Booklists

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.

In 1930s Glebe, Joe Riley has to be creative to make pocket money. He's watched his dad keep ahead of the law and he's sure that he can too. When his parents send him to a Catholic boarding school, Joe is homesick and lonely. He meets the darker side of human nature and is at odds with the school, especially Brother Felix. Expelled, Joe is sent to a reform school where life is tough. But, through working the land, Joe eventually finds inner strength, peace and true freedom. Mature themes. Usually read by Years 9, 10 or above.

What if everything you set yourself up to be was wrong? Frances has always been a study machine with one goal, elite university. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret - not even the person she is on the inside. But when Frances meets Aled, the shy genius behind her favourite podcast, she discovers a new freedom. Then the podcast goes viral and the fragile trust between them is broken. Caught between who she was and who she longs to be, Frances' dreams come crashing down. Suffocating with guilt, she knows that she has to confront her past - She has to confess why Carys disappeared. Meanwhile at uni, Aled is alone, fighting even darker secrets. It's only by facing up to your fears that you can overcome them. And it's only by being your true self that you can find happiness. Frances is going to need every bit of courage she has. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Matt thinks he has trouble when the police catch him for a not so petty crime but that is nothing compared to when he is rescued by a supposedly do-gooding guardian. The darkest, black magic is unleashed and Matt begins to understand that he is not only different, but that it is up to him, alone, to escape the torture of these cruel, violent, supernatural forces and to stop them. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Sent to Yorkshire on a rehabilitation programme, Matt finds himself in the midst of a conspiracy of witchcraft and murder, and that he, alone, stands between the forces of evil and the annihilation of humanity. Featuring striking, high-contrast black-and-white art, this distinctive graphic novel captures the requisite brooding atmosphere. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

It's 2044, and the world has become an ugly place. We're out of oil. We've wrecked the climate. Famine, poverty, and disease are widespread. Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be. And like most of humanity, Wade is obsessed by the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this alternate reality- OASIS founder James Halliday, who dies with no heir, has promised that control of the OASIS will go to the person who can solve the riddles he has left scattered throughout it. For years, millions have struggled to attain this prize. And then Wade stumbles onto the key to the first puzzle. Suddenly, he finds himself pitted against thousands of competitors in a desperate race to claim the ultimate prize, a chase that soon takes on terrifying real-world dimensions. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Daine and her mentor are about to be killed when Daine's parents, who are gods, sweep the pair up into their domain. They are saved, but both Daine and Numair want to return to mortal regions to help their country fight against the deadly foes. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

When she died and came back as a Reboot, Wren 178 thought she'd left her human side behind. Then, Callum 22 came along and changed everything. Now, they have both escaped the Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation, ready to start a peaceful life. But, Micah 163, who runs the reservation, has darker plans to wipe out the humans. All of them. Some violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

After she was shot dead, Wren Connolly came back to life in 178 minutes as a Reboot, stronger, faster, able to heal and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are on return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot around. Callum 22 is slow and pesky but he makes Wren feel alive. When ordered to eliminate Callum, Wren risks her life to save him. Some violence. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

The love of an older brother and a girlfriend must be strong enough to overcome terrifying obstacles or Will is lost to them forever. This is Jacob's story, he is familiar with this treacherous, violent land full of intrigue, power-lust, violence, cruelty, fear, dangerous liaisons and dark secrets. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Evie sees things. She's wary of the other kids at school- she doesn't want them to see her drawings or know how different she is...what would they say? She tries hard to block it all out and pretends to be normal, just like every one else. But a missing girl is trying to tell Evie something. A girl who is very persistent, who will not give up. A girl who once wore the red cardigan Evie now wears. As much as she tries, Evie can no longer ignore the question that demands an answer...who is the girl in the red cardigan? Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

