Winter Reading Guide 2025
THE QUIET EDGE:
Why Boys Who Read Over the Holidays Come Back Stronger
When the winter holidays roll around, most boys are ready for a break — and understandably so. School life is intense: full of assessments, routines, sports, co-curriculars, and social demands. The temptation to switch off entirely and lean heavily into screens, gaming, or endless scrolling is strong. And while rest is essential, there’s another, quieter way to recharge that offers long-term benefits: reading.
Reading gives boys something that few other activities can. It develops attention span, improves sleep quality, supports emotional regulation, builds language, and provides a powerful sense of escape and control which is especially important during adolescence, when so much feels out of their hands.
Just 15 minutes of reading a day has been shown to significantly enhance vocabulary acquisition, critical thinking, and even stress recovery.
"Reading gives boys something screens never can: calm, depth, and control."
But for many boys, reading can feel like a school-based obligation rather than a meaningful or enjoyable part of their lives. That’s where family encouragement, access to the right books, and a relaxed, supportive approach can make all the difference.
Studies continue to show that by the time boys reach adolescence, they are reading less frequently — and with less enthusiasm — than girls. This reading gap is not just about test scores; it affects their academic confidence, their capacity to communicate effectively, and even their future pathways. Yet it is also completely reversible.
By reframing reading as something that is for them — not something that is done to them — we begin to rebuild that bridge. The most effective way to do this? Show them that reading can be casual, interest-driven, and 100% on their own terms.
Reading doesn’t have to mean novels (although we love those too). It can include:
- Graphic novels
- Biographies of sporting heroes or musicians
- Audiobooks and podcasts with transcripts
- Survival stories, adventure thrillers, or mysteries
- How-to guides, game manuals, or books on entrepreneurship
"It doesn’t matter what they read. It matters that they start."
Reading builds an internal world. It develops empathy, expands language, and strengthens focus. It also gives boys a much-needed mental break from the fast pace of the digital world. Unlike scrolling, reading isn’t designed to overstimulate. It helps regulate the nervous system, which is especially important for teens navigating a loud and demanding online culture.
You absolutely do not have to be an expert in literature to help your son grow as a reader. You just need to make space, offer encouragement, and model the value of reading in everyday life. Here are a few strategies that can help over the winter holidays:
- Offer real choice – Let them browse the Reading Guide and choose what stands out. Don’t worry if it is not a “classic.”
- Create the environment – Make sure they’ve got somewhere comfortable to read—on the couch, in bed, outside in the sun with plenty of layers.
- Reduce pressure – They don’t need to finish every book. Skimming, swapping, or dipping in and out is okay.
- Model it – Sit down with your own book, newspaper, or eReader—even for 10 minutes.
- Bring books into daily life – Listen to audiobooks together on drives. Stop at a bookshop or library.
These small choices add up. Boys who continue reading through adolescence tend to develop stronger communication skills, more curiosity, and better mental stamina. They also tend to report higher levels of well-being. Reading gives them the tools to think more deeply, empathise more broadly, and navigate life more confidently.
Contrary to the old stereotype, reading isn’t uncool. Many of the world’s most admired men—leaders, athletes, and creatives—are avid readers.
LeBron James has launched reading initiatives across the U.S. and credits books with keeping him mentally sharp. Barack Obama releases an annual reading list filled with thrillers, literary fiction, and memoirs. Tom Holland is well known for carrying novels to film sets and reads between takes.
Closer to home, Adam Goodes, former AFL player and Australian of the Year, has publicly supported children’s literacy programs and shared his passion for storytelling. Richard Flanagan, winner of the Booker Prize, writes powerful fiction and speaks about the role reading plays in shaping identity. And Craig Foster, former Socceroo and now human rights advocate, often cites reading as central to his thinking, empathy, and leadership.
“The boys who read quietly during the break often return with something others don’t — momentum”
So while we want our boys to rest, play, and relax these holidays, we also want them to have access to that quiet edge — the one that comes from getting lost in a good book.
Let this Winter Reading Guide be that invitation. It’s not about ticking off a list. It’s about opening a door—and giving your son the time, space and encouragement to step through.
Mrs Mace
Literacy Consultant
YEAR 5 & 6 Fiction
FINDING ALFIE: A D-DAY STORY - BY MICHAEL MORPURGO
Young Michael Morpurgo always loved the small painting of a boat hanging on Aunty Iris’s wall. But all she would ever say about it was that her beloved Alfie had painted it and given it to her years ago—before he’d left for France during World War II and had never come back. Michael decides to try and find out what happened to Alfie himself. He embarks on a journey that takes him to the marshes of an English coastal village and across the Channel into France, learning a profound lesson along the way about service and the surprising endurance of memory.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON SCHOOL - DOOM OF THE DARKWING - BY CRESSIDA COWELL
Young Michael Morpurgo always loved the small painting of a boat hanging on Aunty Iris’s wall. But all she would ever say about it was that her beloved Alfie had painted it and given it to her years ago—before he’d left for France during World War II and had never come back. Michael decides to try and find out what happened to Alfie himself. He embarks on a journey that takes him to the marshes of an English coastal village and across the Channel into France, learning a profound lesson along the way about service and the surprising endurance of memory.
TIGG AND THE BANDICOOT BUSHRANGER - BY JACKIE FRENCH
The year is 1859 and the goldfields are filled with diggers -- and danger! Orphaned twelve-year-old Tigg is the Bandicoot Bushranger, the youngest bushranger on the Ballarat goldfields in 1859. When a robbery goes wrong, Tigg must flee in disguise as one of the tens of thousands of Chinese men and boys braving heat, thirst, starvation and murderous attacks on the long road from Robe inSouth Australia to the goldfields in Victoria. But even further danger threatens. Who has offered a large sum of money for Tigg's capture? And is the mysterious Henry Lau a friend or enemy? To be safe, Tigg must solve the greatest mystery of all. Who is Tigg?
