The Photographer
By Mark Rafidi & Paul O'Sullivan Hawkeye Publishing 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Mark Rafidi comes from mixed heritage and his stories explore identity, belonging, and the intricacies of Australian society. Paul O'Sullivan is the illustrator for Gary Crew's picture books, The Visions
I’m Not Afraid of Spiders
By Caitlin Henderson & Annie Henderson CSIRO Publishing 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan A book about Australian spiders told by sisters Caitlin (words) and Annie (pictures). Told in verse and illustrated in bold closeup with expressive human reactions this is a book that
Last Bat of the Night
By David Gullan & Samantha Metcalfe CSIRO Publishing 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan David Gullan is a primary school teacher, whose love of Australian wildlife has found expression in writing picture books including Life in a Hollow and Last Bat of the Night. Samantha
Where the Heart Is
By Shirley Marr & Michael Speechley Walker Books, 2026 Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Mouse lives in a barley field as big as the entire world, but as the seasons turn, the weather cools, and the barley turns yellow, it is time to think of
The Cat Wants Custard
By P Crumble & Lucinda Gifford Larrikin House 2026 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Kevin the Cat has a hankering for custard. He really, really wants it, and turns his nose up at all sorts of other treats, including sardines and pigs’ ears. But
This is Where We Say Goodbye
By Howard McKenzie-Murray Fremantle Press 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Ditching her roommate to hang out in the laundromat (without any clothes to wash, mind you) isn’t how Maud had planned to spend her twenty-first birthday. But she finds herself searching for a
This Stays Between Us
By Margot McGovern Penguin 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey This Stays Between Us is a creepy horror throwback to the 90s and 00s era that does not disappoint. The second novel from multi-award winning South Australian author Margot McGovern, this book has been
Max and the Haircut
Written and illustrated by Samareh Azadi Otter Barry Books 2026 Reviewed by Dimity Powell One of the most seemingly benign 'firsts' a parent and their child have to face - the first hair cut
Meet the Author: Suzanne Leal
By Mia Macrossan Suzanne Leal is the author of novels The Watchful Wife, The Teacher’s Secret and The Deceptions, winner of the Nib People’s Choice Prize. Her novel for middle-grade readers, Running with Ivan, is on the Children’s Book Council of Australia Notables List for Younger Readers and
Starfish Can’t Ride Bikes
By Jess Horn & Mo Davey Larrikin House, September 2026 Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Jess Horn is a neurodivergent author and former speech pathologist whose picture books focus on diverse ways of seeing the world. Her latest is also part of
Ben’s Library
By Amani Uduman & Joanna Bartel New Frontier Publishing, 2026 Teacher Notes Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Ben’s Library is a sweet celebration of books, libraries, and the reading communities created when a favourite pastime is shared. This is Uduman’s third traditional picture book,
The Boy Who Lost His Laugh
By Dimity Powell & Heidi Cooper Smith EK Books 2026 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Dimity Powell and EK Books have a track record of creating evocative, multi-layered picture books on tricky topics. The publishing house’s motto is “Books with Heart on Issues that
