PORTRAITS OF CELINA
"It's as if the wooden chest is luring me, urging me to open it-daring me almost. Open me up. Look inside. Come on, just for a second; it won't hurt."
Celina O'Malley was just sixteen years old when she disappeared. Now, almost forty years later, Bayley is sleeping in Celina's room, wearing her clothes, hearing her voice.
What does Celina want? And who will suffer because of it?
A ghost story.
A love story
A story of revenge.
Make him pay, Bayley. Make him pay.
Reviews:
"Highly recommended … Whiting has written a delicious ghost story and a thrilling mystery. The hot summer weather, the grief that grips Bayley's family and the growing romance with Oliver, the boy who lives across the lake all combine to bring to life this story of revenge and crime. The suspense was very gripping and the action kept me glued to the page … There are some dark, exciting moments in this enthralling mystery and a clever twist at the end will thrill lovers of crime and ghost stories." Pat Pledger ReadPlus.com.au.
"Once again Whiting has captured the angst of being a teenager and finding
ones place in the world. She has wrapped it up in the terrifying sweetness of first love
and the intrigue of a murder mystery. Whiting writes seriously good stories that draw you
in and keep you hooked until the end."
- FOUR AND A HALF STARS -
Wendy Noble, Good Reading Magazine
"...Thirteen to seventeen year old girls will be absorbed by Bayley and Celina's stories. The narrative moves quickly and relationships drive much of the interest. The lake and the bush setting create a powerful, atmospheric backdrop to the action and the natural elements enhance this gothic Australian mystery."
Joy Lawn Magpies magazine
"Sue Whiting’s supernatural tale of family, love, loss and revenge builds a creepy atmosphere. She captures the feeling of summer in rural Australia well, imbuing the oppressive heat and sudden storms with a sense of menace, and Bailey, her family and friends are engaging and authentic characters. This is recommended for older supernatural fans."
Heath Graham Junior Books+Publishing
YA Novel 13+
352 pp
Walker Books Australia
www.walkerbooks.com.au
ISBN: 978 1 922077 47 9
Classroom ideas
Portraits of Celina
GET A GRIP, COOPER JONES
COOPER JONES wishes his life was simple – like it used
to be.
Suddenly, his life’s become complicated.
Cooper can’t stop thinking about his dad – a man he has never known – and now Mum’s starting to act weird too.
When the gorgeous Abbie arrives in town, Cooper realises that he’s not the only one whose life is complicated.
With tensions growing and bushfires threatening, Cooper needs to get a grip – fast.
Reviews
"A boy's search for his identity, while adjusting to the changes in his life, is brilliantly brought into focus by the frightening power of an Australian bushfire. Whiting has taken the angst of growing up and enveloped it in the scent of sea salt, barbecued fish and burning eucalypts,"
Four Stars, Good Reading Magazine, Nov 2010
More reviews HERE
2011 CBCA Notable Book, Younger Readers.
NSW Premier's Reading Challenge list,
Years 5-6 and Years 7-8
Victorian Premier's Reading Challenge List, Years 7-8 and Years 9-10
Novel 10+
208 pages
Walker Books Australia
www.walkerbooks.com.au
ISBN 978-1-921529-78-8
THE STRANGE LITTLE MONSTER AND THE SWAMP GOBLIN
The Grotty Hollow monsters know that swamp goblins can't be trusted. But when Sasha meets Bunion, she discovers just how tricky goblins can be!
Illustrated by Stephen Michael King
NSW Premier's Reading Challenge list, Years 3-4.
Illustrated fiction ages 6+
72 pages
Aussie Nibbles
Penguin Books Australia
www.penguin.com.au/
ISBN 978-0-14-330671-9
Click the rat
for photos
from the launch.
Click HERE for
Literacy Unit
Click the hungry rat
for some ratty puzzles
A STRANGE LITTLE MONSTER
Grotty Hollow monsters are lound and tough,
and love to rumble.
But not Sasha.
