Booklists

Zeelie wonders if they're in danger. When temperatures soar to 47 degrees one hot summer day, 12-year-old Zeelie hopes the nearby bushfires everyones talking about aren't heading towards her family's new home. What will they do if the wind changes direction? What about their belongings and their beloved pets? And why hasn't her mum and brother returned from Melbourne? Nothing can prepare Zeelie for what's to come.

Colin has an IQ around 200 and no social skills and Hassan understands people and social etiquette stuff so their friendship is the perfect balance. When the nineteenth of Colin's girlfriends (all called Katherine) breaks up with him, the boys decide a road trip is in order. When they end up in Gutshot, Tennessee, they meet a mother and daughter who provide all of the necessary ingredients for some problem solving to occur.

Ariel, lives in a settlement called New Horizon. His community is heavily controlled, with strict rules and a constant emphasis on obedience and loyalty. The residents are told that the world outside is dangerous, filled with threats like the Hollow Ones, which are emotionless, masked humanoids that once were people but now serve a mysterious power. Ariel is a loyal follower of the settlement's ideology until a tragic event forces him to flee. He embarks on a dangerous journey across a devastated landscape, where he meets other children who are also on the run.

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.

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.

Navigating school is difficult at the best of times, but Amelia has found herself branded with the worst nickname, Maggot. In her attempt to prove her classmates wrong and get away from her nickname and become popular, Amelia makes an even worse blunder.

Jasper Robinson-Woods is not okay - his name is too long, his mum has an annoying boyfriend, he never sees his dad, and he can't sleep because of a terrifying nightmare. Oh, and to top it off, his goldfish is dying. Jasper is overwhelmed with bad thoughts. Are they a sign of disaster to come? The only place he feels safe is in the tree in his front yard. But then the unimaginable happens: his nightmare comes to life and everything spirals out of control. Jasper decides it's finally time to face his nightmare.

Rosalind wants to talk, she really does, but the only place she can is home. At school or anywhere in public, no matter how badly she wants to, her words get stuck and refuse to come out. Unsurprisingly, this has had a big impact on her life and as a consequence, she has no friends. You can imagine how tough it is for her, then, when she starts in Year 7 at Manor High. Pretty much instantly she is the target of bullies and her life becomes even more miserable than it already was. But a new therapist, and her little brother's total faith in her, lead Rosalind to becoming Miss Nobody - an online voice for the nobodies, the victims, the sad kids. And, at first, this seems to be a real step forward in her fight to be 'normal'. But then Miss Nobody's fame starts to morph into something more sinister. Is Miss Nobody actually just as much of a bully as the real bullies?

This stage adaptation of Gleitzman's novel explores disabilities, friendship and families.

Cymbeline Igloo doesn't know how to swim. He has NEVER been swimming. Ever. His mother won't let him near the water and he doesn't know why. After he tries (and fails) to swim on his own, he realises there is a bigger mystery to be solved. Cymbeline and his friends work together to find out why his mum has never taken him near the water.

Growing up with the famous Bali surf at his back door, sixteen year old Taj had an idyllic childhood, until ten years ago when his father was arrested for smuggling drugs. He's been on death row in Bali's infamous Kerobokan Prison ever since, leaving Taj in a weird limbo. When an execution date is set, Taj is left with one course of action, bust his dad out of jail and hightail it back to Australia. What follows is the desperate, dangerous rid of a father and son on the run. As events unravel and time runs out, Taj uncovers startling truths about his family, his girlfriend and the stranger he is rapidly falling for.

Jessie and Leslie are close friends who create a magical world for themselves, until a tragedy happens.

The twins, Tennyson and Bronte, are very different in how they approach the world. This is best seen by the different reactions both have to the large, brooding and mysterious Brewster. While many in the school believe he is a dark and dangerous menace, Bronte befriends him and they begin dating. This is how both siblings notice the horrible scars on Brewster and suspect he is being abused at home. The truth is far stranger.

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.

Jorge is from Romania. When he was very young, his parents sold him to Bill, a controller, who keeps Jorge in a small hut in a shanty town on the outskirts of Paris with other children. Jorge is forced to steal to stay alive and to give everything to Bill. When Jorge meets Australian chef Ricky, he finally has hope of redemption. But he must also save his friends Ada and Gino, before Bill finds out.

If you love a mystery and know who Sherlock Holmes is, then you will love this story of his lesser known 14 year old sister, Enola. When her mother vanishes, she calls on her older brothers to help her solve the mystery. However, instead of helping, they start talking about ridiculous things like needlepoint lessons and new frocks. Enola realises she will need to disappear herself if she is going to find her mother.

Caden is both a high school student finding it harder and harder to fit in at school and keep friendships, and a member of an unusual crew aboard a ship headed to the Marianas Trench under the command of a captain who may or may not be trying to destroy them all. As these two narratives come together, Caden must make decisions with very real and substantial consequences.

Charlie Duskin is fleeing from failures, friends and running towards a father who won't 'see' her. Rose is suffocating in her small town, trapped by parents who couldn't chase their own dreams. When they get the chance to get to know each, other their lives will change forever.

J.K. Rowling's five-film Fantastic Beasts adventure series continues with the original screenplay for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. At the end of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured in New York with the help of Newt Scamander. But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escapes custody and sets about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all nonmagical beings. In an effort to thwart Grindelwald's plans, Albus Dumbledore enlists Newt, his former Hogwarts student, who agrees to help once again, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

Clio's family were potters, although her father came from another land and worked with horses. Clio only left the kiln for a short time, to check on her horse, but the consequences of what she saw would change her and her village forever. When raiders are spotter just off the coast, the Goddess asks for the unthinkable. Clio must face many obstacles, deal with grief, find new friends and save a village. Her grandmother creates a statue to save Clio's life, but will it be enough?