TO AND FRO - BY ANTON CLIFFORD-MOTOPI
Most kids meet their parents when they're born. All they need to do to impressthem is poop, sleep and make goo-goo ga-ga sounds. But I'm twelve. None of that is going to impress my father. Sam thinks he's a weird-looking white kid with an afro. He lives with his whitemum, (annoying but not smelly) and brown dog Trevor (smelly but not annoying). He's never met his father. He just knows that his father is black. But a surprise visit has Sam questioning who he really is. Is he a white kid with a black dad? Or a black kid with white skin? Or half-black and half-white? Not only does Sam want to know these answers, he has to know them to finish his annoying homework and perform in the school concert. But how can he make his outside match his insides if he doesn't know who he is?
THE GRAND OLD DUDE NAMED YORK - BY ROSS CURNOW
Oscar’s life has become a mystery. He has no idea why his grandfather bequeathed him a necklace – of all things! He could give it to Tiffany Crandle, if she actually knew he existed! The only one who does notice him is his neighbour Basil York, who apparently wants him dead – at least that’s what the weird-and definitely-not-wonderful daily booby traps he sets for him seem to imply! Things get even stranger when his grandfather’s shop is burgled, and suddenly Oscar, his friend Maddie are in danger. Who knew that an old necklace would turn out to be such bait for bad guys? Oscar has more going on a kid in Year 7 should have to deal with … and Basil York might just turn out to be the biggest mystery of all.
SUPER SLEUTH - BY DAVID WALLIAMS
Dilly loved a good murder. Not a REAL murder. A made-up murder. One you would find in a murder mystery novel. Sherlock Holmes was her favourite detective, so much so that she had named her dog Watson after his faithful companion. Dilly had trained her Watson to sniff out clues and follow scent trails. Something he would happily do for a dog biscuit. Or two. So far, Dilly and Watson hadn’t had much luck cracking cases – beyond lost cats, or missing biscuits that turned out to have been eaten all along. But now the detective duo found themselves on a luxury ocean liner bound for London. A thousand passengers. A thousand nautical miles of ocean
YEAR 5 & 6 Audiobooks
COUNTDOWN TO YESTERDAY - BY SHIRLEY MARR
James wishes he could go back in time. Back to when his mum and dad were together, when he had one home, when his family laughed and climbed hills and went to the movies. After meeting the enigmatic Yan, a girl who looks at the world differently, James discovers time travel might not be impossible after all. But if James can live forever in one of his six favourite memories, which one will he choose?
SAY MY NAME! SAY MY NAME! (HOUSE OF SHIVERS #4) - BY R.L.STINE
Something fishy is going on! What happens when a talking fish, a runaway dog, and a herd of hog-like creatures descend on the woods behind Cody Brachman's house? An absolute nightmare! His friend Sam wanted to stay inside and play video games all day, but Cody insisted they go wading in the creek. What starts as a fun morning in the water quickly turns into the scariest day the two friends have ever experienced. If Cody can't figure out why everything is going wrong, he's worried he won't live to swim another day!
JY GOES FOR GOLD (KIMBERLEY KICKERS#1) - BY CARL MERRISON AND HAKEA HUSTLER
I'm about 35 metres out from the goal and, running on instinct, I do a snap kick of the ball. I watch as the footy flies through the air. Will it bend enough? I can hear the roar of the crowd but my focus is on that red ball. It flies through the big white sticks. It's a goal! I'm Jy Farrar and the dream I had to play professional Aussie Rules footy since I was a kid in outback Halls Creek has finally come true.
THE SPOOK'S APPRENTICE - BOOK 1 - BY JOSEPH DELANEY
The Spook's Apprentice is the first book in Joseph Delaney's terrifying Wardstone Chronicles - over 3 million copies sold worldwide!' Someone has to stand against the dark. And you're the only one who can.' For years, the local Spook has been keeping the County safe from evil. Now his time is coming to an end, but who will take over? Many apprentices have tried. Some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. Just one boy is left. Thomas Ward. He is the last hope. But does he stand a chance against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the County?
TWEET - BY MORRIS GLEITZMAN
Birds. Lots of birds. The people of the world are puzzled. Their feathered friends are trying to tell them something, and they’re not sure what it is. Then a boy and his pet budgie discover the secret. Join Jay and Clyde, and their friends Maxine and Dora, on an exciting, funny, risky journey to save their families. And every other family too.
PENCIL OF DOOM! SCHOOLING AROUND - BY ANDY GRIFFITHS
The Pencil of Doom! Test: 1. Henry's scary new pencil has an eraser in the shape of a A: smiley face. B: love heart. C: skull. 2. The pencil is called a 'pencil of doom' because A: it used to belong to a boy called Doom. B: it has a very sharp tip. C: whenever it's used, somebody gets hurt. 3. Henry tries to destroy the pencil by A: eating it. B: kissing it. C: crushing it. 4. Henry's enemy, Clive Durkin, uses the pencil to draw Henry and his friends being buried under an avalanche of A: rose petals. B: puppies. C: snow. 5. Pencil of Doom! is the name of A: a horror movie. B: a computer game. C: a very funny book about a very dangerous pencil. The answers to these questions - and many more - are contained between the covers of this very funny book about a very dangerous pencil.
YEAR 7 & 8 Fiction
THE BOY WITH THE BUTTERFLY MIND - BY VICTORIA WILLIAMSON
A straight-talking but uplifting story about a boy with ADHD and the sparks that fly when he moves in with his perfectionist step-sister. Jamie Lee just wants to be normal, but his ADHD isn't making it easy. If only he could control his butterfly mind he'd be able to keep out of trouble. Elin Watts just wants to be perfect. If she could be the best student and daughter possible, then maybe her dad would leave his new family and come back to live with Elin and her mom. When Jamie and Elin's families blend, the polar opposites of chaotic Jamie and ordered Elin collide. As their lives spiral out of control, Jamie and Elin discover that they're actually more alike than they'd admit. Uplifting and moving, The Boy with the Butterfly Mind is an inspiring story of acceptance, blended families, and discovering that in the end, being yourself is more than enough.
