CBL Readers' Cup Challenge: Year 8 Readers' Cup Booklist

Alex Rider SERIES by Anthony Horowitz After the death of the uncle who had been his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is coerced to continue his uncle's dangerous work for Britain's intelligence agency, MI6.

The Fail Safe by Jack Heath Fero knelt down. As he put his hands up he turned his head to look at the man pointing the gun. It was Wilt. Fero tried to look shocked. 'Dad? What are you doing here?' Everyone seems to know who Fero is - except Fero. Is he a ruthless boy soldier from Besmar, or an innocent teen recruit from Kamau? He's running out of time to decide. If he doesn't help a renegade spy steal a politician's briefcase, his two countries could end up in a full blown nuclear war - the kind that no one wins.

Gone SERIES by Michael Grant In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE. Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened. Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents,unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers that grow stronger by the day. It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

The Last Thirteen SERIES by James Phelan Sam wakes from a nightmare to discover the terrifying reality. It will come true. Kidnapped from school and finding out his parents aren't who he thinks they are, Sam is suddenly running from danger at every turn. Nothing will ever be the same again. With his life and identity shattered, Sam's salvation is tied to an ancient prophecy. He is in the final battle to save the world, up against an enemy plotting to destroy us all.

Run by Tim Sinclair 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.

Shauzia by Deborah Ellis Imagine that you are alone in a foreign city. To eat you must go through rubbish, to sleep you huddle in doorways. Where do you go? Who do you trust? When Shauzia leaves the refugee camp she faces many difficulties. But she has all pluck of her friend Parvana, and knows she will fulfil her dreams.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart Spending the summers on her family's private island off the coast of Massachusetts with her cousins and a special boy named Gat, teenaged Cadence struggles to remember what happened during her fifteenth summer.

The World Beneath by Janice Warman 1970s South Africa. Eleven-year-old Joshua lives with his mother, who works as a maid for the Malherbes in a white middle-class area in Cape Town. We see this enclosed world through Joshua's eyes as we share his longing for his family and his past life in the rural Ciskei. When a boy enters the garden one night, Joshua offers him refuge. The stranger turns out to be a freedom fighter on the run. As riots sweep the country Joshua becomes more and more aware of the political situation around him and is determined to help bring about change for himself, his family and ultimately his country.

Claw of the Dragon by Patricia Bernard Diary-style story of a Chinese boy who is kidnapped and forced to work on pearling ships around Queensland and the Northern territory. Billy Shanghai Hamilton has been blackbirded - snatched by pirates in the Torres Strait and forced to work on a pearling boat. Greed for pearls drives men mad, and the seas are full of danger. Soon Billy is fighting for survival in a dangerous world of assassins, treasure hunters, deep-sea diving, underworld crime and mutiny.

Graves of the Roti Men by Geoff Havel Aaron is an average Australian teenage boy who hasn't seen much of his Dad since the divorce but now he is going to spend a whole month with him in Pepala in the Indonesian Isles. Suddenly he finds himself having the time of his life. Not only does he make friends with some local Pepala boys but he finds himself plunged into a pulse racing adventure from which he is lucky to come out of alive.

Nips Go National by Ruth Starke Flushed with their multicultural cricketing success in "NIPS XI", the team goes interstate to watch the Aussie team practice on the holiest turf in cricket, the MCG, plus the last minute replacement for a sick team member is a GIRL, and to top everything, Adam Gilchrist is presenting the winning cups!

Thai-Riffic! by Oliver Phommavanh Albert (Lengy) Lengviriyakul, is fed up with being Thai. His parents own a Thai restaurant with the cheesy name of Thai-riffic! and Lengy is sick of being his father's curry guinea pig, longing to just eat pizza! At school he is a bit of a troublemaker, going to any lengths to hide his background. But when his best friend decides to become Thai for a day for a school project, Lengy stubbornly comes to the realization that there may just be some pretty cool things about his culture.

