Star of Deltora
By Emily Rodda A & U Children 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Emily Rodda is a well known and much loved Australian author of award winning books such as the Rowan of Rin series, His Name Was Walter, Eliza Vanda’s Button Box, The Shop at Hooper’s Bend and Landovel.
The Wild Unknown
By Emily Gale Text Publishing 2026 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor It’s 2045 and Eddie lives with his brother, Jude, and his parents in suburban Naarm. He’s starting to get anxious about his first year of high school, and is determined to make the
The Nardi Puzzle
By Gabriella Page Rhiza Press 2026 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor The Nardi Puzzle is the third book about escape rooms I have reviewed this year, reflecting their huge and ongoing popularity with families and young people. It is the debut novel of Gabriella Page,
The Smuggler’s Curse
By Norman Jorgensen Fremantle Press 2026 Teaching Notes Reviewed by Helen Gearing Norman Jorgensen, whose 2008 debut middle-grade novel ‘Jack’s Island’ and 2011 best-selling picture book ‘The Last Viking’ (with illustrator James Foley) were both highly awarded, has crafted another edge-of-your-seat, high-action adventure in
Cleopatra: The Girl Who Would Be King (Heroes in the Ancient World, #1)
By Jackie French HarperCollins Classroom resource Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Our national treasure Jackie French styles herself as 'author, ecologist, historian, dyslexic and honorary wombat'. She must be one of the most prolific writers on the planet creating stories for children and adults notable
Of Flame and Fury
By Mikayla Bridge Macmillan Australia 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Even in a world where humans move into the lands of powerful magical creatures, we will find a way to stamp out their presence for our own benefit. Of Flame and Fury is the
Mortal Engines: Bridge of Storms
By Philip Reeve Scholastic 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Philip’s first book was the epic YA steampunk Mortal Engines, 2001, which created a world of ‘municipal Darwinism’, where rampaging motorised towns and cities are on the move, attacking and eating each other, prowling around looking for
Day of Now
By Miranda Reason Bloomsbury 2026 Reviewed by Sue Wright There’s a long and vivid history of apocalyptic stories where gods, viruses, infections, invasions or conflicts wipe out civilisation as we know it. Stories range from ancient tales of floods to more modern era
Old Bertie
By Vincenzo Perrella and Dan Osborn Fremantle Press 2026 Teaching Notes Reviewed by Sue Wright Old Bertie by debut authors Vincenzo Perrella and Dan Osborn is ridiculous fun. An absurd tale with an absurd premise threaded together by dreadful puns and slapstick situations which I’m
Meet the Author of Kid: Peter Carnavas
By Mia Macrossan Peter Carnavas writes and illustrates wonderful stories for children. He has created over twenty books, many of which have been shortlisted or won prestigious awards, including My Brother Ben, Leo and Ralph and The Elephant. His latest book
Oceanforged 2: The Silent Island
By Amelia Mellor Reviewed by Helen Gearing Amelia Mellor, whose debut upper middle grade series ‘Grandest Bookshop’ was highly awarded by critics, readers, and booksellers alike has crafted another edge-of-your-seat adventure in the Oceanforged series. Aimed at a slightly younger audience (eight
The Magic Faraway Tree: The Story of the Film
Inspired by Enid Blyton, text by Emily Stead Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Nearly 90 years ago, as war clouds gathered over Europe and the world was swept up into a global conflict not seen since, English author Enid Blyton wrote the first
On Gallant Wings
By Helen Edwards Reviewed by Helen Gearing In addition to ‘The Disappearing Circus,’ a recently published fantasy co-authored with Kate Gordon, South-Australian children’s author Helen Edwards has written four other middle grade novels challenging stereotypes and encouraging readers to consider gaps in
Raised by Wolves
By Tristan Bancks Reviewed by Sue Wright Tristan is the acclaimed author of Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, Cop & Robber, Scar Town, Nit Boy and Ginger Meggs. His books for upper middle grade and young adults are fast-paced mystery thrillers with carefully considered serious themes at their
Nerds VS Aliens
By Barry Jonsberg Reviewed by Lauren Spencer Originally from Liverpool, England, Barry Jonsberg is an award-winning Australian author of children’s and young adult fiction. One of his most notable works, My Life as an Alphabet (2013), was adapted into the 2020 film,
