Ready to meet your next read? Teen Breathe has teamed up with writer, book blogger, and avid reader Emily Waller to bring you our latest book recommendations
RUNNING WITH IVAN BY SUZANNE LEAL (AGES 10+)
Thirteen-year-old Leo Arnold couldn’t be more disgruntled with his life. Forced to move in with his stepfamily after his mother’s passing means adjusting to a new school, a new house, and being bullied by Cooper and Troy, his mean-spirited stepbrothers. Leo dreams of being anywhere but here; a dream that is answered when he stumbles upon his mum’s music box and is thrust back in time to 1930s Prague. With the threat of a second world war looming, Leo meets a boy named Ivan, alongside whom Leo finds himself running for his life. An immersive and suspenseful timeslip tale.
THE HATS OF MARVELLO BY AMANDA GRAHAM (AGES 8+)
Eleven-year-old Olive has a fascination with rabbits and really wants one as a pet. Too bad she lives in the rabbit-hating country town of Mount Dry, where they are considered annoying pests. Olive’s dream of owning a bunny seems totally out of reach – that is, until she purchases an old green top hat from an op-shop that begins to make a peculiar buzzing noise. Olive’s jaw drops as hundreds of rabbits begin appearing from the hat; but, where did they come from, and why can one of them talk? An enchanting fantasy brimming with wonder and intrigue.
JANE DOE AND THE QUILL OF ALL TALES BY JEREMY LACHLAN (AGES 11+)
Jane Doe is no stranger to treacherous quests. As the daughter of three gods, she hasn’t had an ordinary childhood. But when Jane learns of the Phantom Quill – a relic capable of granting visions of every future in the world – she knows she has her work cut out for her. Jane is the rightful heir to the relic, which is being fiercely pursued by a sinister cult leader – the High Priest. Why is he after the Quill, and what will Jane sacrifice to prevent it landing in the wrong hands? A thrilling third instalment in the Jane Doe Chronicles.
NIGHTBIRDS BY KATE J ARMSTRONG (AGES 13+)
Matilde, Sayer, and Aesa are Nightbirds – young women from the Great Houses capable of gifting their magic to others with a kiss. At the end of their Season, each girl is expected to marry a Lord, and mother the next Nightbird generation. But Matilde, Sayer, and Aesa have other ideas. After realising the Nightbird system is a restrictive cage disguised in shimmering gold, the girls must choose between remaining locked up forever or breaking free from the bars that surround them. An electrifying feminist fantasy swarming with secrets and suspense.
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