New Releases by TONY ABBOTT

From convict colony to great democracy Australia is one of the world''s great success stories: a land long hidden from outsiders, chosen as a convict dumping ground, where - since 1788 - people from many backgrounds have built one of the most free, fair and prosperous countries on earth. By the standards of a harsher time, the early governors tried to respect the original inhabitants and to encourage the outcasts of the British Isles to make a new start to a better life. This Indigenous heritage, British foundation and immigrant character have shaped the land of the ''fair go'' especially for those willing to ''have a go''. It''s not perfect, even now, yet mostly we have a history to be proud of. Within a century of settlement, Australia had not only the world''s highest standard of living but had become a global pioneer for democratic freedoms such as the secret ballot, the payment of MPs and voting rights for women. A country largely created by settlement and negotiation has evolved from ''White Australia'' at the time of federation into one of the world''s most colour-blind societies and has managed the transition from an old ''Anglo'' identity to a civic patriotism based on an overriding commitment to Australia. This book is intended to give anyone interested - as every Australian should be - an account of our past that''s positive, while not oblivious to our mistakes and imperfections as a nation. If to be an Australian is still to have won the lottery of life, the history that''s produced us is surely something to savour.

Perfect for fans of Gary D. Schmidt comes the companion to the modern classic Firegirl from acclaimed writer Tony Abbott. Life hasn''t been great for Jeff Hicks. After years at his beloved St. Catherine''s, he''s forced to spend eighth grade in the public middle school, which he hates. He''s no longer speaking to his former best friend, Tom Bender, because of "that burned girl" Jessica Feeney. But worst of all, his family is changing, and it''s not for the better. When his mom comes home announcing that she''s lost her job, Jeff begins to worry about things far beyond his years: How will they pay the rent? Will his absentee dad step up and save the day? Is his mom drinking too much? And ultimately, where will they live? The Great Jeff is a powerful look at the life of a troubled boy who finds his life spiraling out of control.

Written by award-winning author Tony Abbott and perfect for fans of The Ethan I Was Before and The Thing About Jellyfish, this bittersweet middle grade novel follows the ghost of Denis Egan as he teams up with his living twin brother to solve the mystery of his death. Denis Egan is dead. He’s okay with that. It’s been five years since he died, and the place where souls go is actually pretty nice. Sure, there are some things about his life and how it ended he can’t quite recall, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Remembering could prevent Denis from moving on to whatever’s next. However, something is standing in his way. His twin brother Matt can’t let go of him, and as long as the living are holding on to his memory, Denis can’t rest in peace. To uncover the truth about what happened that day five years before, Denis returns to his hometown and teams up with Matt. But visiting for too long has painful consequences for Denis, and Matt’s renewed interest in his brother’s passing is driving a wedge between his still-grieving parents. Can the two boys solve the mystery of Denis’s death without breaking apart the family he’s left behind?

Think your town is weird? Step into Grover''s Mill—known to the local kids as the "Weird Zone"—from the award-winning author of the Secrets of Droon series. There''s no place like home. Seriously, there''s no place like the bizarre town of Grover''s Mill, home to friends Liz, Holly, Sean, Jeff, and Mike—but also to aliens, monsters, dinosaurs, giant robots, and a potato capable of mind control. It could have something to do with the location—in the middle of a triangle containing a secret UFO testing base, a dinosaur burial ground, and a cheesy horror movie studio. Whatever the reason, enter at your own risk . . . Zombie Surf Commandos from Mars!: When disgusting alien zombies start rising from the lake, Holly, Liz, and Jeff must escape—or their brains will become an afternoon snack. The Incredible Shrinking Kid!: After a blast of purple light zaps Holly''s brother, Sean—shrinking him to four inches—the friends need to make sure he doesn''t end up in an evil toy-store owner''s collection. The Beast from Beneath the Cafeteria!: Liz and her friends battle a dinosaur with a craving for junk food—and an appetite for destruction. Attack of the Alien Mole Invaders!: Not to make a mountain out of a molehill—but a colony of giant moles from outer space has tunneled under Grover''s Mill. With the help of a secret government invention, Jeff and Holly must stop them in their tracks. The Brain That Wouldn''t Obey!: Mike is sure he''s going to win the school science fair with his potato-powered radio, "Potadio." But when his invention is electrocuted to life and takes over the minds of the teachers and students, it''s boy vs. spud. Gigantopus from Planet X!: When Sean and Holly must battle a gigantic robot octopus controlled by an evil alien, it sucks big-time. Cosmic Boy Versus Mezmo Head!: After an alien blasts Jeff with an X-ray on his way to audition for his school''s outer space version of The Wizard of Oz, his favorite childhood toy, a Cosmic Boy space helmet, gets stuck on his head. The space invader has his own mind-controlling Mezmo head helmet, and now the two will butt heads . . . or, uh, helmets. Revenge of the Tiki Men!: There''s no time to lounge around—huge Tiki heads with a grudge against Grover''s Mill are turning the town back into a jungle. It''s up to the kids to fend off a total disaster.

