from the tragedy of a dead sibling and finds the ruins of the camp. As he reflects on his guilt he meets a girl and her grandfather on a pilgrimage back to the site of the POW camp.

When the Nazis attacked, Sophie FitzOsborne and the royal family of Montmaray escaped their remote island home. But, now that war has come to England, nowhere is safe. Sophie fills her journal with tales of wartime, while desperately waiting for news of her brother, last seen flying over enemy territory. But, hope springs up in surprising places, and love blooms unexpectedly.

As nations scramble to avert war, Sophie FitzOsborne and her eccentric family shelter in England. In keeping with high society expectations, Aunt Charlotte wants to marry off Sophie and Veronica. Toby is charming and lazy, Henry is driving the governess mad and Simon and Veronica's battle of wills continues. Sophie tries to keep her family together, when everything is falling apart. Usually read by students in Years 9,10 or above.

Lorenzo is special. He seems to be able to communicate with animals. Which is odd, because he sometimes has problems communicating with people. Lorenzo has a particular bond with the flamingos that live in huge flocks on the marshes around his home in the Camargue. Lorenzo also loves music, and routine, and every week he visits the local town market with his mother. That's where he meets Kezia, whose parents own and run the wonderful carousel that captures his attention. Kezia shows Lorenzo how to ride the wooden horse, or cheval, as her mother plays the organ and in time they become firm friends. Life is good. But then the war intrudes, the Germans finally arrive and everything that Lorenzo and Kezia hold dear is threatened, even the flamingos. Yet, where there is life, there is hope and even amongst the occupying soldiers there are kind souls.

True story of an eleven year old girl growing up in Nazi Germany who despite her youth is aware of the evils of propaganda and is proud of her family's survival skills and resilience.

It's not easy being a teenage boy growing up in the tough neighbourhood of Glebe in the 1930s. It's even harder when your dream is to become an aviator, your parents are dead against it, and your girlfriend's father is the School Principal. But Joe has even bigger challenges he must face and obstacles to overcome in order to achieve his dream. He has come up with a plan and won't let anyone stand in his way.

1969. While astronauts are navigating to the moon, Sharnie is navigating her way through her first year in high school (just). She wonders if the world will change when man walks on the moon. However much Sharnie wishes things would stay the same, change is coming. She feels less included in the life of her older sister, Cas, who is growing up and growing away from her. Family life gets rocky as her patriotic dad discovers Cas has met a returned soldier and is intent on making a stand about conscription and Australia's involvement in the Vietnam war. At school, Sharnie's only friend Mia is also drifting away from her towards her nemesis, Ellie. She usually finds comfort at her grandma's but Grandma is becoming forgetful lately and Sharnie is worried. Although it is hard, will Sharnie be courageous enough to moonwalk, to find her own way?

Curzon joins the American army, fighting for independence against the British. As well as the hardships of soldiering, Curzon lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave, passing for free. Then there is Isabel, who is also at Valley Forge against her will. They have to sort out the tangled threads of their friendship while figuring out what stands between the two of them and true freedom. Includes some violence.

The epic battle between man and monster reaches its greatest pitch in the famous story of Frankenstein. In trying to create life, the young student Victor Frankenstein unleashes forces beyond his control, setting into motion a long and tragic chain of events that brings Victor himself to the very brink. How he tries to destroy his creation, as it destroys everything Victor loves, is a powerful story of love, friendship... and horror. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

During China's 'Great Leap Forward', Ming survived the famine that killed his parents. He now lives a hard but adequate life, working in the fields. As part of a Communist Party re-education program, a group of city boys arrives, unused to hard labour and village life. Despite his reservations and their differences, Ming befriends a boy called Li and, slowly, they form a bond over evening swims and shared dreams. As the bitterness of life under the Party begins to take its toll, Ming and Li begin to imagine the impossible, freedom.

When Henni's stubborn old neighbour Willa insists on returning to her childhood home in the Netherlands for a wedding, Henni leaps at the chance to be her travelling companion. 'Lucky duck! Fantastic opportunity!' That's what everyone in Stella Street said. 'Oh boy, chance of a lifetime.' But during the long flight to Amsterdam, Willa reveals to Henni the real reason for her journey: a terrible family secret stretching back to the Second World War. As Henni makes friends with more and more of Willa's relatives, she must decide if they should know the truth. And is that the only mystery?

At Gallipoli, in 1915, the courageous ANZACs faced the brave Turks in the First World War. Instead of adventure and glory, they meet the sheer brutality of war. Emotional quotes about separation from family, harrowing experiences and loss of friends.

In graphic novel format, the truth about the assault on Gallipoli in 1915 is revealed. Rather than being a botched attack, planned by indifferent British generals, the Gallipoli campaign was carefully thought out and included an amphibious attack on the beach by ANZAC officers.

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.

While visiting Stonehenge, a young woman accidentally falls back in time to the year 1347. She becomes actively involved in the life of the people, trying to change things for the better leading to trouble and adventure. Also published as 'The guardian of the gate'.

Froggy traces his family history with the ghostly help of Tad, who perished in the smallpox epidemic of 1881.

When seventeen year old Jed Kelly turns up at Drinkwater Station, claiming to be the great-granddaughter of Matilda Thompson's dying husband, she has no evidence and won't even reveal her real name. Badly-wounded Vietnam War veteran, Nicholas, is haunted by ghosts and his changed life. As Jed settles in to life on the Station, she feels part of a real family for the first time. Her secrets remain hidden, for now. Set during the turbulence of the late 1960s, a time of hippies, anti-war demonstrations and Australia's vital role in the unforgettable first moon walk.

Paris, 1889: The world is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In this city, no one keeps tabs on secrets better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, Severin Montagnet-Alarie. But when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help, Severin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance. To find the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Severin will need help from a band of experts: an engineer with a debt to pay, a historian who can't yet go home, a dancer with a sinister past and a brother in all but blood, who might care too much. Together, they'll have to use their wits and knowledge to hunt the artefact through the dark and glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the world, but only if they can stay alive.

It is 1919 and World War I casts its shadow across Australia, particularly for orphaned sixteen-year-old Flinty McAlpine. The man Flinty loves returned from war so changed and distant. Her brother Andy 'gone with cattle', leaving Flinty in charge of their younger brother and sister and with the threat of eviction from the farm she loves. A brumby muster held under the watchful eye of the legendary Clancy of the Overflow offers hope.

In a Victorian farming community, Emmie's mother takes on Bertha to help with the chores and the two girls become friends. Emmie discovers Bertha's terrible secrets and their lives intertwine. Based on true events and containing adult themes. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

For as long as history has been recorded, girls haven't had much of a look in amongst all the great men we remember. But that doesn't mean they weren't there. And it doesn't mean that they didn't achieve great things, come up with wonderful inventions or win battles. Read the history of her-story.

In Cairo, fifteen year old Aaron makes a living gathering garbage. But, Aaron has dreams of a better life, which includes Rachel who looks after the ponies that pull the stinking garbage carts. Aaron's skill at sorting glass is the only thing that keeps him alive. His mother is dead and his stepfather and stepbrother bully him. Aaron makes a choice that changes his life. Usually read by students in Years 9,10 or above.

Australia's gold rushes of the nineteenth century produced tremendous wealth and population growth for the struggling Australian colonies. People from all walks of life made the perilous journey to the goldfields, returning either fabulously wealthy or demoralised and broke. It was a time of huge political, social and cultural change. Includes diaries, journals, letters, official reports, newspaper articles of the time. A challenging read. Usually read by students in Years 9,10 or above.

As an Aztec maiden, Itacate is destined to a lifetime of submission and domestic drudgery until the Spanish invaders come and violently turn her world of savage blood sacrifices and cultural boundaries upside down. Her strength of character, great skill in her father's profession and her love for a young invader help her endure tragedy and hardship in a harsh adult world. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

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.

My name is Johannes and this is the story of how an evil ogre named Hitler swallowed Frau Marks, Helga and I. But we survived. Now we need to learn how to live, and love again. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

William is evacuated to the countryside during the bombing of English cities in World War II. Mr Tom takes him in and turns his sad life around.

With news of the death of her father on a distant battlefield, 14-year-old Angelique Lacroix must grow up very quickly to take care of her mother and her farm so that her brother who is also away fighting, has something to return to. The only way to do that however, is to travel across war-torn France with her flock of Toulouse geese. She learns heartbreaking but valuable lessons along the way about the nature of human beings when pushed to the brink of survival, and what she is prepared to personally sacrifice to save the ones she loves.

Pearl and Vally Cole live in a bookshop. And not just any bookshop. In 1893, Cole's Book Arcade in Melbourne is the grandest bookshop in the world, brimming with every curiosity imaginable. Each day brings fresh delights for the siblings: voice-changing sweets, talking parrots, a new story written just for them by their eccentric father. When Pearl and Vally learn that Pa has risked the Arcade - and himself - in a shocking deal with the mysterious Obscurosmith, the siblings hatch a plan. Soon they are swept into a dangerous game with impossibly high stakes: defeat seven challenges by the stroke of midnight and both the Arcade and their father will be restored. But if they fail Pearl and Vally won't just lose Pa - they'll forget that he and the Arcade ever existed.

It's a great escape, but will Peter survive it? When Peter's family leaves for a trip across the border, he stays behind. So when the government builds a wall through the city, guarded by soldiers, tanks and ferocious dogs, he's trapped. Everyone says he might never see his family again. But Peter has a courageous plan

Nicki Greenberg's adaptation of The Great Gatsby brings to life the grand and crumpled dreams of F. Scott Fitzgerald's unforgettable characters. In the exquisitely realised setting of 1920s New York, a throng of fantastical creatures play out the drama, the wry humour and the tragedy of the novel. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Fifteen year old Khalid isn't too excited about visiting his family in Pakistan but his Mum and Dad want him to go with them. For Khalid, a living nightmare begins. He is kidnapped and forced to go to a place no teenager should ever see, a place where torture and terror are considered normal. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Life in Germany in 1939 is not safe for 13 year old Max Gruber so he is sent to his Uncle Ferdy in London, only to find himself sent to Australia aboard the famous ship Dunera. Arriving in rural Hay, and housed in an internment camp, he meets local boy Tom. The two new friends become allies, as their lives are affected by the growing conflict in far away Europe.

Three women from very different backgrounds meet on the long sea voyage from their homeland of England to Sydney. They quickly bond in an unlikely friendship. Indulged and wealthy, Kat Fitzhubert, has been sold in an arranged marriage to someone in the new colony. Lady Viola Montefiore is a dark skinned lady that her family has kept hidden and then shipped to the new colony. Titiana Boot is as broad as a carthorse and as useful. Jackie French defies the myth of colonial women in the 1850s as merely wives, servants, or petty thieves. Instead she portrays them as businesswomen, farmers, bushrangers and illegal brewers. All of this happens as the convict colony reinvents itself into a land of gold rushes and illusive riches. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

A WWII Japanese airman in the two greatest battles fought on Australian soil, shamed by his capture, faces a dilemma - uphold the honour of his family or risk the life of his young wife? Duty is heavy as a mountain, death as light as a feather. He conceals his true name to protect his family. Suicide is a possibility, but he's drawn away from his military indoctrination by experiences with ordinary Australians, drawn towards living out his own individuality. But the young bride he left behind had vowed she would kill herself if he died. He could write to tell her he lives, but would that reveal his cowardice, shame his family? A tale of the Australian WWII experience, seen through the eyes of this deeply troubled man.