The Melting Pot by Christopher Cheng Edward, Chek Chee, lives with his parents above their store in Sydney's Chinatown. His mother is English, his father is Chinese, and Edward is trying to work out where he fits in.

Year of the Tiger by Alison Lloyd Two very different boys, both dreaming of glory. One year in their lives will be more dangerous than they ever imagined ... Where the Great Wall meets the Yellow River, Hu's family struggles on the edge of starvation. The arrival of an imperial battalion in Beicheng brings new money to the town, but also new risks. The battalion's Commander has brought with him his unhappy son, Ren. The two boys meet under strange circumstances and combine forces to train secretly for an archery tournament: for Hu the competition offers an escape from poverty, for Ren an escape from his strict Confucian tutor and recognition from his father. Just as they seem to have a chance of winning, the tournament is suspended. A barbarian spy has been found, hit by a stray arrow from the contest! Fearing imminent barbarian attack, the Commander requests reinforcements and authority to attack from the Emperor. And things for Ren and Hu go horribly wrong. Ren is sent away and Hu is arrested under suspicion of stealing supplies. But then Ren discovers his tutor has been undermining the Commander and escapes back to Beicheng. But before he can warn his father, Ren tries to rescue Hu and they stumble across the barbarian army - waiting just outside the wall, ready to attack. Together, Ren and Hu race through the night to recover the Commander's orders ... But can they escape the barbarian soldiers? And get back in time? Or will the Commander lose the Battle for Beicheng?

A Banner Bold Something is happening. I can hear bullets going off, and people are running down towards the Eureka field ... In 1854 Rosa Aarons and her family travel from London to the goldfield at Ballarat. She makes new friends, learns to ride a horse, and helps her family get by. Soon Rosa becomes caught up in one of the most dramatic events in Australian history: the Eureka Stockade. As the battle between the miners and the soldiers rages around her, Rosa's main concern is the safety of her beloved Papa.

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon "Indispensable."-Booklist (starred review) CARNEGIE MEDAL 2017 FINALIST Subhi is a refugee. He was born in an Australian permanent detention center after his mother and sister fled the violence of a distant homeland, and the center is the only world he knows. But every night, the faraway whales sing to him, the birds tell him their stories, and the magical Night Sea from his mother's stories brings him gifts. As Subhi grows, his imagination threatens to burst beyond the limits of the fences that contain him. Until one night, it seems to do just that. Subhi sees a scruffy girl on the other side of the wire mesh, a girl named Jimmie, who appears with a notebook written by the mother she lost. Unable to read it herself, Jimmie asks Subhi to unravel her family's love songs and tragedies that are penned there. Subhi and Jimmie might both find comfort-and maybe even freedom-as their tales unfold. But not until each has been braver than ever before and made choices that could change everything.

The Hunt for Ned Kelly by Sophie Masson North-east Victoria, 1879. Jamie Ross and his older sister Ellen are alone in the world after the death of their father. Determined to make their fortune, they head to Beechworth, and straight into the midst of the search for Ned Kelly, the most notorious bushranger. Jamie is fascinated by Ned. Is he a hero wronged by the police?

Our Don Bradman by Peter Allen William McDonald's father takes the family to Sydney in search of work. The story of Billy unfolds against the background of finishing the Sydney Harbor Bridge, the early days of broadcasting, the Bodyline series and the Depression. Billy gets to meet the Australian test cricket team and Bradman himself.

Tom Appleby, Convict Boy by Jackie French Tom Appleby, eight year old chimney sweep is convicted of stealing and sentenced to deportation to Botany Bay. This book tells of a colony that, despite its natural abundance, cannot offer what the colonists want. While the people's health is better than ever, their morale is low as they wait for news from home. It is for those aged 10 and above.