When two sixth-grade friends magically enter classic literary books, their fun-filled adventures are "a treat for reluctant readers" ( School Library Journal). They just didn''t want to read the books! Instead, through their school library''s magic security gates, sixth graders Devin and Frankie—short for Francine—are zapped into great works of literature and new worlds of adventure, including Dracula, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Around the World in Eighty Days, A Christmas Carol, Treasure Island, and Romeo and Juliet. "The message that reading is important and can be fun comes through loud and clear" ( School Library Journal). Trapped in Transylvania: Transported into Bram Stoker''s vampire classic, the sarcastic sixth graders will need a few stakes, a lot of garlic, and a sharp sense of humor to defeat the bloodthirsty Count Dracula. Mississippi River Blues: These modern middle schoolers learn being a troublemaker is timeless, as they whitewash a fence, run away from home, solve a murder, become pirates, and search for hidden treasure along with Tom and Huck, the original slackers. What a Trip!: When you can travel into books, going around the world is easy. In the company of mad explorer Phileas Fogg, Devin and Frankie embark on a round-the-world journey by train, ship, and hot air balloon. Humbug Holiday: For two sixth graders who feel about school the way Scrooge feels about Christmas, an enchanted trip into Charles Dickens''s tale is just what their spirits need. X Marks the Spot: Devin and Frankie become marooned middle schoolers when they are swept away to Treasure Island and must match wits with legendary pirate Long John Silver. Crushing on a Capulet: Devin and Frankie try to save star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet when they find themselves in Shakespeare''s classic play.

Owen and his best friend, Sean, are both eleven years old. They''ve lived on Cape Cod all their lives, and now that they''re a little older, they''ll finally be free to spend some time on their own. But Sean''s mother has a different idea—she hires a babysitter to look after Sean. Paul is in his twenties, and a well-liked guy from church. Paul starts doing things that just feel wrong. Because they''ve always been as close as brothers, Sean tells Owen, and no one else. What''s not certain to Owen is what he should do. Sean warns him not to tell anyone what is happening. But if Owen doesn''t tell, could something even worse happen to Sean? This harrowing and sensitively told tale of child abuse is a must-read for anyone who might ever be called upon to help a friend in need. This title has Common Core connections.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Keeah, Julie, and Neal are determined to find a cure for the poison that transformed Eric into the evil Prince Ungast. Their quest takes them to a lost empire deep in the desert, where the mischievous Sand Children are hiding a magical elixir that may hold the secret to Eric''s recovery. But the journey is filled with danger, for Gethwing is determined to stop them. And the Moon Dragon has a powerful new henchman at his disposal: Lord Sparr. . .

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Oh no! The secret of Droon is a secret no longer. Eric''s mother knows about the rainbow staircase . . . and what''s worse, so does Gethwing. The Moon Dragon has sent his minions to the Upper World to search for a magical object that could give him power over all of Droon. Now no place is safe from Gethwing''s dark magic. . . .

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! The home of Khan, king of the Lumpies, has been ransacked! A treacherous band of thieves, the Rat-faced Snitchers of Zoop, has stolen a mysterious treasure that the Lumpies had vowed to protect. Now Eric, Neal, Julie, and Keeah must pursue the Snitchers back to their hideaway on the edge of the Dark Lands. But they are not alone. For Ko, the kids'' most fearsome enemy, is after the treasure, too. Can Eric and his friends find it before the king of beasts?

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! There''s no place like home! Eric and his friends have finally restored the Rainbow Stairs, but that was the easy part. Now Gethwing is loose in the Upper World, and the Moon Dragon is causing big trouble. Eric, Julie, and Neal have to protect their town, but they''re up against mysterious creatures, strangely-behaving parents, and powerful magic. Can the kids stop Gethwing before he destroys the Upper World -- for good?

