Great Reads and Great Series

The Ghost's Child
Sonya Hartnett
 Maddy yearns for her life to be mystifying, to be as magical as a fairy story.  And then one day, on the beach, she meets the strangest young man she has ever met.  An enchanting fable about the worth of life and the power of love.  Gneres:  AUSTRALIAN, LOVE, BEAUTY  (16+)

The Harsh Cry of the Heron
Lian Hearn
Lord Otori Takeo and his consort Kaede have ruled for over 16 years.  The Three Countries are rich, peaceful and prosperous.   Yet their success has attracted the attention of the distant Emporer and his general, the warlord Saga Hideki, who covet all the wealth of the Three Countries and, especially Takeo’s heir, his eldest daughter who is now of marriageable age.  The Tribe is also seeking the death of Takeo, but the prophecy states that he can only die at the hands of his son.  From further afar, foreigners with strange beliefs and religions are appearing in the country.  A wonderful and gripping conclusion to the Otori saga. 
Heaven's net is wide is the prequel to the series.Genres:  FEUDAL JAPAN,  FANTASY, MARTIAL ARTS

Night Rise
Anthony Horowitz
14 year-old twin boys, Scott and Jamie, have always known that they were different because they can communicate telepathically.  But suddenly this ability puts them in danger.  They do not even know the murderous organisation that is after them.  When they go on the run from their circus act, they suddenly find themselves being sucked into the supernatural world.  Now they must stick together to defeat the Night Rise Corporation and to survive the battle to save themselves and the world.  Note: this is the 3rd book in the series, and it advisable to read the others first.  Genres: SUPERNATURAL, ACTION, THRILLER, FANTASY

Notes from the Teenage Underground
Simmone Howell
Gem, Mira and Lo, 3 Melbourne teenagers, need a project as the summer looms.  It's time to go Underground.  Gem starts making an underground film.  Mira sets out to find 'boys-without-barcodes'.  Nobody is quite sure what Lo will do, but it will be BIG.  But can Gem's friendship with the others survive the whirlwind of boys, wild nights and the avant-garde?  Genres: YOUNG ADULT - 15 +; AUSTRALIAN; FRIENDSHIPS, TRUTH

Beating Heart
A.M. Jenkins
He is seventeen and has a girlfriend.   When his family move to an old house - abandoned for decades - he starts to dream of someone else.  Hot, wordless dreams that turn more intense and darker each night.  Genres: GHOSTS, DIVORCE, LOVE

Apache
Tanya Landman
When Siki's younger brother is killed, the young Apache girl vows revenge.  Hopeless at tasks for women, she is more adept when practicising with the boys.  It is a time of great danger for the Apaches as their way of life is threatened.  It is a story of trust and betrayal, kove and hate, and a devasting secret she finally unravels.

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl
Barry Lyga
Fanboy, (loves comics),  is a self-confessed Geek who is even writing his own graphic novel.  Goth Girl is also an outsider.  She wants to be more than just a body for boys to leer at, and like Fanboy, lacks friends.  Kyra sees Fanboy being bullied in the gym and takes photos.  She send them to Fanboy online and they strike up a friendship.  Genres: FRIENDSHIP, TRUTH, BULLYING

Inexcusable
Chris Lynch
Keir Sarafian knows many things about himself - he is a talented football player, loyal friend, and most of all a good guy.  And yet Gigi thinks something else; he has done something awful.  We learn through alternate chapters that  what has happened is indeed inexcusable. Genres: YOUNG ADULT - 15+, FAMILY LIFE, ALCOHOL

Destroying Avalon
Kate McCaffrey
"FILTHY SLAG WATCH OUT
The words screamed at me from the screen.  The sight of them hurt my ears.  It was all I could hear...When would this stop? "
The thoughts belong to 14 year-old Avalon, who becomes the victim of a brutal campaign of cyber-bullying when she transfers to a new school.  Miserable and isolated, she relies on a small group of new friends.  But, as the threats escalate with murderous results, is anyone safe? Who can she trust?  Genres: AUSTRALIA, GIRLS, BULLYING, SUSPENSE, SUICIDE, FRIENDSHIP

