Cirrus@Austlit

'Teagan's got problems, a new school and her brother in a graffiti gang. When she starts work on a history project on the local stately home, she is haunted by strange dreams. But Teagan doesn't believe in ghosts though she does believe in getting to the bottom of things, and she uncovers more than just the history of Devon House. Suggested level: primary, intermediate.' (Publication summary)

'A pod of southern right whales appears in Dolphin Bay, right near Wendy's farm and she and one of the female whales, Misty, become soul mates. The arrival of whale-watching tourists, with boats and helicopters threatens the whales, and Wendy and her friends learn a lot about the history of whaling and present-day illegal slaughter.' (Publication summary)

'Everyone in Port Lincoln thinks Snook Pascoe is a loser. People joke about his clumsiness; his teacher ridicules him and even his father, skipper of the tuna boat Blue Fin, is convinced that Snook will never amount to anything. After all, tuna fishing is a hard life for ‘real men’.

'When Snook is allowed, for once, to sail on Blue Fin he faces a terrifying disaster. A waterspout engulfs the ship, the deck is swept clean, the radio and rudder are wrecked, the engine is disabled, the crew is lost overboard and Snook’s father lies unconscious down below. Snook is on his own, far out to sea…' (Publication summary)

'Seth is a very young apprentice wizard who is summoned to a meeting of the wizards' council and asked to undertake a perilous mission. Armed with some enchanted objects, and in the company of his best friend, he must journey into the dominion of the evil sorcerer, Mordlon, and there confront the powers of darkness. Urged on my Mim, Seth will learn that being brave is only part of the battle. Having faith in himself is just as important for the successful completion of his question - the rescue of Princess Athena.' (Publication summary)

'Twelve-year-old school friends Sam and Nicholas are exploring the wreck of an old ship near some cliffs. They decide to return the following day to explore some caves which they have discovered nearby. But, once inside the cave, they disturb the roof of unstable rock and find themselves trapped inside. Nobody knows where they are. They have no food or water, and the batteries in their torches are running low...' (Publication summary)

'Twelve-year-old David has a Bar Mitzvah coming up, his Italian teacher hates him, his grandmother is rushed to hospital, the dog gets hit by a car, his little brother's a brat and his mother is having a permanent nervous break-down. On top of all that the local rabbi's hopeless son has joined David's ten-pin bowling team just before the championships.

Could this be the worst year of his life...?' (Publication summary)

'Twelve-year-old Tahnee has had enough. Her mother seems to be always working, with little time for Tahnee. And Tahnee's best friend, Ellen, has a major problem with both her parents, who think she is going to be the world's greatest musician. Both girls need to sort out their parents!' (Publication summary)

'Novel for late primary and early high school-age readers in the Takeaways series. Conor's dad is continually embarrassing him, reaching a peak when he decides to help coach Conor's school rowing quad. Conor wants to tell his dad to leave him alone, but a series of mishaps produces surprising consequences and changes his perspective. Centres on the theme of father-son relationships. ' (Publication summary)

'Novel for early high school-age readers in the Takeaways series. The solar system is under threat from an approaching black hole, and the only ones with the quick reflexes to operate the weapons developed in response are young people skilled in computer games. ' (Publication summary)

'Fantasy novel for older children in the Takeaways series. When Cassandra receives an ugly necklace for her birthday from her long-lost mother, she is reluctant to try it on, but when she does she finds herself in a startling new world. She is transported to Morphea, a place where the myths and legends of our world are true, and she must decide between the mysterious pull of her mother, and rescuing her father. ' (Publication summary)

'Novel for young readers in the Takeaway series. While preparing for the ferret race, Kazuo's beloved ferret Ferbie meets his end. His worried parents give him two new ferrets, Ruff and Tumble, and Kazuo begins training them for the race. Kazuo has always been the nerd of the school and now he is under pressure to cheat on the day of the race. Author is a prolific children's writer of fantasy and science fiction. Previous books include 'The Dog King'.' (Publication summary)

Mitch Bird, the son of a wildlife ranger, lives in the Coorong. He rears a wild swan which becomes his constant companion and ultimately helps save his life.

When Mitch discovers an abandoned swan's egg and takes it home, his park ranger father doesn't approve. But this proves to be the start of a heartwarming friendship.

