Howard Springs Junior IB Learner Profile: Risk Taker

Olly isn't enjoying activity camp. Why should he bother building a shelter or foraging for food with his teammates - he'd rather be at home in the warm and dry, where the sofa and the video games are. But then Olly gets given a compass with a mysterious fifth direction. When he follows it, he's magically transported to a high mountain range where he meets survival expert Bear Grylls. With his help, Olly must learn to survive in sub-zero temperatures, including what to do if the ice cracks when you're crossing a frozen lake, or a blizzard sets in... But can his adventure with Bear Grylls change Olly's mind about teamwork and perseverance? And who will Olly give the compass to next?

Sophie loves activity camp... but is terrified of insects. It's so bad that she won't go into the tent on her own, just in case something flies at her, or she steps on a creepie-crawlie. But when she's given a compass by one of the other boys on the campsite, Sophie is magically transported to the desert on an adventure where they're impossible to avoid! With the help of survival expert Bear Grylls as her guide, she will learn how to withstand the extreme temperatures of the desert and how to spot mirages, encounter giant camel spiders, deadly scorpions and snakes . . . but will Sophie overcome her fear of insects back in the real world? And who will she give the compass to next?

Ella and her brother Emery are alone in a city that's starving to death. If they are going to survive, they must get away, upcountry, to find Emery's mum. But how can two kids travel such big distances across a dry, barren, and dangerous landscape? Well, when you've got five big doggos and a dry-land dogsled, the answer is you go mushing. But when Emery is injured, Ella must find a way to navigate them through rough terrain, and even rougher encounters with desperate people...

Kate Pankhurst, descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst, has created this wildly wonderful and accessible book about women who really changed the world.
Discover fascinating facts about some of the most amazing women who changed the world we live in. Fly through the sky with the incredible explorer Amelia Earhart, and read all about the Wonderful Adventures of Mary Seacole with the number one best-selling children's non-fiction title in the UK market this year.

The very best writing on the Antarctic, from James Cook's eighteenth-century assertion that 'no man will ever venture further than I have done' to Lynne Cox's description of her epic, icy swim in the twenty-first century - 32 first-hand accounts of men and women challenging one of the Earth's last true wildernesses. Here you will find both legendary tales of heroism and startling contemporary accounts of the impact of global warming on the Earth's sole undeveloped continent, including: 'Dog Days' by Robert Falcon Scott 'The Loss of the Endurance' by Ernest Shackleton. 'Alone' by Richard E Byrd. 'The Killer under the Water' by Gareth Wood. 'Melting Point' by David Helvarg. 'Swimming to Antarctica' by Lynne Cox.

Summary: Four children temporarily lose their parents just as they are about to begin the race that offers their last chance of escaping poverty. Their task is to map a rail route through an uncharted wilderness. They overcome the many obstacles posed by nature - bears, bees, bats, river crossings, cliff falls, impossible weather - but can they survive the treachery of their competitors?

Myths and legends are packed full of daring, clever and ruthless men and women. But who was the toughest nut of all? Bursting full of entertaining and witty fact-filled text in bite sized chunks and jam-packed with hilarious full-colour illustrations throughout. From Heracles to Robin Hood and countless other mythical tough nuts, Hard Nuts of History Myths and Legends includes Hardometers and a Hard Nut rating for some of the toughest nuts from myths and legends.

You'll be awestruck by the achievements of these amazing Australians! They've climbed the highest mountains, trekked across frozen valleys and sailed solo around the world. They've endured blizzards, bullets, searing desert sands and icy shark-infested waters, and when things haven't gone according to plan they've got up and gone back out into the world to try it again. Join us on the extraordinary journeys that have turned ordinary Australians into some of our greatest adventurers. You'll be inspired to get out and do amazing things yourself!

When the former Baron Morgarath escaped to avoid punishment for treason, an uneasy peace fell on Araluen. But Morgarath, now in hiding, is already planning his next move, recruiting an army of savage, overpowering beasts known as Wargals. Newly crowned King Duncan knows he must prepare for war. To find out the full extent of Morgarath's plan of attack, Halt prepares for a seemingly impossible task, climbing the deadly cliffs of the Mountains of Rain and Night and venturing deep into enemy territory to spy. After all, the winner of this war could be determined by one wrong move. At the Battle of Hackham Heath, the fate of a Kingdom will be decided.

Pug is going on a seafaring adventure. He's had jam tarts for breakfast. He's wearing a smart sailor suit. There's just one problem. Pug is afraid of the water!

The DARE Award winners -- Yasmin, Zander, Andy, Dylan, JJ, Isabel and Mila -- have been caught in a deadly battle of wits and with a mysterious enemy who isn't afraid to kill. Too late, they learned that the First Sign predicted catastrophic attacks which have left Egypt in chaos. Yasmin is missing, many more lives are at stake. With Andy and Dylan in police custody in LA, can the remaining four DARE winners unravel the Second Sign -- seven new symbols -- and stop The Sighmaker's destructive plan before the countdown ends? If you could be a hero, would you DARE?

Bertie encounters aliens in the school playground, takes to the skies at a balloon festival and becomes a modern day Robin Hood.

Ella and Olivia can't wait to go camping for the first time. But will their tricky cousins spoil all the fun?

Who is Geronimo Stiltonord? He is a mouseking - the Geronimo Stilton of the ancient far north! He lives with his clan in the village of Mouseborg. From sailing frozen waters to facing fiery dragons, every day is an adventure for the micekings! It's the day of the Famouse Fjord Race, a miceking sailing competition. Geronimo Stiltonord isn't competing, since he gets seasick... but then he's dragged into a boat! Just when he thinks things can't get worse, the terrible vilekings appear - and so do the evil dragons. Squeak! Will his team stay afloat?

When the river rises and the city of Paris begins to disappear under water, Frederic decides to help those who can't help themselves. But as his heroic acts escalate, so does the danger. Frederic will have to battle an escaped zoo animal and fight off pickpockets and looters but, as the waters subside, can he find justice for his father and find out what courage really means?

It's a dog-eat-dog world, and Rafe Khatchadorian is just trying to live in it. Life in middle school is finally starting to seem bearable - until Rafe spots his grandmother standing in the free-meal line at the local soup kitchen. To help earn some money for the family, Rafe concocts a brilliant plan - a dog-walking business that soon turns into a huge money-making neighbourhood empire. He'll even have extra cash to buy his own WormHole Deluxe Multi-Platform GameBox! That is, until two terrible twins launch the Great Dog War by sabotaging Rafe's flyers and stealing his customers. Plus, his bratty kid sister Georgia has skipped a grade - so now she's in all of Rafe's classes. Throw a kid a bone!

Alexander's class is going on a field trip to an amusement park. Everyone is excited -- until they find out they're going to SAFETY Land! Before the students take a ride on the Slow and Steady Teacups, a weird magician tells them there's a haunted roller coaster at the park. And Alexander starts seeing odd scratch marks all over the place. Is there REALLY a ghost at Safety Land? The S.S.M.P. is about to find out!