Library News

LIBRARY NEWS

PREMIERS’ READING CHALLENGE

The Premiers’ Reading Challenge encourages students to read a set number of books over the year and record their efforts online. Since the Challenge first began in 2005, more than 3 million students have read nearly 51 million books. 

Students who complete the Challenge will go in the draw for prizes, receive value cards, house points and a signed certificate by Premier Dan Andrews. The Challenge ends on September 17, 2021.

Congratulations to the following students who have completed the Premiers’ Reading Challenge so far this year:

Teuila 7B

Renae 7B

Georgina 7D

Karan 7E

Amna 7H

Prabhgun 7H

Niti Pon Saravana 7H

Nikki 8F

Courtney 8F

Katia 9B

Mariama 9B

Siratpreet 9G

Pon Harini 9H

Suganja 9H

Savilivili 10E

Peyton 10I

NEW FICTION

100 remarkable feats of Xander Maze by Clayton Zane Comber

Xander Maze loves lists and his grandmother is #1 in his list of People I Love Most in the World. But now that Nanna has stage 4 cancer, can a new list of 100 Remarkable Feats really save her life?

Particularly when his list contains difficult things like #2 Make a Friend and #3 Make a Best Friend.

Funny, moving and with a protagonist you can’t help but fall in love with, 100 Remarkable Feats of Xander Maze is #1 Heartbreaking #2 Heartwarming and a book about defying the odds, not accepting the unacceptable, and one boy’s unconditional love for his nanna.

Alternating current : vol. 1 (Dr Who) by Jodi Houser 

A brand new story in Titan Comics' Doctor Who roster, featuring the exciting and loveable Thirteenth Doctor as she teams up with fan-favourite Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant, as they face the terrifying Sea Devils, with the help of Rose Tyler! After the Tenth and Thirteenth Doctors' first adventure together, a paradox of their meeting has caused a radical rewrite of history… Sea Devils have taken over the Earth! Rose Tyler leads the human resistance, but there’s more going on than first meets the eye. Can the Doctors reunite, defeat their enemies, and bring reality back to normal? Collects Doctor Who #1-4.

Black brother, black brother By Jewell Parker Rhodes

A powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers - one who presents as white, the other as Black - and the ways they are forced to navigate a world that doesn’t treat them equally. Donte wishes he were invisible. As one of the few black boys at his school, he feels as if he is constantly swimming in whiteness. Most of the students don’t look like him. They don’t like him either. Dubbed the ‘Black Brother’, Donte’s teachers and classmates make it clear they wish he were more like his lighter skinned brother, Trey. When an incident with a white student leads to Donte’s arrest and suspension, he’s sure the only way to get even is to beat the student at the school’s most valued game: fencing. With the help of a former Olympic fencer, Donte embarks on a journey to carve out a spot on the school’s fencing team and to find a way to make people at school see past the colour of his skin to who he really is. From NYT bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes, another poignant and gripping story about how children and families face the complexities of race and racism in today’s world.

Blue period vol 2 by Tsubasa Yamaguchi

Yatora is the perfect high school student, with good grades and lots of friends. It's an effortless performance, and, ultimately...a dull one. But he wanders into the art room one day, and a lone painting captures his eye, awakening him to a kind of beauty he never knew. Compelled and consumed, he dives in headfirst -- and he's about to learn how savage and unforgiving art can be!

Diary of A dyslexic school kid by Alais Winton and Zac Millard

Experience day-to-day life for a dyslexic kid, including school life, bullying and coping with tests and homework, in this frank and funny diary. Co-authored with a teenage boy with dyslexia and illustrated with cartoons, this is a positive yet honest look at the difficulties of being dyslexic. Using a simple and relatable approach, the authors display the ups and downs of school - and home - life with a reading difficulty, focussing on the sometimes overwhelming experience of being at a bigger school and studying loads of new subjects. Providing tips for what really helps and works based on real-life experience, this fun, accessible book shows teens and tweens with dyslexia that they are far from alone in their experiences.