'Be careful what you wish for! Life in his country town would be better if Cam could make a friend. But a moody, mythical creature with bad breath and an egg about to hatch is not what he bargained for.' (Publication summary)

'Julia is a very smart student, so smart that she is put up two grades into high school. But is the buzz of meeting her academic level enough to make up for what she is losing?' (Publication summary)

'Erik the Viking's father, the fierce Head Nerd, and the entire clan have been kidnapped. But Erik isn't interested in swinging spiky balls and swords, so how on earth is he going to save his father from the Dorks and the Jerks?' (Publication summary)

'Vinnie is getting bullied at school for his lunch, and with the help of his mum, who has chicken-pox, his plan to stop the bully just may work! His plan to save his lunch involves using bits of his mother to infect the bully with chicken-pox. It works, but Vinnie gets it too! Ages 8-12.' (Publication summary)

'A collection of time-honored parent whoppers from comedian Dave O'Neil.' (Publication summary)

'Raw is a runaway serf who must stay hidden for a year and a day in order to become free. Inspired by the lost land of Lyonnesse, Wolfchild is a historical fantasy, a story of affirmation and self-discovery.' (Publication summary)

'Caz and Simon must resist Dr Proteus' attempts to gain her magical necklace and reclaim the Book of Night from Hecate's clutches.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Andy is fascinated by wedgetail eagles. He lies on the shed roofs of his family's farm and watches them cruising about on their huge wings, high above him in the sunlit air. They are like skaters skimming on ice, gliding together or apart in vast arcs and circles a kilometre wide.

'One day a ranger brings him an orphaned eaglet so tiny that is seems unlikely to survive. 'Wedgetail' is the story of Andy's struggle to save its life, to nurse it and feed it, to protect it from danger and finally to watch it grow into a proud and beautiful eagle.

'The boy and the bird form a bond so deep that they understand each other instinctively. But sooner or later, he must release his friend into the wild . . .' (Publication summary)

'"What do you do when your parents are divorced, your dad has a new girlfriend and your mum is destined for a life of loneliness?"

'Penelope Estella Grace Scott, also known as 'Snot', can't imagine living in boring Dolphin Shores for the rest of her life just to keep her mum company. The thought of playing 'Grandma's Undies' together in thirty years time just isn't funny.' (Publication summary)

'Tessa is devastated when her mother gives her a silkie bantam instead of the puppy she's been hoping for. How can a rooster be her friend, keep her company and scare off Matteo Spiteri and his demented dog? But Tessa discovers that her Mum's choice of pet gives her all that and more. Suggested level: primary, intermediate.' (Publication summary)

THE KING OF LARGE is the personal diary of Robbie, an overweight kid. Robbie's problems with his weight become critical when his health deteriorates to the point where he has blackouts and is excluded from the school soccer team. Soccer is the only sport he enjoys and, with his self-esteem steadily diminishing and the ongoing bullying and name calling from his classmates increasing, Robbie is at an all-time low. On top of all of this, Robbie is experiencing troubles with his younger brother and his best friend is having family problems.

'June Colbert explores a number of issues that affect a person's health and well-being in this sensitive and very funny story. We share his thoughts and feelings as well as the family support networks that help him begin to deal with his problems.

(Source: Amazon)

'Felix is a gifted and talented 13 year old who isn't coping. His self confidence has vanished since he men Julia. Musically he doubts that he will ever become a world class saxophonist, despite the faith his teacher has in him and in his home life, he has growing doubts about who he is and where he belongs. Ages 10-12.' (Publication summary)

'Soraya is a storyteller. The stories from Afghanistan keep her memories alive in Australia, as she starts a new life under the shadow of a Temporary Protection Visa. But it is the ebony horse which flies through her dreams that helps her find a strange land between remembering and forgetting, a land where she can be safe'. (Publication summary)

When Tiger the Cat moves to Canberra with his owner Alexander, there are bound to be a few rough patches in settling in. The dogs next store are anything but friendly, and the nearby park is crawling with snakes and other creatures of the night.

But Tiger makes friends with Wanda, the blue-tongued lizard and then finds himself wanting to become a Member of the Sacred Few, a group of magical frogs, actually extra-terrestrials in disguise. This crew has come to Earth on a mission to spread the word about the Great Danger, and the need to heal the planet of pollution and energy waste before it's too late.

It's an adventure Tiger can't resist, filled with many surprises along the way. All he needs to do is be sure he won't miss out on his Cat Gourmet dinners along the way... (Source: Publisher's info)

'Kimmi and Oliver are horrified when their parents make them move to a remote Pacific Island. Kimmi try to stay out of trouble but trouble finds her.' (Publication summary)

'Life hasn't been the same since Mickey's grandmother died and her best friend Sal moved away. But no-one at home is interested in hearing her whinge, so she begins to write letters to the living and the dead; the Minister of Education, Bill Gates, J.R.R. Tolkien, Napoleon, Freddo the Frog (she's a chocoholic) ... and most of all her late grandmother.' (Publication summary)

'Across the Creek is a fantasy for 9-12 year olds set in the old Kapunda mine. Based on Cornish folklore.'

