AustLit

'A warm and wonderful adventure with a touch of fantasy. Honey and her family seek the quiet comfort of a magical valley so they can escape the troubles of the wide world. A beautifully restorative novel from the award-winning author of the bestselling Nim's Island stories.

'In the mountains there was a valley, and in the valley were the horses.

'When Honey was four and her brother Rumi was a tiny baby, her family loaded up their converted ice-cream-van-camper and drove away from all they knew, as an illness swept the sad wide world. High in the mountains, they crossed a bridge to follow a mysterious herd of enchanted horses into a sheltered valley. The bridge and the track disappeared behind them - and now they are trapped in paradise.

'In the valley of horses, Honey's family becomes self-sufficient, fishing, growing vegetables and using solar power. But no messages from the outside world are ever received. When her father falls desperately ill, Honey is sure there must still be people in the big wide world who can help. She is determined to draw on her resourcefulness, self-belief and courage, but will this be enough to find a way out of the valley?'

'A rich and enchanting adventure full of wonder, resilience and hope.' (Publication summary) 

'When Clio’s town in Bronze Age Crete is threatened by seafaring raiders, she faces the greatest sacrifice of all. Can Clio, her herd of horses and a new young friend find a way to change their destinies?

'When a raiders’ ship appears off the coast, the goddess demands a higher price than ever before to save the town – and Clio’s grandmother creates a sacred statue to save Clio’s life.

'But Clio is torn between the demands of guarding the statue and caring for her beloved horses. Disabled in an accident, she must try to put aside her own grief at no longer being able to ride – and in the process, save a friend’s life and stop a war.

'Rippling with emotion and drama, war and resistance, fear and determination, this novel is a brilliant companion to the highly acclaimed Dragonfly Song and Swallow’s Dance, and another thrilling adventure and survival story from the multi-award-winning author of Nim’s Island, Wendy Orr.' (Publication summary)

'The original virtual reality, reading is still probably the best way to live more than one life; to travel to worlds and places that we'll never physically visit, and to spend time in the skin of a person other than ourselves. Even if we wouldn't want to encounter some of those worlds and people in real life, we can love being transported there in a book.' (Introduction)

'All three Nim novels - Nim's Island, Nim at Sea and Rescue on Nim's Island - collected in one edition to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the original publication of Nim's Island.

'In a palm tree, on an island, in the middle of the wide blue sea, was a girl.
Nim's hair was wild, her eyes were bright, and around her neck she wore three cords. One was for a spyglass, one for a whorly, whistling shell, and one for a fat red pocketknife in a sheath.

'Nim lives on an island in the middle of the wide blue sea, with her father, Jack, as well as a marine iguana called Fred, a sea lion called Selkie, a turtle called Chica and a satellite dish for her email. No one else lives quite like Nim, and she wouldn't swap places with anyone.' (Publication summary)

'I wonder if the first day of Learning is always like this - do the girls on the hill always feel the ground tremble under their feet?

'Leira is about to start her initiation as a priestess when her world is turned upside down. A violent earthquake leaves her home - and her family - in pieces. And the goddess hasn't finished with the island yet.

'With her family, Leira flees across the sea to Crete, expecting sanctuary. But a volcanic eruption throws the entire world into darkness. After the resulting tsunami, society descends into chaos; the status and privilege of being noble-born reduced to nothing. With her injured mother and elderly nurse, Leira has only the strength and resourcefulness within herself to find safety.

'A thrilling Bronze Age survival story from the acclaimed author of Dragonfly Song.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'Abandoned by the priestess of the island at birth, Aissa is an outcast, surviving by her wits - until she joins the acrobatic bull dancers who are sent away to compete on the island of the Bull King. A gripping and powerful adventure by acclaimed author Wendy Orr.

'There are two ways of looking at Aissa's story. She's the miracle girl who escaped the raiders. Or she's the cursed child who called the Bull King's ship to the island.

'The firstborn daughter of a priestess is cast out as a baby, and after raiders kill her adopted family, she is abandoned at the gates of the Great Hall, anonymous and mute. Called No-Name, the cursed child, she is raised a slave, and not until she is twelve does she learn her name is Aissa: the dragonfly.

'Now every year the Bull King takes a tribute from the island: two thirteen-year-old children to brave the bloody bull dances in his royal court. None have ever returned - but for Aissa it is the only escape.

'Aissa is resilient, resourceful, and fast - but to survive the bull ring, she will have to learn the mystery of her true nature.

'A riveting, mythic Bronze Age adventure from award-winning author Wendy Orr.' (Publication summary)

'Nim lives on an island with her father, Jack, a marine iguana called Fred, a sea lion called Selkie, and their friend Alex Rover, the adventure writer. Nim's island is the most beautiful place in the world, and she wouldn't swap live anywhere else.

'When Jack invites a group of scientists to visit, they bring their children as well. But two of the scientists have plans other than studying algae... By the time Nim discovers what they really want, and what they will do to get it, the children are in grave danger. And so is the island! Nim must choose between saving a natural treasure and saving someone's life.' (Publication summary)

What would you do if you lost a pet? Where would you go if you found one? At the Rainbow Street Shelter a cockatoo will greet you and a little round dog will make you welcome. Meet Bear the border collie, Buster the marmalade cat, and Bessy the goat, as well as rabbits and guinea pigs and mice. There's even a pony called Pebbles, and the children who become the animals' friends. But where does a lion cub fit in?

Contents: 'Lost Dog Bear'; 'Nelly and the Dream Guinea Pig'; 'Mona and the Lion Cub'; 'Buster the Hero Cat'; 'Stolen! A Pony Called Pebbles'; 'Bella the Bored Beagle'.

'A gripping wilderness-adventure by the author of Nim's Island. Raven's sister and step-father are trapped under rocks on the mountain top, and their lives depend on Raven making it down the mountain to get help. But can she find the way?

'Raven is first to reach the mountain top. Her sister and step-dad are still climbing the trail below. She is alone on top of the world. So she dances - a crazy, jumping, spinning dance. because if you can climb a mountain you can do anything! But then there is a rumble and the earth shakes. Rocks are falling, and so is Raven, in a terrible tumble down the side of the mountain. When she comes to, no one answers her calls. The rockfall is covering the trail where she last saw Lily and Scott. Wendy Orr tells the dramatic story of a girl who goes beyond her limits to save her family - and on the way, discovers a mysterious bond with a family of bears and a raven.' (Publication summary)

'Mokie and Bik live on a boat called Bullfrog. Now that their father has come home from the illy-ally-o, the twins are ready to take Bullfrog out to sea. First, though, they need to shipshape!

'Soon Mokie and Bik are saving a runaway boat, making friends with a scaredy-seal, and keeping track of a Waggles with A Lot to Learn. Life with the twins is always a rollicky frolicking adventure!' (Publication summary)