Kid *
By Peter Carnavas Reviewed by Mia Macrossan 'There was once a small goat who lived on a farm, not far from a rugged mountain.' A new story from Peter is always a cause for celebration and Kid does not disappoint. What a warm
What Makes a Bird?
An Illustrated Guide to the Bird World By Nadeem Perera & Montse Galbany Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is a glorious introduction to the world of birds, chockful of information presented in accessible nuggets of information and illustrated with a marvellous
Oh No!
By James Foley Reviewed by Mia Macrossan James Foley is well known for his original and unconventional take on life. His books for children are characterised by a zany humour, challenging ideas and memorable illustration. His CBCA Notable Bigfoot vs Yeti (A
The Raven’s Eye Rebellion
By Claire Mabey Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the sequel to The Raven’s Eye Runaways, 2024, which introduced us to an original fantasy world where only a privileged few are allowed to read, where books have enormous power for good or
The Unlikely Diary of Prince Kal the Alien
By Ross Welford Illustrated by Harry Bridge Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Ross Welford is a popular author of light-hearted middle grade novels such as Time Travelling with a Hamster. Here is the start of a brand-new series that is the familiar combination of
The Fast Lane
By Pip Harry & Katrin Dreiling Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Katrin Dreiling’s delightful illustration style often puts quirky animal characters front and centre. The cover says it all in the case of The Fast Lane, which pits Daisy the pig, a
A Flash in the Dust
By Meg Caddy Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey A Flash in the Dust is the fourth YA novel for Western Australian author Meg Caddy. With a handful of short- and longlistings for their first three novels, Weir, Devil’s Ballast, and Slipping the Noose,
The Day the Books Disappeared
Written by Joanna Ho and Caroline Kusin Pritchard Illustrated by Dan Santat Reviewed by Zewlan Moor This clever, child-centered book highlights the absurdity of book banning. Arnold is passionate about planes and can't believe other kids in his class don't want to read about
The Magic Faraway Tree: The Story of the Film
Inspired by Enid Blyton, text by Emily Stead Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Nearly 90 years ago, as war clouds gathered over Europe and the world was swept up into a global conflict not seen since, English author Enid Blyton wrote the first
A Light on the Rocks
By Helen Edwards Reviewed by Jenny Ruge A Light on the Rocks is a magical historical novel from award-winning author Dr Helen Edwards. Her earlier works include Legend of the Lighthouse Moon and On Gallant Wings, both published by Riveted Press. Her
Tiny Good Things
By Gabrielle Tozer & Sophie Beer Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray ‘Tiny Good Things’ comes from the dream team who brought us ‘Before We Met’, Gabrielle Tozer and Sophie Beer. Each brings a sense of wonder to the early parenthood experience, particularly
Costa’s Garden: Fruit (Costa’s Garden, #2)
By Costa Georgiadis & Brenna Quinlan Reviewed by Margarite Igras Costa Georgiadis, the presenter of the ABC Gardening Australia show, has written this follow up book in the Costa’s Garden series. His first book focussed on the importance and joys of flowers.
The Umbrella
By Niki Foreman & Binny Talib Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Amidst the copious books about ‘fitting in’ and ‘being yourself’ Niki Foreman and Binny Talib have succeeded in creating a fresh take on the topic with their picture book, The Umbrella.
Celebration Festival
By Alysia Kelly & Ruth-Mary Smith Reviewed by Meg Rowe Evie loves celebrations so when she is asked to judge her local communities Celebration Festival, she is excited - and nervous. How will she be able to choose a winner? With her
Good Young Men
By Gary Lonesborough Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Kallum lost his scholarship to a fancy school and is sent home confused about footy and how he feels about boys. Jordy is parenting because his dad drinks too much and is dealing with a
These Shattered Spires
By Cassidy Ellis Salter Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey In a world of rot, under a sky of monstrous teeth, the castle Fourspires is divided into four houses of magic – Blood, Bone, Botany and Stone. Here, arcanists draw life from their human
2026 Book Links Children’s Historical Fiction Award Long List
By Mia Macrossan Presenting the 2026 Book Links Children's Historical Fiction Award Longlist Congratulations to all those creators who made the list. The judges commented on the 'excellent research, engaging writing and the wide scope and variety of times, places and events '
One Day Soon
By Christy Burne Reviewed by Lauren Spencer Cristy Burnes’ long list of credentials is impressive and slightly intimidating. Cristy isn’t just an award-winning author but also an internationally renowned expert in science communication, a STEAM ambassador, an innovative storyteller, and an adventure
The Girl in the Painting
By Dee White & Sarah Anthony Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Dee White is an award-winning, international author of more than 25 books for children and young adults, including The Hullabaloo about Elephant Poo and Beyond Belief. She has a passion for history and
On Gallant Wings
By Helen Edwards Reviewed by Helen Gearing In addition to ‘The Disappearing Circus,’ a recently published fantasy co-authored with Kate Gordon, South-Australian children’s author Helen Edwards has written four other middle grade novels challenging stereotypes and encouraging readers to consider gaps in
