The enchantment of Golden Eagle by Margaret Wild. Illus. by Stephen Michael King
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761181078. (Age:5+) Recommended.
Ella and her brother Leif find a fledgling eagle with a broken wing, and take the wounded animal back to their house asking their father if it is possible to nurse him back to health. Magnus tells them that if he lasts the night he would survive as Golden Eagles are strong.
Over time the eagle improves, his presence keeping the wolves away from their little house on the edge of the forest. But Magnus warns them that the eagle is ready to fly away, and the children are concerned. The Golden Eagle promises to stay with them as they saved him, but he looks longingly skyward. One day Magnus needs to go away and the eagle promises to look after the children. But as the wind ruffles his feathers, whispering to him, he takes off and dives and soars in the sky, going so high he cannot be seen.
The children are scared and hear the wolves coming closer and hide under the wood pile. The eagle sees the wolves and calls out to the children who show themselves, and he tries to comfort them. Ella is concerned, and tells him that they may have died because he was not there and curses him to fly for a year and a day without landing.
And so Golden Eagle flies high in the sky, he flies in the heat and the cold, wanting to land and rest but unable. Eventually tired out, ragged and spent, he lands at the farm. Leif rushes out to greet him while Ella tells him the curse is not real. But he already knows this. Magnus takes the eagle inside, the family is together, the eagle is home.
This most unusual story of love, responsibility and forgiveness, which reveals touches of old fables and stories about abandoned children, of wounded animals and home, will encourage readers to think about the relationship between animals and humans, and how we live with each other.
The Golden Eagle owes his life to the children and as a result is tied to them, responsible for their well being. How far this responsibility goes is something children will talk about when the book is read.
The marvellous illustrations by King, reveal the things that frighten, menacing wolves lurk at the edge of the forest and are sometimes seen as shapes in the sky. There is a dragon on the house, while many clouds reveal different animals that readers will love finding and talking about.
Children will run their hands over each double page, seeing the eagle and his difficulties in dealing with his relationship with his saviours. Should he join the other birds or stay with the family on the edge of the forest?
King’s images of the Golden Eagle are breathtaking, a few feathers often seen on the page, but when the whole wing is shown, the gold shimmers. And the detail in the little house by the woods will engage readers who will love poring over the things seen. This book had me going back and forth while I read, both checking the fascinating text or running my hands over the illustrations while mulling over some of the ideas raised. Teacher's notes are available from the publisher.
In David Walliams' mind there must be an alarming superpower to create idiocy! In this super silly and eccentric collection of short stories there are many opportunities to chortle, giggle, be disgusted and roll your eyes. In a collection that only a reader who loves extreme silliness would enjoy, there are many kid-friendly, impossible adventures involving unexpected ‘super’heroes and weird villains.
This is an extreme example of eccentricity from Walliams. He is happy to add farts and disgusting snot and ear wax into his stories, so you can expect this book to be enjoyed by young readers, who laugh at grossness and grot. Readers in the 9-11 age band will be reading this book and sharing its oddities with their friends. With quirky illustrations by Adam Stower there are lots of moments to laugh at as each page is turned. This is not the kind of book a teacher will read out loud (especially as teachers appear in one story as villainous dinosaurs), but it will be a book that even reluctant readers may enjoy. My favourite superhero was the boy with Scrabble superpowers who defeated the gods using his effective brain power (and his Scrabble dictionary). Not a book for adults … but if it gets kids loving reading and smiling while they turn the pages … It is a winner.
They say this world only has two types of people - those who love dogs and those who don't. And Rosie certainly doesn't. She just can't understand why anyone would want to pat dogs, play with dogs, cuddle dogs, talk to their dogs, jog with their dogs, even kiss their dogs - let alone be happy to carry around dog poop in little plastic bags like they've just gone shopping at a poop-supermarket!
And then her mum drops a bombshell - they are going to go to a rescue centre to get one because "a dog might bring a bit of fun and energy into our lives." And because she can't resist all the bribes her mum offers to get her to agree, Specky comes to live with them. But will Rosie ever become a dog person?
This is another hilarious story from the team who gave young readers the Little Lunch series, as well as Hairbrain saves the ocean, the inaugural story in this new series designed to appeal to its intended audience of emerging readers who prefer short and sweet stories. Given they are a married couple and have a dog called Specky, could it be that one of them is "mum' and the other Rosie? There's an interesting, easy-to-read article that tells the story behind the story - and given that Specky has now provided the material for a new book, perhaps there is even more regard for him than before!!!
Themes Dogs.
