Oceanforged Book 3: The Sinking Ruins
By Amelia Mellor Affirm Kids 2026 Reviewed by Helen Gearing Multi award-winning children’s author Amelia Mellor (best known for her ‘Grandest Bookshop in the World’ series) delivers another high-action, immersive story in the third installment of Oceanforged. With echoes of George Orwell’s ‘1984’,
Deathly Fates
By Tesia Tsai Electric Monkey GB 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Kang Siying is a ganshi priestess, reanimating and guiding the dead home to their families and their final resting place. Taught by her father, she has taken over since he fell ill.
Natural Selection
By Clare Edge Bloomsbury YA 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Back in 2024, there was a question posed to women that became a clip that turned into a trend that went viral. And it changed conversations around assault, women and feminism, hopefully forever.
Humpty’s Big Book of Nursery Rhymes
By Play School Illustrated by Beck Feiner ABC Books AU 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Humpty Dumpty had a big book, Of nursery rhymes come take a good look, All the great stories and all the fun times, It's Humpty's big book of nursery rhymes. You really can't
The Witches of Winderry Spires
By Karen Foxlee A & U Children 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan I always drop everything when a new Karen Foxlee book lands on the review pile. She never disappoints, always writing something fresh and new. Yes, this fantasy contains dragons and witches
The Little Kiwi Builder
By Tim Saunders & Minky Stapleton A&U Children's NZ 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Tim is a New Zealand writer of adult and children's books including the very amusing The Sheep That Stole the Farmer’s Hat. Here he has teamed up with Minky Stapleton,
Yalla! Let’s Go!
Written by Peter Bol and Jennifer Castles Illustrated by Louie Joyce A & U Children 2026 Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran Nagmeldin Bol, aka Peter Bol, a Sudanese-Australian Olympian and silver medallist, has an inspiring life story to tell. Yalla! Let’s Go! is the bright
The Rebound
By Fiona Harris A & U Children 2026 Review by Alison McCaffrey Fourteen-year-old Harry loves basketball. Watching games with his dad, playing with his best friend, training with them both. Everything has been building to making the Grover Secondary Under 16s Firsts team,
Hometown*
By Shaun Tan A & U Children 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Shaun Tan describes himself as ' primarily a writer of illustrated books for no particular audience', and it's true, both adults and children enjoy his work. He has won many awards
The 113th Assistant Librarian 3: Forbidden Pages
By Stuart Wilson Penguin 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Stuart is the author of the amazingly fun, creepy, weird and macabre middle grade series set in Prometheus High, How to Make a Monster and its sequel The Books of the Dead. Forbidden Pages
The White Ravens: A Selection of International Children’s and Youth Literature
Congratulations to the creators of the four Australian titles selected for inclusion in the prestigious 2026 White Ravens catalogue, featuring brief annotations of more than 200 notable new children’s and young adult books from about 50 countries and regions and
How to Get Rid of a Princess*
By Alison McLennan & Mel Pearce Hardie Grant Children's Publishing 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Alison McLennan is an Australian professional voiceover artist and actor as well as a writer of children's books which include Birdie Lights up the World, Great and Small and
Meet the Author: Maryam Master
Lightness and humour are what keep me going. In life and in my writing Dimity Powell talks to Maryam Masters about writing, books, and her latest novel My Tiny Universe. Why do you write for children? They’re the most important people in
Meena’s Moving Day
By Brenton Cullen & Jennifer Horn Rhiza Press 2026 Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran Brenton Cullen is a Queensland children’s author, children’s literature enthusiast and a bookseller. His debut middle grade novel, The Prime Minister Problem, was shortlisted in the 2026 Speech Pathology Book of
Bah Humbug!
By Andy Geppert A & U Children 2026 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor The latest Christmas picture book is by Andy Geppert, the author-illustrator of the popular Australian Backyard Buddies and Meep. This book is about a bug’s perspective on Christmas. Specifically, a cranky humbug.
The Between-Worlds B&B
By Amy Mae Baxter Harper Fire GB 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Margo is a little bit bored, a little bit lonely, and a little bit disorganised. With summer stretching ahead and nothing to look forward to, the last year of high school
Dobby
By J K Rowling Illustrated by Helen Brady Bloomsbury Children's Books 2026 Pocket Potters – Little Guides to the Harry Potter Stories Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Dobby the ever helpful house-elf is a standout character in J K Rowlings Harry Potter series and here he
Hagrid
By J K Rowling Illustrated by Olia Muza Bloomsbury Childrens Books 2026 Pocket Potters – Little Guides to the Harry Potter Stories Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Hagrid has to be one of J. K Rowling's most popular creations and this book, devoted solely to him