Dr Stone : reboot: Byakuya by Boichi

Join Senku’s father Byakuya on his adventure in space as the world turns to stone! One fateful day, all of humanity turned to stone. Many millennia later, Taiju frees himself from the petrification and finds himself surrounded by statues. The situation looks grim-until he runs into his science-loving friend Senku! Together they plan to restart civilization with the power of science! Learn what happened when the world turned to stone in this special side story to Dr. STONE. As Senku and his friends are being turned to stone, his father Byakuya is on the International Space Station. This is the story of the crew as they try to survive as the only humans who remain flesh and blood!

Elsewhere girls by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman

It’s midnight and I’m alone in the kitchen eating a cold potato scallop. Coach O'Call would say something like, ‘That’s not what I expect from a scholarship girl!’ because I have to be up for squad training in five hours and I’m not supposed to go near potato scallops, and-oh, yeah-it’s my fifth.

Cat has recently started at a new school on a sports scholarship, and she’s feeling the pressure of early morning training sessions and the need for total commitment. Fanny loves to swim and she lives for racing, but family chores and low expectations for girls make it very hard for her to fit in even the occasional training session.

Cat and Fanny have never met. They both live in the same Sydney suburb, but in different worlds, or at least different times- Cat in current-day Sydney, and Fanny in 1908. But one day, time slips and they swap places.

As each girl lives the other’s life, with all the challenges and confusion it presents, she comes to appreciate and understand herself and the role of swimming in her own life.

Narrated in alternating chapters by Cat and Fanny, Elsewhere Girls is a moving and funny story of two girls with a deep connection, one based on the Australian Olympic champion, Fanny Durack. It’s a fresh and engaging exploration of the challenges and pressures for young women growing up in the past and today.

Flock : First Nations stories then and now ed by Ellen van Neerven

This wide-ranging and captivating anthology showcases both the power of First Nations writing and the satisfaction of a good short story. Curated by award-winning author Ellen van Neerven, Flock roams the landscape of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytelling, bringing together voices from across the generations.

Featuring established authors such as Tony Birch, Melissa Lucashenko and Tara June Winch, and rising stars such as Adam Thompson and Mykaela Saunders, Flock confirms the ongoing resonance and originality of First Nations stories.

Future girl by Ashyxia

Piper’s mum wants her to be ‘normal’, to pass as hearing and get a good job. But when peak oil hits and Melbourne lurches towards environmental catastrophe, Piper has more important things to worry about, such as how to get food.

When she meets Marley, a CODA (child of Deaf adult), a door opens into a new world - where Deafness is something to celebrate rather than hide, and where resilience is created through growing your own food rather than it being delivered on a truck. As she dives into learning Auslan, sign language that is exquisitely beautiful and expressive, Piper finds herself falling hard for Marley.

But Marley, who has grown up in the Deaf community yet is not Deaf, is struggling to find his place in the hearing world. How can they be together?

Future Girl is the art journal of sixteen-year-old Piper, a visual extravaganza of text, paint, collage and drawings, woven into a deeply engaging coming-of-age story set in near-future Melbourne. 

Huda And Me By H. Hayck

Huda’s sitting in the airport lounge, fiddling with our tickets. I can tell she’s excited because she has a little smile on her face and she keeps glancing at her pink digital watch. I can’t believe we’re doing this. I can’t believe we’re running away from home. Well, we’re not really running away. We’ll come back. We’re running to our parents. On the other side of the world.

When their parents have to travel to Beirut unexpectedly, twelve-year-old Akeal and his six siblings are horrified to be left behind in Melbourne with the dreaded Aunt Amel as their babysitter. Things do not go well and Akeal’s naughty little sister, Huda, hatches a bold plan to escape. After stealing Aunt Amel’s credit card to buy plane tickets to Lebanon, Huda persuades her reluctant favourite brother to come with her.

