Young Adult

The Firebird

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.

The Green Prince

by Sophie Masson
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Every year the medieval village of Crundall has a fair. This year there’s a new attraction: a merman. When Jack Fisher sees him, he’s as surprised as everyone else, but unlike the others, Jack doesn’t just see a mythical sea creature—and stranger still, looking back at him, the merman doesn’t just seem to see an ordinary teenager. So begins Jack’s discovery of his real origins and the watery green kingdom where all is not well…

First published in 2000, the following year The Green Prince was adapted for the stage and shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards for Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Sophie Masson AM 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). She was awarded AM (General Division) in the Order of Australia in 2019 ‘For significant service to literature as an author, publisher, and through roles in industry organisations’. For more information visit www.sophiemasson.org

The Fire in the Stone

by Colin Thiele
Ligature untapped
genre Young Adult

A gripping story of heat, dust and desperation from a master storyteller. Fourteen-year-old Ernie went out to South Australia’s opal fields with his dad. That was five years ago. They still live in the same dugout, a burrow, not a house, not like the one he used to live in, and his dad’s pretty much given up. So Ernie’s working, tunnelling through sandstone. Some people use bulldozers and gelignite, but Ernie does it the old way, using a pick. And he goes down other people’s old shafts. That’s how he found them: those blue-green stones. The opals. It’s the reason they’re all there – and the reason his were stolen. Ernie is determined to get them back. He won’t be able to do it alone, but who can he trust? And just how far will the thief go to protect his stash?

First published in 1973, The Fire in the Stone was released as a film in 1984.

Colin Thiele AC (1920–2006) is best known for his many novels for young adults and older readers, which include Storm Boy (1963), which has twice been adapted for film. He was made a Companion of the Order of Australia for his services to literature and education in 1977 and, in 2001, he was a recipient of the Centenary Medal for distinguished service to the arts as a poet and novelist. For more information visit www.colinthiele.com.

The Dust Devils

by Sean Williams
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

The Dust Devils is the second book in internationally bestselling author Sean Williams’ Broken Land trilogy. Ros is alone once again in the desert with his camel. His friend Adi’s spirit is with him—but that isn’t where it should be. And while the desert might seem empty, it’s full of danger. How is he going to survive the Dust Devils, the sand bandits—and get Adi’s spirit back to her body before it’s too late?

‘something special indeed, as readable by adults as it is by younger people. … riveting and one not to be missed.’ — West Australian

‘a master-piece of speculative fiction… [Williams’] skill is as limitless as the universe.’ — Aurealis Magazine

First published in 2008, The Dust Devils was shortlisted in the Aurealis Awards for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction the following year.

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.

The Changeling

by Sean Williams
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

The Changeling is the first book in internationally bestselling author Sean Williams’ Broken Land trilogy. Set in the same dark fantasy world as his award-winning Books of the Change series, where the deserts are red, the coastlines long and, as young Ros finds, families sacrifice their own children for water. Escape is his only option, and he manages it on a stolen camel—but what next? If he can learn to control the force known as ‘the Change’, he might have a chance…

‘In a smashed and parched land so reminiscent of the back-slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in summer, the beautifully grim and driving narrative had me hooked, deeply anxious to learn Ros’ fate. Sean Williams is an acknowledged master of adult stories, and in The Changeling he proves that wonderful and terrible tales for younger folk are well within the ambit of his prodigiously talented and prolific pen.’ — David Cornish

First published in 2008, The Changeling was shortlisted for an Aurealis Award for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction that same year.

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.

The City in the Sand

by Jackie French
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Possum and Mopoke, with the old Collector Desert Wind as their guide, leave the Valley again to brave the world outside, where it’s harsh, dry and so hot you can’t go out during the day. This time they’re in search of the marshes full of birds. It’s only five nights’ walk, but across mountains and desert. It’s hard and dangerous, and who knows what’s out there. Some say there’s a city in the sand, like they used to have in the olden days, before the wild years and everything changed…

Originally published in 1992, The City of the Sand is the second book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a five-part 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.

