Review blog
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Mar 10 2010
When you reach me by Rebecca Stead
Text, 2009. ISBN 9781921656064.
(Age 10+) Highly recommended. Winner of the prestigious Newbery Medal,
When you reach me is a complex, challenging and ultimately
very rewarding book. Set in the 1970's, it tells the story of Miranda,
as she weaves her way through complications at school, having to walk
past a crazy man on her way home and losing her best friend Sal, who
after being hit by another boy, withdraws from her. Miranda
writes to some unknown person, who has asked her to write down the
events that have occurred. She tells of how her apartment key
disappears and how anonymous notes appear telling her to do strange
things.
Set in New York City, the book gives an intimate look into urban life.
The reader gets to know Miranda's apartment, her school and the deli
where she has a lunch time job with some friends. Characters in the
book are finely drawn. Her mother is determined to win the $20,000
Pyramid game show and I became engrossed in the preparation and
practice that Miranda and her mother's boyfriend, Richard, give her
mother.
She makes new friends and is appalled when she discovers that one of
them, Marcus, fascinated by the idea of time travel, is the boy who hit
Sal.
Miranda is obsessed with the book, A wrinkle in time by
Madeline
L'Engle and themes like time travel, friendship and mystery
thread through
the book. It is a complicated puzzle: why is she receiving these notes,
who has written them, and what is going to happen? Astute readers will
ponder the clues on the way, others like me will rush ahead to see what
happens. All in all a very satisfying book.
Pat Pledger
Mar 10 2010
Iggy and me by Jenny Valentine
HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN 9780007283620.
(Ages: 6-10) Award winning author of The Ant Colony and Finding Violet
Park, Jenny
Valentine has created a couple of very funny characters in Iggy and her
older, long suffering sister, Flo. The scrapes they get into will have
instant appeal to middle primary students, who will instantly recognize
all the sorts of things they get up to at home. Iggy's world is
totally self centred, as she marches through the day, expecting
everyone to fall in line with what she wants to do. From cutting her
own hair with disastrous results, finding out what a mirage is, to
demanding that everyone call her Iggy instead of her real name, both
girls in this book will endear themselves to the reader.
Fran
Knight
Mar 10 2010
How to heal a broken wing by Bob Graham
Walker Books, 2008. ISBN 9781406325492
(Ages Junior Primary) Highly Recommended. This award winning picture
book is one that warms the heart and
soul of all readers, and the story it portrays will cause many to
simply go 'ahhh' at its completion. As with many of Bob Graham's
picture books, the premise is seemingly simple. A small boy finds a
wounded bird on the street near the underground. No one else has seen
it or if they have, they have hurried past, or moved around it and not
bothered. The boy retrieves the bird, takes it home and cares for it.
With time and care, the bird recovers from its injury until the family
takes the bird back to where they found it and release it. The
background story of a loving, caring family permeates the story, as the
pictures show the family creating a place for it in their home,
bringing home a bird cage for it, watching it take its first steps and
then flying around their sitting room. The whole is redolent of looking
after what is in your own backyard, of taking time to see what it in
front of you, of being prepared to put yourself out for someone or
something else, of reaching out to help. The implicit storyline
portrays a selfless individual caring about his environment. But more
than this, the whole is based firmly, as are all of Bob Graham's books,
in the family. The heart of his tales show a loving, caring family. The
children are never alone, they have parents there to help and guide
them, to back them up. A beautiful picture book, I love the way Graham
shows the family, the parents concerned not only for the bird but their
child, the looks on their faces showing their apprehension about their
baby. The yellow glow on several pages spotlights the family in
the midst of the moving, uncaring crowd, intent on their own purpose of
rescuing the bird. Children reading the book will love looking at the
crowd of people, the plethora of animal images in the family's home,
the sights of London and finally a bird's eye view of the city.
Fran Knight
Mar 09 2010
One smart fish by Chris Wormell
Jonathan Cape, 2010. (Ages 3-6) In spite of an entertaining story and vibrant illustrations I felt short changed by this book. Wormell's smart fish can sing, dance, paint and perform, wowing all his friends. However when this fish visits the 'landside' for his holiday he gazes up the beach and longs to explore. Everyone knows fish can't walk, so Smart Fish makes himself some feet and walks up the beach. He is the first fish, indeed creature to walk on the land and although he returns to his friends in the ocean, change has begun. Wormell concludes his story by describing how millions of years later other fish began crawling on their fins and in another few hundred million years they grew feet instead, until eventually people emerged. This brief text is accompanied by a fabulous double page illustration of reptiles, dinosaurs, mammals and humans. On one level this is an entertaining fantasy, but on the other Wormell is introducing the concept of evolution. Modification of species, dominant genes, natural selection and the work of Darwin and Mendel are obviously inappropriate in a story for young children. However, somewhere, perhaps as an epilogue, I would have appreciated a mention of Darwin, and even the word 'evolution' to show children that this is not just a fantasy but the story of our very existence. I think Wormell (or perhaps his publisher) misses a trick here, offering a beautifully illustrated story that could have gone one step further to begin to explain to young children the concept of evolution. Claire Larson
Mar 09 2010
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Text, 2009. ISBN 9781921656149.
(Ages 14+)Recommended. Chosen by the American Library Association as one of their
2010
Best books for young adults, Wintergirls is an unflinching
and
very frightening look at eating disorders. Lia is haunted by the death
from bulimia of her best friend Cassie who had sent her 33 messages
before she died. She is consumed with guilt because she didn't answer
the phone and relives some of the moments that she has shared with
Cassie as well as the struggle that she has with anorexia nervosa.
Anderson has written about a difficult subject in a confronting and
honest way. She describes Lia's descent into the depths of her
disorder, her lies and her feelings about her parents, stepmother and
stepsister . Everyone who has ever dieted will be familiar with the
counting of calories : a muffin (410), an orange (75); and the hard
grind of a treadmill to wear off even more calories. Lia takes dieting
to a new high, always striving to lose more weight and even cutting
herself to forget the shadows that surround her. It is a frightening
portrayal of an intelligent young woman who has been unable to cope
since the death of her grandmother and her parents' divorce.
