August & Jones

WINNER: CBCA Shadow Judging Book of the Year 2023

Shortlisted - 2023 CBCA Book of the Year Awards

From the CBCA award-winning author of The Little Wave comes the story of two extraordinary kids who discover the life-changing power of friendship and teamwork.

Eleven-year-old Jones Kirby has just moved to Sydney from her farm in country New South Wales. She's missing her alpacas and wide-open paddocks and can't get used to her family's tiny city apartment. She's also worried that her vision is blurry - she lost her eye to cancer as a toddler. Could it be another tumour?

Enrolling at her new school, Jones meets shy, awkward August Genting. He loves fun facts, the library and knitting as much as Jones loves rock climbing and being outdoors. Who would have thought they'd become fast friends?

At home, August's parents are fighting. And for Jones, the news from the doctor is not good. To cheer themselves up, the pair hatch a brilliant plan: the August and Jones Must-See Bucket List. Together, this brave duo will set out to meet a rare monkey, run across the Harbour Bridge and even climb Australia's highest mountain.

After all, with your best friend beside you, anything is possible!

“Inspired by the friendship between two children in Victoria, Harry returns with this big-hearted story about friendship and resilience. Anyone 10 and up who enjoyed Wonder or Sick Bay will fall in love with August & Jones.” - Books+Publishing

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Are You There, Buddha?

Shortlisted - 2022 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards - Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature

Notable - 2022 CBCA Book of the Year Awards

A fresh, funny and very contemporary take on puberty, first periods and relationships from the CBCA award-winning author of The Little Wave.

Bridget 'Bee' Ballentine is 12 and starting her first year of high school in the beach suburb Crescent Bay. Still reeling from the departure of her mother for an ashram in India, Bee talks to Buddha and begs for her first period not to arrive. She's not ready to become a woman yet, whatever that means.

Although Bee's yet to find her tribe at school, her best friend forever is surfer Leon McKay, also known as the hottest boy in Year Eight. As long as Leon has her back, Bee can survive the mean girls, her meddling step-mum, Kath, and her swimming nemesis, The Piranha.

Over one blistering summer, set against the backdrop of bushfires, smoke haze and water restrictions, Bee will grow up, show up, and make a name for herself.

Buy Are You There Buddha? here

“‘Fresh, authentic, poignant, light and dark by turns - I wish I’d read this when I was growing up.’ ”
— JANE GODWIN
“‘This is the book I wish I’d read when I was twelve! Entering high school, dealing with bullies, changing friendships... a turmoil of emotions and a wonderful resilient character to lead us through.’ ”
— BREN MACDIBBLE

The Little Wave

WINNER - CBCA Book of the Year 2020 - Younger Readers 

WINNER - Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards 2020 - 8-10 Years

Shortlisted - 2020 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards - Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature

When a Manly school sets out to bring a country class to the city for a beach visit, three very different kids find each other and themselves.

Noah is fearless in the surf. Being at the beach makes him feel free. So where does his courage go when his best mate pushes him around?

Lottie loves collecting facts about bugs, but she wishes her dad would stop filling their lonely house with junk. She doesn’t know what to do about it.

Jack wants to be a cricket star, but first he has to get to school and look after his little sister. Especially if he wants to go on the class trip and see the ocean for the first time.

  • “ Pip Harry’s words are imbued with hope, and the message that falling down doesn’t mean you never get back up. ”
    — Megan Daley, Children’s Books Daily
  • “ The Little Wave is brilliant. A book for upper primary kids dealing with bullying, coping with loss and having the courage to face the future with hope and optimism. I loved this book! ”
    — Paul Macdonald, The Children's Bookshop
  • “ ‘Pip Harry’s The Little Wave is everything I love and adore about middle-grade fiction. It manages to grapple with genuine challenges and deep emotions in really beautiful ways, and never loses sight of hope in the process.’ ”
    — Danielle Carey, @halfdesertedstreets
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Because of You

Shortlisted - CBCA Book of the Year Awards 2018

Shortlisted - Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2018

Shortlisted - Queensland Literary Awards 2018

Meet Tiny and Nola. Two very different girls with two very different stories who are just trying to find a place to belong. A powerful and compelling novel about friendship, love and acceptance.

Everyone has a story.

Tiny is an eighteen-year-old girl living on the streets in Sydney, running from her small-town past. At a temporary homeless shelter, she meets Nola, a high school student on volunteer placement. Both girls share their love of words through the Hope Lane writing group. Can they share their secrets, too?

Told through the eyes of both Tiny and Nola as they negotiate their way through homelessness, shifting friendships, betrayals, addiction and a little bit of romance, Because of You explores the vastly different coming-of-age stories of two girls who are learning to find their individual strengths.

  • “ Because of You is confronting and sad, but has so much heart and hope that as you wipe away the tears, you smile. ”
    — Alexa Dretzke
  • “ Because of You is a hopeful story about human resilience and the life-changing power of discovering your best friend. ”
    — Books + Publishing
  • “ A powerful coming-of-age story filled with beautiful and heartbreaking moments. ”
    — Gabrielle Tozer, award-winning author of Remind Me How This Ends

Head of the River

Longlisted: State Library of Victoria’s Gold Inky award

Shortlisted: Adelaide Festival Literary awards

It’s the most elite school sporting event in the country. Nine rowers, 2000 gruelling metres and one chance for glory in the ultimate team sport. Sit forward … ROW.

Tall, gifted and the offspring of Olympians, superstar siblings Leni and Cristian Popescu are set to row Harley Grammar to victory in the Head of the River.
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 builds.

As the final moments tick down to the big race, who will make it to the start line? And who will plummet from grace?

An engaging contemporary YA set in the world of competitive school rowing.

  • “ The tension, tragedy, technical background and team dynamics are all exemplary and the characters rise real from the page. ”
    — Adelaide Advertiser
  • “ Flows fast and deep and occasionally treacherous. I loved it. ”
    — Simmone Howell
  • “ If you have a hankering for great new takes on contemporary Australia and strong characterisations, this book is definitely for you! ”
    — Inside a Dog
  • “ The struggles these two teenagers face will speak volumes to readers. ”
    — Books + Publishing

I'll Tell You Mine

Winner: Australian Family Therapists Children’s Literature Award  

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 boarding school setting plus great characters plus plenty of heart definitely equals a great read. ”
    — Bookseller + Publisher
  • “ I loved it. It has three of my favourite ingredients: boarding school, great characters and a lot of heart. ”
    — Melina Marchetta
  • “ It kept me riveted … holding enough back to keep me turning the pages into the wee hours of the night! ”
    — The Big Book Club
  • “ A beautiful debut which expertly captures the struggle to find your identity, fall in love, and survive high school ”
    — Viewpoint