Booklists

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

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.

A collection of science fiction and fantasy writing, including six graphic stories, showcasing twenty exciting writers and artists from India and Australia. Dive into these stories and see how girls cope with the dangers of worlds gone mad. Every story is a journey and each story has its own magic. Includes some violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Zara Evans has come to the Aurelia Theater, home to the visionary director Leopold Henneman, to play her dream role in Echo and Ariston, the Greek tragedy that taught her everything she knows about love. When the director asks Zara to promise that she will have no outside commitments, no distractions, it's easy to say yes. But it's hard not to be distracted when there's a death at the theater, and then another, especially when Zara doesn't know if they're accidents, or murder, or a curse that always comes in threes. It's hard not to be distracted when assistant lighting director Eli Vasquez, a girl made of tattoos and abrupt laughs and every form of light, looks at Zara. It's hard not to fall in love. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Newborn vampires are terrorising the residents of Seattle and Bella again finds herself in grave danger. To help control the mounting chaos, Bella must try to bring the feuding vampires and werewolves together, and decide between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Eleanor is new in town. And she stands out instead of fitting in, with her mismatched clothes, her wild red hair and her chaotic home life. The day she sits in the seat next to Park on the bus, impossibly cool Park, she starts to learn what it means to fall in love. Set over the course of one school year, Eleanor and Park fall in love thanks to late-night conversations and a stack of mix tapes. They have nothing and everything to lose. They are more real than any other character you will ever meet. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

America is the strong competition for Maxon's heart, to leave her life and live the world of luxury as a One. But the violence of the rebels and her feelings for an ex-boyfriend means nothing is a certainty. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Ella is very good at providing advice to her friends. But, when her group begins to fall apart, Ella discovers that perhaps she is not as 'together' as she thought. Contains minor references to smoking and alcohol. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

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

Killed in an accident, 15 year old Liz is sent to Elsewhere. She struggles to understand what has happened and how family and friends continue without her. But, in Elsewhere, Liz meets the grandmother she never knew, makes friends and falls in love. 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.

Princess Theodosia was a prisoner in her own country for a decade. Renamed the Ash Princess, she endured relentless abuse and ridicule from the Kaiser and his court. But though she wore a crown of ashes, there is fire in Theo's blood. As the rightful heir to the Astrean crown, it runs in her veins. And if she learned nothing else from her mother, she learned that a Queen never cowers. Now free, with a misfit army of rebels to back her, Theo must liberate her enslaved people and face a terrifying new enemy: the new Kaiserin. Imbued with a magic no one understands, the Kaiserin is determined to burn down anyone and everything in her way. With more at stake than ever, Theo must learn to embrace her own power if she has any hope of standing against the girl she once called her heart's sister. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 & above

Beautiful, clever, rich and single, Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But, when she attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protege, Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and they have consequences that she never expected. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Because of her wild magic, which gives her a strong affinity with animals and the ability to heal them, Daine is part of a delegation sent to work out a peace treaty with a barbarous emperor whose beloved captive birds are deathly ill. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

En Pointe is the real-life story of how an aspiring ballerina became an inspiring young actor after overcoming a life-threatening illness. Miracles really can happen, even if they're not the ones you asked for. This book contains references to medical procedures and mental health themes, and is usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Within this masterful collection, each setting is more strange and wonderful than the last, brimming with new technologies. Yet for all of the advances in these futuristic lands, the people must still confront deeply human problems. In these six short stories, Veronica Roth reaches into the unknown and draws forth something startlingly familiar and profoundly beautiful. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Meet the Outhwaite children. There's teenage Else, the violinist who abandons her violin. There's nature-loving Clancy. There's the inseparable twins, Oscar-and-Finn, Finn-and-Oscar. And then there is Sibbi, the baby of the family. They all live contentedly squabbling in a cottage surrounded by trees and possums...until a letter arrives to say they have inherited the old family home in London. Outhwaite House is full of old shadows and new possibilities. The boys quickly find their feet in London, and Else is hoping to reinvent herself. But Sibbi is misbehaving, growing thinner and paler by the day, and she won't stop talking about the mysterious endsister. Meanwhile Almost Annie and Hardly Alice, the resident ghosts, are tied to the house for reasons they have long forgotten, watching the world around them change, but never leaving. The one thing they all agree on - the living and the dead - is never, ever to open the attic door...Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic to become an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But, he has a dark secret, living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragoneye. When Eon is catapulted into the treacherous world of the Imperial court, he makes a powerful enemy, Lord Ido. Some violence and adult themes. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Once she was Eon, a girl disguised as a boy, risking her life for the chance to become a Dragoneye apprentice. Now she is Eona, thrust into the role of her country's saviour. Eona must find the strength to walk a deadly line between truth and justice, friendship and duty, and, most of all, her feelings for the king and Rat Dragoneye. Some violence and adult themes. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

A girl wakes up on a bus, but has no memory of how she got there and what she's doing there. There are other passengers too and it soon becomes obvious that they don't have any memories either. Then begins a series of tests where the passengers decide the outcome. At first the tests seem harmless enough but soon it becomes obvious the passengers are doing more than making judgements on imagined scenarios - in fact the tests become a case of life or death. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10, or above.

