The Festival of Ice and Snow
By Angie Cui and Anna Wilson UQP 2026 Teacher's Notes Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray The Festival of Ice and Snow is a gentle celebration of cultural traditions, presented as a dual-language picture book, in English and Simplified Chinese. Angie Cui is the author
Cockadoodle Moo
By Tanya Hennessy & Shiloh Gordon Albert Street Books 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Tanya Hennessy is a very popular multimedia personality who has written several books including the picture book Pink Santa. Shiloh Gordon has been illustrating for more than twenty years
There’s a Chicken in the House
By Sonya Hartnett & Lucia Masciullo Puffin 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Australian author Sonya Hartnett is a well-known Australian writer of fiction for children, YA, and adults. She has won many awards in Australia and in 2008 she won the prestigious Astrid
Greedy Frog
Written and illustrated by Greg Dreise Magabala Books 2026 Reviewed by Margarite Igras Gregg Dreise is an award-winning Indigenous Australian author, illustrator, musician and storyteller, whose books, such as Cunning Crow, Mad Magpie, Kookoo Kook, and Awesome Emu, can be found in our
Tākapu the Lone Hunter
By Ned Barraud A & U Children NZ 2026 Reviewed by Margarite Igras Ned Barraud is a New Zealand-based author and illustrator of exquisitely detailed books about the flora and fauna of his country Aotearoa. The books, aimed at 4- to 10-year-olds, celebrate the
The Not So Quiet Life of Marcel Marceau
Written by Jenn Bailey and Sherry Bushue Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski Allen & Unwin, 2026 Teaching resources Reviewed by Zewlan Moor The Not So Quiet Life of Marcel Marceau is an exquisite picture book full of illustrations painted on wood panels by the Caldecott Honour-winning
Handbooks for Little Humans: Integrity
By Zanni Louise Illustrated by Jingting Wang Affirm Press 2026 Reviewed by Margarite Igras Australian author Zanni Louise has written over forty books spanning all ages from picture books to writing teen fiction as Zanni L. Arnot. This is the fourth book in a new series
The Boy Who Drew Cats
A Japanese Folktale Retold by Lafcadio Hearn & illustrated by Anita Kreituse Tuttle Publishing 2026 Reviewed by Sandy Driessens A farming family has been cursed with a small son who prefers drawing to farmwork. What does he draw? Cats … everywhere. To ensure a
Handbooks for Little Humans: Inclusion
By Zanni Louise and Jingting Wang Affirm Kids 2026 Reviewed by Margarite Igras Prolific Australian author Zanni Louise has written many books for younger to teen readers, with titles such as Kindness, Gratitude, This is Love, Self Belief and Imagination. This is her
Grow
Written and illustrated by Jess McGeachin A & U Children 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Jess continues to create attractive and informative picture books, mainly non-fiction, including Find Me in the Forest, South with the Seabirds, The Space Between, Business Chickens and Kind, all reviewed in StoryLinks. He
Find Me in the Forest
Written and illustrated by Jess McGeachin Lothian Children's Books 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Jess is the creator of many picture books, mainly non-fiction, including South with the Seabirds, The Space Between, Business Chickens and Kind, all reviewed in StoryLinks. He has won
My Spinning Anxious Brain
By Dani Vee & Ruth-Mary Smith Larrikin Press 2026 Reviewed by Margarite Igras Australian author, podcaster, and former teacher, Dani Vee, has used her experiences as someone with ADHD, to create child centred books for four- to eight-year-olds, designed to help children explore
Some Books About Fathers
by Mia Macrossan Every year just in time for Father's Day books about Dads in all their various guises come out. Here are three that you might enjoy. Happy Father's Day from the Crayons by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers Any book about
Together, Right Now
By Olga Fadeeva Blue Dot Kids 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Olga Fadeeva is an award winning creator of challenging picture books for children, based in St Petersburg and here she has produced a marvel - a kaleidoscope of life around the world
Tiki and Jill and the Great Australian Camel Race
Written by Kate Simpson & Jill Colwell Illustrated by Craig Smith A & U Children 2026 Teaching resources Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is a splendid real life story beautifully told by two award-winning creators and illustrated by Craig Smith of The Wobbly Bike fame.
