From sport to fantasy: Find perfect books for winter school holidays

The winter school holidays are the perfect time to snuggle up with a good book! If you need

some winter reading recommendations, our friends at book publishers HarperCollins have

got you covered.

FOR THE ANIMAL LOVERS

If you love animals, you’re in the right place. From ducks on the loose to unexpectedly

rich guinea pigs, these books are full of fun stories and fascinating facts …

Duck: Look Who’s Talking – Matt Stanton

From the world of Funny Kid, Matt Stanton brings you an all new series about everyone’s

favourite Funny Kid character – Duck!

Do you ever think about all the animals we share our towns with? Well, they’ve been thinking

about us. A lot. And, boy, do they have some opinions … First, Duck, Mouse and Dog have

decided the new coffee shop that’s just invaded Redhill has to go. Also: old theatres should

not be bulldozed to build parking lots. Ponies who sing country music should not be kept in

front yards. Mouse traps should have a much more diverse range of cheeses. Oh, and Eon,

the owner of the Coffee Dome, is clearly trying to brainwash the adults in town, so the

animals better do something before it’s too late! You’re gonna laugh yourself silly because

these animals are revolting!

Mega Rich Guinea Pigs: Witless Protection – Kate and Jol Temple

The mega rich guinea pigs are in trouble!

Lunk, Hot Head, G-Chip and Big Pig (who is actually a capybara, but don’t tell him that) have

received a threatening letter from a mysterious villain. To keep themselves and their fat

stacks of cash safe, they are whisked away to a Witless Protection Program.

But something doesn’t seem quite right … Have they walked into a trap? They might need

more than ButtPay to get out of this one.

Gross Things Animals Eat – Dr Claire Stevens

WARNING! This book is so OUTRAGEOUS you’II never complain about soggy

vegetables again. You thought broccoli was YUCK? Wait until you hear the GROSS

things animals have been eating!

I’m Dr Claire, vet and lifelong animal lover, and I have discovered that every day around

the world, animals eat strange and REPULSIVE things. I’m talking really wacky stuff, like

poo, dirt and even vomit!

Come on an adventure with me and my dog, Frankie, as we tell you all about animals

and the DISGUSTING things they eat!

FOR THE SPORT LOVERS

Love sport? These books are packed with action, some of Australia’s favourite

athletes and stories that will keep you laughing!

Funny Kid: Seriously Soccer – Matt Stanton

Every kid wants to laugh, but Max is the boy who can make it happen.

When Max discovers that everyone is more interested in watching soccer than his stand-

up routine, he needs to come up with a plan fast. How can he compete with the world’s

favourite game?

Max is the funny kid, but can he score his comedy goal?

Halftime shows, terrible coaches and little kids who pee on the goalposts are just some

of the things in store for Max and his friends in this brand-new Funny Kid adventure.

Howzat Pat: Money Mystery – Pat Cummins and Dave Hartley

I’m Pat Cummins and I love playing cricket. I love it so much that I sleep with my bat!

Australia’s biggest cricket stars might play at our cricket ground if we raise funding for solar

lights! While we’re cleaning out recycling from the bush, something amazing happens …

– Will we meet the MYSTERIOUS Hairyman?

– What’s INSIDE a hidden suitcase?

– Can we raise the MONEY?!

If you want to know the answers to these questions, too – READ THIS BOOK!

FOR THE MYSTERY LOVERS

If you enjoy mysteries and adventures, these books are sure to keep you hooked.

Get ready for curious clues, surprising twists (and maybe a ghost or two!), with

plenty of fun along the way.

Nanny Tobbins and the Midnight Plan – Lucie Stevens

1851, LONDON

Six months have passed since the grand opening of the Great Exhibition — and Albertine

and her family couldn’t be happier.

But the season of good fortune ends abruptly when a Royal Jewel goes missing and

Albertine’s friend, dearest Blot, is accused of its theft. Determined to prove Blot’s innocence, Papa launches an investigation. Yet despite his best efforts, the true thief cannot be found.

With time running short before Blot is imprisoned, Albertine hatches a plan. She will

enlist the help of the grown-up with the sharpest eyes she knows: her ghost-governess,

Nanny Tobbins.