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! There''s only one passage between the Upper World and Droon -- the magical rainbow staircase. At least, that''s what Eric and his friends have always believed. But now Ko and his beasts are attacking Zorfendorf Castle, a magical fortress that''s hiding a huge secret: the Fifth River, another passage to the Upper World. Ko will do anything to get to the river -- and to the Upper World. And Eric, Julie, Neal, and Keeah will do anything to stop him!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Ko''s beasts have taken over Doobesh, a dangerous city full of thieves and pirates. Now they''re hard at work at the magical forge in the nearby Dark Lands, creating powerful armor that will make them unstoppable. That is, unless Eric and his friends destroy the armor first. The race is on! Can the kids beat the beasts, flatten the forge, and dash out of the Dark Lands in time? On your mark . . . get set . . . GO!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Neal, Julie, and Keeah are on a quest to find the wizard Galen and his all-powerful Moon Medallion. But this is no ordinary mission, for the Moon Medallion is hidden in no ordinary place. It''s somewhere in Ut, a magical city in a bottle that only appears once every one hundred years.Fortunately, as a genie, Neal can travel through time. But he''ll need a little help from his fellow genies to find the Medallion. To prove himself, he must complete seven difficult trials. Will he pass the genies'' test in time to save Galen?

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Eric and his friends have faced off against Lord Sparr time and time again. They''ve befriended him as Kid Sparr and battled him as an ancient sorcerer. Now the Lord Sparr they know so well is back at the height of his power. And this time, he''s telling his own story.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Keeah, a junior wizard, has always dreamed of the day she would receive her Wizardbook. So when her mother presents her first one, Keeah is overjoyed. But what she doesn''t realize is how very powerful and dangerous a Wizardbook can be. If she isn''t careful, she might accidentally destroy the entire kingdom of Droon! Keeah will need the help of her friends, Eric, Julie, and Neal, along with Max the Spider Troll, to keep her on the right path...For the first time ever readers get to hear Keeah''s point of view as she tells readers about the exciting adventures and wondrous magic of Droon!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Cats don''t bark. They meow. Or at least they did before Eric used Droonian magic in the Upper World. When he cast a spell with the wand of Urik, everything got messed up - now weird stuff, like barking cats, are all over!Eric and his friends hurry down the magic staircase only to find more trouble. Earthquakes have rocked Droon; and Galen''s under a nasty spell. Time for some back-up! The brave Knights of Silversnow could help, but they''re in a deep sleep in the Ice Hills. The knights have the power to make things right again, but only if the wand of Urik has the power to wake them up.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Forget Frosty... there''s a new snowman tromping through Droon! An ancient snow beast named Murn has woken up from a deep sleep, and he is NOT a morning person. In fact, Murn is destroying villages all over Droon! Eric and his friends must journey up north to the mysterious ice caves to stop the beast. Finding the cave entrance is tricky, but that''s nothing compared to what they find deep inside. Surprise! The "ice beast" is not at all what they expected...

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! A new villain is running wild in Droon. Princess Salamandra is on a hunt for the flying Dragon Ship. Eric, Neal, and Julie must find it first, before Salamandra uses it to it try and take over the world! Only problem is that the ship is in pieces, and they are hidden in different places throughout Droon. It''s a scavenger hunt like no other - because magic can be found around every corner....

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Eric is tossing and turning in his sleep! And his wild dream can only mean one thing - he is being called back to the land of Droon. But when Eric, Julie, and Neal step off the rainbow stairs, they find that something is very wrong in their magical world. Someone has been stealing people''s dreams! And the kingdom of Droon is getting awfully tired of it. So now it''s up to our friends to stop this dream thief, before he becomes a serious nightmare...

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Move over, Lord Sparr-there''s a new bad guy in town. Prince Maliban is the creepy ruler of the Turtle City. And Maliban''s mysterious mask maker, Hob is crafting an awesome new mask. The mask is very cool but very powerful. So Eric, Neal, and Julie have to make sure the mask doesn''t fall into the wrong hands otherwise, it could mean serious trouble for Droon.

The Singapore Lecture Series was inaugurated in 1980 by the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute (formerly Institute of Southeast Asian Studies) with a founding endowment from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and augmented by generous donation in 1983 from Exxon Mobil Asia Pacific. The Singapore Lecture is designed to provide the opportunity for distinguished statesmen, scholars, and writers and other similarly highly qualified individuals specializing in banking and commerce, international economics and finance and philosophical and world strategic affairs to visit Singapore. The presence of such eminent personalities will allow Singaporeans, especially the younger executive and decision-makers in both the public and private sectors, to have the benefit of exposure to — through the Lecture, televised discussions, and private consultations — leaders of thought and knowledge in various fields, thereby enabling them to widen their experience and perspectives. On 29 June 2015, the 35th Singapore Lecture was delivered by The Honourable Tony Abbott MP, Prime Minister of Australia under the distinguished Chairmanship of Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, Singapore.

