Cambridge High School Library 2024

By:Lauren Wolk Location: FIC WOL Genre: Historical Drama- real life stuff This book makes me realise why I tremble at bullies - it infuriated me! “And I decided that there might be things I would never understand, no matter how hard I tried. Though try I would. And that there would be people who would never hear my one small voice, no matter what I had to say. But then a better thought occurred, and this was the one I carried away with me that day: If my life was to be just a single note in an endless symphony, how could I not sound it out f or as long and as loudly as I could? (p228) ” "I just finished reading Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk and must say that it is one of the best coming-of-age stories I have ever read. It can be shelved proudly alongside others like The Outsiders and To Kill a Mockingbird" Annabelle has lived in Wolf Hollow all her life: a quiet place, still scarred by two world wars. But when cruel, manipulative Betty arrives in tow...

By: Sandhya Menon Location: FIC MEN Genre: Romance and culture Perfect for fans of Rainbow Rowell, Jenny Han and Nicola Yoon!! "This book was honestly so wonderful. It was an absolute delight to read. It is adorable. It's laugh out loud hilarious. It'll give you alllllll the feels." Emma The arranged-marriage YA romcom you didn't know you wanted or needed... Meet Dimple. Her main aim in life is to escape her traditional parents, get to university and begin her plan for tech world domination. Meet Rishi. He's rich, good-looking and a hopeless romantic. His parents think Dimple is the perfect match for him, but she's got other plans... Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.  

By: Randa Abdel-Fattah Location: FIV ABD Genre: Youth Fiction- Cultural "In many ways it is a modern Aussie suburban interpretation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’– A boy. A girl. Two families.... " "It's so much easier to live in a world where everything is black and white " Michael is drawn to his new classmate Mina, but they're on opposite sides of an issue that's tearing their town apart. His parents are part of an anti-immigration group, while her family have fled their besieged home in Afghanistan. As tensions rise, lines are drawn and both must decide what they want their world to look like, no matter the cost. "I'd forgotten about how truly uneven the world is. Some people get marble and luxury and urban chic; others get slums and open sewerage and payday-to-payday." Michael is a teenager growing up in Sydney’s North Shore. He gets good grades, has great mates, and parents whom he describes as ‘good people’ – but fo...

By: Nicholas Tomalin and Ron Hall Location:NF 920 TOM Genre: True story of deceit and sail racing Now a major motion picture starring Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz, directed by James Marsh (The Theory of Everything). Donald Crowhurst proves that highly intelligent (and brave) men can make many bad decisions, leading to ultimate failure. This brings into question: what really is intelligence? The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst is a fascinating account of his last voyage. Taking part in the global race was not enough for him. Deceit and ramblings about disembodied intelligence are consequences of his vanity. Nevertheless, all fascinating stuff. A very interesting but deeply flawed man. The best decision would have been to wait the following year to embark on the race but to Donald Crowhurst, hesitation was minus time and action plus time. Neither he nor the boat was ready. There are many lessons in this book.   -Simon- Goodreads.com In 1968, Donald Crow...

BY: Claudia Gray Location: FIC GRA Genre: Sci Fi Series:Constellation #1 A space opera involving robots, a girl willing to sacrifice her life for her planet, and an interstellar war that has been going on for 30 years. “Your soul is bigger than your programming.” Noemi is a young and fearless soldier of Genesis, a colony planet of a dying Earth. But the citizens of Genesis are rising up - they know that Earth's settlers will only destroy this planet the way they destroyed their own. And so a terrible war has begun. When Noemi meets Abel, one of Earth's robotic mech warriors, she realizes that Abel himself may provide the key to Genesis' salvation. Abel is bound by his programming to obey her - even though her plan could result in his destruction. But Abel is no ordinary mech. He's a unique prototype, one with greater intelligence, skill and strength than any other. More than that, he has begun to develop emotions, a personality and even dreams. Noem...

By: Natasha Farrant Location: FIC FAR Genre: Retelling of the Pride and Prejudice kind . "This book was monstrous fun. I inhale read it. Very enjoyable!"- Jessica “Books may not judge you, but people do.” A spirited, witty and fresh reimagining of Jane Austen's Prideand Prejudice! Lydia is the youngest Bennet sister and she's sick of country life - instead of sewing and reading, she longs for adventure. When a red-coated garrison arrives in Merryton, Lydia's life turns upside down. As she falls for dashing Wickham, she's swept into a whirlwind social circle and deposited in a seaside town, Brighton. Sea-bathing, promenades and scandal await - and a pair of intriguing twins. Can Lydia find out what she really wants - and can she get it "He entered. His beauty in scarlet regimentals was overwhelming. The world went black and I thought perhaps I had died, but then Kitty nudged me and I realized that I was alive, but had merely closed my...

