500 Minutes of Danger by
Bobby wakes up somewhere dark, enclosed. Has he been buried alive? Ella's trapped in quicksand. Will she escape before one of the jungle predators finds her? Kelsey's found a giant crocodile that's about to attack the city.
Agent 21 SERIES by
Some authors just write about it. Chris Ryan has been there, done it, and lived to tell the tale. Agent 21 is the first in the action-packed adventure series by the real-life SAS hero.
When Zak Darke's parents die in an unexplained mass murder he's left alone in the world. That is until he's sought out by a mysterious man: 'I work for a government agency,' the man tells him. 'You don't need to know which one. Not yet. All you need to know is that we've had our eye on you. There's a possibility you could help us in certain . . . operational situations.'
The Road to Winter SERIES by
Since a deadly virus and the violence that followed wiped out his parents and most of his community, Finn has lived alone on the rugged coast. He has stayed alive for two winters, keeping out of sight of the Wilders, an armed and dangerous gang that controls the north, led by a ruthless man named Ramage. But Finn's isolation is shattered when a girl runs onto the beach. Rose is a siley - an asylum seeker - and she has escaped from Ramage, who had enslaved her and her younger sister, Kas. Rose is desperate, sick, and needs Finn's help. And Ramage wants the girls back - at any cost.
Tomorrow, when the war began SERIES by
Six teenagers spend five idyllic days camping in a remote and tranquil beauty spot called Hell. But when they return to their homes they find their families gone, their farms deserted and the animals lying dead in the fields. That's when they begin to understand the real meaning of hell.
Young Sherlock SERIES by
Young Sherlock Holmes is a series of young adult thriller novels by British author Andrew Lane featuring Arthur Conan Doyle's detective Sherlock Holmes as a teenager in the 1860s and 70s that is faced with numerous mysteries, crimes and adventures throughout the series.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by
Fifteen-year-old Christopher has a photographic memory. He understands maths. He understands science. What he can't understand are other human beings. When he finds his neighbour's dog lying dead on the lawn, he decides to track down the killer and write a murder mystery about it. But what other mysteries will he end up uncovering?
Two Can Keep a Secret by
Summary: Ellery's never been to Echo Ridge, but she's heard all about it. It's where her aunt went missing at age sixteen, never to return. Where a Homecoming Queen's murder five years ago made national news. And where Ellery now has to live with a grandmother she barely knows, after her failed-actress mother lands in rehab. Malcolm grew up in the shadow of the Homecoming Queen's death. His older brother was the prime suspect and left Echo Ridge in disgrace. No one has forgotten Malcolm's brother - and nobody trusts him when he suddenly returns to town. Then another girl disappears, and Ellery and Malcolm were the last people to see her alive. As they race to unravel what happened, they realize every secret has layers in Echo Ridge. The truth might be closer to home than either of them want to believe. And somebody would kill to keep it hidden.
The Crossover by
"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . . The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. ;'Cuz tonight I'm delivering," raps twelve-year-old Josh Bell. Thanks to their dad, he and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood--he's got mad beats, too, which help him find his rhythm when it's all on the line. As their winning season unfolds, things begin to change. When Jordan meets a girl, the twins' bond unravels.Told in dynamic verse, this fast and furious middle grade novel that started it all absolutely bounces with rhythm and bursts with heart.
Run by
Dee lives for parkour, and the alternate worlds he invents to escape his mundane life. He knows the city better than anyone--the hidden spaces at night, the views that no one else sees, from heights no one else can scale,. With parkour, he's not running away. He's free. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. And soon Dee is running for his life, running for real. Run is an unmissable, paranoid thriller--genre fiction meets literary verse novel.
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.
The Crossing by
Summary Natalie's world is falling apart. She's just lost her mum and her brother marches the streets of Dover full of hate and anger. Swimming is her only refuge. Sammy has fled his home and family in Eritrea for the chance of a new life in Europe. Every step he takes on his journey is a step into an unknown and unwelcoming future. A twist of fate brings them together and gives them both hope. But is hope enough to mend a broken world?.
