by Gillian Rubinstein
Ligature
finest
genre Science Fiction · Young Adult
In the second book of the Galax-Arena duology, the children try to put their lives back together as they uncover the deeper secrets of Project Genesis Five. The long-awaited sequel to the Galax-Arena, the dark, uncompromising thriller and a cult classic.
by Isobelle Carmody
Ligature
untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult
Rage’s home life and school life are challenging to say the least, with her mother still unwell, her uncle not wanting her, and the school bully becoming increasingly nasty. And she’s been having strange dreams. What do they mean? Is she in danger? It is just her world or the mysterious Valley as well?
First published in 2002, The Winter Door is the second book in a planned trilogy following [Billy Thunder and the] Night Gate. The third title has long remained unwritten. Will the inclusion of the first two books in the Untapped Collection inspire Carmody to complete the trilogy at last?
Isobelle Carmody has written numerous bestselling and award-winning works for children and young adults, including the much loved, long-running series the Obernewtyn Chronicles. For more, visit isobellecarmody.net.au
by Kate Gordon
Ligature
untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult
Tasmanian teenager Tessa is found in the bush with scratches on her back and no memory of what happened or how they came to be there. What are they? What do they mean? When students at her school start disappearing, Tessa knows she must find out—whatever the cost.
A gripping paranormal mystery that draws on stories of the Thylacine, or Tasmanian Tiger, a creature believed to be extinct. First published in 2011, it was followed by a sequel, Vulpi.
Kate Gordon is a Tasmanian children’s author. She’s written picture books, books for younger readers, and books for young adults. Her most recent work, The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn (2020), was described as ‘Haunting and beautiful’ by Magpies magazine. For more information visit kate.gordon.com.au.
by Ursula Dubosarksy
Ligature
untapped
genre Young Adult
There’s a lot going on in eleven-year-old Geraldine’s life. There’s her older sister who always knows everything before she does. There’s her parents, selling the family house because her father’s lost all their money. There’s her neighbour, who disapproves of her two guinea pigs. And then there’s Albertine, the spoilt white guinea pig who’s used to sleeping in human beds that Geraldine was guilted into babysitting by Alma. Alma promised that Albertine wouldn’t be any trouble—boy, was she wrong. Not that it was Albertine’s fault exactly, she wasn’t the one who left the cage door open and she couldn’t have known what would happen. She just was a guinea pig.
‘It’s a wonderful piece of writing that improves on every reading.’ — The Age
‘A sad tale? Actually not. You’ll be moved by the sudden, warm ending; with its lightness and wit, this is a comedy of some depth.’ — The Observer, UK
First published in 1994, The White Guinea Pig won a NSW Premier’s Literary Award, a Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, and was shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award.
Ursula Dubosarsky is the 2020–2021 Australian Children’s Laureate and the author of nearly 60 books, many of which have won or been shortlisted for awards. Several of her books include guinea pigs. For more information visit her website ursuladubosarsky.squarespace.com.
by Jackie French
Ligature
untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult
With Desert Wind as their guide, Possum and Mopoke have once again left the Valley to brave the world outside, where it’s harsh, dry and so hot you can’t go out during the day. It was supposed to be a short journey, following the creek up to the salt pans, but just like all their others, that’s not how it turns out. This time, they hear a strange, eerie noise, like nothing they’ve heard before. Is it a machine? An animal? Or something else? Is it dangerous?
The Tribe Who Sang to the Trees is the final book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a five-part dystopian series set many years from now and presciently written long before the trend for dystopian children’s and young adult fiction emerged – or climate change was a global concern.
According to her website, ‘Jackie French AM is an Australian author, historian, ecologist and honorary wombat (part time), 2014–2015 Australian Children’s Laureate and 2015 Senior Australian of the Year.’ She’s written over 200 books, which range from picture books and books for younger readers, to historical fiction for adults, to non-fiction about gardening and ecology. Her books have been won a wide range of prizes both in Australia and internationally. For more visit www.jackiefrench.com.
by Sean Williams
Ligature
untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult
The third book in internationally bestselling author Sean Williams’ Broken Land trilogy sees Ros, his camel, and Adi at last heading out of the desert—but once again, right into the hands of danger and dark-powered enemies. This time, it’s the half-human, half-material Scarecrow and he’ll stopped at nothing to get what he wants: a crystal Ros intends to bury in the bottom of the ocean, and the Golem Ros has locked inside.
