Looking for a Book to Read?

There are a lot of good books out there and, in a well-stocked library or book shop, it can sometimes be hard to know where to start.

It is one of the reasons librarians were invented. Here's a tip - get to know your school or local librarian and, once he or she knows the books you like, the world is your literary oyster.

Apart from shooting the breeze with your friendly neighbourhood librarian, it also helps to ask keen readers for recommendations. Some of the best books I've read have been recommended by friends and family members - which is why I asked our contributors, all avid readers, to tell us the titles of books they read as children and of books they are reading now.

So, here are the titles mentioned on this blog - all in one place - for your convenience and reading pleasure. These are book lists with a difference!

Books Read Recently by our Contributors

(A to G)

Ghost Club, by Deborah Abela
Peter Pan, by J M Barrie
Eric Vale - Epic Fail, by Michael Gerard Bauer
Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Braddon
Paddington Bear by Michael Bond
My Children Have Faces by Carol Campbell
Mortified by Martin Chatterton
Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
The Herd Boy by Nicky Daly
The Search for Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi
Saurus Street by Nick Falk and Tony Flowers
Brainjack by Brian Falkner
Maddie West and the Tongue Taker by Brian Falkner
Other Brother by Simon French
The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner
Once by Morris Gleitzman
Now by Morris Gleitzman
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The 26 Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths

 (H to Z)

Of a Boy by Sonia Hartnett
An Unusual Pursuit by Catherine Jinks
My Life as an Alphabet by Barry Jonsberg
Sanctuary: How an inner city church spilled onto the sidewalk by Christa Kuljian
Pan's Whisper by Sue Lawson
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Lulu Bell by Belinda Murrell
Wonder by R J Palacio
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Tom’s Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce
Mortal Engines series by Philip Reeve
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Six by Karen Tayleur
Endings and Beginnings by Redi Tlhabi
Mr McCool by Jonathan Tulloch, narrated by Daniel Coonan
Gangsta Granny by David Walliams
Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Books our contributors remember fondly (and still revisit)

(A to K)

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume
Pastures of the Blue Crane by Hesba Fay Brinsmead
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Seal Morning by Rowena Farre
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs
Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham
Orlando the Marmalade Cat by Kathleen Hale
Professor Branestawm by Norman Hunter
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
Hating Alison Ashley by Robin Klein
A Separate Peace by John Knowles

(L to W)

The Red Balloon by Albert Lamorisse
Narnia series by C S Lewis
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay
Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian
Windmill at Magpie Creek by Christobel Mattingley
Winnie the Pooh by A A Milne
Silver Brumby series by Elyne Mitchell
New Moon by L. M. Montgomery
Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
It Happened One Summer by Joan Phipson
Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce
Pollyanna by Eleanor H Porter
His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Blinky Bill by Dorothy Wall
Charlotte's Web by E B White
Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Authors remembered fondly by our contributors

Enid Blyton (especially for the Famous Five and the Secret Seven, The Land of Far Beyond)
Roald Dahl (especially for Fantastic Mister Fox, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches and The BFG)
Beatrice Potter (especially for The Tale of Samuel Whiskers)
Ruth Park (especially for Callie's Castle, The Muddle Headed Wombat and The Harp in the South)
Noel Streatfield
Ivan Southall
Rosemary Sutcliffe
Colin Thiele (especially for February Dragon and Storm Boy)

Books by Indigenous Authors and Illustrators

(or with indigenous characters or themes)

Graphic Novels

Shake a Leg by Boori Monty Pryor, illustrated by Jan Ormerod

Novels

The Binna Binna Man by Meme McDonald and Boori Monty Pryor
The Barrumbi Kids by Leonie Norrington
The Burnt Stick by Anthony Hill, illustrated by Mark Sofilas
Crow Country by Kate Constable
Find Me a River by Bronwyn Blake
Gracey by James Moloney
Dougy by James Moloney
Meet Poppy by Gabrielle Wang
My Australian Story: Who Am I? The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937 by Anita Heiss
My Girragundji by Meme McDonald and Boori Monty Pryor
My Place by Sally Morgan
Nanberry: Black Brother White by Jackie French
Yirra and her Deadly Dog Demon by Anita Heiss and the kids of La Perouse Public School

Picture Books

Two Mates by Melanie Prewett / illustrated by Maggie Prewett
Once There Was a Boy by Dub Leffler
Papunya School Book of Country and History by staff and students of Papunya School with Nadia Wheatley and Ken Searle
My Island Home by Neil Murray, illustrated by children from Papunya & Galiwinku and Peter Hudson
Tjarany Roughtail by Gracie Greene

Books About Food

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
Possum Magic by Mem Fox
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scienzka
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss

Audio Books

The Princess Bride by William Goldman (read by Rob Reiner, the director of the film of The Princess Bride)
Just MacBeth by Andy Griffiths (read by Stig Wemyss)
Roald Dahl's 10 Puffin Classics by Roald Dahl (including Matilda read by Miriam Margoyles, Fantastic Mr Fox read by Hugh Laurie and The Witches read by Simon Callow)
Harry Potter series by J K Rowling (read by Stephen Fry)
Stone Cold by Robert Swindells (read by Christian Rodska)

Bedtime Books (for reading aloud)

The Tashi series by Anna Feinberg and Barbara Feinberg
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
Harry Potter series by J K Rowling

Books Made into Plays

Boy Overboard by Patricia Cornelius adapted from the book by Morris Gleitzman
Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs by Jo Turner adapted from the book by Michael Gerard Bauer
The Messenger by Ross Mueller adapted from the book by Markus Zusak
Max Remy Super Spy by Jo Turner, adapted from the book by Deborah Abela
Hitler’s Daughter by Eva Cesaire, Sandra Eldridge and Tim McGarry from the book by Jackie French

Books Made into Films

Favourite Movie Adaptions of Books:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (BBC TV series)
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Matilda by Roald Dahl
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J K Rowling
Spud by John van de Ruit
Shrek by William Steig
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien
The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien

Books Worth Reading (even if the film disappointed the contributor):

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Peter Pan by J M Barrie
How to Train your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
I am Number 4 by Pittacus Lore
Golden Compass/ Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss
Jumanji by George Spelvin and Chris Van Allberg
Stuart Little by E B White

Cliffhangers

Grimsdon by Deborah Abela
How to Ride a Dragon's Storm by Cressida Cowell
Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
Professor Branestawne by Norman Hunter
Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan
Harry Potter series by J K Rowling
The Lorax by Dr Seuss

Books with Great Villains

Matilda by Roald Dahl
The Twits by Roald Dahl
Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
the Warriors series by Erin Hunter
The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling
the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
the Hunger City Chronicles series by Philip Reeve
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Stone Cold by Robert Swindells

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!