Lia is offered all sorts of help: she is hospitalised; she visits a
psychiatrist; her mother is prepared to sell her stocks and her father
to get a second mortgage to pay for her medical expenses. However,
Cassie's ghost seems to sit on her shoulder, encouraging her to lose
weight. It is not until she reaches the depths that she confronts
the idea of staying alive.
This is a compulsive, honest and disturbing book.
Pat Pledger
Mar 09 2010
Zac Power: Extreme mission 1: Sand storm by H.I. Harry
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2009. ISBN 9781921564055.
(Ages 6-10) For children who enjoyed the Zac Power books there is a new
series which has four titles, Sand storm, Dark Tower, Ice patrol and
Water blaster. The first in the series, Sand storm, is an adventure
filled story, with Zac Power being dragged off by his grandfather in
the middle of the night on the hunt for a fabulous gadget called IRIS.
Zac is thrilled to go on the mission, but he knows that his grandfather
hasn't been entirely honest with him about the origins of IRIS, which
has been broken up into four parts. Why has that happened? Will he be
able to survive the desert and the tricks of Blackwood and Caz, who are
also after IRIS?
Newly independent readers, especially boys, will be thrilled with this
series. It has plenty of action to keep a young reader going, the
gadgets are fascinating and Zac is an engaging hero.
Pat Pledger
Mar 08 2010
The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliffe
Puffin, 2004 (50th anniversary edition.
ISBN 9780140308907.
Highly recommended. With the release of the film of this book in
September 2010, there will
be enough hype for kids to want to reread this classic tale. New
editions have been released; in the last ten years, along with
the 50th anniversary edition in 2004, and I expect another will be
released as the film opens. Already some citizens of the USA are seeing
the film as criticism of their exploits in Iraq and Afghanistan, and
the publicity is being stepped up. So I retrieved my husband's year 8
copy from the back of the bookcase and began to read. And I was
overwhelmed with glee as I reread one of my favourite authors from my
teens, Rosemary Sutcliffe. Her work is undergoing a revival and
no wonder, her novels are exciting, involving, with characters that are
believable, and issues that remain with us to this day.
The Eagle of the Ninth is the story of a young centurion, Marcus
Aquila, proudly leading his cohort. It is his first tour of Britain,
and his first command, and he is very aware of the might of the Roman
army and all it does in bringing civilized society to the savages. He
suffers a major injury in an heroic battle against the Painted People,
having then to find another occupation. While recuperating at his
uncle's house, he attends a gladiatorial fight and seeing something
defiant and brave in the young Briton pitched against the gladiator
with a net and trident, asks to buy him as his personal slave.
But Marcus cannot forget that his father was the First Cohort of the
Ninth, the famed legion that was lost and never heard of again, losing
their eagle, the pride of the corps. So he takes on the role of an
oculist, and he and Esca, head north, the place of the painted savages,
to search for the lost 4,000 and their eagle. Adventures come thick and
fast as they roams the villages and settlements of the north, curing
them of eye disease and gathering information. They finally meet a
soldier of the Ninth, who escaped the carnage and settled with a
northern village, he is able to tell Marcus what happened to the legion
and more importantly, his father. Along the way, Marcus learns more
about the people he has been sent to conquer and about himself and
where his future lies.
Fran Knight
Mar 08 2010
Half-minute horrors ed. by Susan Rich
(Ages 10+) Recommended. Subtitled Very small stories, very big
scares, this is a collection of terrifying short stories that can
be
read silently or out loud in half a minute. It is a quality collection
of dozens of chilling stories written by outstanding international
authors like Neil Gaiman, Lemony Snicket, Jerry Spinelli, Kenneth Opel,
James Patterson, Jenny Nimmo, Margaret Atwood, Melissa Marr and Libba
Bray.
Ideal for teachers to use on school camps or as a fun end of the day
activity, this collection could also be used as a starter for
encouraging creative writing of a horror story. The stories will also
have immediate appeal to reluctant readers as most take up only a page
or two. There are also illustrated stories that are equally haunting
and quite challenging.
Pat Pledger
Mar 05 2010
Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo
Random
House, 2009. ISBN 9781741664386.
(Ages
8 and up) Recommended. In this eighth and final book of the Charlie
Bone
series, we find Charlie still missing his parents, the Pets' Cafe
closed, and
Billy trapped in Badlock. To make matters worse, it seems that the
Bloors are
becoming more of a threat, as they recruit stronger and more dangerous
allies
in their race to find the box which holds the secret to the Bloors'
power. Charlie's parents
are in danger, and he no longer knows who he can trust. Then a
mysterious Red
Knight appears, and Charlie must discover if he is really there to help
him.
With a huge cast of characters, readers may find themselves needing to
refer
back to the family tree at the start of the book, but all the
characters are
intriguing and have their own role to play. A very satisfying end to
the series.
Donella
Reed
Mar 05 2010
Scream Street: Skull of the Skeleton by Tommy Donbavand
Walker
Books, 2009. ISBN 9781406314281.
(Ages
8 and up) Recommended. The fifth book in the Scream Street
series finds
werewolf Luke Watson searching for another of the relics which will
help his
family escape back to their old lives. It's Halloween, and the arrival
of a new
celebrity resident is causing a stir. Eddie aka the Headless Horseman,
makes a
grand entrance, causing mummies and skeletons alike to swoon. That is,
until
his head disappears. Meanwhile Luke, Cleo and Resus must fight a demon
created
by Sir Otto before his parents, and indeed the whole of Scream Street
are
destroyed.
This book, while part of a series, is also successful as a
stand-alone read, as the characters are reintroduced and motives
explained
clearly. With witty writing, an abundance of bad taste, and a
fast-moving plot,
this is sure to entertain.
Donella
Reed
Mar 05 2010
The Watchmaker who saved Christmas by Bruce Whatley
Random House, 2006 (reprinted 2009)ISBN: 9781864719567.
Ages 5 and up. Highly recommended. Three days
before Christmas, the Watchmaker, an old style craftsman, is visited by
a
bearded
gentleman with silvery-white hair and beard. On the back of the watch
he leaves
to be repaired are the initials S.C. Instead of the usual internal
workings,
the Watchmaker finds a myriad of unusual and delicate parts which he
sets about
straightening and cleaning. When he is unable to find a suitable piece
to
replace a broken wheel, his young friend Peter supplies him with a part
from
his hearing aid. This enables the Watchmaker to complete his repair in
readiness for the elderly gentleman's return. The Old Man's arrival and
the retrieval
of his special time piece lead to the journey of a lifetime for the
craftsman.