INTO THE WILD - BY HAYLEY LAWRENCE
There are places in the world so remote, that if you get lost, you may never be found. Olive, Ted, Knox, Birdie and Silas enter a challenge to survive in the wild, without technology. Their stage? The majestic Blue Mountains. Working as a team, they must read maps, build fires, camp and trek through the most dangerous of terrain, in subzero temperatures. But when the teenagers are split over a decision to climb a dangerous rock, disaster strikes. And in their quest for survival, one of them makes an unforgivable choice. With catastrophic consequences. Nobody is blameless. And they may not all make it home. But those who do, may never forgive each other.
THUNDERHEAD - BY SOPHIE BEER
Meet Thunderhead: awkward, music-obsessed and a magnet for bad luck. Their favourite things in life are listening to records and hanging out with their best (and only) friend Moonflower. But Thunderhead has a big secret. And when Moonflower moves schools, they're faced with the reality of surviving the wilderness of high school alone. Make new friends? NOTHANKYOUVERYMUCH. As two big life events approach, Thunderhead posts playlists and heartfelt diary entries as an outlet to try to make sense of their changing world, to try to calm the storm brewing in their brain and to try to find the courage to unfurl their heart.
HOVER CAR RACER - GRAPHIC NOVEL - BY MATTHEW REILLY
Never give up. Never say die. Meet Jason Chaser, hover car racer. He's won himself a place at the International Race School, where racers either make it on to the Pro Circuit - or they crash and burn. But he's an outsider. He's younger than the other racers. His car, the Argonaut, is older. And on top of that, someone doesn't want him to succeed at the School and will do anything to stop him. Now Jason Chaser isn't just fighting for his place on the starting line, he's racing for his life.
BOY 2.0 - BY TRACEY BAPTISTE
Win "Coal" Keegan has just landed in his latest foster home, with a big, noisy, slightly nosy family named the McKays. They seem eager to welcome Coal, but he's wary of trusting them. So, he doesn't tell them that he went for a walk with chalk in his pocket to cover a nearby street with his art. He doesn't tell them that a neighbor found Coal drawing, pulled a gun on him, and fired it. He doesn't tell them the police chased him. And he definitely doesn't tell them that when everything went down, Coal somehow turned invisible.
IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES - BY KATHERINE RUNDELL
The day Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. It's the day he learned about the Archipelago, a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years—until now. And it's the day he met Mal, a girl on the run who desperately needs his help. Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what's happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.
YEAR 7 & 8 Ebooks & Audiobooks
RUNNING WILD- BY MICHAEL MORPURGO
For Will and his mother, going to Indonesia isn't just a holiday. It's an escape, a new start, a chance to put things behind them – things like the death of Will's father. And to begin with, it seems to be just what they both needed. But then Oona, the elephant Will is riding on the beach, begins acting strangely, shying away from the sea. And that's when the tsunami comes crashing in, and Oona begins to run. Except that when the tsunami is gone, Oona just keeps on running. With nothing on his back but a shirt and nothing to sustain him but a bottle of water, Will must learn to survive deep in the jungle. Luckily, though, he's not completely alone...He's got Oona.
MESSI MANIA - BY LUIS MIGUEL ECHEGARAY
Global superstar, FIFA Player of the Year, and TIME magazine’s Athlete of the Year Lionel Messi’s arrival in the States has brought inspiration, excitement, and star power to men’s soccer. In Messi Mania, discover the seismic effect Leo has had on MLS and global soccer, woven through with fascinating insights into his family background, childhood, teenage years, and career to date. Messi’s career has been built on hard work, determination, and teamwork, but his early years in Argentina were tough, including personal challenges that almost ruined his dreams of becoming a pro soccer player. In this book by top soccer journalist, commentator, and lifelong fan Luis Miguel Echegaray, learn how Messi overcame these setbacks and went on to become one of the most successful, celebrated, and decorated soccer players ever. Following his inspiring journey from Barcelona’s youth academy to World Cup triumph with Argentina and then to MLS club Inter Miami, Messi Mania is the ultimate one-stop guide to a motivating and inspiring global soccer star. No matter where you’re from or what your goals are—be inspired to chase your dreams, just like Leo Messi.
COLD BLOOD - BY S.J.WILLS
The world is still adjusting to life after the Rippocalypse – and there are plenty who aren't happy with the new status quo. Made public enemy number one, Sel needs to keep a low profile, and make sure his new dangerous abilities stay hidden. But there's an even bigger threat on the horizon, as Frozen Fever is spreading. And it can be passed on with just a touch... A blockbuster teen horror series for fans of Skulduggery Pleasant, join Sel and his friends as they navigate a nail-biting horror story, dodging terrifying adults and even more terrifying beasts.
NIGHTMARES OF FINNEGAN QUICK - BY LARRY HAYES
By night, Finn has horrible nightmares. By day, they come TRUE! A gripping horror story for readers of 10 and over. Finnegan Quick is haunted by nightmares. They're so bad, he's terrified of going to sleep. Because Finn's dreams change the waking world too. He's already lost his mum, his dad, his dog, even his shadow. And now they're coming for his gran, the only family he's got left. Then a mysterious girl starts appearing in his dreams, helping Finn fight back against the creatures in his nightly adventures. On the first day of the new term, she turns up at school, right there in real life, in the lunch queue! Cass tells Finn that she has come to solve the mystery of Finn's missing parents. Together with Finn's geeky best friend Squid, they travel through the nightmare world, battling goblins, ghosts and zombies. Finn, Cass and Squid are a sparky, wise-cracking trio, but even together, can they prove to be a match for the creatures of the night? If Finnegan Quick is to save the people he cares about most, he must remember the lesson his gran has been teaching him all his life. He must learn to face his fears – or be destroyed by them!
BEAR - BY KIRI LIGHTFOOT
Jasper Robinson-Woods is not okay — his name is too long, his mum has an annoying boyfriend, he never sees his dad, and he can't sleep because of a terrifying nightmare. Oh, and to top it off, his goldfish is dying. Jasper is overwhelmed with bad thoughts. Are they a sign of disaster to come? The only place he feels safe is in the tree in his front yard. But then the unimaginable happens: his nightmare comes to life and everything spirals out of control. Jasper decides it's finally time to face his nightmare.
