'It's like an interplanetary version of Survivor meets The Amazing Race, but with way more death vines and alien venom.' Better Reading
Three days, three clues, one hungry planet. Constant surveillance. The entire universe watching every move. Some will shatter. Most will fail. A select few will make it through, instant celebrities.
Welcome to the Surface Trials. The only way into Starquest Academy.
For Amethyst Antares, Starquest Academy offers an escape from the prison of her home planet. For Rian - the uber-famous and expertly disguised heir to the universe's two greatest dynasties - failure to get into his own…
Three boys drown during an outdoor education camp (not a spoiler). I was hooked by the way this book explores the fallout after a tragedy, looking at different character perspectives and the role of the media. I couldn’t put this one down and the story has stayed with me.
Mark Smith presents the ultimate moral dilemma in a breathtaking psychological thriller. Would you try to save them?
'First rule of rescue: don't create another casualty.'
Grace Disher is about to face every teacher's worst nightmare. Three of her students are going to die. On a high school camping trip, three boys slip away for an ocean swim. By the time Grace catches up, the perilous surf conditions are overwhelming the teenagers. If she goes in, she will die trying to save them. Should she have given her life? The question haunts Grace as investigations begin and her decision not…
This quirky book for middle grade readers took me back to my own memories of watching the moon landing on a crackly TV at school. I loved the way it shines a spotlight on the important role remote Australian tracking stations contributed to the success of the mission. The characters and realistic, sad and poignant interactions between a young boy and his grandfather are beautifully written. And what a great cover!
SHORTLISTED: 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize, Children's and Young Adult Category
When a boy called Keith pops up from nowhere in Letty's bedroom and accuses her of invading his room, Letty is astonished - but things get even stranger when she realises she is caught up in an incredible adventure, able to slip back and forth in time!
Keith lives in the world of 1969, and Letty joins in the thrill and excitement of the first astronauts about to land on the moon.
But when she discovers her trips to the past are changing history, she starts to worry. What…
It’s time to muster the cattle. Sis rides on the wing, Mum is in the Ute and Dad is out the front of the herd. They say I’m too young to help… Our character steps up and shows the family that he is old enough to help. Beautifully illustrated by Frané Lessac, this picture book will be read over and over again.
