New Releases by Ruth Starke

"On 11 November 1918, after four years of fighting, the Allied powers signed an agreement with Germany to end the Great War and begin peace negotiations. The Armistice, as it was known, took effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, but it was another seven months before peace was finally declared at Versailles on 28 June 1919. The Great War was over. But the world was changed forever."--Back cover.

From the shores of Anzac Cove to the heights of Chunuk Bair, from Cape Helles to Gurkha Bluff, the Gallipoli Peninsula was the place where thousands of men from sixteen nations fought, suffered, endured or died during the eight months of occupation in 1915. For each of them, their families and their nurses, Gallipoli meant something different. Their voices emerge from the landscape and across the decades with stories of courage, valour, despair and loss.

Take the Yukon Express with Captain Congo and his loyal offsider Pug as they travel deep into the great Canadian north-west in pursuit of gold, ghosts and monsters. But who is pursuing our heroes? And what awaits them at the end of their treacherous journey to Klondike Creek? One thing is certain- when Pug mysteriously disappears at an old mining camp it will take more than strange lights, skeletons and a sasquatch to frighten off Captain Congo.

If white boys can''t jump, can Asian kids play cricket? Lan''s fed up with being called a nip. He wants to be a true-blue Aussie. What better way than by playing the greatest Anglo game of all? Lan gathers a team together and defiantly gives it a name: NIPS XI. Now all they have to do is get some equipment, find a coach, get themselves a sponsor and learn the rules of the game. Then it''s time to challenge the best cricket team in the district. A funny, empowering story of cricket and curry, spinners and leggies, that is about overcoming cultural barriers, in sport and in life. Also by Ruth Starke, NIPS GO NATIONAL is the sequel to the bestselling NIPS XI.

In this sequel to the bestselling NIPS XI, the cricket team, together with coach Spinner McGinty, are in Melbourne to compete for the Harmony Cup, and Lan has a lot on his mind: a new star batsman with something to hide, a mystery from Spinner?s past, conflict with his best mate, Izzy, and his fast bowler laid low just before their biggest match ever. Will Lan resolve his problems? Will the Nips get it together in time? Is the Pop Catholic?

Dear old Mrs Tuck has run the school canteen for years. But after a chain of nasty culinary upsets, she gets the chop and a slick new commercial caterer is appointed. Angelo Martinelli, junior private eye, smells a rat – and not just the dead one in the canteen. Is it sabotage, or is it a red herring? Can The Angel get to the bottom of the mystery that has the whole school on the run? Dead Red is a saucy detective story from bestselling author Ruth Starke, full of humour and the kind of explosive jokes that children love.

With the outbreak of war in 1914, best friends Wally and Roy, and new mate Tom, are among the first to enlist. But their great adventure soon turns to disaster. The day after the landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, more than 2000 of their fellow Anzacs are dead and the bold attempt by the Allied commanders to knock the Turks out of the war becomes a stalemate. As the Gallipoli campaign drags on, Wally, Roy and Tom find themselves locked in combat with a formidable enemy, a ferocious landscape, flies, fleas, cold and disease.

Stella''s parents are going overseas for a holiday and Stella is left behind with Granny Bee. Her holidays are looking bleak. But when the fusty old op shop that Granny Bee volunteers at is in danger of being closed down by the council, Stella seizes the chance to give it a makeover and save the day. And with help from a cast of zany community characters, she might just pull it off.

An anthropologist searching for the legendary Treasure House of the Queen of Sheba is missing and Captain Congo is sent by the Agency to Abyssinia to find him. Danger and intrigue lie ahead - just what Captain Congo loves. Also lying in wait, to the dismay of his pintsized assistant, Pug, are mosquitoes, scorpions and the biggest crocodiles in Africa. Will our two heroes be able to pick up the missing professor''s puzzling trail? Read this action packed adventure and see. In the style of Tin Tin this first adventure in the start of a new series by award-winning writer Ruth Starke and talented illustrator and animator, Greg Holfeld, will engage and excite young readers especially boys. Companion to Captain Congo and the Maharaja''s Monkey. To be followed by a new addition to the series in 2011 Captain Congo and the Klondike Gold.

