Once Upon Tomorrow
By Karen Comer Lothian Children's Books 2026 Reviewed by Dimity Powell Verse novels possess a certain magic that levels up emotion and crystalises conception. Award-winning Aussie author, Karen Comer's Once Upon Tomorrow is just such a lyrical foray into the past, the questionable future and
Scare B’n’B
By Catherine Doyle Illustrations by Rachael Dean Bloomsbury Childrens Books Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Catherine Doyle is an Irish writer of fantastic fantasy adventures for young readers. Her novels include The Lost Girl King, the award-winning middle grade Storm Keeper trilogy and the YA
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
Her Hidden Fire
By Cliodhna O’Sullivan Penguin 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey From the opening page, Her Hidden Fire draws you into the secrecy and clandestine nature of the world of Eadha (Eh-ya), a servant girl. Her best friend, Ionain (Yun-aw-in), is heir to the castle
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
Song Of the Saltings
By Rachel King Reviewed by Lucille Rose Song Of The Saltings is a grim, dark fantasy that follows the story of Lotta Salter, a daughter of the island of Brack, and Moss Smith, a hideling exile cast out from the village. The
The Raven’s Eye Rebellion
By Claire Mabey Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the sequel to The Raven’s Eye Runaways, 2024, which introduced us to an original fantasy world where only a privileged few are allowed to read, where books have enormous power for good or
The Unlikely Diary of Prince Kal the Alien
By Ross Welford Illustrated by Harry Bridge Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Ross Welford is a popular author of light-hearted middle grade novels such as Time Travelling with a Hamster. Here is the start of a brand-new series that is the familiar combination of
These Shattered Spires
By Cassidy Ellis Salter Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey In a world of rot, under a sky of monstrous teeth, the castle Fourspires is divided into four houses of magic – Blood, Bone, Botany and Stone. Here, arcanists draw life from their human
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 Last Tiger
By Julia Riew & Brad Riew Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Inspired by the forbidden love story of their Korean grandparents – who married across classes for love in a time of arranged marriages for standing – Julie Riew and Brad Riew have
Immortal Consequences (The Souls of Blackwood Academy)
By I.V. Marie Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Six ‘inconvenient acquaintances’, four trials, one chance to escape an eternity of nothingness. New York Times Bestseller Immortal Consequences, the debut novel by American author I.V. Marie, is the first half of a duology about
Chronicles of Whetherwhy: The Age of Enchantment
By Anna James Illustrated by David Wyatt Reviewed by Bethany Loveridge Chronicles of Whetherwhy is the newest middle grade offering from UK author Anna James. Readers may recognise James as the author of Pages and Co., the delightful series about a girl who
Yarn Quest series #1, 2 & 3
#1 The Search for the Story Realm #2 The Great River Rescue #3 The Power of the Heart By Brooke Scobie illustrated by Jade Goodwin Reviewed by Mia Macrossan I am a judge for the 2024 Aurealis Awards. This review is my personal opinion and
The Lost History: Talismans of Fate, Book Two
By Melanie La'Brooy Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the sequel to The Wintrish Girl which delighted many readers with its originality, humour, engaging characters, and fast paced action. Here again are the same characters: Penn, still struggling to find her true
Deep is the Fen
By Lili Wilkinson Reviewed by Tehani Croft Wilkinson returns with a new cast and adventure to the world of her CBCA finalist A Hunger of Thorns in this richly drawn exploration of magic and masculinity, but where AHOT dug into themes of
Seven Wherewithal Way: Over the Mountains and Through the Desert
By Samantha-Ellen Bound Reviewed by Helen Gearing Samantha-Ellen Bound’s highly original debut novel, What the Raven Saw (shortlisted for the Adelaide Festival Literature Award), planted her firmly on the Australian kidlit scene in 2013 and her latest middle-grade series, Seven Wherewithal Way,
Andromache Between Worlds
By Gabriel Bergmoser Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Gabriel Bergmoser is an award-winning Melbourne-based author and playwright. His YA novels include Boone Shepard and True Colour of a Little White Lie. Andromache Between Worlds is his first middle-grade book. This is much more fantasy than
Here and Only Here
By Christelle Dabos Reviewed by Lucille Rose Christelle Dabos is the author of The Mirror Visitor, which won the Gallimard Jeunesse-RTL-Télérama First Novel Competition. Here and Only Here, is an immediately engaging novel depicting the ups, downs and strange in-betweens of high school. Four
Never a Hero: Only a Monster 2
By Vanessa Len Reviewed by Helena Never a Hero, written by Vanessa Len is the second in a three-book series, following Only a Monster. This fantasy-romance, set in England, tells the story of a high school girl named Joan Chang-Hunt, who is a
The Marvellers (The Conjureverse, #1)
By Dhonielle Clayton Reviewed by Bryani-Rose The novel, The Marvellers, written by Dhonielle Clayton is a captivating and magical tale that transports readers into a world of wonder. The story follows 11-year-old Ella, who is a young Conjurer and the first ever to attend
Starfell: Willow Moss and the Magic Thief
By Dominique Valente Illustrated by Sarah Warburton Reviewed by Sarah Custance Willow Moss and the Magic Thief is the 4th and newest installment of these fun, magical, adventurous middle-grade books in the Starfell series, with the talented Sarah Warburton returning to add delightful
Neverlanders
By Tom Taylor and Jon Sommariva Reviewed by Sarah Custance Tom Taylor and Jon Sommariva are both well-known powerhouses in the Australian comic/graphic novel scenes. Together they wrote and illustrated Neverlanders, a powerful, vibrant YA graphic novel that has made history by
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 the re-telling of Sleeping Beauty, Princess Elizabeth ‘Bitsy” Roix is destined to live
Dusty in the Outwilds
By Rhiannon Williams Reviewed by Sarah Custance Australian author Rhiannon Williams is the mind behind the award winning Ottilie Colter and the Narroway Hunt Trilogy. Since the first book’s original publication in 2018, the trilogy has also been released in Dutch and
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 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
The School for Good and Evil (7) – The Rise of the School for Good and Evil
By Soman Chainani Reviewed by Jane Swinton This story is the prequel to the immensely popular School for Good and Evil series. This is the first title in the series that I have read. Not having read any previous titles doesn’t hinder
Honour Among Ghosts
By Sean Williams Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sean Williams has written over fifty novels including the CBCA Notable Her Perilous Mansions. Here he has created an intriguing fantasy mystery, characterised by the same quirky original magic of the world of Her Perilous Mansions.
The Wintrish Girl: Talismans of Fate #1
By Melanie La'Brooy Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Melanie is a successful Australian writer of adult novels, this is her debut novel for children. A Wintrish Girl just snaps, crackles and pops with action, humour and invention. Set in the Empire of Arylia its