In eighteenth century Devon, Caleb, travels with his father, living off the earnings from their Punch and Judy show. When his father is wrongly arrested for stealing and transported to the Colonies, Caleb is left alone. After a desperate journey in search of an aunt he's never met, he receives a strange, cold welcome. Then, a body washes up on the nearby beach and Caleb is caught up in a terrifying net of lies and intrigue. Soon, he and his new family are in mortal danger.

A graphic re-telling of Shakespeare's classic historical play. Henry, a proud and wilful monarch, defies Rome's ban on divorce to marry the beguiling Anne Boleyn. Despite attempts to sway the Pope by Cardinal Wolsley, England's powerful Lord Chancellor, the Catholic Church plunges into chaos, signalling the beginning of the Church of England. Anne, the new queen, gives birth to a girl who will become England's most famous monarch - Elizabeth I.

When World War II is declared in 1939, Peter and his friend, Tony, put their ages up and enlist in the Australian army. Written as diary entries, giving a gripping and informative insight into their experiences in the Middle East, particularly at Tobruk. Provides a clear picture of the challenges and horrors of war. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

In 1628, Veronica and her brother flee for their lives into the German woods after their father is burned at the stake. At the dawn of the eighteenth century, Scottish maid Katherine is lured into political dissent after her parents are butchered for their beliefs. In present-day Australia, Paisley navigates her way through the burning torches of small-town gossip after her mother's new-age shop comes under scrutiny. A powerful historical novel about three young women caught in the hysteria of their own times.

On the run from the redcoats, the two young highwaymen, Will and Bess, find themselves in Scotland, blamed for a murder they did not commit. They are captured by smugglers and become embroiled in religious hatred and revenge that goes back for generations. Will and Bess will have to make decisions and choices that will test their courage to the limit.

William de Lacy, the high born son of a gentleman, is on the run for stealing money and a horse. These are hanging offences and Will and the mysterious Bess must be resourceful and brave enough to survive an eighteenth century highwayman's life.

Fourteen year old Joan Skraggs yearns for real life and true love, just like the heroines in her beloved novels. But, there is little hope for adventure, beauty or art on a farm in Pennsylvania, where the work never ends, looking after her father and three brothers. When she can't take any more, Joan escapes to the city, finding a kitchen maid's position in a Jewish household. Here, she grows as a person and her strict religious upbringing is tempered, as she learns more about her employers' beliefs and world events.

'Once upon a time, in a dark city far away, there lived a boy called Walter, who had nothing but his name to call his own...' The handwritten book, with its strangely vivid illustrations, has been hidden in the old house for a long, long time. Tonight, four kids and their teacher will find it. Tonight, at last, the haunting story of Walter and the mysterious, tragic girl called Sparrow will be read - right to the very end...

While waiting for the school bus, Mark, Anna, Ben and Little Tracey tell each other stories to pass the time. One of these stories is about Heidi, a mystery daughter of Adolf Hitler in Germany, during World War II.

A novel set in Viking Britain. Beorn, a fugitive from Iceland, is adopted by a powerful Viking warrior.

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.

Find out if you could have survived in the Blitz when all of London and many other English cities were bombed heavily and constantly. You might be the sort of person who would remember to always have a gas mask with you or who actually liked the meals that can be made with rationed food. You might even want to escape mum and dad for a bit but maybe not for six years. A sad time in history still had its funny moments.

Tells the story of the Scots, from the desperate Dark Ages to the terrible 20th century. It provides facts on cool kings, cruel kings, mean queens and wise women. Find out about William Wallace, Braveheart and gory Scottish ghost stories.

Discover the wild warriors who fought the Roman army with swords and spears while collecting human heads. If this bloodthirsty book isn't nasty enough for you, you must be a cut-throat Celt yourself.

Discover all the foul facts about dark knights and dingy castles, including why one nutty knight chopped off his own finger, the revolting truth about a gong-farmer's job and what went on in gruesome castle garderobes.

The most horrible book yet. Take a whirlwind tour through the most dreadful, disastrous and deadly days in the whole of horrible history, from the grim Great Fire of Rome to the vile St Valentine's Day Massacre, leaving the gory bits in and the boring bits out.

Discover all the foul facts about England, including which monk tried to pinch the devil's nose with a pair of tongs, why some people in the Middle Ages ate dove droppings, and which English king was accused of being a werewolf.

Discover all the foul facts about France, including which king thought he was made of glass, why French bread was once made from broken tiles and bricks, and how to play hopscotch like a French highwayman.

The incredible Incas may have built South America's greatest civilisation but they could be very icky indeed. The poor prisoners who pulled up their huge pyramids were likely to experience a very painful death. But, things weren't much better for your average Inca. Find out how a bucket of stewed pee could make you beautiful, why servants ate the emperor's hair and what chilling fate awaited their child sacrifices.

Discover all the foul facts about Ireland. Find out why wax models were captured and made Prisoners of War, which warriors went to battle naked, and how to make yourself invisible.

Terry Deary reveals the horrible history of knights - all the gore and more. Readers should forget the fairy tales from days of old when knights were supposed to be bold and damsels were always in distress, and brace themselves for the terrible truth about the cold-blooded killers. From Arthur and his mythical knights to warrior kings and cruel crusades there are foul facts on a whole host of nasty knights plus dire details of the weapons they used and the rotten rules of knight fights.

Go underground to discover London's putrid past. Take a trip to the terrifying Tower and then dip into the River Thames, London's largest toilet. Find out the ten worst ways to make a living in the city and the most disgusting way to die. History has never been so horrible.

Travel back into the measly Middle Ages, where the world was full of wild women, mad monks, naughty knights and crazy kings and queens. Discover a genuine jester's joke, why chickens had their bottoms shaved and what ten year old treacle was used for. History with the nasty bits left in.

Reveals the terrible truth behind the lousy pirate legends and lies, so forget the brave heroes swinging from masts and the handsome young men sailing the seven seas for this is history as it's most horrible. Readers can decide who was the baddest of the bunch in the top ten of putrid pirates, discover why the women pirates were just as wicked as the men and learn to talk the patter of a Pirate. Plus there are foul facts on the ships they sailed, the punishments they suffered and the rules they lived by.

It's 1348 and the shadow of the Black Death is descending over England. Geoffrey Copton returns from the war in France, only to find himself caught up in a plot to rob and kill an innocent man. Will Geoffrey and his friend Meg manage to save the day, or will the dastardly plotters get away with the gold ...and with murder.

Readers can discover all the foul facts about Rotten Rulers, including who gave the job of high priest to a donkey, who choked to heath while eating a crow and who celebrated victory by eating his enemy's head.

Discover all the foul facts about rowdy revolutions, including which Chinese emperor was overthrown by his mum, why one revolution made ugly people very scared indeed and what Count Dracula was really like.

Readers can discover all the foul facts about the Ruthless Romans, including which emperor enjoyed eating camel's heels, who were the terrible twins who founded Rome and which evil emperors made murder a sport.

Discover all the facts about the Savage Stone Age including what they used instead of toilet paper, why a hole in the skull is good for headaches, and how to make a Stone Age mummy.

This is a sickening story which started when gibbering King James I took the throne. Find out why some slimy Stuarts ate toads, snails and fleas; why people wore fish on their feet, and which king picked his nose and never washed his hands. Also find out the gruesome truth about ghastly Guy Fawkes, the tragic tales of women accused of witchcraft and the ever-present threat of the perilous plague.

Find out the terrible truth about the pillaging people who bashed the Brits but got nobbled by the Normans, including who got cow pats as Christmas presents or why wearing a pig on your head was lucky. Read on for foul facts on disgusting diseases and ghastly graves.

Discover all the foul facts about the stormin' Normans, including why Norman knights slept with a dolly, which pirate hung up his eye-patch and became a saint, and why Crusader ships were defended with barrels of wee.

History has never been so horrible. Foul facts about the cruellest kings and meanest queens ever to rule England. Find out about the terrible tale of an awful axeman, why Henry VIII thought he'd married a horse and brush up your knowledge of Tudor torture.

Discover all the foul facts about the Twentieth Century, including who shocked the world by showing her knickers, how two monkeys and a dog became astronauts, and why a posh London restaurant served stewed cat.

Discover all the foul facts about the Angry Aztecs, including why the Aztecs liked to eat scum, when the world is going to end and their horrible habit of drinking live toads in wine. Filled with foul facts, terrible timelines and a grisly quiz.

This book is packed with quizzes, facts and ghastly details of the lives, habits and customs of the ancient Egyptians.

Find out how a pair of old socks gave away top secrets, how sniffing your own wee could save your life in the First World War, why wearing white knickers could get you killed in the Second World War. The First World War was meant to last four months but ground on for four grim years. The Second World War gives you the dire details about the snow-bound cities under siege and fly-infested jungle trenches.

From poor hygiene and terrible food to a country overrun with body snatchers and thief-takers, the poor old Georgians didn't stand much of a chance in a country run by unsuitable politicians and less than stable monarchs.

The hip and fabulous Greeks hung out over two thousand years ago. Meet horrible heroes, suffering slaves and foolish philosophers. Find out about the world's first flushing toilet and why dedicated doctors tasted their patients' ear wax.

Life in ancient Rome from Nero to Boudicca includes gory games, rotten recipes and lots of frightening facts.

Discover all the foul facts about the USA, including which president was so scared of electric switches that he slept with his light on, why cowboys declared war on sheep and how to have a civil battle.

Packed with frightening facts about the vile invaders from the North and their savage enemies, including such legendary warriors as Fat-thighs, Oaf, and Stinking.

They may have looked all prim and proper but the Victorians were a jolly naughty bunch, who could be vicious and violent and villainous. Discover the murderers who wouldn't hang, when the first public loo was flushed and about stag hunting in Paddington Station. History with the nasty bits left in.

Readers can discover all the foul facts about the villainous Victorians, including why burglars were scared of bogies, which poet said he ate an ape and how a snick fadger might kiddy-nap your spangle.

Discover how to be very rude without anybody knowing, some murky Medieval jokes and what to say if someone calls you mundungus, hackum or Jabbernowl.