So begins Huda and Akeal’s hair-raising and action-packed journey to reunite with their parents half a world away, in a city they’ve grown up dreaming about but have never seen.

A fresh and funny story of sibling love, adventure and courage, Huda and Me is one of a kind.

Jo : an adaptation of Little Women (sort of) by Kathleen Gros

With the start of eighth grade, Jo March decides it’s time to get serious about her writing and joins the school newspaper. But even with her new friend Freddie cheering her on, becoming a hard-hitting journalist is a lot harder than Jo imagined.

That’s not all that’s tough. Jo and her sisters - Meg, Beth, and Amy-are getting used to a new normal at home, with their dad deployed overseas and their mom, a nurse, working overtime. And while it helps to hang out with Laurie, the boy who just moved next door, things get complicated when he tells Jo he has feelings for her.

Feelings that Jo doesn’t have for him…or for any boy. Feelings she’s never shared with anyone before. Feelings that Jo might have for Freddie. What does it take to figure out who you are Jo March is about to find out.

Measuring Up by Lily Lamotte and Ann Xu

Twelve-year-old Cici has just moved from Taiwan to Seattle, and the only thing she wants more than to fit in at her new school is to celebrate her grandmother, A-ma’s, seventieth birthday together. Since she can’t go to A-ma, Cici cooks up a plan to bring A-ma to her by winning the grand prize in a kids' cooking contest to pay for A-ma’s plane ticket!

There’s just one problem: Cici only knows how to cook Taiwanese food. And after her pickled cucumber debacle at lunch, she’s determined to channel her inner Julia Child. Can Cici find a winning recipe to reunite with A-ma, a way to fit in with her new friends, and somehow find herself too?

The Fowl Twins By Eoin Colfer

Criminal genius runs in the family… Myles and Beckett Fowl are twins but the two boys are wildly different. Beckett is blonde, messy and sulks whenever he has to wear clothes. Myles is impeccably neat, has an IQ of 170, and 3D prints a fresh suit every day - just like his older brother, Artemis Fowl. A week after their eleventh birthday the twins are left in the care of house security system, NANNI, for a single night. In that time, they befriend a troll on the run from a nefarious nobleman and an interrogating nun both of whom need the magical creature for their own gain … Prepare for an epic adventure in which The Fowl Twins and their new troll friend escape, get shot at, kidnapped, buried, arrested, threatened, killed (temporarily) … and discover that the strongest bond in the world is not the one forged by covalent electrons in adjacent atoms, but the one that exists between a pair of twins. The first book in the blockbusting new series from global bestseller Eoin Colfer.

Night ride Into danger By Jackie French

Six mysterious passengers and seven dark secrets. Who can be trusted?

It’s a dark and dangerous journey for the Cobb and Co night mail coach, but when his coach-driver father is injured, young Jem Donovan must take the reins.

Surely a boy like Jem can’t handle a team of four horses and guide the coach on a rough bush track through fog and untold dangers?

But there are six passengers on the coach tonight, each with a secret. And if Jem can’t get them all to their destination by morning, the seventh secret could be deadly …

One Piece vol. 1-3 By Eiichiro Oda

Join Monkey D. Luffy and his swashbuckling crew in their search for the ultimate treasure, One Piece! As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally gained the power to stretch like rubber…at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years, later, Luffy sets off in search of the One Piece, said to be the greatest treasure in the world… As a child, Monkey D. Luffy was inspired to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer Red-Haired Shanks. But his life changed when Luffy accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit and gained the power to stretch like rubber…at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on his adventure…one guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary One Piece, said to be the greatest treasure in the world…

Panic By Lauren Oliver

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do. Heather never thought she would compete in panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought. Dodge has never been afraid of panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he’s sure of it. But what he doesn’t know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them-and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

In this gritty, spellbinding novel, bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping narrative of friendship, courage, survival, and hope.

