2024 Aurealis Awards for speculative fiction
The winners of the Aurealis Awards, celebrating the best Australian speculative fiction, have been announced. BEST CHILDREN’S FICTION Andromache Between Worlds, Gabriel Bergmoser (HarperCollins Publishers) The Bother with the Bonkillyknock Beast, Karen Foxlee & Freda Chiu (ill.) (Allen & Unwin) The Apprentice Witnesser, Bren
May Book Links News
Here is the latest news about kidlit events near and far from Book Links The Centre for Children's Literature. May Book Links News
Longlist 2025 Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction
The aim of this award is to increase the understanding and appreciation of history by children. These seven titles are outstanding works of historical fiction for children, demonstrating literary merit, historical accuracy, and appeal to young readers. Topics range widely but
Boodja Barna: Land Creatures
By Jayden Boundry & Tyrown Waigana Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Jayden Boundry is Wadjak Balardong Noongar and Badimaya Yamatji and a Noongar language teacher who has teamed up with Tyrown Waigana, a Wardandi Noongar and Ait Koedhal multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer. This
We’re Going to the Zoo
Taronga Conservation Society Australia Illustrated by Cate James Reviewed by Mia Macrossan 'Today is a special day. We're going to the Zoo!' begins this charming and informative account of mum and two children spending the day at Tarong Zoological Park. They do the
Taronga: Animal Opposites at the Zoo
Taronga Conservation Society Australia Illustrated by Emilie Tavaearii Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This board book highlights how all the zoo animals are different. Using an appropriate font for each characteristic we learn about short and tall, slow and fast, shy and bold and
Jo and the No
By Kyle Mewburn & Judy Watson Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran Kyle Mewburn is a multi-award-winning author of over 40 books for children, including picture books and junior fiction series. Judy Watson is a multi-award-winning artist, writer and illustrator of many picture books and
The Ballad of Darcy and Russell
By Morgan Matson Review by Lucille Rose A botched music festival. A broken-down bus. A dead phone. Darcy never knew the best night of her life would start quite like this. Darcy Milligan is your classic hopeless romantic: a book nerd with
Seven Wherewithal Way: Into the Faerie Realm
By Samantha-Ellen Bound Reviewed by Helen Gearing In the final installment of her exciting portal fantasy series, Samantha-Ellen Bound keeps the stakes high (and mythological creatures flowing) while exploring themes of courage, friendship, and growing up. Celeste and her little sister Esme have
Aggie Flea is NOT a Liar!
Written by Tania Ingram Illustrated by A. Yi Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd South Australian author Tania Ingram has published various picture books, junior fiction stories and the middle grade novel The Other Shadow since making her debut in 2013. Before becoming a full-time
I Dreamed of You
By Sharna Carter & Gabby Grant Reviewed by Mia Macrossan ' I dreamed of your sweet giggles as you'd skip and hold my hand'. This is one of those picture books celebrating a parent's hopes and dreams for a child. It shows an
Odder
By Katherine Applegate & Charles Santoso Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This American writer has won awards too numerous to mention, including the Newbery medal for The One and Only Ivan. Odder, another story about animal welfare, is about the life of an
The Noisy Noisy City
By Andrew Kelly & Hélène Magisson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Andrew Kelly is a Melbourne environmentalist and writer of numerous children's stories including Little Lon and Peregrines in the City . Hélène Magisson is a Brisbane illustrator, originally from France where she worked
Thunder City
By Philip reeve Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Philip's first book was the epic YA steampunk Mortal Engines, 2001, which created a world of 'municipal Darwinism', where rampaging motorised towns and cities are on the move, attacking and eating each other, prowling around
Bling Jollygood (The Fairly Secret Files)
By Nick Bland Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Nick Bland is one of Australia's most popular and prolific creators, responsible for The Very Cranky Bear series, and the hilarious Bunny and Bird series which include How to Hatch a Dragon, How to be
Creature Corridors
By Billie Rooney & Anke Noack
Reviewed by Sandy Driessens
“We share the world with many creatures. Some move by day, others by night. In a town bustling with cars and buses, kangaroos thump, thump as if to say, ‘This road is too dangerous. How can we cross to the other side?’”
Australia’s precious native animals travel to find food, shelter and safe places to breed. Whether it is on land, in the sky or in water, because of human habitation and construction, the journey is more difficult and dangerous. However, across highways, through farming land and by waterways, wildlife corridors have been and continue to be built to help these animals reach safe havens.