Alexa, the headstrong teenage daughter of a landowning family in 475 England, dreams of breeding fine horses. When she meets Artorius, a boy who dreams of victory, fighting the barbarians from horseback, Alexa finds allies to help extricate herself from her mother's plans. She finds herself in an uncertain, bloodthirsty world, where life has little value when measured against power and wealth. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

When the tsunami strikes the Japanese coastal town of Omori-wan, the effects are utterly devastating. Three years later, much of what happened on that day is still a mystery and Hotaka finds himself increasingly haunted by memories of his best friend, Takeshi. When strong-willed Sakura initiates a controversial anti-seawall movement, there is danger at every turn for Hotaka and his friends. As the town and its people struggle to rebuild their lives, can Hotaka help Omori-wan look to the future- and can he let go of his past? A powerful and moving story about one boy caught up in the Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

Following the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville, Sherlock Holmes is on the case, intent on finding out the truth behind the family's curse and the existence of the terrifying Hound of the Baskervilles. The new heir, Henry Baskerville, has already been warned against claiming his inheritance, will he be the next to fall prey to the family's curse or will Holmes be able to crack the case before there is more death? Based on the most famous of all Holmes' cases this graphic novel captures the terror and suspense surrounding the Hound and the curse that continues to hunt the Baskervilles.

Two tales twist together at 203 Liberty Street, Newtown. In 1985, sixteen year old Evie and her family move into a new home, which appears to be haunted. Evie dreams of running footsteps, shouting voices and loud banging. Fifty years previously, during the Great Depression, Lizzie and her family live at number 203. Her family faces eviction and the local communist movement barricades the house. The final chapters reveal the connections between the past and the present. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

The trials of high school start to feel like modern day witch hunt for Samantha Mather, who has all the wrong connections to Salem's past. To say Sam is unwelcome in Salem would be an understatement. She is the target of the Descendants, a mysterious group of girls whose ancestors were persecuted in the Witch Trials. Complicating her life further is Elijah, an inconveniently handsome resident ghost, and her cute new neighbour, Jaxon. When a centuries old curse is rekindled, Sam finds herself in the centre of it. Can she stop history repeating itself?

This is the well-known story of Juliet Capulet and her love for Romeo, and the increasing helplessness Juliet feels as she realises that unlike young men her age, her life will effectively be determined and controlled by others, who see her having an arranged marriage of alliance and becoming a breeder of sons. I am Juliet closely follows the well-known and loved plot of the play, and also Rob, the 13-year-old boy who is the first to play the role of Juliet on the Elizabethan stage. He is overwhelmed by 'all those words' that Shakespeare wrote. But Rob realises that the story of love and tragedy is a somewhat simple one and the words are there for their extraordinary beauty and meaning. He will be Juliet and let the power of the words sing.

Cristian has lived his entire life in the grip of a repressive dictatorship. The country is governed by fear. When the secret police blackmail him, Cristian has an impossible choice. Save the life of his sick grandfather by informing on his family, or risk his life - and all of theirs - by resisting? At 17, Cristian dreams of being free but doesn't know where to turn. In this climate of constant suspicion, can he trust his best friend, his girlfriend or even his family? Closely based on the real events of the Romanian Revolution of 1989, this is a powerful, heart-breaking thriller from the author of Salt to the Sea, winner of the Carnegie Medal.

It's 1972 in Gibber's Creek, and across the nation, the catchcry is, 'It's time'. As political ideals drift from disaster to the dismissal, it's also time for Jed Kelly to choose between past love, Nicholas, the local Labor member, and Sam from the Halfway to Eternity commune. It's time too for Matilda Thompson to face her ghosts and the life that took a young girl from the slums of Grinder's Alley to being the formidable matriarch of Gibber's Creek. During this period of extraordinary social change and idealism, modern Australia would be born. And although the nation would dream of a better world, it would continue to struggle with opposing ideas of exactly what that better world might be.

In 1910, thirteen year old Poesy Swift has the opportunity to join a travelling performance troupe, she's excited about seeing the world and leaving her drab life in Melbourne. But, the trip heads to India instead of America and, as India simmers with the tension of a crumbling Empire, the troupe is gradually torn apart by ill fortune, sickness and tension. Based on the true story of the Lilliputian Opera Company.

Forced to live with her grandfather at the remote family property that has been in her family for generations, Nic wonders how she will survive without mobile reception or Wi-Fi. She begins to explore the family home, finding cryptic clues that she hopes will lead to information about her mother who died on the day she was born. Nic finds something even better, a way to travel back in time, a way to find out about her ancestors. What she discovers though is a dark secret that still haunts the land and the people who live there. Can she change the terrible events of the past, is there some way to undo the atrocities of her ancestors?

A beautiful illustrated graphic novel that follows Cinzia - a printer's apprentice - as she tries to prove her mentor, Mestra Aronne, has been wrongfully imprisoned. She crosses paths with Elena, the daughter of nobles who force her to remain hidden away, and the two become unexpected allies. This is a powerful story of friendship and explores the power of individuals making a change to make the world a better place.

Hugo is an orphan, clock keeper and thief, living in a Parisian railway station at the turn of the nineteenth century. The story, in words and pictures, includes the invention of the earliest moving pictures and automatons. A hidden message from a dead father is the key to this spellbinding mystery.

While treating a patient with dysentery, Sister Annie Barnaby encounters a strain of lethal bacteria. As the invaders journey deep into her gut, the resident microbes must fight to survive and Annie's life hangs in the balance. Enter the phage, a deadly viral predator, ready to wage war to protect their host. Created by an expert team of scientists, artists, educators, writers and historians, The Invisible war is a story like no other.

Isabel strives to remain on good terms with her controlling half-brother, King Enrique, and her younger sibling, the rebel King Alfonso in this tale of romance. As matches are made and broken, the princess finally weds the man of her choice.

Ivy, a common, laudanum addict living with thieves and scoundrels, is a stunner, a term for an artist's model and beauty. After embarking on a life of crime in London, she is sold out by her adopted family and falls victim to a pre-Raphaelite painter's jealous mother. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

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.

Atl has been a Temple slave for six years but now he is imprisoned in a box, waiting to be sacrificed to the Serpent-Sun god. When the Spanish lords attack the temple, Ichtaca releases Atl to run to the next town to ask for help. Now he is free, Atl must decide whether to deliver the message or save himself.

Jahanara, favorite daughter of Emperor Shah Jahan and the most beloved of his four wives, writes about family jealousies, court intrigues, and war strategies, as well as the extravagant lifestyle of her royal family.

Through a mixture of narrative and historical sources, the extraordinary life of Joan of Arc is detailed from her childhood in the small village of Doremy to her eventual burning at the stake, at the tender age of 18. The story follows Joan's quest to have the Dauphin crowned as the true King of France and the English invaders defeated.

Llewelyn Jones is a twelve year old boy who journeys to Australia to find his convict mother and uncle. He ends up on the goldfields at the time of The Eureka Stockade. Some strong language used in context.

Elias, an apprentice barber-surgeon, sets sail for Jamestown Colony. There, he meets a Pamunkee Indian girl training to be a medicine woman and dream reader. They forge a friendship, sharing their medical knowledge, regardless of the war around them.

Determined, passionate and privileged, Elizabeth was born into a world where she felt she didn't belong and had to fight to survive. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, was executed by her father, Henry VIII. Elizabeth competed with her two half-siblings for love and the British throne as Queen Elizabeth 1. In the gilded corridors of the royal palace, enemies she couldn't see and those bound to her by blood, plotted to destroy her.

Set in Judea in 71 AD, this is the story of 14 year old Judith who lives a simple life in her rural village. But one night the Roman army invades, stealing food, killing and enslaving the villagers and destroying her home. Saved by the foresight of her great grandmother, Rabba, the pair escape along with her younger sister and a stubborn goat. They hide in a cave and Judith must use all her skills to provide for her remaining family during the long, icy winter to come. Rabba has much wisdom and many stories to share, but the one Judith and her surprise guest, Caius, want to learn more about is the story of Maryiam, Rabba's extraordinary friend and mother of Jesus. Like Judith, Maryiam of Nazareth was never 'just a 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.

Just a girl to those around her, Elizabeth is now the Queen of England. She has outsmarted her enemies and risen above a lifetime of hurt and family betrayal. Elizabeth is surrounded by men who give her advice and compliments but may be hiding daggers and poison behind their backs. Elizabeth must use her head and ignore her heart to be the queen her people need. But, this may lead her to betray a fellow queen.

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of England reflects on her 40-year rule. The unwanted daughter of an executed Queen, Elizabeth is a survivor. She is not just a Queen, but as the title suggests she is a woman of flesh and blood. As her life draws to an end, is her reflection one of regret?

Kaiulani details her lavish wardrobe, her pet peacocks, and her unusual friendship with the shy, sweet writer Robert Louis Stevenson. When she leaves her beloved islands to attend boarding school in 1889, Kaiulani makes the best of it.

Princess Kazunomiya is the half-sister of the Emperor of Japan. She relates, in her diary and in poems, the confusing events occurring in the Imperial Palace in 1858, including political and romantic intrigue.

1943. World War II is raging across Europe and on the Pacific front. Kit Sutherland is hiding a huge secret when she is unexpectedly recruited to work as a young codebreaker at Arlington Hall, a US Signals Intelligence facility. When Kit's roommate doesn't return home from a dance, it sparks a search that ends in a gruesome discovery. And soon it turns into a horrifying pattern: Government girls are being murdered in Washington, DC. Kit joins forces with three other girl codebreakers, Dottie, Moya and Violet, and as they work to crack the killer's code, two things become terrifyingly clear: the murderer they're hunting is getting closer every moment... and Kit's own secret could put her in more jeopardy than she ever imagined. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

Kiss the Dust is the compelling story of the flight of a Kurdish family fleeing Iraq. Twelve year old Tara tells the tale as her family rush into the mountains carrying everything they can. As refugees, they struggle through camps always wondering what will come next, where will they go and how they will settle as a family again. Tara's life is turned upside down as she struggles with the pressures of helping manage a myriad of problems.

King Gustav II Adolf desperately wanted a son to become his heir. Upon his daughter's birth, the king declared she would be treated as a boy and, someday, be King of Sweden. Kristina describes learning fencing and horseback riding.

The diary of sixteen year old Lady of Ch'iao Kuo is a remarkable adventure set in Southern China in the sixth century. A born leader, Lady of Ch'iao Kuo, also known as Princess Redbird, is both courageous and keenly intelligent.

The lady of Palenque is the thirteen year old daughter of King Hanaab Pacal. She embarks on a gripping and pivotal journey to meet her husband-to-be, who is a stranger to her. A keen observer and storyteller, the princess records her own steps into adulthood, as she faces countless obstacles along the way.

The personal stories of the last eighteen surviving veterans of the Gallipoli campaign. Almost ninety years after the commencement of World War I, we still support a march in honour of the ANZACs and respect their spirit.

Pakistan 1974: The secret-wreathed trees of Harikaya have always called to Hassan. He knows if he doesn't find the last beekeeper and salvage a precious jar of his mythical black honey before the floods come, his mother will lose her sight. A historical novel of family, friendship and self-discovery exploring the power of choice in a changing world and love in communion with nature.