FOLLOW YOUR GUT - BY AILSA WILD
Meet the ecosystem inside you … A timid Bifidobacterium named Biffy is forced to leave their family and become part of a new community, in the gut of a newborn human baby. Follow Your Gut is a comic that ate a biology textbook. It’s an epic adventure set over the first three years of a new life, exploring one of the most important relationships you will ever have — the one with your gut microbiome. Created by artists, scientists, and educators, this story is for anyone who’s curious about the human–microbe symbiosis, and what all those trillions of bacteria are doing down there in your intestines!
YEAR 9 & 10 Fiction
SUCH CHARMING LIARS - BY KAREN MCMANUS
The new mystery thriller from the author of One of Us Is Lying, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final heist, the job gets dangerously personal ... and deadly. For all of Kat's life, it's just been her and her mother, Jamie except for forty-eight hours twelve years ago when Jamie was married and Kat had a stepbrother, Liam. That all ended in a swift divorce, and Kat and Liam haven't spoken since. Now Jamie is a jewel thief trying to go straight, but she has one last job - at billionaire Ross Sutherland's 80th birthday party. Kat has figured out a way to tag along to the dazzling Sutherland compound, but neither she nor her mother know about the other surprise guests that weekend- Liam and his father, a serial scammer who has his own sights set on Ross Sutherland's youngest daughter. Kat and Liam are on a collision course to disaster, and when a Sutherland dies, they realize they might be in the killer's crosshairs themselves. They can't trust anyone-except each other. Or can they? Because if there's one thing both Kat and Liam know, it's how to lie. They learned from the best.
BLETCHLEY RIDDLE - BY RUTA SEPETYS AND STEVE SHEINKIN
Remember, you are bound by the Official Secrets Act… Summer, 1940. Nineteen-year-old Jakob Novis and his quirky younger sister Lizzie share a love of riddles and puzzles. And now they’re living inside of one. The quarrelsome siblings find themselves amidst one of the greatest secrets of World War II—Britain’s eccentric codebreaking factory at Bletchley Park. As Jakob joins Bletchley’s top minds to crack the Nazi's Enigma cipher, fourteen-year-old Lizzie embarks on a mission to solve the mysterious disappearance of their mother. The Battle of Britain rages and Hitler’s invasion creeps closer. And at the same time, baffling messages and codes arrive on their doorstep while a menacing inspector lurks outside the gates of the Bletchley mansion. Are the messages truly for them, or are they a trap? Could the riddles of Enigma and their mother's disappearance be somehow connected? Jakob and Lizzie must find a way to work together as they race to decipher clues and unravel a shocking secret.
MID-AIR - BY ALICIA D. WILLIAMS
It’s the summer before high school and Isaiah feels lost. He thought this summer was going to be just him and his homies Drew and Darius, hangin’ out, doing wheelies, and watching martial arts movies-a lot of chillin’ before high school and the Future. But more and more, Drew will barely talk to him— barely even look at him—and though he won’t admit it, Isaiah knows it’s because of Darius, because Darius is…gone. And Isaiah wasn’t even there when it happened, with his best friend in his final moments. But he’s going to be there now. Him and Drew both, they’re gonna spend the summer breakingevery single record they can think of, for Darius, for his dream of breaking world records. But Drew’s not the same Drew, and Isaiah being Isaiah isn’t enough for Drew anymore. Not his taste in music, his love for D&D, his interest in taking photos, or his aversion to jumpingoff rooftops. The real Isaiah is sensitive; he’s uncool. And one day something unspeakable happens to Isaiah that makes him think Drew’s right. If only he could be less sensitive, more tough, less weird, more cool, more contained, less him, things would be easier. But how much can Isaiah keep inside until he shatters wide open?
ALL YOUR TWISTED SECRETS - BY DIANA URBAN
“Welcome to dinner, and again, congratulations on being selected. Now you must do the selecting.” What do the queen bee, star athlete, valedictorian, stoner, loner, and music geek all have in common? They were all invited to a scholarship dinner, only to discover it’s a trap. Someone has locked them into a room with a bomb, a syringe filled with poison, and a note saying they have an hour to pick someone to kill...or else everyone dies. Amber Prescott is determined to get her classmates and herself out of the room alive, but that might be easier said than done. No one knows how they’re all connected or who would want them dead. As they retrace the events over the past year that might have triggered their captor’s ultimatum, it becomes clear that everyone is hiding something. And with the clock ticking down, confusion turns into fear, and fear morphs into panic as they race to answer the biggest question: Who will they choose to die?
SNOWGLOBE - BY SOYOUNG PARK
In a world of constant winter, only the citizens of the climate-controlled city of Snowglobe can escape the bitter cold—but this perfect society is hiding dark and dangerous secrets within its frozen heart. Enclosed under a vast dome, Snowglobe is the last place on Earth that’s warm. Outside Snowglobe is a frozen wasteland, and every day, citizens face the icy world to get to their jobs at the power plant, where they produce the energy Snowglobe needs. Their only solace comes in the form of twenty-four-hour television programming streamed directly from the domed city. The residents of Snowglobe have fame, fortune, and above all, safety from the desolation outside their walls. In exchange, their lives are broadcast to the less fortunate outside, who watch eagerly, hoping for the chance to one day become actors themselves. Chobahm lives for the time she spends watching the shows produced inside Snowglobe. Her favorite? Goh Around, starring Goh Haeri, Snowglobe’s biggest star—and, it turns out, the key to getting Chobahm her dream life. Because Haeri is dead, and Chobahm has been chosen to take her place. Only, life inside Snowglobe is nothing like what you see on television. Reality is a lie, and truth seems to be forever out of reach.