Willow and Alma are best friends, sharing a love of the spotlight. All they want is fame and fortune, and Willow is determined that the best way to get it is to go viral. So they start filming dares. Okay, so getting stuck in a basketball hoop doesn't get them the sort of attention they were hoping for, but as their challenges get more extreme, their fan base grows. Duct-taping themselves to a wall? No-brainer. Eating super-hot chillis? Of course! Waxing an eyebrow off? Super funny! And if they get in a bit of trouble, it's worth it. But if they really want to prove themselves, they have to go all-out. So they come up with the perfect idea. An idea that causes more than just a bit of trouble. An idea that might destroy not just their ambitions but their entire friendship for good.

It's been three months since Henry disappeared and Chloe wants answers as badly as Mason wants her to just back off and leave him alone. The evidence mounts and friendships are tested in this gripping YA thriller set in the Southern Highlands of NSW.

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.

A stage adaptation of Bram Stoker's famous novel.

What happens when a dream is impossible to achieve? Jazz, Hope, Allegra and Portia seem an unlikely group of friends but they are determined and smart and, together, the Moonlight Dreamers help one another to believe in themselves and make their dreams come true.

After the discovery of Millie's body, Greenwich Private College grinds to a complete halt as gloom and despair sets in. As students begin to leave the school, Jeanie continues to investigate more into the school's dark past, while Amber's dreams reveal a dark, namless entity.

Fourteen-year-old Nate has just moved back to Australia and is finding it hard to navigate a new city, school and changed home life. His next-door neighbour, Luna, is dealing with her own issues: a viral video, friends who have dropped her, and a subsequent anxiety disorder. When a swarm of 20,000 bees unexpectedly settle in the walls of Nate's family's house, Nate and Luna come together to save the hive, befriending local beekeeper Tyler. Over the course of one summer, their loyalties will be tested and their lives will be forever changed. LISTEN ON BOOK BITES! You can listen to Pip Harry read the first chapter of this book on the PRC's Book bites podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or The Arts Unit website! Copy and paste this URL into your browser to start listening! https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/listen-the-arts-unit/literature-and-language-arts/book-bites/7-9-book-list#drift-pip-harry

When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, a group of teens is forced to make life and death decisions in this harrowing story of survival. The drought -- nor the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it -- has been going on for a while now. Everyone's lives have become an endless list of don'ts: don't water the lawn, don't take long showers, don't panic. Until the taps run dry. Suddenly, Alyssa's quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbours and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don't return, she and her younger brother must team up with an unlikely group in search of water. Each of them will need to make impossible choices to survive.

Jolie and her friends Charlotte, Bronwyn and Hayley are at war with three boys in Year 9 at school. It's a love/hate relationship, where they set each other up with dares and the losers have consequences. When the boys win a bet, the girls cry 'Unfair!' However, their plan for revenge backfires and leads to the principal banning all e-scooters from school premises and insisting students must follow government regulations, which means they can only ride a scooter with an adult. How can they get to school? To their jobs? Jolie and her friends want to fix things, but what can they achieve on their own? Is the only person who can help the one person Jolie doesn't want to turn to?

Life has returned to routine for Mitch. Mostly. He's had to find a new kind of normal after his dad drowned saving a local kid. But now there's a new girl in Mitch's class and she's stirring things up. Her name is Max and she dresses a bit like a goth, and suddenly seems to be everywhere. One night Mitch sees Max and she looks different. She has ... big feathery wings. It turns out Max is an angel, but not quite how you'd imagine one. She is Mitch's emergency rescue angel, and just the kind of friend you want on your side when life gets tricky.

Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of Sherlock, is now living independently in London and working as a scientific perditorian (a finder of persons and things). But that is not the normal lot of young women in Victorian England. They are under the near absolute control of their nearest male relative until adulthood. Such is the case of Enola's friend, Lady Cecily Alastair. Twice before Enola has rescued Lady Cecily from unpleasant designs of her caddish father, Sir Eustace Alastair, Baronet. And when Enola is brusquely turned away at the door of the Alastair home it soon becomes apparent that Lady Cecily once again needs her help.

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.

A week of high school gossip, dread, embarrassment, loneliness, connections and even love are all collected in this book of short narrative poems. Confessions and conversations cover a large range of events and feelings found in any high school, but the common ground is that everyone is feeling the same things all at once. Unfortunately, no one seems to know it.

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...

When Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when his magical case is misplaced and some of Newt's fantastic beasts escape, it spells trouble for everyone . . . This is the film script for the 2018 film.

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.

Dan has a happy and mostly uneventful primary school experience. He is happy and comfortable. And then he goes to year seven. High school is very different. Kids can be rough, loud, and even a little cruel. At the end of the year he gets the chance to go on a school trip to Europe. Dan meets several other young people similar to himself and has a summer to remember. This autobiographical graphic novel celebrates being true to yourself and finding your tribe.

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.

Someone stole the Mona Lisa. Okay, it was over a hundred years ago, but a recently uncovered letter reveals that the thief forged a copy. That means that the painting in the Louvre now is a fake. And the real Mona Lisa could be anywhere! Friday Barnes needs to find the truth - and the real painting. She's going undercover as an art student, along with her partner-in-crime-solving, Melanie, and her staggeringly good-looking boyfrenemy, Ian. As they watch the comings and goings of France's most famous art gallery, they see some very strange things. Amid digital pickpockets, guerrilla graffiti and projectile perfume, Friday soon discovers that the Paris art scene is a hotbed of crime.

