Booklists

In the first half of the nineteenth century, seventy-three thousand convicts were transported to the British penal colony of Van Diemen's Land. This is an enthralling journey through the personal histories and daily lives of the men, women and children who played a vital role in the building of the settlements, as well as the running of the newly established colony.

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.

Australians from a wide range of cultural backgrounds served together during the First World War. They wore the same uniform and experienced the same conditions and hardships. For many, wartime service gave them the equality that was not available in Australian society, either before or after the war. These stories about multicultural ANZACS draw on the Australian War Memorial's diverse collection, and include private records, photographs, works of art and relics.

Eric Bogle's famous but depressing anti-war song about the Battle of Gallipoli was written in 1971, inspired by the Vietnam War and the lukewarm response of the Australian public to the returning soldiers. It explores the futility of war with haunting power. The accompanying illustrations are graphic and certainly do not glorify war. A timely story for every generation.

Kari knows a lot about his jungle home but he doesn't know why there is fighting in the village of Kokoda. When Kari finds a wounded Australian soldier, he knows he cannot leave him. They must retreat along the Kokoda Track with the enemy following.

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

The Arrival gives us great insight into the process of leaving your homeland and trying to find a new place in the world. The journey can be frightening, inspiring and emotional for all displaced persons. Many stories are told through Tan's illustrations.

This striking alphabet book shows an Australia with many dimensions. As a country, it has a lot to offer but Australia needs to confront its history and current greed; to stop leaning on old cultural institutions and symbols; and to welcome and tolerate differences. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

What happens when the truth gets lost? Where wild animals and people meet, tragedy can strike. But when a tiny baby is stolen by a dingo, people simply cannot accept such a thing. Prejudice and gossip grip the nation, and the tragedy transforms into a fight for the truth. This is a true Australian story of innocence, ignorance, and the perils of mob thinking.

This book is about Gallipoli, the place, and what happened on Gallipoli Beach, from the ANZACS first landing in April to their retreat in December 1915. Images, memorabilia, illustrations and photographs enrich the recount of the months that followed the landing. Includes images that may trouble some readers. A challenging read; usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

The Bee-man is happy with his lot until he learns from a Junior Sorcerer that he was once something else and has been transformed. But what was he? The Bee-man sets out on a quest to discover the answer.

It all begins with a question: Where did we begin? Oliver Jeffers explores fire first, and the early humans who controlled that fire and grew brains and started to do things with them. A thought provoking look at what guides us and where we came from.

Trying to understand his haunting nightmares, Dr Trotter returns to Preston, where he grew up, to the watertower, where he played as a child. The mystery lies beneath the surface of the deep, still waters. Dark sequel to 'The Watertower'. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

A sophisticated picture book in which a young artist goes in search of a particular shade of blue, the blue of his dreams.

A dramatic tale, told in pictures, about a London boy who goes through a window to get back his soccer ball only to find himself in the middle of a Shakespearian production. In his efforts to escape, he is chased by the bard and joined by a bear.

The Globe Theatre is delighted to announce a new season of Mr. William Shakespeare's plays. See As You Like It, Antony and Cleopatra, Richard III, Twelfth Night, King Lear, The Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing. Each play is presented in dramatic comic-strip form, including Mr Shakespeare's own dialogue and the riotous remarks of the audience.

Two young children from different racial and cultural backgrounds are asked to collaborate on a set of poems. They write about lots of different subjects showing their very different perspectives on issues such as religion, identity and friendship, finally coming to some kind of understanding of each other and the world they live in.

The true story of David and his father who came to Stephens Island, a remote and pristine New Zealand island, in 1894. They built a lighthouse to protect ships, chopping down the trees and demolishing the habitat of the birds. But worse than that, they also brought their pregnant cat and the island's tiny flightless wrens were wiped out in less than two years.

Cicada tell story. Story good. Story simple. Story even human can understand. Tok Tok Tok!

A woman takes her only child to live in seclusion so that he should be spared the terrible things that happen in life. She cares for him and is happy. But, one moonless night she dies. The art is sombre but highly original. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Something drew the boys into the corn field that day, boredom, bravado, who knows. That kid who went in years before went in and was never the same again. Enter the corn field at your own risk.

