The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Extinct Animals
By Sami Bayly Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sami Bayly who describes herself on her website as 'author and illustrator of all things weird and wonderful', combines a deep knowledge and love of animals with a remarkable ability to write about them in
Walking Together
By Coral Vass & Dub Leffler Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Coral Vass is the author of many popular books for young children including Grandma's Treasured Shoes, Jorn’s Magnificent Imagination, The Kelly Gang Kids and Amanda Commander: The Blues-day Tuesday. Dub Leffler is an illustrator,
The Glass Girl
By Kathleen Glasgow Reviewed by Lucille Rose The Glass Girl is a stark, eye-opening book that leads the reader into the dark world of addiction. This novel follows the twisted life of Bella Leahey, fifteen-year-old alcoholic and designated adult in the Leahey
Bamboozled
By David Legge Reviewed by Margarite Igras Bamboozled was David Legge’s first picture book and this is the Thirty Years celebration edition, showcasing the sustained popularity of the work and including bonus behind the scenes pages from the author. David has achieved
A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Perfect Pet
By Ali Rutstein & Tommy Doyle Reviewed by Helen Gearing ‘Every family should have a pet. A faithful friend to welcome into your hearts and home.’ Rutstein’s debut picture book with Niña Nill, Ladybirds Do Not Go to Daycare was a CBCA notable
The Minute Minders
By Mary Murphy Reviewed by Christine Pirrone. Mary Murphy is an Irish based author-illustrator who has published over 40 children’s books. She is celebrated internationally and some of her work has been adapted for the screen. The Minute Minders is her debut
All the Beautiful Things
By Katrina Nannestad with illustrations by Martina Heiducek Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Katrina Nannestad is one of Australia's foremost writers of children's historical fiction. She has won the Book Links Award for Children's Historical Fiction twice with We Are Wolves, 2021 and Waiting
Thunderhead
By Sophie Beer Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Sophie Beer is best known as a picture book writer and illustrator. Her vibrant art style is instantly recognisable and has successfully found its way beyond her books to a décor collection and promotional
The Glad Not Sad Book
By Kim Michelle Toft Reviewed by Margarite Igras Multi-award-winning Australian author and illustrator Kim Michelle Toft has written several picture books showcasing the beauty and importance of Nature and its role in our lives. Her books stand out with their luminous detailed
What Noise Does the Baby Make?
By Jacinta Froud & Cat MacInnes Reviewed by Mia Macrossan If a pig goes OINK and a goat goes MAA what noise does the sheep make? Turn the page to a big double page spread and see a flock of sheep all
Purinina
By Christina Booth Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Christina Booth is the award-winning author of eight, and illustrator of over twenty books for children, including Are These Hen's Eggs?, the CBCA Honour Book Kip and Welcome Home, which won The Environment Award for
Fabulous Frogs
By Katrina Germein & Suzanne Houghton Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Katrina Germein has many picture books to her credit including Little Book Baby, One Little Duck, and Before You Were Born. Suzanne Houghton is also an experienced picture book creator whose work
Dung Beetle On a Roll
By Sandra Severgnini Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Okay, so I'm a dung beetle. What is dung you ask? Well, it's the best thing ever! It's another word for poo -
Dare to Bowl (Howzat Pat #1)
Written by Pat Cummins and Dave Hartley Illustrated by Serena Geddes Reviewed by Helen Gearing Australian Cricket Captain Pat Cummins has teamed up with children’s author Dave Hartley and illustrator Serena Geddes to create a new middle grade series based on the cricketer’s
Aisle Nine
By Ian X. Cho Reviewed by Lucille Rose Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho is a thrilling dystopian sci-fi, following the demonic life of supermarket worker Jasper. Retail is hell. Literally. Between vomit mop-ups and portals to the monster-dimension, Jasper’s workplace doesn’t exactly
