Siblings Rachel, twelve, and Robert, fourteen, are passed a stolen book by their librarian father and must track down the missing final page while protecting the book from falling into the hands of the cruel ruler of Krasnia, President Charles Malstain.
Fiction
Fiction genre
The Little Black Fish
The Little Black Fish may be small, but he has big questions about the world and is determined to find the answers to them. Whilst all the other fish in the pond just follow each other around, too scared to do anything different, Little Black Fish swims over the edge of the pool, into the stream towards the river and on to the sea. On his adventure Little Black Fish sees many wondrous and beautiful things, encounters danger lurking around every corner and is finally faced with his ultimate challenge.
Ramen For Everyone
Hiro loves ramen. Every Sunday, Hiro’s dad makes delicious, perfect ramen for dinner, using a recipe passed down from his dad. There’s nori seaweed, briny like the ocean; nitamago egg, the yolk golden like the sun; and chashu pork so tender, it melts in your mouth. Hiro’s dream is to make his own perfect bowl, and he’s sure he can do it after watching his dad and taking notes. But when he gets started, things don’t go according to plan. The seaweed crumbles! The eggs slip through his fingers! The pork falls apart! Hiro is worried he’ll never be a real ramen chef but thanks to his father’s wise advice and his own creativity, Hiro discovers that every person’s perfect bowl of ramen is unique.
The Small Girl Who Lives Next Door = te kōtiro nohinohi e noho pātata ana
From two aunties playing cards to an old soldier eating an ice-cream…from two birds building their nest to a great mountain looking down…follow Jack as he travels deeper into the heart of te reo Māori where he discovers a new way of looking at a world he once thought he knew.
We Are Many
In a field outside the city, some children are playing a game. They chase a kicked ball, then throw themselves on it in a laughing heap. But then the adults arrive. Lots of adults. They want to join the “people pile.” Soon, the pile has become so big, some people are uncomfortable. They have questions. Lots of questions. Like, should they be in two piles, or one? Meanwhile, the children wonder, what are all these adults doing? Can’t we just get back to our game?
Mwikali And The Forbidden Mask (The Intasimi Warriors)
12-year-old Mwikali is moving to a new school in Nairobi and just wants her life to be normal. But when she meets Soni, Odwar and Xirsi who reveal that she is descended from an ancient bloodline of legendary Kenyan warriors, all hope of a normal life fades. Now, with an array of malign forces massing, Mwikali must delve deep into the past to discover her ancestry, learn to harness her extraordinary powers, and enter a race against time to defeat a village elder who has turned to dark magic in an effort to gain ultimate power.
Berani
In Berani, Governor General’s Award finalist Michelle Kadarusman spins together three perspectives: Malia, who is prepared to risk anything for her activism, Ari, who knows the right path but fears what it will cost, and Ginger Juice, the caged orangutan who still remembers the forest and her mother. The choices the young people make will have consequences for themselves, for Ginger Juice, and for others, if they are brave enough or reckless enough to choose.
Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Thief
Discover the adventures of the original, world-famous gentleman thief who inspired generations of charming scoundrels and gallant anti-heroes in fiction and film for over a century.
The Woman Who Turned Children Into Birds
“Go on. Be happy. Off you fly!” A charming tale from a beloved storyteller and award-winning illustrator urges readers of all ages to take chances and find joy. Nanty Solo is new in town and claims she can turn children into birds. Terrified parents forbid the idea, but the children want to fly-they want it very much-and they do. One by one, they approach Nanty Solo. One by one, they are transformed until the sky over town teems with rooks and goldfinches, parakeets and sparrows. The adults take one look and cry, “Get out of that sky this very minute!” But the sight of their offspring-set free to soar, hope, and explore-soon has the grown-ups wondering what it might be like to have wings to fly and a beak to sing.
The lilting, dreamy tale, told in David Almond’s inimitable voice and playfully illustrated, assures us it’s never too late to say yes to life.
Night Lunch
Noses sniff the air as mouthwatering smells waft down city streets, luring growling bellies to the Night Owl. Inside this elegant, horse-drawn establishment, a feathery cook works the grill, serving up tasty dishes for shift-workers and operagoers alike: a mince pie for Fox, a ham sandwich for Badger and puddings for little Possums. Mouse, a poor street sweeper, watches as the line of customers swells, ever hopeful that someone will drop a morsel of food — but Owl’s cooking is far too delicious for more than a crumb to be found. As the evening’s service winds down, weary Owl spots trembling Mouse. Has he found his own night lunch, or will he invite this small sweeper inside for a midnight feast for two?