A Monster Calls meets Coraline, in this spellbinding story about the power of the imagination. The real world is a hostile place for twelve-year-old Bren, his schooldays stalked by vicious bully, Shaun, and his family life fractured at home. Ever since his sister Evie died in an accident, Bren's only safe space is Furthermoor, an imagined world of mechanised trees and clockwork animals, where Evie is still alive. In Furthermoor, no one can hurt Bren...until the mysterious Featherly arrives. Now Bren is forced to confront his deepest fears and decide if his place in the real world is worth fighting for. Enter a world as vast and dark as your imagination, in this unforgettable coming-of-age story about courage, friendship and finding your voice.

Set in a Melbourne in the near future we meet Piper who is a deaf teenager who's mother is determined that she pass a 'normal'. Piper starts to realise her isolation and lack of belonging due to her mother's beliefs. Climate change has left people unable to afford to drive their cars or buy tickets on public transport. Planes no longer fly. Due to corporate control, fresh food is hardly available and most people eat genetically modified foo. Piper has to navigate the usual teenage concerns, whilst discovering who she is as a young adult, experiencing her fist love and standing up to corporate greed.

Lola's been selected to play a new virtual reality game, but she breaks the one rule: not to recreate people or places from real life. Soon she's skipping school to play. But Lolas secrets begin to surface inside her game; how is she going to play her way out of this?

Ella wishes she could have gone to a NYE party with her friend; instead, she arrives at her aunt's house to find that something isn't right. At all. Ella is determined to find out what really happened, but she has more than a few obstacles in her way.

Get even follows four high school students , Bree, Olivia, Kitty and Margot who have nothing in common however someone wants to get revenge on them. This fast pace revenge story has lots of twists and turns and chapter cliffhangers.

Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing. Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her father's actions

Luna is reserved and fearful when the family moves to a new place that dad is keen to restore. It happens to be a crumbling tower and her younger sister loves it because it is a fairy tale castle. When Aurora begins a friendship with a girl, Tansy who lived in the past according to a local legend, emotions build between them all because of the wretched tower. Can Luna, mum or dad make things better for the way Aurora is behaving?

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

Erin Vincent's parents are killed in a terriblecar crash when she is just fourteen. The book recollects how Erin, her seventeen year old sister and three year old brother are left to cope on their own. A really powerful book that gives an honest account of being a teenager, and dealing with usual teenage concerns and real emotions in the aftermath of losing both parents.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter. It isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son, Albus, must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth - sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

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.

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.

When Nishat comes out to her parents, they say she can be anyone she wants - as long as she isn't herself. Because Muslim girls don't like other girls. Nishat doesn't want to hide who she is, but she also doesn't want to lose her relationship with her family. And her life only gets harder once a childhood friend walks back into her life. Flavia is beautiful and charismatic and Nishat falls for her instantly. But when a school competition invites students to create their own businesses, both Flavia and Nishat choose to do henna, even though Flavia is appropriating Nishat's culture. Amidst sabotage and school stress, their lives get more tangled - but Nishat can't quite get rid of her crush on Flavia, and realizes there might be more to her than she realized.

Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as 'Human Computers', calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women. Segregated from their white counterparts, these women used pencil and paper to write the equations that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space. Moving from World War II through NASA's golden age, touching on the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the women'sd rights movement, 'Hidden Figures' interweaves a rich history of mankind's greatest adventure with the intimate stories of five courageous women whose work forever changed the world.

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.

Chelsea knows that her sister is dead. But she also knows that Angelica never really went away. Ever since that tragic day, Angelica has been around. Talking to her. Listening to her. Being her truest friend. No one else can see Angelica, and Chelsea has learned to lie about her existence, because nobody else would believe it. It's their secret... until Chelsea makes a new friend and Angelica becomes jealous. Jealous enough to hurt someone. Chelsea's biggest secret has become her biggest fear.

Ethan's parents are in jail, his aunt works too hard, the new kid, Joshua, has a scar on his arm, a firestorm threatens the suburb, while wildflowers bloom along the school fence. For Ethan, Audrey and their friends, it's time to choose what's important and what to leave behind.

Lil and her sister Mella have always been close. But one day, after a fight, Mella goes missing. Four months later, and no sign of Mella, a mysterious girl named Alice turns up in Lil's life. In the midst of the worst storm in Welsh history, Alice and Lil work together to bring Mella home.

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.

Jonny has a faulty heart and his time is running out. Niamh has just lost her twin brother in a tragic accident. As their fates collide, soon Jonny is on the mend, but desperate to know more about his donor. When he tracks down Niamh, he only intends to find out about her brother, the first owner of his heart; but he doesn't plan on falling in love...A stunning, tear-jerking novel about grief, guilt, and the unpredictability of love.

Set in a horrifying 'fifteen minutes in the future' United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin is forced into an internment camp for Muslim-Americans along with her parents. With the help of newly-made friends also trapped within the camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the internment camp's Director and his guards. Heart-racing and emotional, Internment questions the imaginary boundaries that separate us and challenges readers to fight the complicit silence that exists in our society today.

It's May 1910 and 16 year old Linda Duke has just received a strange message: a playing card, the Jack of Spades, in an envelope that was sent from Paris, where her widowed father, Professor Charles Duke, a noted but impractical Shakespearean scholar, has gone on a research trip. In the code devised by her late French mother Madeleine, who was a dedicated card-player, 'Jack of Spades' means treachery and danger. Her father knows that. But it is not his handwriting on the envelope. Linda is convinced he is in great danger, and being both brave and determined, decides to set out immediately to Paris to look for him.

