AustLit

The site enables access to Allen & Unwin's current publications (searchable by genre) and provides information on authors via photographs and profiles. Due to its role as promotor of the The Australian/Vogel Literary Award (and publisher of the winning entry), the Allen & Unwin site gives details of the history of the award and guidelines for submission of entries. The site also provides targeted resources for students, teachers and reading groups.

'A wonderful coming-of-age queer romance from the multi award-winning author of The Boy from the Mish. Jonah is the new kid in a country town. When he joins the local footy team to be closer to his crush, Harley, it feels like a fresh start – but he still has to navigate new friendships, an unresolved past, and the same body image issues he's always had.

'Footsteps approach behind me. I turn and see an Aboriginal boy arriving at the doorway. He's tall, taller than me. He's got curly hair. His body is fit. His chest is chiselled and bare and he's wearing only football shorts.

'When 17-year-old Jonah arrives in a new town – Patience – with his dad and younger brothers, it feels like a foreign place. A new town means he needs to make new friends - which isn't always easy. Especially when he's wrestling with his body image, and his memories of his mother.

'When he joins the local footy team so he can spend more time with his new crush, Harley, he feels like he's moving closer to something good. But even though he knows what he wants, it doesn't mean he's ready.

'Emotionally compelling, honest and featuring warm and authentically vulnerable characters, I'm Not Really Here is a beautiful novel from an internationally acclaimed bestselling Indigenous author about navigating family and friendships, and finding a way through grief towards love.' (Publication summary)

'Do you want to talk about a fictional murder in a book or do you want to talk about the actual murder that happened under our roof?'

'Ruth is less than thrilled to be spending the weekend at the family farm visiting the ancient GG, her coolly distant step-grandmother. With no internet or phone coverage, she occupies herself by re-reading old Agatha Christie novels, eavesdropping on the adults and definitely not daydreaming about her sort-of-cousin Dylan.

'But when GG dies under suspicious circumstances, Ruth's dull weekend turns into an enforced-family-holiday-slash-possible-murder-investigation – and she's not about to let the police get in the way of her chance to solve a real-life murder mystery. With Dylan as the Watson to her Holmes, Ruth soon discovers that plenty of people had reasons to be rid of GG, and her list of suspects grows to comprise everyone in the house, including, in the interests of fairness, herself.

'The thing about family holidays is that you've got to be prepared for fights.' (Publication summary)

'An epic Tail of Adventure! Can one gallant mouse find the Heartstone and save her homeland from destruction?

'When the sky fills with shadows
And all is turned to grey
Bravepaw will come

'When hope turns to ashes
And all have lost their way
Bravepaw will come

'The heart will light the dark
Night will turn to day
When Bravepaw comes

'Brought up on tales of the gallant mouse hero Bravepaw, Titch has always dreamed of adventure, but she never thought it would actually happen to her. Afterall, she is nobody special. She is the smallest mouse in her family, living in a peaceful little village where nothing exciting ever happens.

'When dire trouble comes to the Plateau, Titch and her best-friend Huckleberry must set out on a dangerous quest to take the Heartstone to the heart of Alluria, and repair the crack in the sky before the whole world breaks apart. Can Titch ever hope to live up to the legend of Bravepaw?

'A fully illustrated and brilliantly readable adventure full of magic and prophecy, quests, heroism and loyal friendship - the world of Bravepaw will hook young readers until the very last page. This is the stuff of legend.' (Publication summary)

'Ethel the Penguin's in my class
But she doesn't sit next to me
Miss Ink likes Ethel to sit by herself
She can be a bit lawless you see

'Everyone needs a best friend like Ethel. She's not afraid of teachers. She's not afraid of heights. In fact, she's totally WILD!

'An exuberant story about the vicarious joy of an unruly friend.' (Publication summary)

'After surviving a brutal attack, Auckland cop DS Honey Chalmers has returned to her hometown to care for her mother. The remote coastal settlement of Waitutū holds complicated memories for Honey, not least the tragic suicide of her younger sister, Scarlett.

'Honey is hardest on herself. She let herself get too close to a gang informant. She got sloppy. The Reapers are a 501 gang of Aussie imports, ruthless and organised, and she's pretty sure the informant, mother-of-three Kloe Kovich, paid the price. But when a couple of gang enforcers turn up in Waitutū, Honey realises they are hoping she will lead them to Kloe. But if Kloe is still alive, can Honey save her this time around?