Under the burnt timber of the church, the police have found the body of Merv Ignatious, the man who so viciously attacked Jed Kelly when she was fifteen, and tried to kill her and her unborn child in last year's bushfire. And also in the church, lie skeletons from many years ago.

1945, Hiroshima: Ichiro is a teenage boy relaxing at home with his friend Hiro. Moments later they witness the blinding flash as the first nuclear bomb of WWII is dropped. Despite their wounds, the two boys set out to find Hiro's five-year-old sister Keiko in the devastated and blasted landscape. When Hiro is no longer able to continue, Ichiro promises Hiro he will take care of Keiko and get her to safety. But in the chaos, Ichiro loses her after setting off to find help. Seventy years later, this broken promise to his dying friend haunts the old man's fading years. Mizuki, his granddaughter, is determined to help him. As the Japanese legend goes, if you have the patience to fold 1,000 paper cranes, you will find your heart's desire; and it turns out her grandfather has only one more origami crane to fold...

Rachel is German and Jewish. With the outbreak of World War II, her life is changed. The family is forced to move from their comfortable home into cramped housing and, when the Nazis arrive, they don't know what is to become of them. But, Rachel's father gives her instructions that save her life. He also tells her not to speak.

Based on the experience of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, this is the incredible story of a girl who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during the Holocaust. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

The time has come to visit the forbidden island of Allay. But first Lintang needs to find her captain, and it seems the only way to get to the Winda is to join - then escape - the Vierzan navy. Only then will Captain Shafira set sail for Allay, where the crew of the Winda must uncover what really happened to the country's missing ruler. When disaster strikes, and Lintang is separated from her captain again, she and her friends must sneak through the heart of Allay, battle terrifying new mythies and overcome Captain Shafira's enemies to return to where they belong. Lintang was left behind once. She won't let it happen again.

Lintang dreams of having adventures on the High Seas. When a deadly mythie attacks the same day the infamous Captain Shafira visits her island, Lintang gets her chance, defending her village with the bravery that earns her a place on the pirate queen's ship. But they've barely left the island when Lintang discovers her best friend, Bayani, has stowed away. Telling Captain Shafira means betraying her friend, but keeping Bayani's secret risks everything...including their lives.

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.

Gabriel is apprenticed to a stonemason, a cruel master. When the opportunity presents itself, he runs away to join a troupe of travelling mystery players.

In Melbourne, in 1943, Mirabel is seventeen. She's leaving school, designing drsses and falling in love. Then, fate intervenes, her forbidden affair is discovered and JJ is posted back to China where a civil war is raging. Despite all warnings, Mirabel sets off for Shanghai and travels through great danger to find her true love. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Karim and his seventeen year old brother, Jamal, live with their family in Ramallah, Palestine under Israeli military occupation. During the war, Karim meets Hopper, a teenager living in a refugee situation and, together, they fight to claim a little piece of ground for their sporting matches. Yet, even this is claimed by Israeli tanks and the boys experience a fight for their lives. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

In 1931, a family's mother falls ill and their only hope is to reach their father working on the Great Ocean Road. The children set off on a long journey, with only a pram filled with their belongings, meeting all types of people on the way.

Told from the perspective of the elder of two daughters, this novel deals with the emotional struggle of an ex-Vietnam War nurse, and the ongoing impact of the war on her family. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Thirteen-year-old Matthew is miserable. His journalist dad is stuck overseas and his mom has moved in his one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother to ride out the Covid pandemic. But when Matthew finds a tattered black-and-white photo in his great-grandmother's belongings, he discovers a clue to a hidden chapter of her past - one that will lead to a life-shattering family secret. Set in alternating times that connect the present day to the 1930s and the US to the USSR and the Holodomor - the horrific famine that killed millions of Ukrainians, which the Soviet government covered up for decades.

Margot Baumann has left school to take up her sister's job in the mailroom of a large prison. But this is Germany in 1944, and the prison is Sachsenhausen concentration camp near Berlin. Margot is shielded from the camp's brutality as she has no contact with prisoners. But she does handle their mail and, when given a cigarette lighter and told to burn the letters, she is horrified by the callous act that she must carry out with her own hands. This is especially painful since her brother was taken prisoner at Stalingrad and her family have had no letters from him. So Margot steals a few letters, intending to send them in secret, only to find herself drawn to their heartrending words of hope, of despair, and of love. This is how Margot comes to know Dieter Kleinschmidt - through the beauty and the passion of his letters to his girlfriend. And since his girlfriend is also named Margot, it is like reading love letters written for her.

They were loyal creatures, the men and horses of the Australian Light Horse. But war doesn't always pay heed to loyalty. This is the powerful story of a young man's journey towards his own kind of bravery.

Fourteen-year-old Lucy cannot believe her luck when she starts working in Louisa Lawson's female printery. But it is the 1880s and male printers everywhere think this type of work should be left to the men. When the union too decides to make life difficult for Lucy and her printer friends, Lucy knows she has many battles ahead. Along the way she will realise who her real friends are, and find first love.

Lyddie is a survivor of hard times in a nineteenth century American cotton mill.

Lyla has just started her second year of high school when a magnitude 6.3 earthquake shakes Christchurch to pieces. Devastation is everywhere. While her police officer mother and trauma nurse father respond to the disaster, Lyla puts on a brave face, opening their home to neighbours and leading the community clean-up. But soon she discovers that it's not only familiar buildings and landscapes that have vanished - it's friends and acquaintances too. As the earth keeps shaking day after day, can Lyla find a way to cope with her new reality?

Luke lives in Australia with his mother and stepfather, Sam. Lulach lives in 9th century Scotland with his mother and stepfather, Macbeth. Knowing Macbeth to be a peaceful king, Luke wonders why Shakespeare made him a villain.

Chas finds a crashed German bomber plane with a machine gun intact. During 1941, he and his friends believe that they can help the war effort in England.

Mulan has been drilled in martial arts to fight the duel of her life - but what if her sworn enemy is also her secret love? A heart-thumping retelling that brings a much-loved heroine to life.

Mahtab's family live in Herat in Afghanistan amongst the ever present Taliban. They decide to leave everything they hold dear behind and journey secretly to Australia via Pakistan and Indonesia. This is an amazing story of struggle and hope for a better future.

In the closing, catastrophic stages of Sri Lanka's civil war, Malini and her sister are separated from their parents, who are forced to act as human shields. Malini and Banni travel inland, through jungles and unsafe territories, seeking refuge with their grandfather in his village.They will need to stay alert for soldiers from all sides and work out who to trust.

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.

The fictionalised diary of an adolescent Maria Antoinette beginning shortly before her arranged betrothal to Louis Auguste, the future and last king of France. Her diary includes descriptions of life at Versaille and an epilogue concludes the story.

Mary, the young Scottish Queen, is sent a diary from her mother in which she records her experiences living at the court of France's King Henry II as she awaits her marriage to Henry's son, Francis.

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.

Maybe Gabriek, Anya and Felix will escape the revenge Gogol's brother Zliv intends. Maybe they will evade a lynch mob still angry at the displaced Jews. Maybe Felix's medical abilities will provide the solution for a better new life on the other side of the world. Maybe Felix will have to leave his friends behind.

You may have heard of Joan of Arc. She had a short but inspirational life, fighting for freedom during the One Hundred Years War between France and England. She was a farm girl who became the leader of an army of men. Joan had an unflinching faith in God and in herself, and was prepared to risk everything for freedom and independence. She became the patron saint of France.

This is the story from World War I of Guy Haydon and his horse, Midnight, as they enlist with the army, travel across the world and play a starring role in a great cavalry charge.

In 14th century England, Alyce is taken from a life on the streets to be an apprentice to a village midwife.

Milad decides to go on one sea voyage to save his family's fortunes and embarks on a journey where he will find sea-battles, pirates, treasure, spies, perils and love. As part of a Phoenician fleet in the service of King Solomon, he experiences danger on the high seas and in deepest Africa, but he also finds the truest of friends in unexpected places. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Thirteen year old Y-Tin is an elephant trainer. His life revolves around Lady and the other elephants in their small herd. But, this is Vietnam in 1975 and, now that the American forces are gone, the North Vietnamese threaten the Dega people of the Central Highlands. When the feared attack comes, Y-Tin is captured. He must risk his life and save his elephants by fleeing into the jungle.

Men and women prove their worth in this exciting adventure. Minna, a Briton and a blacksmith's daughter, raises a sickly foal, commandeered by her brother, Cerdic, when he joins the soldiers. As bloodthirsty pirates plan to waylay the tiny Roman outpost, Cerdic and Minna risk all so that she can find reinforcements to save all their lives and that of her beloved defender, Theo.

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.

With the overthrow of the Shah in Iran, the very conservative, religious government controls every facet of life. Fifteen year old Farrin must keep quiet about her mother's political activities and lavish lifestyle. When Farrin meets funny, outgoing Sadira and they fall in love, the relationship takes a dangerous turn. It is against the law to be gay, the punishment is death. Some violence, usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

It's the Great Depression, and Abilene and her dad have moved around a lot, just trying to survive. Abilene is sent to stay in Manifest, a small town in Kansas, where her dad lived as a boy. When Abilene discovers a box of mementos under the floorboards, she begins to solve many mysteries about her Dad's past and the town of Manifest, and to come to terms with her own personal questions.

A moving tale of secrets and survival bound together by the power of music. When Lesley is sent to interview world-renowned violinist Paulo Levi, she is told that she can ask him anything at all -- except the Mozart question and that presents no problem at all because she has no idea of what that means.

Orphaned twelve-year-old Hattie travels to the remote and mist-shrouded Fens to live with her Egypt-obsessed aunt and uncle. It is 1873 in England. Her aunt hosts ancient Egyptian mummy-unwrapping parties in London, aided by the mysterious and sinister Ravens. When the mummy supply unexpectedly runs out, the family embarks on a perilous and illegal search for more, a thousand miles up the Nile.

As the horrors of the First World War are drawing to a close, an influenza pandemic has arisen that will kill more people around the world than the Great War. Charlotte McKenzie, assisting the doctor, finds herself experiencing first hand the effects of this devastating disease. This is Charlotte's diary, written in post World War I Melbourne in 1918.

Victor March is 14 years old and looking for adventure. He lies about his age and enlists in the 10th Battalion to fight in the Great War. He is among the first soldiers to land at Anzac Cove in 1915 and his world will forever change.

During World War II, Archie's two brothers are fighting the Japanese in the jungles of New Guinea. In his diary, Archie records how Townsville becomes a base for the pacific campaign, as the Australian coastline reels under Japanese bombs. Archie also records his own battle against the local bully.

Kitty wrote her diary living in the slums of the Rocks in 1900. She describes the harsh experiences of her surroundings and details of life in early twentieth century Sydney.

The Taliban in Afghanistan are seeking out young boys to become fighters. Fourteen year old Ali is smuggled out on a small boat. After a gruelling journey, Ali is rescued and transferred to Woomera Detention Centre in the Australian desert.

