Darkest Night, Brightest Star by Barry Jonsberg (August 2026)

Darkest Night, Brightest Star has been shortlisted for the CBCA Children's Book of the Year award for Older Readers. It is a moving and meaningful story which will stay with you long after you have finished it. This book tells the story of Morgan, who has grown up in an environment of toxic masculinity. Morgan's father has high expectations for him to be a star soccer player, but after Morgan is injured, he begins to doubt that soccer is his destiny.  With the help of his friend Gray, Morgan must confront the culture he has been raised to be a part of. Darkest Night, Brightest Star is a stunning book which I think everyone could enjoy. I recommend reading the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award shortlisted books at the school library as a great way to get ready for Book Week. - by Clara (Year 12)

Skandar & the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman (July 2026)

In A.F. Steadman's debut novel, unicorns are not gentle creatures. They are wild, fierce, and dangerous. And if you're lucky enough, or unlucky enough to bond with one, then your life will never be the same. Thirteen-year-old Skandar Smith has spent his entire life dreaming of passing the Hatchery exam and escaping to the secretive Island, where unicorn riders are trained. On a fateful day a stranger knocks on his door at midnight, bearing a warning: the Island is in peril, and Skandar must answer the call. What follows is a breathless ride of epic sky battles, shadowy villains and large armies. Friendships are tested and the stakes are real and the danger has teeth. This book has been compared to Harry Potter for good reason. It combines the same intoxicating mix of magical wonder and menace, of a hidden world you desperately wish that you could step into. You won't want to put it down.

The Enemy by Charlie Higson (June 2026)

Charlie Higson's The Enemy imagines a world where children are forced to navigate a terrifying new reality alone. Set a year after an outbreak, the story follows a diverse group of young survivors in London as they embark on a perilous journey hoping to find safety. What makes this book compelling is how it explores the formation of distinct child-led societies, each with its own unique culture, leadership style, and moral code, revealing that survival often comes at a steep emotional cost. The narrative delivers intense action and genuine heartbreak, but it avoids relying on standard zombie tropes by giving the "Grown-Ups" unsettling, unpredictable behaviours that heighten the tension. This book masterfully balances horror elements with a profound look at how young people have to adapt when their world falls apart. The Enemy is a clever and emotionally resonant tale that will have you racing to turn the pages from start to finish.

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman. (May 2026)

Perfect for fans of witty banter, fast-paced plots, and romantic tension, Red Star Rebels is a high-octane, high-chemistry sci-fi adventure from the New York Times bestselling co-author of Illuminae and Aurora Rising. It's 2067, and the Graves family has transformed Mars from a lifeless rock into a chaotic patchwork of settlements. You can buy a one-way ticket to a new life, if you are rich. Enter Hunter Graves: handsome, ambitious, and with spectacularly bad timing. He shows up unannounced at the United Nations base just as an emergency evacuation sends everyone scurrying for safety. And he's left behind. Uh-oh. Also stranded: Cleo, a sharp-tongued stowaway with no intention of dying today, and even less patience for overconfident trust fund boys. But the enemy of your enemy is the jerk who might just help you survive, so here we are. Now, Hunter and Cleo have one shot to stop the explosion, escape alive, and deal with the inconvenient fact that they're falling for each other.