Thursday, December 05, 2013

Looking for a Good Book?

Some of the best books I've read have been recommended by keen readers, usually family and friends. So I asked our guest authors, all avid readers, to tell us the titles of books they enjoyed as children and of any books they've read recently which they'd recommend to other readers. Here are many of the titles (I may have missed a few so there's another reason for reading the guest posts as well!) recommended during November.

New York Public Library

Recently Read Book Recommendations


The Diviners by Libba Bray
A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley
the Little Fur series by Isabelle Carmody
Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Task Force – Recon Team Angel by Brian Falkner (Book 2- best to read Book 1, Assault first)
Ships in the Field by Suzanne Gervay
Isaac Campion by Janni Howker
Song for a Scarlet Runner by Julie Hunt
A Very Unusual Pursuit by Catherine Jinks
City of Orphans by Catherine Jinks
Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks
Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Lucien by James Moloney (Book 3 of the Silvermay series – best to read Silvermay and Tamlyn first)
the Chaos Walking trilogy (starting with The Knife of Never Letting Go) by Patrick Ness
the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
Battle Bunny by Jon Sciescka and Matt Barnett
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
A Crock of Gold by James Stephens
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth E Wein


Childhood Favourites


the Wolves of Willoughby Chase series by Joan Aiken
Tim to the Lighthouse by Edward Ardizzone
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J M Barrie
The Land of Far Beyond by Enid Blyton
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
Take The Long Path by Joan De Hamel
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
The Story about Ping by Marjorie Flack
Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag
Under The Mountain by Maurice Gee
Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
Grimms Fairy Tales by the brothers Grimm
The Mouse and His Child by Russell Hoban
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Narnia Chronicles by C S Lewis (especially The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe)
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
The Brothers Lionheart by Astrid Lindgren
The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Moomintroll books( especially Moomintroll Midwinter and A Comet in Moominland) by Tove Jansson
Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner
The Flight of the Cassowary by John LeVert
The Librarian and the Robber by Margaret Mahy
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
Treasure Island by R L Stevenson
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
Doctor Who books

Favourite Authors


Enid Blyton
Susan Cooper
Roald Dahl
Justin D’Ath
Russell Hoban
Alan Garner
Ursula Le Guin
Margaret Mahy
Maurice Sendak

Books by Indigenous Authors


Demon Guards the School Yard by The Students of La Perouse Public School with Anita Heiss
Jali Boy by Ricky Macour
My Girragundji by Meme McDonald and Boori Monty Pryor
The Chainsaw File by Bruce Pascoe

Advanced Readers


The Mountains of my Life by Walter Bonatti
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon
The Weight of the World and Afternoon of a Writer by Peter Handke
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg

Poetry 

(some favourite poems and recommended poets)


Tarantella by Hilaire Belloc
Matilda, who told Lies and was Burned to Death by Hilaire Belloc
The Bear on the Delhi Road by Earle Birney
Disobedience by A A Milne
The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes


Janeen Brian
Sherryl Clark
Dr Seuss (Theodore Geisel)
Max Fatchen
Sheree Fitch
Dennis Lee
Margaret Mahy
Lorraine Marwood
Tony Mitton
Kenn Nesbitt
Jack Prelutsky
Michael Rosen


Books about Apartheid-era South Africa


92 Queen’s Road by Diane Case
Solomon's Story by Judy Froman
Ruby Red by Linzi Glass
Long walk to Lavender Street by Belinda Hollyer
Journey to Jo'burg by Beverley Naidoo
Soweto by Peter Magubane
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
Blood Runner: The Long Race to Freedom by James Riordan
(abridged version of) Long Walk to Freedom by Chris van Wyk
Shirley, Goodness and Mercy by Chris van Wyk

Books about African Animals


The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony
The Last Rhinos by Lawrence Anthony
Jock of the Bushveld by Lesley Beake
Little Lion by Lesley Beake, illustrated by Erika Pal
African Animal Tales by Jay Heale
Madiba Magic: Nelson Mandela’s favourite stories for children
Stories of Africa by Gcina Mhlophe
Aesop's Fables by Beverley Naidoo
The Mantis and the Moon by Marguerite Poland
Killing for Profit by Julian Radymeyer
the White Giraffe series by Lauren St John
The Zebra's Stripes and other African Animals Tales by Dianne Stewart
Bush Zone series by Kate Ter-Morshuizen

Books to Films


the Artemis Fowl series by Eion Colfer (in production)
the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness (film development)
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan, the second book in the Percy Jackson series (due for release in 2013)
Magyk, the first of the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage (in production)
Spud 2: The Madness Continues by John van de Ruit (released 2013)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (due for release 2013)

Audio Books


Our most recent author supporter is Miriam Margolyes, better known as Professor Sprout from the Harry Potter films to most children in this age group. Welcome Miriam!

Miriam has voiced a huge number of great books. Here are some I've selected (listed in no particular order) but do have a look at the full list of Miriam's audio books. It is a brilliant range of titles, perfect for long drives over the summer holidays:

Troubletwisters by Garth Nix and Sean Williams
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Selected Poems of the Brontes
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Broken Bridge by Philip Pullman
The Large Family by Jill Murphy
The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
the Worst Witch series by Jill Murphy
Selected Poems of Christina Rossetti
Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Roses from the Earth: biography of Anne Frank by Carol Ann Lee
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll


Some Recent Award-winners


The Terrible Suitcase by Emma Allen
Too Many Elephants in this House by Ursula Dubosarsky
Pennies for Hitler by Jackie French
Red by Libby Gleeson
The 26th Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
The Forgotten Pearl by Belinda Murrell
Fog a Dox by Bruce Pascoe
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak


Guest Authors' Book Lists


Wayne Mills, Good Books Not to be Missed!
Curtis Brown's Frankfurt Book Fair, 2013 catalogue
Curtis Brown's Melbourne International Film Festival, 2013 catalogue


If you've read this far and are still looking for a book, check out the books reviewed by kids on the left sidebar (and consider contributing your own reviews of books you'd recommend to others). Also see the links to books at 'Find Great Books' above the Kids' Book Reviews, also on the left sidebar. Or drop us a line - other readers may be able to recommend books for you if you tell us the types of books you like to read.

Happy Reading!

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