A balanced view of the Vietnam War is presented but it does not tell the whole story, nor does it pretend to. For mature students, the book has evocative and harrowing descriptions of war, the role of the allied soldiers and the tactics of the Vietcong. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Yann Margoza, a gypsy boy with supernatural gifts, raised by a dwarf, Tetu, is pursued by the sinister, truly-evil Count Kalliovski who holds half the French aristocracy in his power. Yann meets Sidonie, the unloved daughter of the Marquis of Villeduval. Suddenly, all their lives, present, past and future are intertwined against the momentum and violence of the French Revolution. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite with god-like superpowers. When Mare Barrow begins work in the Silver Palace, she discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. This is a world of betrayal, lies and danger. Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

For three sisters growing up in Australia in the 1950s, the news is full of the Petrov affair and spies. Their ordinary lives are juxtaposed with their parents' marriage, their father's attempted suicide and the big events of the adult world. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok's lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna's survival depends on the world believing she is dead. But that doesn't stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized. With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 & above.

It's not easy when the Chosen One goes to your school. The one who fights the zombies or the soul-eating ghosts or whatever new thing there is. Mikey just wants to graduate and find the courage to ask Henna out before school gets blown up, again. Sometimes, there are problems bigger than this week's end of the world and you have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life. Mature themes. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

If you've done six impossible things this morning, why not round it off with breakfast at Milliways, the Restaurant at the end of the Universe? Which is exactly what Arthur Dent and the crew of the Heart of Gold plan to do. There's just the small matter of escaping the Vogons, avoiding being taken to the most totally evil world in the Galaxy and teaching a space ship how to make a proper cup of tea. And did anyone actually make a reservation? Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Set in medieval times, Richard III seizes the English crown by plotting the murders of his brother, his nephew and niece, the sons of his brother King Edward IV and poisoning his own wife. A scheming and seductive rogue is portrayed in one of the bloodiest chapters of the British monarchy. Graphic novel llustrated by Patrick Warren. Graphic (Manga) novel with authentic Shakespearean text. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is determined to gain the crown of England from his brother, the Yorkist King Edward IV. He woos the widow, Lady Ann at the funeral of her father-in-law, King Henry VI. She yields to his advances and marries him. Usually read by Students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Vaughan gets caught up with an evil Pastor who has created division in his town. He desperately wants to belong. In fact, Vaughan wants to gain entry to the gang so badly he is willing to accept their terrifying challenge. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

When the Rift opens, death follows. For generations, the Rangers of Black Water Island have protected its sacred creatures from the horrors released by the powerful Rift. Cal West, an apprentice Ranger with rare gifts, fights daily to prove he belongs with the other rangers. Meg Archer, an old friend, returns to Black Water Island after nine years only to discover that the Island is facing a new threat that no one is prepared for. Can Meg and Cal fight their darkest fears to save the Island from disaster? Usually read by students in Year 9, 10 & above.

Only half-fey Arjun Desai can cross the realms to the Sylvan Vale to find a healer who can save his dear friend Odette. Leaving the tare between the realms open, he is oblivious to the fact that Pippa has observed his departure and followed him through in her quest to find Celine. The dangerous, duplicitous world on the other side of the gateway is no place for a sheltered mortal, especially one who is engaged and confused by feelings for a half-fey. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Millie lives in the bush with her mother and sister when, with the help of an old charm, she gains access to the past. There we meet Charlotte Atkinson, whose family is in danger of losing their beloved home, as well as their lives, due to marauding convicts, bushrangers and an abusive stepfather. The law is against Charlotte and her mother, but they're determined to survive. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Born a princess but with a magick so frightening no-one can teach you how to use it. Born into a world that you could one day rule as queen, however to do so you will need to fight your sister in a battle to death. This is Eva's life. if she is to be Queen she needs to master her dangerous magick and kill her sister or be killed herself. Will her mother the Queen support her or her sister, will her absent father be her ally or her sister's? Can Eva trust the strange fairy hunter who has offered to tutor her in her magick and who is the khimaer prince who has appeared to 'protect her' and what can she do about her growing feelings towards him. 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.

Since a deadly virus and the ensuing violence wiped out his parents and his community, Finn and his loyal dog have survived two winters on the rugged coast. He avoids the Wilders, a dangerous gang, led by the ruthless Ramage. But, when Rose runs onto the beach, she needs Finn's help. She is a Siley, an asylum seeker, who has escaped from Ramage. Rose is desperate and sick, and her younger sister is still missing in the bush. Ramage wants them back, at any cost. Challenging read. Usually read by Years 9, 10 or above.

