Frankie Best Hates Quests
By Chris Smith and illustrated by Kenneth Anderson Reviewed by Sarah Custance UK author Chris Smith is best known for the Kid Normal series that he co-wrote with Greg James, the duo has also written The Great Dream Robbery. Frankie Best Hates
The Goodbye Year
By Emily Gale Reviewed by Sarah Custance Australian writer Emily Gale is the author of the very well received books, The Other Side of Summer, We Are Out With Lanterns, the Eliza Bloom Diaries, Steal My Sunshine, and Girl, Aloud. She also
Seven Days
By Fleur Ferris Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Seven Days is Fleur Ferris’s second middle grade novel and an enjoyable thriller for the target age group. When Ben Parker, the only son of divorced parents, is forced to spend a week of his school
Whalesong
By Kate Gordon Reviewed by Sarah Custance Kate Gordon is the Australian award-winning author of middle-grade novels, The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn, and Aster’s Good Right Things, along with YA novel Girl Running, Boy Falling which were all either a Notable or
Waiting for the Storks
By Katrina Nannestad Illustrated by Martina Heiduczek Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is a companion volume to the award winning We Are Wolves and Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief which are also set during World War II and present challenging events from that time
The Offline Diaries
By Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinene Reviewed by Sarah Custance Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinene, the award-winning duo behind the critically acclaimed Slay In Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible, are now back with The Offline Diaries: As Told by Ade and
The Last Firefox
By Lee Newbery Illustrations by Laura Catalan Reviewed by Sarah Custance Lee Newbery is a Welsh author, The Last Firefox is his debut novel that focuses on the importance of friendship, family, and what it truly means to be brave. 11-year-old Charlie lives in
All Four Quarters of the Moon
By Shirley Marr Reviewed by Sarah Custance Shirley Marr is a Chinese-Australian author currently living in WA, she writes for both YA and middle-grade fiction. Her book A Glasshouse of Stars was the 2022 CBCA (Children’s Book Council of Australia) Book of
Birdbrain
By Kelli Anne Hawkins Reviewed by Sarah Custance Birdbrain is the second middle-grade novel by Australian author Kelli Anne Hawkins, who’s first book was The School for Talking Pets. 11-year-old Hadley Boggs lives a simple but happy life with her father and Mr
Dead Good Detectives
By Jenny McLachlan Reviewed by Sarah Custance Jenny McLachlan is a UK author of over 12 books for children and young adults. Her most well-known series is The Land of Roar trilogy packed with dragons and epic adventures. Dead Good Detectives is
Runt
By Craig Silvey Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Craig Silvey is an author and screenwriter from Fremantle, Western Australia. His award winning and best selling titles include Jasper Jones and Honeybee, both aimed at an older audience than readers of Runt. This is a
Be Careful, Xiao Xin!
Alice Pung and Sher Rill Ng Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran From award winning author Alice Pung and renowned illustrator Sher Rill Ng, here is a gem of a book. Be Careful Xiao Xin is a powerful story about love and conquering fears.
Growing Up in Flames
By Zach Jones Reviewed by Caeleigh Hancock Growing up in Flames is the debut novel of Zach Jones. It is an insightful exploration of intergenerational trauma and grief set in a rural town in Australia focusing on four people. After her mother Ava dies
The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods
By Emily Barr Reviewed by Jane Swinton From the opening page, The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods by Emily Barr is a nail biting, page turner. Set in the deep forest of India, the story is the journey of an extraordinary
Zadie Ma and the Dog who Chased the Moon
By Gabrielle Wang Reviewed by Sarah Custance Gabrielle Wang is an Australian author who has written over 20 books for middle-grade audiences. She is the current Australian Children’s Laureate (2022 – 2023) and Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon
The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Anxious Artist
By Katrina Nannestad Illustrated by Cheryl Orsini Reviewed by Sarah Custance Award winning Australian author Katrina Nannestad has been making waves with two of her most recent works We Are Wolves and Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief. Her other works also include series
Miss Penny Dreadful and the Midnight Kittens
By Allison Rushby & Bronte Rose Marando Reviewed by Barbara Braxton 1872. Miss Strickland’s School for Girls of an Enquiring Mind and Penny Pickering's mind is wandering, as it often does, in Miss Pugh's lessons. She's sketching ideas about what might happen
Scram! (Clarice Bean)
The True Story of How We Got Our Dog Written and illustrated by Lauren Child Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Who doesn't love Clarice Bean? Lauren Child started writing this hugely successful series way back in 1999. The first was the picture book Clarice
Solomon Macaroni and the Cousin Catastrophe
Written by Ashleigh Barton Illustrated by Sarah Davis Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Ashleigh is the author of picture book What Do You Call Your Grandma? which has been shortlisted in the 2022 CBCA Book of the Year Awards and this charming story about
Remarkably Ruby
By Terri Libenson Reviewed by Sarah Custance Terri Libenson is an American graphic novelist; Remarkably Ruby is the 6th book (7th if you count a journal with some short stories mixed in) in the Emmie & Friends series. The first book was
Alex and the Alpacas Ride Again
By Kathryn Lefroy 2022 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Alex and the Alpacas Ride Again is a fast-paced sequel to Alex and the Alpacas Save the World, although it can be read as a standalone. Lefroy’s debut novel was shortlisted for the West
The Unfunny Bunny
By Adrian Beck and illustrated by James Hart Reviewed by Sarah Custance Australian author and TV producer Adrian Beck is known best for his children’s book series such as, Derek Dool, Stuff Happens, Little Legends (co-written with Nicole Hayes), and Kick it
The Book of Stolen Dreams
By David Farr Illustrated by Kristina Kister Reviewed by Mia Macrossan David Farr writes for film, tv and theatre mostly aimed at adult audiences and this is his first foray into the world of children's books. He has succeeded admirably in creating an
Little Days Out: At the Park
By Sally Garland Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Little Days Out is a series by Sally Garland published by New Frontier. It includes At the Shops, At the Pool and now At the Park. It is a lift the flap board book that
A Glasshouse of Stars
By Shirley Marr Reviewed by Zewlan Moor A Glasshouse of Stars was picked up off the slush-pile by Jessica Townsend, the internationally best-selling author of the Nevermoor series. She passed it to her agent, Gemma Cooper, and a publishing deal ensued. This
The Forest of Moon and Sword
By Amy Raphael Illustrated by August Ro Reviewed by Sarah Custance Amy Raphael is a freelance journalist and a non-fiction book writer and The Forest of Moon and Sword is her first children’s novel. Set in 1647 at the height of the British witch
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 Ballad of Melodie Rose
By Kate Gordon Illustrated by Rachel Tribout Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Kate Gordon returns to middle grade magical realism with The Ballad of Melodie Rose, a companion tale to The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn. When we meet Melodie Rose on the front steps of
The Girl Who Speaks Bear
By Sophie Anderson Illustrated by Kathrin Honesta Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sophie Anderson loves to write stories inspired by different folklores and cultures. Her previous novels are The Castle of Tangled Magic and The House with Chicken Legs. In The Girl Who Speaks
A Tale of Magic
By Chris Colfer Reviewed by our Junior Reviewer, Leonard Cavallaro This is one of Chris Colfer's many bestselling books, his most iconic series being The Land of Stories. The themes here are equality, magic, witchcraft, corruption and medieval life. Brystal is fourteen and
