Reading Australia – new resources
By Mia Macrossan Reading Australia – which turns 10 this year – is a Copyright Agency initiative to support the teaching and reading of Australian literature in schools. The website features 275 freely available resources written for teachers, by teachers, on
The Wish Sisters: The Running Wish; The Pet Wish
By Allison Rushby Illustrated by Karen Blair Reviewed by Helen Gearing A baby sister who can make wishes come true. A mischievous imp who likes to twist wishes and make them go wrong. A nosy neighbour. A very public sports carnival and fundraiser.
Just Because
By Matthew McConaughey & Renée Kurilla Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Just because I’m in the race, doesn’t mean I’m fully ready. Just because I’m shaking, doesn’t mean that I’m not steady. Using a series of rhyming couplets accompanying compelling vignettes, this new book could be your mindfulness
Bedtime Stories with R.A. Spratt
By R A Spratt Reviewed by Mia Macrossan R A Spratt is the hugely popular author of the Friday Barnes series, The Peski Kids and the hilarious Nanny Piggins series. Quite a few of the stories in this collection are retellings of
Liar’s Beach
By Katie Cotugno Reviewed by Liane McDermott New York Times bestselling author Katie Cotugno, who is best known for her ‘complicated, feminist YA love stories’, shifts her talents to a YA murder mystery—Liar’s Beach. Promoted as a fresh take on Agatha Christie’s
The Gargoyle
By Zana Fraillon & Ross Morgan Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Forced off his rooftop to make way for a new urban development in a barren cityscape, the old gargoyle packs a battered suitcase and boards an train going who knows where. But
The Spider and her Demons
By sydney khoo Reviewed by Mia Macrossan sydney khoo is a nonbinary and aromantic asexual writer, born to Malaysian Chinese parents. They are the recipient of Penguin Random House Australia's Write It fellowship which aspires to find, nurture and develop unpublished writers
The Daring Tale of Gloria the Great
Written by Jacqueline Harvey illustrated by Kate Isobel Scott Reviewed by Margarite Igras Jacqueline is one of Australia’s most popular authors having sold over two million copies of her Alice-Miranda, Clementine Rose, Kensy and Max and Willa and Woof series. With her
That’s not my monster…
By Fiona Watt & Rachel Wells Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the latest in the updated editions of this popular series of touchy feely books published by Usborne. Touchy feely means that on each page there are panels with material inserts
Meet the Author: Zewlan Moor
By Mia Macrossan Zewlan (pronounced Shoolen) is a medical doctor who also has a literature degree and a passion for writing and sharing children’s stories. She started Byron Bibliotherapy after feedback from patients who found it helpful when she recommended specific fiction
Nothing Alike
By Zewlan Moor Illustrated by Peter Cheong Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Nothing Alike is the debut picture book for author Zewlan Moor. It cleverly tells the story of a white boy who cannot distinguish between two classmates of Asian origin – a
Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth
By Anna Fienberg Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Anna Fienberg has written more than forty well-loved books for children and young adults and has won many awards including the Children's Book Council of Australia award for The Magnificent Nose and Other Marvels, the Victorian
Ming and Hilde Lead a Revolution #3 The Girls Who Changed the World
By Jackie French Reviewed by Helen Gearing Good historical fiction helps readers answer questions they didn’t know they had, and in her latest middle-grade novel, Ming and Hilde Lead a Revolution, Australian storytelling great Jackie French AM turns her attention to how
Granbad
Written by Penny Tangey Illustrated by Peter Baldwin Reviewed by Margarite Igras With a background in comedy, television and working in museums, Penny now writes fiction for young people. Granbad, her first picture book is a humorous story about a grandfather who actively
How to Hatch a Dragon
Written and illustrated by Nick Bland Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Nick Bland is the creator of the popular series that started with The Very Cranky Bear and includes The Very Itchy Bear. How to Hatch a Dragon is the first in a
The Magic Gems Lily Halfmoon #1
