Wild Australian Life
Written by Leonard Cronin Illustrated by Chris Nixon Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Leonard Cronin trained as a biologist and is a prolific writer of books and articles about the Australian flora, fauna and environment, bringing his own fascination with the natural world to
Gus and the Starlight
By Victoria Carless Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Victoria is a Brisbane based writer who has previously published the YA coming-of-age novel The Dream Walker. Gus and the Starlight is a touching story about a family trying to establish itself in a new place
Eyes That Speak To The Stars
Written by Joanna Ho Illustrated by Dung Ho Reviewed by Margarite Igras This poignant picture book is a companion to Eyes That Kiss In The Corners . Eyes That Speak To The Stars is about accepting who you are, your heritage and your
The Love That Grew
By Sarah Ayoub Illustrated by Mimi Purnell Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is Sarah Ayoub's first picture book, her previous titles, Hate is Such a Strong Word, The Yearbook Committee and The Cult of Romance are all for YA readers. It is also
Wild Life: The Extraordinary Adventures of Sir David Attenborough
By Leisa Stewart-Sharpe and Helen Shoesmith Reviewed by Sarah Custance Leisa Stewart-Sharpe is an Aussie born author who now resides in the UK, she mostly writes non-fiction as well as regular picture books, and sometimes combines the two together as you will
The Green Planet
By Leisa Stewart-Sharpe and Illustrated by Kim Smith Reviewed by Sarah Custance Leisa Stewart-Sharpe is an Australian born author who currently lives in the UK. She specialises in writing non-fiction books along with picture books. The Green Planet is one of two
Amazing Animals: 100+ Creatures That Will Boggle Your Mind
By Sabrina Weiss and Paul Daviz Reviewed by Sarah Custance Amazing Animals is the fourth book in the Amazing series, following on from Amazing Islands, Amazing Rivers, and Amazing Treasures. In this book we explore some of the world’s weirdest and most wonderful
Miimi Marraal: Mother Earth
Written and illustrated by Melissa Greenwood Reviewed by Des. Crump Melissa Greenwood is a Gumbaynggirr artist who shares a warm story of the connections between mothers, babies and Mother Earth. The text is rich in imagery and cultural knowledge while the beautiful illustrations
The Encyclopedia of STEM Words
An Illustrated A to Z of 100 Terms for Kids to Know By Jenny Jacoby Illustrated by Vicky Barker Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Not so long ago, the word 'stem' referred to the major vertical shoot of a plant that bears buds and shoots with leaves and
A Blue Kind of Day
By Rachel Tomlinson Illustrated by Tori-Jay Mordey Reviewed by Margarite Igras A caring, family orientated picture book, written by psychologist Rachel Tomlinson with amazingly expressive illustrations by Indigenous Australian Tori-Jay Mordey. It is aimed at young readers and presents the challenging subject of
A Hundred Thousand Welcomes
By Mary Lee Donovan Illustrated by Lian Cho Reviewed by Margarite Igras This verse story is a global journey celebrating the rituals and cultures associated with welcoming family, friends, and strangers into our home. It is laden with information about hospitality, from the
Spotlight on 2022 Short Story Shortlist: Marian McGuinness
Here is the second of our Spotlights on shortlisted writers. Marian McGuinness has been shortlisted for her story Queenie's jiggly-Jolly Holiday - Queen Clarabelle enjoys being alone at the Get Lost Caravan Park but then makes some new friends. Marian is
Kaleidoscope of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life
Their Colours and Patterns Explained By Greer Stothers Reviewed by Margarite Igras This is an unusual and exciting book about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, written by Canadian evolutionary biologist, Greer Stothers. It not only informs us about dinosaurs but draws upon new
Spotlight on 2022 Short Story Shortlist: Meredith Downes
Here is the first of our spotlights on our shortlisted writers. Meredith Downes has been shortlisted for her short story 'The Pop Girls', a subtle story about a girl immersed in swimming but who still observes what happens around her
The Way of Dog
By Zana Fraillon Illustrated by Sean Buckingham Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Verse novels are becoming increasingly popular and more and more are being published. Their way of telling narrative is intense and focused, using poetic techniques such as metaphor, simile, repetition, imagery and
2022 Book Links Annual Lecture in Children’s Literature
This lecture by Dr Robyn Sheahan - Bright will survey a range of contemporary responses to social issues in children’s literature, and how social activism is reflected in texts by both Australian and international authors. It will canvas the concerns
May Book Links News
Read all about what is happening in the world of children's literature this month in the Book Links Newsletter out now May looks to be a very busy month, with Brisbane Writers Festival this week, Book Links Romancing the Stars at Coomera Anglican College on
2022 Long list Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction
Book Links is proud to announce the 2022 Shortlist for the annual Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction. Eight stories from Australia have been chosen from more than thirty entries for the award. Entries included picture books, middle grade
Dungeon Academy: No Humans Allowed!
