Amanda Commander: The Blues-day Tuesday
By Coral Vass Illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Hotchkis Amanda Commander and the Dolphin Squad are back in The Blues Day Tuesday, the fourth book in Coral Vass’ colourful junior fiction series. The multi-award winning author has written more than
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
The Secret of the Stone
By Kathryn Lefroy Reviewed by Helen Gearing Award winning screenwriter and author Kathryn Lefroy released her first middle grade novel, ‘Alex and the Alpacas save the World’ (shortlisted for the Western Australian Premier’s Book Award) in 2022. Her latest middle grade adventure,
PD McPem’s Agency for Mysterious Mysteries #3 The Baffling Beach Bandit
Written by Anna Battese Illustrations by Ruth-Mary Smith Reviewed by Melissa Elk The Baffling Beach Bandit is Case 3 in this engaging series of mysteries written for newly independent readers by author Anna Battese. It follows Case 1: The Recorder Racket, and Case
Duck for Cover (Trashy Tales #1)
By Kate and Jol Temple Art by Ronojoy Ghosh Reviewed by Sophia Evans Duck For Cover is the first book in the upcoming Trashy Tales series, written by Kate and Jol Temple and illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh. Duck For Cover follows a mischievous bin
Millie Mak the Mender (Millie Mak, #2)
By Alice Pung Illustrated by Sher Rill Ng. Reviewed by Helen Gearing Alice Pung OAM is one of Australia’s most decorated contemporary writers, delivering the State of the (Writing) Nation Address in 2021 and receiving an Order of Australia for her contributions
Grace the Amazing
By Aleesah Darlinson Reviewed by Jamie Willis Aleesah Darlinson is an award-winning author of more than 65 books for children, including the Super Sloth series, the Space Kids series and the League of Llamas series. Aleesah has won or been shortlisted for
Brittany & Co Take on Paris
Written by John Larkin Illustrated by Rebecca Timmis Reviewed by Jamie Willis John Larkin writes for both children and adults. His previous books include How to Avoid Being Eaten by Sharks and Zombies Vs. the Illuminati. Rebecca Timmis is an award-winning author and
Riley’s Failproof Guide to BREAKING a School Record
Written by Dani Vee Illustrations by Jules Faber Reviewed by Sophia Evans Riley's Failproof Guide to Breaking a School Record is a pun-tastic middle-grade novel that follows Riley Noodle, who has been trying to break a school record for seven years. She is
Penny Draws a Secret Adventure Penny Draws#3
By Sara Shepard Reviewed by Jamie Willis Sara Shepard has done it again with the third book in her Penny Draws series, Penny Draws a Secret Adventure. Sara might be most well known for her New York Times best-selling YA series, Pretty
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 Best Witch in Paris
By Lauren Crozier Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Lauren Crozier won the 2023 Text Prize for her debut novel, a funny original adventure full of magic, found family, new friends, and self discovery with the catchy title of The Best Witch in Paris,
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
Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria: Bravepaw 1
By L M Wilkinson Illustrated by Lavanya Naidu Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Here is an enjoyable fast paced adventure with an appealing central character created by L M Wilkinson who has written many other titles as Lili Wilkinson, including Deep is the Fen,
The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage
By Charlie Archbold Reviewed by Helen Gearing The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage is the highly-awaited next in series from award-winning author Charlie Archbold. Its predecessor, The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat, brought Far-North Queensland to life through an edge-of-your-seat
Eleanor Jones is Not a Murderer
By Amy Doak Reviewed by Jamie Willis Amy Doak’s debut young adult novel and CBCA Notable, Eleanor Jones is Not a Murderer, hooks the reader from the first line:‘Before I say anything, I’d just like to make one thing perfectly clear: I didn’t
Hester Hitchins and the Falling Stars
By Catherine Norton Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Here is another fascinating glimpse into the lives of girls and women in Victorian England from a writer adept at bringing history to sparkling life for young readers. Norton's other books are Crossing and The
Eleanor Jones Can’t Keep a Secret
By Amy Doak Reviewed by Lucille Rose Eleanor Jones Can’t Keep a Secret is the sequel to Amy Doak’s Eleanor Jones is Not a Murderer. This is the story of sixteen-year-old amateur detective, Eleanor Jones, as she continues to uncover the mysteries
Superheroes for a Day
By Craig Cormick Illustrated by Lauren Mullinder Reviewed by Judy Wollin. Award winning Craig Cormick has written all his life and across a number of genres. He won the Queensland Premier’s Literary Award in 2006 for A Funny Thing Happened at 27,000 Feet
How to Break a World Record and Survive Grade Five
By Carla Fitzgerald Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Carla wrote the picture book Keeping Up with the Dachshunds and How to be Prime Minister and Survive Grade Five, reviewed in StoryLinks, another funny and heartwarming story also aimed at middle grade readers. In How to
Jack’s Island
By Norman Jorgensen Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Jack’s Island is an award-winning book by Norman Jorgensen, which was first released in 2008, and has been re-released with a very appealing new cover. The story begins with Jack and his family travelling by
The Raven’s Eye Runaways
By Claire Mabey Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Claire Mabey is very active in the New Zealand literary world - she is the founder of Verb Wellington, LitCrawl Wellington and Lōemis. She is also books editor at The Spinoff, book critic at RNZ
Mackenzie Arnold 1: Finders Keepers & Mackenzie Arnold 2: Caught in the Middle
By Mackenzie Arnold, Jess Black & Hannah McCaffery Reviewed by Jamie Willis In 2023, Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold was in the spotlight as the Matildas won a spot in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Semi-Finals and in 2024, she will compete with
Fluff: Mess Up!
By Matt Stanton Reviewed by Barbara Braxton When Gilbert's father left - this time it's because he was eaten by a sea monster - Gilbert’s mum gave him a big fluffy bunny toy. But this is no ordinary squishy soft toy –
Ask the Author: Lorena Carrington
By Lara Cain Gray Lorena Carrington is best known as an illustrator whose books have been published in Australia and internationally. Her works are created using photography and digital montage techniques to form richly layered images. She has worked with the
The Kindness Project
By Deborah Abela Reviewed by Helen Gearing Deborah Abela has written over 30 books for children, including the bestselling Max Remy series and the CBCA Notable The Book of Wondrous Possibilities. Abela is also a Writer Ambassador for Room to Read, an
Always Anthony
By Terri Libenson Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Always Anthony is the eighth book in the New York Times bestselling Emmie & Friends series, which include Invisible Emmie, Just Jaimie, Positively Izzie, Remarkably Ruby, Surprisingly Sarah and Becoming Brianna, all reviewed in StoryLinks. Though
Esme in the Limelight
By Kate Gordon Reviewed by Helen Gearing Kate Gordon’s poignant middle-grade novel Aster’s Good, Right Things won the CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 2021 and its companion title, Xavier in the Meantime, was shortlisted in the same category
Inkflower
By Suzy Zail Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Suzy Zail used to be a lawyer but quit to become a writer. Her books include The Tattooed Flower, The Wrong Boy, and Alexander Altman A10567 - all stories based on or inspired by her
Ultra Violet 1: Down to Business
Written by Cristy Burne Illustrated by Rebel Challenger Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd This is the first book in a new junior graphic novel series published by humour specialists Larrikin House. Author Cristy Burne has degrees in biotechnology and science communication and has written