Whatley has the
happy knack of combining his simply written texts with detailed,
realistic and appealing
illustrations. His depiction of the shop and the old clocks brings back
memories of a bygone era. This story of friendship, persistence,
kindness and
generosity is told without appearing to be sickly sweet.
Peter, despite his hearing impairment, is happy
and positive, willing to help the cause by giving and sharing and
expecting
nothing in return. A delightful story, this could be enjoyed by
children and
adults alike.
Jo
Schenkel, Pilgrim School
Mar 04 2010
Poles apart: Life at the ends of the Earth by Dr Mark Norman
black
dog books, 2010. ISBN 9781742031354.
(Ages: Primary) Highly recommended. What a wonderful, idea! And
beautifully executed. One of my pet
ggrrrs
is that people mix up the animals, habitat and bird life of each of our
polar regions, and here is a book which sets out plainly and seemingly
simply, exactly what lives where.With succinct and precise
words, Dr
Mark Norman elucidates what each polar region is like. The North Pole
is ice on sea, with the sea floor four kilometres below, whereas the
Antarctica is land with three kilometres of solid ice above it. On the
next page we are told what sort of flora exists in each region, then to
the animals, the pages that will interest most kids.
Each double page spread has the North Pole information and pictures at
the top, with the South Pole information and pictures at the bottom.
Between each is small globe reiterating where the Polar Regions lie in
relation to each other. No one reading this book will have any excuse
to mix up the two! A clever device which works well is the simple
turning of the book around to fit all this information together.
I was amazed at the differences between the two regions, the tundra of
the north and the moss of the south, the flowers and insects in the
north and the 'walks' in the south! Each double page spread held me
captivated, learning new information and recalling things learnt years
ago but long forgotten. The last double page tells the reader of the
affects of global warming, and exhorts them to play their part in
helping reduce the impact by planting trees, recycling and so on. A
number of web sites is given for more information, and the book is
wells served with a succinct glossary and useful index.
This like Dr Mark Norman's other books (The octopuses' garden: The
Secret World under the Sea; The Penguin Book: Birds in suits;
The
Antarctica Book: Living in the freezer; The Shark Book: Fish
with
attitude and The Great Barrier Reef Book: Solar Powered)
will attract
attention from those who give out awards, and more importantly from its
target audience, the kids. Dr Norman is senior curator at Museum
Victoria.
Fran Knight
Mar 04 2010
I'm Taggarty Toad by Peter Pavey
Walker Books, 2010. ISBN 9781921529481.
Picture book, ages 3-6. One of my children's favourite stories, when
first published in 1980, this one will be revisited with mirth and
gusto by another generation of families and classes. The drawings have
lost none of their freshness, the intricate cross hatching testament to
the time it took Peter Pavey to do the illustrations, and probably why
he didn't stay in that profession! The clever and bold Taggarty has an
array of adventures, taking on fearful pirates, loathsome dragons and
even the sun in his quest to show that he is braver than most. Children
will delight in the intricate drawings, running their fingers over each
page in search of the variety of animals and objects almost hidden from
view. The last few pages invite the reader to add their own
swashbuckling adventure, and come home at last with the little worse
for wear toad. Themes of taking risks and being adventurous are at the
base of this picture book and so could be used with some success with
smaller children.
The last two pages of the book give an interesting essay from editor,
Myra Lee, outlining the reason this book was chosen to republish and
then an enlightening piece by Peter Pavey about writing and
illustrating this book. Both add an extra layer to the reading and
enjoyment of this book.
Fran Knight
© Copyright Pledger Consulting 2007-2010
Archived Blog Entries
2010 March 
When you reach me by Rebecca Stead- When you reach me by Rebecca Stead
- Iggy and me by Jenny Valentine
- How to heal a broken wing by Bob Graham
- One smart fish by Chris Wormell
- Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Zac Power: Extreme mission 1: Sand storm by H.I. Harry
- The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliffe
- Half-minute horrors ed. by Susan Rich
- Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo
- Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo
- Scream Street: Skull of the Skeleton by Tommy Donbavand
- The Watchmaker who saved Christmas by Bruce Whatley
- Poles apart: Life at the ends of the Earth by Dr Mark Norman
- I'm Taggarty Toad by Peter Pavey
- The Phoenix Files: Contact by Chris Morphew
February - Headgames by Casey Lever
- The Emperor's kingdom: Penguins on ice by Dr Roger Kirkwood
- Yummy by Lucy Cousins
- Deadline by Chris Crutcher
- The Seer of Shadows by Avi
- Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye by Alison Goodman
- Eon by Alison Goodman
- Going home by Margaret Wild
- Little Croc's purse by Lizzie Finlay
- The slightly skewed life of Toby Chrysler by Paul Collins
- King Lear adapted and ill.by Gareth Hinds
- Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! by Loretta Barnard et al.
