The Rebound
By Fiona Harris A & U Children 2026 Review by Alison McCaffrey Fourteen-year-old Harry loves basketball. Watching games with his dad, playing with his best friend, training with them both. Everything has been building to making the Grover Secondary Under 16s Firsts team,
The 113th Assistant Librarian 3: Forbidden Pages
By Stuart Wilson Penguin 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Stuart is the author of the amazingly fun, creepy, weird and macabre middle grade series set in Prometheus High, How to Make a Monster and its sequel The Books of the Dead. Forbidden Pages
The Between-Worlds B&B
By Amy Mae Baxter Harper Fire GB 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Margo is a little bit bored, a little bit lonely, and a little bit disorganised. With summer stretching ahead and nothing to look forward to, the last year of high school
Rewind To Us
By Molly Morris\ Harper Fire 2025 Reviewed by Lucille Rose This contemporary romance stars Dixie Mulligan, a cinephile 17-year-old with bad hair-dye and one big secret… fine, two big secrets. Her family, the Mulligans, have the ability to rewind time to whatever moment
The Seventeenth Quest*
By Elizabeth Kamakawiwoole Illustrated by Elise Hurst Puffin March 2027 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Here is an impressive debut by Eliazabeth Kamakawiwoole, who when not writing children's books, manages a theatre company. Maybe it is this experience that has given her her skill with
K-Pop Superfans: Battle of the Bands
By Zanni Louise IllustratedBy by Paige Walshe HarperKids 2026 Reviewed by Sue Wright When Penguin Random House released their Little Golden Book biographies series on pop culture icons, alongside The Beatles was the biography of South Korean-band BTS, released in 2025. With millions of fans
The Seriously Epic Holiday of Lottie Brooks
By Katie Kirby Penguin Books 2026 Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Katie Kirby is a British author/illustrator who became an online sensation with her ‘mummy blog’ Hurrah for Gin (502K Facebook followers) featuring stick figure drawings and cynical/hilarious takes on parenting. After releasing several
This is NOT the Diary of Izzy Dobson
By Abigail Balfe Penguin Books 2026 Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Abigail Balfe is an auDHD author/illustrator who lives in Brighton and previously led digital campaigns for famous pop stars and broadcasters. Her first book, A Different Sort of Normal – a memoir about
Shakespeare in the Orchard
By Danielle Binks Lothian Children's Books, 2026 Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Danielle Binks has returned to a winning formula with her latest novel, Shakespeare in the Orchard. Like in the award-winning The Year the Maps Changed, she has crafted a coming-of-age story about
A New Kind of Beautiful
By Suzy Zail Walker Books Australia 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Fifteen-year-old Paige had plans – big plans. A gap year with her best friend, Jazz. Art school in New York. Continue painting all the colours and details of real life. But the
Betsy & Bon
Written and illustrated by Simon Howe UQP 2026 Teacher's Notes Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Simon is a writer and illustrator who says he makes books about childhood, family, hope and home. He has also illustrated many books in collaboration with others including Boss of
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
Stuck in the Middle
By Anton Clifford-Motopi A & U Children 2026 Reading Notes Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Clifford-Motopi’s second novel, after his debut To and Fro, is also a middle grade novel exploring themes of self-identity, family relationships and friendships. Leon is the middle child in a family
Darkest Night, Brightest Star
By Barry Jonsberg A & U Children 2025 Teaching resources Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Morgan Pickford doesn’t fit in with the other kids at school. But he doesn’t really fit in at home, either, where the only people in his life are his dad
Talent Show (Amira Swift, #1)& Fair Day Fun (Amira Swift, #2)
By Sarah Ayoub Illustrated by Niña Nill HarperCollins 2026 Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sarah Ayoub has written the YA novels Hate is Such a Strong Word, The Yearbook Committee and The Cult of Romance as well as the picture books, The Love that Grew, How to
Nanny Tobbins and the Midnight Plan (Nanny Tobbins, #2)
By Lucie Stevens HarperCollins 2026 Reviewed by Sandy Driessens 1851, LONDON. The Great Exhibition is coming to a close. It has been magnificent. Albertine, and her father, a designer commissioned by Prince Albert, are enjoying a last look at the beautiful garden when
The Secrets and Scandals of Melody Moss
By Helen Dallimore Penguin 2026 Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Helen Dallimore is a NIDA-trained actress, singer, director and writer from Sydney. Amongst her many claims to fame are that she starred opposite Idina Menzel as Wicked’s original Glinda in London’s West End, and
We Saw What You Started
By Carla Salmon Pan Australia 2025 Teaching notes Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey There are similarities between California and Queensland – beautiful beaches, incredible surf, year-round sunshine, and wildfires. Otto left his life in California behind, moving to Red Sands with his mum, but both
This Stays Between Us
By Margot McGovern Penguin 2026 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey This Stays Between Us is a creepy horror throwback to the 90s and 00s era that does not disappoint. The second novel from multi-award winning South Australian author Margot McGovern, this book has been
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
The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks
By Fiona Harris Affirm Press Reviewed by Lauren Spencer Fiona Harris is an author, scriptwriter, and actor who has worked in publishing, television, and theatre. She has published many books for children, including Sleepover BFFs and The Rebound, and is the co-author of
Golden*
*A StoryLinks starred review indicating a book of exceptional literary merit. By Jade Timms Text Publishing 2025 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Every now and then, I finish the last page of a book and I’m compelled to immediately start again. Golden was one of
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
Tearing Myself Together
By Anna Whateley A & U Children 2026 Teaching resources Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey How do you tear yourself together? First, maybe, you need to allow yourself to be torn apart. Only then can you make sure it’s just the pieces that really fit
Drawing Nudes While Making Oher Plans
By Zoe Gaetjens Review by Lucille Rose Drawing Nudes While Making Other Plans is an interesting, aptly named book, though its title is only the beginning of the attention-grabbing aspects of this novel. It takes place largely, as its name suggests, in a
Duck Look Who’s Talking! (Duck, #1)
By Matt Stanton Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran Matt Stanton is the award-winning author and illustrator of multiple best-selling book series for children including Funny Kid, The Odds, Bored and Fluff, and many excellent picture books. His books have won awards including the
Annie and Maeve Are Definitely Not Friends
By Olivia Muscat Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Olivia Muscat is a Melbourne-based writer, performer, and disability rights advocate, and this is her debut middle grade novel. Muscat wanted to portray more accurately and honestly the experiences of people with disabilities, and she
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
Poster Boys
By Scott Woodard Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey It all starts when Nolan, one of prestigious Highview Grammar’s least popular year nine boys, smashes cool kid James’s nose on Winter Sports Day. James’s high-ranking political father has taught him how to get what
