Shine
By Danny Parker Illustrated by Ruth de Vos Reviewed by Mia Macrossan People are often impelled to list and enumerate the ways in which they love someone, whether it be a friend, lover, or family. Parents particularly care for their children in a
‘Born in history, immortalised in story.’ Six award winning writers reveal how they write historical fiction
The excitement and anticipation is mounting as we get to the countdown to the announcement of the winner of the inaugural Book Links Award for Children's Historical Fiction. The six writers on the shortlist have revealed the how and why
Meg McKinlay talks about writing historical fiction
'When I'm drawn to historical fiction, I think it's because of the empathic connections it enables between our contemporary lives and those of people in the past.' Meg McKinlay is a much awarded writer and poet of picture books, chapter books
Maree Coote talks about writing historical fiction
'Historical fiction can also be the telling of a true story—based on real events—that is lifted it out of its time to reset the story as a universal tale. Born in history, immortalised in story.' Maree Coote is a writer, designer,
Felice Arena talks about writing historical fiction
'Historical fiction is not only a portal to another time but a tangible way to try to experience the real-life emotions and human stories of those who have come before us.' Felice Arena is an actor, speaker, TV presenter and playwright
Noni the Pony Counts to a Million
By Alison Lester Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Former Australian Children’s Laureate Alison Lester first introduced us to Noni the Pony in 2011 and it was shortlisted for the CBCA Early Childhood Book of the Year. This was followed by another adventure Noni the Pony Goes
Monster Hunting for Beginners
By Ian Mark Illustrated by Louis Ghibault Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Monster Hunting for Beginners is Irish author Ian Mark’s first novel in a brand-new fantasy series that hits all the sweet spots for kids—funny, sweet and plenty of fart jokes. The story begins
Pamela Rushby talks about writing historical fiction
The best, the strangest, the most riveting, heart-breaking, laugh-out-loud stories aren’t fiction. They’re real. Pam Rushby is an award winning Queensland writer who has worked as an advertising copywriter, a publicity officer and a pre-school teacher, as well as writing and
Katrina Nannestad talks about writing historical fiction
A well-written historical novel brings history alive and inspires young readers to ponder big issues - peace, justice, kindness and tolerance, to name just a few. Katrina Nannestad is an award winning Australian writer of distinctive middle grade fiction. This year
Claire Saxby talks about writing historical fiction
I let the facts sit on my shoulder as I insert my fictional characters. The facts give me a framework, the fiction fills the spaces between. Claire Saxby is a an Australian author of fiction, non fiction and poetry for children.
A Great Escape
By Felice Arena Reviewed by Sue Wright When the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, Germany was reunified. A Great Escape tells the story of Peter, a young boy living in East Germany (1961) at the time of partition. When the border between
Julia and the Shark
by Kiran Millwood Hargrave Illustrated by Tom de Freston Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Kiran's books include The Girl of Ink & Stars, which was the winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017; The Island at the End of Everything, which was shortlisted for
Little Days Out: At the Park
By Sally Garland Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Little Days Out is a series by Sally Garland published by New Frontier. It includes At the Shops, At the Pool and now At the Park. It is a lift the flap board book that
Egg Marks the Spot: Skunk and Badger #2
By Amy Timberlake Illustrated by Jon Klassen Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the follow up to Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake and also illustrated by Jon Klassens. That is a hilarious story about how two unlikely creatures become friends. Now there
The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature
By Sami Bayly Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sami Bayly is such a young writer and illustrator and here she is again with an impressive inspiring book that will enchant and engage young minds for years to come. She has been much lauded
Haywire
By Claire Saxby Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Claire Saxby is an Australian author of fiction, non-fiction and poetry for children, including the splendid Nature Storybooks series, The Anzac Billy and recently, the picture book Iceberg. Haywire is the story of two boys on
Catch A Falling Star
By Meg McKinlay Reviewed by Margaret McKay Lowndes Meg McKinlay is the author of a range of books for children, including picture and chapter books, young adult novels and poetry for adults. ‘Catch a Falling Star’ was shortlisted for the CBCA Book
When Rain Turns to Snow
By Jane Godwin A BOOK HOOK from the Ipswich District Teacher-Librarian Network Making friends and more importantly, keeping them, is a big part of any 13-year-old’s life. Lissa’s school and home environments feel fractured, so when Reed suddenly appears searching for answers to improbable
The End of the World is Bigger Than Love
By Davina Bell A BOOK HOOK from the Ipswich District Teacher-Librarian Network She said we didn’t know what the world out there had become. We had been alone there so long on that tiny island, in that tiny church. But in the night,
The School between Winter and Fairyland
By Heather Fawcett Reviewed by Barbara Braxton "Twelve-year-old Autumn is a beastkeeper at Inglenook School for Magicians, which she secretly dreams of attending as a student. Instead, she must care for Inglenook's menagerie of dangerous creatures so the king's future monster hunters
Soon
By Morris Gleitzman A BOOK HOOK from the Ipswich District Teacher-Librarian Network Soon is the fifth novel in what Morris Gleitzman calls a 'family' of novels set during and after the holocaust in Poland. In Soon, the central character. Felix. has survived
Pear of Hope
By Wenda Shurety Illustrated by Deb Hudson Reviewed by Sandy Driessens Blue skies, butterflies, bees, birds and flowers create a lovely setting for a hopeful little girl. “At the bottom of the garden grew an old pear tree. A home of buzzing and
The Wolf’s Howl: A Maven & Reeve Mystery Book 2
By A. L. Tait Reviewed by Sandy Driessens The Wolf’s Howl is, what the Glawn Castle locals call, the biting, freezing gale that rages around the mountains, in the valleys and perhaps, metaphorically, inside the castle itself. This second Maven and Reeve Mystery,
A Glasshouse of Stars
By Shirley Marr Reviewed by Zewlan Moor A Glasshouse of Stars was picked up off the slush-pile by Jessica Townsend, the internationally best-selling author of the Nevermoor series. She passed it to her agent, Gemma Cooper, and a publishing deal ensued. This
2021 ARA Historical Novel Prize shortlist CYA category
The Shortlist for the 2021 ARA Historical Novel Prize – Children and Young Adult (CYA) Category is: The Grandest Bookshop in the World, by Amelia Mellor (Affirm Press) We are Wolves, by Katrina Nannestad (HarperCollins Australia) The Mummy Smugglers of
Graphic Novels – New Reading Lists
New Graphic Novels There has been a great upsurge in the publication and popularity of graphic novels in the last decade. They have become main stream in that readers of all tastes and abilities read and enjoy them. They cover all the
Where’s My Dinosaur?
By Ashling Kwok Illustrated by Jasmine Berry Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Ashling's previous books include Lola and Grandpa and The Battle while this is Jasmine's, debut picture book, although she has worked for years as an illustrator and graphic designer. This new title is
The Magnificent Hercules Quick
By Ursula Dubosarsky Illustrated by Andrew Joyner Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Ursula is now the author of over 60 books for children and young adults, and her work is published all over the world. She has won many awards and is the current
Stop the Dad Jokes
By Adrian Beck Illustrated by Simon Greiner Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Adrian Beck is the author of several popular humourous stories for children including the Derek Dool, the Champion Charlies and the Alien Zoo series. Simon Greiner has illustrated a number of children's
My Dad Is A Bear
By Nicola Connelly Illustrated by Annie White Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This much loved title is now out as a sturdy board book with an attractive new cover showing Dad and baby in a big bear hug. In its paperback incarnation, first published
