107. Precious and the Monkeys by Alexander MCall Smith

Precious and the Monkeys by Alexander McCall Smith
Published April 2012 Polygon


From the publisher:

Well before Precious Ramotswe founded her No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, as a seven-year-old girl she was already solving mysteries. Here, in this delightful, enchanting tale for children, we find out just who has been stealing her schoolfriends’ snacks and how the young Precious became the crafty and intuitive private investigator we all know and love!

I am so happy to see another young that isn't about fairies, puppies or magic bunnies.  A seven year old reader will have no idea who Precious Ramotswe is, and that is fine, you don't need to know who she is to enjoy this book.

106. Losing It by Julia Lawrinson

Losing It by Julia Lawrinson
Published March 2012 Penguin


From the publisher:

To avoid Losing It in the bushes with some random guy in a heavy-metal T-shirt after too many tequila shots, four best friends make a bet: to lose it before schoolies week - and preferably in a romantic, sober way that they won't regret.


There is no illusion as to what this book is going to be about.  It's on the cover (heart shaped sperm) and in the title and on the blurb.

This book is about sex.  That may put a lot of people off, mainly those selecting for school libraries.  I must admit that I wasn't convinced I would like this book, I feared that a story of four teenage girls embarking on The Great Virginity Challenge might be too much for me to take.  Too tacky or too confronting, but it wasn't what I expected at all.


Don't get me wrong, this book has sex, masturbation, drinking, swearing, lying to parents...all of those confronting elements, but it's actually a thoughtful and funny look into the lives of four very different girls.


The idea was simple, none of the girls wanted to lose their virginity in some drunken fumbling during Schoolies week, so they would all try to lose it at some point during their last year of high school.  There is to be absolute secrecy, they are not to discuss their progress, and the results are to be written up in a diary style confession...and there we have the basis of this book. The book is told in 6 parts.  the introduction, then Zoe's story, Abby's story, Mala's story, Bree's story and then the ending where they all reveal whether or not they did indeed lose their virginity.  Each girl is different, Zoe lives with her Mum and has a reasonable amount of freedom, Abby's family is very religious, Mala's family are super protective and Bree is super smart, athletic and gorgeous.  While the girls have been friends for 6 years, it's not until they take part in this challenge that they really get to know themselves and each other.


The book is funny, and at times makes you cringe, but the characters are strong and intelligent and each girl comes away from the experiences with a clarity about what they want, and what they don't want for themselves.  I won't tell you anything about what happens to each of the characters, but be assured that nothing nasty happens to them (aside from the occasional heartbreak).  There is also a very comical link between all of the stories that we as the readers are made aware of, but the characters know nothing about!


So it's a book about sex, and the way on which the girls have chosen to tackle the issue of their virginity may not sit well with some adult readers, but I suggest that you read the book before making any judgement.  

Who will like this book: Girls age 15+
Read it if you like: Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

105. Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
Published March 2012 Hachette

From the publisher:
Wahoo Cray has grown up with a zoo in his backyard - alligators, snakes, rats, monkeys, parrots, but it's his dad who's the unpredictable critter. When his dad takes a job with a reality TV show called 'Expedition Survival', Wahoo figures he'll have to do a bit of wrangling himself to keep his dad from killing the show's inept star Derek Badger, who insists on using real wild animals for his stunts. And Wahoo's acquired a shadow named Tuna, a girl who's sporting a shiner courtesy of her old man and needs a place to hide out. They've only been on location in the Everglades for a day before Derek gets bitten by a bat and goes missing in a storm. Search parties promptly get lost themselves. And Tuna's dad shows up with a gun...It's anyone's guess who will actually survive 'Expedition Survival!'

If you are a fan of Bear Grylls, then wait until you meet Derek Badger!  Derek Badger is the start of TVs ….and he is a cross between the afore mentioned Mr Grylls and Steve Irwin.  He has faced all manner of wild animals and hostile situations…or has he.

Derek may seem like the all action hero, but when he comes to the Florida Everglades and turns up on Wahoo’s doorstep looking for an animal wrangler on his new show, we get to see what really goes on behind the scenes of this  TV show.

104. The Slice (Lightning Strikes Series) by Rose Quilter

The Slice Lightning Strikesby Rose Quilter

Published April 2012 Walker Books

From the publisher:

Marco s stomach rumbles. He remembers the cold piece of pizza leftover from last night. But Andy and Joey are starving too. They all hold on to the pizza box. It s decided that the last person holding the box, gets the slice. They’ve got nothing else to do this summer.

Here we have another funny fast read from the Lightning Strikes series.

As it says in the blurb, Marco is hungry, and with only one piece of pizza left, he and his friends set themselves a challenge.  Each person puts one hand on the pizza box and the last person holding the box, gets the pizza.  That might not seem like such a challenge, especially as when it started they were sitting in Marco’s lounge room.  Things start to get tricky when Nonna gets involved.

103. Opal Moonbaby by Maudie Smith

Opal Moonbaby by Maudie Smith

Published March 2012 Hachette Australia

From the publisher:

Martha's decided friends are stupid. Especially if they're anything like Colette and Chloe. She never wants another friend. Ever. But it's the first day of the summer holidays, and there's not that much to do... until she spots a strange little furry creature who leads her to Opal Moonbaby. Opal's been sent down from her planet on a mission: to work out what on earth people are (and my goodness - people are strange) and to make a friend.

This book starts with a bang, quite literally.  Early one morning the half asleep milkman ends up driving his milk float into a tree to avoid hitting a girl with beams of light coming from her violet eyes and her flying cat.  That is how we meet Opal Moonbaby.

102. Other Brother by Simon French

Other Brother by Simon French
Published April 2012 Walker Books


From the publisher:


Kieran wants to be part of the in-group at school. He wants to be on the football team. He wants to fit in. But then his cousin Bon turns up. Bon doesn't know anything about fitting in he looks different, he wears the wrong clothes, and he says weird things. Kieran just wants to ignore Bon, but soon he is forced to make a choice. Which is more important being popular, or doing the right thing? 




When I read the blurb for this book I immediately thought of one of my favourite books of all time, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.  After reading it, I would say that in some regards it’s very similar, but in others, it is quite different.

Kieran’s best friend has moved away and he’s a little lost without him.  All he wants to do is to play soccer and have friends again, so he tries to befriend the most popular boys, Mason and Lucas, at school.

101. Falling Fast by Sophie McKenzie

Falling Fast by Sophie McKenzie
Published April 2012 Simon & Schuster

From the publisher:This is life, not a rehearsal...When River auditions for a part in an inter-school performance of Romeo and Juliet, she finds herself smitten by Flynn, the boy playing Romeo. River believes in romantic love, and she can't wait to experience it. But Flynn comes from a damaged family - is he even capable of giving River what she wants? The path of true love never did run smooth...                            

In some ways this is your regular 'girl meets boy from the wrong side of the tracks' love story, but there's something a bit darker about it.

River falls for Flynn from the first time she meets him.  Flynn keeps his cards very close to his chest, so River is unsure if he knows she exists, let alone 'fancy her'.

As Flynn lets his guard down, and his feelings for River come to light we slowly learn why he is such an angry young man.  He come from a struggling family, he works three jobs to try and help his mother make ends meet.  His father, who no longer lives with them is a drunk who was nothing but trouble, and Flynn has become the protector of the women (his mother and the sisters) in his family.