Tomorrow SERIES by John Marsden Seven teenagers go on a camping trip to a remote site in the mountains - When they return they find that the country has been invaded by foreign soldiers - Their families have disappeared and they must face an unfamiliar future - Book one in the Tomorrow when the war began series.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne Bored and lonely after his family moves from Berlin to a place called "Out-With" in 1942, nine-year-old Bruno, the son of a Nazi officer, befriends a boy in striped pyjamas who lives behind a wire fence.

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift Shipwrecked and cast adrift, Lemuel Gulliver wakes to find himself on Lilliput, an island inhabited by little people, whose height makes their quarrels over fashion and fame seem ridiculous. His subsequent encounters - with the crude giants of Brobdingnag, the philosophical Houyhnhnms and brutish Yahoos - give Gulliver new, bitter insights into human behaviour, Swift's savage satire views mankind in a distorted hall of mirrors as a diminished, magnified and finally bestial species, presenting us with an uncompromising reflection of ourselves. This text, based on the first edition of 1726, reproduces all its original illustrations and includes an introduction by Robert Demaria, Jr., which discusses the ways Gulliver's Travelshas been interpreted since its first publication.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding; E. L. Epstein (Notes by) Before "The Hunger Games" there was "Lord of the Flies" Lord of the Flies remains as provocative today as when it was first published in 1954, igniting passionate debate with its startling, brutal portrait of human nature. Though critically acclaimed, it was largely ignored upon its initial publication. Yet soon it became a cult favorite among both students and literary critics who compared it to J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye in its influence on modern thought and literature. William Golding's compelling story about a group of very ordinary small boys marooned on a coral island has become a modern classic. At first it seems as though it is all going to be great fun; but the fun before long becomes furious and life on the island turns into a nightmare of panic and death. As ordinary standards of behaviour collapse, the whole world the boys know collapses with them the world of cricket and homework and adventure stories and another world is revealed beneath, primitive and terrible.Labeled a parable, an allegory, a myth, a morality tale, a parody, a political treatise, even a vision of the apocalypse, Lord of the Flies has established itself as a true classic. ""Lord of the Flies"is one of my favorite books. That was a big influence on me as a teenager, I still read it every couple of years." Suzanne Collins, author of"The Hunger Games" "As exciting, relevant, and thought-provoking now as it was when Golding published it in 1954." "Stephen King""

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss Originally written to entertain his four young sons, Johann David Wyss based "The Swiss Family Robinson" on Daniel Defoe's classic shipwreck story, "Robinson Crusoe" (1719). Upon its initial publication in 1812, "The Swiss Family Robinson" was received with great enthusiasm not only as a first-rate adventure story, but also as a practical guide to self-sufficiency.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas The famous swashbuckling adventure When hot-blooded young d'Artagnan comes to Paris to seek his fortune, he finds himself challenged to a duel with not one, but three of the King's Musketeers. But Athos, Porthos and Aramis are to become his greatest friends, and companions in dangerous adventure when he becomes embroiled in the intrigues of the Court and the beautiful, evil Lady de Winter. This edition has been specially abridged for Puffin Classics.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame One of the most celebrated and beloved works of literature ever written for young readers Meek little Mole, wilful Ratty, Badger the perennial bachelor, and petulant, boastful Toad: over one hundred years since their first appearance in 1908, they've become emblematic archetypes of eccentricity, folly and friendship. And their misadventures - in gypsy caravans, stolen sports cars, and their beloved Wild Wood - continue to capture readers' imaginations and warm their hearts long after they grow up. Begun as a series of letters from Kenneth Grahame to his son, The Wind in the Willows is a timeless tale of animal cunning and human camaraderie.  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.