Rose By Any Other Name
Maureen McCarthy
When the year began, Rose was living in her fabulous house with a loving family.  She had top VCE marks, a great best friend, and had just met a cute boy.  One year later, Rose is living in a dump.  Her best friend hasn't spoken to her for months.  Her family has fallen apart, and she's blown off uni to work in a cafe.  What happened in the intervening year is fascinating, heartbreaking and utterly gripping.  Genres: YOUNG ADULT - 15+, AUSTRALIA, FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, SEX RELATIONS

My Brother's Keeper
Patricia McCormick
Toby adores his brother Jake; but with the death of their father, things seem to go off balance.  Jake is becoming more secretive and distant.  Only Toby knows why: he is slipping into drug use.  Toby tries to cover up for him, but it all backfires and adds to the growing tension between the two brothers.  Genres: YOUNG ADULT, DRUG ABUSE, BROTHERS, FAMILY RELATIONS. YOUNG ADULT

Sold
Patricia McCormick
Born into a life of grinding poverty and female subservience in a remote village in Nepal, Lakshmi's horizons are limited.  To help pay debts, she is sold and forced into prostitution in India.   This is a brave account written after personal research.  The barbarism of this story is difficult to confront; however, it is through such exposure that the author hopes to generate anger which will change social attitudes.  Genres:  YOUNG ADULTS - 14+, NEPAL, INDIA, SLAVERY, PROSTITUTION, CHARITY, AID

boys that bite
Mari Mancusi
Bitten by a vampire after being mistaken for her Goth twin sister, Rayne, sixteen-year-old Sunny is in a race against time as she tried to prevent herself from becoming a vampire permanently.  Genres: VAMPIRES, GOTH CULTURE, TWINS, SISTERS

The Betrayal of Bindy MacKenzie
Jaclyn Moriarty
Bindy is perfect.  She's smart, she's super-organised, friendly and helpful to her fellow students.  Little wonder then, that everyone hates her.  But do they hate her enough to try to kill her?  A black, black comedy full of twists and surprises.  Genres: HIGH SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS; SUSPENSE

Dairy Queen
Catherine Gilbert Murdock
D.J. Schwenk milks cows.  She plays sport.  She doesn't Talk about How She's Feeling.  No one in her family does.  So a lot of stuff ends up not getting said. Why is her best friend Amber acting so weird? Why doesn't her little brother ever speak? What's her Mother's big secret?  And how on earth is she going to tell her Dad that she wants to join the boy's high school football team.  Genres: FAMILY; SPORT; SEX ROLES; RELATIONSHIPS

Eragon
Christopher Paolini
Eragon was a normal farm boy until one day he finds a large blue stone whilst hunting.  When he decides to sell the stone, they discover an amazing fact - the stone is impermeable to any tools the jeweler has.  That night he is awakened by a squeaking sound and to his amazement the egg hatches into a dragon; and his hand is marked with the 'Argetlam' showing him to be a Dragon Rider.   His quest is to fight the evil ruler of the land.   This is the first book of The Inheritance Trilogy -Eragon, Eldest, and a third one yet to be announced  Genre: FANTASY, DRAGONS.  For older readers see also the Pern books by Anne McCaffery which start with Dragonflight

Crime Seen
Jenny Pausacker
Harris is doing work experience at the offices of some forensic scientists.  The murder of the daughter of Jim (his supervisor) and the fact that Jim might be the next victim, set Harris in the trail to solve the puzzle of the murder and the treatened murder.  Genres: AUSTRALIAN, CRIME, FORENSIC SCIENCE (11+)

