Booklists

The life of an English country vet is revealed in the funny and sad situations that James Herriot finds on his rounds.

Maurice the cat and his friends, a motley group of rats, have gained super intelligence overnight and quickly start scamming human villages with a Pied Piper of Hamelin ruse.

In the by the Numbers series, we dive deep into the world of animals and insects. From the smallest known species of snake to the sleepiest mammals, Animal Facts By the Numbers provides readers of all ages with the ultimate animal trivia knowledge.

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.

Morengaru, a man divided against himself, who is an outcast in the wilderness, must live as an animal. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Black Beauty is a handsome, sweet-tempered colt with a strong spirit. As a young colt, he is free to gallop in the fresh meadows with his beloved mother and their kind master. But, when his owners are forced to sell him, Black Beauty goes from a life of comfort and kindness to one of hard labour and cruelty. But, Black Beauty is brave, with an unbreakable spirit and will.

Abel Jackson is passionate about diving and is a natural in the water. Every day, he helps his mother earn their living from the sea and the land. It's hard work but Abel has the bush and the sky and the bay to himself. Until the day he meets Blueback, the fish that changes his life.

Max, the talking buffalope, has an enquiring mind, a keen sense of humour, and a grumpy disposition. Orphaned by the villainous Neruvians, sold off as a slave to the callous Berundians, he escapes into the wilderness, is attacked by vicious lupers, and rescued in the nick of time by the jester, Alexander Darke. Alexander is young and fairly unsuccessful. Done out in a costume of many colours, he totes his caravan around, entertaining people with (mostly bad) jokes. Max settles in with Alexander and his elvish wife, Sarah. He makes himself indispensable and the partnership prospers. Word gets around, and a Royal Command Performance is arranged. They are top of the bill. But everything that can go wrong goes wrong.... hilarously. The hitherto lugubrious King Cletus is enchanted. Stars overnight, they see off their arch-rival, the bad comic Jonathan Jolly.

Buck is a family pet and life is good in Santa Clara Valley, where he spends his days eating and sleeping in the golden sunshine. But, one day, a treacherous act of betrayal leads to his kidnap, and he is forced into a life of toil and danger as a sledge dog in the harsh and freezing cold Yukon, Buck must fight for his survival. This is a classic story of cruelty, kindness and survival in a harsh environment.

Cracker works for the US army and the fate of the entire platoon rests on her senses to detect bombs, traps and the enemy.

Ben learns about extinction and survival when he changes from helping the hunter to saving the wolves. The hunter becomes the hunted in this story of the sole surviving grey wolf cub.

Harriet, a giant Galapagos Island tortoise, is looked after and observed by Charles Darwin in his development of his daring theory of evolution and his book, the Origin of the Species. Cleverly written from Harriet's perspective.

A tiny dog is born on a remote cattle station. She should have died but for Elsie finding her, saving her, and naming her Princess. Elsie and Princess have a wonderful life until the War arrives. With Japanese air strikes coming closer, Elsie and her family leave the Pilbara for safety down south, but they can't take Princess. The little dog begins her adventures when she is taken by stockman Dave, who calls her Dog. She witnesses wonderful and terrible things, and gives courage and support to many humans. But through all her amazing adventures she never forgets her beloved Elsie...will she ever find her again?

This story follows one dog's quest to understand his mission in life when he finds himself reborn as a new puppy after living a short, previous existence. When he is introduced to his new owner, eight year old Ethan, the two are immediately inseparable and Bailey lives an adventurous full life with his boy learning how to be a good dog. However, just when he thinks he has life figured out, he again finds himself reborn as another puppy. Bailey is very confused and wonders - what is his purpose?

The age of man is over, reintroducing dinosaurs to Earth was an unsurprisingly bad idea. while the Survivors rebuild a society in underground bunkers, some wonder if there is more to what's left than this? Sky Munday breaks free from her compound to face the surface, the dinosaurs and maybe even to find her missing father. Who will kill her first, her former compound community, or the reptilian predators above?

This glorious new edition of Newt Scamander's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (considered a classic throughout the wizarding world) features an extraordinary array of magical creatures, from Acromantula to Yeti via ten different breeds of dragon - all beautifully illustrated in full colour by the brilliantly inventive, Greenaway Medal shortlisted Olivia Lomenech Gill.

