*WINNER YABBA AWARD - FICTION FOR YEARS 7-9* *HONOUR BOOK CBCA BOOK OF THE YEAR - YOUNGER READERS* One afternoon, police officers show up at Ben Silver's front door. Minutes after they leave, his parents arrive home. Ben and his little sister Olive are bundled into the car and told they're going on a holiday. But are they? It doesn't take long for Ben to realise that his parents are in trouble. Ben's always dreamt of becoming a detective - his dad even calls him 'Cop'. Now Ben gathers evidence and tries to uncover what his parents have done. The problem is, if he figures it out, what does he do? Tell someone? Or keep the secret and live life on the run? -------------------- 'Gripping and unpredictable, with a hero you won't forget.' JOHN BOYNE 'A tense, hard-edged, no-holds-barred thriller.' ANTHONY HOROWITZ 'Will keep you guessing and breathless until the very end.' MICHAEL GERARD BAUER

A fascinating compilation of original sources recounting the history, culture, and societies of Native American groups of the Great Columbia Plateau. Edited and annotated by award-winning writer Clifford E. Trafzer, this is a magnificent collection of oral stories of the Yakama, Nez Perce, Whisram, Klickitat, as well as several other tribes. Rich in detail, the stories form the basis for Plateau Indian history, offering readers traditional native narratives that allow people to enter a sacred world of words and stories. At the beginning of time -- for all times -- these stories were told and retold for generations by all the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. These stories set animals, plants, and places in motion, and they help spin the cosmos into being. They keep the traditions alive and recreate the world with each telling. This unique collection is representative of oral traditions that are still much a part of Plateau Indian culture today. Trafzer provides a provocative introduction that ties the oral traditions of the people to their history and culture, inviting readers to use the stories as windows that will offer a better understanding of Native Americans and their relationship with the natural world. Trafzer simply asks readers to enter the Native American world through the teachings and tellings of the Wahteetash, the first peoples.

Sometimes if you are lucky you have a Grandpa in your life that knows some good jokes and knows just what you're talking about. 9 yrs+

Wolfgang is left heartbroken when his best friend Catreen runs off without him to play with Clarissa. Spider shows Wolfgang how to make his own fun and Wolfgang realises that there are other great friends out there just waiting to be met! There are some situations and feelings that we cannot change and there are some that we can. Knowing the difference between the two (and some ways to make ourselves feel happy) is a great trick to have up our sleeves! Suitable for 4- to 7-year-olds.

Julie is adopted. She is also a twin. Because their adoption was closed, she and her sister lack both a health history and their adoption papers—which becomes an issue for Julie when, at forty-eight years old, she finds herself facing several serious health issues. To launch the probe into her closed adoption, Julie first needs the support of her sister. The twins talk things over, and make a pact: Julie will approach their adoptive parents for the adoption paperwork and investigate search options, and the sisters will split the costs involved in locating their birth relatives. But their adoptive parents aren’t happy that their daughters want to locate their birth parents—and that is only the first of many obstacles Julie will come up against as she digs into her background. Julie’s search for her birth relatives spans eight years and involves a search agency, a PI, a confidential intermediary, a judge, an adoption agency, a social worker, and a genealogist. By journey’s end, what began as a simple desire for a family medical history has evolved into a complicated quest—one that unearths secrets, lies, and family members that are literally right next door.

"Grandfather was an anachronism. Modern time and place had no value in his world, for his world was without limits or time. His world was that of nature and eternity. He was truly one of the ancients, part man, part animal, and almost entirely spirit. His home was the wilderness, and in the wilderness, he tested all things. Most of all, he was a searcher for truth. His was a life of grand simplicity that few would ever know, where true riches were defined in beauty..." Tom Brown, Jr. Here is the incredible true story of a Native American whose tribe roamed free, far from the chaos we call "civilization." His wisdom is a remarkable integration of different philosophies, of different peoples, tribes, and religions. Now Tom Brown, Jr. shares the insights of his beloved teacher--insights that speak to the eternal spirit within us all.

Innis Munro is walking home across the bleak wilderness of Nin Island when he hears the chilling howl of a wolf. But there are no wolves on the island - not since they were hunted to extinction, centuries ago. As long-buried secrets resurface, Innis's adventure truly begins ...