Cambridge High School Library 2024

By: Scot Gardner Genre: Youth Fiction -Family An extraordinary tale of an ordinary family... LAURENCE AUGUSTINE RAINBOW is born into an ordinary family and seems set for an ordinary life. But as the world changes around him, do does the happiness of his own family. Unique, dark, and ultimately uplifting, this is a beautiful story of one family, and one boy -trying to hold their heads above water in a world gone quietly mad. This book has recieved excellent reviews and would be good for 8808.

By: Rick Riordan ( Creator of Percy Jackson) Genre: Egyptologist Mystery- Youth fiction Rick Riordan the author of the very popular Percy Jackson has released his first novel in his new series "The Kane Chronicles" One Curse Two Heroes and an evil that wont stay buried. Carter and Sadie Kanes dad is a brilliant Egyptologist with a secret plan that goes horribly wrong. An explosion shatters the ancient Rosetta Stone and unleashes Set, the evil god of chaos. The pharaohs of ancient Egypt are far from dead and buried, and so unfortunantely are their gods...

By: Geoff Havel Genre: Thriller, Youth fiction. Tully's life is controlled by her Fathers strict rules. "Keep away from strangers" " Dont stay at home alone" ...." and NEVER go in the water" All she wants is to be like everyone else in Riverton. But when a mysterious stranger comes to the door, Tully discovers the horrifying secret her father has been trying to protect her from. Apart from a good read, this book has the coolest cover Ive seen in ages...

By: Ken Catran Genre: Youth Fiction Murder/Mystery A classic whodunnit with a startling and unexpected twist. Its dark, brooding and a real page turner..who is Smiling Jack... and what is the playing card got to do with the murders?

By: Moya Simons Genre: Holocaust "Mercy has a human heart Pity a human face..." William Blake Rachel is German and Jewish. Life is good, and it revovles around Sabbath meals shared with her happy family. With the outbreak of WWII their lives are changed. The family are forced to move from their comfortable home into cramped housing. When the Nazi's arrive to finally take the family away, they have no idea what will become of them. Rachel's father gives her instructions that save her life. He tells her not to speak. Rachel remains quiet for the rest of the war, but what happens to the rest of her family? Will Rachel regain her voice if she really needs to... This book was written for a child survivor of the Holocaust- Anna Parnas. The author is her friend.

By: Sophia Bennett Genre: Chick read " Girls will love it" "A magical tale about four girls and their amazing adventure with fashion" Fashion collides with Ethics... Crow is in desighner heaven; Nonie's caught the eye of a gorgous boy; Jenny's rehearsing a new play. But this time Edie's in trouble... The rumours are that the slave children in India have been making Crow's new high-street collection. How far do the girls have to go to save their dreams?

By: Sheila A. Cooperman Genre: Non fiction- Health Living with Eating Disorders explains the conditions of anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. It helps teens understand these issues and gives excellent information about these disorders. It examines the causes, symptoms, treatment and also how to help a friend or family member who may be going through an eating disorder. For me this book was excellent, its easy to read yet not simplistic. As I journey with a close family member who suffers from anorexia, I try to read as much as I can to help support her, this book is one of the best.

By: Javier Sierra Genre: American Indian/Catholic Fiction. Historical The Lady in Blue is the haunting and evocative tale of the triumph of modern spirit and science and a 400 year old conspiracy. Its about the devastating clash between Catholic Europe and the far more ancient world of the American Southwest. The Lady in Blue is set in a 17 Century convent, it is about a nun's rumoured religious powers, the US Defence Department and an American spy....

By: Sherman Alexie Genre: North American Indian fiction. Blues Fiction Winner of the American Book Award and the Murray Morgan prize. "Scathingly funny, Reservation Blues never misses a beat, never sounds a false note" One day legendary bluesman Robert Johnson appears on a Spokane Indian reservation- he was long presumed dead. He passes his enchanted intstrument to Thomas-Builds-The-Fire, a story teller, misfit and musican. The musical odyssey begins and takes them both to reservations, bars, the cement trails of Seattle and the concrete canyons of Manhatten. This is a fresh, comic tale of power, tragedy and redemption among contemporary Native Americans .

By Steve Feasey Genre: Fantasy Netherworld- full of Icelandic Zombies, an evil sorceress and the dark vampire Caliban. Another saga in the Changeling series, with Trey the werewolf hero, out to slay the evils with Lucien the wealthy vampire on his side... Will he conquer?

By: Richard Hammond Genre: One all of its own... TOP GEAR This is the story of the "Hamster's" high speed car crash, his recovery and his exploits on Top Gear. It also journals his childhood and career path into the Top Gear show. If you love Top Gear, you have to read this book.