The Photographer
By Mark Rafidi & Paul O'Sullivan Hawkeye Publishing 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Mark Rafidi comes from mixed heritage and his stories explore identity, belonging, and the intricacies of Australian society. Paul O'Sullivan is the illustrator for Gary Crew's picture books, The Visions
I’m Not Afraid of Spiders
By Caitlin Henderson & Annie Henderson CSIRO Publishing 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan A book about Australian spiders told by sisters Caitlin (words) and Annie (pictures). Told in verse and illustrated in bold closeup with expressive human reactions this is a book that
Last Bat of the Night
By David Gullan & Samantha Metcalfe CSIRO Publishing 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan David Gullan is a primary school teacher, whose love of Australian wildlife has found expression in writing picture books including Life in a Hollow and Last Bat of the Night. Samantha
Where the Heart Is
By Shirley Marr & Michael Speechley Walker Books, 2026 Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Mouse lives in a barley field as big as the entire world, but as the seasons turn, the weather cools, and the barley turns yellow, it is time to think of
The Cat Wants Custard
By P Crumble & Lucinda Gifford Larrikin House 2026 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Kevin the Cat has a hankering for custard. He really, really wants it, and turns his nose up at all sorts of other treats, including sardines and pigs’ ears. But
Max and the Haircut
Written and illustrated by Samareh Azadi Otter Barry Books 2026 Reviewed by Dimity Powell One of the most seemingly benign 'firsts' a parent and their child have to face - the first hair cut
Starfish Can’t Ride Bikes
By Jess Horn & Mo Davey Larrikin House, September 2026 Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Jess Horn is a neurodivergent author and former speech pathologist whose picture books focus on diverse ways of seeing the world. Her latest is also part of
Ben’s Library
By Amani Uduman & Joanna Bartel New Frontier Publishing, 2026 Teacher Notes Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Ben’s Library is a sweet celebration of books, libraries, and the reading communities created when a favourite pastime is shared. This is Uduman’s third traditional picture book,
The Boy Who Lost His Laugh
By Dimity Powell & Heidi Cooper Smith EK Books 2026 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Dimity Powell and EK Books have a track record of creating evocative, multi-layered picture books on tricky topics. The publishing house’s motto is “Books with Heart on Issues that
Bella Grows a Bicycle
Written Lellie Lopter & illustrated by Chiara Franceschetti Five Mile Press 2026 Reviewed by Sandy Driessens Bella wants a bicycle – but her birthday is months away! ‘Bikes are expensive,’ said Dad. ‘Maybe we could grow one.’ Dad gives her a tiny seed. She
Turtle Tears
By Megan Albany & Paul Seden Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Magabala Books, 2026 "Ever since Pop died, my Nan won't stop crying." Morning, noon and night the tears flow - she even makes her chips soggy at dinnertime
The Witch Who Couldn’t Spell
Written by Jess Galatola & illustrated by Lu Baker Larrikin House 2026 Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “Wanda Spelled is a little witch with a BIG problem. At Spell Bright Academy, her magic is marvellous … until her spelling slips.” Each day of the week,
Handbooks for Little Humans: Fairness; Handbooks for Little Humans: Friendship
By Zanni Louise Art by Maja Veselinovic Affirm Kids 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Zanni Louise continues her excellent series of useful handbooks for teachers and caregivers to use with young children with these two additions to the list, one on fairness and
My Body is My Home
By Jasper Peach & Beci Orpin A & U Children 2026 Teaching Notes Reviewed by Margarite Igras Australian author Jasper Peach is a trans, non-binary and disabled writer, speaker and parent whose mission in life is to dismantle misplaced shame. The author’s first book
Dresses Are For Messes
By Elizabeth Pulsford & Janet Samuel File Mile 2026 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Readers familiar with Elizabeth Pulsford’s rhyming texts will not be disappointed with her latest picture book, Dresses Are For Messes. Her previous titles include Boots, illustrated by Krista Brennan, also