By Madeleine Roux and illustrated by Tim Probert Reviewed by Sarah Custance The roleplaying tabletop game ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ has been seen monumental success since it’s release in 1974. It has recently gained a new fanbase in younger audiences with schools now
The Smart Cookie
By Jory John and Pete Oswald Reviewed by Sarah Custance Picture Book writing team Jory John and Pete Oswald are at it again in their new book The Smart Cookie. This is part of their series of books which include, The Bad
My First Book of Aussie Animals
By Gordon Winch and Stephen Pym Reviewed by Sarah Custance My First Book of Aussie Animals is the newest addition to the series of My First Book of’s by Gordon Winch and illustrated by Stephen Pym, which follows on from My First
Shortlist for 2022 Short Story Competition for writers 18+
The art of the short story is alive and well. We are thrilled to announce the shortlist for this year's short story competition for writers aged 18+. This year we had a record 43 entries from which the judges chose
Under the Moonlight
Written and illustrated by Susannah Crispe Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Susannah Crispe is a Canberra-based children's book author and illustrator, with a background in zoology and a passion for beautifully crafted books. Under the Moonlight is all about overcoming a fear of
Let’s Build a Backyard
By Mike Lucas & Daron Parton Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Mike Lucas is an engineer who writes children's books which include Let's Build a House, Vanishing and Olivia's Voice, a 2018 CBCA Notable book. In Let's Build a Backyard he takes the
Girl on Fire
By Alicia Keys and Andrew Weiner Illustrated by Brittany Williams Reviewed by Sarah Custance Alicia Keys has won 15 Grammy Awards for her singing and song writing. She is also an actresss, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and is celebrated worldwide for her humanitarian work. Girl
The Last Light Horse
By Dianne Wolfer Illustrated by Brian Simmonds Reviewed by Sarah Custance Australian author Dianne Wolfer has won numerous awards for her many children’s books that range from picture books, to middle-grade readers, and in this case, short historical fiction books. The Last Light
Alfie the Brave
By Richard Harris Illustrated by Simon Howe Reviewed by Sarah Custance Some may know Dr Richard ‘Harry’ Harris, not for writing children’s books, but for his work as a member of the international cave-diving team that rescued a young soccer team from rising
The Velveteen Rabbit
By Margery Williams Bianco Illustrated by Helene Magisson Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran The Velveteen Rabbit, a classic tale written by Margery Williams Bianco, first published in 1922, has no doubt enjoyed a cosy place in many hearts, children and adults alike. This edition
Marmalade the Orange Panda
By David Walliams Illustrated by Adam Stower Reviewed by Sarah Custance David Walliams is a powerhouse of children’s literature, his middle-grade fiction books have sold over 45 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 55 languages. Marmalade the Orange Panda is Walliams’
Shockingly Good Stories
By R. A. Spratt Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd A. Spratt is the NSW-based author of the hilarious middle grade series Nanny Piggins, Friday Barnes and The Peski Kids. She also launched a popular podcast, ‘Bedtime Stories with R. A. Spratt’, in early