Sasha is different - and she likes it that way
“… a wonderful easy read tale about having the courage to be yourself. Part of the Aussie Nibbles series, the text is complemented by delightful black and white illustrations, by Stephen Michael King, on every spread. A fun read with a gentle, but important, message.” www.aussiereviews.com http://www.aussiereviews.com/article3225.html
“When Sue Whiting steers the tale, happy endings do happen even when you are different. The secret is staying true to yourself.
Hiding beneath deceptively simple sentence structure lies a story of hope that echoes for all ages. A Strange Little Monster will be a timeless tale of hope for years to come.” Jo Burnell, The Reading Stackhttp://thereadingstack.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html
illustrated by Stephen Michael King
South Australian Premier's
Reading Challenge, reception up
Illustrated fiction ages 6+
NSW Premier's Reading Challenge list, Years 3-4
72 pages
Aussie Nibbles
Penguin Books Australia
www.penguin.com.au/
ISBN 978-0-143304-78-4
FREAKY
Three weeks with the rellies at Cactus Court.
No City Skate.
No mates. No fun.
Could life get much worse for Jayden?
Of course it could.
And what’s more, it did.
Part of the exciting new Lightning Strikes Series of
short novels for 9 – 14 year olds.
Have you been struck yet?
Reviews
“…Freaky is a fun, but scary, tale based on an urban legend which sounds frighteningly true involving spiders and cacti. Jayden’s adventure is fast-paced and short enough to entice the most reluctant reader … Freaky is a great offering for primary aged readers.” Sally Murphy http://www.aussiereviews.com/article2773.html
A freaky adventure novel. Ages 9+
96 pages
Lightning Strikes
Walker Books Australia
www.walkerbooks.com.au
ISBN 978-1-921150-79-1
NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge,
Years 5&6
SA Premier’s Reading Challenge,
Years 6 and up
Classroom Ideas & Teacher's Notes PDF
or on Articles & Teacher's Notes
A BRITT BRADY MYSTERY:
THE HAIRY-LEGS HEIST
A
crazy galah
A determined twelve-year-old.
An evil plan ...
A page-turning adventure.
Hairy Legs, the foul-mouthed, but much loved, pet shop galah has been
stolen.
The residents of Tompkin Park are devastated. None more than Britt
Brady, whose orderly life is thrown into chaos as she and Dimi pursue
Hairy Legs's captors - a pursuit that ulitmately leads them into the
dark and dangerous world of organised crime ...
"Nothing is at it seems, Britt Brady. Remember that."
A mystery/adventure novel
for ages 9+
Published by
New Frontier Publishing
www.newfrontier.com.au
ISBN: 978 1 921042 13 3
Click HERE for reviews
BATTLE OF THE RATS
Suddenly there's a loud rustling from within - like something is stumbling through a forest of plastic bags ... like ... like ... 'RATS!' A house perched on the cliff top overlooking the best break on the coast...
Sand, sun, surfing, new mates...
For Moth Browne life couldn't be sweeter.
Except for the RATS. Moth's new home is crawling with the creepy grey monsters. And for Moth, the rats wreck everything. They invade his room. Gnaw at his things. They seem to lurk in the shadows wherever he goes. Moth is totally freaked. He's certain they're out to get him. But when Jaike, the school bully, meets up with the rats, things turn nasty - big time!
Will the rats ever go away? Will they ever leave Moth alone? Who will win the battle of the RATS?
Novel for ages 9+
128 pages
ISBN: 08 6461 562 0
Click the rat to read
a sample chapter
Click HERE
for reviews
Sadly, Koala Books has closed its list of junior
fiction novels, so Battle of the Rats is currently out of print.
There is still a lot of interest in this book, with many schools
using it with their year 5,6 and 7 classes,
so I am in search of another
publisher. If you are trying to get hold of a copy, send me an email HERE.
I do have
a limited number of copies.
Click Uncle Alien
to read a
sample chapter
Click HERE for
the Puzzles Page
UNCLE ALIEN
Weird as, eh!
