Children’s Short Story Competition Shortlist Announced
2023 Children’s Short Story Shortlist This year we had such an amazing number of stories entered into the chidlren’s short story writing competition the judges decided to include a longlist…
Penny Draws a School Play
By Sara Shepard Reviewed by Charlotte Barkla Oh, how I wish Penny Draws a School Play was around when I was a kid. Penny Lowry is in 5th grade and…
Ruby and the Pen
By David Lawrence. Illustrated by Cherie Dignam Reviewed by Helen Gearing Short chapters, lots of dialogue, larger-than-life characters, cartoon-style illustrations and a wallop of fun make David Lawrence’s latest middle-grade…
These Little Feet
By Hayley Rawsthorne. Illustrated by Briony Stewart Reviewed by Helen Gearing ‘These little ears, so tender and dear. The songs they will love, the noises they’ll fear.’ As all book…
Not Here to Make You Comfortable
Reviewed by Lucille Rose Not Here to Make You Comfortable, written by the women of Penguin Random House Australia, is a collection of fifty women’s stories from across the globe.…
Ash Barty Champion
By Ash Barty Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the Younger Reader edition of Ash Barty’s official autobiography. She says It’s a tennis story. It’s a family story. It’s a teamwork…
The Dunggiirr Brothers and the Caring Song of the Whale
By Aunty Shaa Smith with Yandaarra Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This children’s picture book with strong messages about caring for country and each other is the result of a collaboration between…
How Do You Say Hello
By Ashleigh Barton and Martina Heiduczek Reviewed by Mia Macrossan There are many different ways to greet and say hello to people. Language uses both speech and the body to…
Creeping Beauty
By Andrea Portes Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Andrea Portes is the author of two adult novels and a number of young adult novels, including Anatomy of a Misfit. In this…
Mr Chicken Goes to Mars
By Leigh Hobbs Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Leigh Hobbs is an Australian artist and author. He is best known for the humorous children’s books which he has written and illustrated,…
Dr Seuss’s ABC
Written and illustrated by Dr Seuss Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Theodor Seuss Geisel – better known to millions of his fans as Dr. Seuss wrote more than 40 children’s books…
Nature Book Week
Karajia and Environment Awards for Children’s Literature The Wilderness Society’s annual celebration of the best new nature-themed children’s books are definitely worth a look at any time of the…
Nightsong
By Sally Soweol Han Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran Australian-Korean author and illustrator Sally Soweol Han, who won the 2023 Children’s Book Council of Australia New Illustrator award for her beautiful…
Being Jimmy Baxter
By Fiona Lloyd Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Jimmy Baxter starts the story as Jimmy Branthwaite, a boy in Year 6. He and his mother are being driven to a safe…
Guardians: Wylah The Koorie Warrior 1 and Custodians: Wylah The Koorie Warrior 2
By Jordan Gould and Richard Pritchard Reviewed by Sophia Evans Guardians: Wylah The Koorie Warrior 1 is a fantasy-adventure story inspired by First Nations history. It is a bit hard to…
Reading Australia – new resources
By Mia Macrossan Reading Australia – which turns 10 this year – is a Copyright Agency initiative to support the teaching and reading of Australian literature in schools. The website…
The Wish Sisters: The Running Wish; The Pet Wish
By Allison Rushby Illustrated by Karen Blair Reviewed by Helen Gearing A baby sister who can make wishes come true. A mischievous imp who likes to twist wishes and make…
Just Because
By Matthew McConaughey & Renée Kurilla Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Just because I’m in the race, doesn’t mean I’m fully ready. Just because I’m shaking, doesn’t mean that I’m not steady.…
Bedtime Stories with R.A. Spratt
By R A Spratt Reviewed by Mia Macrossan R A Spratt is the hugely popular author of the Friday Barnes series, The Peski Kids and the hilarious Nanny Piggins series.…
Liar’s Beach
By Katie Cotugno Reviewed by Liane McDermott New York Times bestselling author Katie Cotugno, who is best known for her ‘complicated, feminist YA love stories’, shifts her talents to a…
The Gargoyle
By Zana Fraillon & Ross Morgan Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Forced off his rooftop to make way for a new urban development in a barren cityscape, the old gargoyle packs…
The Spider and her Demons
By sydney khoo Reviewed by Mia Macrossan sydney khoo is a nonbinary and aromantic asexual writer, born to Malaysian Chinese parents. They are the recipient of Penguin Random House Australia’s…
The Daring Tale of Gloria the Great
Written by Jacqueline Harvey illustrated by Kate Isobel Scott Reviewed by Margarite Igras Jacqueline is one of Australia’s most popular authors having sold over two million copies of her Alice-Miranda,…
That’s not my monster…
By Fiona Watt & Rachel Wells Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the latest in the updated editions of this popular series of touchy feely books published by Usborne. Touchy…
Meet the Author: Zewlan Moor
By Mia Macrossan Zewlan (pronounced Shoolen) is a medical doctor who also has a literature degree and a passion for writing and sharing children’s stories. She started Byron Bibliotherapy after feedback…
Nothing Alike
By Zewlan Moor Illustrated by Peter Cheong Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Nothing Alike is the debut picture book for author Zewlan Moor. It cleverly tells the story of a…
Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth
By Anna Fienberg Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Anna Fienberg has written more than forty well-loved books for children and young adults and has won many awards including the Children’s Book…
Ming and Hilde Lead a Revolution #3 The Girls Who Changed the World
By Jackie French Reviewed by Helen Gearing Good historical fiction helps readers answer questions they didn’t know they had, and in her latest middle-grade novel, Ming and Hilde Lead a…
Granbad
Written by Penny Tangey Illustrated by Peter Baldwin Reviewed by Margarite Igras With a background in comedy, television and working in museums, Penny now writes fiction for young people. Granbad,…
How to Hatch a Dragon
Written and illustrated by Nick Bland Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Nick Bland is the creator of the popular series that started with The Very Cranky Bear and includes The Very…