Refuge

by Libby Gleeson
Ligature untapped
genre Young Adult

Fourteen-year-old Andrew is an aspiring palaeontologist and otherwise regular school kid. His older sister, Anna, is a university activist who passionately believes she can make a difference. Rosa, an East-Timorese refugee with nowhere to go, faces an uncertain future as she waits for her asylum case to be heard.

Compelled by passion and youthful idealism, and against her parents’ wishes, Anna hides Rosa in her parents’ house, drawing Andrew in to help. Andrew now has to keep secrets from his parents, his friends and his high school crush. He’s forced to face a crisis he would have otherwise ignored, while confronting the question of right, wrong—and that grey area in between.

Refuge is just as relevant now as it was when it was first published in 1998.

Children’s author Libby Gleeson has written 40 books and has received multiple awards including the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Lady Cutler Award in 1997, given for distinguished service to children’s literature in NSW, the 2011 Dromkeen Medal, and the 2013 Prime Minister’s Award for Red (2012). For more information visit her website libbygleeson.com.au

Paper Planes

by Allayne Webster
Ligature untapped
genre Young Adult

The city is under siege. Bombs are commonplace and food has grown scarce. Eleven-year-old Niko and his family need to escape—but can they really get out?

Based on the true story of South Australian vet, Jarko Dobes, a Bosnian refugee who experienced of the Siege of Sarajevo as a boy.

‘Vividly realised, particularly Niko’s teenage brother and sister who rise to the occasion with courage and inventive flair.’ 4 stars. Katharine England, SA Weekend Magazine

‘This compelling and at times heartbreaking story is based on real experiences. … It is important for our young people to read stories like this, to feel empathy, to experience vicariously and to be hopeful for a better future. This story is a must for libraries.’ Sharon Seymour, Reading Time

First published in 2014, Paper Planes was a Children’s Book Council Notable Book, shortlisted in the Adelaide Festival Children’s Literature Awards and selected for South Australian and Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenges. The book has also been studied in schools around the country. Teaching notes can be found at www.allaynewebster.com/paper-planes.

Allayne Webster is children’s author and South Australian Premier’s Reading Challenge Ambassador. She is the author of nine books shortlisted for various awards. That Thing I Did, a young adult comedy (Wakefield Press) was released 2022 to rave reviews, and Selfie (Text Publishing, Young Adult) will be out 2023.

Night Gate

by Isobelle Carmody
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Rage undertakes a dangerous journey into the mysterious Valley in search of magick to cure her mother. It’s a world nothing like her own. Streets move, animals talk, and it’s hard to know who to trust—but even harder to find her way home.

First published in 2002, shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature, [Billy Thunder and the] Night Gate is the first in a planned trilogy by bestselling and much loved fantasy author Isobelle Carmody. It was followed by Winter Door, also in the Untapped Collection, but the third title has long remained unwritten. Will the inclusion of the first two books in the Untapped Collection inspire the author to complete the trilogy?

Isobelle Carmody has written numerous works for children and young adults, and won and been shortlisted for many awards. She’s perhaps best known for her long-running, bestselling fantasy series The Obernewtyn Chronicles. For more, visit isobellecarmody.net.au

General Store

by Hazel Edwards
Ligature untapped
genre Literary Fiction · Young Adult

What was Josie’s dad thinking? Moving them from Melbourne to a small country town was bad enough, but into the general store? Which he was going to run? If it didn’t fall down first. Life was clearly going to be very different.

First published in 1977, General Store is Hazel Edwards’s first YA novel. It paints an authentic picture of teenage life before mobile phones, iPads, or even personal computers. Some things are the same, though: you need a best friend, people love footy, boys can be cute—and bushfires are a deadly threat.

Hazel Edwards OAM is an award-winning author. She has written novels for younger readers, middle-grade readers, young adults and adults, as well as non-fiction. And, of course, picture books, including the bestselling There’s a Hippopotamus on our Roof Eating Cake (1980), illustrated by Deborah Niland, which was adapted for film and as a stage musical. For more information visit www.hazeledwards.com.