Pawcasso by Remi Lai

Every Saturday, Pawcasso trots into town with a basket, a shopping list and cash in paw to buy groceries for his family. One day, he passes by Jo’s house, where she’s peering out the window, bored and lonely. When Jo sets out to follow him, a group of kids from school mistake her for Pawcasso’s owner and, excited to make new friends, she reluctantly hides the truth.

But what starts as a Chihuahua-sized lie quickly grows into a Great Dane-sized problem when Pawcasso gets his own internet fan club … Trapped in a web of lies, will Jo risk her new friendships by telling the truth?

From the award-winning creator of Pie in the Sky comes a heartwarming and hilarious story about an unexpected friendship between the loneliest girl in class and the coolest canine in town.

Prank Aliens (Funny Kid series) By Matt Stanton

Every kid wants to laugh, but Max is the boy who can make it happen. He’s also the kid who’s keen to spend the most boring school holidays ever coming up with the greatest prank of all time. Max is the funny kid and he’s going to prank the world!

Conspiracy theories, crop circles, alien invasions, a mayor who has lost his marbles and the most Un-fun Fair in the universe are just some of the things in store for Max and his friends in this brand-new Funny Kid adventure.

FUNNY KID is the mega-bestselling series from author-illustrator Matt Stanton that has everyone laughing!

Rolo’s Story By Blake Morgan

A heart-warming tale of one dog’s adventure to find a forever home, told from a dog’s-eye view. Neglected and unloved by his owner, Rolo decides that he doesn’t need a human any more. He can look after himself just fine! But for a puppy living on the streets, each day brings a new struggle for survival. Then Freya comes along. As Rolo learns to trust the girl, he realizes that a real home is what he’s been looking for after all. But can he convince Freya’s mum to accept a scruffy puppy like him into their lives? For fans of I, COSMO, A DOG’S LIFE and Michael Morpurgo.

Scotland bound, Charlie Brown by Schulz

Charlie Brown and his friends head across the pond to Scotland where the gang plans to participate in an international music festival and Charlie Brown hopes to meet his pen-pal, Morag based on an unproduced, feature-length special, storyboarded by Charles M. Schulz! Good Ol' Charlie Brown has fallen in love with his pen-pal from Scotland! Now, full of unbridled enthusiasm and confidence, he’s convinced his friends Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, and his faithful dog, Snoopy, to accompany him on an international trip to meet her. Whether it’s golf, music, or the mystery of Loch Ness, everyone discovers something extraordinary about the legendary country…even Charlie Brown, who realizes he’s wishy-washy wherever he may be. Discovered in the archives of the Schulz Studio, Scotland Bound, Charlie Brown is an original graphic novel adaptation of an unproduced, feature-length special, storyboarded by Charles M. Schulz and Bill Melendez; written by Jason Cooper and with art by Robert Pope.

Seasons Of War (Skulduggery Pleasant series) By Derek Landy

The thirteenth thrilling novel in the internationally bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant series, SEASONS OF WAR will test the Skeleton Detective and Valkyrie like never before…

War is coming. To avert catastrophe, Skulduggery and Valkyrie are sent on a secret mission that takes them away from everything they know, to a forsaken land of magic and grim, unrelenting terror. It is here that Valkyrie will have to fight the hardest - not only against the enemies who want her dead, but also against her own self-destructive impulses. It’s only by crawling through darkness that she’ll be able to once again stand in the light…

Sister of the Bollywood Bride

Mini’s big sister is getting married. Their mom passed away seven years ago and between Dad’s new start-up and Vinnie’s medical residency, there’s no one but Mini to plan the wedding. Dad raised her to know more about computers, calculus and cars than desi weddings but from the moment Mini held the jewelry Mom left them, she wanted her sister to have the wedding Mom would’ve planned.

Now Mini has only two months to get it done and she’s not going to let anything distract her, not even the persistent, mysterious and smoking-hot Vir Mirchandani. Flower garlands, decorations, music, even a white wedding horse - everything is in place.

That is, until a monster cyclone heads for Boston that could ruin everything. Will Mini come through as sister of the bride and save the day?

