Reading Lists

The ledge

Available in print, CD, eBook and eAudiobook

When human remains are discovered in a forest, police are baffled, the locals are shocked, and one group of old friends starts to panic. Their long-held secret is about to be uncovered.

It all began in 1999 when sixteen-year-old Aaron ran away from home, drawing his friends into an unforeseeable chain of events that no one escaped from unscathed. In The Ledge, past and present run breathlessly parallel, leading to a climax that will change everything you thought you knew.

The nowhere child

Available in large print, eBook and CD

Her name is Sammy Went. This photo was taken on her second birthday. Three days later she was gone.

On a break between teaching photography classes in Melbourne, Kim Leamy is approached by a stranger investigating the disappearance of a little girl from her Kentucky home twenty-eight years earlier. He believes Kim is that girl. At first she brushes it off, but when Kim scratches the surface of her family history in Australia, questions arise that aren’t easily answered.

To find the truth, she must travel to Sammy’s home of Manson, Kentucky, and into a dark past. As the mystery of Sammy’s disappearance unravels and the town’s secrets are revealed, this superb novel builds towards an electrifying climax.

Wild place

Available in print, large print, audiobook playaway and eBook

In the summer of 1989, a local teen goes missing from the idyllic suburb of Camp Hill in Australia. As rumours of Satanic rituals swirl, schoolteacher Tom Witter becomes convinced he holds the key to the disappearance. When the police won't listen, he takes matters into his own hands with the help of the missing girl's father and a local neighbourhood watch group.

But as dark secrets are revealed and consequences to past actions are faced, Tom learns that the only way out of the darkness is to walk deeper into it. Wild Place peels back the layers of suburbia, exposing what's hidden underneath - guilt, desperation, violence - and attempts to answer the question: Why do good people do bad things?

 The wife and the widow

Available in print, large print, CD, eBook and eAudiobook

Set against the backdrop of an eerie island town in the dead of winter, The Wife and The Widow is an unsettling thriller told from two perspectives: Kate, a widow whose grief is compounded by what she learns about her dead husband's secret life; and Abby, an island local whose world is turned upside when she's forced to confront the evidence of her husband's guilt.

But nothing on this island is quite as it seems, and only when these women come together can they discover the whole story about the men in their lives.

Find more Christian White book here.

Port Fairy murders by Robert Gott 

Read by Adam Fitzgerald

1943: The newly formed Homicide division of the Victoria Police has been struggling to counter little-known fascist groups particularly an organisation called Australia First that has been festering since before the war. And now there’s an extra problem: the bitter divide between Catholics and Protestants which is especially raw in small rural communities. Detective Joe Sable and Constable Helen Lord are working to track down the ruthless George Starling who in turn is planning to wreak vengeance on them for the downfall of his nationalist group and mentor. At the same time the duo is called to investigate a double murder in the fishing village of Port Fairy. The solution seems straightforward but it soon becomes apparent that nothing about the incident is as it seems - and that investigations which appeared unrelated are tied by a disturbing thread.

Beyond the distant hills by Annemarie Brear 

Read by Caroline Lennon

Australia 1853. Settled in the colony Ellen is determined to make a happy new life for her family and forget the horrors of famine-struck Ireland. Married for security she works hard developing their estate in order to give her children the privileged life they could have only imagined back home.However danger lurks when a man from her past threatens her beloved sons; and when her marriage begins to crumble all that she thought was safe is suddenly in jeopardy. Rafe Hamilton loves Ellen but she is married to another; yet when he is faced with helping her once more he doesn't hesitate to act. Only he makes a mistake which could cost him everything he always wanted . . .

Forever home by Graham Norton

Read by Graham Norton

Carol is a divorced teacher living in a small town in Ireland. A second chance at love brings her unexpected connection and belonging. The new relationship sparks local speculation: what does a woman like her see in a man like that? What happened to the wife who abandoned him all those years ago? But the gossip only serves to bring the couple closer. When Declan becomes ill things start to fall apart. His children are untrusting and cruel and Carol is forced to leave their beloved home and move back in with her parents. Carol's mother is determined to get to the bottom of things refusing to see her daughter suffer in this way. It seems there are secrets in Declan's past - strange rumours that were never confronted - and suddenly the house the couple shared has taken on a more sinister significance . . .

