The Calling of Jackdaw Hollow
By Kate Gordon Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Kate Gordon has a gift for writing lyrical prose which has seen her achieve critical acclaim both for her “Direleafe Hall” series, and “Aster’s Good Right Things” which was the 2021 CBCA Book of the
You’ll Be the Death of Me
By Karen M McManus Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury From the international bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying, Karen M. McManus delivers the teen-friendly murder mystery goods again with You’ll Be the Death of Me. When Cal O’Shea-Wallace, Ivy Sterling-Shepard, and Mateo Wojcik were
Into the Sideways World
By Ross Welford Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd British author Ross Welford, a former TV producer and self-proclaimed ‘magic nerd’ who performs his ‘Time Travelling Rope Trick’ during school visits, has written seven stand-alone middle grade science-fiction/fantasy novels. His titles include Time Travelling
Einstein the Penguin
By Iona Rangeley Illustrated by David Tazzyman Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This charming animal story is the debut novel of a young Oxford graduate illustrated in a zany cartoon style that perfectly suits the subject. It is set in London in late December. The
Once Upon a Crime: Murder Most Unladylike #11
By Robin Stevens Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd American-born British author Robin Stevens is the mastermind behind the incredibly successful middle grade series Murder Most Unladylike. The series includes nine full novels and two short story collections; Once Upon a Crime is the
Friday Barnes 10: Undercover
By R A Spratt Reviewed by Sarah Custance Australian author R.A. Spratt is well known for her middle grade series Nanny Piggins, Friday Barnes, and The Peski Kids. Undercover is the tenth and latest addition to the Friday Barnes book series. When we last
Wonder
By R J Palacio Reviewed by Junior Reviewer Aaron Ding You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out. Wonder is a multi-million copy bestselling and critically acclaimed novel written by R. J. Palacio that is renowned for its ground-breaking ideas
The Boy and the Elephant
By Freya Blackwood Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This sensitive wordless picture book by multi award winning artist and storyteller Freya Blackwood can be enjoyed and shared by all ages. A boy lives in a city where everything is fast and loud but amidst
Archie & Reddie
By Candy James Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is a new early reader graphic novel series for children aged 4 to 8. It features two friends, Archie, a fox, and Reddie who is also supposed to be a fox but looks more
Holiday Reading for 2022
Happy Holidays everyone :) Here is a mix of titles, old and new guaranteed to enthral middle grade readers. They have been tried and tested by our readers and reviewers and I know you will find something that children of this
Felix Ever After
by Kacen Callender Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Kacen Callender’s middle grade novel, King and the Dragonflies, won the US National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in 2020. Felix Ever After is a young adult novel featuring 17-year-old Felix’s antics during a summer
Just Like Me
By Tess Osborne & Zoe Osborne Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “A new girl started at my school today. She’s just like me.” The new girl has a dog like me, a family like mine and feels sadness and happiness just like me. The
Rosie-May Blue: Mayhem at the Pet Show
By P E Woods Illustrated by Pene Chadwick Reviewed by Sarah Custance P.E. Woods is a keen lover of animals and literacy, both of which she strives to ignite a passion for in the children that she teaches. Rosie-May Blue: Mayhem at the
Funny Kid Prank Ninjas (Funny Kid, #10)
Written and Illustrated by Matt Stanton. Reviewed by Sandy Driessens What! Max, THE funny kid is not even on the cover of his own book! Max’s outrage is on the fly papers and gives a clue to the rest of Book 10
An Unexpected Hero: Pow Pow Pig 1
By Anh Do Illustrated by Peter Cheong Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Anh Do has written many books for young people, all of them wildly popular. They are usually heavily illustrated, simply written with an easily accessible story and a message that appeals to
Dragon Skin
By Karen Foxlee Illustrated by Dale Newman Reviewed by Mia Macrossan It is always something to celebrate when Karen Foxlee publishes a new book. She never writes the same thing twice. Each of her stories is different and come straight from the heart.
Finding Francois
By Gus Gordon Reviewed by Margarite Igras Gus Gordon has written and illustrated a most imaginative and charming book set in France, about two characters Alice and Francois, meeting, and building a long-distance relationship through regular short messages sent to each other.
A Great Escape
By Felice Arena Reviewed by Sue Wright When the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, Germany was reunified. A Great Escape tells the story of Peter, a young boy living in East Germany (1961) at the time of partition. When the border between
Julia and the Shark
by Kiran Millwood Hargrave Illustrated by Tom de Freston Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Kiran's books include The Girl of Ink & Stars, which was the winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2017; The Island at the End of Everything, which was shortlisted for
Egg Marks the Spot: Skunk and Badger #2
By Amy Timberlake Illustrated by Jon Klassen Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the follow up to Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake and also illustrated by Jon Klassens. That is a hilarious story about how two unlikely creatures become friends. Now there
Haywire
By Claire Saxby Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Claire Saxby is an Australian author of fiction, non-fiction and poetry for children, including the splendid Nature Storybooks series, The Anzac Billy and recently, the picture book Iceberg. Haywire is the story of two boys on
The School between Winter and Fairyland
By Heather Fawcett Reviewed by Barbara Braxton "Twelve-year-old Autumn is a beastkeeper at Inglenook School for Magicians, which she secretly dreams of attending as a student. Instead, she must care for Inglenook's menagerie of dangerous creatures so the king's future monster hunters
The Wolf’s Howl: A Maven & Reeve Mystery Book 2
By A. L. Tait Reviewed by Sandy Driessens The Wolf’s Howl is, what the Glawn Castle locals call, the biting, freezing gale that rages around the mountains, in the valleys and perhaps, metaphorically, inside the castle itself. This second Maven and Reeve Mystery,
Always
By Morris Gleitzman Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Once I escaped from an orphanage to find Mum and Dad. Then I had a plan for me and Zelda. After the Nazis took my parents I was scared. Soon I hoped the Nazis would be defeated and
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
Treasure in the Lake
By Jason Pamment Reviewed by Sarah Custance Jason Pamment is an Australian author/illustrator and Treasure in the Lake is his debut graphic novel. Iris and Sam have been friends their whole lives but over the last few years they have found themselves drifting
Gone
By Michael Grant Reviewed by Junior Reviewer Aaron Ding Aaron Ding is 11 years old with a passion to write stories, and is always looking for ways to improve them! Go and read it!!! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ First published over a decade
Mim and the Baffling Bully : The Traveling Bookshop #1
By Katrina Nannestad Illustrated by Cheryl Orsini Reviewed by Sarah Custance Katrina Nannestad is the award-winning Australian author of over a dozen middle-grade novels including the much acclaimed The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome series as well as the CBCA
Afghanistan Reading Resources
People have been writing fiction and non-fiction about the plight of children living in Afghanistan for many years. Here is a timely collection of reading resources that cover a multitude of subject - the subjugation of women and girls, the
Amira’s Suitcase
By Vikki Conley Illustrated by Nicky Johnston Reviewed by Sandy Driessens How endearing is the cover of this book? The luggage label, stains, stickers and earthy colours draw you to this little girl with the hopeful look on her face. “It was growing in
