Books with author Debra Oswald

A terrified 12-year-old boy finds himself separated from his family in the unfamiliar streets of a war-torn city. He takes refuge in a bombed-out house and in the total blackness his bravado crumbles into tears.Into his life steps Anna—older, street smart and scornful of his crying. As a way of shutting the boy up, she starts to tell him a story that she vaguely remembers from her own childhood. And so begins a journey into the shifting, shimmering world of ogres, princes, singing bones, foolish lads and wolf-mothers.Stories in the Dark explores the power of storytelling, mingling the magic and earthy wisdom of folk tales with the hard-edged story of violence, conflict and the struggle to survive.

What will it take to make the council say yes to a skatepark? Will it take a tragedy to bring the town together? Zac and Corey are best mates. They skate in deserted carparks, along the streets, wherever they can. It's so unfair that they're always getting in trouble for it. It's not as if there's anywhere else to skate. Good girl Lauren Saxelby's been hanging around, filming the skaters for some competition she wants to enter. Suddenly everyone's keen to use the video to convince the council to build a skate park. As if that would work! But Corey's been sucked in to the campaign, and he's hanging around Lauren far too much for Zac's liking. She'll never go out with Corey. He's a Matthews, so he's automatically a criminal - at least according to the gossips. Zac's not ready for what's about to happen. Sometimes you just have to let things wallop you in the guts, then find a way to get up again.

Blue Noise is about people letting you down, how to survive your family and the amazing thrill of making music with your friends. Ash is drooling over his favourite guitar - the one he can't afford - when he meets Charlie Novak. One jam session later and Charlie convinces Ash to play in his band. But it'll never work. Bands never do. Erin is wandering down a corridor at school - overthinking things as usual - when she runs into Charlie. Literally. The guy is a fruit loop with his weird hair and hyperactive rantings. When Charlie invites her to be the band's keyboard player, Erin can't get a word in to say no. She's a classical pianist. It'll never work. But maybe this time things will be different. Maybe blues music is just what Ash and Erin need.

What will it take to make the council say yes to a skate park? Will it take a tragedy to bring the town together? Zac and Corey are best friends. They skateboard in deserted parking lots, along the streets, wherever they can, but without anywhere else to go, they get in trouble. Good girl Lauren Saxelby's been hanging around, filming the skaters for a competition she wants to enter. Suddenly everyone wants to use the video to convince the council to build a skate park. Corey's been sucked into the campaign, and he's hanging around Lauren far too much for Zac's liking. Zac's not ready for what is about to happen. Sometimes you just have to let things hit you in the guts, then find a way to get up again.

A terrified 12-year-old boy finds himself separated from his family in the unfamiliar streets of a war torn city. He takes refuge in a bombed-out house and in the total blackness his bravado crumbles into tears. Into his life steps Anna older, street smart and scornful of his crying. As a way of shutting the boy up, she starts to tell him a story that she vaguely remembers from her own childhood. And so begins a journey into the shifting, shimmering world of ogres, princes, singing bones, foolish lads and wolf-mothers. Stories in the Dark explores the power of storytelling, mingling the magic and earthy wisdom of folk tales with the hard-edged story of violence, conflict and the struggle to survive.

Ash is drooling over his favorite guitar—the one he can't afford—when he meets Charlie Novak. One jam session later and Charlie convinces Ash to play in his band. But it'll never work. Bands never do. Erin is wandering down a corridor at school—overthinking things as usual—when she runs into Charlie. Literally. The guy is a fruit loop with his weird hair and hyperactive rantings. When Charlie invites her to be the band's keyboard player, Erin can't get a word in to say no. She's a classical pianist. It'll never work. But maybe this time things will be different. Maybe blues music is just what Ash and Erin need.

Ash is drooling over his favorite guitar—the one he can't afford—when he meets Charlie Novak. One jam session later and Charlie convinces Ash to play in his band. But it'll never work. Bands never do. Erin is wandering down a corridor at school—overthinking things as usual—when she runs into Charlie. Literally. The guy is a fruit loop with his weird hair and hyperactive rantings. When Charlie invites her to be the band's keyboard player, Erin can't get a word in to say no. She's a classical pianist. It'll never work. But maybe this time things will be different. Maybe blues music is just what Ash and Erin need.

Inspired by true events that occurred in a south-western NSW town, Skate is about a group of kids battling their local council to get a skate park built in their home town of Narragindi. In the midst of this struggle they are forced to deal with the sudden death of one of their friends. They attempt one final stand; the skate park holds the promise of renewing local youth pride and self-esteem.Skate is a turbo-charged, moving and funny account of the mates, mothers, tricks and traumas of a group of young skaters. Enhanced by live skateboarding, the play is full of the emotional awkwardness of adolescence, its adrenaline, compassion and humour, and reflects the hopes and aspirations of young people in regional Australia.