The cat man of Aleppo by Irene Latham

Out of the ravages of war came hope. How an act of kindness inspired millions worldwide. When war came to Syria, many fled the once-beautiful city of Aleppo and were forced to become refugees in far-flung places. But Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel decided to stay and work as an ambulance driver, helping the civilians that couldn’t leave. He quickly realised that it wasn’t just people who needed care, but also the hundreds of cats abandoned on the streets. Using the little money he earned, he began feeding and looking after them. But there were too many for Alaa to care for on his own, so he asked the world for help to keep his new friends safe. Soon, his call was answered. Alaa’s brave and heart-warming story is brought to triumphant life on these pages, which include a note from Alaa himself. Alaa’s cat sanctuary has expanded to work with local children traumatised by a lifetime of war.

The magic fish by Trung Le Nguyen

Tiến loves his family and his friends…but Tiến has a secret he’s been keeping from them, and it might change everything. An amazing YA graphic novel that deals with the complexity of family and how stories can bring us together.

Real life isn’t a fairytale.

But Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It’s hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiến, he doesn’t even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he’s going through?

Is there a way to tell them he’s gay?

The Outlaws : Scarlett & Browne By Jonathan Stroud

Set in a broken, future England, where gunfights and monsters collide, this is the exciting first title in a phenomenal fantasy teen series by the bestselling children’s novelist.

England has been radically changed by a series of catastrophes - large cities have disappeared and London has been replaced by a lagoon. The surviving population exists in fortified towns where they cling to traditional ways, while strangely evolved beasts prowl the wilderness beyond. Conformity is rigidly enforced and those who fall foul of the rules are persecuted: some are killed, others are driven out into the wilds.

Only a few fight back - and two of these outlaws, Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne, display an audacity and talent that makes them legends.

Toffee by Sarah Crossan

The astonishing new novel from the incomparable, multi-award-winning and Laureate winner Sarah Crossan.     

I am not who I say I am.  Marla isn’t who she thinks she is.  I am a girl trying to forget.  Marla is a woman trying to remember.     

Allison has run away from home and with nowhere to live finds herself hiding out in the shed of what she thinks is an abandoned house. But the house isn’t empty. An elderly woman named Marla, with dementia, lives there – and she mistakes Allison for an old friend from her past called Toffee.   

Allison is used to hiding who she really is, and trying to be what other people want her to be. And so, Toffee is who she becomes. After all, it means she has a place to stay. There are worse places she could be.   

But as their bond grows, and Allison discovers how much Marla needs a real friend, she begins to ask herself – where is home? What is a family? And most importantly, who am I, really?

Turkish Kaleidoscope : Fractured Lives In A Time of Violence By Jenny White and Ergun Fundoz

A powerful graphic novel that traces Turkey’s descent into political violence in the 1970s through the experiences of four students on opposing sides of the conflict Turkish Kaleidoscope tells the stories of four unforgettable protagonists as they navigate a society torn apart by violent political factions. 

We were wolves by Jason Cockroft

Boy lives in a caravan on his own in the woods. His dad, John, is in prison and promises to get out soon. All the boy needs to do is survive alone for a little while longer.

But dark forces are circling - like the dangerous man in the Range Rover, who is looking for his stolen money. And then there are the ancient forces that have lain asleep in the woods for an age…

If you loved A Monster Calls, you’ll love this one too..

Wednesday Weeks And The Tower Of Shadows By Denis Knight and Cristy Burne

Wednesday Weeks never wanted to be a sorcerer’s apprentice. She’d rather study science than magic. But when her cloak-wearing, staff-wielding grandpa is captured by a power-hungry goblin king, Wednesday must find a way to embrace her magical heritage and rescue him from the dreaded Tower of Shadows.

Luckily, she’s not alone. Her best friend Alfie is a prime-number fan and robotics expert who’s all-in on Wednesday’s epic plan involving parallel universes, swords of power, and a wise-cracking talking skull. But it’s going to take more than science, magic, and the world’s cutest robot to take down this bad guy.