By: Guinevere Glasford Location: FIC GLA Genre: Historical Fiction I loved the Miniaturist by Jessie Burton set in Amsterdam in the 17th century, so this book was a buy for me based on that book. It may also have something to do with my ridiculous attraction to The Girl in the Pearl Earring. I have seen that painting, the real one, she looks at you from EVERY angle- it is stunning! This book  was a finalist  for  the Costa Book Award and the Times called it "Excellent" The Words in My Hand is the reimagined true story of Helena Jans, a Dutch maid in 17th-century Amsterdam, who works for Mr Sergeant the English bookseller. When a mysterious and reclusive lodger arrives - the Monsieur - Mr Sergeant insists everything must be just so. It transpires that the Monsieur is René Descartes. This is Helena's story: the woman in front of Descartes, a young woman who yearns for knowledge, who wants to write so badly she makes ink from beetroot and writes in secret on ...

By: Jack Cheng Location: Fic CHE Genre: Fiction- Middel Grade- Lovely story. Wonder ..like A funny, luminous, utterly moving novel about a space-obsessed boy, his dog Carl Sagan, and a journey toward family, love, hope, and awe. 'I havent read anything that has moved me this much since Wonder "- Jennifer Niven For fans of Wonder and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time , Jack Cheng's debut is full of joy, optimism, determination, and unbelievable heart. To read the first page is to fall in love with Alex and his view of our big, beautiful, complicated world. To read the last is to know he and his story will stay with you a long, long time. 11-year-old Alex Petroski loves space and rockets, his mom, his brother, and his dog Carl Sagan-named for his hero, the real-life astronomer. All he wants is to launch his golden iPod into space the way Carl Sagan (the man, not the dog) launched his Golden Record on the Voyager spacecraft in 1977. From ...

By: Neil DeGrasse Tyson Location: NF 523.01 TYS Genre: Real Science- physics stuff I love it when a teacher recommends a book we should get, especially a science one of goodness. The essential universe, from our most celebrated and beloved astrophysicist. What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There’s no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson. But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in tasty chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day. While you wait for your morning coffee to brew, for the bus, the train, or a plane to arrive, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry will reveal just what you need to be fluent and ready for the next cosmic headlines: from the Big Bang to black holes, from quarks to q...

By: Sarah Dessen Location: FIC DES Genre: Young adult contemporary “Some stories tell themselves.” 'When I read a Sarah Dessen novel, I'm sixteen again, in the flush of first love.' Jodi Picoult "I folded it shut, then put it on the wall before I could change my mind, right above Jilly’s. As Michael Salem called out to her and she started his way, I crossed the backyard, moving toward the music. When I looked back at the wish wall from a distance, it was a sea of squares: I couldn’t even find mine among them. So many things we ask for, hope for, prayers put out into a world so wide: there was no way they could all be answered. But you had to keep asking. If you didn’t, nothing even had a chance of coming true.” As bubbly as champagne and delectable as wedding cake, Once and for All, is set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine. Louna spends her summers helping brides plan their perfect day and handling every kind of crises: m...

By: Stacy Lee Location: FIC LEE Genre: Historical Fiction From the author of the critically acclaimed Under a Painted Sky, an unforgettable story of determination set against a backdrop of devastating tragedy. Perfect for fans of Code Name Verity Earthquakes are levellers, not in the flattening of houses sense,  but in the people having to journey together despite race, gender, or social status- sense! Ask Christchurch people, despite the tragedy there what they will tell you is, that city came together as never before! Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty of Chinatown, San Francisco in 1906, and an education at St. Clare's School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare's is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong--until di...

By: Tony Birch, John Boyne, Sita Brahmachari, Kevin Brooks, Kate Charlesworth, Sarah Crossan, Neil Gaiman, Jack Gantos, Ryan Gattis, Matt Haig, Frances Hardinge, Jackie Kay, AL Kennedy, Liz Kessler, Elizabeth Laird, Amy Leon, Sabrina Mahfouz, Chelsea Manning, Chibundu Onuz o, Bali Rai, Chris Riddell, Mary and Bryan Talbot, Christie Watson and Tim Wynne-Jones. Location: FIC HER Genre:- Stories that speak for Freedom I am going to India in a week and there is so much there that deny peoples journey into freedom. One of the biggest issues with oppression is the theft of people rights to make basic choices.  Can I go where I want ? Can I choose to vote?  Can I marry who I love? Can I work where I want? Can I go to school? Some people dont have choices, they are bound by the shame of enforced decisions... I hope the work we do allows people to have choices, to make free decisions... This book has a  selection of the world's finest writers for young people – in...