- About a girl by Joanne Horniman
- Through the magic mirror by Anthony Browne
- Surf ache by Gerry Bobsien
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
- Stuck! by Charlotte Calder and Mark Jackson
- Delilah's Dream by Ian Trevaskis
- Angel fish by Lili Wilkinson
- Why the animals came to town by Michael Foreman
- Monster Republic by Ben Horton
- Shadowmagic by John Lenahan
- The Pilgrims by Will Elliott
- The Devil's Ladder by Graham Joyce
- The Sorceress: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
- Changes by Anthony Browne
- Dark Summer by Ali Sparkes
- The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade
- The Hunchback Assignments by Arthur Slade
- Barnaby Grimes: Phantom of Blood Alley by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
- Elizabethan Mysteries: Revenge by John Pilkington
- Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children by Jen Storer
- Gamers' Quest by George Ivanoff
- The penguin who wanted to find out by Jill Tomlinson
- Bright girls by Clare Chambers
- Top reads for 2009 by Pat Pledger
- Surf Ache by Gerry Bobsien
- I am not a serial killer by Dan Wells
- Agent Alfie: Licence to fish by Justin Richards
- 100% hero by Jayne Lyons
- The wheels on the bus ill. by Mandy Foot
- Outside In by Chrissie Keighery
- Why by Lila Prap
- Ctrl-Z by Andrew Norriss
- Someone like you by Sarah Dessen
- Claire Larson's top reads for 2009
- Percy Jackson and the Battle of Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
- Wang Wang and Funi by Phil Cummings
- The Saga of Darren Shan: The Vampire's Assistant by Darren Shan
- I lost my mobile at the Mall by Wendy Harmer
- Are these my basoomas I see before me? by Louise Rennison
- Faketastic By Alexa Young
- Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur
- Are you ready to play outside? by Mo Willems
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- Beating heart by A. M. Jenkins
- The goblin and the empty chair by Mem Fox
- Dreamdark series by Laini Taylor
- Seven Sorcerers by Caro King
- Shapeshifters: tales from Ovid's Metamorphoses retold by Adrian Mitchell
- Watch me throw the ball by Mo Willems
- What to do About Holly by Joan Lingard
- Gibblewort the goblin series by Victor Kelleher
- The Red Piano by Andre Leblanc
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- The Enemy by Charlie Higson
- The Society of S by Susan Hubbard
- Magenta McPhee by Catherine Bateson
- Fran's dozen (baker's) 2009 (a selection of what I have read and enjoyed in 2009) by Fran Knight
- Conspiracy 365: January by Gabrielle Lord
- Beach break by Meredith Badger
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
- Wishing for tomorrow: The sequel to A Little Princess by Hilary McKay
- The fairy's return and other princess tales by Gail Carson Levine
- Arrival by Charlotte McConaghy
2009 December - Blood Promise : A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead
- Saving Sam by Susan Brocker
- Stop in the name of pants! by Louise Rennison
- The TV Time Travellers by Pete Johnson
- The Dragons 1: Camelot by Colin Thompson
- The Shadow of Malabron by Thomas Wharton
- Saving Pandas by Dr Carla Litchfield
- Dracula by Bram Stoker Re-edited by Jan Needle
- Bang, bang, you're dead by Narinder Dhami
- Sam's Bush Journey by Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
- Willy Waggledagger: A belt around my bum by Martin Chatterton
- Eternal by Cynthia Letich Smith
- A year in girl hell: Trashed by Meredith Costain
- Fallen by Lauren Kate
- Pilot and Huxley by Dan McGuiness
- Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia by Christopher Paolini
- Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
- Ten little hermit crabs by Lee Fox and Shane McG
- Little Bird by Camilla Way
- Operation Storm City by Joshua Mowll
- Lessons from a dead girl by Jo Knowles
- Cooking with Grandma by Rosemary Mastnak
- A history of cricket by Catherine Chambers
- A Necklace of Raindrops by Joan Aiken and Jan Pienkowski
- Fire by Kristin Cashore
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- Envy a Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen
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- The billionaire's curse by Richard Newsome
- Dust by Christine Bongers
- Daniel X: Watch the skies by James Patterson
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November - A small free kiss in the dark by Glenda Millard
- Running on the cracks by Julia Donaldson
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- The lucky ones by Tohby Riddle
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- Interview with John Flanagan
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- The Land of Mirthful by Sally Morgan, Ambelin, Blaze and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
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- Beatle meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams
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- The last knight by Hilari Bell
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- Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda
- Blue noise by Debra Oswald
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- Interview with Kirsty Murray
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- Fill out this application and wait over there by Ruth Starke
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- One, two, cockatoo by Sarah Garson
- Grace by Morris Gleitzman
- Monster Revenge by Dean Lorey
- The uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones
- The poison throne by Celine Kiernan
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- Ranger's Apprentice (series) by John Flanagan
- The lucky ones by Tohby Riddle
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- The Last Stormlord by Glenda Larke
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- The trouble with sauce by Bruno Bouchet
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- Where the giant sleeps by Mem Fox
- Malcolm and Juliet by Bernard Beckett
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- The Phoenix files by Chris Morphew
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- Dead funny by Tanya Landman
- Fire song by Libby Hathorn
- The golden flower by Eleanor Coombe
- Here lies Arthur by Philip Reeve
- The last thing that I remember by Andrew Klavan
- Beyond the Knock Knock door by Scott Monk
- Lucky by Rachel Vail
- Without looking back by Tabitha Suzuma
- Little bird by Penni Russon.
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- First the egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
- Servants depots in colonial South Australia by Marie Steiner
- The ask and the answer by Patrick Ness
- The dragon tattoo by Tim Pigott-Smith
- The whisperer by Fiona McIntosh
- What does your daddy do? by Gordon Reece and Vilma Cencic
- The bone tiki by David Hair
- Half way to good by Kirsten Murphy
- Sarah's heavy heart by Peter Carnavas
- The duck in the gun by Joy Cowley
- Oliver Nocturne: Blood Ties by Kevin Emerson
- Pieces of eight by John Drake
- My Secret War Diary by Flossie Albright
- Mr Chicken goes to Paris by Leigh Hobbs
- Maisy's Street: A Maisy Concertina Book by Lucy Cousins
- LA Candy by Lauren Conrad
- Island girl by Lolo Houbein
- The ask and the answer by Patrick Ness
- I like books by Anthony Browne
- Pink by Lili Wilkinson
- Gotta B by Claire Carmichael
- The disreputable history of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
- Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
- Letters to Leonardo by Dee White
- Dig 3ft NW:The Legendary Journey of Burke and Wills
- The dead and the gone
- Grandpa baby by Margaret Wild.