Because the goblin king is playing for the ultimate prize - and Wednesday and Alfie just walked into his trap…

When The Sky Falls By Phil Earle

1941. War is raging. And one angry boy has been sent to the city, where bombers rule the skies. There, Joseph will live with Mrs F, a gruff woman with no fondness for children. Her only loves are the rundown zoo she owns and its mighty silverback gorilla, Adonis. As the weeks pass, bonds deepen and secrets are revealed, but if the bombers set Adonis rampaging free, will either of them be able to end the life of the one thing they truly love? Inspired by a true story.

Where we begin by Christie Nieman

Seventeen-year-old Anna is running into the night. Fleeing her boyfriend, her mother, and everything she has known.

She is travelling into the country, to the land and the grandparents she has never met, looking for answers to questions that have never been asked.

For every family has secrets.

But some secrets - once laid bare - can never be forgiven.

A dark, deeply compelling, coming-of-age YA novel from the author of As Stars Fall.

NEW NON FICTION

Aguero rules (Football superstars) by Simon Mugford and Dan Green

Ultimate Football Heroes is a series of biographies telling the life-stories of the biggest and best footballers in the world and their incredible journeys from childhood fan to super-star professional player. Written in a fast-paced, action-packed style. 

All boys Aren’t blue by George M. Johnson

A powerful debut YA memoir-manifesto about growing up Black and queer in America from journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson. This powerful YA memoir-manifesto follows journalist and LGBTQ+ activist George M. Johnson as they explore their childhood, adolescence, and college years, growing up under the duality of being black and queer. From memories of getting their teeth kicked out by bullies at age five to their loving relationship with their grandmother, to their first sexual experience, the stories wrestle with triumph and tragedy and cover topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, inequality, consent, and Black joy. 

Autism, bullying and me by Emily Lovegrove

It’s not always easy to stand out from the crowd, especially if you’re a teenager. There’s a lot of information out there on how to deal with bullying, but a lot of it is contradictory or seems like it won’t work… But this guidebook is different! Helping you sort fact from fiction, the book looks at the different forms bullying can take and debunks commonly held myths such as ‘bullying makes you stronger’ and ‘ignore it and it will stop’. You’ll learn techniques to clear your mind so that you can respond to bullying situations calmly and confidently and be positive about who you are. Finally, it’s packed with self-empowering strategies for coping with being autistic in a neurotypical world, and practical tips so you can handle any bullying scenario.

Billie Eilish by Billie Eilish

Legendary recording artist Billie Eilish shares an intimate inside look at her life-both on and off the stage-in this stunning, photo-filled book.

Billie Eilish is a phenomenon. With distinctive visual flare and darkly poignant lyrics that are unparalleled among music icons of the 21st century, Billie is a musician who stands out from the crowd. Between her record-shattering award-winning music and her uncompromising and unapologetic attitude, it’s no surprise that her fanbase continues to grow by millions month after month. She is that rare combination of wildly popular and highly respected for her prodigious talent, a once in a generation superstar.

Now in this stunning visual narrative journey through her life, she is ready to share more with her devoted audience for the first time, including hundreds of never-before-seen photos. This gorgeous book will capture the essence of Billie inside and out, offering readers personal glimpses into her childhood, her life on tour, and more. A must-have for any fan.

Bridge over troubled dreams by Delta Goodrem

The emotional stories behind Delta Goodrem’s sixth studio album. In her first-ever book, Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem shares the intimate stories behind each of the tracks on her sixth studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Dreams, taking readers on a deep dive into her inspiration for each song and revealing the truth behind the lyrics. From the touching account of her birth - two months premature - to battling bouts of missing home and many incredible self-discoveries along the way, Bridge Over Troubled Dreams is truly the book of the artist’s life. She speaks candidly about love, family, highs and lows, patience, freedom, faith, hope and survival, and how she uses lessons learned to drive herself forward. Delta’s heartfelt stories are accompanied by never-before-seen pictures from her personal collection: candid behind-the-scenes shots, unreleased tour photos and even personal snaps from her childhood.