'When Honey catches up with her oldest friend, Marshall, her feelings are complicated. As teenagers they were inseparable, but Marshall was the last person to see Scarlett alive, and there are rumours they were sleeping together, that he broke her heart. Honey fears Marshall is not who she wants him to be. Eventually she learns the awful truth about the events that led her sister to take her own life.

'When Kloe arrives in town, Honey and Marshall must work together to try and keep the hapless Kloe out of the hands of those who want her – and Honey – silenced.

'Gripping and suspenseful, with a killer ending, The Call propels the reader into the world of a terrifying new kind of gang – and introduces a major new talent in crime writing.' (Publication summary)

'When student doctor Taylor Lawrence's city life is turned upside down, she seeks sanctuary on her grandparents' farm in the South Australian countryside.

'During the lonely nights, she fantasises of a time long-gone; of Anna, who, rising at dawn to milk the cows and fetch water from the well, is caught in a bushfire that threatens to leave her reputation as blackened as the surrounding bushland. And of Anna's rescuer, fellow settler, Luke Hartmann.

'Reality blurs as Taylor repeatedly escapes into Anna's world, and she realises she must discover whether her dreams are pure fantasy—or if they recount a story more familiar than she could ever imagine.

'Either way, it seems she'll end up with a broken mind or a broken heart. The problem is, Taylor is no longer sure which she would prefer.' (Publication summary)

'The first-ever in-depth biography of iconoclastic Sydney punk band Radio Birdman – drawn from more than 130 interviews with the band members, their closest associates and fans.

'Regarded as one of the earliest punk bands of the seventies – before the world had heard of the Sex Pistols or The Saints – Radio Birdman were feared and loathed by many, but adored by fiercely loyal fans.

'Tales of Radio Birdman will be handed down through generations. Singer Rob Younger drinking from a human skull filled with sheep brains; fans unknowingly breaking limbs while dancing wildly at gigs; fighting venue bouncers with microphone stands, and having publicans cut the power in a desperate bid to halt their force-of-nature-like performances.

While Birdman split after a disastrous UK and European tour in 1978, hunger for a reunion grew by the day, and their eventual regrouping was met with wild acclaim. In a series of electrifying shows at the 1996 Big Day Out, they overshadowed the likes of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Rage Against the Machine and The Prodigy. Birdman continued to play sell-out gigs to devoted crowds both in Australia and across the globe. In 2007, the group were inducted into the ARIA Australian Music Hall of Fame.

'The Radio Birdman story is one of inspiration, confrontation and commitment, as well as the creation of a subculture that continues to this day. However, their story has never been told – in depth – until now.' (Publication summary)

'After I swim, I watch an osprey hanging in mid-air. It looks like pure pleasure, suspended, its wings barely beating. If those who came before really do dissolve and dissipate, and if their cells really are all around us, then that bird is held there by Mum and Peter and my grandmother Molly and Ning and Grandpa and billions of others of the long-dead. The osprey, on its updraft, is kept aloft by absences. Perhaps I am too.

'When her husband of nearly thirty years doesn't answer his phone, Ailsa Piper knows something is wrong. She calls their neighbour to ask him to check. Minutes later, he rings back. 'Oh, Ailsa. I'm so sorry,' he says. Five words to change a life...

'Wanting to flee her shattered world in Melbourne, Ailsa migrates north. She rejects all advice, trusting a Sydney real estate agent to find her a nest - and he does, in a sunlight-filled haven. Soon, the harbour works its way into her days. She learns to swim. She walks, up to the lighthouse and along sandstone cliffs, meeting the locals: winter swimmers, shoreline philosophers, and others, like her, hiding sorrow in plain sight.

'But we never leave our pasts behind. Ailsa is drawn back to the south, and even farther back, to the aqua waters of the west. Home, it would seem, is not just one place ...

'For Life is a testament to the healing power of the natural world, a celebration of renewal and wonder, and an unflinching look at grief. It calls us to bear witness to death, and perhaps even embrace it as part of life's raucous cacophony. Above all, For Life is a beacon of hope.' (Publication summary)

'When she breaks an unspoken family code not to dig too deep into the past, Andra is plunged into the bleak world of the Soviet and Nazi occupations of Latvia in World War II, and secret lives of her grandmothers.

'As children, we'd sneak into Grandma's bedroom on secret missions. Her cupboard was filled with old fur coats, strange woven folk costumes and small mountains of glowing amber. We were half-scared, made breathless by our discoveries, but knew we hadn't seen it all, hadn't understood what was really hidden there.

