Liam the Chid & the Kangaroo Warriors
Written and illustrated by Meredith Downes Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “Liam is an echidna destined for trouble.” Echidnas, known for their docile temperament and tendency to hide from conflict, are not an Australian animal that is usually ‘destined for trouble’. But Liam is
Forbidden Journal of Rufus Rumble: Legend of the Fang
By Nick Long Illustrated by Robin Tatlow-Lord. Reviewed by Lauren Spencer When he isn’t searching for lost cities in the Amazon and filming Netflix documentaries, Nick Long is writing his children’s book, Forbidden Journal of Rufus Rumble. Wait! I probably wasn’t supposed to
My Pet Croc
Written by Dani Vee Illustrations by Jules Faber Reviewed by Sophia Evans If you’re after a laugh-out-loud, heartwarming middle-grade story with a splash of chaos and a lot of mischief, My Pet Croc is the perfect choice for you! Felix is asked by his
You Choose Mega: Prehistoric Peril
By George Ivanoff Reviewed by Junior Reviewer Colby, aged 9, who writes his own comic books called Millipede Man and Green Rocket. He also loves The Beatles, and is learning the guitar. Thank you Colby for talking to us about You Choose
Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping
By Craig Silvey Illustrated by Sara Acton Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Craig Silvey is rapidly becoming a household name in Australia. Two of his books Honeybee #25 and Jasper Jones #24 were voted amongst the recent Top 100 Books in Radio National's 2025
Harper Wells Renegade Timeline Officer
By Bethany Loveridge Reviewed by Meg Rowe Talented and versatile author/illustrator Bethany Loveridge’s debut middle grade novel Harper Wells Renegade Timeline Officer brings an original and imaginative take to the time travel genre and shines in its ability to bring Australian history
Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories (Special Edition)
By Jeff Kinney Reviewed by Sophia Evans Grab a flashlight, crawl under the covers, and dive into the twisted, unexpectedly hilarious world of Rowley Jefferson’s imagination. Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories is the perfect book for young readers who like a bit
Childish
By Morris Gleitzman Reviewed by Jenny Ruge Morris Gleitzman has for many years been one of Australia’s best-loved authors for children. With 45 books to his credit, he’s never afraid to tackle difficult subjects, with relatable characters often caught in sticky situations
Ningaloo: Australia’s Wild Wonder
Written by Time Winton Illustrated by Cindy Lane Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Tim Winton is an internationally renowned Australian writer and conservationist, having written more than 30 books for adults and children. A four-time winner of the Miles Franklin Award and shortlisted twice
Spud and Snowball and the Fancy Fish (Spud and Snowball, #1)
Written and illustrated by Judith Rossell Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Judith Rossell has made a name for herself as one of those rare creatures who can both write like a dream and illustrate her writing with quirky charming memorable images. She has
The 113th Assistant Librarian 2: Lost in a Book
By Stuart Wilson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Stuart is the author of the middle grade adventures set in Prometheus High, How to Make a Monster and its sequel The Books of the Dead, His current series, The 113th Assistant Librarian, is set in
Hairy Holes: Book 2
By Brenton E McKenna Reviewed by Sophia Evans Brenton E. McKenna is a Yawuru artist based in Broome, WA. He is the first published Indigenous graphic novel author in Australia and Hairy Holes: Book 2 is the sequel to Hairy Holes It
Millie Mak Makes Her Mark
By Alice Pung Illustrated by Sher Rill Ng Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Millie Mak is back in the final instalment of this series for younger independent readers who enjoy contemporary realistic fiction that reflects both their lives and their relationships. Now she has settled into her
The Poisoned King: Impossible Creatures 2
By Katherine Rundell Illustrated by Tomislav Tomić Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Katherine Rundell, a noted John Donne scholar has another life as a much awarded children's author. She has written The Good Thieves, The Wolf Wilder, The Explorer aimed at middle grade and
Friday Barnes 13: In Plain Sight
By R. A. Spratt Reviewed by Tyrion Perkins R.A. Spratt is a UK born Australian author of many books including Hamlet is not OK, the Nanny Piggins series, several volumes of stories, and The Peski Kids series. She also has a podcast