Martin is the runt of his family. Without a mother to protect him, his overbearing father and brothers reject him. Martin finds the courage to fight for personal fulfilment.

On holiday with his parents, fifteen year old Damon is bored. He is coerced into visiting an art gallery but nothing looks like anything in Damon's life. His reality is made up of TV and gaming, so Damon returns to the hotel to play his gameboy. Soon, it, too, is dull and repetitive, and Damon falls asleep. In his dreams, the artwork he ignored comes to life and, far off, a tiger roars.

Mama, if I was to dig a hole in our garden, would I find a diamond? No, darling, there are no diamonds here. Where are diamonds, then? Oh, in other countries. In Africa for example ... A powerful parable that explores how the desire for endless riches perpetuates chains of inequality and corruption.

When a young boy visits his grandfather, their lack of a common language leads to confusion, frustration, and silence. But as they sit down to draw together, something magical happens-with a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond that goes beyond words.

A duck strikes up an unusual and unlikely friendship with Death.

Shows the reality and horror of children dying of starvation. Fourteen artists focus on different aspects of the suffering, deprivation and starkness of the life and death of a starving child. Proceeds go to 'Save the Children'.

A beautiful, haunting picture book portraying the true story of a survivor of the holocaust. In 1944, Erika is thrown by her mother from a cattle train on the way to a concentration camp. She is found by a German woman who risks her life to raise Erika.

The Nest was the best thing my dad ever built, and he built it for me. He built it when we moved into the new house - him, me and Mum. I thought it was wonderful. Outrageous. But then Dad went there to hide from the world, and from Mum, and everything started to go wrong...

A family relocates to Australia after a family tragedy. The parents are focussed on creating a farm and do not value the environment or interdependence of nature. Their young son is lonely and alienated, and misses his home in London. When the parents cut down a tree causing a flock of birds to die, their son makes a huge decision.

The theefyspray is a mythical and nearly extinct creature whose fate is in the hands of the fisherman. A beautifully illustrated and complicated story about issues of conservation, age and youth.

Escaping from some bullies, Boy slips into a grand, old gallery full of treasures, paintings and mystery. When he is befriended by a little dog, they venture into a famous Dutch painting and are transported to seventeenth century Holland where the streets are dangerous places for a dog. This wordless picture book is part of the Boy Bear series, which includes The Boy, the Bear, the Baron, the Bard and Midsummer Knight.

A beautifully illustrated book that tells the story of how fashion has changed and evolved over thousands of years. From animal skins worn by the very first people, to flapper dresses, flares and other modern fashions in the 20th century.

Everyone wants a safe place, a place to share with people they love and to call home. Torn from everything they know and love, a young boy and his family struggle to survive the harsh realities of living life as refugees. A harrowing read for refugees from other lands, a disturbingly thought-provoking read for those of us who have always lived in peace and with plenty.

Thomas is isolated in a crowd. His story is punctuated by the words adults, such as parents, teachers, politicians, recruitment officers and churchgoers, have said to him throughout his journey from childhood to adulthood. As the voices in his life crowd in on him, Thomas looks for another way.

The unforgettable lyrics about the Vietnam War are etched in our memories and brought to life in this picture book.

The poignant story of a nine year old Aboriginal boy who was taught a traditional way of life until he was taken from his family, in accordance with the official government policy of the time.

This is the story of Dujuan Hoosan, a 10-year-old Arrernte and Garawa boy. A wise, funny, cheeky boy. A healer. Out bush, his healing power (Ngangkere) is calm and straight. But in town, it's wobbly and wild, like a snake. He's in trouble at school, and with the police. He thinks there's something wrong with him. Dujuan's family knows what to do: they send him to live out bush, to learn the ways of the old people, and the history that runs straight into all Aboriginal people. So he can be proud of himself.

Take the journey with an ordinary boy on a path leading him from the safety of his home into a dark forest. His head is full of the fearful images of his computer games, the ones that excite, yet terrify him, battles between heroes and dreadful beasts that may hunt this primal landscape.

