AustLit

'Xander and the Pen is the story of a boy who loves to draw superheroes, and the pen he buys from a mysterious market stall. He soon learns that the pen has a magical power: whatever he draws, happens! At first the pen helps Xander improve his family’s fortunes, but there are many unintended consequences and soon everybody is angry at Xander. With problems galore, Xander has one big decision to make — should he use the pen to draw one more picture?' (Publication summary)

'From the creators of Japarrika and Japarrika Rises comes a new inspiring story of a young Tiwi woman’s journey to greatness.

'Kay-Bell can kick a goal, take a specky and tackle with the power of a buffalo. But she has to travel to Melbourne and play in the VFLW to make her AFLW dream come true.

'Can she overcome a horrible flatmate, a racist spectator and homesickness to get drafted?

'Being away from home has never been so hard!' (Publication summary)

'Maxi is stoked to hear that Juniors from a British ocean swimming club are coming to visit Buckler. If the trip is a success, he and his mates will visit their club in England next year! Maxi is keen for it to be perfect, but someone sneaky is trying to wreck their plans and is writing mean lies online. Can Maxi patch things up before their beach rescue demonstration becomes a beach battle?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Maxi joins Buckler Ocean Swimming Club to have a bit of fun with his mates. But then a big prize for the Junior Ocean Challenge is announced. The winner will get money for their club and a day with legendary lifeguard Mick Hawk! Maxi would do anything to win. Especially as it might help save Buckler. Will his hard work and determination pay off, or will Maxi’s arch-enemy ruin his chances?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When Maxi and his friends discover that someone has been dumping rubbish into the ocean near Bondi, they are furious. Who would do such a thing, and why won’t anyone take them seriously when they report it? Luckily, Maxi has a plan – but exposing the polluter will hurt someone he cares about. Can Maxi find a way out of this messy situation?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Due to Robdale Primary's success on the basketball court, the school team is going on tour. Of course, Miss Take, the school's spotlight hungry principal, has to come along. Throw in Greg 'The Goat' McGriffin and it's going to be one interesting trip!

'Danny, Crystal and the gang experience a whole new world of basketball in the country towns they visit. The team make some new friends almost immediately but unfortunately not everyone welcomes them with open arms. Where are these bad feelings coming from and can an unselfish act on the court turn everything around?' (Publication summary)

'The big news at Robdale Primary is that Danny, Crystal and their Raptor friends have been selected in the boys and girl's squads to play in a representative comp, as has Greg 'The Goat' McGriffin and several of his Holesly Heat teammates. Things go into meltdown though, when the captain of the boy's team is announced and it's not who everyone (read- Greg) expected! The competition is the toughest any of them have ever experienced and the girls and boys will need to focus all their energies on just winning a game. Can the boys learn to play as a team or will it only be the girls who have a shot at a trophy?' (Publication summary)

'After wiping the floor in the interschool comp, Danny and his Bench Warmer mates are now playing club basketball. Their team is the Robdale Raptors and with a first-rate coach and basketball naturals like Crystal, Omyr, Angie and Leanne on their side, these newbies could pose a real threat! Especially when their resident commentator, Cody, is showing huge improvements on court.

'But with Greg ‘The Goat’ McGriffin running out for the all-star Holesley Heat team, the Raptors are going to face some FIERCE opposition – and that’s before Robdale Primary’s scheming principal has laid down her devious plan to ruin the Raptors’ chances!

'Can the team make it to the grand final or will they be a total no-show? ' (Publication summary)

'Meet the Bench Warmers – Danny, Crystal, Angie, Omyr, Leanne and Cody. As the new basketball players at Robdale Primary they’ve been lumped together. According to hot shot Greg ‘The Goat’ McGriffin, they don’t have a chance of winning a lunchtime game. But when the gang are picked as part of the school squad things start looking up!

'It’s not all swishes and alley-oops though, as the school’s principal takes over as coach, despite knowing NOTHING about basketball. Now, not only do the Bench Warmers have to listen to their captain, Greg, telling them how good he is, they have to train themselves!

'Can the newbies shake off their name in the interschool comp, or will it be just another reminder of where they really belong? ' (Publication summary)

'A fun-filled junior fiction series written in partnership with Basketball Australia.'

'Mysterious things are happening on the farms around Davinal and Diggers full-back Mo Officer and his family may have to sell up and move away unless things change, and quickly. Can Fox Swift and his mates solve the puzzle in time? There is plenty of action when Fox and Chase get too close for comfort to some local wildlife in the Tiwi Islands, and Fox and his friends have their footy skills really put to the test when the slick State Metro team challenges their combined country league. Can longtime rivals MAce and Fox put their differences aside to help the country team win? And has Miles Winter really turned over a new leaf?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Fox Swift and the Golden Boot is the third instalment in the hilarious footy series by David Lawrence with Cyril Rioli and featuring illustrations by Jo Gill. Fox and his ragtag team of Diggers are in for another action- packed year of fun, footy and friendship. This year Fox visits the Tiwi Islands with his best mate Lewis Rioli, his younger brother Chase is made captain of the Davinal Under 11’s, and midway through the season, Fox faces an unexpected test – he’s forced to team up with Mace after a slick Metro side challenges their local country league to a match. Can these longtime rivals put their differences aside long enough to triumph over the city slickers? All of your favourite characters from the first two seasons return, and the Diggers have a new recruit – a speedy half back flanker called Aslam Khan.

'Combining the sporting prowess of Cyril Rioli with the wonderfully wacky words of David Lawrence, witty illustrations by Jo Gill and a quirky footy dictionary, Fox Swift and The Golden Boot is the perfect book for any child with a passion for Aussie Rules, or just a passion for a good read. ' (Publication summary)

'Fox Swift is over the moon about captaining the Davinal Diggers for another season. Who wouldn't be? The Diggers have Hawthorn champion Cyril Rioli giving them tips, some quirky star players, and a kangaroo with attitude as their mascot. But Mace Winter and his father Miles have hatched an evil plan to stop Fox and the Diggers winning this year's flag. They have sneakily recruited the best footballers from all the other sides in the competition to make up a formidable Dragons team they call 'The Unbeatables'.This will make it tough for the Diggers to defend their premiership, even though they have picked up two sensational new players–an incredibly smart Asian boy who is almost impossible to tackle and loves performing magic, and a champion middle-distance runner called Rosie McHusky. Fortunately, Fox still has his great friends Lewis, Hugo and Paige on his side, as well his brother Chase and a pet rabbit called Gary, and they are all determined to make sure the Diggers prevail.Fox needs to be on his guard, as Mace and his sidekick Vince will try to bring him down at every turn. Can he overcome detentions and dirty tricks to lead the Diggers to an unlikely premiership? Find out in Fox Swift takes on The Unbeatables.' (Publication summary)

'Fox Smith is an 11-year-old football star. When his family moves from the city to the small country town of Davinal, Fox has to choose which of the town's two teams to join: the rich Dragons, which attracts all the best young footballers, or the Diggers, a struggling club, battling to field a side each week. After a run-in with the school bully, who turns out to be the captain of the Dragons, Fox decides to join the Diggers - can he turn the club around?' (Publication summary)