Amanda Commander: The Blues-day Tuesday
By Coral Vass Illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Hotchkis Amanda Commander and the Dolphin Squad are back in The Blues Day Tuesday, the fourth book in Coral Vass’ colourful junior fiction series. The multi-award winning author has written more than
Marion and the Forty Thieves
By Sarah Luke Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sarah is a historian and writer who writes non-fiction histories for adults and historical fiction for children. Marion and the Forty Thieves is her first middle grade novel and introduces the reader to life on
Fairy Beach
By Sheila Knaggs & Jennifer Falkner Reviewed by Sandy Driessens For when the sun blows you its last kiss goodbye, and the moon wanders in to watch over the sky … then the enchantment begins. What happens after you’ve had a wonderful day
The 113th Assistant Librarian
By Stuart Wilson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Stuart is the author of the amazingly fun, creepy, weird and macabre middle grade adventures set in Prometheus High, How to Make a Monster and its sequel The Books of the Dead, both reviewed in
The Heart of the World (Isles of the Gods 2)
By Amie Kaufman Reviewed by Jamie Willis Amie Kaufman is the internationally bestselling author of twenty books, including the Illuminae Files and the Aurora Cycle series which she co-authored with Jay Kristoff and the These Broken Stars series which she co-wrote
Things That Go Bump in the Night : Halloween Reading List
Many readers love a creepy story with ghosts, or witches, full of dark secrets and mystery. To celebrate Halloween here are some titles recently reviewed in StoryLinks. Click on the image and the link will take you to the publisher
Lover Birds
By Leanne Egan Reviewed by Lucille Rose Lover Birds is an inclusive teen romance set in the city of Liverpool, England. Eliose ‘Lou’ Byrne is just trying to scrape through sixth form when she finds herself with an unexpected acquaintance. Posh, sharp
The Secret of the Stone
By Kathryn Lefroy Reviewed by Helen Gearing Award winning screenwriter and author Kathryn Lefroy released her first middle grade novel, ‘Alex and the Alpacas save the World’ (shortlisted for the Western Australian Premier’s Book Award) in 2022. Her latest middle grade adventure,
Afloat
By Kirli Saunders & Freya Blackwood Reviewed by Sandy Driessens Here is a book, “to spin wisdom, to grow … to form bonds, to make ties …to thrive.” By means of following a changing waterway and the ancient practice of weaving, Kirli Saunders
Life Lessons for Little Ones: You Know Yourself Best
A little one's guide to trusting their instincts By Jess Sanders & Fotini Tikkou Reviewed by Claire Monsour “Dear Reader, you are the expert of you. You know when something feels good and right, and you know when something feels wrong. What you feel
PD McPem’s Agency for Mysterious Mysteries #3 The Baffling Beach Bandit
Written by Anna Battese Illustrations by Ruth-Mary Smith Reviewed by Melissa Elk The Baffling Beach Bandit is Case 3 in this engaging series of mysteries written for newly independent readers by author Anna Battese. It follows Case 1: The Recorder Racket, and Case
Dragon Folding
By Christopher Cheng and Lucia Masciullo Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Dragon Folding is a quiet picture book about community support and intergenerational learning. It sees both Christopher Cheng and Lucia Masciullo, who last worked together on The Imagineer (2022), playing to
Duck for Cover (Trashy Tales #1)
By Kate and Jol Temple Art by Ronojoy Ghosh Reviewed by Sophia Evans Duck For Cover is the first book in the upcoming Trashy Tales series, written by Kate and Jol Temple and illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh. Duck For Cover follows a mischievous bin
Millie Mak the Mender (Millie Mak, #2)
By Alice Pung Illustrated by Sher Rill Ng. Reviewed by Helen Gearing Alice Pung OAM is one of Australia’s most decorated contemporary writers, delivering the State of the (Writing) Nation Address in 2021 and receiving an Order of Australia for her contributions
Apples not Orples
By R A Stephens & Carmen Dougherty Reviewed by Mia Macrossan R A Stephens runs publishing house Wombat Books and Rhiza Edge, and is the author of the Riz Chester series. Apples Not Orples is described as a rule-breaking counting book. It starts
