Cirrus@Austlit

'Celebrate the wonder of Christmas in this heartwarming picture book from the bestselling and award-winning author of Looking for Alibrandi, Melina Marchetta, together with talented and joyous illustrator Deb Hudson.

'This year, Zola and Alessandro are going to decorate the street with Nonno Nino’s Christmas lights. Zola’s house and Boomerang Street haven’t had Christmas lights for two years. But this year, Zola and Alessandro want to continue the tradition. They’ve learned a lot about tradition lately – and how some families have different beliefs, and others celebrate Christmas differently. And with the help of their family and friends, this Christmas Boomerang Street is going to shine!' (Publication summary)

'From the author of Looking for Alibrandi comes this gorgeous series to engage and entertain newly independent young readers.

'Zola loves living on Boomerang Street with her mum and her nonna. Every day of the week is an adventure. But Zola has a problem. No matter how much she tries, she can't keep out of trouble. Like on Thursday, when she and the gang form a band and upset their cranky neighbour, Mr Walton . . .Collect all seven stories in the series – one for every day of the week!

'A wonderful series celebrating community, sustainability, diversity and family. Fun, heartwarming stories full of humour and feeling, sure to charm and engage newly independent young readers.

''I don’t know about you but I am getting incredibly fond of Zola and her neighbourhood. This little series is just truly delightful and I know that little readers must love being able to make connections with their own family, friends, schools and communities . . . Your newly independent readers both boys and girls will just adore these stories and they would make fabulous read-alouds for either classroom teachers or teacher-librarians paired with some activities and action plans. Highly recommended for little readers from around six years upwards.’ Sue Warren‘Highly recommended . . . Full of humour and brimming with the close ties of family, [and] . . . community, children will love reading of Zola and her life.’ Fran Knight'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Bashir “Bish” Ortley is a London desk cop. Almost over it. Still not dealing with the death of his son years ago, as well as the break up of his marriage.

'Across the channel, a summer bus tour, carrying a group of English teenagers is subject to a deadly bomb attack, killing four of the passengers and injuring a handful of others. Bish’s daughter is one of those on board.

'The suspect is 17 year old Violette LeBrac whose grandfather was responsible for a bombing that claimed the lives of dozens of people fourteen years ago; and whose mother, Noor, has been serving a life sentence for the part she was supposed to have played in the attack.

'As Bish is dragged into the search for the missing Violette, he finds himself reluctantly working with Noor LeBrac and her younger brother, Jimmy Sarraf.

'And the more he delves into the lives of the family he helped put away, the more Bish realizes that they may have got it wrong all those years ago, and that truth wears many colours. Especially when it comes to the teenagers on board the recent bus bombing. Including his daughter.

'Tell the truth. Shame the devil. Bish can’t get Violette LeBrac’s words out of his head. But what he may get is some sort of peace with his own past as the worlds of those involved in two bombings, years apart, collide into the journey of his life. ' (Publication summary)