Knightley & Son SERIES by Rohan Gavin Meet Knightley and Son - two great detectives for the price of one ... Darkus Knightley is not your average thirteen-year-old: ferociously logical, super-smart and with a fondness for tweed, detective work is in his blood. His dad Alan Knightley was London's top private investigator and an expert in crimes too strange for Scotland Yard to handle, but four years ago the unexplained finally caught up with him - and he fell into a mysterious coma. Darkus is determined to follow in his father's footsteps and find out what really happened. But when Alan suddenly wakes up, his memory is wonky and he needs help. The game is afoot for Knightley & Son - with a mystery that gets weirder by the minute, a bestselling book that makes its readers commit terrible crimes, and a sinister organisation known as the Combination ... A funny, warm, fantastical crime caper with an unlikely hero and a brilliant comic cast, perfect for fans of Sherlock and criminally good storytelling.

The Understudy's Revenge by Sophie Masson When mysterious Oliver Parry walks into the Kings Company's rehearsal rooms to audition for Hamlet, Millie Osborne is intrigued. Why is he so secretive? What is his interest in the Company? When Millie investigates, she uncovers a tale of secret identities, betrayal, lies, revenge ... and perhaps even murder.

Theodore Boone SERIES by John Grisham With two attorneys for parents, thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone knows more about the law than most lawyers do. But when a high profile murder trial comes to his small town and Theo gets pulled into it, it's up to this amateur attorney to save the day.

At Yellow Lake by Jane McLoughlin Etta, Peter and Jonah all find themselves at a cabin by the shore of Yellow Lake, and flung together in the terrifying series of events that follows.Jonah has come to Yellow Lake to try to get in touch with his Ojibwe roots. Peter is there to bury a lock of his mother's hair - her final request. Etta is on the run from her mother's creepy boyfriend, Kyle, and his dodgy friends.But as the three take shelter in the cabin, finding surprising solace in each other's company, they soon realise that they have inadvertently stumbled onto the scene of a horrifying crime, and Kyle and his cronies have no intention of letting them escape.A sparkling debut from new children's author, Jane McLoughlin, At Yellow Lake will keep readers gripped until the final page.

Young Sherlock Holmes SERIES by Andrew Lane In 1868, with his army officer father suddenly posted to India, and his mother mysteriously "unwell," fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to stay with his eccentric uncle and aunt in their vast house in Hampshire, where he uncovers his first murder and a diabolical villain.

Crispin SERIES by Avi Falsely accused of theft and murder, an orphaned peasant boy in 14th-century England flees his village and meets a larger-than-life juggler who holds a dangerous secret.

Heroes of Olympus SERIES by Rick Riordan The Heroes of Olympus is a pentalogy of young adult fiction novels by Rick Riordan which collectively form a sequel to Percy Jackson & the Olympians.

The Lord of the Ring SERIES by J.R.R. Tolkien 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.

Red Rising by Pierce Brown NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, BUZZFEED, AND SHELF AWARENESS "Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow."--Scott Sigler   Pierce Brown's relentlessly entertaining debut channels the excitement of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. "I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them."   "I live for you," I say sadly.   Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more."   Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.   But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and lush wilds spread across the planet. Darrow--and Reds like him--are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.   Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power.  He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so. Praise for Red Rising   "[A] spectacular adventure . . . one heart-pounding ride . . . Pierce Brown's dizzyingly good debut novel evokes The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender's Game. . . . [Red Rising] has everything it needs to become meteoric."--Entertainment Weekly "[A] top-notch debut novel . . . Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field."--USA Today   "Red Rising is a sophisticated vision. . . . Brown will find a devoted audience."--Richmond Times-Dispatch "A story of vengeance, warfare and the quest for power . . . reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones."--Kirkus Reviews   "Fast-paced, gripping, well-written--the sort of book you cannot put down. I am already on the lookout for the next one."--Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of The Sword of Shannara   "Pierce Brown has done an astounding job at delivering a powerful piece of literature that will definitely make a mark in the minds of readers."--The Huffington Post   "Compulsively readable and exceedingly entertaining . . . a must for both fans of classic sci-fi and fervent followers of new school dystopian epics."--Examiner.com   "[A] great debut . . . The author gathers a spread of elements together in much the same way George R. R. Martin does."--Tor.com   "Pierce Brown's empire-crushing debut is a sprawling vision."--Scott Sigler, New York Times bestselling author of Pandemic