'Children in Aidan's town have mysteriously disappeared for years. When his friend Jenice disappears, Aidan goes in search of her. He crosses a forbidden creek, and with the help of a piskey named Raff, ventures into an abandoned mine. Here he discovers a strange world populated by mythical creatures who came to Australia with the first Cornish miners over 160 years earlier. Has he uncovered the secret of the missing children? And can he and Jenice escape the horrible spriggans and their fearsome dragaroo, or will they be trapped in the mines forever?' (Publication Summary)

'It might seem like a pretty small change, getting a new girl in the class. But this is the way I look at it: it's too late to stop Mum and Dad splitting up. It's too late to stop Mum selling our old house that I've lived in since I was about three minutes old. It's too late to stop Dad moving in with his disgusting new girlfriend. But that's it. I've had enough. I'm not going to put up with any more changes, not even small ones. Ever! That's why I've declared my life a Change-Free Zone!' (Publication summary)

'Carrying on from where New Bjorn left off, Rebjorn rejoins our heroes Erik Nerdenburger and Bjorn Berg, after they successfully reversed the spell of an enchantress that turned Bjorn into a moose. Now restored to his Viking glory, Bjorn is ready for further adventures with his trusty sidekick. This time Bjorn wants to get a guernsey in the Viking Limbpicks, a bizarre sporting contest that requires competitors to choose a certain limb for each of three events. Bjorn wants to uphold the honour of his clan, the Jerks, but he also wants to impress his romantic interest, Erica.' (Publication summary)

From Kinetica: A war between humans and Intelligent Computers has devastated the Earth and now many children live in the sanctuary of Lemuria. Only those children who pass the citizenship exams are allowed to remain though, all the rest are returned to their original homes on the destroyed Earth. Adam knows he's going to fail the exams so he teams up with Evelyn and her outlawed Intelligent Computer to plan a daring escape.

'A tribute to man's best friend. Short stories featuring dogs at war, in science and in crime solving, mythical dogs and dog explorers. Wide appeal to both genders at upper primary and lower secondary. Ages 8-12 years.' (Publication summary)

'Penelope Estella Grace Scott, also known as 'Snot', finally thinks her life is back on track: her parents are both happy in new relationships, she has a brother she can talk to, a gorgeous baby sister and is about to go on a whirlwind trip to Japan. When she gets back though, life in Dolphin Shores becomes more complicated than ever - and tempers flare. Will the wish Penny makes on her Japanese doll have a terrible impact on her friends? Penny is growing up fast and learning the hard way that life doesn't always turn out the way you've planned.' (Publication summary)

'Barnaby (Baz) and Cassandra (Cas) Geopardy are fourteen-year-old twins, hence the nickname Double Jeopardy. Their father is an antique dealer, and they are staying in a thatched cottage on a farm in 'The Cotswolds' (in the UK), while their father hunts for bargains in the district.

'One day, at a local market in the town square, they see a man stealing apples and helping himself to other bits and pieces from the various stalls. The locals seem to let him steal from them. The twins are puzzled and they follow the 'apple nicker' to find out what he is up to, and in doing so they meet many of the locals, including a farmer's wife, who is not at all jolly (as farmer's wives are supposed to be). Then there's a secretive butcher, a librarian, a boy in a bike shop and an old woman who hoards newspapers. By piecing together a complicated story and various clues, they solve the mystery.' (Publication summary)

Mitch Bird, the son of a wildlife ranger, lives in the Coorong. He rears a wild swan which becomes his constant companion and ultimately helps save his life.

When Mitch discovers an abandoned swan's egg and takes it home, his park ranger father doesn't approve. But this proves to be the start of a heartwarming friendship.

'Rhys Morton and Toby Hampshire are in Lorne with Toby's family to compete in the Lorne Easter Surf competition. When items start to disappear near the surf club, a local surfer suspects a young skateboarder, so Rhys and Toby go to the skate park hoping to track down the thief. But who is it? And why would a skater be stealing surfing equipment?' (Publication summary)

'Xanthe's dreams of winning a medal at the National diving championships are in doubt. Will injury stop her competing in Perth? Is her diving career over for good? Diving has been Xanthe's life, but is it time to pursue her singing talents? And will new friends like the young Japanese diver Hiroko and the gorgeous Felix Bartlett threaten Xanthe's relationship with her best friend Julia?

'Packed with diving and singing competition action, No Tears is the story of a young girl's struggle to cope with life's unexpected challenges, to hold on to what truly matters, and to achieve her dreams.' (Publication summary)