When two wealthy young men move to the neighbourhood, Mrs Bennet -- mother to five unmarried daughters -- is thrilled. Surely it is only a matter of time before one of her girls is snapped up! But the course of love does not always run smooth. While Jane and Mr Bingley seem destined for one another, there are those who would wish it otherwise; while Elizabeth and Mr Darcy do not seem destined for one another, somehow their paths must always cross. Then there are Lydia and Kitty, the silliest and vainest of the Bennet sisters, keen to attract the wickedly attractive Mr Wickham and his military comrades. Love is in the air - but where will it all end??

At school, Elliot gets bullied for being 'different to other girls' whereas at the skate park, everyone welcomes Elliot - presuming they're male - but neither label feels right. As Eliot's love of skateboarding and friendships grow, their worlds collide at a sports expo where the school netball team and skate crew are competing. Can Elliot find the courage to share what they've learned about non-binary identity? Will best friend Jess or the skateboarding crew accept Elliot for who they are? And what about Ryan, the skater who Elliot has been feeling increasingly close to?

Harry and Charlie are teenagers whose lives are shaped by a society that's shifting around them. He is a lonely Brit in his first term at a Las Vegas high school. She is an unlikely friend, who gets accused of mixing a batch of explosives that blew up a football player. The two of them are drawn together at a time when gene editing technology is starting to explode. With a lab in the garage anyone can beat cancer, enhance their brain to pass exams, or tweak a few genes for that year-round tan and perfect beach body. But in the wrong hands, cheap gene editing is the most deadly weapon in history. Killer T is a synthetic virus with a ninety per-cent mortality rate, and the terrorists who created it want a billion dollars before they'll release a vaccine.

Renowned detective Hercule Poirot has been secretly summoned to an exclusive estate to solve the mystery of who killed Frank Devonport. With 2 confessions and an unexpected second body, Poirot will have to piece together a tangled web of clues before the real killer can be identified.

Darcy Wells is a literary genius who has spent most of her time living in the world of her books. There, she escapes the real world of her mother's hoarding and pretends her life is simple and ordinary. When a new property manager becomes more active in the upkeep of their apartment complex suddenly her home hangs in the balance. While Darcy is struggling to survive beneath the weight of her mother's compulsive shopping, Asher Fleet, a former teen pilot with an unexpectedly shattered future, walks into the bookstore where she works and straight into her heart. After spending her whole life trying to keep people out, something about Asher makes Darcy want to open up. Securing her own happily-ever-after will mean she'll need to stop hiding and start living her own truth - even when it's messy.

Caitlyn is, in many ways, a normal thirteen year old girl with friends, teachers, and divorced parents. Caitlyn also has a spark. This comes out in her exceptional writing. Her dad probably does more than anyone to nurture this spark by creating fun and unexpected events for them on their weekends together. The balance she has found in spending time with both parents is threatened when her mum's boyfriend is offered a dream job in London. Caitlyn must fight to have a say in whether she stays in Melbourne with her dad or moves overseas with her mum.

When Lockie moves to a coastal town where his dad is the new police officer, he has trouble settling in. Live each agonising, embarrassing adolescent moment as he makes friends and has a torrid love affair with Vickie, prettiest girl in town.

Bella and Connie have been close friends for years and they continue to support each other as they start high school and come out of the lockdowns imposed due to the pandemic. Connie's cousin, Mish, has shown up under some mysterious circumstances and the girls are forced to welcome the older girl into their friendship. Mish is not a good fit and does not want to be a good fit. Bella and Connie need to find the balance between doing what they think is right, while trying not to attract the wrath of Mish.

Old friends. New Loves. The future is looking bright. A new year of school is starting, and Brit finds herself struggling with feelings for a seemingly rude boy from class who might have a soft side. Meanwhile, Christine can't deny that she likes her best friend Abby...as more than just a friend. The only question is, does Abby have feelings for Christine, too? And will their feelings for each other mess things up in their friend group? Misunderstandings, betrayal, and jealousy are bound to get in the way. But hey! Look on the bright side: They're in this together. Always.

The dying wish of 16-year-old Lina's mother was for her daughter to live in Tuscany and get to know her father Howard, whom Lina has never met. Why did her mother wait so long to tell her about him? Waiting for her at Howard's home is a journal kept by her mother while she was a photography student in Florence. With the help of her mother's journal and her neighbour Ren, Lina uncovers a magical world full of secret romances, art and hidden bakeries. But she also learning more about her mother than ever before, following in her footsteps, and finding out the truth about her father. But mostly she finds out about herself.

Everyone expects that Frankie and her childhood friend, Sam, will become boyfriend and girlfriend, Even Sam seems to think this. Frankie is surrounded by loving family and friends, but it is Sally who fascinates Frankie and takes up all her time. Sally seems to like being adored, but is she actualy interested in Frankie's affections?

Teddy Sharpe is Hollywood famous. But he's just been dumped by his girlfriend and is stuck in an airport far from home. He accepts an invitation from Bennett Caldwell to stay at her house. Teddy has just auditioned for the movie adaptation of Bennett's book and is hoping to get the lead role. What he didn't expect was the fall in love with Bennet and her family. If only the internet would stay out of their relationship, things might go smoothly for the two of them.

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.

