BOOKS

Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Call Number: F TWA

ISBN: 0439099404

Publication Date: 1876 (This Ed. 1999)

An imaginative and mischievous boy named Tom Sawyer lives with his Aunt Polly and his half-brother, Sid, in the Mississippi River town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. Tom and his friend Huck Finn witness the murder of young Dr. Robinson by the Native-American “half-breed” Injun Joe. Tom, Huck, and Tom’s friend Joe Harper run away to an island to become pirates. While frolicking around and enjoying their newfound freedom, the boys become aware that the community is sounding the river for their bodies. They return home and keep an eye on Injun Joe and the gold he stole.Tom takes Huck to a cave and they find the box of gold, the proceeds of which are invested for them.

Feeling the Heat by Pat Lowe

Call Number: SF LOW

ISBN: 0141309024

Publication Date: 2002

This book follows the story of a young man in his early twenties named Matthew Scott who returns back to the remote town of Kimberly the place where he lived as a child, but was then forced to move to Perth as his farther (a former prison officer) was transferred. Matthew had always loved Kimberly and had made a promise that he would return as soon as he could. There a many indigenous people living in Kimberly as the land in and surrounding it has a dreamtime relation to the aboriginals

Forest by Sonya Hartnett

Call Number: F HAR

ISBN: 0670899208

Publication Date: 2001

Kian, a cossetted suburban cat, is snatched from his comforts and dumped in the bush along with two kittens, Cally and Jem. The greatest threat to their survival are other cats, ferals who fiercely guard their territories. Kian survives some unnerving and vicious encounters but is unswerving in his desire to make the long journey home to his territory even though it is apparent his owner is dead and that there will be no welcome from the cruel man who has taken over the house.

Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Call Number: SF STE

ISBN: 9780140292923

Publication Date: 1939 (This Ed. 1992)

Set against the background of Dust Bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life, it tells of the Joad family, who, like thousands of others, are forced to travel west in search of the promised land. Their story is one of false hopes, thwarted desires, and broken dreams, yet out of their suffering Steinbeck created a drama that is intensely human, yet majestic in its scale and moral vision; an eloquent tribute to the endurance and dignity of the human spirit.

Hitch Hiker’s guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Call Number: F ADA

ISBN: 0330437992

Publication Date: 1979 (This Ed. 2005)

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.
Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide and a galaxy-full of fellow travellers.

Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt

Call Number: SF VOL

ISBN: 0007119216

Publication Date: 2001

On Saturday morning, 13-year-old Dicey Tillerman sits in the car at the shopping mall with her younger sister and two brothers. Momma had said, "You be good." Then she walked away. They wait for a day and a night, but Momma never comes back. Finally, Dicey decides the children should go to Bridgeport, Connecticut where Aunt Cilla lives. Maybe Momma is waiting for them there. But they don't have enough money to take the bus. Determined to keep the family together, Dicey sets off on foot with her siblings

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Call Number: SF BRO

ISBN: 1853260207

Publication Date: 1992

Jane Eyre follows the emotions and experiences of eponymous Jane Eyre, her growth to adulthood, and her love for Mr. Rochester, the byronic master of Thornfield Hall. The novel contains elements of social criticism, with a strong sense of morality at its core, but is nonetheless a novel many consider ahead of its time given the individualistic character of Jane and the novel's exploration of sexuality, religion, and proto-feminism.

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson

Call Number: F IBB

ISBN: 033039715X

Publication Date: 2001

Maia, an orphan, can't wait to reach her distant relatives a thousand miles up the Amazon. She imagines a loving family with whom she will share great adventures. Instead, she finds two spiteful cousins who see the jungle as the enemy and refuse to go outdoors.

But the wonders of the rainforest more than make up for the hideous Carters. And when Maia meets a mysterious boy who lives alone on the wild river shores, she begins a spectacular journey to the heart of an extraordinary new world.

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Call Number: F STE

ISBN: 1851497080

Publication Date: 1999 (this edition)

After his father dies, David Balfour is told to go to his uncle for his inheritance. But the uncle has no intention of letting the riches go - so he plots to kill Balfour, ultimately arranging for him to be kidnapped as a slave bound for the American colonies. Balfour's future looks bleak - until he witnesses a shipwreck and befriends the lone survivor, a rugged Highlander named Alan Breck Stewart. Together, they plan their rebellion - and the fight back home to claim Balfour's inheritance.

20 000 Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne

Call Number: F VER

ISBN: 0751370738

Publication Date: 1870 (This Ed. 1998)

A mysterious sea monster, theorized by some to be a giant narwhal, is sighted by ships of several nations; an ocean liner is also damaged by the creature. The United States government finally assembles an expedition to track down and destroy the menace. Professor Pierre Aronnax, a noted French marine biologist and narrator of the story, master harpoonist Ned Land, and Aronnax's faithful assistant Conseil join the expedition.

Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn

Call Number: SF HEA

ISBN: 0733615651

Publication Date: 2002

The youth Takeo has been brought up in a remote mountain village among the Hidden, a reclusive and spiritual people who have taught him only the ways of peace. But unbeknownst to him, his father was a celebrated assassin and a member of the Tribe, an ancient network of families with extraordinary, preternatural skills. When Takeo's village is pillaged, he is rescued and adopted by the mysterious Lord Otori Shigeru. Under the tutelage of Shigeru, he learns that he too possesses the skills of the Tribe. And, with this knowledge, he embarks on a journey that will lead him across the famed nightingale floor—and to his own unimaginable destiny...

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Call Number: F CAR

ISBN: 0831766948

Publication Date: 1871 (This Ed. 1995)

While delighting children with a heroine who represents their own thoughts and feelings about growing up, the tale is appreciated by adults as a gentle satire on education, politics, literature, and Victorian life in general. All the delightful and bizarre inhabitants of Wonderland are here: the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat, the hooka-smoking Caterpillar and the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Ugly Duchess... and, of course, Alice herself - growing alternately taller and smaller, attending demented tea parties and eccentric croquet games, and observing everything with clarity and rational amazement.

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

Call Number F VER

ISBN: 0710502176

Publication Date: 1975 (This Ed.)

Jules Verne's incomparable PhileasFogg races against time to win a sizeable wager. One adventure follows another in this memorable story rife with humor and strange encounters. He travels around the world by every means possible and has amazing experiences.

Ashling by IsobelleCarmody

Call Number: SF CAR

ISBN: 0140271511

Publication Date: 1995

The powerful farseeker Elspeth is sent to Sutrium, seat of the totalitarian council that rules the Land, to seal an alliance between the secret Misfit community at Obernewtyn and rebel forces.

The journey takes her far beyond the borders of the Land, across the sea and into the heart of the mysterious desert region of Sador. Elspeth will need help to destroy the weaponmachines. But before her dark quest can begin, Elspeth must learn the truth of her dreams: she must understand why the Beforetimers destroyed their world …

The Game of the Goose by Ursula Dubosarsky

Call Number: F DUB

ISBN: 0670894389

Publication Date: 2000

In her hand was a hinged wooden box with a black clasp. On the lid was a painting of a white bird with a long neck, its wings stretched out in flight. Fred rubbed it with her fingers, wiping away the dust.

'The Game of the Goose,' she read slowly.
'Open it,' said Rowley . . .

Fred, Rowley and Rabbit hardly knew each other before the game. But the game changed everything. It took each of them on an adventure – a terrifying, wonderful journey that they would remember forever.

Gulliver’s Travels byJonathon Swift

Call Number: F SWI (Adapted by James Dunbar)

ISBN: 0751372455

Publication Date: 2000

A savage and hilarious satire, Gulliver's Travels sees Lemuel Gulliver shipwrecked and adrift, subject to bizarre and unnerving encounters with - among others - quarrelling Lilliputians, philosophising horses, and the brutish Yahoo tribe that change his view of humanity - and himself - forever. Swift's classic of 1726 portrays mankind in a distorted hall of mirrors as a diminished, magnified, and finally, bestial species, presenting us with a comical yet uncompromising reflection of ourselves.

Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne

Call Number: F VER

ISBN: 9780812504712

Publication Date: 1992 (This Ed.)

A Journey to the Centre of the Earth is a classic 1864 science-fiction novel written by Jules Verne. The main character is Professor Von Hardwigg who believes there are volcanic tubes going toward the center of the Earth. Professor Von Hardwigg, his nephew Axel, and their guide Hans encounter many adventures, including prehistoric animals and natural hazards, eventually coming to the surface again in southern Italy.

The living organisms they meet reflect geological time; just as the rock layers become older and older the deeper they travel, the animals become more and more ancient the closer they come to the center of the Earth.

The Keeping Place by IsobelleCarmody

Call Number: SF CAR

ISBN: 0140295798

Publication Date: 2000

After Rushton is kidnapped, the Misfits of Obernewtyn are forced into a shaky alliance with the Rebels. Who kidnapped Rushton, and to what end? The Misfits believe a rebel must have kidnapped their master, but are they correct? The rebellion proceeds without Rushton, with Elspeth Gordie taking Rushton's place as Master of Obernewtyn.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Call Number: F LEW

ISBN: 0261667920

Publication Date: 1950 (This Ed. 1997)

Lucy has stumbled upon a marvellous land of fauns and centaurs, nymphs and talking animals. But soon she discovers that it is ruled by the cruel White Witch, and can only be freed by Aslan, the great Lion, and four children. In the never-ending war between good and evil, The Chronicles of Narnia set the stage for battles of epic proportions. Some take place in vast fields, where the forces of light and darkness clash. But other battles occur within the small chambers of the heart and are equally decisive.

