The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding by 
Anything But Fine by
Luca is ready to audition for the Australian Ballet School. All it takes to crush his dreams is one missed step and a broken foot. Jordan is the gorgeous rowing star and school captain of Luca's new school. Everyone says he's straight - but Luca's not so sure. As their unlikely bond grows stronger, Luca starts to wonder - who is he without ballet? And is he setting himself up for another heartbreak?
The Boy from the Mish by
It's a hot summer, and life's going all right for Jackson and his family on the Mish. It's almost Christmas, school's out, and he's hanging with his mates, teasing the visiting tourists, avoiding the racist boys in town. Just like every year, Jackson's Aunty and annoying little cousins visit from the city - but this time a mysterious boy with a troubled past comes with them. As their friendship evolves, Jackson must confront the changing shapes of his relationships with his friends, family and community. And he must face his darkest secret - a secret he thought he'd locked away for good. Compelling, honest and beautifully written, The Boy from the Mish is about first love, identity, and the superpower of self-belief.
Daring to Fly by
The utterly inspirational story behind one of our country's most superb journalists. To have played even the tiniest of roles in helping to ignite Lisa's early fire for journalism gives me more joy than she will ever know. - LISA WILKINSON Lisa Millar has spent her whole life showing up, getting things done and making things happen. As a child growing up in country Queensland, she dreamed of a big life. Working as a foreign correspondent gave her that, but it also meant confronting the worst that humanity can bring. Three decades as a journalist witnessing tragedy had a cost. And an ever-escalating fear of flying threatened to rob her of her ability to work at all. For that young girl from small-town Kilkivan, who had to push herself to keep going, push herself to conquer fear, push herself to tell important stories, finally came the realisation that sometimes all we really need is what we already have. And she shows us that we are all stronger and more resilient than we give ourselves credit for if we just dare to let ourselves fly.
Exit Through the Gift Shop by
Anahita Rosalind Ghorban-Galaszczuk is discovering that life is absurd. As if dying of cancer at the age of 12.5 isn't bad enough, she still has to endure daily insults from her nemesis, Alyssa (Queen Mean) Anderson. Ana's on a wild rollercoaster of life and death, kindness and cruelty, ordinary and extraordinary. And she's got a few things to do before she exits.
The Gaps by
Based on true events, this compelling YA novel by award-winning Melbourne author Leanne Hall examines grief and guilt in the aftermath of a community tragedy When sixteen-year-old Yin Mitchell is abducted, the news reverberates through the whole Year Ten class at Balmoral Ladies College. As the hours tick by, the girls know the chance of Yin being found alive is becoming smaller and smaller. Everyone is affected by Yin's disappearance-even scholarship student Chloe, who usually stays out of Balmoral dramas, is drawn into the maelstrom. And when she begins to form an uneasy alliance with Natalia, the queen of Year Ten, things get even more complicated. A tribute to friendship in all its guises, The Gaps is a moving examination of vulnerability and strength, safety and danger, and the particular uncertainties young women face in the world.
Heroes, Rebels and Innovators by
Powerful and inspiring: here are seven stirring stories about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who helped shape Australia. Each colourful spread in this illustrated book tells the story of incredible Indigenous Australians - such as Patyegarang, the young Darug woman who taught a First Fleet officer her language; Bungaree, the Kuring-gai nautical adventurer and Ngarrindjeri inventor and visionary David Unaipon.
If Not Us by
From the author of The Road to Winter trilogy comes an empowering standalone novel about the courage and consequences of taking climate action in a small coastal community. He'd always accepted the mine and power station were part of Shelbourne. On still nights, the thrum of the turbines echoed down the valley and melded with the sound of the ocean until you couldn't tell them apart. 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. If Not Us is Mark Smith's first standalone YA novel following his hugely successful Winter trilogy. It's another great story with an engaging and relatable protagonist, as well as an impassioned plea for climate-change action that will inspire and empower readers of all ages.
The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature by
Come along for another fresh take on the animal kingdom from bestselling author and illustrator, Sami Bayly. Discover 60 of the most peculiar pairs in nature and learn how plant and animal species rely on each other for their survival. Whether it be a rare tick living in the fur of a pygmy possum, a stick insect feasting and hiding out amongst the Melaleuca or a handfish laying its eggs on a sea squirt, incredible natural relationships deserve to be explored and celebrated. Investigating all types of relationships, from symbiotic to parasitic, this is an eye-opening guide to the natural world. Many species steer clear of those who are different, but the animals and plants in this book have evolved to form relationships with some of the most unlikely partners, and they couldn't live without them. This gorgeous hardcover book is illustrated in exquisite detail by award-winning author and illustrator, Sami Bayly. The perfect companion to The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of UglyAnimals and The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals.
It wasn't meant to be like this by
The long-awaited autobiography from one of Australia's most popular, much-loved and enduring media stars, Lisa Wilkinson.Lisa Wilkinson has lived much of her life in the public eye. One of Australia's most respected journalists and media personalities, her warm, intelligent and elegant presence has graced our television screens for many years, where she has shared, shaped and even shifted many important national conversations. But it all could have been so different ...Subjected to horrific bullying as a teenager, Lisa survived by making herself as small as possible. But she swore when she left school that no one was ever again going to determine who she was - or limit what she was capable of. That determination and drive led to Lisa blazing an unprecedented and enormously successful trail through the Australian media and cultural landscape for more than four decades.An early ground-breaking career in publishing - at 21, Lisa was the youngest editor ever appointed to take charge of a national magazine, Dolly, before spending ten years as editor of the iconic Cleo magazine - then led to a stunning television success story. This included spending more than a decade as co-host of the Nine Network's Today show, before she caused a media storm across Australia and the world on the issue of the gender pay gap, when she moved to the Ten Network as co-host of its prime-time award-winning program The Project.It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This is the story of how a young girl from Sydney's western suburbs came to be such a force in Australian cultural life. It is a story that is honest, funny, engaging - and powerfully inspirational.
The Prison Healer by
Here at Zalindov, the only person you can trust is yourself. Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer. When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Then a coded message from Kiva's family arrives, containing a single order: Don't let her die. We are coming. Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom. But no one has ever survived. With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva's heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can't escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.
Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief by
It's spring, 1942. The sky is blue, the air is warm and sweet. And then everything is gone. The flowers, the proud geese, the pretty wooden houses, the friendly neighbours. Only Sasha remains. But one small boy, alone in war torn Russia, cannot survive. One small boy without a family cannot survive. One small boy without a home cannot survive. What that small boy needs is an army.
Tell Me Why by
Archie Roach tells the story of his life and his music. Only two when he was forcibly removed from his family, and brought up by a series of foster parents until his early teens, Archie's world imploded when he received a letter that spoke of a life he had no memory of. It took him almost a lifetime to find out who he really was.
Welcome to Consent by
An inclusive, frank and funny guide to navigating consent for tweens and teens of all genders, from the award-winning authors of Welcome To Your Period.
Adolescent health experts Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes have written the only guide you need to figuring out the rules of consent. Whether you’re a curious 11 to 14-year-old, or the parent of someone with a bunch of questions, this book is reassuring, interesting, and full of the info you need! I'm ready for this book if:
I’m curious about how consent works.
I will get a haircut or visit the doctor on my own one day.
I think I might kiss someone or have a relationship in the future (even if I’m not ready to yet).
I don’t know how to actually TALK about consent.
It’s hard to say no.
I don’t know when to say yes.
I find consent confusing!
