Wandi
By Favel Parrett Illustrated by Zoe Ingram Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “The thing I remember most is my mamma’s soft tail, warm and snug … I could hear my mamma’s…
Poetry Books for Children of all Ages – A Sampler
A new resource list compiled by Mia Macrossan It is in poetry that the child discovers the possibilities of language – its range, its flexibility, its infinite variety, and these…
Henry Hamlet’s Heart
By Rhiannon Wilde Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Start as you mean to continue. Rhiannon Wilde has followed that maxim to great effect in her remarkable debut novel, Henry Hamlet’s Heart…
Wishyouwas: The Tiny Guardian of Lost Letters
By Alexandra Page Illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Alexandra Page’s first children’s book (and the first in a series), Wishyouwas: The Tiny Guardian of Lost Letters, is…
A Child’s War
Written by Ali Holborn Illustrated by Aaron Pocock Reviewed by Sandy Driessens The leather-bound journal with tape holding the spine and the images of light and dark, prepare you for…
Christmas Always Comes
By Jackie French Illustrated by Bruce Whatley Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Christmas Eve, 1932 and both drought and The Depression have driven Joey’s family into living and droving on the…
An Unexpected Hero: Pow Pow Pig 1
By Anh Do Illustrated by Peter Cheong Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Anh Do has written many books for young people, all of them wildly popular. They are usually heavily illustrated,…
Australian Verse Novels Bibliographies
Exciting new resource lists from The National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature An electronically linked team are delighted to advise of the completion of two new bibliographies on Australian Verse…
What Do You Do To Celebrate?
Written by Ashleigh Barton Illustrated by Martina Heiduczek Reviewed by Zewlan Moor This is the third picture book collaboration between Ashleigh Barton and Martina Heiduczek. The first two, What Do…
A Bedtime Full of Stories
Collected and retold by Angela McAllister Illustrated by Anna Shepeta Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Angela McAllister has written more than 80 books for children, so she knows what appeals. Here…
Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life
By Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan Illustrated by Angela Rizza & Daniel Long Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This a really fabulous book about dinosaurs published by Dorling Kindersley. I know there are so…
Following Frankenstein
By Catherine Bruton Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has had an enduring impact on the hearts and minds of all who read her ground-breaking book. The monster created…
Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief
By Katrina Nannestad Illustrated by Martina Heiduczek Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is very much a companion volume to the award winning We Are Wolves, same topic, same illustrator, same…
Little Bilby’s Aussie Bush Christmas
By Yvonne Mes Illustrated by Jody Pratt Reviewed by Mia Macrossan We first met Little Bilby in Little Bilby’s Easter Egg Hunt, and now he and his friends are travelling…
Worst. Holiday. Ever.
By Charlie Higson Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Illustrated by Warwick Johnson-Cadwell Charlie Higson, author of the Young Bond books and The Enemy series, excels at humorous and heart-warming middle grade…
Fozia and the Quest of Prince Zal
By Rosanne Hawke Reviewed by Dajo Finlayson This is the third book in a series by multi award winning Australian author, Rosanne Hawke, which began with Kelsey and the Quest of…
Daughter of the Deep
By Rick Riordan Reviewed by Sarah Custance Rick Riordan is the international bestseller of over 30 novels including the much-acclaimed Percy Jackson series. Daughter of the Deep is the first…
Marcie Gill and the Caravan Park Cat
By Monica McInerney Illustrated by Danny Snell Reviewed by Sarah Custance Australian author Monica McInerney is the internationally bestselling novelist of many novels and short story collections for adults. Marcie…
Pony
by R.J. Palacio Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Looking at the attractive cover of this book, one could be forgiven for thinking that Pony, by R.J. Palacio, is a book about…
Stellarphant
By James Foley Reviewed by Mia Macrossan James Foley makes picture books, middle-grade novels and comics for kids. He is the author/illustrator of the popular My Dead Bunny, In the…
Bluey: Sleepytime
By Joe Brumm Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Bluey is familiar to many from the award-winning preschool ABC TV show about the six year old blue heeler pup, and her family,…
The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere
A Kingdom and Empires book By Jaclyn Moriarty Illustrated by Kelly Canby Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the fourth title set in the Kingdoms and Empires aimed at middle…
The Secret Battle
By Pam Rushby Illustrated by Fiona McDonald Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Pamela Rushby’s previous historical fiction novels have included The Ratcatcher’s Daughter (2014) and The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle…
Rosie the Rhinoceros
By Jimmy Barnes Illustrated by Matt Shanks Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Rosie is a rhinoceros But she’s not one of those fierce, scary, armour-plated monsters that amble across the African…
Book of Curious Birds
By Jennifer Cossins Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the latest information title by Australian author and artist, Jennifer Cossins, whose previous titles include the A – Z of Endangered…
My Brother Ben
By Peter Carnavas Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The latest book by award winning Peter Carnavas is a touching story of two brothers set in an area north of Brisbane, around…
Concealed wins Children’s Short Story Competition 2021
We are thrilled to announce that Merryana Day has won this year’s competition with her exciting story, Concealed. Congratulations Merrayana. The judges found the story to be suspenseful and…
2021 Judges’ Comments
2021 Judges’ Comments Congratulations to our winner Concealed. Merryana Day receives $100 for her story which has been illustrated by Lachlan Creagh and published on our Storylinks website. The judges…
“Concealed” by Merryana Day
Concealed by Merryana Day I run as fast as I can. My heart’s pounding in my chest and my breathing is short and strangled. Every step is painful but…
Dragon Skin
By Karen Foxlee Illustrated by Dale Newman Reviewed by Mia Macrossan It is always something to celebrate when Karen Foxlee publishes a new book. She never writes the same thing…