THE COLOR OF A LIE - BY KIM JOHNSON
In 1955, a Black family passes for white and moves to a “Whites Only” town in the suburbs. Caught between two worlds, a teen boy puts his family at risk as he uncovers racist secrets about his suburb. A new social justice thriller from the acclaimed author of This Is My America! Calvin knows how to pass for white. He’s done it plenty of times before. For his friends in Chicago, when they wanted food but weren’t allowed in a restaurant. For work, when he and his dad would travel for the Green Book. This is different. After a tragedy in Chicago forces the family to flee, they resettle in an idyllic all white suburban town in search of a better life. Calvin’s father wants everyone to embrace their new white lifestyles, but it’s easier said than done. Hiding your true self is exhausting — which leads Calvin across town where he can make friends who know all of him…and spend more time with his new crush, Lily. But when Calvin starts unravelling dark secrets about the white town and its inhabitants, passing starts to feel even more suffocating–and dangerous–than he could have imagined.
YEAR 9 & 10 Ebooks & Audiobooks
ORBITING JUPITER - BY GARY D. SCHMIDT
A heartbreaking story, narrated by twelve-year-old Jack, whose family is caring for fourteen-year-old Joseph. Joseph is misunderstood. He was incarcerated for trying to kill a teacher. Or so the rumours say. But Jack and his family see something others in town don’t want to. What's more, Joseph has a daughter he’s never seen. The two boys go on a journey through the bitter Maine winter to help Joseph find his baby - no matter the cost.
THE ARC - BY IAN X. CHO
Luka Kane was executed in front of a jeering crowd, but before he died, he opened one pair of eyes to the truth: Chester ‘Chilly’ Beckett’s. Except Luka isn’t dead at all. A bold escape sets in motion a race against time as Happy’s world- ending plans draw to a climax ..
SUNRISE ON THE REAPING - BY SUZANNE COLLINS
As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honour of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight ... and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.
GOOSEBUMPS - THE VANISHED RETURN - BY MS. KATE HOWARD
Thirty years ago, four teenagers disappeared while exploring an abandoned military bunker. Their story become a local legend in Gravesend, and when Devin and Cece come to visit their dad for the summer, they’re dared to go inside. But something strange happens to Devin when he enters the old fort.... Soon, things in Gravesend are changing. In order to stop the effects from spreading, Devin, Cece, and their friends have to figure out what happened to the group of kids who vanished. If they don’t hurry, they’ll become the bunker’s next victims. This official YA novel tells the story of the hit series Goosebumps: The Vanishing - plus additional scenes and information not seen on the show!
AISLE NINE - BY IAN X. CHO
It's Black Friday - and the apocalypse is on sale! Ever since the world filled with portals to hell and bloodthirsty demons started popping out on the reg, Jasper's life has gotten worse and worse. A teenage nobody with no friends or family, he is plagued by the life he can't remember and the person he's sure he's supposed to be. Jasper spends his days working as a checkout clerk at the Here for You discount mart, where a hell portal in aisle nine means danger every shift. But at least here he can be near the girl he's crushing on - Kyle Kuan, a junior member of the monster-fighting Vanguard - who seems to hate Jasper for reasons he can't remember or understand. But when Jasper and Kyle learn they both share a frightening vision of the impending apocalypse, they're forced to team up and uncover the uncomfortable truth about the hell portals and the demons that haunt the world. Because the true monsters are not always what they seem, the past is not always what we wish, and like it or not, on Black Friday, all hell will break loose starting in aisle nine.
GADSBY - BY ERNEST VINCENT
This book is unique in that it was written entirely without the use of the letter "e", which is one of the most used letters in the English language. The story is set in the fictional town of Branton Hills and follows the life of John Gadsby, a young man who becomes the mayor of the town. Gadsby is determined to revitalize Branton Hills, which has fallen into decline and enlists the help of the town's youth to achieve his goal. Will he get successful? If yes, then How? To know these answers readers should go through this book! The book is written in a simple and straightforward style, with a focus on storytelling rather than complex language. Despite the constraints imposed by the lack of the letter "e", Wright manages to create a coherent and engaging narrative that explores themes of community, leadership, and perseverance. "Gadsby" is a fascinating literary experiment that demonstrates the power of language and the importance of creative thinking in overcoming obstacles.
YEAR 11 & 12 Fiction & True Stories
KLIM - BY MICHAEL KLIM
As one of Australia's most celebrated athletes, Michael Klim's impact extends far beyond the pool. Klim's journey to greatness began with his early years in Poland before his family immigrated to Australia. From a young age, Klim displayed an extraordinary talent for swimming, honing his skills through rigorous training and competition. He burst onto the international scene in the late 1990s, becoming a dominant force in butterfly and freestyle events.
His crowning moment came at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he captured the hearts of millions with his gold medal performances and world record-breaking swims.
Klim's success continued on the world stage, earning numerous medals at World Championships and Commonwealth Games, solidifying his status as one of the greatest swimmers of his generation.
Beyond his athletic achievements, Klim's personal life has been equally compelling. His transition to entrepreneurship and family life provides insight into the challenges and rewards of life beyond the pool. In recent years, he has faced significant health struggles, including battles with injury and a life-altering autoimmune disorder. Yet, through determination and perseverance, Klim has emerged stronger, embracing his experiences as opportunities for growth and self-discovery.
KLIM offers readers an eye-opening account of Michael Klim's extraordinary life, highlighting the enduring legacy of a true sporting icon. From the heights of Olympic glory to the depths of personal adversity, Klim's story serves as a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and the human spirit.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF POWER - A MEMOIR - BY JACINTA ARDERN
What if we could redefine leadership? What if kindness came first? Jacinda Ardern grew up the daughter of a police officer, a Mormon girl plagued by self-doubt. But as prime minister she commanded worldwide respect for her empathetic leadership, made political history, and changed our assumptions about what a global leader can be. When Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister at age thirty-seven, the world took notice.
But it was her compassionate, powerful response to the 2019 Christchurch Mosque attacks, resulting in swift gun-control reforms, that exemplified a new kind of leadership-one that is caring and effective. She guided New Zealand through unprecedented challenges-a volcanic eruption, a major biosecurity breach, and a global pandemic-and advanced visionary new policies to address climate change, reduce child poverty, and secure historic international trade deals. She did this all while juggling first-time motherhood in the public eye.
