400 Minutes of Danger by Brad has fallen into the lion enclosure, and the big cats are hungry! Charith takes the wheel of an out-of-control bus after an explosion. Iresha hears strange noises... from beneath the seabed. Daniel crawls into a waste crusher after a building collapseand then it gets switched on. Tak's class goes on an excursion to an army base and now an experimental military robot is hunting them. Jack Heaths next 10 nail-bitingly dangerous short stories will fascinate and terrify during each full 40-minute count down, as the dangerous situations play out right down to the last crucial moment. Who will live and who will die? Forty minutes of danger, in 40 minutes* of reading time! *Based on average reading speed
Alex Rider SERIES by Summary: Forcibly recruited into MI6 after the mysterious death of his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex is sent to infiltrate the organization of a sinister billionaire. Within days he's gone from schoolboy to superspy - and it looks like his first assignment may be his last.
Countdown to Danger SERIES by Summary: You are strapped tightly into your seat on the bullet train. The mountain track is so steep, the aisle is a staircase. As the train accelerates at top speed, a passenger slips out of his seat and begins to fall to the back of the train. He will probably die. Do you unstrap yourself to save him, or do you stay in your seat? (Back cover)
The Debt SERIES by Pay the debt or lose a pound of flesh.
Code Red SERIES by Code Red is an adventure novel series for young adults, by English author Chris Ryan. It started in 2006 with Flash Flood, followed by five more novels. The series is centred around a young boy named Ben, and his action-packed adventures.
The Fall by "In the middle of the night, Sam is woken by angry voices from the apartment above. He goes to the window to see what’s happening – only to hear a struggle, and see a body fall from the sixth-floor balcony. Pushed, Sam thinks. Sam goes to wake his father, Harry, a crime reporter, but Harry is gone. And when Sam goes downstairs, the body is gone, too. But someone has seen Sam, and knows what he’s witnessed. The next twenty-four hours could be his last."--Back cover
Theodore Boone SERIES by The thrilling young mystery series from internationally bestselling author John Grisham! In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he's only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he's one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk--and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom. But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much--maybe too much--he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth. The stakes are high, but Theo won't stop until justice is served.
Disappearing Act by Summary: Matt Cooper is twelve, and spends quite a bit of his time honing his magic skills and tricks. He doesn't realise that his great-grandfather, Mattheus Coperneau, was a professional magician whose career came to a disastrous end when a trick he performed backfired spectacularly. What neither Matt nor Mattheus realise is that there's an even older story behind the failure of Mattheus's 'disappearing trick' and a tragic romance is at the bottom of it all. In 1889, Joachim Tannislaus is a young scientist with a stellar career in front of him and half the girls in the small principality of Montilagus pursuing him. But Joachim loves Princess Agneta, who is also studying at the university. When he and Agneta are caught in an embrace, he is thrown into prison to perish, but Agneta gives him a dose of the potion they have been working on in secret, little knowing that the elixir has given him the possibility of eternal life. When Matt and his family return to Montilagus to clear his great-grandfather's name, Matt discovers that there's more to magic than meets the eye. (Books in Print)
Oliver Twist by The classic story of a young boy who seeks his fortune on the streets of London. After Oliver Twist asks nasty Mr Bumble for more food, he has to flee the workhouse for the streets of London. Here he meets the Artful Dodger, who leads him to Fagin and his gang of pickpockets. When a thieving mission goes wrong, Oliver narrowly avoids prison and finds himself in the care of kind Mr Brownlow. But Fagin and the brutal Bill Sikes go in search of the young orphan, determined to drag him back . . . With an inspirational and light-hearted introduction by popular children's fantasy writer, Garth Nix.
