The 113th Assistant Librarian
By Stuart Wilson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Stuart is the author of the amazingly fun, creepy, weird and macabre middle grade adventures set in Prometheus High, How to Make a Monster and its sequel The Books of the Dead, both reviewed in
Detective Beans & The Case of the Missing Hat
By Li Chen Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Li Chen was born in Beijing, China, and moved to New Zealand when she was five. Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat is her first graphic novel. Detective Beans, in trench coat and
The Lost Library
By Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Rebecca Stead has written the award winning When You Reach Me, Liar & Spy and The List of Things That Will Not Change and more. Wendy Mass has written more than thirty
Pepper Masalah and the Temple of Cats
By Rosanne Hawke Illustrated by Jasmine Berry Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Rosanne Hawke is a prolific author of children’s books, many of which explore cultural and social issues. Notable titles include Shahana: Through My Eyes and Taj and the Great Camel Trek. This sequel to Pepper Masalah
Pepper Masalah and the Flying Carpet
By Rosanne Hawke Illustrated by Jasmine Berry Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Rosanne Hawke is a prolific author of children's books, many of which explore cultural and social issues. Notable titles include Shahana: Through My Eyes and Taj and the Great Camel Trek. Here we
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 young witch Tiffany Aching - The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full
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 somewhat selfish. He is thrilled that his mum is running for mayor
Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat
By Ursula Moray Williams Reviewed by Sarah Custance UK author Ursula Moray Williams (1911-2006) wrote 68 books for children throughout her lifetime. The two books that she is most well known for are Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse and Gobbolino the
Go Home, Cat!
Written by Sonya Hartnett Illustrated by Lucia Masciullo Reviewed by Sarah Custance Australian author Sonya Hartnett is a writer of fiction for children, YA, and adults. In 2008 she was the winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is one of the
Floof
Written and illustrated by Heidi McKinnon Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Heidi is the creator of There's No Such Thing, Baz and Benz, It's a Long Way to Shop and I Just Ate My Friend which was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of
The Book Cat
By Polly Faber and illustrated by Clara Vulliamy Reviewed by Sarah Custance British author Polly Faber is an author of both picture books and early readers novels. She writes about cats, horses, dogs, rabbits, buildings, and even tapirs! One of her early
That Cat
By Jacqueline Harvey Illustrated by Kate Isobel Scott Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Jacqueline Harvey is perhaps better known as the author of the popular Alice-Miranda and Kensy & Max series. Here she has produced a zany rhyming sequence featuring cats in many different
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 Gill and the Caravan Park Cat is her first delve into children’s books. 10-year-old
Cat Dog
By Mem Fox Illustrated by Mark Teague Reviewed by Mia Macrossan The latest hardback picture book by national treasure Mem Fox, illustrated by Mark Teague, is a cleverly constructed question and answer story that is unexpected in many delightful ways. The opening So there
Fil and Harry
By Jenny Blackford Illustrated by Kristin Devine Reviewed by Sarah Custance Jenny Blackford is an Australian author whose previous book The Girl in the Mirror won the 2020 Davitt Award for Best Children’s Crime Novel. Fil and Harry is Jenny’s second middle grade
The Cat Who Thought He Was a Tiger
Written and Illustrated by Polly Cameron. Reviewed by Sandy Driessens First published in the USA in 1956, this delightful little tale by Polly Cameron wasn’t released in Australia until 1973 by Puffin Books. By the state of each copy I have seen,
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
Marshmallow Pie the Cat Superstar
by Clara Vulliamy reviewed by Mia Macrossan Any cat lover will adore this story about Marshmallow Pie, a big fluffy independent cat who is now living in a small flat with his new human, a young girl called Amelia Lime. Pie is a
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
A Home for Luna
by Stef Gemmill illustrated by Mel Armstrong reviewed by Mia Macrossan This beautifully illustrated picture book centres on Luna, a domesticated cat who is washed up on a strange shore after escaping from danger at home. Exhausted she naps on the rocks while
The Time of Green Magic
by Hilary McKay reviewed by Mia Macrossan Hilary McKay is a popular writer in the UK who has won the Costa Children's Book Award for The Skylarks' War, the Guardian Fiction Prize for The Exiles, and the Smarties and the Whitbread Award
Joy
by Jasmeen Ismail illustrated by Jenni Desmond reviewed by Kerry Neary It’s the illustration rather than the title that foretells the whimsy in Joy. The cover picture is a spirited kitten chasing a ball of string across the page as it unravels across
Maya & Cat
Written and illustrated by Caroline Magerl Reviewed by Mia Macrossan A new picture book by local artist and writer Caroline Magerl is always an event. Maya & Cat is a quirky imaginative tale about a girl who sees a cat sitting on
