Cirrus@Austlit

''Fozia noticed smoke from the chimney curling to the sky. The brick kiln was working again but she didn't want to go there. She couldn't let the kiln owner see her.'

'Twelve-year-old Fozia has survived the worst flood in Pakistan's history. But her life will never be the same. With her little sister gone and her parents missing, Fozia now lives with Jehan's family in a new village, hoping that one day she will see her family again. But after returning to her old home and coming face to face with the brick-kiln owner, Fozia realises there is much more at stake if she's made to pay back her family's debt to the owner.

'To escape her new reality, Fozia tells her friends a fairytale about Prince Zal. He rides a magic carpet on a quest to find his little sister, battling leopards and hidden serpents along the way. But can Prince Zal succeed in his quest if the truth behind Fozia's story is revealed?' (Publication summary)

Jehan closed his eyes to pray, then opened them again. It wasn’t a dream. The water was still there – the biggest flood he had seen in his life. 

'For nine-year-old Jehan, life in Pakistan is just as it should be. He attends school, plays cricket with his little brother and fetches water for his family. But when the monsoon unleashes a catastrophic flood, Jehan is swept away from his village and becomes trapped in a tree. 

'Jehan stays alive by rescuing things from the floodwater, but as the days pass with no sign of help, Jehan starts to despair. Will he ever see his family again? 

'Then Jehan rescues a dog and he is no longer alone. But why does the dog keep swimming away? Where is she going? 

'Eventually, Jehan must follow the lost dog into the floodwater. But will the dog’s quest lead them to safety? Or to more danger? 

'Sensitively told, this important story brings home the horrific reality of natural disasters on the lives of children, families and communities around the world, but celebrates need for hope, kindness and resilience that these situations inspire in their aftermath. ' (Publication summary)
 

'First moon of summer, 1662: On the edge of the Mughal Empire, fourteen-year-old Jahani lives with her mother in the village of Sherwan. Surrounded by the majestic snow-topped mountains, her life is happy but simple; Jahani enjoys spending time with her best friend Sameela who is about to be married. So why is Jahani plagued by dreams of fire and a child who has lost her mother? And why does she feel like she doesn't belong?

'After Jahani and Sameela are attacked in the bazaar, Jahani discovers all is not as it seems. Before long, Jahani is fleeing on a warhorse with the mysterious protector Azhar. Surrounded by deceit and danger, Jahani does not know who to trust as Azhar leads her higher north over treacherous terrain towards the fabled Qurraqoram Mountains. But when they reach their destination, will Jahani find out the truth and be in control of her own destiny?' (Publication summary)