Books with author Meg McKinlay

Every girl dreams of being part of the line – the chosen seven who tunnel deep into the mountain to find the harvest. Jena is the leader of the line – strong, respected, reliable. And – as all girls must be – she is small; years of training have seen to that. It is the way of things. A girl must wrap her limbs, lie still, deny herself a second bowl of stew. But what happens when one tiny discovery makes Jena question everything she has ever known?A Single Stone is an absorbing dystopian novel for younger readers by award-winning Australian author Meg McKinlay. This thought-provoking book deals with themes of gender and power, and is perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, Isobelle Carmody and Carole Wilkinson. For more of Meg’s gripping junior fiction, read Surface Tension. www.megmckinlay.com“In almost all cases, shortness of breath is not a great feeling. In this instance, though, it was merely a symptom of good writing, and it happened as I read the opening pages of Meg McKinlay’s taut, thoughtful story about a girl who has spent most of her life squeezing through tiny passages, deep in a mountain of rock … An engaging, beautifully written novel that manages to pose big questions about gender and power, and thoroughly entertain. This is a quietly powerful, polished story. 4/5 stars.” Books+Publishing

In an isolated society, one girl makes a discovery that will change everything — and learns that a single stone, once set in motion, can bring down a mountain.Jena — strong, respected, reliable — is the leader of the line, a job every girl in the village dreams of. Watched over by the Mothers as one of the chosen seven, Jena's years spent denying herself food and wrapping her limbs have paid off. She is small enough to squeeze through the tunnels of the mountain and gather the harvest, risking her life with each mission. No work is more important. This has always been the way of things, even if it isn’t easy. But as her suspicions mount and Jena begins to question the life she’s always known, the cracks in her world become impossible to ignore. Thought-provoking and quietly complex, Meg McKinlay’s novel unfolds into a harshly beautiful tale of belief, survival, and resilience stronger than stone.

Secrets have a way of floating to the surface. . . . Mystery, compelling characters, and an abandoned town beneath a lake make for a must-read adventure.On the day Cassie was born, they drowned her town. The mayor flipped a lever and everyone cheered as Old Lower Grange was submerged beneath five thousand swimming pools’ worth of water. Now, twelve years later, Cassie feels drawn to the manmade lake and the mysteries it hides — and she’s not the only one. Her classmate Liam, who wears oversized swim trunks to cover the scars on his legs, joins Cassie in her daily swims across the off-limits side of the lake. As the summer heats up, the water drops lower and lower, offering them glimpses of the ghostly town and uncovering secrets one prominent town figure seems anxious to keep submerged. But like a swimmer who ventures too far from shore, Cassie realizes she can’t turn back. Can she bring their suspicions to light before it’s too late — and does she dare?

Secrets have a way of floating to the surface. . . . Mystery, compelling characters, and an abandoned town beneath a lake make for a must-read adventure.On the day Cassie was born, they drowned her town. The mayor flipped a lever and everyone cheered as Old Lower Grange was submerged beneath five thousand swimming pools’ worth of water. Now, twelve years later, Cassie feels drawn to the manmade lake and the mysteries it hides — and she’s not the only one. Her classmate Liam, who wears oversized swim trunks to cover the scars on his legs, joins Cassie in her daily swims across the off-limits side of the lake. As the summer heats up, the water drops lower and lower, offering them glimpses of the ghostly town and uncovering secrets one prominent town figure seems anxious to keep submerged. But like a swimmer who ventures too far from shore, Cassie realizes she can’t turn back. Can she bring their suspicions to light before it’s too late — and does she dare?

In an isolated society, one girl makes a discovery that will change everything — and learns that a single stone, once set in motion, can bring down a mountain.Jena — strong, respected, reliable — is the leader of the line, a job every girl in the village dreams of. Watched over by the Mothers as one of the chosen seven, Jena's years spent denying herself food and wrapping her limbs have paid off. She is small enough to squeeze through the tunnels of the mountain and gather the harvest, risking her life with each mission. No work is more important. This has always been the way of things, even if it isn’t easy. But as her suspicions mount and Jena begins to question the life she’s always known, the cracks in her world become impossible to ignore. Thought-provoking and quietly complex, Meg McKinlay’s novel unfolds into a harshly beautiful tale of belief, survival, and resilience stronger than stone.

On the day Cassie was born, they drowned her town. 12 years later, she and her classmate Liam are drawn to the man-made lake and the mysteries it hides. As summer heats up and the lake waters become lower and lower, secrets are slowly uncovered. Can Cassie bring the shocking truth to light before it’s too late?Surface Tension is a compelling coming-of-age mystery for younger readers by award-winning Australian author Meg McKinlay. In 2012, this atmospheric novel won the Best Young Fiction category of the Davitt Awards, was Highly Commended in the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and was a Notable Book in the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Awards. For more of Meg’s engaging junior fiction, read A Single Stone. www.megmckinlay.com“A wonderfully layered story – reading it is like being gradually immersed in a pool of water as each layer of the narrative slowly washes over you ... There isn’t a dull moment in this book. The story is full of human connections that will delight readers and there is a whimsy to the text that makes it a great read for all ages.” Bookseller+Publisher“Meg McKinlay expertly guides her readers through a well-plotted coming-of-age story that’s beautifully atmospheric … A real page-turner.” The Sunday Age“Memorable and suspenseful.” The Wall Street Journal“A 12-year-old girl discovers a town secret hidden under thousands of gallons of water in this earnest, thematically rich exploration of the relationship between history and truth.” Kirkus Reviews“A poetic sensibility shines through this coming-of-age mystery.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

What's a girl to do when her house can't find a home? Bella is very surprised one morning to discover her house has moved in the night – not a lot, just a little. Her parents are too busy to notice, but even they can’t pretend it’s not happening when they wake up a few days later to find their house on the banks of a lake. Night after night, the house moves and the family wakes to a new location. Bella discusses it with her beloved Grandpa, and he advises her to keep a close eye on things. When Bella realizes that her room at the top of the house is built from Grandpa’s old boat, she finally knows what the house is looking for. It seeks the sea. So Bella dons the captain’s hat her Grandpa has given her and guides the house safely to the shore, where finally they are home. And sometimes, just sometimes, Grandpa and Bella take the house to sea.

What's a girl to do when her house can't find a home? Bella is very surprised one morning to discover her house has moved in the night – not a lot, just a little. Her parents are too busy to notice, but even they can’t pretend it’s not happening when they wake up a few days later to find their house on the banks of a lake. Night after night, the house moves and the family wakes to a new location. Bella discusses it with her beloved Grandpa, and he advises her to keep a close eye on things. When Bella realizes that her room at the top of the house is built from Grandpa’s old boat, she finally knows what the house is looking for. It seeks the sea. So Bella dons the captain’s hat her Grandpa has given her and guides the house safely to the shore, where finally they are home. And sometimes, just sometimes, Grandpa and Bella take the house to sea.

After having to flee the City, Tilly and Amber decide to cut reunion short and leave their Guardians’ protection in the hope they know where to meet Tilly’s Mother. For once Trouble doesn’t fine them, but rather they find it, when the Girls come to the aid of a young a couple, before reaching the Big City and continuing their quest.Can the girls avoid detection from their enemies in the Big City long enough for Mother and Daughter to find each other, or will Tilly’s enemies find her first?