The Longest Memory by
From William Styron's The Confessions of Nat Turner to Toni Morrison's Beloved, modern American fiction engaged with slavery has provoked fiery controversy. So will The Longest Memory, the powerful, beautifully crafted, internationally acclaimed fictional debut of prizewinning Guyanese poet Fred D'Aguiar. In language extraordinary for its tautness and resonance, The Longest Memory tells the story of a rebellious, fiercely intelligent young slave, who in 1810 attempts to flee a Virginia plantation - and of his father who inadvertently betrays him. The young slave's love for a white girl who slakes his forbidden thirst for learning and his painful relationship with his father are hauntingly evoked in this novel of astonishing lyrical simplicity. It is a measure of D'Aguiar's achievement and bravery that The Longest Memory is informed not only by the complicities between black slave and white master but also by the tensions among slaves themselves - between stoic survivalists and passionate rebels.
12 Years a Slave by
Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup is a memoir of a black man who was born free in New York state but kidnapped, sold into slavery and kept in bondage for 12 years in Louisiana before the American Civil War. He provided details of slave markets in Washington, DC, as well as describing at length cotton cultivation on major plantations in Louisiana.
After the lights go out by
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Pru Palmer lives with her twin sisters, Grace and Blythe, and their father, Rick, on the outskirts of an isolated mining community. The Palmers are doomsday preppers. They have a bunker filled with non-perishable food and a year's worth of water. Each of the girls has a 'bug out bag', packed with water purification tablets, protein bars, paracord bracelets and epipens for Pru's anaphylaxis. One day while Rick is at the mine, the power goes out. At the Palmers' house, and in the town. No one knows why. All communication is cut. It doesn't take long for everything to unravel. In town, supplies run out and people get desperate. The sisters decide to keep their bunker a secret. The world is different; the rules are different. Survival is everything, and family comes first.
The Hunger Games by
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. But Katniss has been close to death before-and survival, for her, is second nature. The Hunger Games is a searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Welcome to the deadliest reality TV show ever...
Arc of a Scythe SERIES by
Two teens must learn the "art of killing" in this Printz Honor-winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology. A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life--and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe--a role that neither wants. These teens must master the "art" of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own. Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award-winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.
A Boy and His Dog and the End of the World by
My name's Griz. I've never been to school, I've never had friends, in my whole life I've not met enough people to play a game of football. My parents told me how crowded the world used to be, before all the people went away, but we were never lonely on our remote island. We had each other, and our dogs.Then the thief came. He brought stories of the deserted lands beyond our horizons. I liked him - until I woke to find he had stolen my dog. So I chased him into the ruins of the world. I just want to get my dog back, but I found much more than I ever imagined was possible. More about how the world ended. More about what my family's real story is. More about what really matters... A BOY AND HIS DOG AT THE END OF THE WORLD is the most moving story you'll read this year. Reminiscent of THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS and STATION ELEVEN - Griz's tale mixes sadness and hope in one unforgettable character's quest amid the ruins of our fragile civilisation.
The Lightbringer SERIES by
This series was originally referred to as a trilogy, but has eventually been extended to a 5-book series.
This is an epic story and is designed to be read in order, with all 5 books comprising a single story.
The Black Prism (#1) - When Gavin Guile, high priest and emperor, the most powerful man in the world and known to all as the Prism, discovers he has a son, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.
The Lord of the Ring SERIES by
Continuing the story begun in The Hobbit, this is the first part of Tolkien's epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, featuring a striking black cover based on Tolkien's own design, the definitive text, and a detailed map of Middle-earth.
Paladero SERIES by
Welcome to Thunder Realm, where cowboy-knights known 'paladero'; herd dinosaurs during peacetime, and take up arms during war. Joss, a young orphan, has always wanted to be a paladero - but first he must prove himself by going on The Way, a treacherous journey through the kingdom to retrieve a rare Questing Egg. With his trusty raptor Azof by his side, Joss will face off against witches, bloodthirsty monsters and even his own brethren to learn what it truly means to be a paladero - all while uncovering a dark conspiracy at the heart of the kingdom.