All this will soon be yours, respect what I have built and make it prosper.' These are the last words of the old industrialist before dying. While the three brothers discuss how to fulfil their father's wishes, the sister lists for them the disastrous consequences that would follow: disease; marine pollution; deforestation; the destruction of the landscape; pollution of skies and rivers... The Inheritance tells of the greed of those who hold economic power, and reminds us that silence and inaction amount to complicity. With minimal text, this powerful story is told primarily through Armin Greder's distinctive illustrations that challenge the reader to question the status quo and fight for the future.

A beautiful adaptation of Elizabeth Acevedo's famous spoken-word poem with captivating illustrations.

One morning, a man is found on the beach by the people of an island. Although the islanders fear the outsider and want to send him back into the ocean, the fisherman convinces them that they have a responsibility to save him from death. A powerful look at how people cope with differences and the notion of a group mentality in dealing with a situation.

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.

The segments cover the classic tales of King Arthur and his origin; Excalibur and the Lady of the Lake; Morgan le Fay; Guinevere and the round table; Sir Lancelot of the Lake; Sir Lancelot's First Quest thwarting a dragon; Princess Elaine; Sir Galahad, the son of Sir Lancelot; 'Camelot; and the Grail Quests of Sir Lancelot, Sir Percival and Sir Galahad.

Through his determination and imagination, Christopher, who is blind, defeats the Kraken, the beast of doubt, and helps his cynical sister who is unwilling to see how things can be.

Aidan's father goes missing at sea. Aidan lights a lantern every night to help his father home. In the light of the lantern, Aidan sees what has happened in the past and this gives him hope for his father.

The book tells the stories of the Butchulla people, the Indigenous people of Fraser Island and the Fraser Coast, Queensland. Published in 1964, it was the first Aboriginal children's book to be published and was written and designed by Butchulla siblings Moonie Jarl (Wilf Reeves) and Wandi (Olga Miller), both of whom have since passed away. The Legends of Moonie Jarl gives a deeper understanding and appreciation of Butchulla culture among the broader community, and contributes to community pride locally.

Maya Angelou's brave, defiant poem celebrates the courage within each of us, young and old. From the scary thought of panthers in the park to the unsettling scene of a new classroom, fearsome images are summoned and dispelled by the power of faith in ourselves. Angelou's strong words are matched by the daring vision of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose childlike style reveals the powerful emotions and fanciful imaginings of childhood. Together, Angelou's words and Basquiat's paintings create a place where everyone may experience their own fearlessness.

An allegory of responsibility, conformity and courageous social isolation told with humour.

A lifeless body. One of many in the waters of the Mediterranean. Precarious boats navigate the waters of the sea, from south to north. And more often than not, it is not only hope that drowns. With eloquent and devastating imagery, the creator of the multi-award-winning book The Island again asks us to examine our responses to the plight of refugees. How long will we remain silent witnesses?

A new perspective on the ANZAC tradition and the implications of war on different generations.

A very personal story about the loss of a loved one. It speaks to everyone whether they have experienced grief or not.

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.

A courageous bear and a bold boy find themselves in a magical forest full of faeries. Unfortunately, the bear ends up in a dungeon but he devises a clever escape, and goes into battle to save the monarch. This wordless picture book, a companion to The boy, the bear, the baron, the bard, is loosely based on Shakespeare's play, A midsummer night's dream.

Take your place in the Globe Theatre of Shakespeare's day to see seven of his best-loved plays in performance. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, The Winter's Tale and The Tempest are all brought life in comic-strip versions, which include the bard's own dialogue and the rowdy remarks of the audience.

Shakespeare has never been out of fashion. In his lifetime, he was incredibly successful and, after his death, Shakespeare's works were published to the world. This is a new interpretation of Shakespeare's stages, a play on words, which sheds light on the colourful and exuberant world of Shakespeare's life and times. You won't find the sainted genius, solemn with quill and ink-stained hand. High of brow he may have been, but never high-brow. Shakespeare was in the thick of it.

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.

