Flora: Australia’s Most Curious Plants
By Tania McCartney Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This companion volume to Fauna: Australian’s Most Curious Animals is a treasure trove of information stunningly illustrated in precise detail and glorious colour. Australia is well known for having unique plant life, about 90%, 24,000 species,
The History of Information
Written and illustrated by Chris Haughton additional text and research by Loonie Park Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Chris Haughton is a prolific writer and illustrator who work includes A Bit Lost, which won the Dutch Picture Book of the Year, Oh No George!,
Standout Children’s Books of 2024
This year we have reviewed so many wonderful books, too numerous to list here. Browsing through StoryLinks we chose 20+ our reviewers consider outstanding. Many thanks to members of WriteLinks and the Last Tuesday Book Club for their recommendations.
Taronga Big Book of Animals
Over 200 fascinating facts for curious kids Reviewed by Mia Macrossan In the note to the reader the Taronga Conservation Society Australia states the facts in this book are based on the 'scientific worlds's current understanding' of the animals in the book,
The Five Rules of Friendship
By Jess Sanders Illustrated by César Barceló Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Jess Sanders is the author of Life Lessons for Little Ones series which include You Can Do Hard Things and You Know Yourself Best. She has also written Love Your Body and
Now for the Good News
By Jordan Artery [and 11 others] Illustrated by Rebecca King and Sarah Wiecek Reviewed by Ruth Bonetti It's cool to be green and to help save the planet. We—all of us—can embrace ingenious ideas to save the planet. Planet Ark, the Australian environmental
Extreme Animal Facts
By Jennifer Cossins, Reviewed by Dajo Finlayson. Jennifer Cossins is the bestselling, CBCA award winning Tasmanian author and illustrator of nonfiction information books. These predominantly reflect her great passion for nature and, in particular, the animal kingdom. She has written more than
Sunny Finds His Song
By Cate Storey & Penny Watson, illustrated by Sarah Matsuda. Reviewed by Tyrion Perkins Sunny Finds His Song is the third picture book by Cate Storey and Sarah Matsuda. After covering nocturnal Australian animals in Snuggled Away https://storylinks.booklinks.org.au/2022/10/02/snuggled-away/ and the Greater Glider
Into the Ice: Reflections on Antarctica
By Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch Reviewed by Margaret Mckay-Lowndes These reflections are the culmination of the creators' many journeys, either as Arts Fellows with the Australian Antarctic Division or as artists in residence on tourist ships. The experiences related in this
Our World: Philippines
By Zewlan Moor & Happy Garaje Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the latest addition to the Our World series which aims to introduce young readers to the culture and lives of people from other places around the world. Titles inclde Ethiopia,
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
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 -
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
South with the Seabirds
Follow four remarkable scientists to the edge of the world By Jess McGeachin Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Non fiction picture books are having quite a moment right now, and South with the Seabirds is a wonderful addition from author and illustrator
Design & Building on Country: First Knowledges for younger readers
By Alison Page & Paul Memmott Illustrated by Blak Douglas Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This title is part of the First Knowledges for Younger People series which celebrates the wisdom and ingenuity of the First Peoples of Australia. They aim to give children
A Really Short Journey Through the Body
An illustrated edition of the bestselling book about our incredible anatomy By Bill Bryson adapted by Emma Young, illustrated by Daniel Long, Dawn Cooper, Jesús Sotés and Katie Ponder. Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Bill Bryson was born in America but now lives and
When Dinosaurs Roamed Australia
By Sarah Jane Lightfoot Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is Sarah's second book, the first being Down the Road Little Bee, 2021, a bee's search for pollen across the Australian suburban landscape. The title of When Dinosaurs Roamed Australia speaks for itself,
The Opal Dinosaur
By Yvonne Mes & Sylvia Morris Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Yvonne Mes is a multi faceted creator who writes and illustrates children's books including Oliver's Grumbles, Trouble in the Henhouse, and Meet Sydney Nolan. Here she has teamed up with children's illustrator
Ingenious Insects
By Sarah Allen Reviewed by Margarite Igras Australian author and illustrator Sarah Allen shares her love of the amazing fauna and flora found on the Australian continent in this ingenious children's picture book. Her first book, Busy Beaks was shortlisted for the
Meet the Author: Lara Cain Gray
A picture’s worth a thousand words, but a great picture book? Priceless! The Grown-Up’s Guide To Picture Books explores the complexities of modern picture books, from why our favourites tend to linger so long in our memories, to how we can
The Grown-Ups Guide to Picture Books
By Lara Cain Gray, Lorena Carrington & Timothy Ide Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Dr Lara Cain Gray is a librarian, children's book advocate and esteemed Storylinks reviewer. Her aim with this debut is to create a guide for teachers, parents and carers
Is My Phone Reading My Mind?
The real facts about Artificial Intelligence By Matt Agnew Illustrations by Hana Kinoshita Thomson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Dr Matt Agnew has a doctorate in astrophysics and a masters in artificial intelligence so he knows what he is talking about. His mission here is
Unreal
Can you tell fact from fake? by Kate Simpson, illustrated by Leila Rudge Reviewed by Mia Macrossan I learned a new word today, cryptid, an animal that some people believe is real but whose existence isn't backed up by strong evidence. There is
Right Way Down and other poems
Chosen by Rebecca M Newman & Sally Murphy Illustrated by Briony Stewart Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This efferfescent collection of poems, aimed at upper primary school children aged 9 - 12 has been put together by Rebecca M. Newman, an award-winning children’s poet
Voice of the Sea
By John Williamson Illustrated by Andrea Innocent & Jonathan Chong Reviewed by Mia Macrossan John Williamson is an Australian singer songwriter who has had two of his popular songs produced as picture books Old Man Emu and Christmas in Australia. Voice of the Sea
Skye Blackburn-Lang: Eating Bugs for the Planet
By Dianne Wolfer Reviewed by Sophia Evans Skye Blackburn-Lang: Eating Bugs for the Planet is part of the Aussie STEM Stars series that aims to provide inspiring stories of our world-leading scientists and inventors. The title is the reason I picked up
Michelle Simmons: Quantum computing scientist/Aussie STEM Stars
By Nova Weetman Illustrated by Mirjana Segan Reviewed by Helen Gearing In exceptional timing, this book was published in the same month that Michelle Simmons AO won the 2023 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science. Michelle Simmons: Quantum computing science is written by the award-winning
Ultrawild
An Audacious Plan for Rewilding Every City on Earth By Steve Mushin Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray The word ‘audacious’ is used frequently in the promotions for Steve Mushin’s Ultrawild, and I can’t think of a better description. This book is big, bold,
