Deborah Burnside

NZ JF BUR

Ten-year-old Nick Tressider is all keyed up. At last his mum and dad think he's old enough to go possum-hunting at night with Rotorua Bill, a long-time mate of the family. Bill is a bit burpy, hairy and farty, and his jokes get him in trouble a lot with Nick's mum, sister Olivia and Aunt Kathy, but he tells the most fantastic stories and is a lot of fun to be around. Bill takes Nick tramping deep into the bush, where they lay out possum bait. Later on in a clearing Bill helps Nick to shoot his first rabbit, and then they sit watching the sun set and telling stories. It's the best evening of Nick's life. But when it's fully dark and they're on their way back in to the bush to collect the possums, something unthinkable happens - Bill falls down a bank and is badly injured by a rusty old gin trap. Will Nick be able find his way out of the dark bush in time to get help for his friend?

Aidan Besley

J 796.5 BES

Contains over seventy entries on fun and adventure in the great outdoors, covering topics such as survival techniques, games and cunning inventions, information on things like how to put up rope swings, building tree houses and igloos to wrestling with a crocodile and surviving an avalanche. Though the subjects are serious, this book is written with humour.

Bart King

J 790.194 KIN

This big, thick, durable book includes fascinating chapters on gross stuff, magic, emergencies, fireworks, games, experiments, jokes, activities, insults, pets, flying things, and, of course, duct tape --Publisher's description.

Gary Paulsen

JF PAU

When 13- year- old Brian survives a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness he has only a hatchet to help him get through 54 days alone.

Des Hunt

NZ JF HUN

Matt Logan isn't looking forward to spending the school holidays in Rotorua with his grandmother and her new husband. Matt has taken his metal detector along, and when he and Juzza - the boy next door - unearth a handcuffed skeleton, a dangerous chain of events begins to coil around them.

Nick Turzynski

NZ J 790.194 TUR

Collection of stories, articles and activities aimed at New Zealand boys. Includes how to make an origami water bomb, how to spot native trees, what to do if you're stranded in the bush, how to play marbles, car games and make paper planes that fly.

Conn Iggulden

NZ J 790.194 IGG

The must-have book for boys from 8 to 80. Do you know how to make the perfect paper aeroplane, catapult or water bomb? How to send a message in secret ink? Do you want to amaze your friends and impress girls? From football to fossils and pirates to poker, The Dangerous Book for Boys is packed with a thousand things that every boy wants to know.

David Hill

NZ JF HIL

Garth's sport is archery and he finds himself facing a challenge for a shoot out between bow and arrows and a rifle. The challenger is a boy he does not get along with and so Garth accepts, despite knowing he shouldn't. The boys go out to farm for the shoot out and, after a land-slide, find themselves lost in the bush. Eventually Garth manages to attract the attention of the rescue helicopter, but both boys have learnt to respect each other's skill.

Frank Saxton

J 799.2 z SAX

A New Zealand story of a young boy, Blair, who goes with his dad on a weekend goat hunt.

Frank Saxton

J 799.2 z SAX

During the school holidays Blair and sister Shannon go possum hunting with their father, setting traps during the day, shooting at night and then checking the traps the following day. Information about their trip is interleaved with information about possums, their characteristics and the damage they do and tips on gun safety. A plan for making a possum trap is included. Suggested level: primary.

Jack Lasenby

JF z LAS

An entertaining story about an old Urewera hunter with a moustache and a sneaky, greedy old packhorse called Harry Wakatipu.

Joy Cowley

NZ JF COW

In 2005 Jordon and her two younger brothers survive a plane crash but are stranded in remote Fiordland on the South-West coast of New Zealand. In 1805 Hunter, a young Mäori slave, is hiding in the same location after escaping his captors. He knows he needs keep running but he also knows that the interconnecting visions he's sharing with Jordon will help her and her brothers survive. Suggested level: intermediate, junior secondary.