Tags:

Read topics

Read articles

New Titles - books at the library

Sporty New Zealand fiction

Slide the corner  by Fleur Beale 
When Greg stands up to his father and achieves his dream of becoming a rally driver, he proves to his parents that he can be as successful as his more academic brother and sister.
coverPlaying to win  by Fleur Beale
Denny Logan's feeling left out of the "in crowd". It wouldn't be so bad at his new school if Alice didn't completely ignore him. Then there's Todd, full of testosterone and false bravado. The only thing worth focusing on is rugby and making the first fifteen.
Home Run  by Paula Boock
Bryony had never thought of herself as privileged until she began her new school. The rules are different, even in softball, and Bryony wishes to become popular, but at what expense?
Road Warriors  by A.G. Bunn
When Ben Starr, famous triathlete, falls off his bike at the sight of the beautiful Carla, he and his son Sam end up trying to save Carla's daughter Zoe from the clutches of the Fat Detective.
coverTalking to Adam by Sarah Ell
Katie is 16, right into sailing, school friends, and even more importantly boyfriends. In Katie's world a bit of weight loss is a good thing, a bit of hair loss and fatigue explainable, until she discovers she has Hodgkins disease.
The name of the game by David Hill  
New Zealand is being torn apart by a rugby tour. Rugby-playing Alan Randall and his mates think the South African rugby team should tour. Donna Ostler and her weird friends think not. They want to stop the tour, by marches, protests, even by invading the grounds. Before long New Zealand, including Alan and his friends, is almost at war.
coverTime out by David Hill
Imagine yourself thrown into a life that seems like yours, but isn't. Your friends aren't quite the same, your teachers are slightly different. This is what happens to Kit, one minute he's running down Jackson Road by himself, the next he finds himself training with his school cross country team and their coach. Even his home isn't where he remembers it, and his parents…
Juggling with mandarins by V.M. Jones
Thirteen-year-old Pip finds a talent he never dreamed he had. He pursues his new passion in secret, determined it will remain one area of his life his domineering dad can't touch. But it can't stay secret forever. Somehow, Pip must find the courage to confront his father and claim the right to live his life on his own terms.
The wave rider by Graeme Lay
Justine finds life in a small New Zealand town totally boring and dull until the arrival of Carl, a blond, tanned surfer from California. This is the story of their developing relationship and the impact it has on Justine’s life and future.
High tide by Anna McKenzie
“If we’d known how things would turn out, none of us would have signed up in the first place. But then they say it’s always easy to see in hindsight what you have done differently. And I guess none of it would have happened if we hadn’t all been hankering for a bit of adventure …”

The Alex Books - Tessa Duder

Alex
Fifteen-year-old Alex struggles to overcome personal trauma and hardship as she competes with her arch rival for a place on the New Zealand swimming team participating in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.
Alex in Winter
Tragedy has entered Alex’s life and during the long winter she tries to cope with grief and understanding about her future. But this time the battle is within herself — and something only Alex can win.
coverAlessandra: Alex in Rome
As a member of the New Zealand swimming team, fifteen-year-old Alex gets her first taste of independence as she faces the challenges of competition in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.
Songs for Alex
Returning from the Rome Olympics, Alex has to pass University Entrance, decide whether to take a swimming scholarship and is offered the chance to audition for the part of Saint Joan in a play.