Anders and the Mountain: Anders 4
By Gregory Mackay Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Gregory Mackay is a graphic artist and creator who has here produced the fourth in his highly popular cosy graphic novel series. Previous titles are Anders and the Comet, Anders and the Volcano and Anders
Fur Power! (Guinea Wigs, #1)
By Rebecca McRitchie Illustrated by Shiloh Gordon Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Rebecca McRitchie is an editor and writer working in Sydney whose first work was Whimsy and Woe. Together with Shiloh Gordon, the illustrator of the Frog Squad series among other things they have created
Nush and the Stolen Emerald
By Jasbinder Bilan Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Jasbinder Bilan is a British middle grade author whose family moved from their farm in India to Nottingham, England when she was eighteen months old. She has worked as a teacher and studied a masters
Scarlet Morning
Written and illustrated by N D Stevenson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan N D Stevenson is a cartoonist and animation producer. He is the creator, and executive producer of the animated television series She-Ra and the Princess of Power and science fantasy graphic
The Lost Girl King
By Catherine Doyle Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Catherine is the author of the award-winning middle grade Storm Keeper trilogy and the YA Blood for Blood trilogy and with The Lost Girl King she is back in familiar middle grade territory with a
Time Lions and the Chrono-Loop
By Krystal Sutherland and Martin Seneviratne Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Krystal Sutherland the winner of the Prime Minister's Award for the YA novel The Invocations has here teamed up with her husband Martin Seneviratne to create a thrilling middle grade page turner,
The Lone Husky
By Hannah Gold Illustrated by Levi Pinfold Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Hannah Gold has carved a reputation for writing emotionally rich stories with strong environmental themes. From her first novel The Last Bear, its sequel, Finding Bear, to Turtle Moon and now The Lone Husky,
The Invocations
By Krystal Sutherland Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Winner of the 2025 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Young Adult Literature, The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland has it all: strong girls protecting each other; older women listening to younger women; occult magic based in
You Choose Mega: Prehistoric Peril
By George Ivanoff Reviewed by Junior Reviewer Colby, aged 9, who writes his own comic books called Millipede Man and Green Rocket. He also loves The Beatles, and is learning the guitar. Thank you Colby for talking to us about You Choose
The 113th Assistant Librarian 2: Lost in a Book
By Stuart Wilson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Stuart is the author of the middle grade adventures set in Prometheus High, How to Make a Monster and its sequel The Books of the Dead, His current series, The 113th Assistant Librarian, is set in
The Poisoned King: Impossible Creatures 2
By Katherine Rundell Illustrated by Tomislav Tomić Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Katherine Rundell, a noted John Donne scholar has another life as a much awarded children's author. She has written The Good Thieves, The Wolf Wilder, The Explorer aimed at middle grade and
Washpool
By Lisa Fuller Reviewed by Lauren Spencer Washpool is the second novel by Lisa Fuller, a Wulli Wulli woman and award-winning writer. Unlike the darker mysteries of her previous YA novel, Ghost Bird, Washpool is a surreal fantasy fit for any middle-grade
The Wicked Ship
By Amelia Mellor Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The Wicked Ship, a swashbuckling adventure fantasy is the latest novel from Amelia Mellor, much awarded creator of The Grandest Bookshop in the World, The Bookseller’s Apprentice and The Lost Book of Magic, a historical fantasy trilogy based
Frog Squad #3 Sink or Swim
By Kate and Jol Temple Illustrated by Shiloh Gordon Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This excellent series continues to delight and engage emerging and reluctant readers in the adventures of a team of elite rescue frogs who we first met in Frog Squad 1
Nightweaver
By R M Gray Reviewed by Ayesha Uddin Nightweaver is a debut YA fantasy novel in the popular Romantasy genre. The ambience is grimdark, the pace is relentless and the narrative shot through with a sense of menace that rarely abates. The story
