Books

Books for Children

Books for Young Adults

Short Story Collections

 

 

Books

Books for Children


Dog In, Cat Out

dog in cat out

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dog in, Cat out, Cat in, Dog out… and so it goes from early morning when the family dog leaps out to explore the smells of the new day, until late at night when the cat slips unnoticed through the kitchen window to settle down in the warmth of the sleeping house.

Shortlisted Children's Book Council Picture Book of the Year, 1992

Illustrated by Ann James

* Year of Publication: 1991
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children


Mr Plunkett's Pool

mrplunkett

It’s hot and Mr Plunkett has a pool. But he won’t share it with anyone. The children next door think up lots of ways to encourage him to change his mind.

Illustrated by Terry Denton

* Year of Publication: 1992
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children


Peanut the Ponyrat

peanut

 

 

 

 

Megan hates horses. But the rest of the family just love them, and her older sister’s outgrown pony is ready and waiting for her to ride. Megan confides in her best friend, Arabella and soon finds she has a manageable pet which is much more to her liking.

Illustrated by Alex de Wolf

* Year of Publication: 1995
* Genre: Literature
* Audience: Children


Sharon Keep Your Hair On

sharon

 

 

 

 

 

If you were Sharon or Jase what would you do? They never seem to have enough room in their house but everyone wants to come and live with them anyway. You'll laugh (and groan) at all the changes they have to make, and you'll read their story aloud so many times that your own family will want to build on a special room - just for you!

Illustrated by David Mackintosh

* Year of Publication: 1996
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children


Each Beach

eachbeach

 

 

Meet Jan the Can, she lives on the beach with her pet fly Louise and is always looking for something – but what is it? Gus is the ice cream man who dreams of making the perfect ice cream. When his niece Imogen comes to visit, they all meet up for a lively adventure.

Illustrated by Mark Sofilas

* Year of Publication: 1997
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children


Hooray for the Kafe Karaoke

hooray

 

 

 

In an alley at the back of an old hotel, Sally teaches ballet and her partner Jake owns a gourmet deli. The Hotel Palais hasn't been doing well for a while, but when it becomes the Kafe Karaoke, there's a change - for the worse! The constant bad singing and programmed music make Jake and Sally's lives hell. But when they head to the country for a break, the sounds of nature drive them back to the city!

Illustrated by David Mackintosh

* Year of Publication: 1998
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children


The Giant's Tooth

giant

 

 

 

When Troy and Tania find a strange message in the sand, and what looks like a shiny pearly-white footstool, they are determined to make sure that one young giant doesn’t miss out on the tooth fairy. But first they need to find some gold and deal with a giant tantrum!

The Giant's Tooth is first book in the Troy and Tania series, followed by The Pirate's Ship and The Fairy's Wings.

Illustrated by Craig Smith

* Year of Publication: 1993
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children


The Fairy's Wings

fairy

 

 

 

When Tania takes a beautiful little pair of wings from the garden, she makes someone very unhappy. Tania thinks it’s a fairy, but according to Troy, fairies don’t even exist. Who owns the wings then? And is someone trying to leave messages for Tania?

The Giant's Tooth was the first book in the Troy and Tania series, followed by The Pirate's Ship.

Illustrated by Craig Smith

* Year of Publication: 1998
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children


The Pirate's Ship

pirates

 

 

 

One day Troy finds a desperate message in a bottle on the beach: “Help! I have been captured by pirates.” As Troy races home to show Tania his discovery and plot a rescue mission, a strange looking, wet and dirty man appears on their verandah wanting to buy Uncle Dave’s boat…

The Pirate's Ship is the second book in the Troy and Tania series, along with The Giant's Tooth and The Fairy's Wings.

* Year of Publication: 1998
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children



The Mermaid of Bondi Beach

mermaid

 

 

It’s summer on Bondi Beach and Jack’s planning to spend most of it in the surf with his best friend Mikey. But he hasn’t counted on meeting a very determined mermaid, with marriage on her mind. A fantastic and funny story about families, first love – and mermaids.

Illustrated by Anna Pignataro

* Year of Publication: 1999
* Genre: Literature
* Audience: Children


Ducky's Nest

ducky

 

 

Ducky always sleeps in the little nest in Claudie’s arms. So when she loses him in the park they are both very upset. But while Nana looks after Claudie, the wild birds look after Ducky – and when they are re-united in the morning, exciting things have happened to them both.

