Booklists

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.

BLAKWORK is a powerful collection of memoir, reportage, fiction, satire and critique through which the themes of great loss and the desire for a different future, emerge. Through her innovative and powerful poetic voice, Whittaker merges her own personal experiences with her research into Australian history and political decisions, to create a fearless and unsparing portrayal of the Australia presented through other interpretations; a portrayal that challenges the readers' understanding and invites them to rethink the identity and place projected onto the traditional custodians of the land. Usually read by students in year 9, 10 and above.

Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people... In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal's office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance - and Papi's secrets - the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they've lost everything of their father, they learn of each other. In a dual narrative novel in verse that brims with both grief and love, award-winning and bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

This is the breaking, the shattering, the smattering of every limit ever accepted or imposed... Kindred, Kirli Saunders debut poetry collection, is a pleasure to lose yourself in. Kirli has a keen eye for observation, humour and big themes that surround Love/Connection/Loss in an engaging style, complemented by evocative and poignant imagery. It talks to identity, culture, community and the role of Earth as healer. Kindred has the ability to grab hold of the personal in the universal and reflect this back to the reader. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Living on Stolen Land is a prose-styled look at our colonial-settler present. A perceptive and thoughtful examination of the colonial contextual history of Australia. It pulls apart the myths at the heart of our nationhood, and challenges Australia to come to terms with its own past and its place within and on Indigenous Countries. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Will's brother was shot last night. This morning, he steps onto the elevator, on his way to get revenge. But as the elevator doors open on each floor on the way down to the lobby, ghosts from his past join him. What will he decide to do when he gets to the end of his journey? A powerful verse novel, Long Way Down deals with gun violence and the impact of a cycle of generational trauma. It is usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Will's brother was shot last night. This morning, he steps onto the elevator, on his way to get revenge. But as the elevator doors open on each floor on the way down to the lobby, ghosts from his past join him. What will he decide to do when he gets to the end of his journey? This graphic novel version of Reynold's Long Way Down deals with gun violence and the impact of a cycle of generational trauma. It is usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Meet Me at the Intersection is an anthology of short fiction, memoir and poetry by authors who are First Nations, People of Colour, LGBTIQA+ or living with disability. The focus of the anthology is on Australian life as seen through each author's unique, and seldom heard, perspective. With works by Ellen van Neerven, Graham Akhurst, Kyle Lynch, Ezekiel Kwaymullina, Olivia Muscat, Mimi Lee, Jessica Walton, Kelly Gardiner, Rafeif Ismail, Yvette Walker, Amra Pajalic, Melanie Rodriga, Omar Sakr, Wendy Chen, Jordi Kerr, Rebecca Lim, Michelle Aung Thin and Alice Pung, this anthology is designed to challenge the dominant, homogenous story of privilege and power that rarely admits "outsider" voices. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

A Midsummer Night's Dream opens with Theseus and Hippolyta planning their wedding, which takes place in four days. Egeus enters with his daughter, Hermia, and her two suitors, Lysander and Demetrius. Hermia is in love with Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Joe hasn't seen his brother for ten years and it's for the most brutal of reasons. Ed is on death row. Now Ed's execution date has been set and this might be the last summer they have together. A novel that uses the beauty of lyrical verse to represent the ethical issues surrounding an ugly part of the American justice system but more importantly it is a story about knowing who someone is beyond the public perception of their guilt. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

What use is music your body can't hold, that can't take you from this world? Each of these poems is a portrait of someone with or reputed to have had Marfan Syndrome. Many of the poems emerge out of personal interviews, while others are portraits of public figures: Abraham Lincoln, Akhenaten, Mary Queen of Scots , Edith Sitwell, Niccolo Paganini, John Tavener, Sergei Rachmaninov, and Robert Johnson, among others. Usually read by students in Year 9, 10 & above.

A collection of narratives retelling Aboriginal traditions are written by a non-Aboriginal poet who was made a member of Aboriginal language groups in two Australian states. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

An anthology that identifies the many issues of older adolescents' angst. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Set in a family home in New York, the book acts as something like a diary describing the monotony and helplessness of being confined in a small space, and the absurdity of being held captive by a TV which never seems to turn off. This is a work of hope, but one requiring the reader's willingness to engage in adventurous and dramatic collage and spare story telling. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Poetry, written by a young Sydney girl, to inspire primary and junior high school students. Some of the poems have challenging themes for older readers, including insightful views on death. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

A wonderful, creative collection of works by young Australian poets, aged from eight to eighteen years to inspire would-be poets and readers. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

"I am restless, my feet need to fly." Amber is trapped - by her father's rules, by his expectations, by her own fears. Now she's ready to fight - for her mother, for her sister, for herself. Freedom always comes at a price. Run, Rebel is a trailblazing verse novel that thunders with rhythm, heart and soul - perfect for fans of Sarah Crossan, Elizabeth Acevedo and Rupi Kaur. 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.

No props. No music. No costumes. Just you, your words and a mic-you've got two minutes to make the crowd scream your name. Miles Merrill, spoken word artist and founder of Australian Poetry Slam, and award-winning teacher Narcisa Nozica will take you from novice to spoken word superstar in no time. Twenty years after Merrill introduced poetry slams to Australia, there's a national competition with a live audience of 20,000 people! With tips from stars of the Australian poetry slam scene, including bestselling author Maxine Beneba Clarke, this book will inspire you to slam your own poetry, Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

This collection of poetry begins with a gentle petition of the reader to fill their hearts with poetry; to look within themselves, take the time to be silent, and listen to what they hear. This message continues throughout the poems as Thakur candidly shares her experiences as a Black woman and daughter of migrants living in the United Kingdom. In the poems is a proud daughter, mother, poet, and believer. She shares poems exploring the profound connections between people, and also the ways people can be careless with each other. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10, or above.

Liv's older brother needs round-the-clock care after accidentally shooting himself. Liv knows Jonah is still inside his broken body, but she might just be the only person to see that. Jonah's injury changed a lot for their family. Everyone had to change bedrooms. Liv and Jonah's mum is suing Jonah's best friend Clay's parents. And Live hasn't spoken to Clay since the accident, even though he just lives across the street. Liv won't give up, though - not on Jonah, and not on Clay. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Ariel has only a few small memories of her mother, who ran away years ago. Now aged, 17, she has lived in more towns than she can remember as her dad moves her across the country with alarming frequency. Finally settled with two friends, Monica and Gabe, Ariel wants to stay in one place. She is struggling with her feelings towards both her friends and aims to work out who she really is. On the other side of the country, Maya keeps a diary about her life, having run away from her own abusive mother and into the arms of a much older man, she is pregnant and practically alone. When both these worlds meet, both Maya and Ariel try to make sense of their lives. Usually ready by students in Years 9, 10 & above.