Cat Jumped In! By Tess Weaver

When someone leaves the kitchen window open, Cat jumps in! So begins the tale of an outdoor cat who finds his way into a tidy house, wreaking havoc at every turn. It looks like all is lost, until he finds his way in once more, this time into someone's heart.

Very Hairy Bear By Alice Schertle

All through the year, this shaggy, raggy, rumbly, bumbly bear faces down whatever comes his way: bee stings and scolding squirrels, cold rushing rivers and prickly bushes. And he does it all with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. There’s just one thing he can't abide. Luckily, he knows exactly what to do about it.

FUN FACTS

Exploring Animal Rights and Animal Welfare By Lisa Trumbauer.

Animals are used for many purposes, such as food, clothing, research and entertainment. Do we have a right to use animals for these purposes? The four books in this set invite you, the reader, to explore these questions and formulate your own answers.

101 Places You Gotta See Before You’re 12! By Joanne O’Sullivan.

This is not a travel guide, but a book of prompts to stretch the mental boundaries of a kid’s life. From once-in-a-lifetime destinations to neat stuff just around the corner, kids will find something to make them pause as they flip through the colourful pages.

JUNIOR

Mr. Gum and the Biscuit Billionaire By Andy Stanton

Want to read a story about a gingerbread man with electric muscles, who’s as rich as a mushroom? What about a funfair and hotdogs? Maybe you will be interested to see how Polly saves the day. A hilarious read.

Gemini Summer By Iain Lawrence

Danny River has a weird family. His father cleans septic tanks for a living, his mom thinks she’s a southern belle, and his brother wants to be an astronaut. All Danny wants is a dog. After a tragic accident, in which Danny’s brother dies, a stray dog appears. Danny slowly becomes attached to it and begins to believe it’s his brother. No one believes him, but Danny knows it’s up to him to make his brother’s dreams come true.

YOUNG ADULT

Lost It By Kristen Tracy

Tess’s junior year of high school is not going the way she planned. Her parents have moved her to a desert survival camp; her best friend is bent on the destruction of the neighbourhood poodle, and her love life is destroyed before it even started. Join Tess in these humorous endeavours as she struggles to bring some normalcy to her unpredictable life.

What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know By Sonya Sones

Robin is 15 and his claim to fame is having a last name that is synonymous with "loser" at his high school. But then beautiful, popular Sophie takes notice of him for different reasons and an unexpected romance blooms. This sequel to What My Mother Doesn’t Know stands alone for its lyrically woven chapters, and Robin’s honest, painful look at the difficulties of being a teenager in love with someone outside your social standing.

ADULT

The Ten-Year Nap By Meg Wolitzer

Mother’s Day brings out the clichés about motherhood, so it is a delight to have a stellar writer like Wolitzer turn her talents to a perceptive and funny look at modern mothers. She examines the lives of four New York career women who take a ten-year break from their careers to raise children.

Certain Girls By Jennifer Weiner

An enjoyable sequel to Weiner’s debut novel, Good in Bed, picking up the story of the feisty heroine 13 years later. "Cannie" Shapiro is 42, wife to Peter and mother to teenager Joy. A funny and touching look at families, especially the ups and downs of mothers and daughters.