AustLit

'Hero doesn't feel like a hero, but sometimes she feels as if the universe is asking her to be one.

'When Aria, a mysterious boy who never EVER speaks, starts at school and is picked on by His Royal Thug-ness Doofus (Rufus), Hero and her bestie Jaz feel compelled to help. But they're far too chicken to actually do anything heroic, so they befriend Aria and try to uncover the truth about him.

'What happened to his voice?

'Where did he come from?

'What are those three dents on his middle finger?

This is the story of a 12-year-old refugee who's trying to establish a new life in Australia, grapple with his past and, most importantly, find his voice.

'Cos, boy, does he have a story to tell.  (Publication summary)

'Bernie mutters to me. ‘No way. Who’d go into the mangroves at night?’
I swallow. Not me. Not into Sebastian land. No one would head into crocodile heartland in the middle of a dark night. No one, unless they had a very good reason.

'Andy and his best friend Eli live in a small coastal town in far north Queensland.
When Eli’s cousin Jacob is arrested for a jewellery theft, Andy and Eli both know he is innocent.

'The police have evidence. But something is not right, and Andy and Eli need to work out what, and fast or Jacob will end up in jail.

'So, with the help of twins Bernice and Fletcher (AKA Bernie and Fletch) and Andy’s trusty sausage dog, Washington, they set out to hunt for clues to what really happened. The trail points to a mysterious red-bottomed boat rumoured to be hidden deep in the mangroves.

'Does it hold the evidence they need to prove Jacob’s innocence?

'Can they find it without getting lost forever?

'And how will they outwit Sebastian, the legendary gigantic saltwater crocodile?

'Charlie Archbold’s action-packed new middle-grade adventure is a fun story of sleuthing, courageous deeds, the triumph of good over evil – and the power of friendship.' (Publication summary)

'One girl. One dream. A few hurdles.

'Ten-year-old Vivian is determined to win a medal at the Olympic Games one day. Problem is, she hasn't found a sport she's any good at yet. But everyone says if you work hard enough you can achieve anything, right? So when Vivian discovers she has a talent for cross country running, finally, her Olympic dream might actually come true.

'But then a family illness is uncovered and all of Vivian's plans begin to unravel. Can she keep her dream alive? Or will she be stopped in her tracks?

'A funny, heartfelt novel about resilience, acceptance and dreaming big.' 

(Publication summary)

'Curious, pin-bright Oona Britt dreams of setting sail with her ship’s captain father for a life of excitement on the wild waves. She has read stories of a magical creature—the Nardoo—who swims through the stars at night, and stows away on whaling boat the Plucky Leopard for an adventure full of myths and marvel among the ice-caps.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The last time William Shakespeare and Virginia went missing Cassie found them sitting on a coiled hose behind the fire station, and Dad called her ‘Cassie Andersen, Peacock Detective’. So this time she knows what to do—she’ll look for clues and track them down. But the clues lead her in an unexpected direction and Cassie finds herself investigating a confusing mystery about her family. The Peacock Detectives is a warm and engaging story for middlegrade readers about dealing with change and finding out who you are.' (Publication summary)