Mortal Instruments SERIES by
Discover this first installment of the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series and "prepare to be hooked" (Entertainment Weekly). When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder--much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing--not even a smear of blood--to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.
The 5th Wave SERIES by
The New York Times bestseller comes to the big screen! A USA Today bestseller Winner of the 2014 Red House Children's Book Award 2014 Children's Choice Book Awards Finalist for Teen Book of the Year A YALSA 2014 Best Fiction for Young Adults A YALSA 2014 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers A Booklist 2014 Best Fiction for Young Adults A VOYA 2013 Perfect Ten An Amazon Best Book of the Year "Remarkable, not-to-be-missed-under-any-circumstances."--Entertainment Weekly The Passage meets Ender's Game in an epic New York Times bestselling series debut from award-winning author Rick Yancey. After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. "Wildly entertaining . . . I couldn't turn the pages fast enough."--Justin Cronin, The New York Times Book Review "A modern sci-fi masterpiece . . . should do for aliens what Twilight did for vampires."--USAToday.com Books in the series: The 5th Wave (The First Book of The 5th Wave) The Infinite Sea (The Second Book of The 5th Wave) The Last Star (The Third Book of the The 5th Wave)
The Illuminae Files by
Summary: The year is 2575, and two rival mega-corporations are at war over a planet that's little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, exes Kady and Ezra - who are barely even talking to each other - are forced to fight their way onto the evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit. But the warship is the least of their problems. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results. The fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again. (Publisher).
The Wizenard Series: Training Camp by
#1 New York Times Bestseller A People Kid Pick of the week From the mind of basketball legend and Academy Award-winning storyteller Kobe Bryant comes this radically original portrait of five young basketball players, one enlightening coach, and the awesome transformative power of the game. Filled with insights about the mental stamina and emotional clarity that peak performance requires, this is an indispensable story for young athletes, coaches, educators, and anyone interested in the astonishing potential of team sports to unlock individual growth. THE GAME WILL NEVER BE THE SAME Magic doesn't seem possible for the West Bottom Badgers. They're the lowest-ranked basketball team in their league, and they live in the poorest neighborhood in Dren. Nobody expects them to succeed at anything. Plus, every kid on the team has secret struggles of his own. When a new coach named Professor Wizenard arrives on the first day of training camp, the Badgers can't explain the magical-seeming things they see and hear. Every player experiences unique and strange visions--visions that challenge everything they thought they knew about basketball, and about their lives and their secrets off the court. To survive the increasingly intense ordeals of training, the Badgers will need to take unimaginable risks, learn to trust their teammates, and confront the darkness within themselves.
Footy Dreaming by
Summary: Ben and Noah play on opposing teams in a footy-obsessed town. They each dream of playing at the G - and this is their make or break season. A novel about footy and friendship. (Back cover)
Keeper by
Summary: In an interview with a young journalist, fictional World Cup hero, El Gato, describes his youth in the Brazilian rain forest and the events, experiences, and people that helped make him a great goalkeeper and renowned soccer star.
If Not Us by
From the author of the bestselling ROAD TO WINTER trilogy comes an empowering standalone novel about courage and the consequences of taking climate action in a small coastal community. Hesse lives a small coastal town, where a coalmine and power station are a part of the scenery, and a part of the ever-growing problem of climate change. His mum is a member of a local environmental group campaigning to close the mine and shut down the power station. It's a no-brainer, of course, but Hesse is more interested in surfing--and in Fenna, the new exchange student from the Netherlands. But when someone seems to be trying to derail the campaign, and his friends' families face losing their jobs, Hesse begins to realise that things are complex. Even though he's reluctant to step into the spotlight, with Fenna's encouragement he decides it's time to make a stand. Because some things are too important to leave to everyone else. And even one small, nervous voice can make a difference. When Hesse agrees to speak at a protest meeting he has no idea of the storm he is about to unleash...
