This is such a great little book. 100 Things to Do Before You Die contains a myriad of ways to avoid boredom on the weekends. Why not try swimming with great white sharks or, my personal favourite, measuring the speed of light using chocolate. With contributions from such notables as Karl Kruszelnicki, Patrick Moore and Paul Davies, New Scientist has compiled a fascinating collection of activities designed to amaze and inspire. And it doesn’t stop at death – the idea of being turned into a diamond is quite appealing.

For those of you of a slightly irreverent nature (you know who you are) here is a book that will have you laughing until you cry, and then some. This comprehensive guide is essential for all those who dare to open the portal, wardrobe door etc, and cross into the realm of imagination. All the requirements for a successful “quest” are included – a map, background on the various peoples you will meet (BARBARIAN HORDES being a highlight), vital information on the importance of CLOAKS, not to mention catering hints and an explanation of how horses breed in Fantasy Land (by pollination, of course). In the words of Terry Pratchett, this book is “an indispensable guide for anyone stuck in the realms of fantasy without a magic sword to call their own.”

The current low standard of public debate about crime and the absence of easily accessible material on the subject have motivated New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics director, Don Weatherburn, to write a book to dispel the myths about crime in Australia. Written from an Australian point of view, Law and Order examines the differences between popular assumptions about crime and what is actually occurring. It explains how crime control policies are driven by the need to manage public reaction, offers a critique of governments’ methods of dealing with crime problems, and presents valid suggestions for better policies – rather refreshingly based on fact, instead of popular misconceptions.

Charles Edwards has thoroughly revised his original 1999 edition to incorporate early 21st century changes in policing and crime in this 2nd edition from The Federation Press. He examines the practice, philosophy and history of policing in three English-speaking countries – Great Britain, the United States and Australia – comparing and contrasting the differing policing structures and styles. Edwards explores the transformation from “policing by fear” to “policing in partnership with community”. Changing Policing Theories also includes an in-depth study of public perceptions of crime and media reporting of police strategies. It is a fascinating critical analysis of changes in policing, and differing policing methods.

He believed that only a man who was willing to put his own life on the line deserved to command, and that a commander had to prove his nerve and his courage on the battlefield. And he always looked a man in the eye before he killed him. Dionysius I of Syracuse witnessed the massacre of an entire city at the hands of the Carthaginians, which served to convince him of three things: the inadequacy of democracy, the evil of Carthage, and that he, and only he, was capable of correcting them both. And so, in the Sicily of 412 BC, Dionysius begins his adventure, an adventure that would lead him to build the biggest army of antiquity, and create a state that extended to the northern end of the Adriatic.

This is a story of being stuck in the middle, of being neither one thing nor the other, of never quite belonging. Jessamy Harrison is the imaginative eight-year-old daughter of a Nigerian mother and an English father and she is alone – at least, that is the way she feels. Other children avoid her and she spends her time writing haiku and reading Shakespeare. Jessamy is taken to her mother’s family in Nigeria where she meets TillyTilly, a girl of similar age, another “outsider”, perhaps even a kindred spirit. But there is more to TillyTilly than Jess realizes…

Journalist Elisabeth Wynhausen, at the age of 55, took nine months’ leave from her job to see if she could get by as a minimum-wage earner in Australia. She worked as a factory hand, a checkout chick, a cleaner, and attempted to live on the earnings from these. Dirt Cheap is the story of her experiences working in these so-called “unskilled” jobs, discovering in the process that such jobs can actually require a great deal of skill. Wynhausen provides a unique view of Australia’s class structure, and shares with the reader her personal experience of being part of this country’s underclass.

Primary school teacher, Kerrie Shanahan, brings her wealth of experience in working with children to this book from Ibis Publishing. Written for the parents of children aged 4 – 6, this beautifully constructed book is a treasure-trove of ideas to enhance and extend children’s learning and give them a head start with literacy skills. Clearly explained activities may be used to build a young child’s vocabulary and develop writing skills. Also included are short-cut activities for time-challenged parents. Springboard to Reading and Writing is the first in a series of six books designed to support and reinforce the concepts children will learn in pre-school.

Additional research by Bronwyn Lisman