By Xavier Bonet Translated by Marie Trinchant Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Xavier Bonet is a writer and illustrator who lives in Barcelona. He has worked on many titles including the graphic novel version of The Wind in the Willows. The Magic Gems is
Pepper Masalah and the Temple of Cats
By Rosanne Hawke Illustrated by Jasmine Berry Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Rosanne Hawke is a prolific author of children’s books, many of which explore cultural and social issues. Notable titles include Shahana: Through My Eyes and Taj and the Great Camel Trek. This sequel to Pepper Masalah
Dragon Post
Written & illustrated by Emma Yarlett Reviewed by Mia Macrossan UK based creator Emma Yarlett is someone to look out for as she writes and illustrates original brightly coloured appealing picture book for children aged 3+ that often have a gentle underlying
Sing Me Forgotten
By Jessica S. Olson Reviewed by Lucille Sing Me Forgotten is a young adult fantasy novel written by Jessica S. Olson. In this world of music and memory, humans have discovered something more valuable than life itself—elixir, a special liquid every human
When I Can Fly
Written & illustrated by Katie Stewart Reviewed by Sandy Driessens Little Boobook is determined to go to the city, ‘when he can fly’. From his home, the city lights are so pretty and the noises sound exciting. Though his mother shows him
Shadow Wall
Written by Olivia Coates Illustrated by Anastasia Bukhnina Reviewed by Margarite Igras Former kindergarten teacher Olivia Coates' debut picture book is an insightful story about the link between colour and your feelings, especially the feeling of loneliness. Scarlet loved to paint with her grandma
If I Were a Lion
Written by Kitty Black Illustrated by Giuseppe Poli Reviewed by Sandy Driessens Western Australian author, Kitty Black, has written another early childhood picture book about her favourite topic, feelings. If I were a Lion speaks to a child’s need to be fierce, wild
Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose: Enola Holmes 9
By Nancy Springer Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Nancy Springer is the author of the popular Enola Holmes novels as well as more than 50 other books for children and adults. Several of the Enola Holmes stories have been made into popular films
Meet Jenny Stubbs – winner of the 2023 Nan Chauncy Award
By Mia Macrossan Jenny Stubbs has been awarded the 2023 Nan Chauncy Award, awarded by the Children's Book Council of Australia to honour individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the field of Australian children’s literature. Named after the noted Tasmanian
Willa and Woof Series: #4 Wedding Rescue & #5 Let the Games Begin
By Jacqueline Harvey Reviewed by Liane McDermott Wedding Rescue and Let the Games Begin are Jacqueline Harvey’s latest books in the Willa and Woof series, which follows the adventures of eight-year-old Willa and her best four-legged friend, Woof. In Wedding Rescue, the story
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat
By Charlie Archbold Reviewed by Sarah Custance Charlie Archbold received much critical acclaim for her first book Mallee Boys which became a CBCA honour book for older readers. The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat is her first middle-grade novel and was
Mr Impoppable
By Trent Jamieson and Brent Wilson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Trent is a Brisbane writer of adult speculative fiction and picture books. His first picture book was the hauntingly beautiful The Giant and the Sea. Brent Wilson is a prolific artist whose
Where Will the Sleepy Sheep Sleep?
By David Metzenthen Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley Reviewed by Mia Macrossan David has long been a writer of award winning middle grade books such as Boys of Blood and Bone, One Minute's Silence and Augustin and the Hot Air Balloon which was long
Heavy
By Dannika Patterson & Davilyn Lynch Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Dannika Patterson has built a reputation for gentle storytelling from a child’s perspective. Previous popular titles like Jacaranda Magic and Scribbly Gum Secrets invite the reader to see the natural world through a child’s imagination
This Summers Secrets
This Summers Secrets Review by Junior Reviewer Lucille, Year 8 A London evacuee. A poor girl with crushed dreams. A scared teenager who can see auras. This Summer’s Secrets by Emily Barr follows a mystery through the eyes of four characters
