Oracles and Miracles by Stevan Eldred-Grigg

First published in 1987 and still a great read, Stevan Eldred-Grigg tells the story of Fag and Ginnie, growing up in working class Christchurch during the 1930s and 40s.

Rise of the Blood Moon by Alan Gibbons

Each month at the rise of the Blood Moon, the lost souls come by night. Each person they sink their teeth into, dies and joins the ranks of demons. And now, the lord Darkwing is commanding this army and the whole Sol-ket empire is threatened with invasion.

Three people - the slave Cusha, the prisoner Vishtar and the warrior Gardep - must follow their individual destinies, not just to defeat Darkwing, but to bring about peace and justice for the Helat - the slave people the cruel Sol-ket have subjected.

Wilderness by Roddy Doyle

This is two stories in one. Whilst her stepmother and stepbrothers go on holiday, dogsledding in Finland, eighteen year old Grainne is to meet the birth mother who abandoned her when she was three.

As Grainne battles her inner anger and resentment, her stepmother's sled doesn't make it back to the lodge - she's lost and it's up to the boys to find her.

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Girl Missing by Sophie Mckenzie

'Who am I?' A hard essay question for someone who knows she's adopted but whose parents won't talk. Why not? Desperately seeking more information, Lauren looks on the net and discovers she may have been snatched from an American family when she was a baby! She and her friend Jam, hatch a plan to uncover the truth and in doing so, put themselves in terrible danger.

'Urgum the Axe Man' by Kjartan Poskitt, illustrated by Philip Reeve

The blurb on the back says: "A riotously funny saga packed with barbarians on horseback, bizarre creatures, interfering gods, man-eating plants and a very digusting lavatory. You'll laugh your head off!"

'Skin Deep: Stories That Cut to the Bone' edited by Tony Bradman

Each of the short stories in this book is about racism.

Written by major authors such as Alan Gibbons, the stories are set in many different places - New York, nineteenth century Australia, Israel, India and Brazil. They're all easily read and powerful stories.

'Over a thousand hills I walk with you' by Hanna Jansen

"Based on the true story of Jeanne, an 8-year old girl who survived the Rwandan genocide of 1994, the only member of her family who did. Her her adoptive mother Hanna Jensen retells her story with a clarity and honesty that is at once moving and inspiring. It was one of the world's most recent and bloody periods of history."