The keepers of the Eilean Mor lighthouse all disappeared without a trace. Find out what secrets the lighthouse hides in this picture book for older readers.

Norman and Brenda lead separate, unfulfilled lives until finally their worlds converge and they discover true happiness, thanks to chance. Gentle humour, economy of words and complex visuals.

Intriguing fantasy about a solitary teenage boy fascinated by the very old, reputedly mad inventor in the mysterious mansion next door. Based on the myth of Eos and Tithonus who, by a trick of the gods, were granted immortality but not eternal youth.

A picture book retelling the classic tales by Charles Dickens. Stories included are Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol.

Where the mist swallows mountains and winds whisper through ancient trees, a mother and her pup run wild and free. They hunt, but they are also hunted. Carted away. Sold for bounty. And then, one careless night...The last thylacine is gone. The beautiful but heartbreaking story of Australia's last thylacine (Tasmanian tiger), which died in captivity.

In one minute of silence, you can imagine a war long gone. You can share what the soldiers saw and felt as they fought. And if you try, you might be able to imagine the enemy and see that he is not so different from you.

You're about to go to a place where thousands, even millions, of kids live every day. You're about to enter a war zone. There's been an attack. Grabbing his camera, a newspaper photographer rushes to the nearest clinic. What he finds there will change the way he thinks forever. Inspired by real events in the Middle East, events you might see any day on the TV news, this groundbreaking and acclaimed picture book for older readers will take you to a place far from comfort and safety. What could you possibly have in common with the kids who live there? You're about to find out...

Jack and Hoshi are soldiers on opposite sides who meet on the Kokoda Track during World War Two. Graphic illustrations enrich this sensitive, realistic and harrowing story of the personal tragedy of two soldiers and their loved ones at home. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

There is a place inside of me a space deep down inside of me where all my feelings hide. In this powerful, affirming poem by award-winning author Zetta Elliott, a Black child explores his shifting emotions throughout the year. Summertime is filled with joy-skateboarding and playing basketball-until his community is deeply wounded by a police shooting. As fall turns to winter and then spring, fear grows into anger, then pride and peace.

Seven of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous and best love stories and poems are collected here in one handsomely illustrated graphic novel for young readers. Poe's classic works have been skilfully adapted to the graphic format in a way that will entrance and terrify a young generation of horror fans without losing their original atmosphere and thought provoking depth. Poems including The Raven are presented in their entirety.

An emotionally charged picture book based on the facts surrounding the shipwreck of the Quetta in Torres Strait in 1890.

A sophisticated picture book depicting the invasion and multiplying of the rabbits. The threat that this poses is symbolic of the coming of white civilisation to Australia.

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.

Stunning artwork and minimal text tell the story of a young girl drifting through landscapes which reflect feelings of sorrow and helplessness, until she comes across a sign of hope. Deeply thoughtful.

Titus Cotta Maximus, a young boy, travels through the city of ancient Rome. Stephen Biesty's wonderfully detailed cutaway drawings convey daily life in these times with a touch of humour.

At a market, a boy discovers an intriguing amulet and pleads with his mother to buy it. The amulet is shaped like a snake swallowing its own tail. The mother thinks it's ugly but the boy thinks it's beautiful and that it holds a story he wants to write. The vendor will not accept payment and seems happy to be rid of the amulet. The boy finds he cannot write and, when he falls asleep, he has vivid dreams, full of many emotions.

Seventy five fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm are wonderfully evoked by Shaun Tan's extraordinary sculptural works. Wicked stepsisters, greedy kings, honourable peasants, ruthless witches, and tales of love, betrayal and magical transformation provide the inspiration for the stunning sculptural works.

Featuring stunning, full-colour, Manga-style art and all the high-octane, action-packed adventure Alex Rider fans have come to expect.

A young girl who is going blind sets out on a journey determined to beat the loss of her sight. In her imagination she does amazing things and goes to fabulous places in her quest to gain what she has lost.

When he hatches from his egg, Sepio, a baby bobtail squid, is not able to glow. His dark shape is too obvious in the moonlit water and all kinds of predators lurk nearby. Ali, an intrepid Vibrio fischeri bacterium, is determined to reach safety too. A picture book about the symbiotic relationship between a bobtail squid and a bacterium.

