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
The Very Itchy Bear
Written and illustrated by Nick Bland Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Nick Bland is an author/illustrator who now lives in Darwin. This is one from his popular Bear series which include The Very Cranky Bear, The Very Noisy Bear and The Very Sleepy
Fil and Harry
By Jenny Blackford Illustrated by Kristin Devine Reviewed by Sarah Custance Jenny Blackford is an Australian author whose previous book The Girl in the Mirror won the 2020 Davitt Award for Best Children’s Crime Novel. Fil and Harry is Jenny’s second middle grade
This One is Ours
By Kate O'Donnell Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Kate O’Donnell is the award-winning author of Untidy Towns, and This One Is Ours is her second novel. In a coming-of age tale, sixteen-year-old Sofie is in Paris on an art school exchange. A talented
The Boy Who Stepped Through Time
By Anna Ciddor Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Anna Ciddor's self-described research 'obsession', her decades-long list of non-fiction titles, and the help of her sister, Tamara Lewit—a researcher and archaeologist specialising in the Roman Empire—make her perfectly placed to pen this richly detailed
Alice-Miranda in Egypt
By Jacqueline Harvey Reviewed by Annaleise Byrd Eleven years after the first Alice-Miranda book, bestselling author and former deputy principal Jacqueline Harvey has released the series' twentieth instalment: Alice-Miranda in Egypt. Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones, who was seven and one quarter in the first book,
The Right Way to Rock
By Nat Amoore Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Nat Amoore returns with her third middle grade book set in the ordinary town of Watterson with the not-so-ordinary children of Watterson Primary School. In The Right Way to Rock we meet Mac Fleetwood Cooper, who
Little Gem and the Mysterious Letters
Written and illustrated by Anna Zobel Reviewed by Sarah Custance Anna Zobel is an Australian author living in Melbourne. Her first novel Little Gem about a clumsy but well-meaning young witch who accidently transports herself 100 years into the future was well
The Ballad of Melodie Rose
By Kate Gordon Illustrated by Rachel Tribout Reviewed by Melissa Salisbury Kate Gordon returns to middle grade magical realism with The Ballad of Melodie Rose, a companion tale to The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn. When we meet Melodie Rose on the front steps of
Across the Sea: Wolf Girl 5
By Anh Do Illustrated by Lachlan Creagh Reviewed by Sarah Custance Anh Do is a well-known Australian personality in comedy, T.V, art, and writing. He is the author of the much-loved children’s series WeirDo, Ninja Kid, and the HotDog books. His newer series,
The Best Friend Promise: MerTales 1
By Rebecca Timmis Reviewed by Sarah Custance Rebecca Timmis is an Australian author-illustrator based in the Queensland Gold Coast. The Best Friend Promise is her first book and the start of a series of MerTales about four young mermaids who gain magical
Trouble in the Surf
By Stephanie Owen Reeder Illustrated by Briony Stewart Reviewed by Margarite Igras Stephanie Owen Reeder has spent many childhood hours on Bondi Beach and has transformed her experiences into a true story about the dangers of the surf as well providing an introduction
The Tale of the Whale
by Karen Swann Reviewed by Jillian Custance This is the first picture book written by UK author Karen Swann. Padmacandra, a Scottish author and illustrator of a number of books has provided the beautiful illustrations for this story. The poetic style of this
The Greatest Inventor
By Ben Brooks Illustrated by George Ermos Reviewed by Junior Reviewer Leonard Cavallaro Ben Brooks is the successful author of numerous children’s books, most famously Stories for Boys who Dare to be Different. The Greatest Inventor is an unexpectedly insightful tale of village
Eliza Vanda’s Button Box
By Emily Rodda Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Here is another original fantasy from one of Australia's best-loved writers for children. Almost every family has a button box filled with odd buttons collected over the years, but Eliza Vanda's button box contains some
Honeybee
By Craig Silvey Reviewed by Margarite Igras Another highly acclaimed young adult fiction by this Australian author, previously best known for Jasper Jones which was made into a popular film. Honeybee is inspired by a real event which occurred when Silvey’s brother and
The Protected
By Claire Zorn Reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes Young Adult novels often take the form of sci-fi, fantasy or dystopia, taking us to amazing worlds full of dragons, aliens, or earth-changing catastrophes. Not so The Protected, an award winning novel by Claire Zorn
Pawcasso
By Remy Lai Reviewed by Sarah Custance Remy Lai is the Brisbane based author of the critically acclaimed books Pie in the Sky and Fly on the Wall. Pawcasso is her first full length graphic novel. Jo is looking at a long and
The Schoolmaster’s Daughter
By Jackie French Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Fans of Jackie French will be happy to see another rip-roaring read, once again based on her own family history. The Schoolmaster's Daughter starts with a shipwreck when Hannah Gilbert and her family are sailing to
