What happens when the 12th century’s most famous French lovers are caught in the crossfire of factions, religious reform and blind ambition? Heloise is a determined young woman with an exceptional mind, longing to pursue learning rather than marriage or life as a cloistered nun. Her path inevitably crosses with Peter Abelard, the celebrity philosopher, theologian and master at Paris’ famed Cathedral School. When two such brilliant minds meet and engage, sparks are likely t...

An award-winning and extraordinary story of a boy who protects a baby whale that locals believe is threatening their livelihood. Winner of the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2015 Young Adult Category Winner New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2015 Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Award 2015 Will Jackson is hiding out, a city boy reluctantly stayi...

Fast-paced, thrilling second YA novel in the Blood of the Lamb trilogy. Maryam, Ruth and Joseph have fled Onewere, reluctantly taking Joseph's troublesome cousin, Lazarus, as well. They arrive at their destination, Marawa Island, filled with hope for rescue and reprieve. But at first glance the island appears to be solely populated by birds . . . Perhaps the Apostle's dire warnings about the fall-out of the Tribulation were true after all? As Maryam and Joseph exp...

Her mother is a psychic artist, driven near to breaking point by a husband bent on conformity and control. The ugly childhood scenes have burrowed into Tess's mind and festered there. Buried, too, are Tess's own fledgling artistic and psychic abilities – unwanted 'proof' of the same inherent evil that has destroyed her family and stalked her dreams into adulthood. Tess flees into the safety of a teenage marriage, not realizing that the price of safety is her sense of self. When her husband...

The final gripping, futuristic Young Adult novel in the bestselling Blood of the Lamb trilogy. 'This book had me on the edge of my seat every time I picked it up and constantly dreading turning the page but unable to stop. Maryam's story once again captivated me. I'm going to recommend this to my friend who has also read the rest of the series and loves it as well.' Danelle,16 Maryam is fighting for her life, freedom and love in this stunning finale to the Blo...

Powerful YA novel by an award-winning writer about a teenager coming to terms with the suicide of her sister. 17 year old Tara McClusky’s life is hard. She shares the care of her paralysed father with her domineering, difficult mother, forced to cut down on her hours at school to help support the family with a part-time rest home job. She’s very much alone, still grieving the loss of her older sister Van, who died five years before. Her only source of consolation is her o...

The gripping sequel to the prize-winning thriller The Nature of Ash. Ash McCarthy thought he had done enough by broadcasting his story to the world, exposing the corruption and lies of Prime Minister Chandler and his cronies. With his small band of friends and family on a remote campsite in the backcountry, he awaits the international community to answer his call for action. But the public response is not what he had hoped for and...

A prize-winning, fast-paced thriller that explores love and loss, assumptions and prejudices, truth and fiction, and the many faces of 'family’. Ash McCarthy thinks he finally has it made, revelling in the freedom of being a student. But life is about to take a drastic turn when two police officers knock on his door. Their devastating news forces him to return home and propels him into a shady world of political intrigue, corruption, terrorism and lies . . . so many lies. ...

Friendship, loyalties and values are thrown into confusion by a rape in this gritty YA novel. Smashed tells the story of three teenage friends, and how their friendship, loyalties and values are thrown into confusion when the main character’s younger sister is raped by one of his best friends. His reaction sets in motion a “ripple effect”, which culminates in a violent act of revenge upon the rapist. Has our hero done this? As he finds himself deep in trouble and ...

The first book in the stunning Blood of the Lamb trilogy, full of action, suspense and drama. The Crossing is the first book in a stunning trilogy that follows the fate of Maryam and her unlikely companions - Joseph, Ruth and Lazarus. This is fast, suspenseful drama underpinned by a powerful and moving story about love and loss. The people of Onewere, a small island in the Pacific, know that they are special - chosen to survive the deadly event that consu...

Just as authors create books, books create authors — and these essays by thirty-one writers for young people offer a fascinating glimpse at the books that inspired them the most.What if you could look inside your favorite authors’ heads and see the book that led them to become who they are today? What was the book that made them fall in love, or made them understand something for the first time? What was the book that made them feel challenged in ways they never kn...

A collection of 32 personal stories.The Book That Made Me is a celebration of the books that influenced some of the most acclaimed authors from Australia and the world. Edited by Judith Ridge, it features non-fiction stories from 32 inspiring and award-winning authors including Markus Zusak, Jaclyn Moriarty, Shaun Tan, Mal Peet, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Simon French, Alison Croggon, Fiona Wood, Bernard Beckett, Ursula Dubosarsky, Rachael Craw, Sue Lawson, Benj...