By Liane Shaw Genre: Eating Disorders Junior Fiction This book is inspired by a teacher, Liane Shaw and her own battle with anorexia. 17 year old Maddie has always felt a hole in her life, but she thinks she has found a way to fill it with a quest to mold her body into the the thinest shape possible. Where can she go for support on her quest.. the internet. Maddie logs onto 'thinspiration" websites, where young people encourage and show each other how to lose weight. They become the GWS, girls without shadows. Maddie ends up in rehab, refusing to accept help until a tragedy challenges her about having to change her mind. My niece has anorexia and she has accessed these web sites herself, they have impacted her in a dangerous way, this story although fiction, is very true for many young woman today.

by Kashmira Sheth Genre: Indian Historical Fiction - Leela was engaged at two, married at nine, previledged and unconcerned for her future. Then her husband dies. That leaves Leela stranded as an "unlucky" widow. She has to 'keep corner' or stay confined in a house, to prepare for a life of mourning. Ghandi at the same time is leading the Indian people in revolt against the British, but also against the Indian ways of degenerating woman and he protests against the caste system. His political movement called satyagraha gives freedom and hope... can it help Leela? " Powerful and absorbing" "Enchanting and atmospheric"

By: D J Connell Genre: Ultimate feel good novel. LOL... "The laugh out loud funniest novel in years" "Julian Corkle is a filthy liar" is the ultimate feel-good novel, a book that will have the reader laughing out loud on the back of a bus as it follows Julian's bumpy journey through adolesence. He fibs his way through school and a series of dead-end jobs, to find his ultimate calling as creator of 'The Hog'. ....

By: Mary Downing Hahn Genre: Slavery and American Civil War. Perry is a young African slave in southern America, as his Mum dies she makes Jesse promise to help Perry escape. Aiding and abetting a slave is against the law, and it goes against everything Jesse has been taught to believe, but he can't break a promise to the dead. He also wants to follow what he knows is the right thing to do. Jesse and Perry must survive a bloody riot, steer clear of a brutal slave jail and elude the ruthless slave catcher. As the fighting of the Yankees and the Confederates heats up, these boys on the run are forced to face some hard truths.. When I was getting into reading I loved these type of stories, justice that prevailed against opposition and culture. People standing against that which is wrong, even at risk of their own safety, and reputation.

By: Michael P Spradlin Genre: Crusaders/Knights Junior Fiction Fourteen year old Tristan doesn have much of a life. He has never known his parents, and he spends his days mucking out the stables in a monestery. So when an unexpected chance to go on a Crusade with the Knights Templar comes up, Tristan seizes it, plunging himself into a series of extraodinary travels and adventures. Tristan is entrusted with the Holy Grail, and he must escape a bloody seige and head for Scotland, where the Grail will be safe.... he just needs to get there.

By Private Edward Lynch Genre: World War One -Biography The conditions are almost unbelievable. We live in a world of Somme Mud. We sleep in it, work in it, fight in it, wade in it, and many of us die in it. We see it, feel it, eat it and curse it, but we can't escape it... not even by dying. Private Edward Lynch was just 18 when he enlisted to fight in the First World War. Like so many Australian soldiers, he had little idea of the horrors he would soon face. Somme Mud is his vivid account of the nightmarish realities of trench warfare, as an 18 year old infantryman. Traumatised soldiers, ravaged landscapes, a curious mixture of hatred, empathy and admiration, makes for a eye opening riveting read.

Genre: Vampires; Graphic Novels By : Stephenie Meyer This is Twilight, comic style, cover to cover of graphics, telling Twilight in a new and visual way. Lavishly illustrated by Young Kim and meticulously reviewed by Stephenie Meyer . Twilight, the graphic novel provides rare insight into the authors vision of the original work. Its bold, colourful, a movie in a book.

By Richard Stengel Genre: Autobiography- Life Values Mandela is one of my hero's, having been to South Africa several times and seen the impact this man has had on the nation, you can only stand in awe of what he has accomplished. His 26 years in Robbin Island shaped the destiny of not only the man himself , but of the nation he was going to lead out of apartheid. This book written by a man who has shadowed Mandela for many years, is not about the story of Mandela, its about what makes Mandela tick, his values, his determinations, his wisdom. It talks about Mandela, the warrior, the martyr, the stateman, the family man and the moral leader. As Stengel says " We long for heroes but have too few. Nelson Mandela is perhaps the last pure hero on the planet" He is one of mine.. if you want to get a bit of wisdom, then read this book.

SUPER STOCK ROOKIE by Will Weaver Genre: Motor Novel " Weaver offers outstanding descriptions of the races, putting readers in the centre of the action" " Racing action, sharp dialogue and solid characterisation make this a good bet for young sports fans dreaming of cars in their futures" Trace Bonham has just scored an amazing ride - a brand new, corporate-sponsered Super Stock. The sleek, custom built machine runs like a dream. He's set up with a professional crew, a top of the line car hauler and a great big paycheck: it all feels to good to be true. Of course, theres a price for everything. Trace has to give his old car to another driver, his Street Stock Chevy that was his Dads. He is also no longer welcome at his home speedway, or by the girl he adores. So What? There are bigger and better speedways, and more girls in Trace's future.. But can he handle the success...

by Monique Polak Genre: HOLOCAUST " An excellent novel, a great tale of overcoming adversity in a time of such dark despair" The unthinkable has happened. Anneke and her family have been taken by train from their comfortable home in Holland to a "model" concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. But there is nothing model about bed bugs, starvation, disease, lice, hard labour and constant brutality. Despite the hunger, the anxiety and the pain, Anneke learns that she is capable of doing whatever it takes to survive. She also discover that the darkest of days can be brigthened by a friends smile, or her lovers kiss...