 Thursdays at Orange Blossom House by Sophie Green

Read by Edwina Wren

At seventy-four cane farmer Grace Maud is feeling her age and her isolation and thinks the best of life may be behind her. Elsewhere in town high school teacher Patricia has given up on her dreams of travel and adventure and has moved back home to look after her ageing parents. Meanwhile cafe owner Dorothy is struggling to accept that she may never have the baby she and her husband so desperately want.Each woman has an unspoken need: reconnection. And that's how they find themselves at Orange Blossom House surrounded by perfumed rainforest being encouraged by their lively yoga teacher Sandrine. Together they will find courage and strength - and discover that life has much more to offer than they ever expected . . .

Find more most borrowed uLIBRARY titles here.

The Little Veggie Patch Co: an A-Z guide to growing food in small places by Mat Pember and Fabian Capomolla

Available in print

Fundamentals such as Soil, Climate, Watering, Composting, Worm Farms, Saving and Sowing Seeds, and Raised Garden Beds and Crates are all covered comprehensively - each with fully illustrated step-by-step plans that show how to create your own little veggie patch in any space.

A complete A-Z of Edible Plants gives you vital information on more than 40 vegetables (and fruit trees), including detailed planting information, ongoing maintenance advice, tips on best companions and when to harvest. And the Weekend Activities scattered throughout the book will get the kids involved too, whether they're Making a Scarecrow, Building a Spud Tower or Growing Beans in a Bean Can.

Lots of fun, and packed full of all the knowledge you'll need - plus recipes and some hilarious stories - this colourful guide is for anyone interested in growing their own food.

The art of growing food by Juliet Jacobs

Available in print

The Art of Growing Food is a comprehensive guide for anyone interested in growing their own food at home. This book offers a unique approach to food gardening by incorporating edible trees, vines, shrubs, herbs, and flowers into your yard, creating a beautiful and bountiful landscape.

The book starts by discussing the benefits of growing your own food. The authors explain how gardening can be a relaxing and rewarding hobby that also provides many health and environmental benefits. They also delve into the environmental benefits of growing your own food, including reduced carbon emissions and less waste.

Next, the book provides a step-by-step plan for creating a garden that incorporates edible trees, vines, shrubs, herbs, and flowers. The authors offer practical advice on everything from choosing the right plants and preparing the soil to watering, fertilizing, and pest control. They also provide tips on how to design a garden that works for your space and your needs.

The book then moves on to specific plants that are easy to grow and provide a bountiful harvest. The authors provide detailed information on each plant, including planting instructions, growing tips, and harvesting advice. They also discuss the nutritional and culinary benefits of each plant, making it easy to choose the good plants for your diet and health.

Finally, the book provides guidance on how to use your homegrown produce. The authors offer delicious recipes for using fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers in salads, soups, stews, and more. They also provide tips on how to preserve your produce for later use, ensuring that your harvest lasts all year round.

Backyard big: growing food in your backyard by Jeffrey S. McLain

Available in print

Gardening is one of the most fulfilling endeavors anyone can undertake. You go out in nature, help new life emerge through the earth, and watch your hard work blossom from mere seedlings into fully-fledged plants. You get to enjoy both the journey and the end. But not as many people practice gardening with concerns such as:

I don't have enough space.

I would love to, but I just don't have the time.

It seems like a lot of work.

How and where do I even start?

If these are some of the factors holding you back, this book about gardening aims to show you that growing food in your backyard is more sustainable and efficient than you think. Author Jeffrey S. McLain covers all the bases of growing organic vegetables and fruits and creating a thriving garden that gives you bounty harvests seasons on end!

Vegetable gardening made easy by Resh Gala

Available in print

Supercharge your food garden while reducing your workload with over 80 detailed solutions, techniques, and methods that resolve some of gardening's most common challenges.

Vegetable Gardening Made Easy is filled with valuable advice every food gardener can use. No matter the size of your garden or your experience level, backyard veggie gardeners like you can use the practical information found inside to grow a more productive (and beautiful!) edible garden. Discover an abundance of useful tid-bits on everything from designing the garden and starting from seed to maximizing production, managing pests naturally, and preserving the harvest. 

Each page explains and illustrates an essential piece of core advice, offering plenty of eco-friendly information to lead you to success without making you feel like you need a science degree to make it happen.  Among the abundance of growing tips and solutions, you'll find advice on: Adding healthy biodiversity to your soil and boosting it with micronutrients, growing straighter carrots, spicier peppers, and plumper radishes, pruning tomatoes to enhance yields, hand-pollinating cucumbers and squash for higher production, choosing which crops to grow based on your space and needs, creative ways to sow tiny seeds, simple how-tos for preparing your harvest, storing onions, garlic, and potatoes long-term, what to do when your plants turn yellow, have holes, or look sickly.

Vegetable Gardening Made Easy is smart garden know-how presented by a professional kitchen gardener who has been there, done that and wants nothing more than to see you succeed. Make it easy and make it fun!

