What Makes a Bird?
An Illustrated Guide to the Bird World By Nadeem Perera & Montse Galbany Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is a glorious introduction to the world of birds, chockful of information presented in accessible nuggets of information and illustrated with a marvellous
The Raven’s Eye Rebellion
By Claire Mabey Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the sequel to The Raven’s Eye Runaways, 2024, which introduced us to an original fantasy world where only a privileged few are allowed to read, where books have enormous power for good or
The Unlikely Diary of Prince Kal the Alien
By Ross Welford Illustrated by Harry Bridge Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Ross Welford is a popular author of light-hearted middle grade novels such as Time Travelling with a Hamster. Here is the start of a brand-new series that is the familiar combination of
A Light on the Rocks
By Helen Edwards Reviewed by Jenny Ruge A Light on the Rocks is a magical historical novel from award-winning author Dr Helen Edwards. Her earlier works include Legend of the Lighthouse Moon and On Gallant Wings, both published by Riveted Press. Her
One Day Soon
By Christy Burne Reviewed by Lauren Spencer Cristy Burnes’ long list of credentials is impressive and slightly intimidating. Cristy isn’t just an award-winning author but also an internationally renowned expert in science communication, a STEAM ambassador, an innovative storyteller, and an adventure
On Gallant Wings
By Helen Edwards Reviewed by Helen Gearing In addition to ‘The Disappearing Circus,’ a recently published fantasy co-authored with Kate Gordon, South-Australian children’s author Helen Edwards has written four other middle grade novels challenging stereotypes and encouraging readers to consider gaps in
The Midlands
By Kate Gordon Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Kate Gordon is the award winning author of not only Aster’s Good Right Things which won the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year Award in 2021, but also many other delightful middle grade novels. Her
Running in Circles
By Shivaun Palozza Reviewed by Sue Wright Shivaun is a popular writer of YA and middle grade novels which include Summer of Shipwrecks, Meet Me at the Moon Tree, A Reluctant Witch’s Guide to Magic and The Boy, the Wolf and the
Raised by Wolves
By Tristan Bancks Reviewed by Sue Wright Tristan is the acclaimed author of Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, Cop & Robber, Scar Town, Nit Boy and Ginger Meggs. His books for upper middle grade and young adults are fast-paced mystery thrillers with carefully considered serious themes at their
The Last Word
By A. L. Tait Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Scholastic’s new Two Hearts series is a collection of standalone novels written by well-known Australian authors and marketed as ‘All the sugar and no spice: Clean romance suitable for tweens and young teens’. The
Our History: A House Divided
By Clare Hallifax Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes November 11, 1975 is a date etched vividly into the minds of many Australians, not only because of Remembrance Day, but also because that was the infamous day upon which the Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam,
Nerds VS Aliens
By Barry Jonsberg Reviewed by Lauren Spencer Originally from Liverpool, England, Barry Jonsberg is an award-winning Australian author of children’s and young adult fiction. One of his most notable works, My Life as an Alphabet (2013), was adapted into the 2020 film,
Dungzilla
Written and illustrated By James Foley This edition colouring by Paulina Gamez Reviewed by Sophia Evans DUNGZILLA is a hilarious, action-packed graphic novel that follows the shenanigans of the world’s foremost inventor under the age of twelve, Sally Tinker. Sally begins the story
Oh Brother: A Graphic Memoir
By Georgina Chadderton Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Georgina Chadderton is a freelance cartoonist from Adelaide. Her debut graphic novel, Oh Brother: A Graphic Memoir, is set in the early 2000s and details her experience of growing up alongside her younger brother, Rob,
Words Matter: The Story of Hans and Sophie Scholl, and the White Rose Resistance
By Anita Fitch Pazner and Sophie Casson Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Anita Fitch Pazner is an American author who was born in Germany. Sophie Casson is from Montreal, Quebec and has illustrated more than 30 books. Words Matter is the story of Hans