First they erased our name : a Rihingya speaks by Habiburahman

Here, for the first time, a Rohingya speaks up to expose the truth behind this global humanitarian crisis. Through the eyes of a child, we learn about the historic persecution of the Rohingya people and witness the violence Habiburahman endured throughout his life until he escaped the country in 2000, eventually reaching Australia by boat in December 2009. He spent nearly three years in detention centres before being released, and now lives in Melbourne..First, They Erased Our Name is an urgent, moving memoir about what it feels like to be repressed in one’s own country and a refugee in others. It gives voice to the voiceless.

Gary Ablett : an autobiography by Gary Ablett

Gary Ablett: An Autobiography celebrates AFL legend Gary Ablett’s stellar career. Reliving key moments and events in his life, this memoir not only explores Gary’s great success at the very top of the AFL, but also his journey to get there.

Just Like Me : 40 neurologically and physically diverse people who broke stereotypes by Louise Gooding

The world is full of people who are a little different in one way or another. Our uniqueness is what makes us stand out and makes us who we are. You can never judge someone on something you can not see or even on the things you can see. We are all special. We are all unique. We are all ‘different; not less’.

A collection of true stories about inspiring people and famous figures from around the world, all with something that makes them physically or neurologically diverse. Reflective of our diverse society, this anthology features figures including Simone Biles, Selena Gomez, Temple Grandin, Warwick Davies, Daniel Radcliffe, Stephen Hawking and Greta Thunberg.

Living the confidence code By Katty Kay et. al

The best way to understand confidence is to see it in action. That’s why bestselling authors Katty Kay, Claire Shipman, and JillEllyn Riley have collected 30 true stories of real girls, pursuing their passions, struggling and stumbling, but along the way figuring out how to build their own special brand of confidence.

From Bali to Brazil, South Africa to Seattle, Australia to Afghanistan, these girls took risks, doubted themselves, and sometimes failed. But they also hung in there when things got hard. Along the way they discovered what matters to them: everything from protesting contaminated water to championing inclusive books to the accessibility of girls' basketball shoes, and so much more.

Different goals, different stories, different personalities, all illustrating the multitude of ways to be confident in the world. Packed with photos, graphic novel strips, and engaging interviews, Living the Confidence Code proves that no matter who you are, or how old you are, nothing is out of reach when you decide to try.

My Amy By Tyler James

Written with a searing honesty and published for the tenth anniversary of Amy Winehouse’s death, My Amy is an evocative portrait of unbreakable lifelong friendship - and a devastating study into fame, addiction and self-sabotage. Only one person knows what really happened to Amy, other than Amy herself. He is Tyler James, Amy’s best friend from the age of thirteen. They met at stage school as two insecure outsiders, formed an instant connection and lived together from their late teenage years right up until the day she died, aged just twenty-seven.

Rashford rules (Football Superstar) By Simon Mugford and Dan Green

Filled with quizzes, stats and little known facts, plus illustrated and told with all the fun of a Tom Gates novel, the Soccer Superstars series is perfect for young readers five and up. Is Marcus Rashford your ultimate soccer hero? His rise to the top has already seen him win The FA Cup, EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League for Manchester United as well as become a semi-finalist at the FIFA 2018 World Cup. Discover how the local kid got into Manchester United’s famous academy and worked hard to become part of its star-studded first team as well as an England international, plus the amazing way he called on the UK government to end child poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The beautiful struggle: a memoir by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates grew up in the tumultuous 1980’s in Baltimore known, back then, as the murder capital of the United States. With seven siblings, four mothers, and one highly unconventional father - Paul Coates, a larger-than-life Vietnam Vet, Black Panther, Ta-Nehisi’s coming of age story is gripping and lays bare the troubled, often violent life of the inner-city, and the author’s experience as a young black person in it.

