PF - Middle Fiction Titles (Years 5 - 6)

Book of the Year Finalists and Recommended Reads 2009 2012 This list includes general fiction, historical fiction, fantasy adventure, humour, non- fiction and picture books.

General Fiction Title

Darius Bell and the Glitter pool

Author
Odo Hirsch

Comments
2010 Book of the Year winner Younger Readers

Save our Sharks

David Metzenthen

Follow the woes of the Sharks Junior Football team.

Matt and Billy for Keeps

Elisabeth Fensham

Friendship and adventure Includes 2009 Book of the year winner & other shortlisted and honour titles 2009 Honour Book

Kingdom of Silk series

Glenda Millard

The wish pony

Catherine Bateson

Bungawitta

Emily Rodda

2012 Book of the Year finalist

Arkie Sparkle: Code Crimson

Petra James

Book one of a new series about a young treasure hunter

Driving the Fishy Frog

James Moloney

An Aussie Chomps adventure

Pyro Watson and the hidden treasure

Nette Hilton

Just one wish In the shadow of the palace The Friendship Matchmaker

Sally Rippin Judith A. Simpson Randa Abdel-Fattah

Penny moves from China to Australia. Set in India For upper primary

Too small to Fail

Morris Gleitzman

Oliver doesnt care about money how can he get what he really wants?

Charlie Burr and the three stolen dollars.

Sally Morgan, Ambelin, Blaze and Ezekiel Kwaymullina

The first book in the series.

Pookie Aleera is not my boyfriend

Steven Herrick

A verse novel moving, meaningful and funny

Just a dog

Michael Gerard Bauer

2011 Honour Book. Charming story of a familys love for their dog. Sad and serious in parts. Suits Yr 5 and over.

Violet Mackerals brilliant plot

Anna Bradford

2011 Honour Book. One of a series of lovely stories about Violet and her family.

The Tunnels of Tarcoola

Jennifer Walsh

Four children become involved in a mystery.

Star

Catherine Bateson

Families, change & our place in the world

On Orchard Road

Elsbeth Edgar

Friendship can bloom in the most unexpected places

Liar and spy

Rebecca Stead

Bullying, lying, fear, courage and friendship a great read.

Truly Tan

Jen Storer

Tan is a feisty, imaginative and resourceful character.

Camo Girl

Kekla Magoon

Ella and Z navigate school

Historical Fiction Title

Running with the horses*

Author
Alison Lester

Comments
2010 Book of the year finalist

A certain music

Celeste Walters

Set in the Vienna area in 1821. Set in Woomera in the outback and concerning the Atomic testing carried out Set in Vienna in 1938 WW11 Grace is sentenced to life in the new penal colony of Australia

Atomic Testing (My Australian Story) Hiding Edith Meet Grace (first in series)

Allan Tucker

Kathy Kacer Sofie Laguna

The Ivory Rose

Belinda Murrell

After Jemma wakes up in 1895 she must race time to rescue her friend and return to the present. Fantasy Adventure time travel.

A friend for Grace

Sofie Laguna

Set in 1808, Our Australian Girl series.

Taj and the great camel trek

Rosanne Hawke

Set in the early days of the European settlement of Australia

Queen of the Falls

Chris Van Allsburg

Based on the true story of the first person to go over Niagra Falls in a barrel.

The Ghost at the Point

Charlotte Calder

A mystery adventure story set in the 1900s

Wonderstruck

Brian Selznick

By the author of Hugo Cabret, this story is set in 1927 and 1977 with two characters who set out on quests.

Stolen Girl

Trina Saffioti

A fictionalised account of the Stolen Generation

The Red Poppy

David Hill

Set on the Western Front in France

Sydney Harbour Bridge My Australian Story

Vashti Farrer

Illustrated story of the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Meet Nellie

Penny Mathews

Our Australian Girl series

Forget me not

Sue Lawson

The story of one familys voyage on the Titanic.

The Forgotten Pearl

Belinda Murrell

Set in Darwin in 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbour and northern Australia

Dingo: The dog who conquered a continent

Jackie French

A story of survival

Fantasy Adventure Title

Tensy Farlow and the home for mislaid children The Whisperer

Author
Jennifer Storer Fiona McIntosh Emily Rodda

Comments
2010 Book of the year finalist 2010 Book of the year finalist 2009 book of the year finalist

The Wizard of Rondo

Captain Congo and the crocodile king* Nanny Piggins and the wicked plan Cicada Summer A ghost in my suitcase

Greg Holfeld R. A. Spratt Kate Constable Gabrielle Wang

2009 Picture book of the year finalist graphic novel

A Magical time slip novel Set in China and steeped in mythology a fast paced adventure and coming of age story.

Angel Creek

Sally Rippin

Boy without a soul & The Boy who wasnt there

Michael Panckridge

The Book of Gabrielle Series No. 2 & 3

The Last Summoner

Sherryl Jordan

Dragons, adventure.

The Travelling Restaurant

Barbara Else

An edge of your seat tale of treachery, courage and magic.

The road to Belgrandia

Michael Stephens

A magical and compelling story

The Emerald Atlas

John Stephen

A spell-binding, action-packed pageturner of an epic Book 1 in the Book of Beginning series.

