The Kings of Clonmel, the eighth book in this massively popular series, is out now. A dangerous cult is creating havoc, undermining the kingdoms of Hibernia. Will and Halt set out to restore order.

For more on Rangers Apprentice visit the website. There is a quiz and great archery game, plus more on the books.

Boy, was I excited when I opened the mail this morning. The good folks at Walker Books Australia knew how much I raved about Snakehead, the seventh Alex Rider novel. So they have sent me a deluxe tin canister edition of the first six Alex Rider novels. So, what to do? Keep it, or find a new home?

I am a huge fan of the author Anthony Horowitz, too. Why? A couple of years ago Anthony was in Australia researching Snakehead when he stopped in to run a free workshop. He was fantastic. Generous, hard working and great to meet.

This box set would make a good Christmas present, wouldn’t it? The question is, for whom?

Okay, it would be selfish of me to horde it. I give in. To make this slick little box set yours*, tell me the name of Alex’s girlfriend to make this fantastic prize yours. First in, best dressed! Answer via the comments box below.

PS, there is an extra secret chapter of Snakehead here.

*Australian entrants, only.

Do you dig dragons? Brisingr, the third book in the series that began with Eragon, is just about to jump into your local bookshop and library.

The countdown is on. See the amazing Brisingr website.

Oh, and you could win $10,000.

I have been dying to tell you about The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. The book has won nearly every award going in the United States and has just been released in Australia. It may be my favourite book of the year, and it’s August already…

The writer Sherman Alexie is a Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Indian and he grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. When Sherman was about fourteen he moved from the reservation school to another, 20 miles away at a town called Reardan. This novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, is about that time in his life. It has more fist-fights, basketball, jokes and heartbreak than anything else you will ever read. There’s some really cool comics and drawings, too.

For more about this brilliant book, click here. Or listen to Sherman Alexie read from his book by clicking here.

Did you know that the Ranger’s Apprentice series has now sold over 1 million copies worldwide? Erak’s Ransom, the seventh in the series has just been released in Australia.

Author John Flanagan, who lives in Sydney, recently toured in the United States (where they are only up to book 3, The Icebound Land). He appeared on Good Morning America. You can watch the interview by clicking in this link:

John Flanagan on Good Morning America

Erak’s Ransom was also announced as the winner of the Australian Bookseller’s Association Book of the Year for Older Readers. And there’s a movie in the works.

You can sign up for the Ranger’s Apprentice newsletter. Visit the website by clicking on this link.

Have you read these books? What do you think?

James Moloney is the author of great books including The Book of Lies, Dougy, Gracey, Angela, Black Taxi and heaps more.

Right now, James is also over at insideadog as the writer in residence. You might say Jim in the dog house. (Most people call him Jim.) He looks rather serious here, doesn’t he? In fact, he’s one of the funniest and smartest people I know.

Here’s your chance to look in on one of Australia’s most popular and successful writers. He’s also one of our most versatile, writing books for all ages. You can see what a busy writer really does: visit Jim here.

And if that’s not enough, James Moloney is also the author of Boys and Books. You might say he’s the spiritual guide for this blog.

Jim Moloney will be in the dog house for the next few weeks.

I’ll be taking a little break, but back revved up around Anzac Day. Oh, I’ve already mentioned the book about East Timor, haven’t I?

Did you enjoy watching Brett Lee tearing through the Indian batsmen in the first one-day international at the Gabba yesterday? Good to watch but I wouldn’t like to be facing up from 22 yards–would you?

Brett Lee is a man of many parts. He make his living scaring the life out of opposition batsman. He has also recorded music, written books and, yikes!, designed clothing. He hates smoking, never eats McDonalds and really does eat seven Weetbix for breakfast!

Find out more about Brett Lee here.

PS, Welcome back to school.

One of the things we did during the Boys, Blokes, Books Bytes program is give free books to everyone involved. Readers were offered six books from the list below. They chose three at the first evening event and three more at the finish when we staged a Bookgig at the State Library of Victoria.

We had multiple copies of all books, though not enough for one of everything for everyone. If you see what I mean.

Titles are listed from younger to older readers, approximately.

Michael Wagner Maxximum Maxx Rumble

Too Cool Phil Kettle

It’s True series (Allen & Unwin non-fiction titles)

Pat Flynn Tuckshop Kid

David Metzenthen The Really, Really Epic Mini-bike Ride (Chomp)

Doug MacLeod Kevin the Troll

Justin D’Ath Spider Bite (Extreme Adventures series)

Michael Hyde Change the Game series (two titles)

Eyewitness Pirates (DK Press)

Archie Fusillo On the Mat

Richard Franklin Digger J Jones

Michael Panckridge The Cursed

Anthony Horowitz Snakehead (new Alex rider title)

Anthony Horowitz Point Blanc, graphic novel

Scot Gardner Gravity

I had also intended to have Gareth Hinds’ Beowulf on the list but couldn’t obtain it at the time.

Thanks to the Little Bookroom for helping us track them all down.

If you like cars, you will love this book! Are You for Wheel? by Tony Davis is a collection of the most jaw-droppingly strange and amazing cars ever put on the road.

How about four-wheel drive Mini? It was called a Twini Mini:

or a Ford Seattle-ite XX1

or the Briggs & Stratton hybrid, an early petrol-electric car like today’s Prius:

Of course you would want it to have six wheels, right?

All these and more amazing motors in Are You for Wheel?. The book comes out in February. Pester your local library today!

Tony is also the author of You Must Be Skidding and Roland Wright, Future Knight.

Where would movies be without writers? Earlier this week I was lucky enough to see The Golden Compass, the movie based on Philip Pullman’s novel Northern Lights. It’s an action-packed, dramatic, exciting, scary story. The movie looks amazing, especially when Lyra, the story’s hero looks into the golden compass, the instrument that can tell the truth to any question you ask. (No, not like Wikipedia!)

Now the good people at Scholastic have sent me the movie tie-in edition of Northern     Lights, which I would like to give away. To win it, tell me what’s your favourite movie  based on a book?

Matilda? Lord of the Rings? Deadly Unna? (filmed as Australian Rules)

While you are thinking about that, visit the movie website and find out about your own daemon.

Send your answer via the comments below.