One Would Think the Deep by
Summary: It's 1997 and seventeen-year-old Samuel Asher is mourning the sudden loss of his mum. After her death from a brain aneurism, Sam's Aunty Lorraine takes him to live in her dilapidated house on the South Coast of New South Wales. Sam's mum cut off all ties with Aunty Lorraine seven years ago and Sam hasn't seen his aunt or cousins, Michael (Minty) and Shane, since. Despite being suspicious of Aunty Lorraine and Shane and feeling like they are perfect strangers, the easy bond Sam shared with Minty as ten year olds skating on their Nan's driveway and pissing on her geraniums, is rekindled instantly. Minty has blonde dreadlocks, tattooed arms and Labrador enthusiasm. He is also a talented surfer headed for the pro circuit. As Sam navigates his grief, he also has to forge a new identity with a family as unfamiliar to him as the new home in which he suddenly finds himself. When their Nan returns after her disappearance a decade before, Sam is forced to re-evaluate everything he thinks he knows about himself, his family and his place in the world.
Currawalli Street by
A beguiling celebration of the extraordinary in ordinary people's lives, this gently moving and beautifully written novel tells the stories of the people of Currawalli Street across the generations. It's a modern classic in the making that will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
Off the Map by
By turns dark and light, funny and poignant, this unforgettable collection of stories takes us right to the heart of what it means to be young in today's world, from a CBCA award-winning author.
Catching Teller Crow by
Summary: Nothing's been the same for Beth Teller since she died. Her dad, a detective, is the only one who can see and hear her - and he's drowning in grief. But now they have a mystery to solve together. Who is Isobel Catching, and what's her connection to the fire that killed a man? What happened to the people who haven't been seen since the fire? As Beth unravels the mystery, she finds a shocking story lurking beneath the surface of a small town, and a friendship that lasts beyond one life and into another.
Wraith by
Summary: James, a young Darug teen, can fly, although his landings need some work. However, this is the least of his problems as he crash lands into a city in the clouds. Soon James is drawn into a race against time to find the SAFFIRE, a new technology designed to save the city from the effects of climate change. Finding his way home seems impossible but with the help of Aureole, a young girl determined to save her city and the daughter of the ruler, James just might be able to fly away and help save the city in the process.
Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia
Summary: What is it like to grow up Aboriginal in Australia? This anthology, compiled by award-winning author Anita Heiss, attempts to showcase as many diverse voices, experiences and stories as possible in order to answer that question. Each account reveals, to some degree, the impacts of invasion and colonisation - on language, on country, on ways of life, and on how people are treated daily in the community, the education system, the workplace and friendship groups.
Deadly Unna/ by
Fourteen-year-old Gary Black's life in Australia centers around his large family and footy (Australian football), until he becomes friends with an Aborigine boy and realizes how horrible prejudice can be.
Freedom Ride by
Robbie has a hard life, the bulk of which is spent doing chores for his Gran. Robbie knows bad things happen in his small Australian hometown of Walgaree. He knows the Aborigines have always been treated poorly in a system that represents an unwritten apartheid. But even though it's wrong what can he do about it? The majority of his friends and family seem to think it's the natural order of things. When the University of Sydney Freedom riders turn up in town in 1965 demanding equality for all, Robbie has some decisions to make. A novel based on true events.
The Haters by
From New York Times bestselling author Jesse Andrews ( Me And Earl and the Dying Girl ) comes The Haters , a wry and witty coming-of-age novel about encountering the world on your own terms for the first time. A road trip adventure about a trio of jazz-camp escapees who, against every realistic expectation, become a band.
When Elephants Fight by
In the South Sudanese village of Pacong, Juba is young and old at the same time. Forced to grow up quickly in the civil war, he's nonetheless fun-loving as well as smart. But his little world cannot deflect the conflict raging around it and soon he must flee the life he loves. Ahead lies a long trek to a refugee camp, a journey arduous and fraught.
Heartstopper SERIES by
Summary: Charlie and Nick are at the same school, but they've never met until one day when they're made to sit together. They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn't think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is more interested in Charlie than either of them realised. Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness.