The Red Wind*

Isobelle Carmody

Book of the Year for Younger Readers 2011

The accidental princess

Jen Storer

A modern day fairy tale

Northwood

Brian Falkner

Cecilia Undergarment lives in a house made of huge plastic bubbles. Her adventures take her into the dark forest with a sad and neglected dog.

Wildwood

Colin Meloy

Prues troubles start when her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows.

The Golden Door (Part 1 of the Three Doors Trilogy) and The Silver Door (Part 2) Ghost Club the New Kid

Emily Rodda

High quality fantasy adventure Book of the Year finalist 2012

Deborah Abela

The oldest paranormal investigation organisation in the world meet their youngest two members.

Mort: the 10,000 year old boy

Martin Chatterton

Hatched (Book 1 of the Grimstones Series)

Asphyxia

A tender gothic fairytale told in a collage of words, photos and drawings.

Vinnie versus Bluebottle

Gerry Bobsien

Imagination, battles and underwater creatures.

The truth about Verity Sparks

Susan Green

Verity is a 13 year old orphan who works as a milliner (hat maker) in Victorian London. Book of the Year finalist 2012

Humour Title
The Toilet Kid

Author
Pat Flynn

Comments
Follows The Tuckshop Kid

The really nearly dead canoe ride.

David Metzenthen

Fast paced writing, great humour and strong plot

Nit boy: Lift off

Tristan Banks

A louse is the central character

The Icecream War

Edwina Howard

A smart, clever story

The Slice

Rosie Quilter

The consequences of a bet involving a slice of pizza

Uncle Trev and his whistling bull

Jack Lasenby

Set in the 1930s, Uncle Trev tries to cheer up the narrator who is recovering from an illness.

Horrible Harriets Inheritance

Leigh Hobbs

Horrible Harriet moves to chapter book format

Henry Hoey Hobson

Christine Bongers

2011 Finalist Book of the Year for Younger Readers. Henrys problems grow as he moves to a new neighbourhood and school. Yr 5 and above.

Con-Nerd

Oliver Phommavanh

A story about discovering your own gifts and talents

Losers (Mates series)

Pauline Deeves

The Wiggly Worms are not a very successful soccer team follow their funny story.

Phyllis Wong and the forgotten secrets of Mr Okyto

Geoffrey McSkimming

Magic, mystery, puns, humour and an appealing main character

Louis Beside Himself

Anna Fienberg

Funny, moving and clever the wonder of words is revealed

Wreck the Halls (Lightning Strikes series)

Meg McKinlay

Mischief, misunderstandings and mayhem.

Eric Vale, Epic Fail

Michael Gerard Bauer

Easy to read & funny

Non-Fiction Title
Explorers: Filling in the map of Australia

Author
Chris Miles

Comments

Deep Sea Whale Rescue

Jan Ramage

A whale and her calf need rescuing.

Booms, Busts and Bushfires (Fair Dinkum History)

Jackie French

Covers aspects of Australian History in a humorous way

Sir Edward Weary Dunlop (Aussie Hero Series)

Hazel Edwards

Weary Dunlops biography written as an easy to read story.

H.O.U.S.E. (Habitable Objects Unique Spatial Extraordinary)

Aleksandra Machowiak

A quirky look at contemporary architecture. Features unusual and practical houses from around the world. An up to date look at weather and climate.

Extreme Weather

Margaret Hynes

Animal Encyclopedia

Kingfisher Publishers

Features over 2000 animals in full colour. Full illustrated history of the Olympics from ancient to modern times.

The Olympics - History

Sharks Closeup Snakes Closeup

Dr Mark Norman

The latest information with excellent photographs.

The science behind stuff

Angela Royston

Let your brightest ideas germinate

Survivors: into the Wilderness

Jim Pipe

Covers the gripping survival stories of 12 people who survived life-threatening situations.

Wild whiskers and tender tales

Ute Wegmann

A book about Australian wildlife rescue.

No Return Captain Scotts race to the pole

Peter Gouldthorpe

Fully illustrated story of daring and doom.

The Return of the Word Spy*

Ursula Dubosarsky

Eve Pownall Award for Information books 2011

The Dream of the Thylacine

Margaret Wild

Shortlisted for Picture book of the Year 2012

The Little Refugee

Ahn Do

Book of the Year finalist 2012 The autobiography of Vietnamese born Ahn Do condensed for younger readers

One Small Island the story of Macquarie Island

Alison Lester

Book of the Year finalist 2012 Picture book format

Archies letter

Martin Flanagan

A story of a the Burma Railway in WW2.

Picture Books for Years 5 6 Title Author Comments

Picture Book of the Year 2011 Two families on the opposite sides of the world having an average day. Beautifully presented in Jeannie Bakers distinctive collage style.

Mirror

Jeannie Baker

One Small Island

Alison Lester

A non-fiction picture book about the life and times of Macquarie Island.

Sam, Grace and the Shipwreck

Michelle Gillespie

The true story of a dramatic rescue following a shipwreck in Western Australia.

Queen of the Falls

Chris Allsburg

Based on the true story of the woman who went over the Niagra Falls in a barrel.

The Little Refugee

Ahn Do

Book of the Year finalist 2012 The autobiography of Vietnamese born Ahn Do condensed for younger readers.

Running with the horses

Alison Lester

The story of a daring escape during WW 2 involving the Royal Academy of Dancing Horses. Join Sophie as she follows the voyage of Mawson to Antarctica.

Sophie Scott Goes South

Alison Lester