The summer is finally here, and Pearl Nash is on a mission to save her slowly disintegrating friendship with a whirlwind end-of-year road trip. However, suddenly Pearl ends up stuck in the middle of the desert beside Obi Okocha, a boy with an irritating attitude. Add a breakdown, multiple arguments, an AWOL nana and a kiss; the perfect ingredients for a perfect disaster. Or is it? Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

Romeo and Juliet fall in love at a party. But they come from families which hate each other. They are sure they will not be allowed to marry. Nevertheless, helped by Friar Laurence, they marry in secret instead. Unfortunately, before their wedding night Romeo kills Juliet's cousin in a duel, and in the morning he is forced to leave her. If he ever returns to the city, he will be put to death. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

Shakespeare's most famous love story of revenge, violence and tragedy. Romeo, a rock star, falls in love with Juliet and Verona becomes a street in Tokyo's highly fashionable Shibuya district. The star-crossed lovers are caught up in a feud between two Yakuza, Japanese mafia, families which erupts into violence and killing. Graphic (Manga) novel with authentic Shakespearean text. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Isaac and Ivy are siblings and close in age yet seem to be on very different paths. Ivy is often in trouble and struggles to focus while Isaac is motivated and responsible and in control. A series of events bring both siblings to the attention of Addi and Roxy, pharmaceuticals become gods meddling in the affairs of humans. Both drugs offer so much to the brother and sister, but they will also demand something in return. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents' brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped. But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera's borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and 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.

Fourteen year old, Rusty-James, runs one of the meanest gangs in his neighbourhood. His reputation remains safe because his brother is the widely-feared Motorcycle Boy, but his brother is a peace-loving loner, unlike Rusty-James. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

"I am restless, my feet need to fly." Amber is trapped - by her father's rules, by his expectations, by her own fears. Now she's ready to fight - for her mother, for her sister, for herself. Freedom always comes at a price. Run, Rebel is a trailblazing verse novel that thunders with rhythm, heart and soul - perfect for fans of Sarah Crossan, Elizabeth Acevedo and Rupi Kaur. Usually read by students in years 9, 10 and above.

Young Maddy Smith is despised and feared because of her runemark, showing she has magic powers. Since the war which destroyed the Norse Gods, the Order has taken hold, decreeing all magic should be banned. Maddy is befriended by a mysterious old man who asks her to journey into the earth to bring back the Whisperer, an oracle which foreshadows amazing changes to the balance between Worlds. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

Eleven year old Ebony has a secret, one not be shared with anyone. The eldest of three, soon to be four, children, Ebony has a difficult second role after school, looking after her siblings, farm chores such as chopping wood and gathering the cow manure, all at the forceful directive of her father. Every so often the roaring, terrifying tiger that dwells within her father springs to the surface leaving the rest of the family nowhere to hide and Ebony becomes protector of her sisters, becoming the target of his vocal and physical abuse. It is only through a new friendship when Teena arrives at the school, that Ebony sees a way of dealing with the tiger. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 or above.

When a young artistic boy is asked to draw a portrait of his neighbour, a disabled Vietnam veteran, the neighbours gossip. An uneasy relationship begins to unfold, one that will force the boy and the veteran to confront their darkest secrets, secrets of violence and abuse. Usually read by students in Years 9, 10 and above.

The war is far from over. Roman is missing, lost behind enemy lines, with no memory of his past, or Iris. He begins to write again, but this time for the enemy. When a strange letter arrives through his wardrobe door he strikes up a correspondence with a penpal who is both mysterious and familiar. As their connection deepens, the two of them will risk everything to change the tides of the war. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.

When a blue-haired boy (Ryan) meets a pink-haired boy (Avery) at a dance - a queer prom - both feel an inexplicable but powerful connection. Follow them through their first ten dates as they bridge their initial shyness and fall in love - through snowstorms, groundings, meeting parents (Avery's) and not (Ryan's), cast parties, heartbreak, and every day and date in between. Usually read by students in years 9, 10, or above.