She is a global icon, and now in this remarkable book she shares her story, from the struggles to the surprises, including the full details of her decision to step down during her sixth year as Prime Minister.
Jacinda Ardern is a model for anyone who has ever doubted themselves or has aspired to lead with compassion, conviction, and courage. A Different Kind of Power is more than a political memoir; it's an insight into how it feels to lead, ultimately asking- What if you, too, are capable of more than you ever imagined?
THREE WILD DOGS AND THE TRUTH - BY MARKUS ZUSAK
There's a madman dog beside me, and the hounds of memory ahead of us. It's love and beasts and wild mistakes, and regret, but never to change things... What happens when the Zusak’s’ open their family home to three big, wild, pound- hardened dogs - Reuben, a wolf at your door with a hacksaw; Archer, blond, beautiful, deadly; and the rancorously smiling Frosty, who walks like a rolling thunderstorm?
The answer can only be chaos: there are street fights, park fights, public shaming’s, property trashing, bodily injuries, stomach pumping, purest comedy, shocking tragedy, and carnage that needs to be seen to be believed ... not to mention the odd police visit at some ungodly hour of the morning.
There is a reckoning of shortcomings and failure, a strengthening of will, but most important of all, an explosion of love - and the joy and recognition of family. From one of the world's great storytellers comes a tender, motley and exquisitely written memoir about the human need for both connection and disorder; a love letter to the animals who bring hilarity and beauty - but also the visceral truth of the natural world - straight to our doors and into our lives, and change us forever.
THE DIARY OF A CEO - BY STEVEN BARTLETT
This is not a book about business strategy. Strategy changes like the seasons. This is a book about something much more permanent. At the very heart of all the success and failure I've been exposed to - both my own entrepreneurial journey and through the thousands of interviews I've conducted on my podcast - are a set of principles that can stand the test of time, apply to any industry, and be used by anyone who is search of building something great or becoming someone great. These are the fundamental laws that will ensure excellence. They are rooted in psychology and behavioural science, are based on the wisdom of tens of thousands of people I've surveyed across every continent and age group, and of course, drawn from the conversations I've had on my chart-topping podcast with the world's most successful people. These laws will work now or in 100 years from now. Are you ready to get started?
UNDER THE SAME STARS - BY LIBBA BRAY
It was said that if you write to the Bridegroom's Oak, the love of your life will answer back. Now, the tree is giving up its secrets at last.
In 1940s Germany, Sophie is excited to discover a message waiting for her in the Bridegroom's Oak from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, her best friend, Hanna, is sending messages too-but not to find love. As World War II unfolds in their small town of Kleinwald, the oak may hold the key to resistance against the Nazis.
In 1980s West Germany, American teen transplant Jenny feels suffocated by her strict parents and is struggling to fit in. Until she finds herself falling for Lena, a punk-rock girl hell-bent on tearing down the wall separating West Germany from East Germany, and meeting Frau Hermann, a kind old lady with secrets of her own.
In Spring 2020, New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe are in the first weeks of COVID lockdown and hating Zoom school, when an unexpected package from Chloe's grandmother leads them to investigate a cold case about two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom's Oak eighty years ago.
THUNDER CITY - BY PHILIP REEVE
Tamzin Pook is a fighter in the Amusement Arcade. And what she does best is killing Revenants. All she knows is survival, having arrived in the Arcade as a small child. She doesn’t dare to hope or wish for anything more than to survive another day. Meanwhile, the wheeled city of Motoropolis has been taken over by a rebel faction who killed its leaders and commandeered the city. Its only hope is a teacher named Miss Torpenhow who’s determined to find the Mayor’s good-for- nothing son and force him to take back what’s rightfully his. But to get to him, she’ll need to find someone who’s skilled at fighting Revenants ... With a daring abduction, Miss Torpenhow and Tamzin’s destinies are entwined, and so begin their adventures together ...
SOURCE CODE - MY BEGINNINGS - BY BILL GATES
Everyone is programmed a little differently, and Bill Gates' unique insight led to business triumphs that are now widely known: the twenty-year-old who dropped out of Harvard to start a software company that became an industry giant and changed the way the world works and lives; the billionaire many times over who turned his attention to philanthropic pursuits to address climate change, global health, and U.S. education. Source Code is not about Microsoft or the Gates Foundation or the future of technology. It’s the human, personal story of how Bill Gates became who he is today: his childhood, his early passions and pursuits. It’s the story of his principled grandmother and ambitious parents, his first deep friendships and the sudden death of his best friend; of his struggles to fit in and his discovery of a world of coding and computers in the dawn of a new era; of embarking in his early teens on a path that took him from midnight escapades at a nearby computer center to his college dorm room, where he sparked a revolution that would change the world. Bill Gates tells this, his own story, for the first time: wise, warm, revealing, it’s a fascinating portrait of an American life.
THE BURROW - BY MELANIEA CHENG
Amy, Jin and Lucie are leading isolated lives in their partially renovated, inner city home. They are not happy, but they are also terrified of change. When they buy a pet rabbit for Lucie, and then Amy's mother, Pauline, comes to stay, the family is forced to confront long-buried secrets. Will opening their hearts to the rabbit help them to heal or only invite further tragedy? The Burrow tells an unforgettable story about grief and hope. With her characteristic compassion and eye for detail, Melanie Cheng reveals the lives of others—even of a small rabbit.
YEAR 11 & 12 Ebooks & Audiobooks
THE GRANDEST GAME - BY JENNIFER LYNN BARNES
Seven tickets. An island of dreams. The chance of a lifetime. Welcome to the Grandest Game, an annual competition run by billionaire Avery Grambs and the four infamous Hawthorne brothers, whose family fortune she inherited. Designed to give anyone a shot at fame and fortune, this year's game requires one of seven golden tickets to enter. With millions on the line, those seven players will do whatever it takes to win. Some of the players are in it for the money. Some for power. Some for reasons all their own. Every single one of them has secrets. Amidst it all is Grayson Hawthorne, tasked with a vital role in this year's game. But as tensions rise and the mind-bending challenges push the players to their limits-physically, mentally, and emotionally-it soon becomes clear that not everyone is playing by the rules.