Wheels
Delwyne Stephens
Fifteen year old Shane Jamieson is put to the ultimate test when he loses the use of his legs in a motocross accident. He soon learns that many aspects of his life are surprisingly shallow; his girlfriend, his father's obsession with winning and his own insecurity.   Delwyne Stephens tells an amazing story about Shane as she sits us in his wheelchair and shows us that frailty and strength are not the opposites that they may first appear to be.  'Wheels' is a courageous story that leaves the reader feeling blessed no matter what their life circumstances.  It is about faith and hope but mostly Wheels is about life and not being afraid to live it authentically with dignity and with grace.   Genres: AUSTRALIA, CRASH INJURIES, FRIENDSHIPS, MOTOCROSS

Branded
Robert Swindells
Dale’s older brother has been convicted for killing women.  His family are forced to change their name, move away and start new lives.  But Dale is also afraid that he is turning out like his brother, and might be a monster too.  A tabloid journalist gets on the trail, and suddenly all Dale’s fears are put to the test.  A hard-hitting thriller. Genres: YOUNG ADULT - 15+, FAMILY, LIFE AFTER CRIME, TEENAGE BOYS, BROTHERS. See also Marsden’s Letters from the Inside, Cassidy’s Looking for JJ.

Our Little Secret
Allayne Webster

A remarkable story of romantic dreams, guilt and fear set in a small Australian town.  Edwina must keep her secret from everyone, as it will hurt everyone. Predators some in all shapes and forms - even a family friend.  We don't realise until too late that we have let a predator in.   GENRES:  YOUNG ADULT - 15+; AUSTRALIAN; RAPE; TEENAGE GIRLS

Nancy Werlin

Matthew needs to make sense of what has happened in the family by writing about it; and he develops rules for survival as it is the survivor who gets to tell the story.  Genres: YOUNG ADULT - 15+, CHILD ABUSE, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, FAMILY RELATIONS, 

Scatterheart
Lili Wilkinson
Hannah's privileged life is turned upside down when her father runs away to escape the police.  She is thrown into prison and then sentenced to transportation to Australia.  She is a dreamy, yet tough, convict girl on a desparate voyage from the old world to the new.  A great story of courage.  Genres: AUSTRALIAN; CONVICTS; TRANSPORTATION 

Great Series

Do you...

• like to get more into the characters?
• like to get more into the action?
• like to know what happens after…

Then a series could be for you.

The New Heroes series
Michael Carroll

1. The Quantum Prophecy
2. Sakkara
3.  Absolute Power

This is a great fast-paced action series of teen Superheroes who are "born to save the world".

Moran Quartet
Ken Catran

1.  Jacko Moran: Sniper  ( World War 1)
2.  Robert Moran: Private  ( World War 2 and Korea)
3.  Jimmy Moran: Regular  (Vietnam)
4.  Teresa Moran: Soldier  (Timor and Iraq)

This series captures what it was like to be in various wars.  Although the characters are from New Zealand, Australia was in all these areas too.   It vividly portrays the action, the fears and the heroism.  (Secondary level suggested)

Ranger’s apprentice
John Flanagan

1. The Ruins of Gorlan
2. The Burning Bridge
3. The Icebound Land
4. Oakleaf bearers
5. The Sorcerer in the North
6. The Siege of Macindaw
7. Erak's Ransom

Full of adventure, storytelling, magic, and deep characterization, this fantasy series introduces the magic-practicing Rangers, protectors of the kingdom, and Will, a 15-year-old villager who has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice.   Others help in his quest to defeat the evil in the land in these exciting tales of battle and honour.  They are reminiscent of Tolkien. Genre: FANTASY.

Boy Soldier series
Andy McNab and Robert Rigby

1. Boy soldier
2. Payback
3. Avenger

It all starts when Danny Watts wants to join the elite fighting force, the SAS, he must face up to what has happened with his grandfather, Fergus.  Was he really a traitor to the SAS?   He is aided in this by Daisy who is a brilliant computer hacker.  The use of SAS jargon gives these fast, pacey stories a realism and immediacy.  Genres: SPECIAL AGENTS, THRILLER, TERRORISM, SOLDIERS. See also Spy High Series.