Ally and Cat have been friends for ever. Each girl plays their part in the friendship, but when Ally wants to make decisions to pursue interests different to Cat, problems arise. In the pick-a-path format, you make decisions for Ally and follow the story from one storyline to the next.

Quinn Freeman may have won the race around the world, but when a new enemy appears he must travel beyond the edge of the map once more. Quinn is back! He finished his race around the world and is living a quiet life on the family farm, until he discovers that the King's enemies want to capture him. Quinn is forced to go on the run, taking to the high seas once more. Can he survive when he is double-crossed and left for dead?

Tristan is heading to Mars, part of the colonising first fleet from Earth. He and his girlfriend, Izzy, are reality television stars for a reason - like their namesakes, Tristan and Isolde, their love story is destined for heartache. But it is the mysterious sabotage, aboard the spaceships hurtling towards Mars, that offers the most captivating aspect of the plot.

When Lexie sees Shane for the first time, she's blown away. Not only by the way he plays football (although that is great), but by his looks, and how he's not like the other boys. Best of all, he feels the same way about her. Electricity at first sight.

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?

Sophie lives with her mum and sister on a horse stud and we immediately discover that her life has been dramatically impacted by an accident involving her sister and dad a year earlier. Then a boy gets added to the narrative mix and a hurricane gives us the perfect setting for tension and adventure in this coming of age story.

A tale of young Bassanio, who, in order to win the love of fair Portia, entangles his dearest friend, Antonio, in a dangerous bargain with the moneylender, Shylock. Only Bassanio's heartfelt efforts and a clever intervention by Portia will save Antonio from paying Shylock 'a pound of flesh'. Graphic novel with authentic Shakespearean text.

Enjoy Shakespeare without the hard work! Two former Children's Laureates bring Shakespeare to life in this accessible and handy guide to the best bits of the bard.

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.

Lisa wants to be a hero just like her big sister, Opal, more than anything in the world. So when a mysterious adventurer called Braun turns up in town, claiming that he knows how to defeat The Warden, Lisa jumps at the chance to join him on an epic quest in the End. Can Opal, Lisa and Braun work together to battle mobs, find The Warden and survive?

A queer retelling of Jane Austin's Emma. This novel is a mix of if Emma and Clueless had a queer cousin. Evan Horowitz is obsessed with three things in life: makeup, social media, and matchmaking! When shy new girl, Natalia, starts at his school, Evan begins work on his newest and most ambitious matchmaking project yet. Who better than him to give her a push in the right direction? With so many matches to choose from and Natalia hopelessly clueless when it comes to love, it's not long before Evan sets his plan into motion (much against the better judgment of his best friend, Davi). But he takes things too far, creating a web of drama that spirals out of his control. Can he learn to put the people closest to him before his misguided ambition? Or will he lose them, and his chance at romance, too?

Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill. But tonight is different. Tonight when he wakes, there is a monster at his window. it wants something from Conor. It wants the truth.

13 year old Grace loves her new charity shop coat. It is perfect! Except for one tiny thing. When she wears it, she sees visions of the previous owner's life....and their murder! Grace and her best friend, Suzy, decide to investigate but digging up the past reveals secrets some people want kept hidden. Can Grace solve a fifty-year-old murder or will she become the killer's next victim?

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.

After a frightening car accident, Izzy's mum is in a coma. Her family is in pieces. Her best friend at school has dumped her. And her nightmares are haunted by a shadowy man stealing all the colours from her world. She's trying so hard to be brave, but Izzy thinks everything is her fault. Then she meets her new neighbour, Toby, paralysed after a skateboarding accident, and together they find a nest of cygnets who need rescuing. Particularly the odd one out, called Spike. Will saving Spike save Izzy? Will she and Toby solve the mystery of the colour thief and bring hope and happiness back to Izzy's life? Written with insight, compassion and empathy - an authentic story about real life and how to survive it.

Penny Hope used to be brave, but that was before she met the Fear Maker. Years later, he still haunts her nightmares -- a tall, thin man with red eyes, in a haunted house in the woods, who devours human souls and leaves their eyes hollow and empty. Penny's beloved grandma tells her to write down these nightmares as poems in her notebook. But then Penny starts seeing blank-eyed people in the waking world, too. She's the only one who notices. As more people around her fall prey to the Fear Maker, Penny must gather her courage once and for all to save the souls of those she loves. With the help of a magic garden and a new friend, she ventures to the Fear Maker's house. But the house is a labyrinth of shadows and tricks -- and the Fear Maker's fun is just beginning. Can a pocketful of sunflower seeds and a notebook filled with poems be enough to defeat a master of nightmares? And if Penny sets foot in the Fear Maker's house, will she ever leave?

Sixteen-year-old Regina seeks romance, adventure, and approval. Of course, getting approval from a mother like Cora is next to impossible. For Regina, friendships have always been a rare commodity. Could it be that Regina has finally found a true friend? Or is it too good to be true? As Regina struggles to find her own identity and create her own destiny, she discovers that her fate might just be to become everything she despises.

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...