Life in the early days at Sydney Cove is told through the diary of a young girl.

David Bellamy is afraid. He fears the strange new land of New South Wales, its inhabitants and its wild creatures. He fears his relatives who have taken him in and the swearing, cursing Governor Bligh. And then, on Anniversary Day, 26th January, 1808, David and his new friends, Kitty and Ralph, are on the streets of Sydney Town when the military march on Government House.

Mary is ten when she begins to write in her diary. She documents her life as an Aboriginal child who was taken from her natural parents and raised by a non-Aboriginal foster family. Mary doesn't fit in and starts to question why.

From the shores of Anzac Cove and beyond, the Gallipoli peninsula was the place where thousands of men fought, suffered, endured or died during the eight months of occupation in 1915. For each of them, their nurses and their families, Gallipoli means something different.

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.

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.

Jenkin Lloyd is fourteen and about to embark on the adventure of his life when he goes off to war, as an archer, for King Henry V to fight against the 60,000 strong French troups at Agincourt. Jenkin knows there is not much chance of surviving the day.

Amelia Earhart was the first female aviator to cross the Atlantic. This courageous pilot disappeared in terrible weather conditions after flying out of Australia. She believed women must attempt the same challenges as men.

When the potato blight strikes Ireland, fourteen year old Phyllis McCormack goes into service to help feed her family.

Now Paul Lelaud has turned fourteen years old, he can escape from his Nazi sympathising teacher, Monsieur Armignac. He desperately wants to do something to free France of the Germans so his Uncle Maurice takes him into the French Resistance.

Peter is the son of a merchant sailor during the Second World War whose father survives a bombing by a German U-Boat. This motivates Peter to be more actively involved in the English war effort.

Kitty is a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse stationed at Standhaven military hospital. She doesn't know if she has it in her to nurse the young wounded soldiers coming in from France but they desperately need her help.

In 1789, the new colony in Sydney is established. Nanberry is an Aboriginal boy who is raised by Surgeon John White and witnesses the struggles of the colonists to survive in the wilderness. Follow Nanberry and his white brother as they make their way in the world, as well as the young convict woman who becomes a lady in her own right. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Hugo and his father have come to Australia to research life in the gold fields. When the coach they are travelling on is bailed up by a bushranger, they decide to find out all they can about bushrangers. Little does Hugo know that when he befriends fifteen year old Ned Kelly, he is much closer to bushrangers that he expected. His comfortable travels with is father are about to lead to exciting and dangerous places.

Sisters, Devorah and Nechama, are two of Isaac Ochberg's orphans who have survived the Night of the Burning in Domachevo, Poland, in 1920. With courage and hope, the sisters travel to South Africa for a better life and a desire to find safety and a family that might love them.

The Boons, a large, motherless family, are always on the move. Their father, a dreamer, takes risks that never pay off. When the family moves to an isolated house, Fing and her sisters sense the house and adjacent cemetery have a macabre past. They defy their strong-tongued grandmother to explore the cellar and a curious hole in the hedge. The house has its secrets and, somehow, they are linked to the family.

Three teenagers flee their homes for different reasons and are desperate to get to England. They entrust their lives to a people smuggler and quickly learn that he can't be trusted. Follow each of their journeys as they seek asylum. Based on the true experiences of children caught up in the refugee jungle of Calais and striving to find a place for themselves in the world. Includes adult themes and violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

The journey of a boy on the knife-edge between life and death, where the raging seas meet a coastal wilderness. When a deadly plague reaches the small fishing camp where he lives, an orphan named Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore. The deeper into his journey, the closer Leif comes to his truest self as he connects to 'the heartbeat of the ocean ... the pulse of the sea.'

When Nostradamus prophesises a great massacre, only Catherine de' Medici, mother of the young French King, Charles, pays heed to the dire warning. But, the soothsayer also has a message for Melisande, the minstrel's daughter. Upon his death, Nostradamus entrusts her with fulfilling his final prophecy.

A story of the determination of the people of Denmark to protect their Jewish friends from the Nazis in World War II.

Presents the fictional diary of thirteen year old Nzingha, a sixteenth-century West African princess, who loves to hunt and hopes, one day, to lead her kingdom against the invasion of the Portuguese slave traders.

Felix is hidden by his Jewish parents in a Catholic orphanage during the Nazi invasion of Poland. He runs away to find his parents and lands in the middle of the Holocaust.

A legend of King Arthur set in the 13th century.

When Obayda's father loses a leg in a bomb explosion, the family is forced to move from Kabul to a small village. Life is very different and her father rarely leaves his room. To bring luck to the family, Obayda's aunt suggests dressing her as a boy, a bacha posh. Now, she is Obayd. Life in this in-between place is confusing until Obayd meets Rahim, another bacha posh. They can explore on their own, climb trees and play sports. But, their transformation and newfound freedoms can't last forever.

Agabande, Rwanda, April 1994. Pascal and the children in his small village play with the toys they make, go to school and church, and do their chores. But, there are whispers and looks, messages of hate on the radio, and people are leaving. Pascal's simple but happy world is about to change forever. As a ten year old, co-author Noel Zihabamwe actually lived through these atrocities.

Drita, an Albanian, and Zoran, a Serb, become friends but this is Kosovo, and Serb-Albanian tension is rising. They find their families are now enemies and they are forced to meet in secret. They are about to begin a fight for their lives. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Ophelia, daughter of Denmark's Lord Chancellor and loved by Prince Hamlet, is the girl who will be queen. While Hamlet's family stab, poison or haunt one another, feisty, intelligent and ambitious Ophelia plans a sensible rule, filled with justice and the making of delicious cheeses. Even if she has to pretend to be mad to make it happen, Ophelia will not let anything, not even howling ghosts, stand in her way.

Hilly and her brother, Egg, were promised sunshine, plenty of food and someone to look after them. When they arrived from England, they were separated. Hilly was sent to a cruel orphanage in Adelaide. Includes mature themes and some strong language. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Billie Jo describes the difficulties of rural life in Oklahoma during the dust storms of 1934 and 1935, the brutal reality of her mother's death, her own injuries and her father's illness. Billie Jo's story is dark and intriguing, with a trace of hope. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

This story depicts the injustice and brutality of life for a young girl under Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

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.

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.

The gripping story of a young girl's journey in search of her family somewhere in war-ravaged Afghanistan, and of her courage and compassion in the face of many shocking hardships along the way. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

This beautiful graphic-novel adaptation of the Academy Award nominated film, inspired by Deborah Ellis's beloved novel, tells the story of eleven-year-old Parvana. When soldiers burst into her home and drag her father off to prison, Parvana is forced to take responsibility for her whole family, dressing as a boy to make a living in the marketplace of Kabul, risking her life in the dangerous and volatile city. By turns exciting and touching, Parvana is a story of courage in the face of overwhelming fear and repression. Readers will want to linger over this powerful graphic novel with its striking art and inspiring story.

Parzival meets three mounted men in armour and is determined to have adventures in the court of King Arthur.

New York violin prodigy Etta loses everything one night when she is pulled through time to 1776 to the midst of a fierce sea battle. Etta discovers that the powerful Ironwood family are looking for a long lost object that could remake the future, and they think Etta holds the clue to finding it. Along with the swashbuckling privateer Nicholas, who has his own painful history with the Ironwood family, Etta must embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents to piece together the clues and stay one step ahead of the Ironwood clan. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

The colonial governor gives his account of life on Kirabati and Tuvalu, two islands in the Pacific.

It's 1939 and George is the son of an English father and German mother. When a ceremony turns into a pro-Nazi demonstration, Georg is smuggled to London in a suitcase, and then across the seas to Australia, to begin a life under a different name and with a new family, in order to survive.

When Kasumi leaves her remote village for the teeming city of Edo, her life is transformed. She has been chosen by a samurai to become a lady-in-waiting to his new wife. Kasumi is surprised as she has no skills for this role and, worst of all, she is always in trouble for speaking her mind. Surely, this will get her into trouble with her new mistress. When Kasumi learns of a secret that puts them both in danger, she must solve the mystery, behind the danger they face, in order to save herself and her mistress.

Prince Narmer is fourteen, clever and handsome and, as his father's favourite, destined to be King of Thinis one day. But, when he is involved in a terrible accident that leaves him lame and horribly scarred, Narmer decides to leave his home to travel with the Trader, whose healing skills saved his life.

When 12 year old Ben's father loses their ancestral home in 1809 as payment for a gambling debt, Ben reluctantly joins him in a desperate venture to win it back, capturing enemy trading ships off the west Australian coast. While at sea, Ben must face not just the giant waves of the Southern Ocean but also the guns of a Dutch ship, along with unexpected treachery. And only the friendships of the mysterious convict Higgins and the young Indigenous sailor Guwara will help Ben survive, as well as show him the true meaning of loyalty and riches.

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.

During the Plague in London in 1665, Rachel fears for her life and that of her missing cousin when, one day, he fails to return. Robert's side of the story is also told. Contains violence and gruesome facts in context. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Fourteen year old Abigail finds herself transported back to Sydney's Rocks area in the nineteenth century when she follows a mysterious girl, who appeared during a scary game with other children in the neighbourhood.

Poppy is fifteen, beautiful and clever but, in 1914, society has already carved out her destiny. She will become a servant at the big house. But, Poppy's life is thrown dramatically off course, through a forbidden love then her decision to tend the wounds of injured soldiers at war. As she experiences the best and very worst of humanity, Poppy will find an unexpected freedom and discover how to be truly her own person.

When Poppy learns that the love of her life is marrying someone else, she is devastated and volunteers her nursing skills overseas. But, the journey to Flanders is full of horrors, the hospital's Ward Sister is spiteful and the nurses are unfriendly. The dangers of frontline warfare soon make Poppy forget her own troubles and she finds that comfort for a broken heart can be found in the most unexpected places.

In the fifties, Colm McCabe is sent from England to an Australian orphanage. He suffers terribly under the cruel nuns and brothers. His faith shines through as he searches for self and family. Strong language used frequently in context. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Survive at any cost. Ten concentration camps. It's something no one could imagine surviving. However, based on a true story, it's what Yanek Gruener has to face. As a Jewish boy during WWII, he is at the mercy of the Nazis who have taken control of everything.

For Gretchen Muller, Hitler is her friendly uncle who has always been there for her and her family since the death of her father. But, as Hitler's hold over Germany strengthens, he will be forever changed in Gretchen's eyes. She will do anything to uncover the truth, with the help of a young Jewish reporter. Contains some violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Sixteen year old Liza expects to make her debut in 1830s London but, when her parents die, she is left penniless and must enter service. She becomes a maid to young Princess Victoria. Liza slowly adjusts to her new life and the temperamental, lonely princess. Liza befriends a young boy and a newspaperman to confront the public slander surrounding the princess. Includes some adult themes and violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

At 15, Lene is questioning everything. She is sick of the compulsory League of German Girls meetings, and everyone being made to fight for a final victory that never seems to come. She is in love with Ludwig, who lives upstairs and listens to enemy broadcasts. Like Lene, he rejects the war and the endless Nazi indoctrination. When Ludwig is ordered to the Eastern Front, can Lene and Ludwig hold on to their promise to one another and resurface from the darkness of the abyss in post-war Berlin? Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

In 1930s Glebe, Joe Riley has to be creative to make pocket money. He's watched his dad keep ahead of the law and he's sure that he can too. When his parents send him to a Catholic boarding school, Joe is homesick and lonely. He meets the darker side of human nature and is at odds with the school, especially Brother Felix. Expelled, Joe is sent to a reform school where life is tough. But, through working the land, Joe eventually finds inner strength, peace and true freedom. Mature themes. Usually read by Years 9, 10 or above.