‘This is speculative fiction of the highest quality.’ — West Australian
The Scarecrow was first published in 2008.
Sean Williams has been described by Aurealis Magazine as ‘without doubt the premier Australian speculative fiction writer of the age’. He writes fantasy and science fiction and has co-authored Star Wars novelisations with Shane Dix and the EX series with Garth Nix. For more information visit his website at seanwilliams.com.
by Jackie French
Ligature
untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult
Sea levels have risen, the winds are wild, and the sun is so hot that you can’t go out during the day. So Possum and Mopoke live like wombats, sleeping during the day and venturing out at night. They’re lucky they’re in the Valley, where it’s safe and protected, but they know there’s a world outside – the Collectors go there, scavenging for metal and plant species. And there are stories. When they hear one about mysterious music coming from an island with a gleaming tower, they decide to go in search of it, with Desert Wind, an old Collector, as their guide…
First published in 1993, The Music from the Sea is the first book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a five-part dystopian series written long before the trend for dystopian children’s and young adult fiction emerged – and climate change was a global concern.
According to her website, ‘Jackie French AM is an Australian author, historian, ecologist and honorary wombat (part time), 2014–2015 Australian Children’ Laureate and 2015 Senior Australian of the Year.’ She’s written over 200 books, which range from picture books and books for younger readers, to historical fiction for adults, to non-fiction about gardening and ecology. Her books have been won a wide range of prizes both in Australia and internationally. For more visit www.jackiefrench.com
by Jackie French
Ligature
untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult
Possum, Mopoke and Desert Wind have found a wild boy – one with a pet lion – and brought him back to the Valley. But who is he? How can he have tamed a lion? The only way to find out is to leave the Valley again and brave the world outside, where the climate has made life harsh, hot and dry…
First published in 1993, The House of a Hundred Animals is the third book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a dystopian series presciently written long before the trend for dystopian children’s and young adult fiction emerged – or climate change was a global concern.
According to her website, ‘Jackie French AM is an Australian author, historian, ecologist and honorary wombat (part time), 2014–2015 Australian Children’s Laureate and 2015 Senior Australian of the Year.’ She’s written over 200 books, which range from picture books and books for younger readers, to historical fiction for adults, to non-fiction about gardening and ecology. Her books have been won a wide range of prizes both in Australia and internationally. For more visit www.jackiefrench.com.
by Jackie French
Ligature
untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult
Possum and Mopoke, with Desert Wind as their guide, have left the Valley and braved the world outside, where its harsh, dry and so hot you can’t go out during the day. They’ve gone in search of the metal men. Are they real? Or a myth? Might there be people left who make machines like they had before the wild years?
First published in 1994, The Metal Men is the fourth book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a five-part dystopian series written long before the trend for dystopian children’s and young adult fiction emerged – and climate change was a global concern.
According to her website, ‘Jackie French AM is an Australian author, historian, ecologist and honorary wombat (part time), 2014–2015 Australian Children’s Laureate and 2015 Senior Australian of the Year.’ She’s written over 200 books, which range from picture books and books for younger readers, to historical fiction for adults, to non-fiction about gardening and ecology. Her books have won a wide range of prizes both in Australia and internationally. For more visit www.jackiefrench.com.
by Sophie Masson
Ligature
untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult
‘The Firebird is a spellbinding story set in the splendours and savageries of old Russia.’ — Libraries Australia
On the night of her engagement, Princess Tamara is caught in the palace garden with her fiancé’s brother, Ivan. They claim to have been watching a firebird, a rare and wonderful creature—and it’s true: the bird has left a feather. The Tsar, desperate for the bird, promises half his kingdom to whoever finds it. This might just give Princess Tamara and Ivan the chance to live happily ever after.
First published in 2001, The Firebird was shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards Science Fiction and Fantasy that same year.
Sophie Masson is an award-winning author of over 70 books for children, young adult and adults across a range of genres including fantasy, mystery, history, thrillers, ghost stories and fairy tales. Her most recent books include the YA speculative fiction novel, The Ghost Squad (2021), and Magical Tales from French Camelot (2021). In 2019 she was awarded AM (General Division) in the Order of Australia ‘For significant service to literature as an author, publisher, and through roles in industry organisations’. For more information visit www.sophiemasson.org.