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
Kid *
By Peter Carnavas Reviewed by Mia Macrossan 'There was once a small goat who lived on a farm, not far from a rugged mountain.' A new story from Peter is always a cause for celebration and Kid does not disappoint. What a warm
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
A Flash in the Dust
By Meg Caddy Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey A Flash in the Dust is the fourth YA novel for Western Australian author Meg Caddy. With a handful of short- and longlistings for their first three novels, Weir, Devil’s Ballast, and Slipping the Noose,
Good Young Men
By Gary Lonesborough Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Kallum lost his scholarship to a fancy school and is sent home confused about footy and how he feels about boys. Jordy is parenting because his dad drinks too much and is dealing with a
Romeo V Juliet
By R A Spratt Reviewed by Jenny Ruge R.A Spratt is a prolific author in the junior fiction and middle grade space, with numerous best-selling books in the Nanny Piggins and Friday Barnes series, The Peski Kids books, and several anthologies of
Running in Circles
By Shivaun Palozza Reviewed by Sue Wright Shivaun is a popular writer of YA and middle grade novels which include Summer of Shipwrecks, Meet Me at the Moon Tree, A Reluctant Witch’s Guide to Magic and The Boy, the Wolf and the
Our History: A House Divided
By Clare Hallifax Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes November 11, 1975 is a date etched vividly into the minds of many Australians, not only because of Remembrance Day, but also because that was the infamous day upon which the Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam,
Nerds VS Aliens
By Barry Jonsberg Reviewed by Lauren Spencer Originally from Liverpool, England, Barry Jonsberg is an award-winning Australian author of children’s and young adult fiction. One of his most notable works, My Life as an Alphabet (2013), was adapted into the 2020 film,
This Season’s Draft
By Jason Gent Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Jason Gent lives in Brisbane with his wife and two daughters. His debut YA verse novel, This Season’s Draft, was a 2026 CBCA Notable in the Older Readers category. This Season’s Draft features six teenagers (five
Anders and the Mountain: Anders 4
By Gregory Mackay Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Gregory Mackay is a graphic artist and creator who has here produced the fourth in his highly popular cosy graphic novel series. Previous titles are Anders and the Comet, Anders and the Volcano and Anders
Swearwolves
By Steve Worland Reviewed by Sandy Driessens When Luna Wilkinson and her family move to Nightfall Springs, she desperately wants to perform in the school production of “Bite Me: The Musical”. Being a member of the “cool girl” clique is also on
Neeka and the Great Search (Wilder Zoo, #3)
By Tina Strachan Illustrated by Max Hamilton Reviewed by Jenny Ruge Neeka and the Great Search is the third book in the Wilder Zoo series by Tina Strachan and Max Hamilton, the first is Neeka and the Missing Key (Wilder Zoo, #1) which
Brightest Wild
By Tania Crampton-Larking Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Out of place, out of depths, out of sorts. All the ways eleven-year-old Alex feels when she’s made to leave her comfortable London life to move to a small Adelaide suburb with a soon-to-be stepfamily.
The Hits and Misses of Melody Moss
By Helen Dallimore Reviewed by Jenny Ruge Helen Dallimore is an actress, singer, director and writer. She has written for TV, mostly comedies, but The Hits and Misses of Melody Moss is her first foray into writing fiction for children. It has
Crossing
By Catherine Norton Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Catherine Norton's first novel, Crossing, was joint winner of the Patricia Wrightson Prize in the 2015 NSW Premier's Literary Awards. It was also a CBCA Notable Book. She was born in the UK but grew
The Boy and the Dog Tree
By Fiona Wood Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Fiona is the three time winner of the CBCA Older Reader category. Recently she has started writing for middle grade with How to Spell Catastrophe and this her latest The Boy and the Dog Tree,
Phoenix
By Kimberley Brubaker Bradley Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Kimberley is the author of the Newbery Medal winning The War That Saved My Life which is aimed at older middle grade readers. Here is the start of a new series, Ride On, for
Tart
by Beckl Jayne Crossley Review by Lucille Rose Tart by Beckl Jayne Crossley is a heart-felt, coming of age novel following the lives of two girls with one thing in common: Chipping Hollow. This little not-so-slice of heaven has been a source
Completely Normal (and Other Lies)
By Biffy James Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Elizabeth ‘Biffy’ James holds a Masters in Creative Writing from RMIT and has worked as a boarding house mother and high school teacher. Completely Normal (and Other Lies), her debut novel, was written during lockdown
Wednesday: A Novelisation of Season One
Adapted by Tehlor Kay Mejia Based on Wednesday Season One episodes written By Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Kayla Alpert, April Blair, Matt Lambert Based on the characters created by Charles Addams Reviewed by Zewlan Moor This novelisation of the hit Netflix series is
The Adventures of Pongo and Stink
Written by Lisa Nicol Illustrated by Karen Blair Reviewed by Zewlan Moor What adorable pigs! This is honestly a perfect read-aloud for Prep to Year 4. I hope it fills many Christmas stockings this year, and many classrooms in 2026. Pongo and Stink are
Ella and the Sleepover Safari
By Cassy Polimeni Illustrated by Hykie Breeze Reviewed by Helen Gearing The second title in a new junior fiction series by the author of the multi-award winning picture book The Garden at the End of the World, Ella and the Sleepover Safari is
The Puppy Project: Millie and Stella Best Friends Forever
By Josephine Moon Illustrated by Jedda Robaard Reviewed by Helen Gearing Josephine Moon’s second installment in the heartwarming Millie and Stella series continues exploring rich friendships, family relationships, and classroom dynamics in a story perfect for animal-lovers eight years and older. This time, the
My Name is Samim
By Fidan Meikle Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Fidan Meikle is an Azerbaijani-British writer and linguist based in Scotland. My Name is Samim, her debut novel, was inspired by the true story of an Afghan refugee boy. The author worked with Afghan photojournalist
The Disappearing Circus
By Kate Gordon and Helen Edwards Reviewed by Jenny Ruge Kate Gordon is the award-winning author of numerous books, including the Aster series, the Secret Detectives Club series, and My Brother Finch. Helen Edwards has published three previous novels including Legend of
