Monster Blood Tattoo

Rossamund Bookchild, an orphaned boy saddled with a girl's name, leaves Madam Opera's Estimable Marine Society for Foundling Boys and Girls to begin his career as a lamplighter of the Half Continent. The humans of the Half Continent are engaged in a permanent war against the monsters of the wilds - the bogles, the shrewds, the grinnlings. And out alone in the world for the very first time, Rossamund encounters more than a few of them on his journey to begin his new - and dangerous - career. He also meets his first lahzar - a fighter of monsters - and sees his first monster-blood tattoo, the mark of a kill. (http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/cornishtattoo.htm)

The Kite Rider

This book is a very interesting and complex book. If you enjoy an ancient tale, an exciting adventure or a challenging novel, you will love this book. This book is filled with action, drama and the truth. I found this book was very confusing and very challenging. It is suitable for older grades such as Year 5, Year 6 and Year 7.
This author has used a very descriptive technique that makes you want to read on and keep you interested. The way she has put together the tale is very complex.
This book is set in 13th century Ancient China, a place where anything is possible by anyone. Haoyou discovers the views, noise and scents of Ancient China that fills his mind with different senses of the world and what can happen.
Haoyou and his widowed and medium cousin Mipeng go on an exciting and amazing adventure travelling on The Jade Circus. I think this book gives you the message that in the world you should show respect to everyone. (Recommendation by Connie, Year 5)

The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz by Frank L Baum was first published in 1900. It is often called the first American fairy tale. There are actually 14 books in the series - the last one was written in 1920. You may read these books on-line at http://www.halcyon.com/piglet/books1.htm

February Dragon gives us insights into family life in the Australian bush as it was in the 1950's and 1960's. Both the interaction of family relationships and the damage posed by bushfires still have relevance to life today - over half a century later. However, some aspects of daily life in the 1950's and 1960's are quite different to life today.

The distinction between city life and country life - both the similarities and the differences - exists today just as it did in the time period of February Dragon.

By researching this era we are able to establish some of these differences.

The 27th Annual African Hippopotamus Race

The 27th Annual African Hippopotamus Race is a funny story by Morris Lurie. It is about Edward, an eight-year-old hippopotamus, who enters an important swimming race. There are many life lessons we can learn from this story.

Listen to a hippo song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7xjjlUbpJ4

February Dragon

February Dragon is a story by Colin Thiele. It is set in the Australian bush. At first you may think that the dragon could be a strange animal, but it is something quite different! It is fire - the dreaded bushfire!
Find out about bushfires here:
http://www.bom.gov.au/inside/services_policy/fire_ag/bushfire/threat.htm