The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn This haunting dystopian novel thrillingly and realistically looks at a nuclear winter from an Australian perspective. For Fin it’s just like any other day—racing for the school bus, bluffing his way through class, and trying to remain cool in front of the most sophisticated girl in his universe. Only it’s not like any other day because, on the other side of the world, nuclear missiles are being detonated. When Fin wakes up the next morning, it’s dark, bitterly cold, and snow is falling. There’s no internet, no phone, no TV, no power, and no parents. Nothing Fin’s learned in school could have prepared him for this. With his parents missing and dwindling food and water supplies, Fin and his younger brother Max must find a way to survive all on their own. When things are at their most desperate, where can you go for help?

Unwind by Neal Shusterman In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away. In "Unwind," "Boston Globe/Horn Book" Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu From the New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series. I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside. Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelinas black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family's good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fevers survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars--they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites. Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it's Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they've never seen. Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn't belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her. It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

Bro by Helen Chebatte What happens when you mix teenage boys, a fight club and ethnic rivalries? You get war. Romeo Makhlouf knows the rules. Stick with your own kind. Don't dob on your mates or even on your enemies. Respect the family. But even unwritten rules are made for breaking. Fight clubs, first loves and family ties are pushed to the limit in Helen Chebatte's explosive debut novel.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier One of the most controversial YA novels of all time, The Chocolate War is a modern masterpiece that speaks to fans of S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders and John Knowles's A Separate Peace. nbsp; After suffering rejection from seven major publishers, The Chocolate War made its debut in 1974, and quickly became a bestselling--and provocative--classic for young adults. This chilling portrait of an all-boys prep school casts an unflinching eye on the pitfalls of conformity and corruption in our most elite cultural institutions. "Masterfully structured and rich in theme; the action is well crafted, well timed, suspenseful."--The New York Times Book Review nbsp; "The characterizations of all the boys are superb."--School Library Journal, starred review "Compellingly immediate. . . . Readers will respect the uncompromising ending."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review An ALA Best Book for Young Adults A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Editor's Choice A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year

The Eye of the Sheep by Sofie Laguna Told from the mesmerising point of view and in the inimitable voice of Jimmy, this is an extraordinary novel about a poor family who is struggling to cope with a different and difficult child.

The First Third by Will Kostakis Life is made up of three parts: in the first third, you're embarrassed by your family; in the second, you make a family of your own; and in the end, you just embarrass the family you've made. That's how Billy's grandmother explains it, anyway. She's given him her bucket list (cue embarrassment), and now, it's his job to glue their family back together. No pressure or anything. Fixing his family's not going to be easy, and Billy's not ready for change. But as he soon discovers, the first third has to end some time. And then what? It's a Greek tragedy waiting to happen.

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he's totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft, and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, worry about girls he won't. Then Camilla Carter arrives on the scene. She's beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his plan - except that Camilla has a plan of her own.

Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah A victim of the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, Alem finds himself alone in England, abandoned by his parents. This story charts his fate as he is moved from children's home to foster home, and in and out of court hearings.

Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford A truly original debut novel from an extraordinarily talented new voice in children's books. Laugh, cry and wonder at this race-against-time story of a boy who travels back to 1984 to prevent a go-kart accident, and save his father's life... My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty nine and again four years later when he was twelve. The first time had nothing to do with me. The second time definitely did, but I would never even have been there if it hadn't been for his 'time machine'... When Al Chaudhury discovers his late dad's time machine, he finds that going back to the 1980s requires daring and imagination. It also requires lies, theft, burglary, and setting his school on fire. All without losing his pet hamster, Alan Shearer...

Battles and Quests by Anthony Horowitz Legends: Battles and Quests by Anthony Horowitz Don't mess with the gods. And if they mess with you? Run like hell . . . Including King Arthur, The Minotaur, Inca legends and more! There was a time when monsters and dragons roamed the earth and the gods walked among us. A time of blood, swords and furious battles. A time of legends, heroes, darkness and death . . .