Tomorrow When the War Began
John Marsden

1. Tomorrow when the war began
2. Dead of Night
3. Third Day the Frost
4. Darkness be my friend
5. Burning for revenge
6. The Night is for Hunting
7. The Other side of Dawn

Northern Australia has been invaded, and a group of teenagers hide out to harass the enemy.  Brilliant characterisation.  Good action plot lines.  The characters’ interactions and thoughts about what happens and what they are forced to do keeps you wanting to read on.  Genres: YOUNG ADULT, AUSTRALIA, WAR, RELATIONSHIPS. Website: http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/johnmarsden/jmbiog3.htm

The Ellie Chronicles
John Marsden

1. While I live
2. Incurable
3. Circle of flight

This series follows the character of Ellie from the Tomorrow series.  Northern Australia is still under foreign control.  Genres: YOUNG ADULT, AUSTRALIA, WAR, RELATIONSHIPS.

Twilight series
Stephanie Meyer
The Twlight series is centred on a teenager named Isabella Swan, her vampire love Edwin Cullen, and her werewolf best friend Jacob Black.  The series in engrossing for teen girls with its themes of love, danger and gothic horror.  Genres:  VAMPIRES; HIGH SCHOOLS; FANTASY FICTION

   1.  Twilight
   2.  New Moon
   3.  Eclipse
   4.  Breaking Dawn

The Uglies Series
Scott Westerfeld
In Tally's futuristic world, when teenagers turn 16 they have an operation that transforms them them into a 'pretty'.  Turning 'pretty' is all Tally ever wanted, but her friend Shay would rather run away and risk life on the outside.  Tally is faced with a difficult choice.   The series follows the consequences of this decision.  Riveting reads.  14+ Genres: YOUNG ADULT, FUTURE, FANTASY, BODY-IMAGE, MIND-CONTROL,  RELATIONSHIPS.

    1.  Uglies
    2.  Pretties
    3.  Specials
    4.  Extras

Protector of the small
Tamora Pierce

1. First Test
2. Page
3. Squire
4. Lady Knight

The series follows the adventures of Kel - a strong girl who accomplishes her goal to become a knight in a male world - with her integrity, sense of humour, and self-esteem intact.  She has determination to succeed and a compulsion to stand up for others weaker than herself.  In fact, she is both a knight and a woman.  She does not rely on magic, but taps into courage, cleverness and moral outrage to fight injustice.  Very entertaining. 

Bartimaeus trilogy
Jonathon Stroud

1. Amulet of Samarkand
2. Golem’s Eye
3. Ptolemy’s Gate

Nathaniel is an apprentice magician; and is finally forced to fight the evil of politicians with the help of Kitty (a revolutionary) and Bartimaeus (a djenni).   Exciting fantasy plot and witty asides that will amuse older readers.  Genres: FANTASY, MAGICIANS.

Tales of the Ortori
Lian Hearn

1. Across the Nightingale Floor
2. Grass for His Pillow
3. Brilliance of the Moon
4. The Harsh Cry of the Heron
   Heaven's Net Is Wide (Prequel)

Set in an imaginary feudal Japan this trilogy has warring clans, rivalry, martial arts and the intensity of first love.  In a culture ruled by codes of honour and formal rituals, Takeo, orphaned in the fighting, must look inside himself to discover the powers that will enable him to fulfil his destiny.   This is a really wonderful series.  Genres: YOUNG ADULT, WAR, FANTASY, MARTIAL ARTS, FEUDAL JAPAN. Website: http://www.lianhearn.com/

