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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 –…
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…
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…
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…
The Raven’s Song
By Zana Fraillon and Bren MacDibble Reviewed by Liane McDermott Two highly acclaimed and awarded writers, Zana Fraillon and Bren MacDibble, deliver an absorbing and thought-provoking novel encompassing elements of…
Noongar Boodja Waangkan (Noongar First Words)
By Jayden Boundry, illustrated by Tyrown Waigana Reviewed by Liane McDermott Jayden is a Noongar language teacher and cultural consultant, didgeridoo player, traditional dancer and storyteller. Tyrown, is a multidisciplinary…
The Burpee Bears
Written by Joe Wicks c-written by Vivian French Illustrated by Paul Howard Reviewed by Margarite Igras Joe Wicks is well known as an author of several cookbooks as well as…
The Offline Diaries
By Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinene Reviewed by Sarah Custance Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinene, the award-winning duo behind the critically acclaimed Slay In Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible,…
The Great Fox Illusion
By Justyn Edwards Reviewed by Sarah Custance Justyn Edwards is an author from the UK, The Great Fox Illusion is his debut novel all about magic and the storytelling behind…
Cursed Tales: The Pharaoh of Asco Express
By Jake R. Wilson Reviewed by Sarah Custance Cursed Tales: The Pharaoh of Asco Express is UK archaeologist and author, Jake R. Wilson’s debut novel and the beginning of the…
Mr Chicken All Over Australia
Written and illustrated by Leigh Hobbs Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Leigh Hobbs was a popular Children’s Laureate for 2016/17 and Mr Chicken All Over Australia, is the latest in the…
The science of the Earth : the secrets of our planet revealed
Contributors: Philip Eales, Gregory Funston, Derek Harvey, Anthea Lacchia, Dorrik Stow; foreword by Chris Packham Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Here is another encyclopedia about the earth – this one impressive…
Africana : An encyclopedia of an amazing continent
Written by Kim Chakanetsa Illustrated by Alabi Mayowa Reviewed by Mia Macrossan A long time ago I spent a year working for the UNECA in Addis Ababa. One of the…
The Trouble with the Two-Headed Hydra: Miss Mary-Kate Martin’s Guide to Monsters 2
By Karen Foxlee Illustrated by Freda Chiu Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Karen Foxlee has written many award winning children’s books including Dragon Skin, Lenny’s Book of Everything, A Most Magical…
Amazing Animal Journeys
Written and illustrated by Jennifer Cossins Reviewed by Mia Macrossan A book by Tasmanian writer/illustrator Jennifer Cossins will guarantee a wealth of carefully researched information, a sensitive age appropriate text…
The Silver Sea
Written by Belinda Murrell Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Belinda Murrell is a prolific author of middle grade fantasy, time slip and adventure stories, including the Sun Sword Trilogy, Pippa’s Island…
Funny Kid Catastrophe (Funny Kid, #11)
By Matt Stanton Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Catastrophe is the eleventh in a popular series that shows no signs of flagging. The Funny Kid is Max Walburt, self absorbed and…