Set in England in 1381, this story of political and emotional unrest is seen through the eyes of an old farm dog.

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.

Ann-Marie has to move to rural England and leave her dog, Maudie, behind. As she frets for her dog, Ann -Marie becomes involved with a ghostly story involving a sad child, separated from her dog too.

The story of a girl and a horse. Callie has always wanted a pony of her own, when she is asked to look after Oscar she is delighted. But Oscar bites and kicks and is difficult to ride. Then, one day Callie meets Sarah who knows all about horses.

This is a book for anyone who has loved a dog and known their love in return. It uses real life situations to show how a dog can improve our mental and physical health as well as our quality of life. With each story, it becomes more and more obvious how dogs can support us, comfort us and even save our lives. Drawing on science, research and in depth personal interviews, this book demonstrates that the dog-human bond is the most extraordinary cross-species friendship on the planet.

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.

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 Ferghana, Central Asia, in 102 BC, thirteen year old Kallisto is an excellent horsewoman. One day, while racing her horses in the mountains, Kallisto sees the Chinese army approaching her city. On reaching home, she finds a deserted city, and her favourite horse and others missing. Kallisto is determined to get the horses back, even if this means being challenged to a duel of horsemanship and skill.

Lacey Chu dreams of working for the company behind the revolutionary 'baku' a customisable smart pet that replaces the mobile phone but functions as a pet. To fulfil her dream she must be accepted into the Profectus Academy but her financial situation and family background seem to be standing in her way. That is, until she comes across Jinx; an incredibly advanced cat baku who goes beyond the functions of normal baku to forge an extraordinary bond with Lacey and paves the way to the possibility of her dreams coming true. Until Jinx misbehaves that is...Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

After a break-in at their London home, Kat Wolfe and her veterinary-surgeon mum decide it's time to move to the country. Dr Wolfe's new job in idyllic Bluebell Bay comes with a condition: they have to adopt Tiny, a huge, near-wild Savannah, who resists Kat's best attempts at cat whispering. When she starts a pet-sitting agency to make pocket money, her troubles escalate. The owner of her first client, an Amazon parrot, vanishes from his fortified, gadget-filled mansion, leaving a half-packed suitcase and a mysterious parcel. The only person who shares Kat's conviction that he's the victim of foul play is Harper Lamb, the American daughter of a palaeontology professor. A language and coding whizz, Harper is laid up with two broken legs thanks to her racehorse. What starts out as mystery-solving holiday fun quickly turns deadly for Wolfe and Lamb. When all clues point to an army base, can they count on their unruly animal friends to save the day - and their lives?

When a landslide on the Jurassic Coast reveals a rare 'dragon' dinosaur, best friends Kat Wolfe and Harper Lamb are thrilled, especially when stars and scientists come flocking to sleepy Bluebell Bay. But after they begin investigating a suspicious death, events spiral quickly out of control for detectives Wolfe and Lamb. Worse still, Kat's wild cat is in trouble. Can they solve the mystery - and save the cat's life - before it's too late?

when his family moves to Africa, Tom has mixed emotions until he spots a regal leopard outside his house. He quickly joins his new friends as they try to save the animal from being shot.

The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes. The ship sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227 days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional--but is it more true? Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Not for the fainted-hearted! The creatures of the magical rainforest of Caldera needs the help of a young panther cub, Mez. With the help of a brave young bat, a knowledgeable frog and a somewhat nervous monkey, Mez travels through the rainforest to combat a dangerous and reawakened evil. This is a suspenseful and exciting novel.

Thirteen-year-old Mia lives on a bush block in the Pilbara, where she assists her mother's work as a vet and equine therapist. Although she is used to the seasonal cyclones that threaten the West Australian coast, nothing can prepare her for the ferocity of Cyclone Veronica when she finds herself home alone and needing to protect their property and the animals she loves. A compelling story of one girl's experience of 2019's Cyclone Veronica in Western Australia.

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.

When a boy has bullies, a scary monster lurking about at night, and a strange noise outside his window to contend with, the last thing he expects is for a little green tree frog to be his saviour. But he names the frog Girragundji and together they learn how to be brave and face the world together.

A parallel is drawn between Jose and the other people of East Timor during the invasion by Indonesia, and the spirit of Uncle Adolfo's fighting bird. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

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.

