The Not So Chosen One
By Kate Emery Reviewed by Jane Swinton Kate Emery is a reporter at the West Australian and The Not So Chosen One is her debut novel. She writes with beautiful clarity. Her prose has a wonderful stillness and insight about life in
Dear Greta
By Yvette Poshoglian Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Yvette Poshoglian is the author of over forty books for children and young people, including the Ella and Olivia series. Born and raised in Sydney, Yvette taught secondary English in southwest Sydney and now manages
Starting School
Some resources prepared by The National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature Inc. Starting School and School Days — Experiences we remember Remember your school days? Who can forget the angst, fear, anticipation, dread, and excitement experienced over so many years? Australian authors and
A Writer’s Resolutions – some New Year’s suggestions from Wendy Orr
Some timely words from Wendy Orr, the 2022 winner of the Book Links Award for Children's Historical Fiction. New Year’s resolutions are often scoffed at, but what if we had some gentle ones, reflecting a state of mind rather than a
All Bodies Are Good Bodies
By Charlotte Barkla and Erica Salcedo Reviewed by Margarite Igras Charlotte Barkla’s debut picture book has turned up the volume with this playful, and noisy book about children’s bodies. Together with Erica Salcedo’s colourful, and animated illustrations and the lively rhyming text,
From My Head to My Toes, I Say What Goes
By Charlotte Barkla & Jacqui Lee Reviewed by Margarite Igras Charlotte Barkla has followed up her debut picture book, All Bodies Are Good Bodies, with this empowering exploration about respectful body boundaries. Together with Jacqui Lee’s illustrations, the author has created an assertive
Astonishingly Good Stories
By R. A. Spratt Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd A. Spratt is a NSW-based author best known for the hilarious middle grade series Nanny Piggins, Friday Barnes and The Peski Kids. She also launched an extremely popular podcast, ‘Bedtime Stories with R. A.
Willa and Woof 3: Grandparents for Hire
By Jacqueline Harvey Reviewed by Liane McDermott Australia’s much loved and honoured children’s author, Jacqueline Harvey, of the popular Alice-Miranda, Clementine Rose, and Kensy and Max series, produces another endearing junior fiction series—Willa and Woof. Mimi is Missing and Birthday Business are
Art is Everywhere
By Eleanor Chan Illustrated by Olivia Bargman Reviewed by Margarite Igras Ellie Chan is an art historian and together with Liv Bargman’s simple, comic, drawings, they have created a book about art, that is fun and accessible to children. The book takes the
Big Feelings and What They Tell Us
By Rebekah Ballagh Reviewed by Margarite Igras Rebekah, who has both written and illustrated this book, has used her background in counselling to create an instructive book about emotions for children. In the opening text she says Emotions are messages from the
Mathematics for Beginners
By Sarah Hull & Tom Mumbray Illustrated by Paul Boston & Robert Samuel Hanson Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Ask your students what they believe maths to be and you will get answers such as 'numbers', "measuring". "counting"
Our Home On Wheels
A Big Trip Around Australia Written by Jessica and Stephen Parry-Valentine Illustrated by Ashlee Spink Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The authors have a passion for filmmaking and photography, they are well-known for their YouTube travel series: Flying the Nest is a popular travel channel
Frankie Best Hates Quests
By Chris Smith and illustrated by Kenneth Anderson Reviewed by Sarah Custance UK author Chris Smith is best known for the Kid Normal series that he co-wrote with Greg James, the duo has also written The Great Dream Robbery. Frankie Best Hates
The Goodbye Year
By Emily Gale Reviewed by Sarah Custance Australian writer Emily Gale is the author of the very well received books, The Other Side of Summer, We Are Out With Lanterns, the Eliza Bloom Diaries, Steal My Sunshine, and Girl, Aloud. She also
Seven Days
By Fleur Ferris Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Seven Days is Fleur Ferris’s second middle grade novel and an enjoyable thriller for the target age group. When Ben Parker, the only son of divorced parents, is forced to spend a week of his school
The Dangerous Business of Being Trilby Moffat
Written by Kate Temple Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Kate Temple has written more than twenty books with her writing partner Jol Temple, including the Bin Chicken picture books, Room on Our Rock and The Underdogs junior fiction series. The Business of Being
Whalesong
By Kate Gordon Reviewed by Sarah Custance Kate Gordon is the Australian award-winning author of middle-grade novels, The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn, and Aster’s Good Right Things, along with YA novel Girl Running, Boy Falling which were all either a Notable or
The Christmas Bum Book
Written by Kate Mayes Illustrated by Andrew Joyner Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Kate possibly has a fixation on bums as she has also written The Bum Book and The Easter Bum Book and here she is now with The Christmas Bum Book again
A Very Playschool Christmas
By Jan Stradling and Jedda Robaard Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The iconic children's program Playschool has been on TV for more than forty years encouraging generations of Australians to wonder, to feel and to imagine. Jan has worked for the ABC for
Meerkat Christmas
By Aura Parker Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Aura is a creator whose previous published books include Meerkat Splash, Goodnight Glow Worms and The Silly Seabed Song. Her work is characterised by a joyful energy, a sense of fun and lots of play. This
Tjitji Lullaby
Written by Michael Ross and Zaachariaha Fielding Illustrated by Lisa Kennedy Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Tjitji is a word in the Anangu Pitjantjajara Yankunytjatjara languages that means 'child' so this is a song to sing a young child to sleep. The rhythm is
Best Books of 2022
At this time of year we ask our reviewers to select the best books they have read this year. Here is the result which should provide some wonderful holiday reading and maybe some ideas for seasonal gift giving. Just click
Zola and the Christmas Lights
By Melina Marchetta and Deb Hudson Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Zola loves living on Boomerang Street with her mum and her Nonna and next door to her cousin Alessandro in a little house in a little street in a little suburb in a
An Odd Dog Christmas
By Rob Biddulph Reviewed by Barbara Braxton It’s Christmas and Odd Dog is running out of time to find the perfect present for her pal… But then she steps into a Christmas arcade which looks very promising until she meets a new
The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan
By Felice Arena Reviewed by Liane McDermott In 1942, in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda, a girl lies in the dark and prays. She prays for her family. She prays for her friends. She prays for the war to be over. And she prays for
Tatty Mouse Rock Star
By Hilary Robinson and Mandy Stanley Reviewed by Margarite Igras Hilary Robinson is a London based author who has written many children books, especially her Mixed Up Fairy Tales. Tatty Mouse is a lift-the-flap board book series aimed at toddlers, with a
The Last Kids on Earth 8: The Last Kids on Earth and the Forbidden Fortress
Written by Max Brallier Illustrated by Douglas Holgate Reviewed by Junior Reviewer Finley, aged 9, who loves reading books! Jack Sullivan and his friends – Quint, Dirk and June – are on a quest to take down Thrull’s fortress and get information from
The Amazing Maurice
By Terry Pratchett Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Terry Pratchett is the author of over 41 Discworld novels for adults and many stories for children including the five novels featuring the young witch Tiffany Aching - The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full
Waiting for the Storks
By Katrina Nannestad Illustrated by Martina Heiduczek Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is a companion volume to the award winning We Are Wolves and Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief which are also set during World War II and present challenging events from that time
A Tiny Light
Written and Illustrated by Alison Lester Reviewed by Mia Macrossan When you go to bed tonight, be sure to leave a tiny light, so Twinkles in the Milky Way can find you when they come to play
