But Then
The almost true story of an overdue book By Swapna Haddow & Daron Parton Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Swapna has written many books for children including the award winning Dave Pigeon and Bad Panda. Her stories are full of humour and invention. Daron
Suddenly One
By Sam Mac & Deb Hudson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sam 'Sam Mac' McMillan is a TV/radio host, author and entertainer. This is his first picture book. Deb Hudson has illustrated many children's picture books including Zola and the Christmas Lights, The
The Kelly Gang Kids
By Coral Vass & Deb Hudson Reviewed by Barbara Braxton School's out and four rambunctious boys chase each other through the streets of Avenel. a tiny town in Central Victoria, causing havoc as they run through clotheslines, accidentally let Peterson's sheep out of their
How to Draw A Dragon
By Kate Talbot Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran Kate Talbot is an Australian-born, New Zealand-based children's picture book illustrator who enjoys creating quirky characters and vibrant illustrations. How to Draw a Dragon is Talbot’s debut picture book as an author and illustrator. This hilarious
Dot! Scribble! Go!
By Hervé Tullet Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Hervé is well known for his innovative interactive picture books for very young children. They include Press Here, Mix it Up! and Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance! Here is another gem to add to
Shadow Play
By Kate Forsyth & Rosalie Street Reviewed by Meg Rowe Renowned Australian author Kate Forsyth’s award-winning books span adult fiction, non-fiction, essays, poetry, and children’s writing, including the recently published Long Lost Fairy Tales, illustrated by Lorena Carrington (2024). Forsyth’s latest picture
Walls
By Tania Ingram & Ruth-Mary Smith Reviewed by Shan O'Shea A small book with a big message, this story is about building walls to feel safe, and then discovering that communication is better than isolation. When a knight and a Viking each believe
Words That Taste Like Home
By Sandhya Parappukkaran & Michelle Pereira Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sandhya Parappukkaran and Michelle Pereira are both award-winning creators. Together, they have produced the picture books, The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name (Notable book, winner of the 2022 CBCA Book of
The Best Present Ever
By Zoë Foster Blake & Lucinda Gifford Reviewed by Mia Macrossan All children adore presents and here is a catalogue of imagined perfect gifts - ranging from magical creatures to candy-filled swimming pools. Obviously money, time, space, local government guidelines and bylaws
I am Tree Rex
By Mo Davey Reviewed by Mia Macrossan A strong environmental theme gently delivered is at the core of Mo Davey’s debut picture book about a tree hugging dinosaur. Rex, a little green dinosaur, lives in a forest with his 21 trees which he
Bernie Thinks in Boxes
By Jess Horn & Zoe Bennett Reviewed by Meg Rowe Jess Horn’s debut picture book Bernie Thinks in Boxes is a quiet celebration of one little girl’s unique way of navigating the world around her. It is a delightfully fresh and inventive
Stickboy
By Rebecca Young & Matt Ottley Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Stickboy is a unique and mature picture book from the collaborative team behind 2018’s much lauded Teacup. In a similar vein to that story, a lone figure holds the future in
The Glass Horse of Venice
By Arnold Zable & Anita Lester Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The book was inspired by a chance meeting in Venice and speaks to one of Arnold’s core beliefs, that in the face of dislocation and change, children have a need for a
Lights Out, Little Dragon
By Debra Tidball & Rae Tan Reviewed by Margarite Igras This is the award-winning Australian author Debra Tidball’s second interactive story for younger children. In The CBCA Notable Book 2018, The Scared Book, the author asks the reader and listener to blow
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,
Let’s Try Again Another Day
By Charlotte Barkla & Jade Goodwin Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Charlotte Barkla is the author of All Bodies Are Good Bodies and From My Head To My Toes, I Say What Goes, both reviewed in StoryLinks. Here she has teamed up with Jade Goodwin,
The Space Between
By Jess McGeachin Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Jess has won many fancy-pants awards (as he calls them), the latest is winning the 2023 CBCA Eve Pownall Award for Deep. His debut picture book was Fly, 2019, and since then he has written
Digger Digs Down
By Johanna Bell & Huni Melissa Bolliger Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Johanna Bell works in poetry, picture books, podcasts, audio installations and community arts. Her books include Hope is the Thing which won 2024 CBCA Book of the Year, Award for New
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
Rock Dogs
By Sally Barns & Anil Tortop Reviewed by Sandy Driessens Looking for a book that Rocks? Well, this is the one. In a small, sleepy town thrashed a ROCK’N’ROLL BAND and on lead guitar was a dachshund named Dan. With Barry, the bulldog
Yanga Mother
By Cheryl Leavy & Christopher Bassi Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Yanga Mother is a story of motherly love, represented by the unbreakable bond between a kangaroo and her joey. With lifelike illustrations, richly coloured to showcase changes in daylight and seasons,
Peek-a-Boo Lottie
By Laura Holloway & Kristen Willis Reviewed by Margarite Igras Laura Holloway’s debut picture book engages the adult reader and the young non-reading child in a one-on-one playful game of Peek-a-Boo, that beloved game of hide and seek often played by a
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
The Book Star
By Bec Nanayakkara &Joanna Bartel Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “Every night, Grace whispered, ‘Space is the greatest place!’ before she went to sleep”. Grace would know because she owns thirty-seven books about space, and she had read them all. So, when her teacher
Paper-Flower Girl
By Margrete Lamond & Mateja Jager Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Honour book 2024 CBCA Picture Book of the Year Paper-Flower Girl is a work-of-art type of picture book that captivates with abstract, fantastical imagery. Slovenian-born artist Mateja Jager’s restrained colour palette and
This Is My Book
By Tim Harris & Heidi McKinnon Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray In the ever-popular ‘meta book’ tradition, This Is My Book invites the reader into a battle between the left-hand page and the right-hand page for ultimate ownership of the story. The
Brilliant
By Rosi Ngwenya and Sandy Flett Reviewed by Margarite Igras This debut picture book by African born Australian Rosi Ngwenya puts the spotlight, in 16-words, on the life journey of this single impressive ant. The theme of the word ‘ant’ is echoed
Alphabetter
A Better You and Me, from A to Z By Maura Pierlot & Jorge Garcia Redondo Reviewed by Margarite Igras Australian author, playwright and ethicist Maura Pierlot, has written an alphabet book with a difference. She has combined the alphabet with purposely selected
The Big Book of Australian Nursery Rhymes
By Frané Lessac Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Frané is an Australian author and illustrator. Her art has been called naïve, primitive, folk art but while her work here is simple (to suit the intended young audience), it is the considered expression of
What Do You Call Your Dad?
By Ashleigh Barton & Martina Heiduczek Reviewed by Margarite Igras Australian children’s author Ashleigh Barton has teamed up with Martina Heiduczek to create several notable picture books, including What do you call your grandma? (CBCA shortlist 2022), What do you call your
