AustLit

'Lucky Shoemaker loves being a detective and solving mysteries of very strange crimes. She once solved the mystery of the holes that had been stolen. Now she has a new mystery that is just as baffling. Someone is taking people’s time, time that has been saved has disappeared and time that been unaccountably lost. Then all the clocks in the neighbourhood just simply stopped. Who was behind this mystery? Could the culprit be the strange Mr Grimm who is always around when no one has any time of their own anymore? 
'Did he take the time Lucky’s father had saved in a bottle? What happened to the half time at the soccer match?
In the course of her investigations Lucky comes face to face with the mysterious Mr Grimm, just as he about to leave for Times Square (New York). Will the two detectives arrive in time to help Lucky prevent his escape?
'This is a story for readers who like to go beyond the bounds of possibility.' (Publication summary)

'The snow is falling in the Blue Mountains and Krystal is bored. Tired of her father's gentle teasing she convinces her book-loving neighbour, Jasper, to help her build a snowman. Their snowman is a disaster. Not only is he out of shape, he is now turning pink and talking to them about his problem! As Krystal and Jasper try different things to return their new friend to his rightful colour, they discover to their surprise that he is embarrassed because he is not wearing any clothes.'  (Publication summary)

'A Grave Business is a humorous yet somewhat sinister and suspenseful mystery set against the backdrop of the New Orleans French Quarter prior to Hurricane Katrina, with its jazz culture and history of ‘dark’ religions and cemeteries.
Xav and Linc accidentally stumble upon a racket through misdirected emails and coded newspaper messages. Their investigations lead them into the dark world of cults, crypts and midnight escapades. The Neville brothers provide an unwelcome threat to their schemes.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Rudi has inadvertenty and rather naively become Sandbar Council's official dog dropping collector. Starting off by walking and using only plastic bags to ‘collect’ droppings and a sack to hold them Rudi developed a number of improved methods to collect the ‘deposits’. His younger brother (Morris - narrator) is an embarrassed and unwilling helper. Rudi replaces carrying the sack to using a wheelbarrow. He then uses his bike to pull the wheelbarrow. This culminates in an engine driven variation of a garden vacuum attached to his bike to do the collecting. It has disastrous effects on the day he is to receive Student of the Month Award at his school. The backdrop to the events is Clean-Up Australia program, the Tidy Towns award and the school’s involvement in both. The competition for public recognition creates some radical, but unwanted responses, by locals to help Rudi. It also leads to other students embarking on ‘shady’ tactics to win public kudos. To Morris’s distress he unwittingly uncovers this information but is reluctant to acknowledge or expose it out of loyalty (and embarrassment) to his family. The humorous storyline is the dominant feature of the text. The social issues provide a relevant backdrop in a small town setting.

'Although there is a strong element of sibling rivalry the boys are actually supportive of each other even if it is not openly admitted.' (Publication summary)

'Have you ever descried someone as a couch potato or called a dud car a lemon?

How do you think this makes a potato or lemon feel?

'Tiffany finds out it’s not fair to the plants. But there are people who are really nasty to plants- the Topiary Twins, Nettle and Thistle. They do dastardly things. They even keep some plants captive. They are villains of the worst kind. Tiffany discovers Bindi and Dusty Thorn have a green ambulance. They care for plants that have been mistreated and try to stop the vile schemes of the Topiary Twins.

'Do Tiffany, Bindi and Dusty Thorn have what it takes for the ultimate showdown with the Topiary Twins?' (Publisher's abstract)

'Concerned about his safety at their new caravan, Shane's father buys Caddy, an ex-police dog, who starts uncovering bones. Clarry, their next-door neighbour, becomes oddly agitated by the finds.' (Publication summary)