Most Popular Books by TONY ABBOTT

New introduction on why good policy matters and why books debating big policy ideas matter. Abbott argues the battle of ideas helps ensure political parties come to power knowing who they are, what they stand for, what the impact of the policies might be and how they can best be implemented. Good policy is 1% headline and 99% implementation — a lesson Labor has failed to heed. Liberal Party leader and parliamentary pugilist Tony Abbott offers a frank analysis of the way forward for the Liberal Party. Here he draws lessons from the dying days of the Howard Government, and gives his views on his contemporaries, including Kevin Rudd, Peter Costello, Julia Gillard and Malcolm Turnbull. In Battlelines, Abbott looks at the values and instincts that drive the Liberal Party and proposes policy that the party should adopt. This is the often humorous story of his own political development. He describes the truth about politicians'' lives; his ''days from hell''; insider moments from the halls of power; and how a would-be priest believed he had fathered an unknown son. Battlelines outlines a state of play for the Liberal Party, cementing Tony Abbott''s reputation as one of the Liberal Party''s most interesting thinkers and fearless advocates.

The Danger Guys find themselves in a real-life scary movie, and the ending is up to them It’s Halloween, and best friends Noodle and Zeek have decided to make a horror movie in honor of the holiday. To show the boys how real films are made, Zeek’s family takes them to Paragon, the oldest studio in Hollywood. During the tour, a huge lightning storm separates Noodle and Zeek from the rest of the group. The two boys suddenly find themselves in a world of famous sets and exciting props. It’s the perfect location for their own movie! But it turns out that Paragon Studio has more than a little danger—and not just the staged kind. The lightning damaged the studio’s central control center, and all the electronic props are now going crazy. Noodle and Zeek must battle an evil robot, a sneezing dinosaur, and a deadly mummy in order to find and warn Zeek’s family. Little do they know that Zeek’s family is also under attack! With some luck and a lot of movie drama, the Danger Guys show Paragon Studio what real heroes look like. Danger Guys: Hollywood Halloween on Ice is the 3rd book in Danger Guys, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

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.

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!

This poignant novel about a boy''s friendship with a burn victim is perfect for fans of R. J. Palacio''s Wonder From the moment Jessica arrives, life is never quite the same for Tom and his seventh-grade classmates. They learn that Jessica has been in a fire and was badly burned, and will be attending St. Catherine''s will receiving medical treatments. Despite her appearance and the fear she evokes in him and most of the class, Tom slowly develops a tentative friendship with Jessica that changes his life. This quietly powerful novel demonstrates that a small gesture can make a huge impact in someone''s life.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Zoom! It seems like all of Droon is competing in the Quest! And Princess Keeah wants to win the prize, since it might break the magic spell on her mother. But some people aren''t playing fair. Can Eric, Neal, and Julie stop the other racers from stealing a victory?

She died today. One phone call changes Jason''s summer vacation-and life!-forever. When Jason''s grandmother dies, he''s sent down to her home in Florida to help his father clean out her things. At first he gripes about spending his summer miles away from his best friend, doing chores, and sweating in the Florida heat, but he soon discovers a mystery surrounding his grandmother''s murky past. An old, yellowed postcard...a creepy phone call with a raspy voice at the other end asking, "So how smart are you?"...an entourage of freakish funeral goers....a bizarre magazine story. All contain clues that will send him on a thrilling journey to uncover family secrets. Award-winning author Tony Abbott weaves an intriguing and entertaining mystery of adventure, friendship and family.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Lord Sparr is back... and meaner than ever! This time, he is in search of the Coiled Viper, an ancient magical object of unknown, incredible power. Princess Keeah and her Upper World friends - Eric, Neal, and Julie - know they have to stop Sparr from uncovering the Viper. But there''s one little catch. The Viper can''t be found in Droon... because it''s hidden somewhere in the Upper World!

A gripping middle-grade novel from an award-winning author about a boy who must figure out how to save his best friend from abuse.

Fans of Dav Pilkey''s The Adventures of Ook and Glook and Patricia Reilly Giff''s ZigZag Kids will flock to this chapter-book mystery series full of slapstick humor and silly situations by the wildly popular Tony Abbott, author of the Secrets of Droon series. Jeff, Brian, Mara, and Kelly are self-proclaimed goofballs. Since first grade these friends have been solving mystery among their schoolmates etc and now their reputation is expanding. Rich kid Randall Crandall''s horse, Thunder, goes missing and he calls upon the Goofballs to find him. Deciphering the clues that range from a flower delivery truck, a thunderstorm and a horse who''s afraid of thunder, leads the Goofballs to recover missing Thunder, the flower-loving horse. In the meantime, they follow a trail of chomped-up flowers, disguise themselves as bushes in a florist shop and spend some time in a house that''s bigger than the White House.

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?

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?

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?