By: N.D.Gomes  Location: FIC GOM Genre: More real stuff "School shootings have been the plague of our world for far too long, and unlike diseases and natural disasters, they always leave us with someone to blame. We’ve all grieved with the families of those who were lost, but few of us stop to think about the parents and siblings of shooters. Dear Charlie offers a new perspective, a painful look into the devastation and shame of one such family." Maja Death should never meet the young. But it did. Thanks to my brother, death made fourteen new friends that day. Maybe even fifteen, if you count Charlie. At sixteen, Sam Macmillan is supposed to be thinking about girls, homework and his upcoming application to music college, not picking up the pieces after the school shooting that his brother Charlie committed. Yet as Sam desperately tries to hang on to the memories he has of his brother, the media storm surrounding their family threatens to destroy everythin...

By: James Bow Location: FIC BOW Genre: Sci Fi "A captivating story that holds a mirror to our own society as it tells of survivors from a destroyed earth seeking to establish themselves on a new planet. A tale of truth and reconciliation, forgiveness and understanding, and justice for all. A thrilling read for young adults of all ages, especially those who like science fiction." WVREADS Earth’s survivors cling to life on an unforgiving, distant planet! Three generations after the crash of the colony ship Icarus, Iapyx is barely hanging on: one of thirteen cities suspended halfway down deep chasms. The sun on the diamond lands above will kill a man in less than five minutes. The ticktock monsters in the fog forest below are a little slower — but quite a bit smarter. An electromagnetic wash has disabled the computers, the radios, even the lightbulbs. It’s the steam and clockwork age reborn: a careful society, rationed and stratified. Which suits Simon Daud ju...

By: Amita Trasi Location: FIC TRA Genre: Cultural- India  I am going to India in 12 days, I have been multiple times. I have seen things there your eyes should not see. Things that are disturbing and confrontational to humanity. Children drugged, begging. Old men digging with picks in 40degree heat when a digger is down the road idle. Disabled people, who think, desire, hope and dream- treated like animals. Yet in India I have seen so much love and compassion, care, redemption and hope. I am looking forward to going back, but I am bracing myself for the onslaught on my senses and my heart and mind. In India you cannot be neutral and human- it is impossible. So this book-  A sweeping, emotional journey of two childhood friends—one struggling to survive the human slave trade and the other on a mission to save her—two girls whose lives converge only to change one fateful night in 1993. India, 1986: Mukta, a ten-year-old girl from the lower caste Yellamma cult of templ...

By: AshleeVance Location: NF 920 MUS Genre:The future- really as it will be- hopefully and maybe! “What Musk has developed that so many of the entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley lack is a meaningful worldview. He’s the possessed genius on the grandest quest anyone has ever concocted. He’s less a CEO chasing riches than a general marshaling troops to secure victory. Where Mark Zuckerberg wants to help you share baby photos, Musk wants to . . . well . . . save the human race from self-imposed or accidental annihilation.” ― Ashlee Vance, Elon Musk: Inventing the Future Elon Musk is an inspirational role model for young entrepreneurs, breaking boundaries and revolutionising the tech-world. He is also the real-life inspiration for the Iron Man series of films, starring Robert Downey Junior. From his humble beginnings in apartheid South Africa, he showed himself to be an exceptionally bright child, and overcame brutal bullying to become the world’s most e...

By: Norman Jorgensen Location: FIC JOR Genre:Arrrr Pirates Great name for a pirate- Red Read. I think my name would be Grey Glenny grrrrr. "A quick read is a good read! Sea-faring adventure at its finest."- Clare   Red Read’s life takes a surprising – and alarming – turn when his mother sells him to an infamous smuggler plying his trade off the north-west coast of Australia in the closing days of the 19th century. From terrifying encounters with cut-throat pirates to battling the forces of nature in a tropical typhoon, from dining with head-hunting guerrillas to making meals of monkey stew, Red is in for a hair-raising adventure that may cost him his life

By: Chuck Wendig Location: FIC WEN genre: Starwars of course Series: Aftermat h I have been looking forward to getting this series into the library,  a Star wars story by Chuck Wendig!!!! "The star-wars universe is fresh and new again, and just as rich and mysterious as it always was"- Den of Geek "There was plenty to like in this book. Action, drama and some great laughter. The story was well done, the characters were awesome." Darren As the Empire reels from its critical defeats at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance—now a fledgling New Republic—presses its advantage by hunting down the enemy’s scattered forces before they can regroup and retaliate. But above the remote planet Akiva, an ominous show of the enemy’s strength is unfolding. Out on a lone reconnaissance mission, pilot Wedge Antilles watches Imperial Star Destroyers gather like birds of prey circling for a kill, but he’s taken captive before he can report back to the New ...