'When she breaks an unspoken family code not to dig too deeply into the past, Andra is plunged into the bleak world of the Soviet and Nazi occupations of Latvia in World War II, and secret lives of her grandmothers.

'Teenage Aline is separated from her parents and sent to serve in Germany's war-time labour force. With the much-feared Soviet army on the doorstep, pregnant Milda embarks on a desperate winter escape with her young son. They face heart-wrenching decisions and endure years of hardship before finally voyaging to Australia. Among the tight-knit Latvian migrant community, Aline and Milda forge new lives. But even there, reminders of wartime scandal and grief threaten to drag them under.' (Publication summary)

'What if you’re scared you committed a crime but can’t remember? From the bestselling author of Six Minutes and The Liars comes an unputdownable thriller about the secrets we keep from each other – and ourselves.

'‘Petronella McGovern consistently delivers smart, twisty page-turners guaranteed to keep her readers coming back for more.’ – Liane Moriarty

'Family. It means everything to Sheridan. Her brother Lachy is finally home in Australia and she’s excited about Easter with both of their families. But when a traumatic incident tears the families apart, she blames him.

'Lachy knows he’s not coping right now but his sister doesn’t have the full story. And nor does he. There are some gaps in his memory. How is he connected to a DNA request, a missing woman, and a hit and run?

'To untangle the truth, he must decide who he can trust. His friends? His family? Himself?

'A gripping thriller about siblings and secrets, and the traces we can never erase.' (Publication summary)

'Young academic and emerging translator Fay takes her mother on a package tour holiday to France to celebrate her birthday. It's a chance for the two of them to take a break from work and have a little fun, but they both find it hard to relax. Her mother seems reluctant to leave their room in the evening, and Fay is working on a difficult translation. On their last night in France, Fay receives the shattering news that her former lover has suddenly died.

'Back in Sydney, Fay seeks solace from her mentor, Professor Samantha Egan-Smith, who offers her a spot at a prestigious translation conference in Taipei. But can she trust her? Does the Professor know more than she is admitting, or is Fay being paranoid? When a shocking allegation is made, Fay chooses to keep it secret. Is she protecting the Professor or exercising power over her?

'Fay arrives at the conference in Taipei. Career opportunities abound, but it's ghost month in Taiwan. Her mother had begged her not to go at that time, warning that she would be susceptible to dangers and threats. And there is almost nothing a mother won't do to protect her child.

'A wildly inventive, chilling and intoxicating story of betrayal, ambition and love, The Honeyeater confirms that Jessie Tu is one of our most original and exciting writers.' (Publication summary)

'The eleventh instalment of this smash-hit series! Wolf Girl and her loyal pack have found the perfect place to hide – but someone else is hiding there too ...

'From Australia’s bestselling author comes another hackle-raising adventure!

'Gwen and her dogs have made it out of Moon City, but the Braxans are right behind them. In the ruins of an abandoned town, the pack find the perfect spot to lay low: an old shopping centre, full of nooks and crannies to explore. But it soon becomes clear that they aren’t the only ones who know about their new safe haven.

'Will the other residents turn out to be friends, or enemies?' (Publication summary)

'There's been a mix-up at the Museum - some of the displays from the Myths and Legends exhibit have snuck into the Natural History wing.
We have to sort it out, but how can we tell fact from fiction? Animal from apparition? Monster from megafauna?

'Kids will have fun guessing which animals and plants are real and which are fake in this extraordinary exhibition of the strange and wonderful animals and plants that inhabit our world ... and our imaginations. And a brilliant guide to help us know what to look for when tracking down truths.' (Publication summary)

'A cosy picture book about finding warmth and connection in community from the award-winning creative team behind Ella and the Ocean.

'The night was frosty dark but we were snug and cosy in the kitchen. Then SNAP! The lights went out.

'In the dark of night, a neighbourhood becomes a new country to explore, and an ordinary winter evening turns into a family adventure.

'A reassuring story about finding comfort in community from the award-winning creators of Ella and the Ocean.' (Publication summary)

'Magic and sacrifice will collide as lovers and gods, enemies and allies vie for the fate of the world in this heart-pounding sequel to The Isles of the Gods from the New York Times bestselling author of the Illuminae Files and the Aurora Cycle.