It's 1665. Rats have infested homes and alleys in Marie Perrin's provincial French town. Twelve-year-old Marie is set to become a maid, although she hungers for adventure. However, one mistake alters her fate and as punishment she is forced to apprentice for an intimidating rat-catcher. Away from her parents and twin brother, and handling gnarly rat traps under Gustave Renard's unusual mentorship, Marie must overcome a new set of challenges which come after a plague enters her town. Are rats responsible for the spread of the illness? Can Marie find a way out of the bubbling danger around her?

In 1900, thirteen year old Issy McKelvie reluctantly leaves school to start her first job in an undertakers. She hates it but there's worse to come. Issy becomes an unwilling rat-catcher when the plague, the Black Death, arrives in Australia. She loathes the rats and her father's four yappy, snappy, hyperactive rat-killing terriers. But, when her dad becomes ill, Issy must join the battle to rid the city of the plague-carrying rats.

Set in a modern-day small town among the remnants of a Japanese POW camp, this is the story of Charlie. Charlie has synaesthesia and hence sees and hears differently: people have auras; days of the week are coloured; numbers and letters have attitudes. But when Charlie meets Japanese exchange student Kenichi, her senses intensify and she experiences flashbacks, nausea, and hears unfamiliar voices in her head pulling her back to the town's violent past.

Yann Margoza, a gypsy boy with supernatural gifts, raised by a dwarf, Tetu, is pursued by the sinister, truly-evil Count Kalliovski who holds half the French aristocracy in his power. Yann meets Sidonie, the unloved daughter of the Marquis of Villeduval. Suddenly, all their lives, present, past and future are intertwined against the momentum and violence of the French Revolution. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

For three sisters growing up in Australia in the 1950s, the news is full of the Petrov affair and spies. Their ordinary lives are juxtaposed with their parents' marriage, their father's attempted suicide and the big events of the adult world. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

When a boat carrying a group of asylum seekers is sunk by a freak wave, Faris wakes from the shipwreck in an Australia he's always dreamed of. There are kangaroos grazing under orange trees and the sky is always blue. On a nearby beach, Faris meets a group of young people who have come from far different times and places.

The little-known story of Reg Saunders, the first indigenous Australian to become an officer in the Army. He survived the World War II battlefields in the Middle East, North Africa, Greece, Crete and New Guinea, and excelled as a military leader. Find out how war transformed a determined young man, born in 1920 from country Victoria, into a war hero. Reg went on to serve with distinction in the Korean War and become a pioneering figure for indigenous rights. He died in 1990. A graphic novel.

Well-behaved women seldom make history. Good thing these women are far from well behaved . . . Rejected Princesses pays homage to an awesome collection of strong, fierce, and yes, sometimes weird, women: warrior queens, soldiers, villains, spies, revolutionaries, and more who refused to behave and meekly accept their place. An entertaining mix of biography, imagery, and humor, this thoroughly researched exploration salutes these awesome women drawn from both historical and fantastical realms, including real life, literature, mythology, and folklore. Each profile features an eye-catching image of both heroic and villainous women in command from across history and around the world, from a princess pirate in fifth century Denmark, to a rebel preacher in 1630s Boston, to a bloodthirsty Hungarian countess, and a former prostitute who commanded a fleet of more than 70,000 men on China's seas.

Luxe Revelle, star of her family's fantastical show, knows the splendor is just an illusion. With Prohibition threatening their livelihood, her family struggles to make a living, watering down champagne and patching holes in their sequined costumes. So when the son of Charmant's wealthiest family makes her an offer - everything the Revelles need to stay in business, in exchange for posing as his girl and helping him become mayor - she can't refuse. The moment Jamison Port sets foot in Charmant, he can't shake the feeling of familiarity. An orphan with as few memories as gemstones, he's desperate to learn what happened to his parents. But as he delves into the island's secrets, he risks angering the wrong person and discovering a truth that just might break his heart. When Luxe and Jamison accidentally meet, the sparks that fly are more than her magical enchantments. But keeping secrets from powerful people is a dangerous game . . . one that could destroy them both.

Ling lived a comfortable life with her parents until Comrade Li moved into their apartment. Her life changed dramatically at home and at school, and Ling soon feared for the lives of her family and friends. She endured extreme hardship just to survive, as she struggled to understand the Chinese cultural revolution. Her love for Chairman Mao and his teaching was tested to the limit.

Jack Fletcher is on the run. With no sensei to guide him, he has just his wits and his swords against many new and unknown enemies. Kidnapped by ninja and led to their village deep in the mountains, Jack has no means of escape. The only question is who will kill him first - the ninja or samurai.

After a snowstorm forces him to take shelter, Jack enters a village in need of protection from raiding mountain bandits. Torn between moving on or helping, Jack is persuaded to stay and fight the villagers' cause. But, Jack is the first and only samurai to do so. Now, he must enlist other warriors to the villagers' aid before the bandits return to steal their harvest. No easy task when the reward is so little and he is a foreigner. If only he had his friends to call on.

The Shogun has deemed that any Christian or foreigner discovered outside the bounds of an official trading port will be instantly put to death. For Jack, Nagasaki is within reach but the Shogun's samurai are closing in, with the help of Jack's old school rival, Kazuki, who has a score to settle. Jack must try to reach the city alive and find a ship bound for England.

Autumn, 1614. Bruised and battered, Jack Fletcher wakes up in a roadside inn wrapped only in a dirty kimono. He has lost everything, including his memory of what happened. Determined to discover the truth, Jack goes on a quest to retrieve his belongings, his precious swords, his friend Akiko's black pearl and, most important of all, his father's prize possession. Relying on his samurai and ninja training, Jack realises The Ring of Water is the key to his survival.

Ambushed by the Shogun's samurai, Jack and his friends have only one hope of escape, the Seto Sea. But, with ferocious storms, man-eating sharks and ninja pirates at every turn, their chosen route is fraught with danger. A treacherous crew only adds to their problems as they flee south from a ruthless samurai sea lord. Unless Jack can harness the Ring of Wind, he and his friends are destined for a watery grave.

Alice's family is proud of their historical links to Norfolk Island and are amazed to find out when they move there that their ancestor is considered to have been a tyrant. Trying to prove them wrong, Alice unearths a previously unknown diary which provides an insight into the way of life in the penal colony during the 1840s including the conflicting attitudes towards the treatment of convicts.

Something is terribly wrong. An evil sorcerer has figured out how to time travel and Jenny has to go back to the year 1347 to stop him. A dark wizard who could be far more dangerous than the sorcerer Rudigor. A wizard who is using the power of Jenny's beloved mentor Gwenelda in his evil schemes. Has Gwenelda turned to dark magic? Is she helping this wizard topple the entire Gatekeeper Fraternity? Jenny will stop at nothing to find out the truth, no matter how dangerous it gets. Even if it means risking her very life.

Millie lives in the bush with her mother and sister when, with the help of an old charm, she gains access to the past. There we meet Charlotte Atkinson, whose family is in danger of losing their beloved home, as well as their lives, due to marauding convicts, bushrangers and an abusive stepfather. The law is against Charlotte and her mother, but they're determined to survive. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Bluebell Laurence, crippled in a house fire, is rescued from her home by circus folk who warn of her imminent demise. Madam Zlosky administers a healing brew and Blue becomes Belle Magnifico, a mermaid and harem dancer who rides the pick-pocketing, gentle natured, circus elephant The Queen of Sheba. They travel and come to Gibber's creek where the story unfolds and Blue discovers the truth about herself and the magnanimous Madam Zlosky.

Being a coloured girl in America's South during the 1930s, teaches Cassie much about prejudice and hatred.

War is being fought on an horrific scale in the trenches of France. It is a world away from sixteen year old Midge Macpherson, at school in England learning to be a young lady. Desperate to do their bit and avoid the boredom of school, Midge and her friends start a canteen in France, caring for the endless flow of wounded soldiers returning from the front. Midge is thrust into carnage and scenes of courage she could never have imagined.

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.

Thirteen year-old Leo hates his new house, his new school and his new step-brothers. He wants to be somewhere else, far away. When he uncovers an old music box and turns its key, he is finds himself in Prague, amid whispers and fears of a second world war. But that war ended decades ago. There Leo meets Ivan, a Czech boy, and the two become friends. But when the war does come, the boys are imprisoned and have to frantically search for an escape. The search sens them running. Running against time. Running for their lives.

The war is far from over. Roman is missing, lost behind enemy lines, with no memory of his past, or Iris. He begins to write again, but this time for the enemy. When a strange letter arrives through his wardrobe door he strikes up a correspondence with a penpal who is both mysterious and familiar. As their connection deepens, the two of them will risk everything to change the tides of the war. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

In the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima, Sadako's dying wish is to make one thousand paper cranes in accordance with the Japanese legend that says that the gods will grant the maker's wish to be well again.

The friendship between two children is greatly tested during the witch hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Elizabeth is an independent thinker, frightened by what she sees as a mass deception sweeping her town. George, the son of one of the trial judges, sees things very differently. Both sides are presented.

In Germany, in World War II, Jenny's father is taken prisoner by the Americans and her brother is killed. When the mother of her Jewish friend, Rafael, is taken by the Gestapo Jenny's family hides him. The story traces the dangers facing Jenny and Rafael, and their eventual escape. Adult themes, violence, coarse language. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Part of the ANZAC story. Factual historical recollections are combined with a fiction to reveal the thoughts and feelings of the young soldiers and the horrendous conditions they endured and survived.

When Hannah and her family are shipwrecked they are rescued by a Pacific Islander boy named Jamie. Hannah's family then begin a new life in Port Harris, which at first seems a paradise for the schoolmaster's daughter. But local fortunes are built on slavery and the whip. As the new Federal Parliament passes the law that will force Pacific Islanders from their homes, Hannah and her mother risk everything to run a secret school, while Hannah and Jamie must fight for their rights to education and equality. Can friendship and love win against prejudice and power?

Life for Kit Lovell has not been easy. She never knew her father, a renowned sea captain who drowned after his ship sank. Kit's grandmother dies and she and her mother are evicted from their home in England. When Kit's mother agrees to marry a man she has never met, they embark on a treacherous and monotonous journey to the far flung colony of South Australia. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

This is the tale of story-loving Henrietta and her family who are struggling with illness in their new house by Nightingale Wood. Worse, Henrietta is starting to see mysterious figures and strange cats that seem to be calling her into the woods and beyond. What does it all mean and is it true what they say, does a witch really live in Nightingale Wood?

