Bad Dad by David Walliams

Comical fiction

Dads come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
There are fat ones and thin ones, tall ones and short ones.
There are young ones and old ones, clever ones and stupid ones.
There are silly ones and serious ones, loud ones and quiet ones.
Of course, there are good dads, and bad dads . . .
A high-speed cops and robbers adventure with heart and soul about a father and son taking on the villainous Mr Big – and winning!

White Bird by R. J. Palacio

Graphic Novel

To the millions of readers who fell in love with R J Palacio's Wonder, Julian is best-known as Auggie Pullman's classroom bully. White Bird reveals a new side to Julian's story, as Julian discovers the moving and powerful tale of his grandmother, who was hidden from the Nazis as a young Jewish girl in occupied France during the Second World War.
An unforgettable, unputdownable story about strength, courage, and the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives.

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

Friend/Family Relationships

Maxwell Kane is feared and bullied because of his mental slowness and enormous size. But this is not the only cross he has to bear; Maxwell's father is in jail for murdering his mother. Kevin is smart, quirky and funny with insatiable curiosity and zest for life, but he suffers a rare genetic condition, which inhibits the growth of his body.
Yet the combination of Kevin and Maxwell is formidable, when together they become Freak the Mighty.

Anzac Boys by Tony Bradman

War Fiction

Bert and his little brother Frank are orphans. Determined to stay together, tragedy strikes when they are transported out of the country to serve as cheap labour in the British colonies and end up separated; Bert to Australia and Frank to New Zealand. Years pass. As the Great War dawns in Europe, the ANZACs send their soldiers to storm Gallipoli, but can the battlefield also serve as a reunion for the two brothers? A gripping historical tale based on a tragic episode of World War One.

The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Tales from Alagaesia by Christopher Paolini

Fantasy Fiction

A wanderer and a cursed child.
Spells and magic.
And dragons, of course.
Welcome back to the world of Alagaesia.
It's been a year since Eragon departed Alagaesia in search of the perfect home to train a new generation of Dragon Riders. Now he is struggling with an endless sea of tasks- constructing a vast dragonhold, wrangling with suppliers, guarding dragon eggs and dealing with belligerent Urgals and haughty elves. Then a vision from the Eldunari, unexpected visitors and an exciting Urgal legend offer a much-needed distraction and a new perspective.

One Small Island by Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch

Picture Book       Australian Author/Illustrator

Macquarie Island lies in the Southern Ocean, between Antarctica and New Zealand. A speck of green in the vast, windswept sea, it is a haven for many creatures that live above and below the waves. A precious World Heritage Site, that explores the island's unique geological beginnings, discovery and degradation at the hands of humans, and the battle to restore it today.

Lifel1k3 (Lifelike) by Jay Kristoff

Science Fiction

It’s Romeo & Juliet meets Mad Max meets X-Men, with a little bit of Blade Runner cheering from the sidelines.

On an island junkyard beneath a sky that glows with radiation, a deadly secret lies buried in the scrap. Seventeen-year-old Eve isn't looking for trouble-she's too busy looking over her shoulder. The robot gladiator she spent months building has been reduced to a smoking wreck, she's on the local gangster's wanted list, and the only thing keeping her grandpa alive is the money she just lost to the bookies. Worst of all, she's discovered she can somehow destroy machines with the power of her mind, and a bunch of puritanical fanatics are building a coffin her size because of it. If she's ever had a worse day, Eve can't remember it.