'Selly has always loved the sea, so falling for spoiled Prince Leander of Alinor was the last thing on her mind. Yet when the two are thrown together by a foiled assassination attempt, the bond they develop is unmistakeable – and their mission to pay homage to the Goddess Barrica takes on perilous urgency.

'It’s only when an ancient ritual goes terribly wrong that Selly and Leander discover that Barrica has a plan of her own: she wants to be resurrected, and she requires a willing body to host her. Now possessed with a force that threatens to overwhelm him, Leander needs Selly and her fledgling skills as a magician more than ever. But what neither of them could suspect is that the god Mallacea has also been roused from his slumber and is intent on destroying Barrica ... at any cost.

'Leander is determined to banish Barrica and prevent the total devastation war between the two gods would bring, but doing so will mean severing himself from Selly forever.' (Publication summary)

'A witty and poignant final novel from acclaimed author and filmmaker Shirley Barrett about what destroys us, what sustains us, and what we carry from one world into the next.

''Engaging, original and full of curiosity and wit . . . I didn't want it to end.' Asher Keddie

'Bursting with life . . . I was gripped from the first chapter.' Debra Oswald

'A subversive, dark delight.' Kat Stewart
'Barrett is a masterly world-builder.' New York Times

'On a rainy night in 1871, an idealistic schoolmistress arrives on Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour. Mrs Hopkins doesn't know what to expect from the notorious Biloela Industrial School for Girls, but nothing could prepare her for what she encounters inside the high sandstone walls: the conditions are dismal, the rules are largely conceptual, and the girls spend most of their time finding creative ways to outsmart the adults.

'Very quickly, Mrs Hopkins realises that noble intentions won't be enough to plough through the chaos around her. An unconventional school requires unconventional methods, and Mrs Hopkins is going to have to find her own ways to reach her lively, lost charges. But her own ghosts have followed her to Cockatoo Island, and refuse to stay hidden for much longer.

'This witty, surreal and poignant final novel from Shirley Barrett is about what destroys us, what sustains us, and what we carry with us from one world into the next.' (Publication summary)

'A pitch-perfect new rural romance from the bestselling author of Kookaburra Cottage.

''The perfect recipe for a feel-good rural read. Fun, heartfelt and wise, Wallaby Lane is an absolute treat.' - Alissa Callen, bestselling author of Snowy Mountains Dawn

'From interviewing local flower growers to receiving blue ribbons for her show baking, Lauren Bickford's genuine love for her hometown is almost as strong as her ambition to become a radio presenter. But is it enough to outweigh the series of on-air stuff-ups that have plagued her career?

'No stranger to this small winegrowing region in South Australia's Limestone Coast, Jack Crossley is the new cop in town. He's traded his city beat for a slower pace, and as a former local, knows only too well that mischief can lurk around every quiet corner.

'For Jack and Lauren, the course of true love is not running smoothly. Can he restore order in the town before the neighbourhood watch vigilantes take justice into their own hands? Or are Jack's biggest worries much closer to home? Can Lauren's reporting remain impartial as her attraction to Jack grows? Or will her family's advice lead her completely astray?

'Featuring Penwarra's 100th Show, a one-eyed goat and a galah named Gary, Wallaby Lane is a complete delight from one of Australia's favourite rural romance writers.' (Publication summary)

'A powerful and important novel with a crucial and timely feminist message, from the Stella Prize-shortlisted author of Little Gods.

'She tells me to sit down, says that she has something I need to hear and it's that they don't cut hair or set curls. Well they do sometimes, but not always, she says. She takes off her rubber glove and tosses it to the sink. We help them with a problem. We make it go away.

'In a near-future Australia, the world has changed. A small circus caravan travels the countryside performing for dwindling audiences. Matriarch Queenie works outside the law, helped by high-diver Win, nineteen and yearning for love. By night, they gather under the dark sky joined by philosophical clown Valentina, and Girl, who they found at the side of the road. By day, they offer other services: hairdressing for women and a close shave for men. But while women come to them for help, men tend to disappear.

'And in the distance, a reverend and his nun-like companion preach against alcohol, adultery and abortion. Two groups on an ideological collision course in a landscape altered by time and human error, while overhead a space mission has gone wrong.

'Hurdy Gurdy sits alongside classics like The Handmaid's Tale, Station Eleven and The Natural Way of Things, and is a provocation; compelling and haunting. It's a feminist revenge tale about the choices that women have to make and asks the big questions:

'Can beauty be found in times of great darkness?' (Publication summary)