The backyard homestead guide to growing organic food byTanya Denckla Cobb

Available in print

This essential guide to growing a bountiful food garden includes detailed seed-starting, growing, and harvesting information for 62 vegetables, fruits, and herbs, a complete companion-planting guide, and organic pest-control handbook.

The Backyard Homestead Guide to Growing Organic Food is a one-stop reference for all the key information food gardeners need to grow a healthy, bountiful garden. Author Tanya Denckla Cobb presents key information based on extensive research and years of experience, including when to start seeds for each type of crop (and at what temperature), how far apart to space seedlings, how to tell when a crop is ready to harvest, and notes on preservation. The book features a comprehensive companion planting guide and an in-depth review of the most effective organic pest control practices, including recipes for how to make your own pest deterrent sprays.

  Find more books about vegetable gardening here.

Simplify vegetable gardening by Tony O'Neill

eBook

Growing vegetables by Alex Smith

eBook

If you have a taste for fresh, home-grown produce, then this is the book for you. A delightful manual on keeping a vegetable garden, it is packed with tips on how to get the most from your plot.

Clear step-by-step illustrations show how to design and plant a vegetable patch, irrigate, stake and support plants and compost waste. The calendar section provides a week-by-week guide to cultivation, with advice on maintaining healthy, pest-free, organic crops so you can benefit from an abundance of fresh produce all year round.

Whether you are an experienced or a novice gardener, the seasonal advice and planting guides in this book will prove invaluable.

Grow a pizza garden by John Benzee

eBook

Zero waste gardening by Ben Raskin

eBook

Find more books to help grow your own vegetables on Borrowbox here.

The loud librarian by Jenna Beatrice

When loud-voiced Penelope becomes student-librarian, she is determined to prove she is perfect for the job while staying true to herself.

The shape of home by Rashin Kheiriyeh

It's Rashin's first day of school in America! Everything is a different shape than what she's used to: from the foods on her breakfast plate to the letters in the books! And the kids' families are from all over!

The new teacher asks each child to imagine the shape of home on a map. Rashin knows right away what she'll say: Iran looks like a cat! What will the other kids say?

Open this book to join Rashin in discovering the true things that shape a place called home.

Rabbit, Duck, and Big Bear by Nadine Brun-Cosme

A picture book about three best friends who do everything together, until they each realize that sometimes having time alone can be nice too.

Rabbit, Duck, and Big Bear are best friends. They do everything together and go everywhere together except for one place. They never go down the long and winding path together. But this winter, when Rabbit, Duck, and Big Bear go skating on the frozen pond, Rabbit loses control and barrels straight down the path.

What she finds there is one of the most beautiful places she has ever seen, but to her surprise, Big Bear and Duck both admit they sometimes go there when they want to be alone. And while she sits in the quiet calm, Rabbit begins to understand why.

In this story rich with social emotional learning, young readers will see the importance of balancing time with friends and time spent on their own.

 Luminous by Julia Kuo

When it's dark out, we need light to see. But what if your body could make its own light?

From fungi to glow worms to deep-sea fish, Julia Kuo shines a light on the wondrous natural phenomenon that is bioluminescence.

Twenty questions by Mac Barnett

Not all questions have answers. Some have more than one answer. And others have endless answers, unfolding out to the edges of the world.

In this spare yet expansive narrative, Mac Barnett poses twenty questions both playful and profound. Some make us giggle. Others challenge our assumptions. The result is a quirky, wandering exploration of where the best questions lead to stories.

Find more books with audio here.

The very hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle

Follows the progress of a hungry little caterpillar as he eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food until, full at last, he forms a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep and wakes up a butterfly.

There's a bear in the window by June Pitman-Hayes

There's a bear in the window of the house across the street. It's tall and round, with great big feet! I wonder what I would see if I were that bear, and that bear were me? From singer-songwriter June Pitman-Hayes comes a story told in both English and Māori that celebrates the great teddy bear hunt, that entertained thousands of children during lockdown in 2020.

Ninni Yabini by Cheryl Kickett-Tucker

In this delightful bi-lingual picture book, Mother and Father swan are busy rebuilding their nest after a storm when their baby, Ninni Yabini, wanders off. Luckily, the evening star, his namesake, comes out to guide him home.

Written in Noongar and English by Noongar author and academic Cheryl Kickett-Tucker, and illustrated with striking contemporary artwork by Noongar and Ait Koedhal multi-disciplinary artist and graphic designer Tyrown Waigana, this is a memorable celebration of family and belonging.

Find more bilingual picture books here.