Well that's what happened to Harry. And what happened next led Harry into a day filled with zany quests and wacky adventures! Harry's Uncle Morris is an alien from the planet Ziltor - and Harry thinks that's pretty cool! But Harry's life is thrown into turmoil when he joins Uncle Morris in his search for the Ziltor Beacon Crystal. They fall into one scrape after another with Wilemina, Harry's inquisitive neighbour, providing them with more surprises than they can handle. A hilarious adventure, full of fun and mischief.
Illustrated by Michael Mucci
ISBN: 1 876928 39 5
104 pages 198mm x 128mm
Ages 8 -12
Looking for a copy? I have loads!
Send me an email. HERE
(Only $5.00 + postage!)
GREAT! JUST GREAT!
Jodie is having a bad day. Her school is organising a special Grandparents' Day - and Jodie has no one to invite. But Grandparents' Day turns out to be not so bad after all - with a little help from Mary Sweet and the Green Gables Gang.
Illustrated by Pete Beard
Trekker series by Macmillan
Readers aged 8 - 9
ISBN: 07329 9910 3
www.macmillan.com.au
THE
BAKER AND THE BUSH BEASTIE
Macka is looking for a better life. He finds it at the Back of Beyond Bakery. The bush beastie is also looking for a better life. He thinks he will find it at Macka’s bakery, too. Now, all the bush beastie has to do is convince Macka that a bun-stealing bush beastie can help around the bakery.
Illustrated by Steven Hallam
Trekker series by Macmillan
Readers aged 10+
www.macmillan.com.au
THE
SEA STORM MONSTER
While staying at Gran’s beach house, Gemma finds a beautiful strange rock. She keeps it in a bucket of sea water and is amazed when it hatches into a mysterious creature. At the same time, a wild storm hits the coast. Could the creature and the storm be linked?
Illustrated by Milo Kossowski
Trekker series by Macmillan
Readers aged 9+
www.macmillan.com.au
A
FISH OUT OF WATER
Franny dreams about becoming a surfer. The only problem is that she has never seen the ocean. A holiday at her aunt’s beach house soon changes that, but the ocean isn’t what Franny expected. Can her cousin Shelley help Franny overcome her fears? Or will Shelley’s brother scare her off the beach forever?
Illustrated by Steven Hallam
Trekker series by Macmillan
Readers aged 9+
www.macmillan.com.au
ANTS
IN HIS PANTS
Bruce Bagglio is a beastly bully. Even his twin sister, Stella, thinks so. His favourite victim is Wayne-William, the smallest boy in the class. But one day he goes too far. It is up to Wayne-William (with help of Stella and a few hungry ants) to show he will not take Bruce’s bullying lying down!
Illustrated by Craig Longmuir
Trekker series by Macmillan
Readers aged 8 - 9
www.macmillan.com.au
EYES IN THE PADDOCK
Jack is scared of the dark. And he doesn't want anyone to know. When his friend Nathan takes him camping he has to survive without even a nightlight. Pretending to be brave is really difficult, but when Jack sees three pairs of red eyes in the night, it's impossible.
Illustrated by Tom Kurema
Breaker series* for readers 9 - 10
Macmillan Education 2003
www.macmillan.com.au/
ISBN 0 7329 9031 9
QUACKER
Miles Kelly has a problem. How can he keep his new pet duck, Quacker, and stop his mother from serving her for Sunday's dinner? Sometimes help comes from unexpected places.
Illustrated by Susie Boyer
Just Kids Series Set 4
Longman/Pearson Education Australia 2002 (Scholastic Canada/Sundance USA)
www.pearsoned.com.au/schools/default.asp
ISBN 0 7339 3343 2
VAMPS RULE!
It's grand final time, and this year the Vamps are up against their arch enemies - the Venus East Eagles. With only days to go before the final, someone sprays graffiti on the Vamp's clubhouse. With all signs pointing to the Vamps, Marcus decides to track down the real culprit. Will his team miss out on playing the biggest game of the year?
Illustrated by Conna Brecon
Awesome Fiction Series 1
52 pages* for reluctant readers aged 12-16
Longman/Pearson Education Australia 2002
www.pearsoned.com.au/schools/default.asp
ISBN 0 7339 3469 2
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(C) Sue Whiting, 2004 - 2013
