Heroes of the Secret Underground
By Susanne Gervay Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Susanne Gervay, acclaimed Australian author of the I Am Jack series, along with various picture books and standalone novels, has written a powerful and moving middle grade novel inspired by her family's experiences in Nazi-occupied
Eliza Vanda’s Button Box
By Emily Rodda Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Here is another original fantasy from one of Australia's best-loved writers for children. Almost every family has a button box filled with odd buttons collected over the years, but Eliza Vanda's button box contains some
The Dog Who Saved the World
By Ross Welford Reviewed by Junior Reviewer Leonard Cavallaro Ross Welford is the English television producer turned children's author of the popular Time Travelling with a Hamster ‘The 1000-year- Old Boy’ and many more. The Dog who saved the World is an inspirational and
The Hatmakers
By Tamzin Merchant Illustrated by Paola Escobar Reviewed by Sarah Custance Tamzin Merchant is a British actor best known for playing period roles. The Hatmakers is her first novel and the start of a series with the second book, The Mapmakers, due to
The Golden Tower
By Belinda Murrell Reviewed by Sarah Custance Belinda Murrell is a popular Australian author known for her many middle-grade time-slip novels such as The Ivory Rose, The Ruby Talisman, The Locket of Dreams, The Forgotten Pearl, and many more, as well as
Time for Adventure, Daddy
Written & Illustrated by Dave Hackett Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “Come on, Daddy, it’s time for an adventure!” “But I have more jobs to do,” says Daddy. This cheerful story, created by cartoonist Dave Hackett, is a good-humoured play on spending time with Daddy.
Elvis Eager and the Golden Egg: Monty’s Island #3
By Emily Rodda Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The third and latest novel in the Monty’s Island series written by Emily Rodda is chapter book for a beginning readers profusely illustrated by Lucinda Gifford. Monty lives on a magic island with his friends, the
The Boy, the Wolf and the Stars
By Shivaun Plozza Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This foray into fantasy is the first middle grade novel by Shivaun who has previously written the YA novels Frankie, a CBCA Notable Book and Tin Heart. At the centre of most fantasy novels is a
Monstrous Devices
By Damien Love Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is Damien's debut novel but it has been so successful that a sequel, The Shadow Arts, is on the way. Written with ease and sparkling invention Monstrous Devices centres on the adventures of 12 year
Funny Kid Belly Flop (Funny Kid #8)
Written and illustrated by Matt Stanton Reviewed by Sarah Custance Matt Stanton is an Australian author with over 28 books to his name and the writer of the popular picture book ‘This is a Ball’ which he co-wrote with his wife Beck
Catvinkle and the Missing Tulips
by Elliot Perlman illustrated by Laura Stitzel reviewed by Barbara Braxton Catvinkle lives in Amsterdam, with her barber-owner Mr. Sabatini, and she likes to think that the world revolves around her, as cats generally do. From her basket near the fireplace in what
The Girl, the Cat and the Navigator
by Matilda Woods reviewed by Bryani-Rose, age 11 Eleven-year old Oona Britt is from Nordlor, the village of one thousand ships. She lives with her father, mother and six sisters. Oona is very unlike her sisters, instead of wanting to marry a
100% Wolf
by Jayne Lyons reviewed by Mia Macrossan One of the few reads that succeeds in being laugh out loud funny, 100 % WOLF by Jayne Lyons is the story of Freddy Lupin, from a noble family of werewolves. He is looking forward to
Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure
by Jeff Kinney, reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the second title in a new series by Kinney, the author of the popular Diary of A Wimpy Kid series, the first being Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal.
Wolf Girl 3: The Secret Cave
by Anh Do illustrated by Lachlan Creagh reviewed by Sarah Custance If you have children or work with children in any way, then I have no doubt you now no longer think of Anh Do as a T.V. personality or comedian but rather
The Fowl Twins
by Eoin Colfer reviewed by Sarah Custance Eoin Colfer is the brilliant Irish author responsible for the world famous ‘Artemis Fowl’ novels, with the first book now being released as a movie. This next book is the start of a new series
Atticus Van Tasticus 2: The Map of Half Maps
by Andrew Daddo illustrated by Stephen Michael King reviewed by Sarah Custance Andrew Daddo is a versatile man with a career in TV shows, podcasts, and writing. His latest endeavor has been writing middle-grade fiction starting with ‘Atticus Van Tasticus’ and now here
The Dog Runner
by Bren MacDibble reviewed by Mia Macrossan Bren MacDibble burst onto the children's literary world with her award- winning How To Bee, a heartwarming dystopian novel set in a world where bees are extinct. The Dog Runner, an exciting fast -paced thriller,
Evie and the Animals
by Matt Haig illustrated by Emily Gravett reviewed by Mia Macrossan This heartwarming story introduces a young girl who has the special talent of being able to understand and talk to animals a la Hugh Lofting's Dr Dolittle. (I don't think it is
Vognox the Viking and the Island of Skeletons
by Nick Falk illustrated by Tony Flowers reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the laugh out loud highly illustrated, almost graphic novel of a very reluctant Viking adventurer. Vognox is frightened of everything. He doesn’t want to go outside because there are horrible
The Time Travel Diaries
by Caroline Lawrence reviewed by Sarah Custance Caroline Lawrence is the author of the award winning ‘Roman Mysteries’ series, first published in 2001 and since translated into 14 different languages. Lawrence loves delving deep into history for her novels and tries to
The Good Thieves
by Katherine Rundell reviewed by Mia Macrossan A new book by Katherine Rundell is always an event. Her previous novels, including The Explorer and The Wolf Wilder have all been very popular and now here is The Good Thieves, a fast- paced
BumbleBunnies: The Sock (BumbleBunnies, Book 2)
by Graeme Base reviewed by Kerry Neary The second title in Graeme Base’s new series for early readers BumbleBunnies, has been released. It’s called The Sock and is another domestic super-hero story in the vein of The Pond, first title in the
BumbleBunnies: The Pond (BumbleBunnies, Book 1)
Written and illustrated by Graeme Base Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zabri BumbleBunnies is a series of picture books by Graeme Base. I was surprised when I received the first of these books – ‘The Pond’ – to review, as it was so
The Institute of Fantastical Inventions
Written by Dave Leys Illustrated by Shane Ogilvie Reviewed by Rebecca Sheraton Dave Lees has written a fantastical story aptly title, The Institute of Fantastical Inventions similar in tone and look to Andy Griffiths Treehouse books and Adam Cece’s The Extremely Weird Thing
Impostors
by Scott Westerfeld reviewed by Dajo Finlayson Set in a post- apocalyptic world full of advanced military technology, power struggles, dictatorships, and the ever-present threat of treachery, this novel is the first book in a new, four- part series which presents us