Oskar's loyalty knows no bounds as he waits in an empty war-torn house, surrounded by ghosts, waiting for his family to return.

While a storm rages outside, a young girl ponders some of life's big questions.

Titania, the Fairy Queen, and Oberon, King of Fairies, fall into a quarrel about who should have charge of a little changeling boy. Oberon and his servant, Puck, cast a spell which causes Titania to fall magically in love with Nick Bottom, a weaver who has been given the head of a donkey. Oberon sees the error of his ways and seeks a way to reverse the spell and restore harmony.

The iconic ballet Swan Lake, the tragic love story of a princess transformed into a swan by an evil sorcerer, has been revered for more than a century. In this atmospheric adaptation, Anne Spudvilas reimagines the classic tale of passion, betrayal and heartbreak in the dramatic riverscape of the Murray-Darling.

A beautifully illustrated and innovative book, full of fanciful whimsy that takes us to a place where we might think about ourselves and our society. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

World-renowned artist Shaun Tan applies his unique imagination to a reflection on the nature of humans and animals, and our urban coexistence. From crocodile to frog, tiger to bee, this is a dark and surreal exploration of the perennial love and destruction we feel and inflict - of how animals can save us, and how our lives are forever entwined, for better or for worse.

Jack disappears down a tunnel and is turned to stone. Fairytale-loving Rose has to restore him to flesh and blood. A dark, but ultimately, liberating fantasy about sibling rivalry, stereotyping, fear and the power of love.

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.

Join maverick inventor Steve Mushin as he tackles climate change with an avalanche of mind-bending, scientifically plausible inventions to rewild cities and save the planet. Jump into his brain as he designs habitat-printing robot birds and water-filtering sewer submarines, calculates how far compost cannons can blast seed bombs (over a kilometer), brainstorms bio-materials with scientists and engineers, studies ecosystems, and develops a deadly serious plan for future cities. A tour-de-force of extreme problem solving for anyone who loves big ideas.

A lyrical tale of love, loss and music. An emotionally charged story and exquisite illustrations that beautifully portray the sadness of a bereaved father and the consolation he finds in solitude and in his musical gift.

Through annotated illustrations, journals, maps and dreamscapes, Peter Sis shows what life was like for a child, on the Communist side of the Iron Curtain, who believed whatever he was told. As news filtered in from the West, Sis learned about rock'n'roll, blue jeans and read banned books. The Soviet invasion meant this freedom was short-lived but Sis's eyes had been opened. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

A mysterious watertower becomes more than a place to cool off for two outback youths. The suspense is powerful.

The story of homelessness and the city and the need for a boy and a cat to belong and to be safe.

The trouble on the Aching farm - monsters in the river, headless horsemen in the lane - climaxes when Tiffany's little brother is stolen away. Fortunately, the Nac Mac Feegle - the fighting, thieving, wee free men - will assist in his rescue. Tiffany will have a witty, inventive, sumptuous tale to tell.

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

Gentle cartoon pictures belie the hard hitting message as an elderly couple prepare for the nuclear holocaust with typically British, stiff upper lips.

A young boy, who can communicate with animals, has a strong link to a wild falcon.

A boy living alone must face his greatest fear, the woolvs (wolves). A dark, brooding story with strong illustrations. Ideal for visual literacy.

Throughout the first century or more of Australian settlement by Europeans, the pages of colonial newspapers were haunted by reports of a bewildering phenomenon: the mysterious yahoo or hairy man...

Using the accounts of early European explorers, colonists and farmers, Bruce Pascoe compellingly argues for a reconsideration of the hunter-gatherer label for pre-colonial Aboriginal Australians. He allows the reader to see Australia as it was before Europeans arrived - a land of cultivated farming areas, productive fisheries, permanent homes, and an understanding of the environment and its natural resources that supported thriving villages across the continent. Young Dark Emu - A Truer History asks young readers to consider a different version of Australia's history pre-European colonisation.