Irish writer Sarah Crossan has worked as an English ad Drama teacher and is the author of the wonderful verse novels Toffee, The weight of Water and One.
This novel has been compared to the classic To Kill a Mockingbird and it shares many of the same themes and issues, although this is a very Australian story. Highly recommended for Year 10 and above.
Jasper Jones has also been made into a successful stage play and film.
Contemporary YA: novels in this genre often contain themes of growing up, or the confronting of personal or social problems. Characters are often portrayed coming to understand themselves and others. Some novels are light-hearted or they can be intense and mature reads. They are set in a contemporary time period and in recognisable, realistic settings. This genre includes school stories, family stories, and stories about overcoming adversity.
One of our most popular books is this story of Mark, his friend Jessie and his dog Beau. Mark dreams of one day of climbing Mt Rainier and a diagnosis of cancer isn’t going to stop him.
This is a wonderful story but you might need the tissues!
"No-one escapes thirteen unscathed - not even the best looking, most popular people with straight white teeth. The best you can do is be true to yourself, even when everything's changing." (Goodreads)
Books in this series explore some of the challenges of being thirteen.
Cherry crush by 
Shine on, Daizy Star by John Green Answers Your John Green Questions
The fault in our stars by 
Paper towns by 
Turtles all the way down by 
An abundance of Katherines by 
Looking for Alaska by The Library also has the true story of Esther Earl who inspired John Green to write The Fault in Our Stars.
This star won't go out by 
Have a chat to Library staff if you are interested in listening to an audiobook or reading on a digital device. Some alternative format titles can be found in the Library catalogue, but often it is best to browse Wheelers ePlatform directly. Library staff can point you in the right direction, depending upon what you're looking for.
New to eBooks? Check out our eBook support page.