Treasure Island by Fifteen men on the dead man's chest - Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum.' Life changes for Jim Hawkins the day a mysterious sailor walks into his father's inn. The sailor, Billy Bones, possesses a secret which is in hot demand. As Jim discovers when Billy Bones dies, the secret is actually a map which indicates the whereabouts of some hidden treasure... and people are willing to kill for it. The much sought-after treasure map falls into the hands of Jim, and he embarks on an adventure to find legendary riches. Little does he know that it will be a voyage fraught with numerous and unknown dangers. On a ship full of pirates, all out for their own personal gain, Jim realizes that very few can be trusted. But will the murderous crew get what they want? Or will Jim outwit them to recover the buried treasure? Robert Louis Stevenson's tale, full of action and adventure, has entertained readers for well over a hundred years.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville's masterpiece, one of the greatest works of imagination in literary history. Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read Over a century and a half after its publication, Moby-Dick still stands as an indisputable literary classic. It is the story of an eerily compelling madman pursuing an unholy war against a creature as vast and dangerous and unknowable as the sea itself. But more than just a novel of adventure, more than an encyclopedia of whaling lore and legend, Moby-Dick is a haunting, mesmerizing, and important social commentary populated with several of the most unforgettable and enduring characters in literature. Never losing its cultural prescence, Melville's nautical epic has inspired many films over the years, including the film adaptation of Nathanael Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea, starring Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Ben Wishaw, and Brendan Gleeson, and directed by Ron Howard. Written with wonderfully redemptive humor, Moby-Dick is a profound and timeless inquiry into character, faith, and the nature of perception. This Penguin Classics edition, featuring an introduction by Andrew Delbanco and notes by Tom Quirk, prints the Northwestern-Newberry edition of Melville's text, approved by the Center for Scholarly Editions and the Center for Editions of American Authors of the MLA. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
House of Secrets SERIES by Cordelia, Brendan, and Eleanor Walker, aged fifteen to eight, must rely on a mysterious book to face the Wind Witch and her father, the Storm King, who have kidnapped Dr. and Mrs. Walker and brought them to a strange world of magic.
Brotherband SERIES by John Flanagan, author of the international phenomenon Ranger's Apprentice, creates a world of seafaring adventures, treacherous pirates and epic battles in Brotherband. In Skandia, there is only one way to become a warrior. Boys are chosen for teams called brotherbands and must endure three months of gruelling training in seamanship, weapons and battle tactics. It's brotherband against brotherband, fighting it out in a series of challenges. There can be only one winner. When Hal Mikkelson finds himself the unwilling leader of a brotherband made up of outcasts, he must step up to the challenge. The Heron brotherband might not have the strength and numbers of the other two teams, but with inventiveness, ingenuity and courage on their side, they might just surprise everyone.
Heroes of Olympus SERIES by OLD ENEMIES AWAKEN AS CAMP HALF-BLOOD'S NEW ARRIVALS PREPARE FOR WAR.
Vega Jane SERIES by Book 1 - The Finisher; Book 2 - The Keeper; Book 3 - The Width of the World. 
Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds by A prequel to the hit Netflix series 'Stranger Things'. "Before the Demogorgon ... before the Mind Flayer ... terror wore a human face." -- cover.
Death & Co. SERIES by Adam is a Luman, and it runs in the family. Escorting the dead from life into light, Adam must act as guide to those taken before their time. As his older brothers fall into their fate however, Adam clings to his life as a normal kid - one who likes girls, hates the Head and has a pile of homework to get through by Monday morning. When Adam gets a terrible premonition he realises that he must make a devastating choice, risking his life, his family and his destiny.
Magisterium SERIES by From New York Times bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare comes a riveting new five book series that defies what you think you know about the world of magic. Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial. Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail. All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him. So he tries his best to do his worst -- and fails at failing. Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future. The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . . From the remarkable imaginations of bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare comes a heart-stopping, mind-blowing, pulse-pounding plunge into the magical unknown.
Mutant City SERIES by Fifty years ago, the world was almost destroyed by a chemical war. Now the world is divided: the mutants and the pure, the broken and the privileged, the damaged and the perfect. Thirteen years ago, a covert government experimental facility was shut down and its residents killed. The secrets it held died with them. But five extraordinary kids survived. Today four teenagers are about to discover that their mutant blood brings with it special powers. Rush and three brothers and sisters he can't remember. Two rival factions are chasing them. One by one, they face the enemy. Together, they might just stay alive . . .