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! The city of Ut is a city of secrets. Mysteriously, it only appears once every one hundred years. And to enter, you need the key, which is kept in the magical bottle of Ut. Eric, Keeah, and the others need to get inside the city to help a friend. The good genie, Hoja, is being held prisoner there, and he needs rescuing! They have discovered the secret of the magic bottle, and so they know they can get inside the city walls. But what they don''t know is that Ut holds other secrets. Dark, dangerous secrets. Secrets that involve a certain sorcerer named Sparr...

All Jeff wanted was a part in the school play, but now he has to be a real hero . . . It’s hard to be a normal kid in the Weird Zone! Jeff Ryan wants to play the Wizard in his school’s outer-space version of The Wizard of Oz. To help with his audition, Jeff plans to bring his favorite childhood toy: a Cosmic Boy Space Helmet. But the Weird Zone seems to have other plans. On Jeff’s way to school, a strange man with an even stranger face blasts him with an X-ray, and Jeff’s Cosmic Boy helmet gets stuck on his head. He soon discovers that the man is actually an alien who plans to take over the world with his own mind-controlling Mezmo Head helmet! But the alien is not the only one with a supernatural weapon. Jeff’s helmet gives him amazing powers, and now Cosmic Boy must save the world!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Ko is back in power -- and nothing in Droon is safe! His beasts have found a lightning-powered submarine hidden in the secret Fortress of the Treasure Queen. Now Eric and his friends have to stop Ko before he destroys Jaffa City. But first they''ll need help from their worst enemy -- Lord Sparr. If he can be trusted . . . .

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...

Neal, Julie, and Keeah set out for the magical city of Ut, which appears in a bottle once every one hundred years, in order to retrieve the Moon Medallion.

Fans of Dav Pilkey''s The Adventures of Ook and Glook and Patricia Reilly Giff''s ZigZag Kids will flock to this chapter-book mystery series full of slapstick humor and silly situations by the wildly popular Tony Abbott, author of the Secrets of Droon series. The Badger Point School is holding a talent show, and the Goofballs - sleuths Jeff Bunter, Mara Lubin, Kelly Smitts, and Brian Rooney - are set to be its stars. That is if the show even happens, with problems and mysteries at every turn. A giant pink tuba goes missing, the costumes are all the wrong size, and the talent show''s director disappears before the cast''s eyes. Good thing that the Goofballs are expert detectives. Funny, punny, and full of fun, this latest case in the Goofballs series will be eagerly devoured by old and new fans, alike.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Galen''s in trouble! He''s disappeared into the evil land of Goll, and it''s up to Eric, Julie, Neal, and Keeah to help him. The Wand of Urik is the powerful tool Galen needs. But the Wand''s been missing for years. The only way to find it is by studying the powerful words of The Moon Scroll, an ancient chronicle of Droon history. Everyone knows that the Scroll holds mysterious secrets. And following its clues to the Wand of the Urik is sure to be cool. But no one has any idea just how exciting the journey will be - until the Moon Scroll leads them back through time!

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.

Fans of Dav Pilkey''s The Adventure of Ook and Gluke and Patricia Reilly Giff''s ZigZag Kids series will flock to this chapter book series full of slapstick humor and silly situations by the wildly popular Tony Abbott, author of The Secrets of Droon Series. When the Goofballs--Jeff, Brian, Mara, and Kelly--hear about a house that might be haunted, where someone disappeared years before, it sounds like the perfect case for them to solve on Halloween. But they''ll need their best sleuthing skills and, of course, the help of the Goofdog, because this may be their silliest--and scariest--mystery yet.

Fans of Dav Pilkey''s The Adventures of Ook and Glook and Patricia Reilly Giff''s ZigZag Kids will flock to this chapter-book mystery series full of slapstick humor and silly situations by the wildly popular Tony Abbott, author of the Secrets of Droon series. Jeff, Mara, Brian, and Kelly are Goofballs and proud of it. Goofball private eyes. Together, they solve mysteries. How do they discover the truth? They use funny disguises, nutty inventions, and their secret weapon: Sparky the Goofdog! Objects have been disappearing from Ms. Becker''s kindergarten classroom - blocks, an easel, even the class goldfish! Luckily, the Goofballs are ready to go undercover to help their former teacher learn the truth. But posing as teachers is hard work, especially when the entire class may be as smart as Kelly, as observant as Jeff, as creative as Mara, and as goofy as Brian. Everyone''s a suspect, and every time the Goofballs turn their backs, something else vanishes. Soon, the whole classroom will be gone! Have the Goofballs been out-goofed? These young sleuths have never failed so solve a case, and they don''t intend to start now!