Billy: My Life as a Teenage POW by
Billy: My Life as a Teenage POW has been compiled from a personal chronicle penned by Billy Young throughout the 1970s, supplemented by hundreds of conversations that Lynette and Billy have shared in the course of their close friendship spanning more than two decades. It is the only first-hand published account by an ordinary soldier imprisoned by the Japanese at the infamous Sandakan POW Camp, and one of only three books by a survivor at the Kempeitais equally notorious Outram Road Gaol. Billy is now the only soldier left alive from Sandakan, and the only Australian prisoner still alive from Outram Road. Lynette Silver provides historical details gleaned from years of combing archival documents, and Billy gives his unique narrative immerse vibrancy and life as he takes the reader on a very personal journey. Through the eyes of a tearaway teenaged soldier, Billy shares his thoughts and experiences, some of which have never before been revealed secrets that he has kept even from his closest family.
Palace of Fires by
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Lily lives a pretty normal life with her mum, Angela, on a farm in Northern California - until Angela vanishes. Lily discovers that her mum has been abducted by a secretive and powerful organisation of black witches called Baphomet who intend to extract Angela's soul as payment for a deal with.
Chronicles of Nick SERIES by
At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough, and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, the teenaged Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity. Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead. But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh-eating zombies--and he's next on the menu. As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chain saw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?
CRYPT SERIES by
Meet Jud Lester: Star agent with CRYPT, the Covert Response Youth Paranormal Team. When a crime is committed and the police are at a loss, CRYPT is called in to figure out whether something paranormal is at work. Jud is their star agent. Jud, unwillingly paired with new recruit Bex, has just landed his biggest case yet ... people have been disappearing in mysterious circumstances while others are viciously attacked - yet there are no suspects and a complete lack of hard evidence. The only thing that links each attack is the fact that survivors all claim that the culprits were 17th century highwaymen. Can Jud and Bex work out what has caused the spirits of these dangerous men to return to the streets of London before they wreak more death and destruction? A fantastic blend of teenage spies, horror and ghost-busting for fans of Cherub and Young Bond.
Rot & Ruin SERIES by
In a post-apocalyptic world where fences and border patrols guard the few people left from the zombies that have overtaken civilization, fifteen-year-old Benny Imura is finally convinced that he must follow in his older brother's footsteps and become a bounty hunter.
Enemy SERIES by
When the sickness came, every parent, policeman, politician - every adult fell ill. The lucky ones died. The others are crazed, confused and hungry. Only children under fourteen remain, and they’re fighting to survive. Now there are rumours of a safe place to hide. And so a gang of children begin their quest across London, where all through the city down alleyways, in deserted houses, underground - the grown-ups lie in wait. But can they make it there - alive?
New Boy by
She noticed him before anyone else...Arriving at his fourth school in six years, diplomat's son Osei Kokote knows he needs an ally if he is to survive his first day - so he's lucky to hit it off with Dee, the most popular girl in school. But one student can't stand to witness this budding relationship: Ian decides to destroy the friendship between the black boy and the golden girl. By the end of the day, the school and its key players - teachers and pupils alike - will never be the same again. The tragedy of Othello is transposed to a 1970s suburban Washington schoolyard, where kids fall in and out of love with each other before lunchtime, and practise a casual racism picked up from their parents and teachers. Watching over the shoulders of four 11-year-olds - Osei, Dee, Ian, and his reluctant 'girlfriend' Mimi - Tracy Chevalier's powerful drama of friends torn apart by jealousy, bullying and betrayal will leave you reeling.
The Passing Playbook by
The problem is, no one at Oakley knows Spencer is trans - he's passing. So when a discriminatory law forces Spencer's coach to bench him after he discovers the 'F' on Spencer's birth certificate, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or publicly fight for his right to play, even if it means coming out to everyone - including the guy he's falling for.
