The Wolf’s Secret
By Myriam Dahman and Nicolas Digard Illustrated by Julia Sarda Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Myriam grew up in Morocco but now lives and works in Paris. Her co-writer, Nicolas Digard is a French writer for televisions and books for children but this is
Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale : Starfell #2
By Dominique Valente Illustrated by Sarah Warburton Reviewed by Sarah Custance British author Dominique Valente had her first novel Starfell: Willow Moss and the Lost Day published last year in 2019 and now the sequel Starfell: Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale has
The Unwilling Twin
Written and illustrated by Freya Blackwood Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Freya Blackwood has been writing and illustrating for children since 2010 and any book with her name on the cover is sure to appeal to children and their parents. She won
Funny Kid Belly Flop (Funny Kid #8)
Written and illustrated by Matt Stanton Reviewed by Sarah Custance Matt Stanton is an Australian author with over 28 books to his name and the writer of the popular picture book ‘This is a Ball’ which he co-wrote with his wife Beck
Death Sets Sail
by Robin Stevensreviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the last in the Murder Most Unladylike Series. Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells are two young girls who go to a boarding school in England in the 1930s. They are the Wells & Wong
The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst
by Jaclyn Moriarty reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the third book in the Kingdoms and Empires series. Moriarty is brilliant in that each of the titles in this series, The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone and The Slightly Alarming Tale
Skunk and Badger #1
by Amy Timberlake illustrated by Jon Klassen reviewed by Mia Macrossan This first in a series of stories about an unlikely and extraordinary animal friendship is filled with humour, whimsy and some heartache. Amy Timberlake, a much-awarded US writer, is ably supported by the
Winston and the Wondrous Wooba Gymnastics Club
by Tamsin Janu reviewed by Sarah Custance Tamsin Janu is the multi award winning author of the ‘Figgy’ books, most notably ‘Figgy in the World’ which received much critical acclaim. In ‘Winston and the Wondrous Wooba Gymnastics Club’ Janu once again focuses on
Before the Beginning
by Anna Morgan reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul” Mark 8:36 This quote opens this gripping coming-of-age story from Anna Morgan author of All that Impossible Space, and provides
Small Town
by Phillip Gwynne and Tony Flowers reviewed by Sarah Custance Phillip Gwynne is an Australian author of Young Adult novels, middle-grade novels, and picture books. Some of his works include ‘The Debt’ series, ‘Deadly Unna?’, ‘Stuff Happens: Michael’, and more recently ‘The
In the Key of Code
by Aimee Lucido reviewed by Mia Macrossan This debut novel combines computers, music and poetry into an original package for young middle grade readers. Told in verse that often roams across the page, takes over, dominates or quivers in a corner, this story
Aussie Kids: Meet Taj at the Lighthouse
by Maxine Beneba Clarke and Nicki Greenberg reviewed by Sarah Custance This is the newest instalment in the ‘Aussie Kids’ series written about Australian children by Australian authors. Some of the other titles include ‘Meet Zoe and Zac at the Zoo’, ‘Meet
Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure
by Jeff Kinney, reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is the second title in a new series by Kinney, the author of the popular Diary of A Wimpy Kid series, the first being Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal.
The Painted Ponies
by Alison Lester reviewed by Mia Macrossan A new book by Alison Lester is always cause for celebration. The Painted Ponies doesn’t disappoint. It’s starts with Matilda who loves to stay at her Grandma Lucky’s house with the pony called Luna, the
The Sloth and the Dinglewot
by Nicole Prust illustrated by Amanda Enright reviewed by Barbara Braxton Down near the banks of the lazy lagoon, Where the trees slowly swayed in the light of the moon, A family of sloths slept soundly asleep As the birds of the sunrise started to
Extraordinary!
by Penny Harrison illustrated by Katie Wilson reviewed by Sandy Driessens Of course, a cover with sparkly metallics sprinkled all over a creature-filled forest makes me immediately desire this book. Does the rest of the book live up to the cover? … well
Bear Was There
written and illustrated by Sally Anne Garland reviewed by Sandy Driessens A huge bear and a tiny mouse gazing at each other with kind, gentle eyes is a delightful image that would draw a child of any age to this lovely book
The Unadoptables
by Hana Tooke illustrated by Ayesha L Rubio reviewed by Mia Macrossan This runaway adventure story touches the heart while stretching the imagination in many extraordinary ways. Five babies are left at the Little Tulip Orphanage in Amsterdam in 1880, one in a
The Theory of Hummingbirds
by Michelle Kadarusman reviewed by Mia Macrossan Michelle Kadarusman is an Australian teen and middle-grade fiction writer. She grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and has also lived many years in Indonesia and in Canada. The Theory of Hummingbirds is her first publication
As Fast As I Can
by Penny Tangey reviewed by Mia Macrossan Penny Tangey is a successful author with three well regarded novels to her credit: Two for older readers - Loving Richard Feynman , Clara in Washington and, for middle grade readers. - Stay Well Soon. As
Deeplight
by Frances Hardinge reviewed by Margaret McKay-Lowndes The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, an epic poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, brings home the excitement, wonder and poetry of the sea. Voyages to far flung places have inspired dramatic and heroic tales. And
The Year the Maps Changed
by Danielle Binks reviewed by Mia Macrossan This debut novel is set in Sorrento in the Mornington Peninsula in 1999. It is an emotional drama that develops slowly gradually building up to an immersive picture of a family and community in conflict. Its
Bluey: Bob Bilby
reviewed by Mia Macrossan Bluey is the award-winning and incredibly popular Australian cartoon tv series featuring Bluey, the blue heeler pup and her family: Mum, Dad and her sister Bingo. It is produced by the Emmy® award-winning Ludo Studio for ABC
Edie’s Experiments: How to Make Friends
by Charlotte Barkla reviewed by Sarah Custance Charlotte Barkla is the exact person you want to have written a book about a young girl having fun with science while getting into a bit of mischief and trouble. Having worked as both a civil
Are These Hen’s Eggs?
written and illustrated by Christina Booth reviewed by Mia Macrossan Christina Booth is an award-winning author of eight books, and illustrator of over twenty. Trained as a teacher and painter, she was awarded a CBCA Honour Book Award for her book Kip, and has won
Bitsy
by Nikki Greenberg reviewed by Mia Macrossan Greenberg is well known for her graphic adaptations of The Great Gatsby and Hamlet (joint winner of the 2011 Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year award) but here she has come
The Space We’re In
by Katya Balen illustrated by Laura Carlin reviewed by Sarah Custance ‘The Space We’re In’ is UK author Katya Balen’s debut novel and if this book is anything to go by then she is an author to look out for in the future. Katya
Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire
by Nat Amoore reviewed by Sarah Custance Nat Amoore is a writer and host of kidlit podcast ‘One More Page’ who is based in Sydney. ‘Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire’ is Amoore’s first published middle-grade novel. Tess Heckleston is our 10 year old
The Secret Dragon
by Ed Clarke reviewed by Yvonne Mes Even a tiny secret can be big trouble. During her search for fossils along the cliffs of the New South Wales coast, Mari discovers a fossilised egg. To her astonishment it hatches into a dragon which
Annabel, Again
by Meg McKinlay reviewed by Sarah Custance Meg McKinlay is the award winning author of ‘A Single Stone’ and the more recently acclaimed ‘Catch a Falling Star’. The book ‘Annabel, Again’ was first published in 2007 to much critical acclaim and is