- Burn this book edited by Toni Morrison
- Short Stuff by Mark Stevens
- A child's garden by Michael Foreman
- Siggy and Amber by Doug MacLeod
- Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
- Don't breathe a word by Marianne Musgrove
- All we know of love by Nora Raleigh Baskin
- Juno of Taris by Fleur Beale
- The eternal kiss. Vampire tales of blood and desire. Ed. by Trisha Telep
- The bride's farewell by Meg Rosoff
- The Jade Dragon by Carolyn Marsden
- My silent world by Nette Hilton and Vincent Agostino
- Pearlie and Great Aunt Garnet by Wendy Harmer
- Elephant by Petr Horacek
- Gool by Maurice Gee
- Callie by Ruth Park
- Dark angels by Katherine Langrish
- It's Yr Life by Tempany Deckert and Tristan Bancks
- Crossing the Line by Gillian Philip
- Angel Cake by Cathy Cassidy
- Free to a good home by Colin Thompson
- Journey of dreams by Marge Pellegrino
- Chook Shed Snake by Phil Cummings
- Boy on a Wire by Jon Doust
- Frannie in pieces by Delia Ephron
- Frannie in pieces by Delia Ephron
- The book of a thousand days by Shannon Hale
- Naked Mole rat gets dressed by Mo Willems
- Malcolm and Juliet by Bernard Beckett
- Sharp Shot by Jack Higgins and Justin Richards
- The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- Nina of the dark by Ken Catran
- A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. Retold by Robert Swindells
- The sea-wreck stranger by Anna Mackenzie
- The Soul Trade by E. E. Richardson
- By Royal Command by Charlie Higson
- Far from home by K.M. Peyton
- The Forest of Hands and Teeth
- The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
- Dance of the sugar plum fairy by Sue Whiting
- They told me I had to write this by Kim Miller
- Second star to the right by Deborah Hautzig
- Oddly by Joyce Dunbar
- A finder's magic by Philipa Pearce
- Little chick by Amy Hest
- Sting by Raymond Huber
- The hunger games by Suzanne Collins
- Flight of the bumblebee by Hazel Edwards
- Exposure by Mal Peet
- Collecting colour by Kylie Dunstan
- The extraordinary adventures of Ordinary Boy series by William Boniface
- Genesis by Bernard Beckett
- Genesis by Bernard Beckett
- Rascal and the hot air balloon by Paul Jennings and Bob Lea
- Creature of the night by Kate Thompson
- One dragon's dream by Peter Pavey
- Ten mile river by Paul Griffin
- Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- Skulduggery Pleasant: The faceless ones by Derek Landy
- The good daughter by Amra Pajalic
- City of glass by Cassandra Clare
- Ruby and Leonard and the great big surprise by Judith Rossell
- Jolt by Bernard Beckett
- The Scarecrow by Sean Williams
- The Ant Colony by Jenny Valentine
- The remarkable secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen by Deborah Abela
- Worldshaker by Richard Harland
- Prom nights from hell by Meg Cabot et al
- By the picking of my nose by Martin Chatterton
- Gone by Michael Grant
- Switched by Sienna Mercer
- Chester's back by Melanie Watt
- Pop Princess by Isabelle Merlin
- The Witch's children go to school by Ursula Jones and Russell Ayto
- Mending Lucille by J.R. Poulter and Sarah Davis
- The tomorrow code by Brian Falkner
- Stanley Paste by Aaron Blabey
- Magic to the bone by Devon Monk
- The book from Baden Dark by James Moloney
- Heroes of the valley by Jonathan Stroud
- A book for kidz by C.J. Dennis
- Highway robbery by Kate Thompson
- Uncle Eddie and the croc by Lucy Farmer
- The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
- Curly saves Grandma's house by Sally Morgan, and Ambelin, Blaze and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
- Mrs Lincoln's dressmaker by Lynda Jones
- Riding the black cockatoo by John Danalis
- Tuck by Stephen Lawhead
- The 10 pm question by Kate De Goldi
- George's cosmic treasure hunt by Lucy and Stephen Hawking
- Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera
- Mac Slater, Cool Hunter 2: I love NY by Tristan Bancks
- Jackdaw Summer by David Almond
- A certain music by Celeste Walters
- Posse by Kate Welshman
- Waterslain Angels by Kevin Crossley-Holland,
- Shrapnel by Robert Swindells
- Magenta McPhee by Catherine Bateson
- My secret diary by Jacqueline Wilson
- Poems by Young Australians by Taringa Foundation
- Crime Stories by David Belbin et al.
- Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan
- The night they stormed Eureka by Jackie French
- The escape by Robert Muchamore
- Pearl verses the world by Sally Murphy
- Love is hell by Scott Westerfeld et al
- The locket of dreams by Belinda Murrell
- Krakatoa Lighthouse by Allan Baillie
- Read and reflect: literature discussion in small groups by Dee Clements and Sally Godinho
- The gimlet eye by James Roy
- Map of the invisible world by Tash Aw
- Bookmark days by Scot Gardner
- Bloodflower by Christine Hinwood
- Newes from the dead by Mary Hooper
- The switch by Anthony Horowitz
- A small white scar by K A Nuzum
- Zoltan the magnificent by Bob Graham
- The adventures of Nanny Piggins by R.A Spratt
- The priestess and the slave by Jenny Blackford
- Zig Zags series
- The Kings of Clonmel by John Flanagan
- Perspectives edited by Helen Sykes
- A Certain Music by Celeste Walters Illustrated by Anne Spudvilas
- I'm dirty by Kate and Jim McMullan
- Martha's journey by Tracey Hawkins
- Hansel and Gretel by Anthony Browne
- The remarkable secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen by Deborah Abela
- The twin giants by Dick King-Smith
- Akimbo and the baboons by Alexander McCall Smith
- The game by Diana Wynne Jones
- The accidental sorcerer by K.E. Mills
- The winds of heaven by Judith Clarke
- Solitaire by Bernard Ashley
- Canyon by Christopher J. Holcroft
- Cross my heart and hope to spy by Ally Carter
- The Floods - Better homes and gardens by Colin Thompson.
- Stop Watch the land of Kur by Sally Morgan, Ambelin, Blaze and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
- Zelah Green, Queen of clean by Vanessa Curtis
- The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech
- Miki Falls: Summer by Mark Crilley
- Daisy Dawson and the big freeze by Steve Voake
- Evernight by Claudia Gray
- Alive in the death zone by Lincoln Hall
- Auslander by Paul Dowswell
- Crime time: Australians behaving badly by Sue Bursztynski
- The composer is dead by Lemony Snicket
- Cicada Summer by Kate Constable
- The Donkey who carried the wounded by Jackie French
- Ever by Gail Carson Levine
- Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland
- The best cow in show by Andy Cutbill and Russell Ayto
- Torn pages by Sally Grindley
- When the Hipchicks went to War by Pamela Rushby
- Chalice by Robin McKinley.