Oscar has more going on than a kid in year 7 should have to deal with. His neighbour is out to get him, the police don't believe him and at school he is in love with Tiffany, the most popular girl who does not know he is alive. Oscar hopes to win her affection by giving her a necklace that his grandfather left him, but this necklace may be more valuable than Oscar realizes. Tiffany will not be the only one interested in such a valuable necklace which may put Oscar and all his friends in danger. Life is definitely a challenge for this teenage boy. LISTEN ON BOOK BITES! You can listen to Ross Curnow read the first chapter of this book on the PRC's Book bites podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or The Arts Unit website! Copy and paste this URL into your browser to start listening! https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/listen-the-arts-unit/literature-and-language-arts/book-bites/7-9-book-list#oscar-vs-the-grand-old-dude-named-york-ross-curnow

What if you thought you had forever... To live your life. To tell your story. But what if forever was taken from you? When your tomorrows are counted, all you have is this moment. And this story you wish was never yours to tell. When Abby traded her life in the city for a wholesome new life on the coast, it was meant to be a fresh start for her family. Behind them was the sickness and sadness of the past. But sickness doesn't always play by the rules. And as Abby's past threatens to swallow her future, she is forced to decide what is most important. What she will fight for. And she will fight. For however many days she has left.

Addy, a young Black girl goes on a wilderness camp to discover herself and to deal with past trauma. She comes face to face with challenges, getting to know herself better and facing the dangers brought on by climate change.

One year on from a devastating bushfire, the small coastal town of Wangaroo Bay is still reeling. Fletch's family lost their home, and his best friend Immie lost her beloved dad, a volunteer firefighter. Throughout it all, Fletch and Immie have had each other. Immie's grandparents push for the Bayfire investigation to be reopened, but Fletch's mum, dad and elder brother Cooper want to put the past behind them. And when a local, one of their own, is charged with arson, emotions flare, sides are taken, and promises - and secrets - are at stake. The fire has already destroyed Wangaroo Bay, now its aftermath threatens to destroy Fletch and Immie and their families too.

Shelby and her best friend Davey live quiet low-tech lives in a closed community, in a world healing itself after a global pandemic that had an unimaginable impact on humanity. When they climb through a hole in the perimeter fence to venture into the surrounding jungle, they find the past and the present about to collide to threaten the future. It will take all of Shelby's daring and determination to ensure the past does not repeat itself.

At first glance, The Ravens seem like typical sorority sisters. These girls are the most admired at Westerly College. Looks can be deceiving, and these are not just girls but a coven of witches. With a new intake of Littles and a painful secret returning to haunt them, the girls will need to put rivalry aside to save a fellow sister.

Three different kids. One mission in common: escape. Joseph is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994 with riots and unrest plaguing her country. Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015 with his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction. All three go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge.

Ruby is starting year 7 at a new school. Her cousin Amber used to be her best friend, but she has started hanging out with the cool kids and pretends she doesn't know Ruby anymore. Ruby dreads school every day. Ruby's Web is about how to seek help when dealing with online bullying and racism, the connections that the internet makes possible, and the power of using your voice.

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.

Before his grandmother moved from India to the island of Mariposa, Muki Krishnan's life was pretty good. He hung out with his friends, stayed under the radar at school, and slept as late as he could. But now? He has to share his bedroom with Paati, his grandmother, who snores all night then wakes him at dawn to do yoga. Paati's arrival coincides with bigger challenges in Mariposa as the once peaceful island is fracturing. The president divides the people into those who have lived here for 3 or more generations (Butterflies) or more recent immigrants like Muki's family (Moths). Muki and his friends find the camp that is being built to imprison Moths and then Paati is taken away. A rebellion is under way but can Muki save Paati and his family in time and what can one school boy do against a whole government?

After being leader of 'girls-who-never-fall-in-love" in Cross My Heart and Never Lie, Tuva's best friend, Bao, faces a challenge unlike any she's faced before: the PTA wants to raze down the students' beloved forest, removing the space where Bao and other student have always played and integral to both Bao and other students' lives and the environment they call home. When the adults are too apathetic, too cynical, or too preoccupied to see the importance of the forest, Bao and the others will have to stop playing nice and take matters into their own hands. But Bao and her classmates are only twelve years old--how can they get the adults in power to see this crisis for what it is?

On a moonlit beach a father cradles his sleeping son as they wait for dawn to break and a boat to arrive. He speaks to his boy of the long summer of his childhood, recalling his grandfather's house in Syria, the stirring of olive trees in the breeze, the bleating of his grandmother's goat, the clanking of the cooking pots. When the sun rises they and those around them will gather their possessions and embark on a perilous sea journey in search of a new home.

Arthur T. Owens grabbed a brick and hurled it at the trash picker. Arthur had his reasons, and the brick hit the Junk Man in the arm, not the head. But none of that matters to the judge-he is ready to send Arthur to juvie forever. Amazingly, it's the Junk Man himself who offers an alternative: 120 hours of community service... working for him. Arthur is given a rickety shopping cart and a list of the Seven Most Important Things: glass bottles, foil, cardboard, pieces of wood, lightbulbs, coffee cans, and mirrors. He can't believe it-is he really supposed to rummage through people's trash? But it isn't long before Arthur realizes there's more to the Junk Man than meets the eye, and the "trash" he's collecting is being transformed into something more precious than anyone could imagine. . . .

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.

Twelve of William Shakespeare's most famous plays are presented in narrative form.

In the dark and derelict garage, Michael discovers a strange creature. His life is in turmoil with his baby's illness and his new found friendship with 'a girl'. The strange creature affects his life. Michael wonders if it could possibly be an angel.

15-year-old Tyler's teenage angst turns into outright rebellion when his family leave London for a new life in Yorkshire. Angry with his parents about the upheaval and with only the dog to confide in, Tyler has no idea that a chance meeting with a skinny girl called Spider will lead him into a world he never even knew existed. Spider is living on the streets and Tyler finds himself spinning a tangled web of lies in his efforts to help her escape from this dark and dangerous place.

Stage adaptation of Rubenstein's novel in which a computer forces children to face their own demons.