Travel deeper into the mysterious world of the Copernicus Legacy with the Copernicus Archives: exciting, fast-paced novellas that get you close to the characters and the heart of the adventure. The Copernicus Archives #2: Becca and the Prisoner''s Cross is studious language expert Becca''s thrilling first-person account of the next stop in the Kaplans'' perilous journey. As Becca and her family race through London, it''s up to Becca to make sense of the strange time blackouts she''s experiencing before the evil Teutonic Order beats them to the next relic. Or worse, hurts the people she loves. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson, Becca and the Prisoner''s Cross continues the thrilling Copernicus Legacy quest and brings one of the characters into the spotlight. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Somebody has robbed the Lumpies'' village! And it can''t be Lord Sparr - because he has mysteriously disappeared. The rumor is that a terrible beast is behind the crime. So Eric, Julie and Neal set off with Khan and Princess Keeah to find the creature. Instead they find a big surprise!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Aha! Lord Sparr has put Princess Keeah under a magic spell. Eric, Julie, and Neal can help her if they go to the Land of the Lost. But only ghosts live there. And if they don''t get out soon, the kids will turn into ghosts themselves!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Oops! Julie made a big mistake when she brought a bracelet home from Droon. Now she''s upset the balance between worlds-and strange things are starting to happen. Eric''s dad has disappeared into Droon. And Lord Sparr himself might march into Eric''s basement with the help of his Golden Wasp!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Eric, Julie, and Neal have just found something magic in Eric''s basement. They have discovered a staircase to another world! The world of Droon is amazing - full of magic, flying lizards, and fun, furry creatures. But how will Eric, Julie, and Neal find their way home? Maybe their new friend, Princess Keeah, can help?

In this hardcover storybook with foil on the cover, Peppa and her friends imagine the different jobs they could have when they grow up.

Sixth graders Devin and Frankie try to save star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet when they''re magically transported into Shakespeare''s classic play. When their teacher assigns Devin and Frankie—short for Francine—the lead roles in their class production of Romeo and Juliet, the two best friends aren''t thrilled. How are they supposed to say their lines when they don''t even sound like they were written in English? Luckily, the library''s magic security gates come to their rescue again, and they leap into Shakespeare''s famous tragedy. Unfortunately, they land right in the middle of a sword fight between two warring families, the Montagues and the Capulets. When they find out that Romeo Montague has fallen in love with Juliet Capulet, Devin and Frankie decide it''s up to them to make sure this unlikely couple lives happily ever after. But can they change the book''s tragic end and save the young lovers from their fate? "The message that reading is important and can be fun comes through loud and clear," writes School Library Journal about the Cracked Classics series. "The short chapters make this an ideal read-aloud and a treat for reluctant readers."

For two sixth graders who feel about school the way Scrooge feels about Christmas, a magical trip into Dickens''s tale is just what their spirits need. It''s Christmastime at Palmdale Middle School, and the sixth grade class has organized a holiday banquet for local families in need. Best friends Devin and Frankie—short for Francine—are excited to eat, but they forgot to bring in food donations. They also didn''t read A Christmas Carol for Mr. Wexler''s English class. While the two fight over the school''s last copy, the library''s magic security gates suddenly transport them straight into Charles Dickens''s timeless tale, where they come face to face with grouchy Ebenezer Scrooge, who''s about to get a wake-up call from some ghosts on Christmas Eve. As the ghosts show the stingy Scrooge the consequences of all the selfish choices he''s made in life, Devin and Frankie come to realize that they too have a few things to learn about kindness and generosity. Reluctant readers "Devin and Frankie are wisecracking underachievers and their characterizations and dialogue ring true" in Tony Abbott''s Cracked Classics series ( School Library Journal).

Huge Tiki heads with a grudge against Grover''s Mill are turning the town back into a jungle—it''s the Weird Zone''s weirdest trouble yet! All Mike and his friends want to do is play a game of baseball on their first day of summer vacation. But when Liz gets up to bat, home plate begins to shake. Suddenly, five odd-looking men carrying long sticks appear in the middle of the field. When they bang their sticks on the ground, Grover''s Mill turns into a jungle, and giant Tiki heads start popping out of the earth. Even worse, these evil Tiki heads are out for revenge against Grover''s Mill! An ancient prophecy predicts that the Tiki heads will destroy Grover''s Mill. The kids must find a way to prevent it from coming true—and then turn back time. But the Tiki heads seem too powerful to beat. Can the kids save the day before they get trapped in the past?