The Experiment
By Rebecca Stead Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Rebecca Stead is amazing how she breaks new ground with each new book. Her books include When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy, First Light, Goodbye Stranger, The List of Things that Will Not Change, and Bob and The Lost Library
Frog, Log and Dave A Brush with Evil
By Trent Jamieson & Brent Wilson Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran When inimitable duo Trent Jamieson and Brent Wilson come together to create books you get memorable characters, maximum hilarity and a feast for the senses where the story seems to move across
Aster’s Next, Good Thing
Written by Kate Gordon Reviewed by Jenny Ruge Aster’s Next, Good Thing is the last in Kate Gordon’s award winning series of books that introduced us to Aster and her friends Xavier, Indigo and Esme. The first, Aster’s Good, Right Things, won
Caring for Country: First Knowledges for younger readers
Bruce Pascoe and Bill Gammage. Adapted by Jasmin McGaughey with illustrations by Savi Ross. Reviewed by Helen Gearing Since Bruce Pascoe’s Dark Emu hit the shelves in 2014, the groundbreaking re-examination of the colonial account of Aboriginal people as hunter-gatherers has been
A New World Rises: Tales of a LEGO® Future
By Cristy Burne, Jackson Harvey, & Alex Towler Reviewed by Mia Macrossan THE YEAR IS 2130 Humanity’s reign has ended but the world is slowly recovering and showing signs of new life – one brick at a time. LEGO minifigures have risen from the
The Only Branch on the Family Tree
By Sherryl Clark Guest Review by Kirsten Ealand I love verse novels. There’s something so lovely about a slim book with lots of white space – so approachable and undaunting - yet with all the emotional punch, lyrical language and not-following-the-rules playful
Laughter is the Best Ending
By Maryam Master Illustrated by Astred Hicks Reviewed by Jenny Ruge Maryam Master is a screenwriter, playwright and author whose first two novels, Exit Through the Gift Shop and No Words were winners or shortlisted for numerous awards. Her latest, Laughter is the
Song of a Thousand Seas
By Zana Frallon Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Zana is the much awarded writer of picture books including The Gargoyle and The Curiosities and books for older readers such The Lost Soul Atlas and The Way of Dog, both reviewed in StoryLinks. She says the idea for this book came
Trapped! The Entombed Miner of Bonnie Vale
By Julia Lawrinson Reviewed by Helen Gearing Lawrinson is a prolific and well respected children’s author, publishing 17 books since winning the 2001 Western Australian Premier’s Award for her debut young adult novel Obsession. Her latest work, Trapped, is a gripping middle
Everglade 1: Rise of the Witch
By Kitty Black Illustrated by Rebecca Crane Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is Australian author Kitty Black's debut middle grade novel. She is best known to date for her many picture books which include If I Were a Lion, Mr Bat Wants a
The Silken Thread
Written and illustrated by Gabrielle Wang Reviewed by Jenny Ruge From the 2022-2023 Australian Children’s Laureate, Gabrielle Wang, comes another heartfelt tale of love and loss, friendship and family. The author of successful novels such as A Ghost in My Suitcase and
Filling in the Map: Exploring Inland Australia
By Carole Wilkinson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Carole Wilkinson is a prolific author perhaps best known for her Dragonkeeper series but she has an impressive list of non-fiction titles to her name, many concerned with Australian history. Filling in the Map is
Finn and the Pen
By David Lawrence Illustrated by P.J. Reece with Cherie Dignam Reviewed by Meg Rowe The Pen is back! When Finn, a music loving, story writing 11-year-old orphan, discovers the pen he finds has strange magical powers, he can’t believe his luck. With the
Washpool
By Lisa Fuller Reviewed by Lauren Spencer Washpool is the second novel by Lisa Fuller, a Wulli Wulli woman and award-winning writer. Unlike the darker mysteries of her previous YA novel, Ghost Bird, Washpool is a surreal fantasy fit for any middle-grade
Parrot Palace
by Susanne Gervay with Pooja Mathur Illustrated by Sarah Tabassum Reviewed by Meg Rowe With a host of books and awards to her name Susanne Gervay is a master storyteller whose work shines in its ability to engage with important social and cultural
