A kidnapping? Rival gangs? Ransoms? What's happening in Coolini Beach? All the teenagers in Coolini Beach use the expression 'cool bananas'; life is pretty relaxed and free and easy but what does it mean when police crime tape is found around the public phone box and rumours of death threats start circulating through the beach town? Has there been a murder? THE AUTHOR Margaret Clark is one of Australia's funniest writers for young people. She has worked as a teacher and university lecturer and at the Geelong Centre for Alcohol and Drug Dependence. Her novels for older readers include The Big Chocolate Bar, Fat Chance, Hot or What, Famous for Five Minutes, Kiss and Make Up and a trilogy about the Studley family: Hold My Hand - or Else!, Living with Leanne and Pulling the Moves. Back on Track: Diary of a Streetkid, Care Factor Zero, No Standing Zone and Bad Girl, four searing novels for young adults, have become bestsellers. Margaret lives in Geelong and enjoys reading, sailing...

You want to ask a boy out on a date but what if he says no? Your best friend suddenly isn't talking to you. Your clothes don't fit. Your family just doesn't understand you. You don't understand yourself either. One minute you're happy and the next you're sobbing into your pillow. Does this sound like you, or someone you know? Then read on... Margaret Clark is one of Australia's funniest writers for young people. She has worked as a teacher and a university lecturer and at the Geelong Centre for Alcohol and Drug Dependence. Her novels for older readers include The Big Chocolate Bar, Fat Chance, Hot or What, Famous for Five minutes and triology about the Studley Family: Hold my Hand, or Else !, Living with Leanne and Pullling the Moves. Back on Track: Diary of a Streetkid and Care Factor Zero, two searing novels for young adults, have become bestsellers. Margaret lives in Geelong and enjoys reading, sailing and working with the family dog. She now writes full-time.

Nobody gets close enough to earn her trust. Larceny makes sure of that. Yet deep down, she's afraid of the voices that bring with them a wild consuming rage, a killing rage that drove her to the streets in the first place. She's afraid of being betrayed by the only person she's been able to trust—herself.Larceny Leyton is a wild child—-tough, smart, willful, and proud. Like so many others, she wears her attitude like armor. "Trust" isn't a word in Larceny's dictionary. It means opening up and taking the risk that you'll be hurt. Truth *and* dare. Nobody gets close enough to earn her trust. Larceny makes sure of that. Yet deep down, she's afraid of the voices that bring with them a wild consuming rage, a killing rage that drove her to the streets in the first place. She's afraid of being betrayed by the only person she's been able to trust—-herself. Author Biography: MARGARET CLARK has many books to her credit in her native Australia. *Care Factor Zero* was inspired by her work in an alcohol and drug center. Ms. Clark lives in Australia.

Sam Studley's a bit older and wiser than when you met him in 'Hold My Hand - Or Else!' but it's a pity he can't say the same for his fifteen year old sister Leanne.No one seems to know where she is. Some kids are saying she's got AIDS and some are saying she's been abducted. Some are saying she's on the run to Kings Cross, some are saying she's a speed freak and gone into a drug rehab centre, and some that she's hiding out at home with chickenpox.But if living with Leanne sounds full on, you should hear about living without her!

To Sam the Stud, living with Leanne's bad enough. But when his mother says she's getting married again - to the town cop! - Sam wishes he was anywhere else.You've got to be careful what you wish for: you might get it. Someone's pulling the moves, all right, and suddenly Sam's on a joyride heading in the opposite direction fast.Forget the white dresses, the soppy words and the tissues - this wedding's burning rubber all the way. And it's a cack!The first two novels about the Studleys:'Hold My Hand - Or Else!''Living With Leanne'