TRULY DEVIOUS - BY MAUREEN JOHNSON
Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.” Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history. LISTEN True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester.
OUTER BANKS: LIGHTS OUT - BY ALYSSA SHEINMEL
An original YA novel based on the hit Netflix series Outer Banks, written by New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Sheinmel, featuring JJ and John B in a brand-new, high-octane adventure It’s spring break in the Outer Banks, and the islands are swarming with rich tourists. The last thing JJ and John B want to do is spend their week watching Kooks in action, so they plan a fishing getaway to the notoriously dangerous Frying Pan Shoals—nicknamed “Graveyard of the Atlantic” for good reason. Turns out they aren’t the only adventure-seekers at sea. Soon after they set sail, the friends run into the captivating Savannah, who hitches a ride aboard the HMS Pogue when the weather worsens and her boyfriend leaves her stranded. As a violent storm sets in, the three realize the only place to safely ride out the squall is a creepy, abandoned hotel on the shoals’ lighthouse platform. Or is it abandoned? It doesn’t take long for the three teens to realize they may not be alone ... Further complicating the life-or-death adventure is a mounting attraction between JJ and the secretive Savannah—the closer JJ gets to her, the more he realizes he’s playing with fire. Even if they get out of the shoals alive, can a Pogue–Kook romance survive the high-stakes shores of the Outer Banks?
COMES THE NIGHT - BY ISOBELLE CARMODY
Will slipped on the left glove and twitched a finger to establish a link to the kite tronics. A shiver of electric energy ran through his hands as they synched to his nerves through the gloves. Will lives with his father in a future domed Canberra where citizens are safe from extreme weather events, dangerous solar radiation and civil unrest. He does not question his carefully controlled existence until the recurrence of an old nightmare propels him on a dangerous quest. Gradually Will discovers his dreams hold cryptic clues that lead him into a shadowy alternate dimension. Here he must grapple with dark forces that operate in both worlds, with the help of his best friend Ender, her brilliant but difficult twin sister Magda, and a mysterious gift from his uncle.
THIS STORY IS A LIE - BY BENJAMIN DEAN
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer in this gripping teen thriller for World Book Day from award- winning author Benjamin Dean. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Sophie McKenzie. Harley Matthews is used to fading into the background. But all that changes when he’s selected to compete in the Rising Stars programme for gifted and talented students. Harley’s world is soon turned upside down as he’s thrust into the school’s limelight. So much for laying low. But with new-found supporters comes envious enemies. And when he finds a chalk outline of his body drawn at the bottom of the school stairs, he has to face the reality that someone wants him out of the competition – permanently. But the underdog deserves to win, right? Remember, this story is a lie.
WRONG ANSWERS ONLY - BY TOBIAS MADDEN
Marco should be at university, studying biomedicine. Instead, he’s been sent to live on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean with his estranged uncle, all because of a ‘blip’ everyone else is convinced was a panic attack. (Which it most definitely was not.) And even though Marco’s trip is supposed to provide answers – about himself, about his family – all he finds on board the Ocean Melody are more and more questions. But then his best friend CeCe proposes a new plan: for someone who has always done the right thing, in every possible way, it’s time for Marco to get a few things wrong. And hooking up with a hot dancer from the ship is only the beginning . . .
Parents & Staff Fiction
WE ALL LIVE HERE - BY JOJO MOYES
Lila Kennedy has a lot on her plate. A recently broken marriage, two wayward daughters, a house that is falling apart, and an elderly stepfather who seems to have quietly moved in. Not to mention a once promising writing career that is now in freefall. So when her real dad - a man she has barely seen since he ran off to Hollywood thirty-five years ago - suddenly appears on her doorstep wanting to make amends, it feels like the final straw. But it turns out even the family you thought you could never forgive might have something to teach you- about love, friendship, and what it actually means to be family.
THE BELBURD - BY NARDI SIMPSON
'Mothers are experts at overflow . . . You may forget the words or kisses or gifts they give but that doesn't mean they didn't happen . . . We don't need to remember all the love poured into us. We need to be thankful that it makes us. When it comes to love, it's all about being. Not remembering so much.' Ginny Dilboong is a young poet, fierce and deadly. She's making sense of the world and her place in it, grappling with love, family and the spaces in which to create her art. Like powerful women before her, Ginny hugs the edges of waterways, and though she is a daughter of Country, the place that shapes her is not hers. Determined and brave, Ginny seeks to protect the truth of others while learning her own. The question is how? And, all the while, others are watching. Some old, some new. They are the sound of the belburd as it echoes through the world; the sound of cars and trucks and trains. They are in trees and paper and the shape of ideas. They are the builder and the built. Everything, even Ginny, is because of them. The Belburd is a powerful story that shows us we are all connected from before we began to long after we begin again.
STINKBUG - BY SINEAD STUBBINS
In this wildly original and deeply unhinged story, Sinéad Stubbins turns her keen but empathetic eye on the lies we tell about ourselves in order to belong. ‘You're a stinkbug and they're worried if they come near you, your stench will get all over them and they won't be able to wash it off.' When Edith and a select group of employees at Winked advertising agency are sent to Consequi, an elite three-day work retreat in the remote mountains, she sees an opportunity to impress her bosses and dodge an inevitable restructure. But this is no ordinary corporate retreat. Trapped together in the revamped convent, the threat of mass redundancy looming over them, their phones confiscated and the team-building activities becoming increasingly extreme, the 'work family's' cracks begin to widen – and Edith has a secret that threatens to make her the office the stinkbug. When Edith realises there's something suspicious about Consequi, she's faced with a conform and shut up, or accept stinkbug status and find out what's really going on.
THE BEE STING - BY PAUL MURRAY
Irresistibly funny, wise and thought-provoking, The Bee Sting is a tour de force about family, fortune, and the struggle to be a good person when the world is falling apart. The Barnes family is in trouble. Dickie's once-lucrative car dealership is going under, and while his wife is frantically selling off her jewellery on eBay, he's busy building an apocalypse- proof bunker in the woods. Meanwhile their teenage daughter is veering off the rails, in thrall to a toxic friendship, and her little brother is falling into the black hole of the internet... Where did it all go wrong? The present is in crisis but the causes lie deep in the past. How long can this unhappy family wait before they have to face the truth? And if the story has already been written, is there still time to find a happy ending?