Journeys to the ends of the world, fantastic creatures, betrayals, heroic deeds, and friendships won and lost, all come together in an unforgettable world of magic. So let the adventures begin.

Market Blues by Kirsty Murray

Call Number: F MUR

ISBN: 1865082848

Publication Date: 2001

Things unravel so fast. One day Sam is a kid with a straightforward life, next moment he’s sucked into a time warp and flung back a hundred years. Meeting Flea, Gertie and the gang is just the start of a crazy adventure with Sam on the run from police, sleeping outside the morgue, laying bets on horse races, fighting thieves and larrikins.An accident in a shooting gallery confronts Sam with the hardest decision he’s ever had to make. Can he change the past – and his own future?

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Call Number: F BAR

ISBN: 0600566838

Publication Date: 1989 (This Ed.)

"All children, except one, grow up." So begins the tale of J.M. Barrie's imaginative hero - Peter Pan. This timeless classic will delight the entire family as they journey with Wendy and her two brothers to the magical land of Neverland. Join in their many adventures in this retelling of this children's classic.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Call Number: F STE

ISBN: 1851459626

Publication Date: 1994 (This Ed.)

Traditionally considered a coming-of-age story, Treasure Island is a tale noted for its atmosphere, characters and action, and also as a wry commentary on the ambiguity of morality – as seen in Long John Silver – unusual for children's literature. It is one of the most frequently dramatized of all novels. The influence of Treasure Island on popular perceptions of pirates is enormous, including such elements as treasure maps marked with an "X", schooners, the Black Spot, tropical islands, and one-legged seamen bearing parrots on their shoulders.

A Portrait of the Artist as a young Man by James Joyce

Call Number: SF JOY

ISBN: 0435123114

Publication Date: 1964

The intellectual and religio-philosophical awakening of young Stephen Dedalus as he begins to question and rebel against the Catholic and Irish conventions with which he has been raised. He finally leaves for abroad to pursue his ambitions as an artist. The work is an early example of some of Joyce's modernist techniques that would later be represented in a more developed manner by Ulysses and Finnegans Wake. The novel, which has had a "huge influence on novelists across the world", was ranked by Modern Library as the third greatest English-language novel of the 20th century.

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Call Number: SN 823 CER

ISBN: 0140445617

Publication Date: 2000

Follows the adventures of a nameless hidalgo (at the end of Part II given the name Alonso Quixano) who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his sanity and decides to set out to revive chivalry, undo wrongs, and bring justice to the world, under the name Don Quixote. He recruits a simple farmer, Sancho Panza, as his squire, who often employs a unique, earthy wit in dealing with Don Quixote's rhetorical orations on antiquated knighthood. Don Quixote, in the first part of the book, does not see the world for what it is, and prefers to imagine that he is living out a knightly story. The story implements various themes, such as intertextuality, realism, metatheatre, and literary representation.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Call Number: SF FIT

ISBN: 0435123246

Publication Date: 1987

The Great Gatsby, first Published in 1925 and probably F. Scott Fitzgerald's finest novel, is set on Long Island's North shore, where Nick Carraway begins a new life in New York in the "roaring 20's". Carraway is invited to join his new neighbour Jay Gatsby's social circle, including the self-made millionaire's legendary parties, and bears witness to Gatsby's rekindled love affair with the unhappily married Daisy, which ends in tragedy. Today the novel is widely regarded as a paragon of the Great American Novel and a literary classic.

East of the Mountains by David Guterson

Call Number: SF GUT

ISBN: 0747545081

Publication Date: 2000

Following the death of his wife Rachel and diagnosis of his own medical condition, Dr Ben Givens left his home in Seattle - heading east with his Winchester and hunting dogs in tow - not intending to return. It was to be a journey to the verges of the Columbia River, where he had entered the world and had decided he would now take his leave of it. What transpired was anything but the journey he anticipated. Instead, Ben’s perspective shifts as his intended exit transforms into an eye-opening, life-enhancing diversion.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Call Number: SNF 823 CON

ISBN: 0192826514

Publication Date: 1990

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is quite simply the scariest book ever written, this is a searing tale of one of the strangest and most memorable journeys ever undertaken - to the heart of a geographical and psychological wilderness from which no-one returns unscarred. For this isn't simply a journey up an uncharted river into a geographical wilderness; rather, it's a trip deep into our collective subconscious.