Farewell to Arms by
In 1918 Ernest Hemingway went to war, to the 'war to end all wars'. He volunteered for ambulance service in Italy, was wounded and twice decorated. Out of his experiences came A FAREWELL TO ARMS. Hemingway's description of war is unforgettable. He recreates the fear, the comradeship, the courage of his young American volunteer and the men and women he meets in Italy with total conviction. But A FAREWELL TO ARMS is not only a novel of war. In it Hemingway has also created a love story of immense drama and uncompromising passion.
Lord of the Flies by
Golding's iconic 1954 novel, now with a new foreword by Lois Lowry, remains one of the greatest books ever written for young adults and an unforgettable classic for readers of any age. This edition includes a new Suggestions for Further Reading by Jennifer Buehler. At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate. This far from civilization they can do anything they want. Anything. But as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far removed from reality as the hope of being rescued.
Invisible Man by
Tells the extraordinary story of a man invisible 'simply because people refuse to see me'. Published in 1952 when American society was on the cusp of immense change, the powerfully depicted adventures of Ellison's invisible man - from his expulsion from a Southern college to a terrifying Harlem race riot - go far beyond the story of one individual.
The happiest man on Earth by
Summary: Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed on 9 November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp. Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country. Because he survived, Eddie made the vow to smile every day. He pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom and living his best possible life. He now believes he is the 'happiest man on Earth'.
The rise: Kobe Bryant and the pursuit of immortality by
Summary: Kobe Bryant’s death in January 2020 did more than rattle the worlds of sports and celebrity. It took the tragedy of that helicopter crash to reveal the full breadth and depth of Kobe’s influence, and by tracing and telling the oft-forgotten and lesser-known story of his early life, The Rise promises to provide an unparalleled insight into Kobe. In The Rise, readers travel from the cracked concrete basketball courts of Philadelphia in the 1960s and 70s - where Kobe's father, Joe, became a playground, college and professional stand out - to the majesty and isolation of Europe, where Kobe spent his formative years and to the leafy suburbs of Lower Merion, where Kobe's legend was born. The story culminates with his leading Lower Merion to the 1995-96 Pennsylvania state championship - a true underdog run for a team with just one star player, Kobe - and with the 1996 NBA draft, where Kobe's dream of playing pro basketball culminated with his acquisition by the Los Angeles Lakers. With exclusive access to a series of never-before-released interviews during Bryant's senior season and early days in the NBA. Mike Sielski's The Rise reveals insights never seen before. For a quarter-century, these tapes and transcripts preserved Kobe's thoughts, dreams and goals from his teenage years, and they contained insights into him and told stories about him that have never been revealed before. (Publisher).
Soul Surfer by
They say Bethany Hamilton has saltwater in her veins. How else could one explain the tremendous passion that drives her to surf? How else could one explain that nothing - not even the loss of her arm in a horrific shark attack - could come between her and the waves? That Halloween morning in Kauai, Hawaii Bethany responded to the shark's stealth with a calmness beyond belief. Pushing pain and panic aside, she immediately thought: 'Get to the beach...' Rushed to the hospital, where her father, Ted Hamilton, was about to undergo knee surgery, Bethany found herself taking his spot in the operating theatre. When the first thing Bethany wanted to know after surgery was 'When can I surf again?' it became clear that her unfaltering spirit and determination were part of a greater story - a tale of courage and faith that this modest and soft-spoken girl would come to share with the world.
Leaders Who Changed History by
Comprehensive in its scope and depth, and fully illustrated, Leaders profiles leaders from all walks of life - kings, queens, and political leaders; military leaders; religious icons, revolutionaries, and business leaders.
Combining accessible text with specially-commissioned illustrated portraits
in a range of bold artwork styles, photographs, and infographics, these entries showcase each individual in a fresh, visual way.
Covering political masterminds and military geniuses such as Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan, great kings, queens, and rulers like Elizabeth I or Cleopatra, icons of religion and rebellion from Muhammad to Mohandas Gandhi to Emmeline Pankhurst, and inspirational captains of industry, Leaders explores and explains the groundbreaking contributions made by these men and women and their legacies.