Dragon World
By Tamara Macfarlane Illustrated by Alessandra Fusi Reviewed by Mia Macrossan 'Dragons have captivated the imaginations of people everywhere. They take many forms and represent many things' and this beautifully presented book gives a glimpse into that rich imaginative world that dragons inhabit. It
What We’ll Build: Plans For Our Together Future
By Oliver Jeffers Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The renowned award-winning Oliver Jeffers is a Northern Irish artist, illustrator and writer who now lives and works in Brooklyn. He is perhaps best known for the best selling The Day the Crayons Quit. In his
Mr Tickle
By Roger Hargreaves Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Did you know this has been around for 50 years? It was the first Mr Men book and now there is a handsome gold anniversary edition out now which includes the story of how it
The Quicksand Pony
By Alison Lester Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This book was published 15 years ago and has now been reissued with a gorgeous new cover. The Quicksand Pony, set on a farm near the rugged Australian coastline is mainly about Biddy, devastated at having
Mo and Crow
By Jo Kasch Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Mo lives in a little house high on a hill, protected by a thick stone wall that is stronger than both the wind and the rain. It keep out everything that Mo
Dig! Dig! Dig!
Written by Wenda Shurety Illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Jake starts off in a place many of us are familiar with at this COVID moment. He lives in Grey Street. ‘Glum, gloomy, Grey Street.’ But he fantasizes about being anywhere
The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle
By Pamela Rushby Illustrated by Nellé May Pierce, Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd With an appealing main character, sinister baddies and a touch of magic, prolific Australian author Pamela Rushby's delightful new middle grade novel is one confident readers can really sink their teeth
The Dog Who Saved the World
By Ross Welford Reviewed by Junior Reviewer Leonard Cavallaro Ross Welford is the English television producer turned children's author of the popular Time Travelling with a Hamster ‘The 1000-year- Old Boy’ and many more. The Dog who saved the World is an inspirational and
When We Are Invisible
By Claire Zorn Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes I watched a movie once where the world was about to end in six days because the sun was hurtling toward the earth instead of sitting comfortably at the centre of the universe. The screen
52 Mondays
By Anna Ciddor Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Anna Ciddor's previous novel, The Family With Two Front Doors was a CBCA Notable book in 2017. 52 Mondays is a fictionalised account of Anna's own Jewish childhood. . This is a nostalgic look at 1960s Australia,
The Hatmakers
By Tamzin Merchant Illustrated by Paola Escobar Reviewed by Sarah Custance Tamzin Merchant is a British actor best known for playing period roles. The Hatmakers is her first novel and the start of a series with the second book, The Mapmakers, due to
The Golden Tower
By Belinda Murrell Reviewed by Sarah Custance Belinda Murrell is a popular Australian author known for her many middle-grade time-slip novels such as The Ivory Rose, The Ruby Talisman, The Locket of Dreams, The Forgotten Pearl, and many more, as well as
Salih
By Inda Ahmad Zahri Illustrated by Anne Ryan Reviewed by Mia Macrossan In the last decade there have been many stories written for children about people suffering loss and hardships as they flee their war torn country. Each journey is different and Salih's
Hello and Welcome
Written and illustrated by Gregg Dreise Reviewed by Des Crump Gregg Dreise is a proud Kamilaroi and Euahlayi writer and illustrator who shares stories and culture through his colourful books. Younger readers have been engaged with his previous books on birds, e.g.,
The Detective’s Guide to Ocean Travel
By Nicki Greenberg Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Picture book author Nicki Greenberg's debut middle grade novel, The Detective's Guide to Ocean Travel, is a riveting mystery story set aboard the opulent RMS Aquitania during the golden age of steamships and grand voyages. It's
Punching the Air
By Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam Illustrated by Omar T. Pasha Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zahri This powerful and emotional verse novel inspired by the experience of co-writer Yusef Salaam of the ‘Exonerated 5.’ 16-year-old Amal Shahid is facing charges of assault, a
With the Fire on High
By Elizabeth Acevedo Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zahri This delectable novel about a teen mum with an almost supernatural talent for cooking had me hooked from the start, and cheering for the main character until the end. Emoni Santiago is 17 years old.
Blue Flower
By Sonya Hartnett Illustrated by Gabriel Evans Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Each morning when she wakes up, the little girl doesn't want to go to school. There are so many reasons why. She doesn't make friends as easily as you're supposed to; she
Early One Morning
By Mem Fox Illustrated by Christine Davenier Reviewed by Margarite Igras A little boy decides he wants a couple of things for breakfast. What could it be? He waves goodbye to his mother and begins to search the farm. He looks inside the
Cinderella Liberator : A Fairy Tale Revolution
By Rebecca Solnit Illustrated by Arthur Rackham Reviewed by Mia Macrossan In 1892 someone found 345 variants of the Cinderella story. Here is one more written by Rebecca Solnit which uses the famous Arthur Rackham illustrations. For Solnit, as she says in her
Can You Do This?
By Michael Wagner Illustrated by Heath McKenzie Reviewed by Margarite Igras. In this wildly imaginative story about sibling rivalry, I can see a mental subtitle on each page saying these activities are dangerous, do not do this. Regardless, little brother imagines that his bigger brother
Tinsel
By Sibeal Pounder Reviewed by Sarah Custance Sibeal Pounder is the award winning author of the Witch Wars series as well as the Bad Mermaids books. Her newest book, Tinsel, puts an imaginative twist to the classic ‘Santa Claus’ story by asking
The Coloured Echidna
By Eunice Day Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Eunice Day is an Aboriginal Elder from Blackwater. The Coloured Echidna is one of the twelve new picture books for Queensland’s youngest readers published as part of First 5 Forever, an early literacy program initiated
Oswald Messweather
Written by Dimity Powell Illustrated by Siobhan McVey Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Oswald Constantine Dorian Messweather is a young boy who hates his name because it is confusing and messy. He also hates other messy situations around the home, such as his father’s
The Girl Who Speaks Bear
By Sophie Anderson Illustrated by Kathrin Honesta Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sophie Anderson loves to write stories inspired by different folklores and cultures. Her previous novels are The Castle of Tangled Magic and The House with Chicken Legs. In The Girl Who Speaks
Into the Wild
Written by Robert Vescio Illustrated by Mel Armstrong Reviewed by Sandy Driessens The cover of “Into the Wild”, is so engaging, it makes you want to soar with the blue bird, but also conveys the joy of the little person watching it
The Bird in the Herd
by Kathryn Apel Illustrated by Renee Treml Reviewed by Jillian Custance Here is another charming title by Kathryn Apel, who has published work, mostly in verse, for children across age ranges. Kathryn grew up on a Queensland grazing property giving her a unique
The Edge of Thirteen
By Nova Weetman Reviewed by Zewlan Moor This is the third book about Clem Timmins, following on from the award-winning The Secrets We Share and The Secrets We Keep. Clem is thirteen and navigating changed family and friendship dynamics, as well as being
One Lone Swallow
by Corinne Fenton Illustrated by Owen Swan Reviewed by Jillian Custance Corinne Fenton is the Australian author of over a dozen picture books. For One Lone Swallow she has once again teamed up with illustrator Owen Swan, after working together for the two
Good Question : A Tale Told Backwards
By Sue Whiting & Annie White Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Remember the story of Henny Penny, Ducky Lucky and their mates who were on their way to tell the King that the sky was falling when they met up with Fox? Well,