By: Alsion Ballance Location: 597.3BAL Genre: Sharks ! Did you know you can track sharks online and see where they are, and they real names like Doris. it is very coo l   www.trackingsharks.com/track-sharks / Once you have tracked a few you might want to find out a bit more about them, this is where this book comes in, it has heaps of info on our very own Great White Shark... Great white sharks are one of the world's most impressive and familiar predators - but until recently we knew surprisingly little about them. This book changes all that, opening a window into the amazing world of New Zealand's great whites. Join Kiwi shark scientists Malcolm Francis and Clinton Duffy as they track great white sharks from the cool waters of southern New Zealand to the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef and the tropical Pacific. "Alison Ballance, New Zealand scientist and science reporter for Radio New Zealand, is the ideal person to write this book about t...

By: Gendrine Wolf Location: FIC PLI Genre: Urban Fantasy  Series: Oksa Pollock #1 ... shooting fireballs, flying, telekinesis, walking on walls, mood weather changing, super hearing and super speed to usage of magical weapons . Oksa Pollock is a normal thirteen-year-old girl, starting a new life in London. New lives, new friends, a new school and new adventures. But bizarre things start happening around Oksa she finds she can produce fire from her hands, move objects with her mind, and even fly. Finally the truth emerges...her family fled Edefia, their magical, hidden homeland years ago. And more than that: Oksa is their quee n...   Oksa is an ordinary teenager who recently moved from Paris to London with her parents Pavel and Marie and her grandmother Dragomira. She was lucky because her best friend Gustave Bellanger also moved to London with his parents and now she doesn't have to feel alone and left out in a new city. Friends are ready to face the cha...

By: Gary D Schmidt Location: FIC SCH Genre: Real stuff I have been waiting and waiting for this book- here it finally is and it is as real as you can ge t. ... "But beneath the surface of all that pain, there is an everpresent hope. This is a book about the depth & permanence of love. This is a book about the generational cycle of brokenness. This is a book about what it means to be selfless."- Mary The two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it require . Jack lives a quiet sheltered life on his p...

By: Kathi Appelt abd Alison McGhee Location: FIC APP Genre: Fantasy- Animals Sylvie and Jules, Jules and Sylvie. Better than just sisters, better than best friends. Jules' favourite thing is collecting rocks, and Sylvie's is running - fast. But Sylvie is too fast, and when she runs to the most dangerous part of the river one snowy morning to throw in a wish rock, she is so fast that no one sees what happens when she disappears. At that very moment, in another part of the woods, a shadow fox is born: half of the spirit world, half of the animal world. She, too, is fast, and she senses danger. When Jules goes to throw one last wish rock into the river for her lost sister, the human and shadow worlds collide with unexpected consequences. Written in alternate voices - one Jules, the other the fox - this searingly beautiful tale tells of one small family's moment of heartbreak as it unfolds into something epic, mythic, shimmering and, most of all, hopeful. ...

By: Neil DeGrasse Tyson Location: NF523.01 TYS Genre: Science, Astrology and Pluto! The essential universe, from our most celebrated and beloved astrophysicist . I ❤ science! "A cosmic tour guide to the universe"... Micho Kaku I didnt realise a non fiction book could have such a stunning cover..... What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There’s no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson. But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in tasty chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day. While you wait for your morning coffee to brew, for the bus, the train, or a plane to arrive, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry will reveal just what you need to be fluent and ready for the next cosmic hea...

By:  Laurence Anholt Location: FIC ANH Genre:Historical- racial,   "Brilliantly written. Absolutely loved it. A bit ‘Mocking Bird’ a bit ‘Shawshank’ a bit 'The help"– a great piece of story hypnotism" The KKK, oh my they are one organization that is purely evil and I wonder just how much generational hate is being dispersed to this day from the KKK into the angst of the USA and fueling the racism that is thriving there. Set in the Deep South of the American 1960’s, a black orphan boy, a mute Native American servant girl and an Irish Neurology professor are an unlikely squad. In a society overwhelmed by prejudice, they must employ all of their courage, cunning and wit to free themselves from their oppressors.   Jack has left his native Ireland and is making a new life as Professor of Neurology at a university in the American South. He has certain skills, honed over his lifetime, that he mostly keeps hidden. Skills in hypnotism and mind contro...