Lighthouse Girl
Created by Dianne Wolfer & Brian Simmonds Fremantle Press 2010 Teaching notes Teaching activity Reviewed by Margarite Igras This prolific award- winning Australian author has written over 27 books for both children and young adults, but she is best known for her WW1 “Light” series –
The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks
By Fiona Harris Affirm Press Reviewed by Lauren Spencer Fiona Harris is an author, scriptwriter, and actor who has worked in publishing, television, and theatre. She has published many books for children, including Sleepover BFFs and The Rebound, and is the co-author of
Golden*
*A StoryLinks starred review indicating a book of exceptional literary merit. By Jade Timms Text Publishing 2025 Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Every now and then, I finish the last page of a book and I’m compelled to immediately start again. Golden was one of
Tearing Myself Together
By Anna Whateley A & U Children 2026 Teaching resources Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey How do you tear yourself together? First, maybe, you need to allow yourself to be torn apart. Only then can you make sure it’s just the pieces that really fit
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
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
My Wonderful Disgrace
By Angourie Rice and Kate Rice Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey The school ball is the ultimate dream for many high schoolers – fancy clothes, the date they’ve always dreamed of, feeling like it’s time to leap from school into adulthood. Amy has
On Gallant Wings
By Helen Edwards Reviewed by Helen Gearing In addition to ‘The Disappearing Circus,’ a recently published fantasy co-authored with Kate Gordon, South-Australian children’s author Helen Edwards has written four other middle grade novels challenging stereotypes and encouraging readers to consider gaps in
Wandering Wild
By Lynette Noni Reviewed by Dajo Finlayson Lynette Noni is the author of the bestselling and award-winning Fantasy series The Prison Healer, the Medoran Chronicles and the Whisper duology, but in this novel, she has moved from her usual fantasy genre to
Catch
By Sarah Brill Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Catch opens with Beth walking home one afternoon, minding her own business on a busy sidewalk, when a sudden and intense urge to throw up hits. Instead of bending over, she looks up and a
Maisy Hayes is Not For Sale
By Allayne L Webster Reviewed by Alison McCaffrey Maisy Hayes and her ideals are not for sale. But maybe she should be. There’s never enough money at home, she can’t go anywhere with her friends, and she can’t even land a scholarship
Laughter is the Best Ending
By Maryam Master Illustrated by Astred Hicks Reviewed by Jenny Ruge Maryam Master is a screenwriter, playwright and author whose first two novels, Exit Through the Gift Shop and No Words were winners or shortlisted for numerous awards. Her latest, Laughter is the
Rival Darlings
By Alexandra Moody Reviewed by Lucille Rose Rival Darling, the first in the Darling Devils series, is a YA contemporary romance following the drama filled lives of two Minnesota high school students. Violet has one rule: never date a jock. And before
Rainbow Volume 1
By Sunny Gloom & Angel Gloomy Reviewed by Lucille Rose Rainbow Volume 1: Sunny and Gloomy is a charming graphic novel that tells the tale of imaginative teenager Boo Meadows. The story follows her as she dances, runs and stumbles her way
Where Sleeping Girls Lie
By Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Reviewed by Tehani Croft Wealth, privilege, and tragic backstory underpin the characters and events in Where Sleeping Girls Lie, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s second novel. There is a strong sense of purpose at the heart of the novel, but the extreme
Murder on a School Night
By Kate Weston Reviewed by Liane McDermott Described by the publisher as Sex Education meets A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, this YA novel for readers 14+ is a fun, feminist murder mystery by author (and ex-stand-up comedian) Kate Weston. Murder on
Princess Ever After
By Connie Glynn Reviewed by Lucille Rose Princess Ever After is the fifth and final instalment of the Rosewood Chronicles. It begins with Lottie, who is the princess portman - hired to act as a member of the royal family to protect
Selfie
By Allayne L. Webster Reviewed by Liane McDermott Real and fake friendships alongside the pitfalls of social media are explored in this young adult novel by Allayne L. Webster. An internationally published Children’s and Young Adult author, Allayne Webster has published ten
The Gilded Ones #2: The Merciless Ones
By Namina Forna Reviewed by Caeleigh Hancock Namina Forma is a Sierra Leonean American and young adult author based in Los Angeles. Her debut novel The Gilded Ones was published in 2021. The Merciless Ones is the sequel to The Gilded Ones,
Sugar Town Queens
By Malla Nunn Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Malla Nunn, a South African now living and working in Australia, writes adult crime novels as well as YA fiction. This is her second YA title after the much praised When The Ground Is Hard.
Cinderella Liberator : A Fairy Tale Revolution
By Rebecca Solnit Illustrated by Arthur Rackham Reviewed by Mia Macrossan In 1892 someone found 345 variants of the Cinderella story. Here is one more written by Rebecca Solnit which uses the famous Arthur Rackham illustrations. For Solnit, as she says in her
The Edge of Thirteen
By Nova Weetman Reviewed by Zewlan Moor This is the third book about Clem Timmins, following on from the award-winning The Secrets We Share and The Secrets We Keep. Clem is thirteen and navigating changed family and friendship dynamics, as well as being
Listen Layla
by Yassmin Abdel-Magied Reviewed by Zewlan Moor From the first few pages, main character Layla demonstrates her energy and irrepressible spirit by dancing around “like a whirling dervish from Sudan, the country of her birth.” She is singing in Arabic, while welding