- The 10pm question by Kate De Goldi
- Dream land by Lily Hyde
- A world away by Pauline Francis
- Break of day by Tony Palmer. Read by David Tredinnick
- The Paris enigma by Pablo De Santis (translated from Spanish by Mara Lethem)
- Into the dark by Peter Abrahams
- Shrapnel by Robert Swindells
- Granny by Anthony Horowitz
- How to drink from a frog and other things you need to know about food by Michael Cox
- Love without hope by Rodney Hall. Read by Rodney Hall
- Before wings by Beth Goobie
- The boy from Bowral: the story of Sir Donald Bradman by Robert Ingpen
- Maralinga by Christobel Mattingley
- The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow by A. J. McKinnon
- Ape by Martin Jenkins and Vicky White
- Atomic Testing : Woomera 1953 by Alan Tucker
- Salt by Maurice Gee
- Waterslain angels by Kevin Crossley-Holland
- Jackdaw Summer by David Almond
- The Spell of Rosette by Kim Falconer
- Don't ask by Hilary Freeman
- The rugmaker of Mazar-E-Sharif by Najaf Mazari and Robert Hillman
- Sky village by Monk and Nigel Ashland
- Indian Summer by Patrima Mitchell
- The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
- The thing about Georgie by Lisa Graff
- The incredibly boring monotonous family by Phillip Barry
- Miki Falls: Spring by Mark Crilley
- Off to war: Soldiers' children speak by Deborah Ellis
- Frozen in time by Ali Sparkes
- A small free kiss in the dark by Glenda Millard
- Kaspar, prince of cats by Michael Morpurgo
- Willy the dreamer by Anthony Browne
- Whale Pot Bay by Des Hunt
- Angel Boy by Bernard Ashley
- Screw loose by Chris Wheat
- Snake and lizard by Joy Cowley and Gavin Bishop
- How to ditch your fairy by Justine Larbalestier
- Mahtab's story by Libby Gleeson
- The Toymaker by Jeremy de Quidt
- Love you two by Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli
- This morning I met a whale by Michael Morpurgo
- Cowboy baby by Sue Heap
- Cruisin' by Brian Caswell
- Bookmark days by Scot Gardner
- Hangman by Julia Jarman
- The big big book of Gibblewort the Goblin by Victor Kelleher
- Mahtab's Story by Libby Gleeson
- Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear by Andy Stanton
- My dog may be a genius by Jack Prelutsky
- City of ashes by Cassandra Clare
- I love my new toy by Mo Willems
- Easy library displays to promote reading by Fran Knight and Pat Pledger
- Ostrich boys by Keith Gray
- Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls by Lynne Jonell
- The diary of Laura's twin by Kathy Kacer
- Darius Bell and the glitter pool by Odo Hirsch
- The cat who liked rain by Henning Mankell
- A rose for the ANZAC boys by Jackie French
- Dream Land: One girl's struggle to find her true home by Lily Hyde
- Hunting elephants by James Roy
- Teen, Inc. by Stefan Petrucha
- Lost Riders by Elizabeth Laird
- Owl Ninja: Samurai Kids by Sandy Fussell
- Von Gobstopper's Arcade by Alexandra Adornetto
- Then by Morris Gleitzman
- 3 Willows: a new sisterhood grows by Ann Brashares
- Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy
- Girl next door by Alyssa Brugman
- Wombat and fox thrillseekers by Terry Denton
- Way of the Wolf by Bear Grylls
- The sniper by James Riordan
- Broken Glass by Adrian Stirling
- Belmont and the dragon by Mike Zarb and Robin Gold
- Purple snow by Eric Lobbecke
- Roland Wright : brand new page by Tony Davis
- Strays by Ron Koertge
- The Mozart question by Michael Morpurgo
- Amazons! Women warriors of the world by Sally Pomme Clayton and Sophie Herxheimer
- Home and Away by John Marsden and Matt Ottley
- Superior Saturday by Garth Nix
- Can you keep a secret? Timeless rhymes to share and treasure
- Graceling by Kristin Cashore
- The magician of Hoad by Margaret Mahy
- After the Flood by L. S. Matthews
- The tall man by Chloe Hooper
- Nation by Terry Pratchett
- Shifty by Lynn E. Hazen
- There are cats in this book by Viviane Schwarz
- Roland Wright at the joust by Tony Davis
- Black ships before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff
- Dandylion by Lizzie Finlay
- Say hello by Jack and Michael Foreman
- The Game Players of Titan by P.K. Dick
- The volcano book by Dr Gill Jolly
- One beetle too many by Kathryn Laskey and Matthew Trueman
- Lord of the animals by Fiona French
- Stories from the billabong by James Vance Marshall and Francis Firebrace
- Garibaldi's biscuits by Ralph Steadman
- Paper towns by John Green
- Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Tender morsels by Margo Lanagan
- Victor's quest by Pamela Freeman and Kim Gamble
- If I were you by Richard Hamilton
- 30 Australian sports legends by Loretta Bernard and Gregory Rogers
- The curious case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Tales of terror from the Black Ship by Chris Priestley
- The boy who could fly by Laura Ruby
- Cookie by Jacqueline Wilson
- Sleep tight, my honey by Lisa Shanahan
- Heir to Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
- The wanderings of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliff
- Nyuntu Ninti (What you should know) by Bob Randall and Melanie Hogan
- Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd
- High crime in Milk Bay by Moya Simons
- Tamburlaine's elephants by Geraldine McCaughrean
- Fred the croc by Matt Zurbo and Sarah Dunk
- A brief history of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
- Somebody's crying by Maureen McCarthy
- Life, interrupted by Damian Kelleher
- Open for business by Moya Simons
- The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
- Murderer's thumb by Beth Montgomery
- Aunt Nancy and the bothersome visitors by Phyllis Root
2008 December - The story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
- The dust devils by Sean Williams
- Roadworks by Sally Sutton
- Guyaholic by Carolyn Mackler
- Ratwhiskers and me by Lorraine Marwood
- The graveyard book by Neil Gaiman Ill. by Chris Riddell.