With candor, Ta-Nehisi Coates details the challenges on the streets and within one’s family, especially the eternal struggle for peace between a father and son and the important role family plays in such circumstances.

The Black friend : On being A better white person By Frederick Joseph

The Black Friend is THE book everyone needs to read right now… Read it, absorb it, and be changed because of it. -Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give Speaking directly to the reader, Frederick Joseph offers powerful reflections on his own experiences with racism. As a former token Black kid , he now presents himself as the friend many readers need, touching on topics including cultural appropriation, reverse racism and white privilege. Featuring interviews with figures such as writer Angie Thomas, content creator Toni Tone, and April Reign, founder of the #OscarsSoWhite movement, this book serves as conversation starter and tool kit, creating a timely and essential read for committed anti-racists and newcomers to the cause of racial justice alike.

The body image book for girls by Charlotte Markey

It is worrying to think that most girls feel dissatisfied with their bodies, and that this can lead to serious problems including depression and eating disorders. Can some of those body image worries be eased? Body image expert and psychology professor Dr Charlotte Markey helps girls aged 9-15 to understand, accept, and appreciate their bodies. She provides all the facts on puberty, mental health, self-care, why diets are bad news, dealing with social media, and everything in-between. Girls will find answers to questions they always wanted to ask, the truth behind many body image myths, and real-life stories from girls who share their own experiences. Through this easy-to-read and beautifully illustrated guide, Dr Markey teaches girls how to nurture both mental and physical health to improve their own body image, shows the positive impact they can have on others, and enables them to go out into the world feeling fearless!

The pronoun lowdown : demystifying and celebrating gender diversity by Nevo Zisin

Woven together with author Nevo Zisin’s own pronoun journey, this colourful hardback sheds light on the complicated history of gender around the world, in language and across time. Nevo shares their ideas for how young trans and gender diverse folk might begin to navigate their identities, as well as simple suggestions for friends and family on how to provide the best support possible. And, as well as Nevo’s own anecdotes, these pages also salute the tireless work of other LGBTQIA+ trailblazers and activists - without whom this joyous book could never exist.

Uncomfortable conversations with a Black boy by Emmanuel Acho

In Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man, Acho takes on all the questions, large and small, insensitive and taboo, many white Americans are afraid to ask - yet which all Americans need the answers to, now more than ever. With the same open-hearted generosity that has made his video series a phenomenon, Acho explains the vital core of such fraught concepts as white privilege, cultural appropriation, and reverse racism. In his own words, he provides a space of compassion and understanding in a discussion that can lack both. He asks only for the reader’s curiosity - but along the way, he will galvanize all of us to join the antiracist fight.

Van Dijk Rules (Football Superstars) By Simon Mugford and Dan Green

If Van Dijk is your favourite football superstar, then this is the book for you! Discover how he went from playing football in cages and in the streets in the Netherlands to being named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year in 2019. Learn how Van Dijk came to captain the Netherlands national team and become one of the strongest defenders in the world, currently playing for Liverpool. Football Superstars: Van Dijk Rules is written in an engaging and accessible style.

You are a champion : how to be the best you can be by Marcus Rashford

It’s hard to know what is possible until you start. You have to be able to dream big and be prepared to work towards your dreams. Good things take time. I’ve achieved a lot, but it didn’t come in one go - big things rarely happen overnight, and good things rarely happen as if by magic … Marcus Rashford is famous worldwide for his skills both on-and-off the pitch - but before he was a Manchester United and England footballer, and long before he started his inspiring campaign to end child food poverty, he was just an average kid from Wythenshawe, South Manchester. Now, Marcus Rashford MBE wants to show YOU how to achieve your dreams, in this positive and inspiring guide-for-life.

Suggestions for new books are always welcome. Write the details in the Suggestions Book at the library circulation desk or email georgia.flaskas@education.vic.gov.au

Georgia Flaskas – Library Resource Centre Manager

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