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

Ever since the witch cursed Babs, she turns invisible sometimes. She has her mum and her dog, but teachers and classmates barely notice her. Then, one day, Iris can see her. And Iris likes what they see. Babs is made of fire. Iris grew from a seed in the ground. They have friends, but not human ones. Not until they meet Babs. The two of them have a lot in common: they speak to dryads and faeries, and they're connected to the magic that's all around them. There's a new boy at school, a boy who's like them and who hasn't yet found his real name. Soon the three of them are hanging out and trying spellwork together. Magic can be dangerous, though. Witches and fae can be cruel. Something is happening in the other realm, and despite being warned to stay away, the three friends have to figure out how to deal with it on their own terms. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Eva is far from home when everything goes wrong. And then it gets even worse. Her evacuation bus leaves her behind, stranded with classmates she barely knows. The chase is on. But South America is big, and the old rules are changing quickly. This is the road trip Eva never knew she needed. This is the race for the last flight home. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

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

When Kezi's mother's life is threatened, her father bargains with Admat, god of oaths, to spare her. He is unprepared for the consequences, that he must sacrifice Kezi, instead. Kezi finds hope in Olus, the Akkan god of the wind, who loves her and determines to save her. Together, they face seemingly insurmountable trials but, if both succeed, they will become immortal. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Maddy is allergic to the world. She hasn't left her house in seventeen years. Olly is the boy next door. He's determined to reach her. A story about the crazy risks we take for love. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Five gatekeepers stand between humanity and supernatural chaos. Fourteen year old Matt has inner powers that are still beyond his control when he discovers another gatekeeper, Pedro. They face gun battles and kidnapping while experiencing the uglier side of Peru. Only when all the gatekeepers have found each other will they stop the black magic and unimaginable evil of the Old Ones. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

It began with Raven's Gate. But, it's not over, the enemy is stirring again. After defeating the Old Ones at Raven's Gate, Matt Freeman thought he could get on with his life. But, far away in Peru, a second gate is about to open. Only Matt has the power to stop the forces of darkness breaking through but, now, they know all about him. This time, they're going to destroy him first. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Arthur Pendragon frees the enchanted sword, Cliburn, from its rocky sheath and fights to save his kingdom from King Ulric. When Arthur marries Guinevere, Merlin the magician, agrees to help Arthur forget his true love, Vivianne, the Lady of the Lake. The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table unfolds dramatically in this action-packed, graphic novel. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Since the death of his sister, Evie, Munro Maddux has been stuck. Flashbacks. Anger. Chest pains. A constant ache in his right hand. And a taunting voice he calls the Coyote. In an act of desperation, Munro heads off on a student exchange to Australia - the country of Evie's dreams. Forced by his new school to join a volunteer program, Munro discovers the Coyote is silenced in one place: Fair Go, an assisted-living residence in Brisbane's west. Munro gets to know his team of residents: designer Bernie; sleeping refugee Shah; would-be wedded couple Blake and Dale; comic creator Iggy; and self-defence tutor Florence. As this unlikely group shows Munro the sights, Munro's notion of what it means to be a big brother begins to change. But the burden Munro carries is not so easily cast aside. Will the Coyote triumph? Or can Munro find the fortitude necessary to mend his heart? Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

There's something very wrong with me. When I wake up, I could be anyone! An angel in exile, Mercy is doomed to return repeatedly to Earth, taking on a new human form each time she does. Now she "wakes" as unhappy teen Lela, a girl caring for a dying mother but never herself. As her shattered memory begins to return, Mercy remembers Ryan, the boy she fell in love with in another life, and Luc, the angel haunting her dreams. Will Mercy risk Lela's life to be reunited with her heart's true desire? Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

The controversial marriage of Otello, black football star, and Desmerelda, socialite and white pop icon, attracts jealousy and betrayal. The poor, street kids like Bush fight just as desperately for their family to survive. Realistic street language and drug references. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

In Nova City, there are the Extraordinaries - Shadow Star: a protector who can manipulate darkness in his quest to protect those who cannot protect themselves. His arch-nemesis is Pyro Storm: an Extraordinary capable of controlling fire who is bent on bringing Nova City to its knees. And then there's 16 year old Nicholas Bell: who isn't Extraordinary in the slightest. He's Shadow Star's number one fan, writing fan fiction of their adventures together. Too bad ADHD isn't a superpower, otherwise Nick would be golden. Instead of stopping villains, Nick must contend with starting his junior year, a father who doesn't trust him, and a best friend named Seth, who may or may not be the love of Nick's short, uneventful life. It should be enough. And it is...until a fateful encounter with Shadow Star forces Nick to realize his true destiny. He's tired of being ordinary, and he'll do whatever it takes to become something more. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Set in Victorian London, a former Special Constable who loves science and inventions must solve a case for her Majesty's government. Mystery, conspiracy and even a touch of the supernatural. Blasphemous language may offend some readers. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

A few years after rebel Tally Youngblood takes down the Specials regime, a cultural renaissance sweeps the world. Tech-heads flaunt their latest gadgets, kickers spread gossip and trends, and surge monkeys are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. Popularity rules, and everyone craves fame. Fifteen-year-old Aya Fuse is no exception. But Aya's face rank is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. Her only chance at stardom is to kick a wild and unexpected story. Then she stumbles upon a big secret. Aya knows she is on the cusp of celebrity. But the information she is about to disclose will change both her fate - and that of the brave new world. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

The government needs Michael to track down a rogue gamer, but the risk is enormous and the line between game and reality could be blurred forever. Includes some violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Jansi, a feral boy, and the computerised intelligence of a crashed spaceship make an unlikely pair in this story, set after the apocalypse. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

There is another 1985, where the Crimean war still rages, dodos can be regenerated and everyone is deeply disappointed by the ending of Jane Eyre. Thursday Next, a literary detective without equal, fear or botfriend, is on the trail of the villainous Hades who is kidnapping characters from works of fiction and holding them to ransom. Sophisticated writing and humour, some coarse language. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.