- Little brother by Cory Doctorow
- Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
- What was lost by Catherine O'Flynn
- Moonshadow: Eye of the beast by Simon Higgins
November - Rapunzel's revenge by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
- I'd tell you I love you but then I'd have to kill you by Ally Carter
- The resistance by Gemma Malley
- The trouble with dogs by Bob Graham
- Ghostscape by Joe Layburn
- What's that noise, Mr Croc? by Jo Lodge
- The minister for traffic lights by Tony Wilson and Andrew McLean
- The fatal fire by Terry Deary
- Nocturne by Diane Armstrong
- If you're reading this, it's too late by Pseudonymous Bosch
- The boy in the dress by David Walliams
- The boy in the dress by David Walliams
- Coraline by Neil Gaiman
- The way of the warrior by Chris Bradford
- The sweet life by Rebecca Lim
- Necropolis by Anthony Horowitz
- My candlelight novel by Joanne Horniman
- The First Escape by G. P. Taylor
- Double Cross by Malorie Blackman
- The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
- Twisted Tales - Six fairy tales turned inside out by Richard Tulloch Ill: Terry Denton.
- The secret of Spirits Bay by Stephen Barker
- Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson
- Word of honour by Michael Pryor
- The Servants by M.M. Smith
- Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
- Mac Slater, Cool Hunter by Tristan Bancks
- Roland Harvey's big book of Christmas by Roland Harvey
- Peka-Boo the smallest bird in all the world by Eliza Feely
- The detachable boy by Scot Gardner
- Audrey goes to town by Christine Harris
- Sprite Downberry by Nette Hilton
- Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks
- The gift of the Magi by O. Henry
- Death diamond by Dan Jerris
- Big and me by David Miller
- The Trap by Sarah Wray
- Blackthorn by Elizabeth Pulford
- A good arriving by David McRobbie
- War's end by Victoria Bowen
- Cinderella by Max Eilenberg
- Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
- Hamlet by John Marsden
- The pop up dinosaurs galore by Giles Andrease and David Wojtowycz.
- The View from Connor's Hill by Barry Heard
- How to heal a broken wing by Bob Graham
- The General by Robert Muchamore
- Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
- Does a sea cow say moo? by Terry Webb Harshman
- The declaration by Gemma Malley
- Naomi and Ely's no kiss list by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
- Little ballet star by Adele Geras and Shelagh McNicholas
- The sleepwalker by Robert Muchamore
- Murderer's thumb by Beth Montgomery
- Perry Angel's suitcase by Glenda Millard
- The red leather diary by Lily Koppel
- George's secret key to the universe by Lucy and Stephen Hawkin
- Ratwhiskers and me by Lorraine Marwood
- Crash by J.A Henderson
- Cat on the island by Gary Crew and Gillian Warden
- Evening is the whole day by Preeta Samarasan
- Saltwater moons by Julie Gittus
- The twisted citadel by Sara Douglas
- Bunker 10 by J A Henderson
- Give me truth by Bill Condon
- Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
- Spirit of hope by Bob Graham
- Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
- One beastly beast by Garth Nix
- Issues of our time edited by Helen Sykes
- The world's bellybutton by Tanya Landman
- By Royal Command by Charlie Higson
- Boobela, Worm and the potion power by Joe Friedman
- Ironbark by Barry Jonsberg
- The pencil by Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman
- I'm still awake, still! by Elizabeth Honey and Sue Johnson
- Black Water by David Metzenthen
- Dreaming again ed. by Jack Dann
- Lu-Lu's wish by Matt Zurbo and Ben De Quadros-Wander
- Blue Skies & Gunfire by K. M. Peyton
- Bloodline by Katy Moran
- The wish pony by Catherine Bateson
- Stravaganza: City of secrets by Mary Hoffman
- Gang-o-kids by Hazel Edwards
- The night we made the flag : A Eureka story by Carole Wilkinson
- Captain Congo and the Crocodile King by Ruth Starke and Greg Holfeld
- Lightning Strikes Series
- The highest tide by Jim Lynch
- The cow that laid an egg by Andy Cutbill and Russell Ayto
- Under the Same Stars by Suzanne Fisher Staples
- Crossing the line by Dianne Bates
- Triskellion by Will Peterson
- The (not quite) perfect boyfriend by Lili Wilkinson
- True Green Kids by Jim McKay and Jenny Bonnin
- The savage by David Almond
- Marty's shadow by John Heffernan
- Swordbird by Nancy Yi Fan
- Nighttrap by Tom Becker
- Gideon the Cutpurse by Linda Buckley-Archer
- Daddies by Catriona Hoy and Mal Webster
- Sovay by Celia Rees
- Knife of never letting go by Patrick Ness
- Finding Violet Park by Jenny Valentine
- Special Kev by Chris McKimmie
- Angel Boy by Bernard Ashley
- The tomb of treasure: An awful Egyptian adventure by Terry Deary
- Abela : the girl who saw lions by Berlie Doherty
- The Buddha's Diamonds by Carolyn Marsden and Thay Phap Niem
- Missing girl by Norma Fox Mazer
- Extraordinary Ernie and Marvellous Maude by Frances Watts
- Message in a bottle by Valerie Zenatti
- Crusher is coming by Bob Graham
- Finding Darcy by Sue Lawson
- Noodle Pie by Ruth Starke
- The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
- The beginner's guide to bears by Gillian Shields and Sebastien Braun
- The Two Pearls of Wisdom by Alison Goodman
- Orphans of the Queen by Ruth Starke
- Traitor! by John Pilkington
- Gifted by Nikita Lalwani
- Screw Loose by Chris Wheat
- The H-Bomb Girl by Stephen Baxter
- Revolution is not a dinner party by Ying Chang Compestine
- Two by two and a half by David Melling
- The Stone Crown by Malcolm Walker
- Destroying Avalon by Kate McCaffrey
- Kisses are yuk by Julia Jarman
- Pix and me by Carolyn Ching
- Screwed by Joanna Kenrick
- The falconer's knot by Mary Hoffman
- The naked penguin by Kym Lardner
- The Black Dog Gang by Robert Newton
- Possessing Rayne by Kate Cann
- Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley
- The Iron Throne by Ben Julien
- Little Beauty by Anthony Browne
- The Dream-Maker's Magic by Sharon Shinn
- Love-Struck by Rachael Wing