THE MAYFAIR BOOKSHOP - BY ELIZA KNIGHT
USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight brings together a brilliant dual-narrative story about Nancy Mitford one of 1930s London’s hottest socialites, authors, and a member of the scandalous Mitford Sisters and a modern American desperate for change, connected through time by a little London bookshop. 1938: She was one of the six sparkling Mitford sisters, known for her stinging quips, stylish dress, and bright green eyes. But Nancy Mitford’s seemingly dazzling life was really one of turmoil: with a perpetually unfaithful and broke husband, two Nazi sympathizer sisters, and her hopes of motherhood dashed forever. With war imminent, Nancy finds respite by taking a job at the Heywood Hill Bookshop in Mayfair, hoping to make ends meet, and discovers a new life.
AFTERTASTE BY DARIA LAVELLE
A food story to binge. A ghost story to devour. A love story to savour. When dead-end dishwasher Kostya discovers the ability to summon spirits through the food he cooks, he embarks on a journey to open a New York City restaurant that serves closure - something he's craved for as long as he can remember. There are just three problems:
1. Kostya has some ghosts of his own.
2. His advancing menu of spirit cuisine is threatening the stability of the Afterlife itself.
3. He's falling in love with Maura, a party psychic with her own secret connection to the Afterlife - who also happens to be the one person who knows he must be stopped.
A bittersweet cocktail of humour and heart, Aftertaste is an imaginative odyssey through food and love, life and death: the things that sustain us, connect us, transport us, and remind us who we are.
Parents & Staff Ebooks & Audiobooks
A WALK IN THE WOODS - BY BILL BRYSON
The Appalachian Trail covers 14 states, and over 2,000 miles. It stretches along the East Coast of the United States, from Maine in the north to Georgia in the south. It is famous for being the longest continuous footpath in the world. (Compare this with the Pennine Way, which is a mere 250 miles long.) It snakes through some of the wildest and most spectacular landscapes in America, as well as through some of its most poverty-stricken and primitive backwoods areas - Redneck country - Moonshine, Lil' Abner, there's bears in them thar hills. Remember the film Deliverance? God only knows what possessed Bill Bryson, a reluctant adventurer if ever there was one, to undertake this gruelling hike. Perhaps it was just a long-held ambition to lose weight: he has lost two stone so far. As he recently wrote from the trail to his publisher: 'Speaking of vigorous exercise, boy have I just had some. Maine was a bitch. I want you to come back and walk it with me so that when you die if you go to hell you will be able to say: "Call this hell? Try walking across Maine in August. "'Reared in the tradition of Mark Twain, James Thurber and S.J. Perelman, Bryson used his many years in Britain to soak up a peculiarly English sense of irony and humour and to hone a laugh-out-loud style that is uniquely, hilariously, his own.
DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD - BY REBECCA WELLS
The incomparable #1 New York Times bestseller—a book that reigned at the top of the list for an remarkable sixty- eight weeks—Rebecca Wells’s Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood is a classic of Southern women’s fiction to be read and reread over and over again. A poignant, funny, outrageous, and wise novel about a lifetime friendship between four Southern women, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood brilliantly explores the bonds of female friendship, the often-rocky relationship between mothers and daughters, and the healing power of humor and love, in a story as fresh and uplifting as when it was first published a decade and a half ago. If you haven’t yet met the Ya-Yas, what are you waiting for
HOUSE OF SPIES - BY DANIEL SILVA
Just months after a deadly attack on America, terrorists leave a trail of carnage through London's glittering West End. The attack is a brilliant feat of planning and secrecy, but with one loose thread. The thread leads Gabriel Allon and his team to the south of France and the gilded doorstep of Jean-Luc Martel and Olivia Watson. A beautiful former British fashion model, Olivia pretends not to know the true source of Martel's enormous wealth. And Martel, likewise, turns a blind eye to the fact he is doing business with a man whose objective is the very destruction of the West.
THE FRY CHRONICLES - BY STEPHEN FRY
The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of the hugely successful The Fry Chronicles, brilliantly read by Stephen Fry himself. Thirteen years ago, Moab is my Washpot, Stephen Fry's autobiography of his early years, was published to rave reviews and was a huge bestseller. In those thirteen years since, Stephen Fry has moved into a completely new stratosphere, both as a public figure, and a private man. Now he is not just a multi-award-winning comedian and actor, but also an author, director and presenter. In January 2010, he was awarded the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards. Much loved by the public and his peers, Stephen Fry is one of the most influential cultural forces in the country. This dazzling memoir promises to be a courageously frank, honest and poignant read. It will detail some of the most turbulent and least well-known years of his life with a reading that will excite you, make you laugh uproariously, move you, inform you and, above all, surprise you.
TRUE GRIT - BY BEAR GRYLLS
Bear Grylls knows what it takes to survive. But he's not the first. Take the American bombardier Louis Zamperini, who survived 47 days stranded at sea by catching and killing hungry sharks and drinking the warm blood of albatrosses ? only to be captured by the Japanese and horrifically tortured for years in their most brutal POW camps...Or Marcus Luttrell, a Navy SEAL who single-handedly took on a Taliban regiment before dragging his bleeding, bullet-ridden body for days through the harsh mountains of Afghanistan... Or Nando Parrado, one of the survivors of a horrific air-crash high in the ice-bound Andes, who only lived because he was willing to eat the flesh of his dead companions...In this gripping new book, Bear tells the stories of the adventurers, explorers, soldiers and spies whose refusal to quit in the most extreme situations has inspired him throughout his life. Some of them make uncomfortable reading - survival is rarely pretty. But all of them are tales of eye-watering bravery, death-defying resilience and extraordinary mental toughness by men and women who have one thing in common: true grit.
THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM - BY CIXIN LIU
Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.