Meet the Author: Brenton Cullen
By Mia Macrossan Brenton Cullen is thrilled to publishing his debut middle grade novel The Prime Minister Problem, a book about a quiet kid who unexpectedly achieves much. He lives in Queensland, between the bush and the beach, in a little
Fur Power! (Guinea Wigs, #1)
By Rebecca McRitchie Illustrated by Shiloh Gordon Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Rebecca McRitchie is an editor and writer working in Sydney whose first work was Whimsy and Woe. Together with Shiloh Gordon, the illustrator of the Frog Squad series among other things they have created
Swearwolves
By Steve Worland Reviewed by Sandy Driessens When Luna Wilkinson and her family move to Nightfall Springs, she desperately wants to perform in the school production of “Bite Me: The Musical”. Being a member of the “cool girl” clique is also on
The Prime Minister Problem
By Brenton Cullen Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is Brenton Cullen's debut Middle Grade novel and it's a cracker. Written from the heart it grabs you immediately with a story of a sensitive lonely boy who takes action when his beloved grandma is
Neeka and the Great Search (Wilder Zoo, #3)
By Tina Strachan Illustrated by Max Hamilton Reviewed by Jenny Ruge Neeka and the Great Search is the third book in the Wilder Zoo series by Tina Strachan and Max Hamilton, the first is Neeka and the Missing Key (Wilder Zoo, #1) which
Myra in the Middle
By Seetha Dodd Illustrated by Peter Cheong Reviewed by Zewlan Moor This is Seetha Dodd's debut junior fiction novel. When writing she draws on her Malaysian–Indian heritage, and favours themes of family, identity and belonging, Seetha aims to write stories that empower children
Gimme Some Space (The Marvellous Submarine, #2)
By Clayton Zane Comber & Conor McCammon Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “When moon rocks begin to crash-land on Monkey Island, Poppy and Billy suspect the Fugitives might be behind the chaos. Luckily, they have an idea: modify Mum’s greatest invention, the Marvellous
The Interactive Human Body
Explore the Human Body with Flaps, Wheels, Levers, Touch and Feel, and More! By Ryan G Van Cleave & Juliana Eigner Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This very attractive large board book is designed to allow curious children to explore the human body with
Brightest Wild
By Tania Crampton-Larking Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Out of place, out of depths, out of sorts. All the ways eleven-year-old Alex feels when she’s made to leave her comfortable London life to move to a small Adelaide suburb with a soon-to-be stepfamily.
The Hits and Misses of Melody Moss
By Helen Dallimore Reviewed by Jenny Ruge Helen Dallimore is an actress, singer, director and writer. She has written for TV, mostly comedies, but The Hits and Misses of Melody Moss is her first foray into writing fiction for children. It has
Frances Bloom (Frances Bloom, #1)
By Katrina Nannestad Illustrated by Marina Zlatanova Reviewed by Helen Gearing Katrina Nannestad, best known for her much-awarded WWII middle-grade novels, returns to junior fiction in her latest work, Frances Bloom. With comical black-and white illustrations by Marina Zlatanova, who won a 2020
All About Antarctica
A Fact Book About the Southernmost Continent By Marc Martin Reviewed by Claire Monsour If you don’t like picture books with busy pages and lots of small text: this book may not be for you. But if, like me, you have a highly
The Story Writer’s Handbook
Adventures in Creative Writing By Katrina Nannestad Illustrated by Cheryl Orsini Reviewed by Claire Monsour Nannstad writes in the introduction to this book, “My hope is that the spaces in this book will prove too small for your galloping creativity”. Full of inviting creative
Crossing
By Catherine Norton Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Catherine Norton's first novel, Crossing, was joint winner of the Patricia Wrightson Prize in the 2015 NSW Premier's Literary Awards. It was also a CBCA Notable Book. She was born in the UK but grew
Unfairies
By Huw Aaron Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This rollicking and irreverent graphic novel, the first in a series, by Welsh cartoonist, author and illustrator and now graphic artist, Huw Aaron is a total treat to read. In this deep dive into fairyland,
