Alive in the Death Zone - Lincoln Hall

Recommended for all ages.

On the 25th of May 2006, Australian mountaineer Lincoln Hall achieved his dream of reaching the summit of Everest. 100 metres down from the summit everything went wrong. Hall developed cerebral oedema, colloquially known as high-altitude sickness, and was left for dead on the face of Everest.

On the 26th of May 2006, Lincoln Hall became the only person in history to survive a night out on Everest, camping without either a tent or sleeping bag.

Alive in the Death Zone is the young adults version of Hall's story, however the stunning photography makes it interesting for readers of all ages. In this book you will discover so much about Everest and its early climbers, as well as how Hall managed to survive when so many other climbers do not.

This book is a brilliant pictorial reference book on the subject of Everest (and Hall in particular) for all ages to enjoy.

PS. Hall is returning to Everest in May 2011 for the first time since his accident, and is leading two groups of trekkers to Base Camp. My dad is fortunate enough to be accompanying him.

PPS. If you loved this, then check out a copy of Dead Lucky - Hall's book for older readers.

Josh - Ivan Southall

Recommended for all ages.

Josh (the book) tells the quirky tale of a 14-year old boy sent to holiday with his infamous Aunt Clara in the equally infamous village of Ryan Creek. Although seemingly innocent, Josh (the character) suddenly finds himself battling against his aunt, the town kids, the conventions and expectations everyone seems to have of him. One kid has never been so unfairly attacked in the history of literature, I am sure. Except maybe Oliver Twist. He had it pretty rough. But I digress.

Josh (the book) is written in a stream of consciousness style that you will either accept and go with or hate. If you haven't tried stream of consciousness writing before, this is a great starting place. Basically, stream of consciousness writing is supposed to resemble the random flow of thoughts that we have as we go about our daily lives. The author makes no attempt to unjumble them or provide background information. Instead the story is made up of the central character's feelings and responses to events.

Personally I have to be in the right mood to deal with stream of consciousness novels, as they require you to sort of let go of your expectations about how a story should 'read'. I'd be interested in hearing how other readers find this style of writing.

Recommended for all ages because it is a nice 'safe' plot.

Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry - Mildred D. Taylor

Recommended for ages 8-adult.

From the very first page of this book, I knew it was going to be powerful. Taylor's brief note makes it clear that this book is personal. Her two strongest male characters are based on her father, who died a week earlier. And the stories they form part of are taken from Taylor's own family history. A history of oppression and slavery in America's Deep South.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a (fictional) account of the life and times of Cassie Logan, an African-American girl living in Mississippi in the 1930's. Cassie has a deep sense of justice which is starting to awaken as she witnesses terrible things happening to other African-American families in her neighbourhood. Her older brother Stacey seems to know how to act around the white members of their community, but Cassie just can't see why she should be pushed into the gutter by a grown man when she refused to get off the pavement as he passed.

This is a beautiful, significant and powerful coming-of-age story which will inspire any reader to stand up and fight for your principles. But I can't promise you a happy ending.

Recommended for ages 8-adult. Truly a classic tale.

PS Some people think this novel should replace To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) as a key text in schools, but I think I prefer the latter. Thoughts?

A Swift Pure Cry - Siobhan Dowd

Recommended for ages 13-18.

A Swift Pure Cry is not a recent novel, but it still has relevance today because of the big issues it touches. All too frequently adults approach kids unaware of the things they have witnessed and survived. This novel is a fitting reminder of the tough and traumatic situations kids and young adults have to deal with, often on their own.

Set in 20th century Ireland, A Pure Swift Cry explores the life of 15 year old Shell Talent. After having lost her mum a year earlier, Shell now has to deal with a distant and delusional father and the everyday care of her two younger siblings - as well as making her way through the mindfield of spiritual, boyfriend and friendship crises that accompany a girl of 15.

The novel's Irish context means that religion plays a central role in both the lives of the characters and the storyline as a whole. Particularly well-written is Shell's spiritual growth and development as she moves from the world of childhood to adulthood in the space of a year.

Not for the faint-hearted, this novel is a poignant coming of age tale with some heartbreaking lessons about how not to treat your friends and the strength of a girl when tested to the extreme.

Recommended for girls aged 13-18 because its themes are of particular relevance to them.