Books with author Libby Gleeson

Mahtab was hollow. Empty, as if her flesh and blood, her energy, that kept her breathing and running, thinking and talking, was gone. Nothing was in its place. She was hungry. Hungry for water, for her father, for her grandmother, her aunts and uncles, for the trees in the back yard, the cabinet on the wall, the silver and glass objects so lovingly collected, for her mountains, the jagged peaks that cut the sky. Her father was dead. She felt sure of it. She was just a speck of dirt on the floor, drifting through the gap between the boards, falling to the ground. Mahtab and her family are forced to leave their home in Herat and journey secretly through the rocky mountains to Pakistan and from there to faraway Australia. Months go by, months of waiting, months of dread, with only memories and hopes to sustain them. Will they ever be reunited with their father, will they ever find a home? The plight of refugees from war-torn countries and what it really means to leave everything behind and to start a new life are vividly explored in this unforgettable story.

Mahtab was empty. She felt hungry.for water, for her father, for her grandmother, her aunts and uncles, for the trees in the back yard, the cabinet on the wall, the silver and glass objects so lovingly collected, for her mountains, the jagged peaks that cut the sky. Her father was dead. She felt sure of it. She was just a speck of dirt on the floor, drifting through the gap between the boards, falling to the ground.Mahtab and her family are forced to leave their home in Herat and journey secretly through the rocky mountains to Pakistan and from there to faraway Australia. Months go by, months of waiting, months of dread. Will they ever be reunited with their father, will they ever find a home?This compelling novel by one of Australia's best-loved children's authors is based on the true story of one girl's voyage to Australia with her family.'An important, eye-opening book.' Deborah Ellis'Kept me turning pages and holding my breath.an amazing story that me and all of my friends love.' - Inez, 12

Cleo's best friend is away, her parents are busy, and there's nothing to do but count raindrops - or tidy her room. Just when she thinks she'll never cheer up, Cleo has an idea. In the next story, Cleo longs for a pet but her mum and dad say no. Perhaps the answer is hidden somewhere unexpected...Two more endearing stories about Cleo, the little girl with a big imagination who always finds a way to have fun, from the creators of The Cleo Stories: The Necklace and the Present.Praise for The Necklace and the Present: 'The stories are full of warmth, authenticity and humour...' Books + Publishing

A young girl wakes, smothered in mud, suffering from amnesia after a cyclone hits Sydney. She remembers nothing of her past. She is rescued by Peri, a young boy not much older than her who names her Red. Peri appears to be streetwise and encourages her escape from the damaged city. And then, Red discovers her real name. And that she has a father. A memory stick on a chain around her neck contains vital information which needs to be conveyed to the nation's capital. In Red's head are mysterious words - a name? A clue to her past? To the whereabouts of her missing dad? To her future ...With new friends to help her, Red makes an exciting, dangerous cross-country journey - but time is running out ...

A gripping mystery unfolds in the aftermath of a devastating cyclone that leaves a young girl unable to remember her name or where she comes fromMud. In her mouth, her nose and her eyes. Mud in her hair and caked on her neck and her arms. Mud filling her shoes and seeping through the thin cotton weave of her trousers. She lay sprawled on her side, a garbled, barely distinct sound coming from her: jaymartinjaymartin. Her world was mud and pain.'What's your name?' A boy was sitting on a kitchen table floating in a muddy pool. At his feet was a child's doll, the head lolling to one side.Red can't remember the cyclone. She can't remember anything—her name, where she lived, or who her family might be. Her identity has been ripped away. Then she makes a discovery, and finds she has an important mission to accomplish. But in this chaotic, bewildering world, can she do it on her own? Who can she trust?