His Dark Materials trilogy
Philip Pullman

1. Northern Lights, also published as Golden Compass
2. The Subtle Knife
3. The Amber Spyglass

Young Lyra Belacqua journeys to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by evil scientists.  Later in the series she and Will Parry travel to various worlds and fight various enemies to fulfil their destiny.  Extraordinary series exploring humanism in epic fantasy for all ages. Genre: FANTASY. Website: http://www.philip-pullman.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=36

Tiffany Aching tales
Terry Pratchett

1. The Wee Free Men
2. A Hat Full of Sky
3. Wintersmith

Set on the Pratchett's imaginary Discworld, these novels follow the adventures of witch-to-be Tiffany Aching warding off invasions into the fairyland of the Wee Free Men, a sinister being which take over her body and then having Winter fall in love with her.  Through all of this Tiffany, is finding out what witchcraft is all about...and that may all be BOFFO.  Genre: FANTASY, WITCHES, DISCWORLD

Power of Five series
Anthony Horowitz

1. Raven’s Gate
2. Evil Star
3. Night Rise

There are five ancient Portals to the world of evil from which demons and terrors can emerge; 5 teenagers with power to prevent the Old Ones opening them.  Inspired by Lord of the Rings, Horowitz leaves the spy world and captures the more sinister world of demons and black magic with a hero of today – 14 year-old Matt Freeman.  Riveting plot and suspense. Genres: FANTASY, ADVENTURE. Website: http://www.walkerbooks.co.uk/Anthony-Horowitz/

Alex Rider series
Anthony Horowitz

1. Stormbreaker  - now a film
2. Point Blanc
3. Skeleton Key
4. Eagle Strike
5. Scorpia
6. Ark Angel
7. Snakehead

Alex Rider is the world’s most successful 14 year-old spy. Great adventure series with lots of action and techno-gadgets. Stormbreaker hits the screens in September. Genre: ADVENTURE.

Cherub series 
Muchamore, Robert

Robert was a private detective and started writing when his nephews complained about nothing to read.  Cherub is a Government agency using teenagers to slip under adult radar and get information that sends criminals to jail.  Great reads for teenage boys or those who have enjoyed Anthony Horowitz
Cherub : the Recruit
Class A
Maximum security
The Killing
Divine madness
Man vs Beast
The Fall
Mad Dogs
The Sleepwalker

Keys to the Kingdom series
Garth Nix

1. Mister Monday
2. Grim Tuesday
3. Drowned Wednesday
4. Sir Thursday
5. Lady Friday
6. Superior Saturday

Arthur is not supposed to be a hero. He is, in fact, supposed to die an early death. But then his life is saved by a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock.  However, there is more than one key that he needs and this leads on to the other adventures and struggles against the forces who are named after the days of the week. Genres: FANTASY, ADVENTURE.

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
Ann Brashares

1.  Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants
2.  The Second Summer of the Sisterhood
3.  Girls in pants: the third summer of the sisterhood
4.  Forever in Blue: the fourth summer of the sisterhood

This is a series about girls and their relationships with each other and families.  It charts the 4 years from 15 to 19 and looks at the consequences of actions.  The characters are familar and credible.  The last book is for young adults.  Genres: GIRLS;  PERSONAL RELATIONS; CHICK LIT

Inheritance trilogy
Christopher Paolini

1. Eragon
2. Eldest
3. Brisngr - publication yet to be announced

This series is like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter with dragons. Genre: FANTASY.

The Obernewtyn Chronicles
Isobelle Carmody
1.  Obernewtyn
2.  The Farseekers
3.  Ashling
4.  The Keeping Place
5.  The Stone Key

A series of Science Fiction / Fantasy novels by an Australian writer.  They have a post-apocalyptic setting and depict a world struggling to come to terms with damage done by a nuclear holocaust.  The series' protagonist, Elspeth Gordie, is a young girl with extraordinary mental powers who must battle fear and oppression to survive in this harsh world.   AUSTRALIAN, FANTASY, SCIENCE FICTION, RESPONSIBILTY, DUTY, PREJUDICE, HUMAN AND ANIMAL RIGHTS