Bestselling author Tony Abbott’s YA novel-in-verse is an unflinching and heartbreaking look at a boy’s junk-filled life, and the ways he finds redemption and hope, perfect for fans of The Crossover and Long Way Down. Junk. That’s what the kids at school call Bobby Lang, mostly because his rundown house looks like a junkyard, but also because they want to put him down. Trying desperately to live under the radar at school—and at the home he shares with his angry, neglectful father—Bobby develops a sort of proud loneliness. The only buffer between him and the uncaring world is his love of the long, wooded trail between school and home. Life grinds along quietly and hopelessly for Bobby until he meets Rachel. Rachel is an artist who sees him in a way no one ever has. Maybe it’s because she has her own kind of junk, and a parent who hates what Rachel is: gay. Together the two embark on journeys to clean up the messes that fill their lives, searching against all odds for hope and redemption. Narrated in Bobby’s unique voice in arresting free verse, this novel will captivate readers right from its opening lines, urging them on page after page, all the way to its explosive conclusion.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Lord Sparr has found a new weapon to use against the city of Droon. He''s woken up a mean old giant that will now obey his every command! It''s a good thing Eric, Julie, and Neal are around to help their friends try to stop Lord Sparr. It''s a giant job, but somebody''s got to do it!

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.

When a wicked ancient sorcerer named Shadowface vows to wake the infamous Warriors of the Skorth to aid Ko''s army of beasts, Eric, Julie, Neal, and Keeah must pursue him through the treacherous Dark Lands to stop him.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Everything in Droon is changing. Lord Sparr has disappeared. Ko and Gethwing have fled to the Dark Lands. And an old villain is back -- Ving, leader of the Hawk Bandits! This time, he has his twin sister in tow, along with her band of wicked pirates. Arrrg! They''re snatching magical stones from all over Droon, and using them to build an enchanted passageway that will transport nasty dragons from the past into the present. Can Eric and his friends put a stop to the pirates? Or will they be lost at sea?

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Magic is on the move... into the real world. As Eric and his friends venture beyond the jeweled door and down the dark stairway, they enter a whole new chapter in their Droon adventures. They enter the "Upper World" -- our world. In this exciting special edition, for the first time ever, the magical world of Droon is expanding into the real world. Wizards, goblins, and all kinds of magical mischief are in store -- and this time, it''s not just a wonder of Droon. It''s a reality.

Fans of Dav Pilkey''s The Adventures of Ook and Glook and Patricia Reilly Giff''s ZigZag Kids will flock to this chapter-book mystery series full of slapstick humor and silly situations by the wildly popular Tony Abbott, author of the Secrets of Droon series. The Goofballs Jeff, Brian, Mara and Kelly, haven''t had a mystery to solve in a while, so they help decorate for the 100th Anniversary of Badger Point school celebration. The new statue of the first principal is being unveiled at the party but the statue has disappeared. With clues like a skateboard in a piano, a broken pencil, a scrap of paper that smells like chlorine, and a climbing rope hung differently than the others, the Goofballs solve their goofiest mystery yet.

Bobby and his family are visiting Civil War battlefields on the eve of the war''s centenary, while inside their car, quiet battles rage. When an accident cuts their trip short, they return home on a bus and witness an incident that threatens to deny a black family seats. What they don''t know is the reason for the family''s desperation to be on that bus: a few towns away, their child is missing. Lunch-Box Dream presents Jim Crow, racism, and segregation from multiple perspectives. In this story of witnessing without understanding, a naïvely prejudiced boy, in brief flashes of insight, starts to identify and question his assumptions about race.

Can Noodle and Zeek stop international treasure hunters and rescue their town? The Danger Guys are at it again! During a trip to the beach, best friends Noodle and Zeek try to relax and have a quiet, danger-free afternoon. But trouble follows these boys wherever they go. Before they know it, Noodle and Zeek find themselves stranded on a sinking boat in the middle of the ocean. To escape, the boys jump on a surfboard and ride a giant wave to a nearby island. The island is where their town’s founder, Captain May, was shipwrecked hundreds of years ago. Noodle and Zeek soon discover that treasure hunters are on the island, searching for Captain May’s lost gold. But to find it, the hunters are going to blow the ship out of the water, which would cause a tidal wave big enough to destroy Mayville! With some quick thinking—and a little bit of help from some old friends—the boys fight to save their town from disaster. Danger Guys Hit the Beach is the 4th book in Danger Guys, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Noodle and Zeek team up again to beat an evil scientist and save their school When best friends Noodle and Zeek get on a rocket ride at the carnival, they have no idea that they are about to be blasted into danger. The rocket turns out to be real, and when Noodle and Zeek crash-land, they are sucked into a secret laboratory under Mayville School. There they find their old science teacher Mr. Vazny—who’s about to blow it up! The boys must snap into action to stop Vazny from going through with his evil plan. But to do so, they must defeat a giant robot, learn to fly the rocket, and defuse the bomb before it’s too late. Can Noodle and Zeek save their school in time? The boys have their work cut out for them in this exciting Danger Guys adventure. Danger Guys Blast Off is the 2nd book in Danger Guys, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Brrr! Jaffa City is under a spell of ice and snow. Even Galen the wizard is frozen solid! Eric, Julie, Neal, and Princess Keeah have to figure out a way to break Lord Sparr''s curse. But they better hurry or they might get frozen, too.

Eric, Julie, Neal, and Neal''s dog Snorky return to Droon when a magical earthquake restores the lost city of Tarsoom, which is inhabited by fierce bandits who are half human and half bird of prey.