Catherine McAuley College: Australian Standing Orders Teaching Notes

Maddy is mute. Since the Incident she has barely spoken. And now she and her mother and brother are staying in a farmhouse on an old apricot orchard not far from town. It's a chance to rest and recuperate – or a way to hide further away from the world. Alice is waiting. Since Birdy, her darling daughter, disappeared forty-five years ago, she has sat in her house waiting for her to come home. Alice says Maddy reminds her of Birdy, and Maddy feels a strange connection to the long-lost girl. In the quiet not-speaking and waiting, amid the clutter of the old woman's house, Maddy and Alice slowly become friends. Until Maddy takes something that's not hers. Birdy is a tender warm-hearted verse novel about the pain of loss and shame, the beauty of words, and the healing power of small acts of kindness. (Publisher)

Seventeen-year-old Jess wakes from an emergency heart transplant to discover she's being haunted by the disgruntled ghost of her donor - teenage socialite, Tilly. And she won't leave Jess in peace until they unravel the mystery surrounding her death. Their investigations take them deep into Tilly's luxurious heiress life - from private schools to Swiss banks and high-end hotels. But the clues lead somewhere darker than either of the girls could have imagined. And if Jess can't solve the murder in time, her own life may be at risk... (Distributor)

Every Lunar Eclipse signifies the beginning of The Immortal Games: an epic set of games played by the Gods of Olympus, with randomly-selected humans as their Tokens. The stakes are high; the Gods covet entertainment and glory above all else, for the Tokens, it's about survival. 17-year-old Ara wants revenge. Revenge on the Gods for allowing her older sister to die in the Games. She's determined to be selected as a Token and find a weapon powerful enough to kill a God. But when she's plucked from the clutches of death by Hades, God of the Underworld, the odds are stacked against her. Hades is the outcast of the Gods, and the only one who has never won the games. But he soon realises that Ara does not fear death, just as she does not fear him, and when a wager with Zeus and Poseidon puts both their futures at stake, the games take on a new meaning. With each challenge, the games become more brutal. Can Ara put aside her rage and survive? (Publisher)

Penny Paxton is the daughter of an icon. Her supermodel mother has legions of adoring fans around the world, and Penny is ready to begin her journey to international adoration, starting with joining the elite Dorian Drama School. When Penny's new mentor offers her an opportunity she cannot refuse, to have a portrait painted by a mysterious artist who can grant immortal beauty to all his subjects, Penny happily follows in the footsteps of Dorian's most glittering alumni, knowing that stardom is sure to soon be hers. But when her trusted mentor is found murdered, Penny realises she's made a terrible mistake, a sinister someone is using the uncanny portraits to kill off the subjects one by one. As more perfectly beautiful students start to fall, Penny knows her time is running out. A seductive and searing exploration of beauty, identity, and what the pursuit of perfection can truly cost. (Publisher)

Two friends, Amy and Stan, plan revenge on their prankster friend Hollie by catfishing her as her crush. They only mean to do it for a day or two, but then Hollie ends up dead. As the catfish continues to strike others, Amy needs to find out: who is really in control of the catfish? Can she trust anyone? And is she the killer's next target? (Publisher)

A secret. A holiday. A Summer like never before. Shae knows her parents are keeping something from her and is determined to find out what. But nothing can prepare her for what they are hiding. A coming-of-age story about 17-year-old Shae who is learning that relationships, deception, secrets and love can all blend together and change everything. (Publisher)

In the citadel of Appollis, the Gods bestow single gifts on a chosen few. Icari has always known she's a Healer, while her twin sister, Sephie, is cast as an Embalmer, despite showing early promise as an Alchemist - a secret the sisters keep to themselves for possessing two skills is punishable by death. While Sephie learns how to wrap the dead, Icari eases the suffering of others, including a charismatic enemy prisoner called Caszeil. And it's to Caszeil that Icari turns when demons rise up from the Underworld and kidnap her sister. With his help, perhaps she can rescue Sephie. Even if this means growing wings and flying in the face of the devil himself...

A poignant and moving LGBTQ+ story that explores sexuality and masculinity with a touch of humour, by twice Carnegie Medal-winner and bestselling author Patrick Ness.Ant Stevenson has many questions, like when did he stop being a virgin? Are there degrees of virginity?
And is it different for boys? Especially for boys who like boys? Ant tries to figure out the answers to his questions as he balances his relationships with three very different boys: Charlie, who is both virulently homophobic and yet close friends with Ant; Jack, whose camp behaviour makes him the target of Charlie's rage; and finally Freddie, who just wants Ant to try out for the rugby team.