The Invisible Hero by Philip has spent his whole life at school either being invisible or being called stupid. He's used to being the loner, the odd one out, the boy who lives with his Nan. So when Philip's class is given a school assignment to write about heroes and villains, the project causes conflict in the classroom as everyone weighs in on the debate. For the first time, Philip has the opportunity to shine in school. But can he convince the class that being different is not necessarily a bad thing and that heroes have many disguises?
Other Brother by Kieran wants to be part of the cool group at school. He wants to be on the football team. He wants to fit in. But his cousin Bon is different. Different from any kid Kieran has ever met. And he's ruining things for him. Why can't Bon just go away?
Lennie by Summary: Stuff happens sometimes. Everyday stuff. At school, at home, with sport, with mates. For Lennie it happened when he argued with a teacher. (Back cover).
Diary of a Wimpy Kid SERIES by Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a satirical realistic fiction comedy novel for children and teenagers written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. The book is about a boy named Greg Heffley and his struggles to fit in as he begins middle school.
A Song Only I Can Hear by Summary: Rob has a huge crush on the new girl at school. But Rob is painfully shy and suffers severe panic attacks. How is her heart to be won? A novel about dreaming big, being brave and marching to the beat of your own drum.
Jasper Jones by Summary: Late on a hot summer night in the tail end of 1965, Charlie Bucktin, a precocious and bookish boy of thirteen, is startled by an urgent knock on the window of his sleepout. His visitor is Jasper Jones, an outcast in the regional mining town of Corrigan.
Exploding Endings: Dingbats & Lollypop Arms by With generously-sized short stories, Tim Harris throws the reader into a world where it rains lemonade, dentists terrorise children, a whole school is put on detention at once and making a simple chocolate cake is one of life's more dangerous tasks. Exploding Endings will have young readers laughing aloud and wondering where each story will lead. Exploding Endings contains a quirky visual element to engage readers at a second level.
Lenny's Book of Everything by Summary: Lenny, small and sharp, has a younger brother Davey who won't stop growing - and at seven is as tall as a man. Raised by their mother, they have food and a roof over their heads, but not much else. The bright spot every week is the arrival of the latest issue of the Burrell's Build-It-at-Home Encyclopedia. Through the encyclopedia, Lenny and Davey experience the wonders of the world - beetles, birds, quasars, quartz - and dream about a life of freedom and adventure. But as Davey's health deteriorates, Lenny realises that some wonders can't be named.
A Series of Unfortunate Events SERIES by NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES Are you made fainthearted by death? Does fire unnerve you? Is a villain something that might crop up in future nightmares of yours? Are you thrilled by nefarious plots? Is cold porridge upsetting to you? Vicious threats? Hooks? Uncomfortable clothing? It is likely that your answers will reveal A Series of Unfortunate Events to be ill-suited for your personal use. A librarian, bookseller, or acquaintance should be able to suggest books more appropriate for your fragile temperament. But to the rarest of readers we say, "Proceed, but cautiously."
Grandpa's Great Escape by The hotly-anticipated next novel from NUMBER ONE bestselling author, David Walliams Jack's Grandpa... ∗wears his slippers to the supermarket ∗serves up Spam à la Custard for dinner ∗and often doesn't remember Jack's name But he can still take to the skies in a speeding Spitfire and save the day... An exquisite portrait of the bond between a small boy and his beloved Grandpa - this book takes readers on an incredible journey with Spitfires over London and Great Escapes through the city in a high octane adventure full of comedy and heart. Illustrated by the award-winning Tony Ross.
WeirDo SERIES by Weir Do’s one of the weirdest kids in school. With an unforgettable name, a crazy family and some seriously weird habits, fitting in won’t be easy... But it will be funny!
World Domination by In the fourth Glenn Maxwell book, Will and his team travel all the way to England for the Youth World Cup Will Albright has conquered Australia, but can he conquer the world? Will and his Australian teammates are traveling to England, the home of cricket, to take on the best of the best in the T20 Youth World Cup. With mounting interstate rivalry tearing the Aussie team apart, Will and his fellow players are going to need to dig deep to keep the nation's hopes alive. Can some well-timed advice from Glenn Maxwell show Will how to lead the Aussie team to victory?