Residing in the graveyard has, however, turned Nanny quite odd and managing her is

rather difficult.

Will Nanny Tobbins’ presence assist Albertine in clearing Blot’s name, or will it make

matters worse?

The Clueless Guide to Solving a Mystery – Samera Kamaleddine

I didn’t always live with seven old people and one middle-aged cavoodle called Christine

…

Claudia Smith’s parents have left her to (temporarily) live with her grandparents at

Boonside Heights Retirement Village while they’re away on a once-in-a-lifetime cruise.

The only good thing? The most popular kids at school, Yasmin and Zayn Bassal, have

turned up to visit their grandmother.

The not-so-good thing? Orpheus McAdoo, the most annoying kid at school, is hanging

around like a bad smell.

When the discovery of a mysterious note has the oldies in a fluster, Claudia sees an

opportunity for the unlikely foursome to get together and solve the mystery. There’s just

one problem …

They don’t have a single clue.

FOR FANTASY LOVERS

Love getting lost in magical worlds? These fantasy books are filled with unforgettable characters, epic adventures and plenty of magic!

Lightfall: A Place Between – Tim Probert

After surviving a shipwreck on the Fuerre Sea, Cad washes ashore on the shores of

Pellidyr. There, he searches for Lorgon, the Water Spirit, but instead finds the other spirits of

Irpa, who question if their planet can be saved. One of them offers to help Cad and transports him to A Place Between, a strange liminal realm between the living and the dead, where Cad works to uncover the reason Lorgon summoned them to Pellidyr in the first place.

Meanwhile, Bea awakens within the walls of the capital city. While Pellidyr’s leader has heard the tales of Bea’s derring-do and believes her to be a hero with all the answers, she’s

never felt more uncertain about the future. What she does know is that she can’t accomplish

anything without her crew. When Bea’s escape plan also brings her to A Place Between, she

makes a shocking discovery that changes her understanding of everything that came before

her … and what could soon follow.

The Callers: The Journey Home – Kiah Thomas

The limits on Calling have been lifted, and Callers are now allowed to conjure up anything

they want. But many on Elipsom still don’t realise that everything they Call is being stolen

from Evantra, a secret continent on the opposite side of the world. Quin, Allie, and Davinia

have been fighting to show people the truth. But Adriana Octavius, the Chief Councillor of

Elipsom, will do anything she can to suppress the rising rebellion. Even if it means killing the

Vine, the life-giving force for all of Evantra and Elipsom.

Can the three friends find their way back to each other, reveal the truth, and heal the Vine …

before it’s too late?

Moving and action-packed, the conclusion to the Callers saga shows the power of standing

up for the truth and that anyone can change the world.

FOR THE HISTORY LOVERS

Go straight into the action of history, with stories that are surprising, dramatic, and

sometimes unbelievable (or a little bit made up!).

Cleopatra: The Girl Who Would be King – Jackie French

Forget what you know about Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen with a fantastic hairstyle. That’s

only part of the story. Before she was a ruler, Cleopatra was a girl with a fierce ambition: to

become pharaoh.

When twelve-year-old Cleopatra and her father, Pharaoh Ptolemy XII, flee to ancient Rome

in 59 BCE after Cleopatra’s sister seizes the throne, they are in serious trouble. It’s up to

Cleopatra to raise enough gold to hire an army, gain the support of powerful allies, and take

back her country’s land.

Three years later she had become the most famous pharaoh in history.

This is the story of how that year in ancient Rome might have changed Cleopatra’s life, with

daring escapes, crocodiles, pirates, shipwreck and encountering the intrepid Captain Fileas

and Myra, the slave determined to be free.

Ludicrous Legends: Myths with a Twist – Jol Temple and David Conley

Hector and his best friend, a centaur named Hylo, are about to be tested on Greek mythology by their teacher Mr Socrates. Join them as they come to grips with the mighty

Minotaur, the famous Trojan Horse/Cow, and the terrifying Medusa whose snake-hair is

definitely not keen on a haircut.

A ludicrous, lighthearted and very loose retelling of three classical legends.

Did you find a book on this list that you think you might want to read? We hope so! Happy

reading ad happy holidays.