Books published by publisher University of Queensland Press

Kumiko doesn't like going to bed. She can't sleep, and the reason she can't sleep is because of the giant dragon that sits outside her bedroom window, every single night. So one night she plucks up the courage to ask the dragon to leave, not knowing that the truth she is about to discover is more thrilling than anything she could ever have imagined. This delightful story will take the young readers on a soaring dragon adventure, as Kumiko discovers a strength she never even knew she had.

An engaging novel from a promising new Australian voice. Kate Elliot isn't trying to fit in - that's the whole point of being a goth, isn't it? Everything about her - from her hair to her clothes - screams different and the girls at her school give her a wide berth. How can Kate be herself, really herself, when she's hiding her big secret? The one that landed her in boarding school in the first place. She's buried it down deep but it always seems to surface. But then sometimes your soul mates sneak up on you in the most unlikely of places. Like Norris Grammar Boarding School for Girls, where's she's serving a life sentence, no parole, because her parents kicked her out. So, how do you take that first step and reveal your secrets when you're not sure that people want to see the real you?

A heartwarming book that teaches the importance of responsibility and love for a pet Eric was given a dog for his eighth birthday—that was nearly a year ago. The dog, named Ugly (because he is just that), settles into Eric’s family but is not attached to Eric in any way. In fact, Ugly prefers everyone else in the family! Eric has several crazy ideas to make Ugly love him, but Ugly is not swayed. Eric slowly comes to realize that in order to win over Ugly, he has to put in time, effort, and most importantly, show him love and affection. A life lesson wrapped up in a beautifully told story that will resonate with kids and parents—and pet lovers.

A powerful mystery from award-winning author Anthony Eaton, this edition of A New Kind of Dreaming is a special reissue of a modern Australian classic Jamie Riley has hit rock bottom. Busted for stealing cars, he's been shipped off to serve time in Port Barren, a stinking hot town stuck between the desert and the sea. The minute Jamie arrives, he can feel something is not quite right about Port Barren—the town has a past it doesn't want to share. After being warned that Port Barren is his last chance before jail, Jamie resolves to serve his time and get out. But when he discovers an old, wrecked boat on the beach and starts asking questions, it becomes obvious that local cop Elliot Butcher has it in for him. As he gets closer to the truth, things start going wrong around town. With no one else to blame, Jamie realizes surviving Port Barren is going to be way harder than he thought.

In The Ash Burner, a sensitive, poignant novel about growing up, running away, and the many guises of love, 12-year-old Ted lives with his father, the local magistrate, in the small coastal town of Lion’s Head. All Ted knows about his mother is that she died when he was a boy, and that his father—despite moving halfway across the world to start anew—still grieves for her privately. When he is hospitalized after a swimming accident, Ted meets Anthony and Claire, and is immediately captivated by the older pair. Intelligent and perspicacious, they introduce him to poetry and art, and he feels a sense of belonging at last. But as the trio’s friendship intensifies over the years, Ted must learn to negotiate the boundaries of love and come to terms with a legacy of secrets and silence.

Nine rowers, 2,000 grueling yards, and one chance for glory Tall, naturally talented, and the offspring of Olympians, superstar siblings Leni and Cristian Popescu are set to row Harley Grammar to victory in the annual Head of the River race. With six months until the big race, the twins can't lose. Or can they? When Cristian is seduced by the easy route of performance-enhancing drugs, and Leni is suffocated with self-doubt, their bright futures start to fade. Juggling family, high expectations, study, break-ups, new relationships, and wild parties, the pressure starts to build. As the final moments tick down to the big race, will they make it to the start line or will they plummet from grace?

In this award-winning novel, James Roy uses the short story to explore the lives of the young residents of an Australian town and the social tapestry of their community. This town doesn't have a name. But if it seems familiar, its because we recognise the people who walk its streets. From the serendipity of an unexpected moment of connection, to the sadness of leaving home, and the pain of the desperate decisions we make, these stories take a personal and uncompromising look at life. Love and loss, grief, humour and passion. Hope and hopelessness. Thirteen linked stories, spanning a year in the lives of thirteen young people, from a town near you.

A new, laugh-out-loud novel from award-winning author Steven Herrick Some things are too big for a boy to solve. Jesse is an eleven-year-old boy tackling many problems in life, especially fitting in to a new school. Luckily he meets Kate. She has curly black hair, braces and an infectious smile. She wants to ‘Save the Whales’ and needs Jesse’s help. But they haven’t counted on Hunter, the school bully, who appears to enjoy hurling insults at random. With Hunter’s catchphrase ‘Ha!’ echoing through the school, something or someone has to give. But will it be Jesse? Kate? Or is there more to Hunter than everyone thinks? An inspiring and funny story about the small gestures that can help to make the world a better place.

We're like a new toy ... or a new energy source, and they're just playing with us, experimenting. Working out what we can do. What they can do with us." Mikki and the others live at "the farm", an advanced learning facility, a think-tank for a bunch of young people with very high IQs. But what is really going on at the farm? And what about the five much younger children known as the Babies, frail as butterflies? Brian Caswell's new novel explores the power of love . and presents readers with an intriguing jigsaw puzzle of suspense.

When you have nowhere left to run, sometimes the only place is the sky... Saria is the last of her kind, the final child to be born in the Darklands, a quarantined expanse of outback desert, contaminated generations earlier by the remote and mysterious Nightpeople. Spirited away at her birth before the Nightpeople could remove her from the genetic pool, Saria, now in her early teens, is called before the Council of Dreamers to be used as a bargaining chip. There she discovers the truth about her own past, and that of her people. Nightpeople explores a society turned in upon itself and a future which readers will find both alien and disturbingly familiar. 'This is an outstanding novel, the best work to date from a writer who has already won the Premier's Award: superb writing, a thoroughly engrossing story, and utterly credible characters trapped in a future world that is as fascinating as it is dangerous. A page-turner if ever there was one!' - Van Ikin

From bestselling author Rebecca Sparrow, comes the little book of information that every young woman should read. Ask Me Anything is a question-and-answer style book for Australian teenage girls. Set out in an easy-to-read, open-at-any-page format, it covers deeply personal and real questions girls want to ask and find a trusted answer for: ‘I’m ugly. How will I ever get a boyfriend?’ or ‘Do I need to know what I want to be when I’m older?’ or ‘How can I be more popular?’ or ‘How do you know if your friends really like you?’ From the author of Find Your Tribe and Find Your Feet, Rebecca Sparrow has written the perfect big sister book, full of advice, wisdom and humour. This little book will be invaluable and a must-read for those who need a little help with friendship, life, love and family.

It’s 1989 and Rachel Hill is the girl most likely to succeed at her school and most likely to have everything under control. That is, until her father invites the moody Nick McGowan to live with them. With the help of her best friend Zoe, Rachel prepares herself for Nick McGowan to move into her old bedroom and into her life. Nick immediately pegs Rachel as uptight and having bad taste in music. Rachel immediately labels Nick as hopeless and as having a bad attitude. Despite their initial mutual antipathy, however, a secret from Nick’s past will draw them together and make the year Nick McGowan came to stay one that Rachel will never forget. This funny and witty tale expertly describes the universal themes of awkward adolescence and first crushes.