Where Are You, Magoo?
Written and illustrated by Briony Stewart Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Magoo is back.! You may remember We Love You Magoo by Briony Stewart reviewed here and shortlisted for the Children's Book of the Year Award: Early Childhood. Briony both creates and illustrates
Skulduggery Pleasant #14 Dead or Alive
By Derek Landy Reviewed by Leonard Cavallaro, aged 12. Leonard is an aspiring author with a love of fantasy. Who is your favourite character? Describe them and tell us why you like them. Arch-Cannon Damocles Creed is the perfect blend of intelligence and evil.
Frankie Goes to Kindergarten
By Peta Baxter and Connie Hemmens Illustrated by Marjory Gardner Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Frankie is actually a real and much-loved kindy dog in a real kindergarten here in Queensland. In the book we see a typical day in the life of Frankie,
Boo Loves Books
By Kaye Baillie Illustrated by Tracie Grimwood Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This uplifting story illustrates how an anxious child's friendship with a rescue dog can help both of them. Phoebe is shy and nervous about her reading because she is not
At the Dog Park
By Moira Court Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This picture book will appeal to very young children, those aged about two plus It is very simple and very clever using dogs at the dog park in all their splendid variety to illustrate opposites
Megamonster
By David Walliams Illustrated by Tony Ross Reviewed by Isabela Newman, age 9 Who is your favourite character? Larker. I like her because she is so brave and always looks at things in a positive way. ( I also like her because she makes
New Historical Fiction
New this month Children’s Historical Fiction List For parents and teachers looking for recent novels to spark a child's interest in humanity's past here is the LONGLIST of the 2021 Book Links Children’s Historical Fiction Awards. All these books, written and published in
Yellow Truck Road Train
by Mandy Tootell reviewed by Mia Macrossan Mandy Tootell lives in Katherine in the Northern Territory with her husband, a road train driver, and her two sons. Although Mandy is primarily a printmaker, she enjoys a range of art-making. She is
Junior Reviewers Wanted
StoryLinks is looking for new young reviewers. If you are a keen and discerning reader, enjoy talking about books and would like to have your views published then copy and paste the form below onto a word document. Fill it in
In My Mosque
Written by M. O. Yuksel Illustrated by Hatem Aly Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zahri This vibrant and welcoming book is a literary ‘walk-through’ of a building that is central to Muslim communities everywhere. Along with architectural features, the reader is treated to glimpses
When The Sakura Bloom
By Narisa Togo Translated from the Japanese by Michael Sedunary Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zahri This is a beautiful book about Japan's most iconic blooms. In a Japanese town, the cherry blossom trees are ever present, and ever changing. As the townsfolk rush
The Katha Chest
By Radhiah Chowdhury Illustrated by Lavanya Naidu Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zahri A katha is a light quilt made from layers of old cotton saris stitched together. These comforting quilts are ubiquitous in South Asian homes, and can now be shared in the
When Rain Turns to Snow
by Jane Godwin Reviewed by Sharon Bryan Jane Godwin is an Australian author who has written books for children of all ages. Her picture books, such as Today We Have No Plans (illustrated by Anna Walker) and Hattie Helps Out (with Davina
The King’s Birthday Suit
A tribute to Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of The Emperor’s New Clothes By Peter Bently Illustrated by Claire Powell Reviewed by Dajo Finlayson ‘King Albert-Horatio-Otto the Third had SO many clothes it was simply absurd …’ When two unscrupulous so- called tailors promise to make
The Snow Pony
By Alison Lester Reviewed by Dajo Finlayson Originally published in 2001, four years after her other novel for younger readers, The Quicksand Pony, this latest twentieth anniversary release is a childhood favourite of many children and teens. Set on a cattle farm in
The True Colour of a Little White Lie
By Gabriel Bergmoser Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Gabriel Bergmoser is a Melbourne-based author and playwright. In 2016 his first young adult novel, Boone Shepard, was shortlisted for the Readings Young Adult Prize. This is his second book for this age group. Fourteen-year-old, horror-movie-buff
2020 Aurealis Award winners
The Aurealis Awards are Australia's premier speculative fiction award. Congratulations to the 2020 Award winners which include The left-handed booksellers of London by Garth Nix - Best Fantasy novel - click on the link for StoryLinks review The Erasure Initiative by Lili
Indigenous Picture Books
To celebrate NAIDOC WEEK 2021 here is a list of recent indigenous picture books that all children will enjoy. They range widely in subject matter, are enlightening about Australia's indigenous heritage and all are stunning in colour and design. Click
Mr Bat Wants a Hat
By Kitty Black Illustrated by Laura Wood Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Mr Bat is largely content with his life, doing what he likes when he likes. But one evening when flying above the local park, he discovers hats and decides that he needs
This One is Ours
By Kate O'Donnell Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Kate O’Donnell is the award-winning author of Untidy Towns, and This One Is Ours is her second novel. In a coming-of age tale, sixteen-year-old Sofie is in Paris on an art school exchange. A talented
The Electric Kingdom
By David Arnold Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes So much of the literature we enjoy today has been inspired by the monumental events of the 20th century: two world wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War and the list goes on. It makes
The Boy Who Stepped Through Time
By Anna Ciddor Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Anna Ciddor's self-described research 'obsession', her decades-long list of non-fiction titles, and the help of her sister, Tamara Lewit—a researcher and archaeologist specialising in the Roman Empire—make her perfectly placed to pen this richly detailed
Alice-Miranda in Egypt
By Jacqueline Harvey Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Eleven years after the first Alice-Miranda book, bestselling author and former deputy principal Jacqueline Harvey has released the series' twentieth instalment: Alice-Miranda in Egypt. Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, who was seven and one quarter in the first book,
The Right Way to Rock
By Nat Amoore Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Nat Amoore returns with her third middle grade book set in the ordinary town of Watterson with the not-so-ordinary children of Watterson Primary School. In The Right Way to Rock we meet Mac Fleetwood Cooper, who
This Book is Feminist
An Intersectional Primer for Next-Gen Changemakers Written by Jamia Wilson Illustrated by Aurélia Durand Reviewed by Zewlan Moor This colourful, attractive introduction to intersectional feminism for teens is in the same series as This Book is Anti-Racist. It is divided into chapters that show how
Top graphic novels starring mighty girls
NEW TO READING LISTS Graphic novels are always very popular. We have added a list of graphic novels featuring mighty girls to our lists of recommended reading. These girls are independent and strong-minded, brave and fearless and able to sort
The House on the Mountain
By Ella Holcombe Illustrated by David Cox Reviewed by Margarite Igras This is the sad, poignant, and hopeful story told by a child about an idyllic family life in the bush that turned into trauma caused by a destructive bushfire, but culminating in
Little Gem and the Mysterious Letters
Written and illustrated by Anna Zobel Reviewed by Sarah Custance Anna Zobel is an Australian author living in Melbourne. Her first novel Little Gem about a clumsy but well-meaning young witch who accidently transports herself 100 years into the future was well
Never Grow Up
Inspired by Roald Dahl By Al Blyth and Stella Gurney Illustrated by Quentin Blake Reviewed by Sandy Driessens Never Grow Up by Roald Dahl … but wait, no, this story was inspired by Dahl, then created by Al Blyth and Stella Gurney with
Meet Sue Wright at the Understory Exhibition
Understory: An Adventure in the Art of Illustration Monday 21 June – Sunday 27 June, 2021 with Megan Forward – Caroline Magerl – Sue Wright Known more for her work through Tiny Owl Workshop, a Brisbane-based micro press, Sue Wright is also a freelance illustrator with
