Oceania

Materials from Oceania

Juniors

Part Hawaiian, part Mainlander. Perpetual new girl at school. Hanging in the shadow of her actress mother’s spotlight. And now: new resident of the prominent West family’s guest cottage. Bracing herself for the embarrassment of being her classmates’ latest charity case, Lea is surprised when she starts becoming friends with Will and Whitney West instead—or in the case of gorgeous, unattainable Will, possibly even more than friends. And despite their differences, Whitney and Lea have a lot in common: both are navigating a tangled web of relationships, past disappointments and future hopes. As things heat up with Will, and her friendship with Whitney deepens, Lea has to decide how much she’s willing to change in order to fit into their world.

Finding Serendipity

When Tuesday McGillycuddy and her beloved dog, Baxterr, discover that Tuesday’s mother―the famous author Serendipity Smith―has gone missing, they set out on a magical adventure. In their quest to find Serendipity, they discover the mysterious and unpredictable place that stories come from. Here, Tuesday befriends the fearless Vivienne Small, learns to sail an enchanted boat, tangles with an evil pirate, and discovers the truth about her remarkable dog. Along the way, she learns what it means to be a writer and how difficult it can sometimes be to get all the way to The End.

Alex As Well

Alex is ready for things to change, in a big way. Everyone seems to think she’s a boy, but for Alex the whole boy/girl thing isn’t as simple as either/or, and when she decides girl is closer to the truth, no one knows how to react, least of all her parents. Undeterred, Alex begins to create a new identity for herself: ditching one school, enrolling in another, and throwing out most of her clothes. But the other Alex-the boy Alex-has a lot to say about that.

The Tournament at Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice: The Early Years)

In this prequel to the Ranger’s Apprentice series, Halt and Crowley travel north seeking Prince Duncan’s royal warrant to stop Morgrath from corrupting the Corps, but if they are to prevent a coup that is nearing success, the young Rangers will have to tread a dangerous path toward the annual tournament at Gorlan.

The 39-Story Treehouse

Andy and Terry are once again inviting readers to come hang out with them in their astonishing 39-story treehouse (it used to be 13 stories, then 26 stories, but they keep expanding). And this year they will have even more time to jump on the world’s highest trampoline, toast marshmallows in an active volcano, swim in the chocolate waterfall, pet baby dinosaurs, and go head-to-trunk with the Trunkinator, since Terry has created the greatest invention that he―or anyone else―has ever invented . . . a Once-upon-a-time machine that will write and illustrate their entire book for them!

Finding Monkey Moon

Every night at half past seven, Michael and his stuffed monkey go hippity-hop, hippity-hop, up the stairs to bed. But one night when Michael calls out for Monkey Moon, he’s not in any of his favorite places. Dad thinks he must still be at the park, so he and Michael bundle up and head outside, into the dark street, to retrace their steps.

Child Convicts

At the age of seven, children in eighteenth-century Britain were tried in court like adults. For crimes such as picking pockets or stealing clothes, they could be sentenced to death by hanging or transported to the then-perilous and isolated colonies of Australia. Life in the colonies was often as difficult and dangerous as the poverty from which many of the convicts came, but the dreaded sentence of transportation could also present opportunities.

Welcome to New Zealand: A Nature Journal

In this stunning idea book, acclaimed author and illustrator Sandra Morris shares her love for the flora and fauna of her native New Zealand and encourages budding scientists to record their own discoveries in creative ways, no matter where they live.

My Two Blankets

Cartwheel moves to a new country with her auntie, and everything is strange: the animals, the plants even the wind. An old blanket gives Cartwheel comfort when she’s sad, and a new blanket just might change her world.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 8, Issue 3

This book has been included in WOW’s Kids Taking Action Booklist. For our current list, visit our Boolist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.