It's 1916 and sixteen-year-old Jean McLain is working in a Post Office in a quiet village in England. Jean wins the national Morse code competition and that sets her on an adventure to help the British army as a secret signaller in France. Jean begins her time in France on a British army base as part of an all-female signaller team, sending and decoding messages to and from the battle front. Soon she finds herself right on the battlefields in a trench as the British army begins to make the final push towards Germany. Based on true events, this story of adventure, courage and unshakable loyalty restores women and girls to their place in history that the British authorities have tried to erase.

Based on a true account of a young refugee girl's determination to overcome the loss of her legs in a Mozambique landmine accident. A deeply moving and unforgettable story.

When Claire finds an old star-shaped brooch covered in sequins, it hurtles her back in time to 1932, when Australia was in the grip of the Great Depression. When she gets a job in a circus, Claire makes friends with Rosina, Jem and a boy called Kit. When Kit is kidnapped, the others must try to save him. But, Claire is wondering just who Kit and Rosina really are. One is escaping poverty and the other is escaping wealth.

Henrietta can burst into flames. Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when, instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers. Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorising humanity. Her fellow trainees are handsome young men, eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one. As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city - and the one she loves?

An orphaned girl and an outcast Aboriginal boy become involved in a spiritual journey at the time of European settlement in Australia.

Set in and around London in the mid 1600s, Widge is ordered by his master to go to the Globe Theatre and copy Shakespeare's Hamlet.

London society supplied many inspirational ingredients for William Shakespeare, helping him become one of the greatest writers of the English language. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Shaozhen has no intention of staying in his remote and poor village in Henan and becoming a poor farmer. But when the worst drought in over sixty years threatens the entire village, he realises he must come up with a plan. And better yet, he needs the people of the village to support his plan if it is going to succeed!

No enemy may find this place; we hide it in mist and shadow...When King Alfred's great hall is destroyed by the Vikings, the king must flee with his family. But his daughter Aethelflaed knows that hiding in the marshes, far away from the battlefield, is the last thing she wants to do; can she fulfill her destiny and become a warrior princess, a shield maiden?

Gordon is growing up in World War II London. His older brother, Raymond, leaves home and becomes involved in secretive war work, or so he leads Gordon to believe. When Gordon finds a revolver hidden in his parent's house, he decides to track his brother down. But finding Raymond leads to much more than Gordon had bargained for as Raymond lures him into danger.

When Margot's fiance, Harry, went missing in action, she found herself left with a secret which could ruin her life and her family's reputation. Three years later, Harry has returned. Can Margot deal with her devastating secret and reveal the truth to a man she still loves?

France is in the dark days of the guillotine where the innocent and guilty are killed daily. Yann and his compatriots rescue French aristocrats from the guillotine and get them safely away to England. Count Kalliovski, supposedly dead, is plotting Yann's death. Against this terrible background, Yann yearns for his love, Sidonie, whom he believes is safe in London.

"We can't wait three days. There is a man coming to kill us." A Man with a silver hand. It's 1918 and the Great War is entering its final phase. In Northern France, young Aimee has just found out that her mother is part of a spy network working with the British. After reluctantly befriending Marius, a young German boy who has been left behind by his countrymen, she must try and help him get back behind German lines while they evade a traitor she helped to discover.

One hundred years ago, the world celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, connecting the world's two largest oceans. Creating a path of water where a mountain had stood is one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. But, thousands lost their lives, and those who survived worked under the harshest conditions for only a few silver coins a day.

The night the Nazis come to take their mother away, three children escape in a terrifying scramble across the rooftops. In the chaos of Warsaw, they have to learn to survive on their own. Their father's paperknife becomes their symbol of hope.

Twelve year old Maggie McAllister and her family are caught up in one of the most dramatic events in Australia's history, the Shearers' Strike. In 1891, trouble erupted between the Shearers' Union, the pastoralists and the government. Through her writing, Maggie plays her part in the Union's struggle although her friends do not see things the same way. Singing a rebel song may have heartbreaking consequences for Maggie.

Makepeace Lightfoot lives during harsh times. During the English Civil War she has to travel to live with her paternal family after the death of her mother. Makepeace has inherited more than most from her father's family. She has to learn to defend herself from ghosts. The struggle to make a life for herself in 17th century England with strict religious rules could be the hardest struggle of all. Usually read by students in Year 9, 10 and above.

Exchange student Jenna has managed to get an appointment at New York's coolest hair salon, but when her teacher insists she stays at the boring Metropolitan Museum she stumbles into ancient Egypt.

Although close to his adoptive parents, James has always wondered about his natural mother. Armed with only a small stone and a note scribbled on the back of an envelope as clues to her identity, James sets off to find his past.

This is the story of Jim Martin who enlisted in the Australian army at the age of fourteen to fight in World War I.

A story about life in country Australia in World War II. Joey finds a Japanese soldier but no-one believes him.

Charley Goddard goes to fight in the American Civil War. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

In a series of messages placed in her grandmother's ancestral jar, a seventh century princess and future ruler of the Korean kingdom of Silla vents her frustration at not being permitted to study astronomy because she is a girl.

At the end of the Second World War, Felix struggles to survive in Soviet controlled Poland. He must try to find basic necessities, such as shelter and food, and stay safe from the gangs of youths intent upon ridding Poland of the destitute Jews and Slavs, people who have come to seek refuge. Felix perseveres, always looking for the light at the end of the very dark tunnel and for justice to prevail.

Soraya, the storyteller, keeps her memories of Afghanistan alive while living in uncertainty under temporary protection in Australia. An ebony horse flies through her dreams helping her to find a strange land where she can be safe.

Alfie's birthday is one he cannot forget, because it is the day World War I is announced. His life changes as his father enlists. Letters come, eagerly read between his mother, granny and himself. As the letters' cheerful tone changes, mother hides the letters and tells Alfie rather than reads what they contain. Then the letters stop and Alfie begins a mission of his own to find out the truth.

Eleven year old Malaak is a Palestinian living in Gaza. She endures the hardships of living in an occupied territory, with soldiers and dangers ever present. Her father has disappeared and her mother raises the family, and keeps their Islamic faith. Malaak has a tame dove which helps her to deal with her sadness. Hamid, her brother, has his own, dangerous way to cope with repression and uncertainty.

Set in Port Adelaide during the Depression, two friends are affected by the `wharfies' strike of 1928.

The year is 1648 and life in Venice is serene for Isabella and her friends Willem, Al-Qasim and Signora Contarini. Together they publish fine books like the controversial encyclopaedia, The Sum of All Knowledge. When a new Inquisitor declares war on free speech, they are forced to flee across the seas to the wondrous capital of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople.

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.

Issues of racism, love and family grief will appeal to more mature readers. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

The beautifully written retelling of the legend of King Arthur and his knights of the round table.

An oath, the protagonist that pushes Uhtred of Bebbanburg from his Northumbrian home into the battle between two brothers. When King Edward dies he splits his kingdom between his two heirs. In a land fraught with battles between Saxons, Danes, and now two kings, the kingdom cannot be born without bloodshed and death of one heir.

Fourteen year old Jahani lives a peaceful life in her village in Pakistan. But, havoc is brewing in the Mughal Empire, with tyrants and war lords burning villages in their quest to rule. After an assassin strikes in a bazaar, Jahani discovers her life is not as it seems. With her mysterious protector, Azhar, she flees over treacherous terrain towards the fabled Qurraqoram Mountains. Surrounded by deceit and danger, Jahani does not know who to trust or what their destination will reveal. The story concludes in book 2, The Leopard Princess.

First Moon of Autumn, 1662. After reuniting with the nomads, fourteen year old Jahani is finally home. With her red hair dyed black, she can travel through the Qurraqoram Mountains without fear of being captured. But, the tyrants and war lords who pursue Jahani will not rest in their battle for power. Before long, the nomads are attacked. To fulfil her true destiny, Jahani must try to discover a pathway to peace in the northern kingdoms. Sequel to Daughter of nomads and the conclusion to The Tales of Jahani.

As many others had done, Australian 16 year-olds Frankie and Taz lied about their ages to enlist for WWI, one envisaging the adventure of a lifetime, the other to assuage guilt about staying at home when his brothers have died in the war. On the German side, Richard, also 16, finds himself assigned in one of the first German tanks. The three are destined to meet in the same shelled out crater during history's first tank battle.

Hopewell Shakespeare craves adventure and he joins the crew of a notorious buccaneer hunting for the Lost Island of the Lord of Alchemists where dreams come true. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The second story of Felix and Zelda. They have escaped from the Nazis but now must survive the many people ready to hand them over for a reward. Thanks to the courage of a kind, brave woman they are able to hide for a time in the open, but Felix knows he has a distinguishing feature that identifies him as a Jew.

In 1880, Henricke Nelsen, a Swedish migrant, was put on trial and gaoled for vagrancy after hiding for fourteen years in the mountain ranges of Victoria. While in gaol, Nelson wrote his diary describing his life in Sweden, his migration to Australia and the personalities he met along the way. This is a captivating reconstruction of Nelsen's solitary life as told in his prison diary.

In 1942, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every person of Japanese descent on the west coast was rounded up and shipped to one of ten ""relocation centers,"" hundreds or thousands of miles from home, where they would be held for years under armed guard. They Called Us Enemy is George Takei's firsthand account of those years behind barbed wire, the joys and terrors of growing up under legalized racism, his mother's hard choices, his father's faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future. What does it mean to be American? Who gets to decide? When the world is against you, what can one person do?

Hekja's simple but happy life changes dramatically when her village is raided by Vikings and she is captured. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Teenage musician Rafael is sent to a Nazi concentration camp in World War II, where he pushes music to the side in his effort to just survive. 30 years later in Canada, he has a small family, where his daughter Annie struggles to find her place in the countryside. Another 30 years later, in Australia, Joe is uncertain about himself, his future and whether music fits in with him. Includes mature themes. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch's life shattered to bits. His brother, Oliver - dead. His sweetheart, Mary - gone. His chance to break free of Geneva -lost. Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead. But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair's horror further damages the already troubled relationship. Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay...

The world is at war. Sixteen-year-old Hilly is desperate to do something useful to the war effort, to help the boys on the front lines. So when she sees the poster recruiting for the Australian Women's Land Army, she jumps at the chance to make a difference. Traveling to farms across Queensland, Hilly encounters backbreaking work, adversity and romance, and may find she's capable of more than she thought possible. She is one of those girls with grit. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Any two books from this series may be read as Challenge books and up to five more can be read as personal choice books. Go to the online booklists for the PRC ID of the individual books in this series.