Set in the nineties Spirals and Stars is a timeless story of friendship loss and gain, finding your place in the world, and finding the confidence to break free from expectations. Set on a backdrop of small town life, "nerd culture" and the big life moments and discoveries in our bodies and our souls, Spirals and Stars features a cast of diverse characters, a found family, a protagonist on the cusp of self-discovery, and a wealth of nineties era fun.

It's eighth grade and Christina and her besties, Megan and Leanne, are once again going through the brutal trials of cheerleading tryouts. This year, Christina feels more confident: She dresses in her own style and has amazing friends, even her first crush. But what if the girls don't all make the squad? Worse than that, Christina learns her parents' marriage is collapsing. Suddenly, her family, her future, and her identity seem in total freefall. Can she keep it together and still make her cheerleading dreams come true?

Shaun (aka MC Growls) is ready to drop his best bars and smash the competition at Raptology. That way, he's convinced Tanisha, his crush, will finally give him a chance. But when a livestream practice goes epically wrong, Growls's dirty laundry is literally exposed. He's finally achieved his dreams of going viral, just not in a good way. Now Tanisha won't look at him, he's the joke of the school and there's no way he can show his face at the competition. Will he ever catch a break? Then a new girl on the block appears who might be just the friend Growls needs. Especially when she points out that Raptology could be the answer to his problems after all. It's MC Growls and he's ready for this. He's steady for this. It's comeback season and they call him comeback king for a reason.

When is a summer vacation not really a summer vacation? 10-year-old Sunny Lewin has been packed off to Florida to live with her grandfather for the summer. At first she thought Florida might be fun - it is the home of Disney World, after all. But the place where Gramps lives is no amusement park. In fact, it's an aged care home full of old people. Luckily, Sunny isn't the only kid around. She meets Buzz, a boy who is completely obsessed with comic books, and soon they're having adventures of their own. But the question remains - why is Sunny down in Florida in the first place? The answer lies in a family secret that won't be secret to Sunny much longer.

Anna Chiu has her hands pretty full looking after her brother and sister and helping out at her dad's restaurant, all while her mum stays in bed. Dad's new delivery boy, Rory, is a welcome distraction and even though she knows that things aren't right at home, she's starting to feel like she could just be a normal teen. But when Mum finally gets out of bed, things go from bad to worse. And as Mum's condition worsens, Anna and her family question everything they understand about themselves and each other. A nourishing tale about the crevices of culture, mental wellness and family.

Mhairi is walking to Scotland. She has to get there, has to find safety in her grandmother's house. But all she has is a gun with no bullets and her precious identity papers. In this dystopian new world, the journey from the African continent to the top of the UK is fraught with danger. When Mhairi comes across a lone, mute boy she finds kindness within her to help him to safety as well, even though this could jeopardise everything she is working towards.

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.

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.

When her best friend's sister is snatched, Rae is determined to find answers. She travels to the royal court and unexpectedly begins serving the new princess. This alliance draws her deep into a dangerous quest for answers about the Snatchers. As each strand of the web is unravelled, Rae slips further into danger.

For centuries, the citizens of Velle have waited for their New Maiden to return. The prophecy states she will appear as the third daughter of a third daughter. When the fabled child is finally born to Velle's reigning queen all rejoice except for Elodie, the queen's eldest child, who has lost her claim to the crown. The only way for Elodie to protect Velle is to retake the throne. To do so, she must debilitate the Third Daughter - her youngest sister, Brianne. Desperate, Elodie purchases a sleeping potion from Sabine, who sells sadness. But the apothecary mistakenly sends the princess away with a vial of tears instead of a harmless sleeping brew. Sabine's sadness is dangerously powerful, and Brianne slips into a slumber from which she will not wake. With the fates of their families and country hanging in the balance, Sabine and Elodie hurry to revive the Third Daughter while a slow-burning attraction between the two girls erupts in full force.

Wen Zhou is told she's lucky. Lucky to be living in Australia. Wen doesn't feel lucky when her dad doesn't let her go to birthday parties and controls everything she and her mum do. Her salvation is her close friend Henry. However when tragedy strikes Henry's family, how will Wen find a way to support him, whilst still achieving her own dreams.

As Lisa and Sol board the luxury ship MS St Louis in Hamburg Germany, they know they are heading for a safer place; a place where Jews don't have to wear a star or sit on a yellow bench. The passengers are optimistic for their fresh start in Cuba, but Hitler's propaganda has reached the country before them. The mood of the passengers darkens as their fate becomes less certain.

Izumi Tanaka has never really felt like she fit in--it isn't easy being Japanese American in her small, mostly white, northern California town. Raised by a single mother, it's always been Izumi--or Izzy, because "It's easier this way"--and her mom (and her trusty terrier sidekick, Tamagotchi) against the world. But then Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown father's identity...and he's none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess.

Twelve years old and six feet tall Alma was about to venture into a new school after winning a scholarship to Holy Grace. The problem for Alma was not that she wore size 11 shoes but that she came from Shellsville and that students from Holy Grace did not like Shellsville. So Alma embarks on her very own plan to save face by her will to maintain a life , built out of her imagination like a house of cards .It was an adventure and a tricky game to follow till the end for her family and friends. The Mother's Day Stall assignment was getting closer as worse became worse.

Suitable for mature readers. Deals with selective mutism as a result of violence which is never shown directly. Handled well. Three unique and very different children learn to appreciate one another and the abilities each possesses, which leads to them being able to deal with a frighteningly adult issue.

