Scar Town
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  • Published: 1 August 2023
  • ISBN: 9780143791829
  • Imprint: Random House Australia
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 256

Scar Town

Winner of the CBCA Book of the Year Younger Readers 2024

Formats & editions
Paperback
1 Aug 2023
EBook
1 Aug 2023
Audiobook
1 Aug 2023
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A missing father. A drowned town. A buried secret. Three friends on a dangerous mission to uncover the truth.

Twelve-year-old Will Haddon and his twin friends, Dar and Juno, find a safe full of money and human bones in an old house that’s sticking out of a rapidly receding lake amid the worst drought in history. Their mission to identify the body reveals secrets that will rewrite the history of their town and the story of their lives.

When Will was five, his dad, a young cop, went missing just days before Old Scarborough was drowned beneath a man-made lake for a hydroelectric scheme. Old Scarborough’s residents were promised new houses, jobs, tourist dollars and a fresh start, but hardly any of it materialised. Neither did Will’s dad. And he’s not the only person to go missing from this bad-luck town.

Will, Dar and Juno are forced on a dangerous journey to discover the truth in a town that wants the past to stay buried.
  • Published: 1 August 2023
  • ISBN: 9780143791829
  • Imprint: Random House Australia
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 256
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About the author

Tristan Bancks

Tristan Bancks tells stories for the page and screen. His books for kids and teens include Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, the Tom Weekly series, Nit Boy and Ginger Meggs, a 100th anniversary book of short stories based on characters created by his great-great uncle, Jimmy Bancks, in 1921. Tristan's books have won and been shortlisted for many awards, including a Children's Book Council of Australia Honour Book, the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, ABIA, YABBA, KOALA, NSW Premier's Literary Awards and Queensland Literary Awards. His latest book is Cop and Robber, a tense, fast-paced crime novel with lots of laughs for age 10+.

Tristan is a writer-ambassador for literacy non-profit Room to Read. He is currently working with producers to develop a number of his books for the screen. He's excited by the future of storytelling and inspiring others to create. You can find out more about Tristan’s books, play games, watch videos, join his Young Writer's StorySchool and help him try to change the world at tristanbancks.com.

portrait photo of Tristan Bancks

Also by Tristan Bancks

Two Wolves
The Fall
Detention
Cop and Robber
Tom Weekly 1: My Life and Other Stuff I Made Up
Ginger Meggs
Nit Boy
See all

Praise for Scar Town

A taut and fraught fast-paced rollercoaster of hidden dangerous secrets, family betrayals, misplaced trust and the bonds of friendship that can sustain in the most terrible of circumstances ... It’s a fabulous and thrilling journey this one, and readers will eat it up, just as I did over just one night’s binge-read ... Highly recommended for readers from upper primary upwards.

Sue Warren, Just So Stories

Tristan Bancks, with his cinematic style and fast-paced plots, is an expert at asking the reader to consider what they would do if they were in the same situation as his characters . . . Bancks has written an action-packed nailbiter that asks young readers to question how far they would go for the truth.

Shannon Wong-Nizic, The Guardian

Awards & recognition

CBCA Book of the Year Awards

Winner  •  2024  •  Younger Readers

South Australian Literary Awards

Winner  •  2024  •  Children's Literature

CBCA Book of the Year Awards

Shortlisted  •  2024  •  Older Readers

Discover more

Article
Scar Town wins Book of the Year award for Younger Readers

The Children’s Book Council of Australia has named Tristan Bancks's novel as the Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 2024.

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Two Penguin Random House books have been shortlisted for the 2024 CBCA awards

Check out the Penguin Random House books that have been shortlisted.

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CBCA Book of the Year Notables 2024

5 Penguin books have made the Notables list this year. Learn more about them here.

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Stock your school library with these wonderful books

26 books for school libraries that students will love.

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Celebrating 100,000 copies sold of 'Two Wolves'

We caught up with children's author Tristan Bancks to talk about reaching this exciting milestone, his writing process, and what fans can expect from him next.

Teachers' notes
Scar Town