Specky Magee SERIES by The Specky Magee series is a highly popular and best-selling children’s book series in Australia. The books, written by Felice Arena and renowned Aussie Rules player Garry Lyon, chronicle the life and times of teenager Simon Magee, an aspiring Aussie Rules football champion.
Goal! by A story of a young Latino boy, who is spotted by an ex-scout, playing in a park in Los Angeles, and wins himself a trial at one of England's Premier League clubs - Newcastle United. Struggling to cope with the Northern weather, the rivalries and jealousies from other players and dodgy scouts, he has just this one shot at fulfilling his dream.
Deadly D & Justice Jones SERIES by This series is an absolute sure-bet to engage reluctant readers. The books are written first person and use much schoolyard style language and humour to keep things moving along and there is some great line drawings to entertain. There is also much to engage NRL and Rugby League fans, with names of key players mentioned and lots footy talk. The added element of anger transforming Dylan into Deadly D is excellent fun but with a serious message about managing anger. The school principal is wonderful and it’s lovely to see a principal not playing the ‘bad guy’! Family relationships are explored and are positive and affirming.
Nanberry Black Brother White by The year is 1788, and in the newly created colony at Sydney Cove is struggling for survival. Seen through the eyes of the colony's only surgeon and Nanberry, the Aboriginal boy adopted by Surgeon White who finds himself uncomfortably between two worlds, it is a new perspective on Australia's earliest days of white settlement.
Seahorse by Jack and his family escape to Seahorse Bay whenever they can. One day, Jack is excited to discover a sunken boat not far off the coast. When he shows his father, they realize it is in pristine condition and decide to take on the challenge of salvaging it. But what is the history behind this mysterious boat? When the boat is finally raised, the adventure begins...
Lion: A Long Way Home by Summary: Saroo had become lost on a train in India at the age of five. Not knowing the name of his family or where he was from, he survived for weeks on the streets of Kolkata, before being taken into an orphanage and adopted by a couple in Australia. Despite being happy in his new family, Saroo always wondered about his origins. He spent hours staring at the map of India on his bedroom wall. When he was a young man the advent of Google Earth led him to pore over satellite images of the country for landmarks he recognised. And one day, after years of searching, he miraculously found what he was looking for. Then he set off on a journey to find his mother
I am Malala by A MEMOIR BY THE YOUNGEST RECIPIENT OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 
Stories for Boys who Dare to be Different by Summary: Prince charming, dragon slayer, mischievous prankster . . . More often than not, these are the role-models boys encounter in the books they read at home and at school. As a boy, there is an assumption that you will conform to a stereotypical idea of masculinity. But what if you're the introvert kind? What if you prefer to pick up a book rather than a sword? What if you want to cry when you're feeling sad or angry? What if you like the idea of wearing a dress? There is an ongoing crisis with regards to young men and mental health, with unhelpful gender stereotypes contributing to this malaise. Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different offers a welcome alternative narrative. It is an extraordinary compilation of 100 stories of famous and not-so-famous men from the past to the present day, every single one of them a rule-breaker and innovator in his own way, and all going on to achieve amazing things. Entries include Frank Ocean, Salvador Dalí, Rimbaud, Beethoven, Barack Obama, Stormzy, Ai Weiwei and Jesse Owens - different sorts of heroes from all walks of life and from all over the world.
Songs of a War Boy (YA edition) by Summary: Deng Adut's family were farmers in South Sudan when a brutal civil war altered his life forever. At six years old, his mother was told she had to give him up to fight. At the age most Australian children are starting school, Deng was conscripted into the Sudan People's Liberation Army. He began a harsh, relentless military training that saw this young boy trained to use an AK-47 and sent into battle. He lost the right to be a child. He lost the right to learn. The things Deng saw over those years will stay with him forever. He suffered from cholera, malaria and numerous other debilitating illnesses but still he had to fight. A child soldier is expected to kill or be killed and Deng almost died a number of times. He survived being shot in the back. The desperation and loneliness was overwhelming. He thought he was all alone. But Deng was rescued from war by his brother John. Hidden in the back of a truck, he was smuggled out of Sudan and into Kenya. Here he lived in refugee camps until he was befriended by an Australian couple. With their help and the support of the UN, Deng Adut came to Australia as a refugee. Despite physical injuries and mental trauma he grabbed the chance to make a new life. He worked in a local service station and learnt English watching The Wiggles. He taught himself to read and started studying at TAFE. In 2005 he enrolled in a Bachelor of Law at Western Sydney University. He became the first person in his family to graduate from university. This is an inspiring story of a man who has overcome deadly adversity to become a lawyer and committed worker for the disenfranchised, helping refugees in Western Sydney. It is an important reminder of the power of compassion and the benefit to us all when we open our doors and our hearts to fleeing war, persecution and trauma. (Publisher)
Roman Invasion by "A British boy AD 84"--Cover.