Illustrated by Terry Denton

* Year of Publication: 1999
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children


Prue Theroux the Cool Librarian

prue

 

 

When you don't know what to do When you haven't got a clue, go and talk to Miss Theroux. Who, who, who ...? Miss Prue ... That's who! Who's the coolest school librarian around? Miss Prue Theroux, that's who! But when Prue Theroux falls sick and is replaced by Mr Boycott, it's a very different scene in the library.

Illustrated by David Mackintosh

* Year of Publication: 2001
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children

 

Answers to Brut

brut

 

 

Kel didn’t mean to steal Caspian’s bull terrier, Brut. He just meant to borrow him for the weekend. But Brut disappears, and Caspian’s efforts to get him back lead him into a dangerous and sinister world that even his parents are too frightened to face.

Winner NSW Premier’s Award for Children’s Literature, 1988
Winner Children’s Book Council Book of the Year, 1989

* Year of Publication: 1988
* Genre: Literature
* Audience: Children


Melanie and the Night Animal

 

melanie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone thinks eight-year-old Melanie Wright is timid and shy, but she’s not really. It’s just that she likes to take her time over new things and new people. Moving to a new house means that she has too many things to do at once – start at a different school, meet the boys next door, and walk to school with Jasmine Hardcastle, who thinks she’s a baby – but Melanie meets her problems in her own time and in her own way.

This is a funny and perceptive book about facing fears and making friends.

Winner Children’s Book Council Book of the Year - Younger Readers, 1989

* Year of Publication: 1988
* Genre: Literature
* Audience: Children

 

Flashback: the Amazing Adventures of a Film Horse

 

 

 

When Antony and his pony Flash run into the famous film star Tasman True, amazing adventures begin for them both as they are drawn into the glamorous colourful and dangerous world of the movies – a world where appearances are deceptive and nothing is what it seems.

* Year of Publication: 1990
* Genre: Literature
* Audience: Children

 

Jake and Pete

jake1

 

 

Having learnt cat talk, Gillian Rubinstein tells a wonderfully funny and scary tale of two kitkids who go out into the world and find it full of dogs, cars, brooms, boots and snakes – when all they want is a mice home with a big fridge.

Illustrated by Terry Denton

* Year of Publication: 1995
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children

 

Jake and Pete & the Stray Dogs

jake2

 

 

 

Lass and Laddie once belonged to a family, but now they’re stray dogs. They’re completely lost until they meet the two kitkids, Jake and Pete. Jake and Pete don’t think much of coming tho the aid of dogs, but they discover they can swap cat talk for dog talk and even become friends as they help Lass and laddie find their family again.

Illustrated by Terry Denton

* Year of Publication: 1996
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children

 

Jake and Pete & the Catcrowbats

jake3

 

 

Bog is sick, but does he need a Doctor or a Vet? Jake and Pete find out from lass and Laddie that whoever it is, they’re going to need Money. Together with Bat and Crow, the clever kitkids put on a show as the Catcrowbats to help raise some much-needed funds.

Illustrated by Terry Denton

* Year of Publication: 1999
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children

 

Jake and Pete & the Magpies' Wedding

jake4

In the Garden of Lost Things, Jake finds his sense of smell, but Pete can’t find any glasses and Bog is too busy getting ready for the Magpie’s wedding to help him look.

Illustrated by Terry Denton

* Year of Publication: 2000
* Genre: Illustrated
* Audience: Children

 

Squawk and Screech

squawk

 

 

 

Squawk and Screech are lorikeets.. Noisy, colourful, quarrelsome and bossy, they are heroes in the world of birds. Then, suddenly, their lives as mad bad gangsters of the bush come to an end. Each is hurt in a separate accident, and both are put in the care of the old bird woman who lives on Sleeps Hill.

* Year of Publication: 1991
* Genre: Literature
* Audience: Children

Pure Chance

pure chance

 

 

 

Lizzie would love to have a horse more than anything in the world. Her best friend Sarah takes riding lessons and is getting her own pony. But Lizzie’s Dad says it is too expensive, so Lizzie can only watch and dream. Then, a chance meeting with a woman called Moya gives Lizzie hope.

* Year of Publication: 1998
* Genre: Literature
* Audience: Children