- The ice-cream man by Jenny Mounfield
- The changeling by Sean Williams
- The Awakening by Bevan McGuiness
- My Story: Road to War by Valerie Wilding
- Perky little penguins by Tony Mitton and Guy Parker-Rees
- The equen queen by Alyssa Brugman
- The spell of undoing by Paul Collins
- Midsummer Knight by Gregory Rogers
- Indij Readers for little fellas, for big fellas
- Minnie Pearl and the Undersea Bazaar by Natalie Jane Prior and Cheryl Orsini
- The Seventeen Secrets of the Karma Club by Karen McCombie
- The Other Book by Philip Womack
- Tales from outer suburbia by Shaun Tan
- Rain by Kate Le Vann
- The pony game by Robyn Opie
- Are we there yet? by David Levithan
- The Floods: the great outdoors by Colin Thompson
- Only the brave dare by Christopher Holcroft
- Captain Clawbeak and the ghostly galleon by Anne Morgan
- Nim at Sea by Wendy Orr
- Genesis by Bernard Beckett
- The last elf by Silvana de Mari
- Mr Pavlov's possum by Vashti Farrer
- Cinnamon Girl: Looking for a Hero by Cathy Hopkins
- The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman
- Danny Allen was here by Phil Cummings
- China Land of Dragons and Emperors by Adeline Yen Mah
- The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
- Danny DaVinci: the flying machine of Lombardy by Bruce Whatley and Rosie Smith
- Whose eggs? by Jeanette Rowe
- Jimmy Coates: Sabotage by Joe Craig
- Media Savvy by Jim Schembri
- Paraphernalia's present by Diana Lawrenson
- Trust me! edited by Paul Collins
- Jungle by Maurice Pledger
- Pip: the story of Olive by Kim Kane
- Take it Easy, Danny Allen by Phil Cummings
- Scribble sunset by Ann Shenfield
- Genius squad by Catherine Jinks
- My life and other catastrophes by Rowena Mohr
- Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb by Kirsten Miller
- The uncommon reader by Alan Bennett
- I do it by Andrew Daddo and Jonathan Bentley
- Georgiana by Libby Hathorn
- Love Divided by Vanessa St Clair
- I am Rembrandt's daughter by Lynn Cullen
- M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman
- Mia's Story by Michael Foreman
- The pumpkin eater from Pondicherry by Bruce Atherton and Ben Redlich
- The ghost's child by Sonya Hartnett
- Anila's journey by Mary Finn
- The Night Garden by Elise Hurst
- Broken Glass by Sally Grindley
- The OK Team by Nick Place
- Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks
- A pact of wolves by Nina Blazon
- The town mouse and the Spartan house by Terry Deary
- Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine
- Tomorrow all will be beautiful by Bridget Lowry
- The navigator by Eoin McNamee
- Scared to death by Alan Gibbons
- The Gulps by Rosemary Wells
- Woodenface by Gus Grenfell
- Allira's gift by Paul Collins and Danny Willis
- Dusk by Kenneth Oppel
- Miss McAllister's Ghost by Elizabeth Fensham
- The Black Dog Gang by Robert Newton
- Juicy Writing by Brigid Lowry
- Camp Creepy time by Gina Gershon and Dann Gershon
- Best mate by Michael Morpurgo
- Seams of gold by Christopher Cheng
- Diego's pride by Deborah Ellis
- True Blue? On being Australian by Peter Goldsworthy
- Sunny side up by Marion Roberts
- Ana's story, a journey of hope by Jenna Bush
- Game as Ned by Tim Pegler
- Antarctic close-up by Hazel Edwards
- Chelonia Green, champion of turtles by Christobel Mattingly
- Monster-Blood Tattoo: Book 1: Foundling by D.M. Cornish
- Volcano by June Colbert
- Wibbly Pig's silly big bear by Mick Inkpen
- Peak by Roland Smith
- The night of the burning by Linda Press Wulf
- Our little secret by Allayne Webster
- Ruby roars by Margaret Wild and Kerry Argent
- Uncle Montague's tales of terror by Chris Priestley
- In the city by Roland Harvey
- The Indigo girls by Penni Russon
- Amelia Dee and the Peacock Lamp by Odo Hirsch
- Ghost dogs by Susan Gates
- Noodle Pie by Ruth Starke
- Chicken Dance by Jacques Couvillon
- Love like water by Meme McDonald
- A penny to remember by Kirsty Murray
- Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo
- The day I was history by Jackie French
- Teacher's dead by Benjamin Zephaniah
- Apache by Tanya Landman
- At the house of the magician by Mary Hooper
- Memoirs of a teenage amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
- The declaration by Gemma Malley
- Paddy the wanderer: the true story of the dog who captured the heart of a city by Dianne Haworth
- Old Tom's big book of beauty by Leigh Hobbs
- Dragonskin Slippers by Jessica Day George
- Cross-currents by Janeen Brian
2007 November
- The rage of sheep by Michelle Cooper
- How absurd by Beck Wheeler.
- It’s true, Pirates ate rats by Heather Catchpole and Vanessa Woods
- The year of the dog by Grace Lin
- The girl’s like spaghetti by Lynne Truss
- Cedar, seals and whaling ships by John Nicholson
- Blood brothers by Peter Corris
- Giddy the great by Jamie Rix and Lynne Chapman
- Red rage by Brigitte Blobel
- The last muster by Leonie Norrington
- Sold by Patricia McCormick
- Larklight by Philip Reeve. Illustrated by David Wyatt
- Opal dream by Ben Rice
- Terrier, (Beka Cooper, book one. A Tortall Legend) by Tamora Pierce
- Everyman's rules for scientific living by Carrie Tiffany
- One whole and perfect day by Judith Clarke
- Voices by Ursula Le Guin
- Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
- Lost Property by James Moloney
- xxxHolic by Clamp
- Cold skin by Steven Herrick
- The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
- Stride's summer by Jenni Overend
- The island by Armin Greder
- The Truth About Emma by Gary Crew
- Relax Max by Sally Grindley
- To the boy in Berlin by Elizabeth Honey and Heike Brandt
- Pool by Justin D'Ath
- The bear in the cave by Michael Rosen and Adrian Reynolds
- Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White
- Crime Seen by Jenny Pausacker
- Right book right time: 500 great reads for teenagers by Agnes Nieuwenhuizen
- Digger J Jones by Richard J Frankland
- Pirates drive buses by Christopher Morgan and Neil Curtis
- The Charioteer of Delphi by Caroline Lawrence (The Roman Mysteries)
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