In Java in the fourteenth century, the villagers are fearful of Mbah Merapi, the rumbling volcano that overshadows their lives. Kancil, the lowliest kitchen servant, knows the real danger is human but she is fatherless and mute. She will lose everything if her identity is revealed. But, Kancil must warn the villagers of the danger they are facing.

Adam hears the tales of bravery even before the war broke out. As many did in that time he wanted to be a part of the war, not for the glory but as part of the Merchant Navy. The sea is his home and thus contains the highs and lows of any home. We follow Adam through real storms at sea along with political ones not of his making. Tempered by the sea he learns the value of trust and the friends that trust is found in and through.

It is 1942 and the world is at war. Sixteen year old Nancy Clancy is sent to Malaya to bring home her sister-in-law, Moira, and baby Gavin. Nancy's brother, Ben, is a soldier there. When Malaya is invaded, they are fortunate to escape but their ship is bombed, and they are stranded on an island where other colonial women are captured. The nightmare and horror of internment in a Japanese camp begins. Based on true events. Includes some violence and confronting tragedies.

All his life, Jose has seen the tall ships sailing into Port Louis on the island of Mauritius, where he was born. As he watches them leave again, disappearing below the horizon, he dreams of one day sailing away with them - to see the world. He thinks about all the adventures he would have, the ships he would capture and the buried treasure he would find on faraway islands. But, when the Uranie arrives in 1817, Jose's life changes in ways that he had never imagined. Pirates, cannibals, storms and shipwrecks become harsh realities and Jose is forced to muster all his courage and intelligence to survive the dangers of shipboard life.

Henni and Leo unravel a mystery around the holiday house Henni so enjoyed staying in at Cauldron Bay. Henni finds herself in great danger as she tries to discover what happened to the Schmidt family. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

In 1834, six Dorset farm labourers were sentenced to seven years transportation to Australia. Their crime, setting up a friendly society to bargain for better wages to escape appalling poverty. The true story of the youngest Tolpuddle martyr, James Brine.

The suffering, loss and futility of war are shown through the intensity of one child's experiences of the outbreak of the Spanish civil war when grandfather, Antonito, recalls his life.

Two young friends are on opposite sides of a violent struggle between the workers at the mill, who have been driven to desperation by deprivation, and the owners of the mills trying to build successful businesses using modern technology. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Eleven thrilling, true stories of the world-shaping events of June 1944. Contains real life tales of courage and bravery during the struggle for the beaches of Normandy, from tank commanders to paratroopers, commando raiders to French Resistance fighters.

When Aster's brother dies, everything changes. Instead of marriage, she is sent to the high school in her brother's place. Aster is excited but, as a Christian, she is unprepared for the difficulties of attending a Muslim school in Pakistan. When Aster is accused of blasphemy, she is taken to jail. A social justice lawyer defends her and Aster's cousin starts an online campaign to free her. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Two very different men share an ambition to discover a tomb that nobody else believes is there. It takes many years to locate the burial place of the boy king and many more to uncover the treasures hidden therein.

The story of Muhammad Ali, formerly Cassius Clay, a legendary hero who was an American prize-winning boxer and heavyweight champion of the world. This rap version of Ali's life includes his religion, his marriages and graphic descriptions of his brutal fights with examples of his provoking and inflammatory language. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

What if you were forced to set sail for a country that didn't want you, to meet a father you couldn't remember? Thirteen-year-old Fu, his younger sister, Pei, and their mother live in a small rural community in Southern China that is already enduring harsh conditions when it is collectivised as part of Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward campaign that ultimately led to economic disaster, widespread famine and millions of deaths. After tragedy strikes, and threatened with separation, Fu and Pei set out on a perilous journey across countries and oceans to find their father, who left for Australia almost a decade ago. With nothing to guide them but a photograph and some documents in a language they cannot read, they must draw on all their courage and tenacity just to survive - and perhaps forge a better life for themselves.

This verse novel tells the beautiful and tragic story of the lives of Japanese settlers in Manchuria during World War II through the eyes of twelve-year-old Natsu. After her father is conscripted into the Japanese army, Natsu and her little sister, Asa, are left orphaned and destitute, and her whole village is forced to flee the Soviet Army. Living in a constant state of fear and hunger, Natsu and Asa are left adrift in a hostile and unforgiving world, with nothing but their tenacious will to survive.

Ireland in the 1840s is devastated by famine. Three children are left to fend for themselves when tragedy strikes their family. They must find their great aunts.

Millie Osborne is an errand girl for King's company, the famous troupe of actors who, beset by misfortune, have decided to put on a spectacular performance of Hamlet to announce their comeback. When mysterious Oliver Parry arrives to audition for Hamlet, Millie is intrigued and wonders why he is so secretive. She investigates and Millie uncovers secret identities, betrayal, lies, revenge and, perhaps, even murder.

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.

Fleeing from the police and more sinister forces on his trail, Vango must race against time to prove his innocence. His journey will take him to the furthest reaches of distant lands, and even into the sky where he will find refuge on board the Graf Zeppelin. But the threat of war is getting closer, and Vango must uncover the secrets of his past before everything is lost.

Vango is about to enter the priesthood when he suddenly finds himself trying to avoid arrest and escape an assassin. Vango is no ordinary boy with an ordinary life - he has had all kinds of adventures since he was found washed ashore as a toddler on a tiny island off Sicily. Now on the run across Europe, will Vango discover the secrets of his mysterious past in time to figure out who is trying to have him killed - and why.

Velvet is an orphan who does scalding, back-breaking work in a Victorian steam laundry. She is desperate for a better life. When she is noticed by Madame Savoya, a famed medium, Velvet begins to work for her and is dazzled by the beautiful dresses and jewels. But, she soon realises that Madame is not all that she says she is, and Velvet's life is in danger. Some adult themes. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Precocious ten year old Princess Victoria, who keeps a diary about her daily life in the Royal Household, also pieces together the family tree and discovers she is next in line for the throne.

For two summers Torak and Renn have been living in the Forest with their faithful pack-brother, Wolf. But their happiness is shattered when Renn realizes Torak is in danger - and she's the threat. When she mysteriously disappears, Torak and Wolf brave the Far North to find her. At the mercy of the Sea Mother and haunted by ravenous ice bears, their quest leads them to the Edge of the World. There they must face an enemy more evil than any they've encountered.

In 1833, Jack Ireland is Captain's cabin boy, aboard the Charles Eaton as it sails from England to Australia. On its return journey, passing through the Torres Strait, the ship is wrecked, forcing the crew and passengers to abandon ship on two hand-made rafts. The horrifying events that follow are well documented but the passage of time allows a less sinister explanation. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

It's the Second World War and Himmler's Lebensborn Program is in full flight when eight-year-old Zofia Ulinski is kidnapped by the Germans. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, just like the other Polish children taken from their families and robbed of their names, their language, their heritage. But when Zofia is adopted into a wealthy and loving German family, it is easier, it is safer to bury her past, deep down, so everything is forgotten. Until the Polish boy arrives. And the past comes back to haunt her.

In 1894, twelve year old Matilda flees the city slums to find her unknown father and his farm. But, drought grips the land and the shearers are on strike. Her father has turned swaggie and he's wanted by the troopers. This is the story of one girl's journey towards independence. It is also the story of others who had no vote and very little but their dreams.

In joining the Hitler Youth, Dieter finds belonging with other young men, and escape from his proud step father. Sasha and her family, having moved with her family from Sydney to France so her father can report on the war, find themselves under rule by the surging German army. Both have secrets to keep on the complex playing field of war and resistance, but as these two characters circle closer to each other, they need to decide if trust is possible.

Dad is finally on his way home from The Great War. Everyone, especially Mum, is excited and full of plans for the homecoming and the future. Twelve year old Nell barely remembers Dad but when Spanish Influenza hits Perth, delaying his return, Nell begins to understand the gap in the family his absence has created.

In Bronze Age Britain, Drem must overcome his disability in order to pass the tribe's test to become a warrior.

While the fateful first voyage of the RMS Titanic is a well known event in history, Allan Wolf tells this story through the voices of dozens of real passengers and also creatively created imagined voices. This book gives you insight into the thoughts and actions of everyone from the captain of the Titanic to the world's richest man to the stokers forever shovelling coal in the giant furnaces which powered the unsinkable ship!

1613. Japan is threatened with war and samurai are taking sides. As the battles begin, Jack's warrior training is put to the ultimate test. His survival depends upon him mastering the secret sword technique of the legendary samurai Masamoto. First Jack must recover his father's prize possession from the deadly ninja Dragon Eye.

1612. One year of training in samurai school and Jack is in real trouble. He is struggling to prepare for the Circle of Three which tests courage, skill and spirit to the limit. At the same time, Jack is caught in a running battle with fellow student Kazuki and his gang. Also he knows his deadly rival could strike at any moment.

It's1611 and Jack Fletcher is shipwrecked off the coast of Japan, his father and crew slaughtered by ninja pirates. Rescued by sword master Masamoto Takeshi, Jack's only hope is to become a samurai warrior. Life at the samurai school is a constant fight for survival. Jack is singled out by bullies and treated as an outcast.

When Pearl Harbour is attacked in World War 2, Japanese Americans suddenly find themselves hated and treated as enemies in their own country. Follow the story of 14 Japanese Americans and their families as they try to navigate their way through a society that hates them and internment camps. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

It is 1654 in New England, native land of Algonquin tribes, among them the Pocasset, Wampanoag, and Narrangansett people. The pilgrims, called Coat-men by the Wampanoag, have settled here in the natives' territory at Patuxit, a place that the Pilgrims have renamed Plymouth. Weetamoo's father, Corbitant, is sachem, or chief, of the Pocassets. He is mistrustful of the colonists and imparts his beliefs about them to his daughter, who is next in line to become chief. Weetamoo must learn the fundamental values and disciplines of a true Pocasset chief.

In the glittering society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires Inez Olivera has everything except the one thing she really wants; her parents who frequently leave her behind on their adventures to Egypt. Then she receives a terrible letter from her uncle explaining her parents have died in mysterious circumstances. Determined to uncover the truth, Inez sets sail for Egypt bringing only her sketch pads and an ancient ring that her father had sent her. But upon her arrival in Egypt the ring flares with ancient magic and Inez is thrust into a treacherous game that could threaten her life. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

Witches only exist in stories. Everyone knows that. But when four friends are caught in the woods at dusk, their worst nightmare may just become their reality.

Charles Dickens is one of the world's greatest novelists whose stories have been translated and adapted into plays, films, cartoons, musicals and television dramas. An engaging and witty exploration of the man behind the pen, what inspired him and four of his best-known novels; Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations and David Copperfield.

Beautifully depicts the migration of Jewish people to the United States.

The sixties are in full swing and, for sixteen year old Kathy, it's all about miniskirts, the Beatles and her fab new boots. But, the world is rapidly changing, her brother is fighting in the Vietnam War and her best friend is protesting against it. When the chance comes to dance with an entertainment troop in Vietnam, Kathy slips on her boots and leaves her convent school. She soon finds the reality of war is no song and dance. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.