'Sea of Poppies' by Amitav Ghosh

At the heart of this epic saga, set just before the Opium Wars, is an old slaving-ship, The Ibis. Its destiny is a tumultuous voyage across the Indian Ocean, its crew a motley array of sailors and stowaways, coolies and convicts. In a time of colonial upheaval, fate has thrown together a truly diverse cast of Indians and Westerners, from a bankrupt Raja to a widowed villager, from an evangelical English opium trader to a mulatto American freedman....   More details.

'The Unlikely Journey of Jack de Crow' by A J MacKinnon

Truly hilarious books are rare. Even rarer are those based on real events. Join AJ Mackinnon, your charming and eccentric guide, on an amazing voyage in a boat called Jack de Crow. Equipped with his cheerful optimism and a pith helmet, this Australian Odysseus in a dinghy travels from the borders of North Wales to the Black Sea – 4,900 kilometres over salt and fresh water, under sail, at the oars, or at the end of a tow-rope – through twelve countries,...   More details.

'When You Are Engulfed in Flames' by David Sedaris

When set on fire, most of us either fumble for our wallets or waste valuable time feeling sorry for ourselves. David Sedaris has studied this phenomenon, and his resulting insights may very well save your life.

'When You Are Engulfed in Flames' finds Sedaris at the top of his game. Subjects include a parasitic worm that once lived in his mother-in-law's leg, an encounter with a dingo, and the recreational use of an external catheter. Also...   More details.

'Sunday Chutney' by Aaron Blabey

Sunday Chutney has the most extraordinary life - she has lived all over the world!

Of course, moving around means she's always the new kid at school and never really has a place to call home. But Sunday Chutney doesn't care about that. Or does she?

Shortlisted for the 2007 CBC Awards for, Book of the Year: Early Childhood and Chrichton Award for New Illustrators.   More details.