When cheerleading tryouts are announced, Christina and her best friend, Megan, literally jump at the chance to join the squad. As two of the only kids of colour in the school, they have always yearned to fit in - and the middle school cheerleaders are popular and accepted by everyone. But will the girls survive the terrifying tryouts, with their whole grade watching? And will their friendship withstand the pressures of competition?

As climate change threatens, more and more natural disasters are occurring around the world. Three groups of children are facing the problem of climate change and the disasters it causses. A wildfire in California, melting ice in the Canadian north and hurricanes in Florida. Through their experiences the children must find a way to make the adults make changes to save the Earth.

A script which is as funny as the book, covering the same issues of death, cancer, AIDS and love.

Bastien Bonlivre is a boy with a big imagination, determined to finish the story his parents started. Olivier Odieux and his villainous brothers are masterminding their greatest plot yet. What connects these two stories is a dangerous secret, a hidden mystery and an unexpected race across Paris for the truth. Can Bastien and his friends, Alice, Theo and Sami, be brave enough to stop Olivier stealing the ending they deserve?

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. LISTEN ON BOOK BITES! You can listen to Katrina Nannestad read the first chapter of this book on the PRC's Book bites podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or The Arts Unit website! Copy and paste this URL into your browser to start listening! https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/listen-the-arts-unit/literature-and-language-arts/book-bites/7-9-book-list#waiting-for-the-storks-katrina-nannestad

Its just a walk in the dark. Nothing to worry about. That's what the leader, Johan says about the overnight hike in the dark with no adults. But does he know that a storm is coming? Five teenagers head into the bush but none are aware of what the night will bring. Each will have to find the strength to survive. They have to face the unknown, battle the elements and their own demons. Its a night that will change everything.

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.

Can a Clan that has turned on itself ever truly recover? The fate of all Clanhood hangs in the balance. After killing Harelight and pronouncing himself leader of RiverClan, Splashtail's thirst for power has only grown. Soon his greed threatens the safety of not only RiverClan but all Clans. Yet Splashtail's trickery knows no bounds, and the Clans find themselves in more danger than they could have imagined. Only one thing is certain: They will have to work as one to defeat Splashtail before he tears them apart.

A play focusing on the combined rescue of these gentle animals by US and Soviet forces.

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.

Someone somewhere is the world is reading, writing or quoting Shakespeare, acting in or watching his plays. An engaging and witty exploration of Shakespeare's life, the tumultuous times in which he lived and four of his plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, King Lear and The Tempest.

After the death of his best friend, Eric Ly creates imaginary scenarios in his head to deal with his grief. Until one of them becomes real when a boy he met last summer in Japan finds his way back into his life. When he least expects it, Haru Tanaka walks into the coffee shop and sits down next to him. The only thing is, nobody else can see him. In a magical turn of events, Eric suddenly has someone to connect with, making him feel less alone in the world. But as they spend more and more time together, he begins to question what is real. When he starts losing control of the very thing that is holding him together, Eric must finally confront his reality. Even if it means losing Haru forever.

Lissa finds herself without her best friend, with a brother who is talking less and less to her, on the outside of a friendship group she is not so sure she wants to be in, and without her mum who is spending more and more time with a new boyfriend. One winter night a stranger shows up with a baby in his arms and asking all sorts of questions about a part of Lissa's life she knows nothing about. It is only as people come together that any sense can be made of the situation and crisises averted.

Being a teenager is hard enough. But after losing her hearing, Demi's life is even harder. After all, how do you know what people are saying about you when you can't even hear them whisper? Demi is struggling with losing her hearing and trying to fit in at a new school while trying to bridge the gap between her old friends and her family who don't seem to understand how shut out she feels from everything and everyone around her.

Following the death of her father, a young girl attempts to regain her grip on life.

King Leontes of Sicilia begs his childhood friend, King Polixenes of Bohemia, to extend his visit to Sicilia. Polixenes protests that he has been away from his kingdom for nine months, but after Leontes's pregnant wife, Hermione, pleads with him he relents and agrees to stay a little longer. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 & above.

Evey and her sister have to escape when they witness their mother being accused of witchcraft. Left in a state of bewilderment, who can they trust and where can they turn for help? Their journey unexpectedly shows them the resilience of family, and helps them to learn to trust again. But can they ever reveal their own witch craft leanings?

Seven short plays explore interesting ways of portraying characters to excite and shock audiences, with lots of guidance on delivery and stage directions.

Chloe Snow is back again, this time in year 10. Her life is just as awkward and disorganized as it was last year. Her mother has run off to Mexico to write a novel and her dad is dating her English teacher. On top of all this, Chloe has missed out on both a date with the boy she has a crush on and a major part in the school musical. Through her diary entries we get a glimpse into her mind and how she deals with the challenges of being a teenager.

Zac is a country boy who's in hospital with leukaemia. In the room next door is an angry teenager who wants to seize a lot of emotional space. In the real world, Zac wouldn't, couldn't, be friends with her. But, in hospital, different rules apply and courage is needed. It begins with a knock on the wall.

Zenobia was once a great warrior queen of Syria whose reign reached from Egypt to Turkey. She was courageous. No-one gave her orders. Once she even went to war against the emperor of Rome. When things feel overwhelming for Amina, her mother reminds her to think of Zenobia and be strong. Amina is a Syrian girl caught up in a war that reaches her village. To escape the war she boards a small boat crammed with other refugees. The boat is rickety and the turbulent seas send Amina overboard. In the dark water Amina remembers playing hide and seek with her mother and making dolmas and the journey she had to undertake with her uncle to escape. And she thinks of the brave warrior Zenobia.