Cloud and Wallfish by Slip behind the Iron Curtain into a world of smoke, secrets, and lies in this stunning novel where someone is always listening and nothing is as it seems. Noah Keller has a pretty normal life, until one wild afternoon when his parents pick him up from school and head straight for the airport, telling him on the ride that his name isn't really Noah and he didn't really just turn eleven in March. And he can't even ask them why -- not because of his Astonishing Stutter, but because asking questions is against the newly instated rules. (Rule Number Two: Don't talk about serious things indoors, because Rule Number One: They will always be listening). As Noah--now "Jonah Brown"--and his parents head behind the Iron Curtain into East Berlin, the rules and secrets begin to pile up so quickly that he can hardly keep track of the questions bubbling up inside him: Who, exactly, is listening -- and why? When did his mother become fluent in so many languages? And what really happened to the parents of his only friend, Cloud-Claudia, the lonely girl who lives downstairs? In an intricately plotted novel full of espionage and intrigue, friendship and family, Anne Nesbet cracks history wide open and gets right to the heart of what it feels like to be an outsider in a world that's impossible to understand.
The Great Plague by It's 1665 and Alice is looking forward to being back in London. But the plague is spreading quickly, and as each day passes more red crosses appear on doors. When her aunt is struck down with the plague, she is forced to make a decision that could change her life forever!
Pompeii by It's August, AD78 and Claudia is at the Forum in Pompeii. It's a day of strange encounters and even odder portents. When the ground shakes Claudia is convinced it is a bad omen. What does it all mean? And why is she so disturbed by Vesuvius, the great volcano that looms over the city . . . ?
Booked by "A novel about a soccer-obsessed tween boy written entirely in verse? In a word, yes. Kwame Alexander has the magic to pull off this unlikely feat, both as a poet and as a storyteller. "-- The Chicago Tribune Can't nobody stop you Can't nobody cop you... In this follow-up to Newbery-winner The Crossover; soccer, family, love, and friendship; take center stage. Twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams; Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read; This electric and heartfelt novel-in-verse by poet Kwame Alexander bends and breaks as it captures all the thrills and setbacks, action and emotion of a World Cup match! Now in paperback.
We Come Apart by Authors Brian Conaghan and Sarah Crossan have joined forces to tell the story of Nicu and Jess, two troubled teens whose paths cross in the unlikeliest of places.Nicu has emigrated from Romania and is struggling to find his place in his new home. Meanwhile, Jess's home life is overshadowed by violence. When Nicu and Jess meet, what starts out as friendship slowly blossoms into romance as the two bond over their painful pasts and their hope and dreams of a better future. But will they be able to save each other, let alone themselves?This illuminating story told in dual points of view through vibrant verse will stay with readers long after they've finished.Acclaim for Brian ConaghanShortlisted for the 2015 Carnegie Award, When Mr. Dog Bites Shortlisted for the CBI Book of the Year Award, When Mr. Dog Bites Acclaim for Sarah CrossanWinner of the 2016 Carnegie Award, OneWinner of the 2016 Bookseller's prize for YA fiction, OneWinner of the 2016 CBI Book of the Year, One Shortlisted for the 2015 Carnegie Award, Apple and Rain Shortlisted for the 2013 Carnegie Award, The Weight of Water
By the River by A memorable YA novel about the tough and tender sides of growing up in a small country town. Fourteen-year-old Harry has a knack for wriggling out of trouble, but escaping the constraints and memories that keep him trapped is not so easy, until it's a matter of life or death.