In her debut work, Billie Rooney has written an educational story, semi-hidden as a warm children’s picture book. She skilfully parallels the animal and human habitat and how they interact. Her use of onomatopoeia brings the animals to life with the ‘snuffle, snuffle of platypus’ and the ‘scuttle, scuttle of red crabs’. Though not rhyming, her subtle use of alliteration provides a sense of rhythm to the animals and their habitat. She closes with a description of wildlife corridors, the corridors mentioned in the story and a glossary of terms, completing the educational component.
Award-winning illustrator, Anke Noack complements the tenderness of this story with images that typify the characteristics of specific animals, in colour, texture and facial expressions. The cover and endpapers are delightful, highlighting the stars of this book. She bleeds the human habitat into the natural habitat, in double page spreads, portraying the corridors with almost architectural detail whilst softening the images with native plants.
Produced by the CSIRO, this is a beautiful educational book that will appeal to young readers. Not only does it deal with major construction it also speaks to the importance of providing havens in our own back yards. It will engage them with their surroundings and also give them hope that we can share our world safely with many creatures. It should have a special place in homes, libraries, schools and early education centres.
CSIRO Publishing 2025 Billie Rooney Anke Noack
Bush Bubs
By Helen Milroy Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “So many joeys, puggles and pups. Let’s look after our precious bush bubs.” Australian native animals range in size, characteristics and habitat, but when we talk about their babies, with their special names, they become particularly
Luna’s World #1 Library Dreams
By Hayley Gannon Illustrated by Michelle Conn Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Hayley Gannon is a teacher librarian working in Canberra. She loves writing about real family and school life so that readers can see themselves in books. In her debut fiction Luna's World
Juniper’s Christmas
By Eoin Colfer Illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat Reviewed by Sophia Evans Here's a story for those who like to read about Christmas at any time of the year. Juniper’s Christmas follows protagonist Juniper Lane as she discovers the science behind the magic of
Volcano
By Claire Saxby & Jess Racklyeft Reviewed by Sophia Evans ‘Deep in the ocean, far beyond the reach of even the brightest sun, the earth quakes.’ Thorough research is interwoven with lyrical language to bring the journey of a new mountain to life.
Neeka and the Missing Key (Wilder Zoo, #1)
By Tina Strachan & Max Hamilton Reviewed by Sophia Evans I’ve always loved a good book that includes a map at the front and this book fits that category to a tee. Neeka and the Missing Key is the first book in
The World We Can Build
By Eliza Hull & Sally Rippin, & Daniel Gray-Barnett Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray The World We Can Build comes to us from the team behind award-winning title Come Over To My House (2022), and continues that book’s plea for a more
Hatch
By Heidi Cooper Smith Reviewed by Tyrion Perkins Heidi Cooper Smith is a Brisbane based Illustrator and also author of her own picture books, Six Sleepy Mice, Too Many Ducks, Odd Sock Sid, and Secrets of the Seasons. At first glance, Hatch appears
My Mum is a Bird
By Angie Cui & Evie Barrow Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This clever subtle story, so beautifully extended by its sensitive illustrations, is a perfect package of artful storylelling, emotional engagement and gorgeous artwork. It's a remarkable achievement for Melbourne based debut author
My Mum is the Best!
By Nic McPickle & Tommy Doyle Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This creative team also published the companion volume, My Dad Is the Best, while Nic McPickle is also the author of Fire Truck Santa and Tommy Doyle, an illustrator, ceramist and graphic designer,
Bigfoot vs Yeti, A Love Story
By James Foley Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Bigfoot vs Yeti (A Love Story) is the latest release from multi-talented author and illustrator James Foley. Like his previous hits My Dead Bunny and Stellarphant, this is a surprising, unconventional picture book that
April Book Links News
Settle in with your favourite beverage for a long read and immerse yourself in all things kidlit for April and May. April Book Links News compiled by Jenny Stubbs
Meet the author of Anomaly: Emma Lord
Emma loves all things sci-fi, fantasy and horror, but has a particular soft spot for reading and writing YA. Her debut YA novel Anomaly was published by Affirm Press in 2024 after an early draft was selected for the Varuna and Affirm Press
The Big Backyard Plan
By Kirsten Ealand & Laura Stitzel Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is Kirsten's second picture book after her charming debut Like a Gannet. She says: When I write, I often start with an emotion and go from there and my books often
Cassowary Dad
By Beverley McWilliams & Julian Teh Reviewed by Dajo Finlayson ‘Tap, tap, CRACK! Three stripy chicks hatch from forest green eggs