It''s hard being a good pet owner. And when your pet is a Comet fish, and should be swimming around, very fast, but is floating upside down, what can you do? What''s wrong with Thorpey? Is he unhappy? Is it tummy trouble? Only little sister Annie knows for sure.

Thousands of teenagers are employed in today''s job market, but who is writing their story? I, Hailee Moxie, am that writer and this is my employment diary. The ''gap'' year. Hailee Moxie''s ''Escape to Asia'' Access account stands at $129.65. She must join the work force. This involves getting up unnaturally early in the morning, wearing unattractive clothes and being nice to whining customers, all for very small wages. A very funny first-hand account of life at the bottom of the heap.

Jenna reads a weird book about using fish guts as a cure for old age. She tries it on her parents first, but she doesn''t know that fish guts have a very strange effect on humans.

Meeting relatives for the first time isn''t easy. When they speak a different language and seem to be greedy and impatient and, worst of all, run a pretty crummy restaurant, it''s the pits. For Andy and his dad-a former refugee returning for the first time-Vietnam is full of surprises, and their holiday is a time to straighten out some family truths. This new novel by award-winning author Ruth Starke gives voice to a fresh perspective on multiculturalism. ''Ruth Starke''s special talent is her ability to create believable multicultural family relationships. Her stories are full of lively, intelligent, curious children and their supportive, sometimes struggling parents.'' Katharine England, Advertiser.

Rose gets tangled in the life of a mysterious neighbor and discovers the secret of Catland. But when her step-mom threatens to destroy Catland, it''s up to Rose to pounce to the rescue! Our popular series offers a reading buffet for every appetite and skill level. When you dish up just the books kids are ready for, they''ll bite, and grow into voracious readers. The three drool-worthy selections on our menu start with Nibbles, appetizer-sized portions for new readers. Bites give a larger helping of more advanced reading to the kids who are ready for more. Finally, they graduate to full-sized middle grade novels we call Chomps. Dessert, anyone? Each book has a bite taken out of it, indicating its reading level to parents while tipping off kids that they''re in for a real treat. Written by a host of top-notch, award-winning children''s authors!

Rose thinks she''s in for a very boring and lonely summer staying with her dad and his new family. That is, until she meets a mysterious neighbour and discovers the secret of Catland . . .

Hilly writes to the new Queen about her brother Gregory (Egg) and the cruelty in her orphanage but is convinced that the stern Mother Joseph has confiscated the Queen?s answer to her letter, so Hilly concocts a daring plan to meet her when she visits Australia.

Humorous crime novel for children aged 10-14 years. The final day of year 12 at Paradise Park High - also known as ''Muck-Up Day'' - is traditionally one of mischief and misbehaviour. So when a burglary occurs, it is difficult to know who to blame. That is, until student Angelo Martinelli and his team get on the case. Author is a teacher at Flinders University whose other titles include ''Dead Red'' and ''NIPS XI'', winner of the Honour Book title at the 2001 CBCA Awards.

Novel for younger readers. Struggling in the shadow of her genius siblings, Flora is determined to find something to shine at. So, she enters the Junior Popstars Quest and comes face-to-face with deadly backstabbing. Author has previously written ''Dead Red'' and the 2001 CBC Honour Book ''NIPS XI''.

Novel for primary school-aged children in the Takeaway series. After 113 years Saddler Street School is going to be closed down. Over the decades it has taught hundreds of migrant children including Sam Papamanos in 1937 and Sim Van Le in 1996. Sim has a plan to save the school, enlisting the help of fellow students. Author teaches English at Flinders University in Adelaide and is deputy chair of the South Australian Writers'' Centre. Previous novels include the awarded ''NIPS X1''and ''The Twist in the Tale''.

A history of the festival known as Adelaide Writer''s Week and the people who have taken part in it over the last forty years.

A school project on ageing has Gemma seriously worried about how old her parents are looking, until she discovers a recipe for eternal youth. But when her experiments start to go wrong, she learns tht the secret of living forever comes at a terrible price

A debutante ball: old-fashioned and sexist, or a memorable way to celebrate the final year of school? The students of Freemont College discover that coming out means different things to different people.

A teenage girl becomes involved with a boy with a troubled past and his obsession drives him to dangerous actions.