Cirrus@Austlit

'There's a reason families usually live together to contain the horror and not inflict it on others. A family holiday is a really, really bad idea! After escaping an erupting volcanic island only to have their cruise ship intercepted by a cyclone, Jakob thought surely his family's holiday troubles were over. But washed up on the far north coast of Australia, they are still thousands of kilometres from home. There's plenty more disaster in store as they make their way south, including landslides, breakdowns, pest infections, floods and more. Nothing so far has prepared Jakob for a horrendous family road trip!' (Publication summary)

'There’s a reason families usually live together—to contain the horror and not inflict it on others. A family holiday is a really, really bad idea!

'After crash landing in the Pacific Ocean, getting stranded on a volcanic island, evacuating back into the ocean when the volcano erupted and becoming lost at sea, Jakob, his worry-wart dad, overly optimistic mum and weird kind-of-friend, Jodie, are rescued by a luxury cruise ship. Finally, their relaxing family holiday can properly begin. Little does Jakob know there are stormy waters ahead in this next family holiday disaster!' (Publication summary)

'There’s a reason families usually live together — to contain the horror and not inflict it on others. A family holiday is a really, really bad idea! After a super embarrassing situation at school, Jakob decides the only way to escape the ridicule is to leave the country on a family holiday. But with a cheapskate worry-wart for a dad and an obnoxiously loud optimist for a mum, fresh humiliation is around every corner. Even worse, the weirdest girl at school is coming along for the ride and won’t let Jakob out of her sight. Jakob thinks he has hit rock-bottom. Little does he know there is always further to fall in a family holiday disaster!' (Publication summary)

'In this action-packed middle-grade novel from acclaimed author Nathan Luff, video-game fanatic Marcus must face the ultimate challenge: notorious boarding school Bad Grammar.

'Bad Grammar, like a prison cell or a shopping centre on Christmas Eve, is a horrific place best avoided. If unlucky enough to serve a sentence at this remote boarding school, forget packing your toothbrush and a spare pair of undies. You’d be better off with your flamethrower and a suit of armour.

'When he’s in the world of his favourite video game Dragon Warrior, Marcus is nothing short of a legend. But after his only friend moves away and Marcus is decidedly not crushing things in the real world, his parents decide to enrol him in an outback boarding school for kids who have difficulty fitting in: Bad Grammar.

'It’s a place without phones or internet, where days are spent avoiding the wrath of bullies with names like Scarface, and nights are spent attempting to sleep in a hammock. Before long being a student at Bad Grammar makes Dragon Warrior look tame. Will Marcus be able to level up and survive a school like no other?' (Publication summary)

'Plus-sized Puss has given birth to five kittens, and they are all kinds of trouble! So the whole farm call upon The Nerd Herd to do something about it and fast! Can Barny the Lamb, Shaama Llama Ding Dong and Billy the Kid succeed on their mission? And will they finally get the farm cred they deserve?' (Publication summary)

'Individually they're meek, mild and soft. But together, with their combined talents, they're a herd. The Nerd Herd. Barmy the Llamb has been kidnapped and taken to the den of Mrs Fox. It's now up to his friends, Shaama Llama Ding Dong and Billy the Kid to save him. But will Shaama and Billy be able to get to their buddy before he becomes a lamb dinner? And if they do, how will they outfox the fox?' (Publication summary)

'Individually they’re meek, mild and soft. But together, with their combined talents, they’re a herd. The Nerd Herd. Barny the Lamb and his friends may have scared off the fox. But now they have a new problem. A gigantic bull (with behavioural issues) is on the loose. Can Barny and his gang get the bull back in his pen and earn the respect of the petting-zoo farm? Or will this be another big mis-steak?'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Barny the Lamb and his friends are sick of being picked on. So they decide to form a gang to show everyone that they are not as soft as they look. But how do three fluffy friends stand up to a cunning fox, a gigantic cat, and a bull with behavioural issues?' (Publication summary)

'Albert Lengviriyakul, or Lengy for short, is the son of Thai immigrants who own a restaurant with the cheesy name Thai-riffic! Lengy is starting high school and sees this as his opportunity to transform his image from the kid who lives in a restaurant to a cool and popular Aussie teen. When his teacher sets a group assignment that focuses on another culture it becomes apparent Lengy won’t be able to get away from his past as easily as he’d like.

'Through a series of hilarious and heartfelt events involving bulk toilet paper, a purple curry and a trip to the Thai-New Year Sonkram Festival, Lengy sees his Thai background in a new light.'

Source: Author's website.

'Stu is a wuss. A weakling. A soft city kid. A chicken.

'His cousins are tough. Daredevils. Farm kids who look like they sprinkle steroids on their Weet-Bix.

'When Stu is packed off to the country for the summer, he has to face the dangers that lurk behind every tree: demonic lambs, yabby-infested tanks, raging creeks and, worst of all, his cousins.'(Publication summary)