Chronicles of Nick SERIES by Sherrilyn Kenyon 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, 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 chainsaw 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 Andrew Hammond 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.

The Enemy SERIES by Charlie Higson 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?

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness Award-winning writer Patrick Ness's bold and irreverent novel powerfully asks what if you weren't the Chosen One? The one who's supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death? What if you were like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school, again. Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week's end of the world and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life. Even if your best friend might just be the God of mountain lions... An exceptional novel from the author praised by John Green as "an insanely beautiful writer".

The Binna Binna Man by Meme McDonald & Boori Pryor The Binna Binna man can be good and heal you, but if you poke fun at him or go to touch him, then you can get into big trouble - like die. The young boy from "My Girragundji" learns that to stay strong you must listen to the old people and be connected to the place you came from.

Deadly Unna/ by Phillip Gwynne 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.

Dingo: The Dog Who Conquered a Continent by Jackie French All of Australia's dingoes may be descended from one south - east Asian 'rubbish dog' who arrived here over 5,000 years ago. This is a story about the first dingo. It is also the story of Loa, who heads off across the sea in his canoe when the girl he loves marries another. He takes only his spears and a 'rubbish dog', one of the scavengers from around the camp to eat if he gets hungry, or to throw to threatening sharks or crocodiles. But when a storm blows boy and dog out to sea, both must learn to survive in a strange new world as partners - and even as friends.

Leaving Barrumbi Dale stands up hanging onto the wire cage of the Toyota and see his home, Long Hole, shrinking away. The rusty iron roofs of the old people's houses at the bottom camp are already disappearing into the red soil. And suddenly it hits him that he's leaving. The nine-hour trip is the beginning; he's only ever lived with Aboriginal kids!

Nanberry Black Brother White by Jackie French 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.

Njunjul The Sun by Meme McDonald & Boori Pryor A 16-year-old Aboriginal boy leaves his family and home for the big city, and as he struggles to make sense of his experience he realises that he must have the knowledge of his own people and culture in order to know who he is, and to find his direction.

Blindside by Aidan Chambers A tragic but ultimately uplifting story about one boy overcoming obstacles. Pete's a brilliant runner but his dreams of athletic stardom are shattered when he is in a horrific accident. Holed up in a hospital bed, Pete learns some life lessons from the people on the ward. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 12+

Boy21 by Matthew Quick Finley, an unnaturally quiet boy who is the only white player on his high school's varsity basketball team, lives in a dismal Pennsylvania town that is ruled by the Irish mob, and when his coach asks him to mentor a troubled African American student who has transferred there from an elite private school in California, he finds that they have a lot in common in spite of their apparent differences.

I Beat the Odds by Michael Oher The football star made famous in the hit film (and book) The Blind Side reflects on how far he has come from the circumstances of his youth. Michael Oher shares his personal account of his story, in this inspirational New York Times bestseller. Looking back on how he went from being a homeless child in Memphis to playing in the NFL, Michael talks about the goals he had to break out of the cycle of poverty, addiction, and hopelessness that trapped his family. Eventually he grasped onto football as his ticket out and worked hard to make his dream into a reality. With his adoptive family, the Touhys, and other influential people in mind, he describes the absolute necessity of seeking out positive role models and good friends who share the same values to achieve one's dreams. Sharing untold stories of heartache, determination, courage, and love, I Beat the Odds is an incredibly rousing tale of one young man's quest to achieve the American dream.

Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian Winner of the Maine Literary Award Called "rich and multidimensional" by "School Library Journal" in a starred review, "Out of Nowhere" follows Tom Bouchard: captain and star of the Enniston High School soccer team; boyfriend to one of the prettiest, most popular girls; and third in his class, likely to have his pick of any college (if he ever bothers filling out his applications). But life in his idyllic small Maine town quickly gets turned upside down after the events of 9/11. Enniston has become a "secondary migration" location for Somali refugees seeking a better life after their country is destroyed by war. Tom hasn't thought much about his Somali classmates until four of them join the soccer team, including Saeed. He comes out of nowhere on the field to make impossible shots, and suddenly the team is winning, dominating even. But when Saeed's eligibility is questioned and Tom screws up in a big way, he's left to grapple with a culture he doesn't understand and take responsibility for his actions. The refugees came out of nowhere and vanish just as quickly. And Tom may find himself going nowhere, too, if he doesn't start trying to get somewhere.

Pop by Gordon Korman When Marcus moves to a new town in the dead of summer, he doesn't know a soul. While practicing football for impending tryouts, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with an older man. Charlie is a charismatic prankster—and the best football player Marcus has ever seen. He can't believe his good luck when he finds out that Charlie is actually Charlie Popovich, or "the King of Pop," as he had been nicknamed during his career as an NFL linebacker. But that's not all. There is a secret about Charlie that his family is desperate to hide. When Marcus begins school, he meets the starting quarterback on the team: Troy Popovich. Right from the beginning, Marcus and Troy disagree—about football, about Troy's ex-girlfriend, Alyssa, but most of all about what's good for Charlie. Marcus is betting that he knows what's best for the King of Pop. And he is willing to risk everything to help his friend.

Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton 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.

Boys of Blood and Bone by David Metzenthen Andy Lansell, killed in the First World War in 1918, lies in a small cemetery in the north of France.Henry Lyon, in a borrowed Volvo station wagon, is driving up to the south coast of New South Wales.The paths of their lives are about to cross.From this award-winning and best-selling author comes a story of two young men. As Andy and his mates head inexorably towards the bloody, torturous Western Front, Henry and his mates face challenges, dangerous situations and tragedies of their own. Now published in 2014 as an Anzac Centenary Edition with a Preface from the author to mark one hundred years since the commencement of World War I.'Metzenthen gets better all the time.'  Agnes Nieuwenhuizen

Evan's Gallipoli by Kerry Greenwood A gripping novel about an incredible journey behind enemy lines, told in diary form. Fourteen-year-old Evan Warrender travels with his father to the Dardenelles, where they intend to provide succour to the Allied soldiers. When they are captured by the Turks, they are launched into an epic journey, living on their wits and the kindness of strangers.

I am David by Anne Holm After escaping from an east European concentration camp where he has spent most of his life, a twelve-year-old boy struggles to cope with a strange world as he flees northward to freedom in Denmark.

Light Horse Boy by Dianne Wolfer; Brian Simmonds (Illustrator) In 1914 Jim and Charlie abandon the Australian outback for the excitement and adventure of the war to end all wars. But in the Light Horse they quickly discover the brutal realities of life on the frontline. And nothing will ever be the same again. Featuring stunning charcoal sketches by Brian Simmonds alongside primary source documents and historical photos, Light Horse Boy goes behind the scenes of the Light Horse legend for an intimate look at their experience of World War I.

My Father's War by Sophie Masson Annie's dad has been away for two years, fighting on the Somme battlefields. For months there has been no word from him. Annie and her mother are sick with worry, so they decide to stop waiting and instead travel to France, to try to find out what has happened to him. There she experiences first-hand what war is like.

War's End by Victoria Bowen Suddenly I saw how much Dad coming home mattered to Mum. She needed him to share with. Pa helped but it wasn't the same, and he needed time to himself as well. I saw that Jack needed Dad home to save his life from being something he hated. And Martha needed him to say she was doing the right thing. I was the only one who didn't need Dad but perhaps I would when I got used to him.' Dad is finally on his way home from The Great War. Twelve-year-old Nell barely remembers him but when the pneumonic influenza enters their lives threatening Dad's return she begins to understand the gap in the family his absence has created. This is one family's experience of the end of the war, a time of hope that turned into a time of testing.