Ned fired just one shot from the forbidden gun. But someone was watching. When a one-eyed cat turns up in an elderly neighbour's yard, Ned is caught in a web of guilt, fear, and shame when he fears his shot wounded the one-eyed cat.

The dramatic story of two children who rescue Papio and Upi, male and female baboons, from an experimental research station in Central Africa, only to find freedom brings problems for the animals and themselves. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

A middle eastern sheik wants to capture wild brumbies roaming the Kimberley Ranges and train them to become race horses. A horse vet and his daughter Rachel go into the outback to round up some horses with the help of local aborigines. Rachel finds her feelings divided between wanting freedom for the horses and serving her father.

Staying with his father on New Zealand's wild remote coast, Zac finds some animal pawprints on the beach. What is the exotic animal that is being hunted and what does the Russian billionaire have to do with this mystery.

Harry is tired of being the tall new kid with red hair, big feet, and freckles. The one with the dead sister who's voice follows her every where she goes. People tell her she's imagining Sissy, but they are wrong, surely she wouldn't be such a pain if Harry was making her up? When Harry's wish for a horse comes true and Marksman comes into her life she wonders if she should have wished so hard, because Marksman is big, huge even, and Harry wonders if she has taken on more than she can deal with. But could this challenge be just what she needs to learn the difference between standing out and standing up?

Against a background of domestic violence and animal cruelty, the strong friendship between a boy and a dog provides a positive outcome for the characters in the story.

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs. Most dogs love to chase cars, but Enzo longs to race them.He learns about racing and the world around him by watching TV and by listening to the words of his best friend, Denny, an up-and-coming race car driver, and Denny's daughter, Zoe, his constant companion. Enzo finds that life is just like being on the racetrack-it isn't simply about going fast.Applying the rules of racing to his world, Enzo takes on his family's challenges and emerges a hero. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

For ten year old Will and his mother, going to Indonesia isn't just a holiday, it's a chance to put things behind them. At first, it seems just what they both need but, then, the tsunami comes crashing in. Oona, the elephant, that Will is riding on the beach, begins to run. When the tsunami has gone, Oona keeps on running. With only a bottle of water to sustain him, Will must learn to survive deep in the jungle.

Abbie is a very engaging, six year old, orphan orang-utan on the final leg of an odyssey that will see her reintroduced to her Kalamantan home. 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.

From the moment Sebastian is rescued as an abandoned pup, this passionate, feisty dog proves irresistible, even when he fails Obedience School. The story of the mutual devotion of a boy and his dog.

Shiloh, a beagle, is owned by a violent, angry man. Shiloh's rescue comes when Marty appears.

Friendship can be found in the unlikeliest of places. After her mother's death, Sky leaves her city life to move in with her aunt and uncle in a small Australian town. Life in a new place isn't easy, and Sky finds comfort in the friendship of a stray dog she meets along the way. But her new friends at school are another story, and as Sky struggles to fit in, she finds herself doing things that go against everything she believes in. When Sky stumbles on a case of animal cruelty, she is forced to question what's really important to her and who she wants to be. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Terry and Liam are concerned about the contents of the box they helped carry into the derelict house of the taxidermist. Liam feels their concerns were warranted when Terry disappears.

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.

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.

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.

A Magical story about a brave young chimney sweep and a majestic tiger. A story about a mesmerising ruby and a magical land across an ocean. A story about discovering your destiny and what it means to be free.

A warren of rabbits is being chased from its home by a land developer. The rabbits have their own language and culture which is as complex and fascinating as human society.

The Weather Makers has had a huge impact on our consciousness about climate change. It has changed minds and hearts. This book speaks to the school children who will inherit the new climate which their parents and grandparents have helped to create. Provides scientific examinations and some conclusions about climate change. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Claire and her father encounter a storm in which a whale overturns their boat and Claire, with an injured knee, is left to fend for herself.

Geraldine has a guinea pig thrust upon her by a school acquaintance, to be minded during the holidays. The guinea pig disappears and and that's just the beginning of the problems.

In this timeless classic, Rat, Mole, Badger and Mr Toad of Toad Hall have rollicking adventures along the riverbank and in the Wild Wood.

Two cousins who live in Willoughby Chase are left in the care of a cruel governess.

The violence of the pigeon shoot disturbs Palmer and contrasts with his reaction to bullies and to pets.