Barbara Braxton
How to train a dad by Sally Barns & Noémie Gionet Landry
Affirm Press, 2025. ISBN: 9781923046825. (Age:3+)
A manual for children to use when doing the most important job, training their father, is presented with a large dose of humour and tongue in the cheek. Two pages of illustrations showing how dads come in all shapes and sizes will cause lots of fun, as the readers gauge which group their dad fits. The first lesson is to get his attention. This can be done by pressing his ear or by calling out his name over and over. He then needs to be taught how to make a good cup of tea, and give the best hugs. He must look just great, encouraged to exercise to keep fit, sleep well and eat what is given him. When all these things are done, then the training can be fine tuned. He needs to learn to be a hair stylist, join a cheer squad, and tell the best dad jokes. If for some unknown reason he mysteriously disappears, then the child must be aware that he may be having a burn out, he may be very tired. When this happens he may need a nap, and this means he needs to hear a a story to help him relax, but the most important thing is to tell him how much he is loved.
The illustrations augment the text and will encourage laughs from the reader, as they see an increasingly worn out dad on the pages.
The sisterhood of Ravensbruck: How an intrepid band of frenchwomen resisted the Nazis in Hitler's all-female concentration camp is a work of nonfiction by Lynne Olson, a New York Times bestselling author of ten books of history, mostly focused on World War 11.
Olson has retrieved her information from a vast research undertaking. The origin of each of the many quotes (newspapers, magazines, journals, speech transcripts, interview transcripts, videos, papers, chronicles, books, etc.) that appear in the text are noted in the end pages under chapter and page number. This is followed by a comprehensive Bibliography which reveals the archival material, biographies, books, films and periodical articles that Olson consulted. Photo credits (many from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial museum and the Germaine Tillion Association) are listed. These are followed by an extensive index. Olson's The sisterhood of Ravensbruck: How an intrepid band of frenchwomen resisted the Nazis in Hitler's all-female concentration camp, is undeniably the product of thorough and distressing research.
The sisterhood of Ravensbruck: How an intrepid band of frenchwomen resisted the Nazis in Hitler's all-female concentration camp is a story of the French resistance and the previously underplayed contributions of women. Olson researches the bond between four women: Germaine Tillion, Anise Girard, Genevieve de Gaulle and Jacqueline d'Alincourt, who though from separate resistance networks, all were arrested by the Gestapo, suffered severe interrogations and beatings, were jailed and sent to Ravensbruck - the concentration camp for women. The strength in facing down death and their captors and their will to survive, save others and tell the story (bear witness) is inspiring. That the human spirit and body could survive the extent of cruelty that these women faced is beyond belief. The barbarism of the medical experiments on women in the camp is a story that had to be told amongst all the others.
In the prologue, Olson tells of the fact that these women were resisters during the war but also lived in a patriarchal pre-war society under the authoritarian Vichy government of Marshal Petain - a society "eerily akin to the society portrayed ...in Atwood's dystopian novel The hand-maid's tale". However they still were prepared to die for their country and they proved it, refusing to divulge information even under the most obscene duress. Maia Wechsler, American film-maker and a correspondent for the U.S.News and World Report, after interviewing d'Alincourt, asked the question we all ask - What would I have done, given the same situation? Would I have been as brave and resilient? The Ravensbruck sisterhood refusing ..."to surrender to savagery and terror...demonstrated the extraordinary power of solidarity in fighting for freedom and justice." Olson, p. 315.
Noting the rise of right wing populism around the world, reminiscent of the fascism of the 1930s, Olson ponders on the problem of evil and the question of how a civilised country can stoop to this infection. The sisterhood of Ravensbruck: How an intrepid band of frenchwomen resisted the Nazis in Hitler's all-female concentration camp is a story of great survival of a sisterhood against an evil regime and a warning to the next generation. These women managed to turn all of the horror of their experience into something good in the aftermath of the war.
Lynne Olson has written a compelling and important non-fiction narrative that honours and preserves the story of the indomitable, courageous and loyal women of the French Resistance.
Themes Holocaust, Concentration camps (Ravensbruch, Friendship, Courage, French Resistance.
Wendy Jeffrey
The bookshop on Lemon Tree Lane by Mike Lucas. Illus. by Sofya Karmazina
Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing, 2025. ISBN: 9781760506988. (Age:4+)
An old bookshop beloved by the young boy and his grandfather, which they visit each week is to be renovated. Inside all the good things about bookshops greet them. Rickety staircases, nooks and crannies to explore, old and new books to check out, a loud bell that rings when a new customer comes in. In rhyming stanzas, the story unfolds, the affection between the customers and the old bookshop a mainstay of the street. They arrive on the train, and walk to the bookshop where the old owner welcomes them inside. On the window a poster is being displayed, telling people that the bookshop will be closed for renovations.
The boy is dismayed, what will happen to all the stories and the books he loves. What will happen with Holly, the bookshop dog?
The following weeks see the bookshop being emptied, the boy peers inside, sees the skip full of the stuff they are throwing out; some favourites, the old chairs, the wooden shelves, the light fittings.
Walks down the empty and grey Lemon Tree Lane are now devoid of adventure and months later, the boy hears smashing and crashing as the inside walls are taken down. Whatever happens the boy thinks nothing will be the same as before.
At last the opening day is here and the boy ands grandpa go along to see the ribbon cutting and see what the new shop is like. And it is spectacular, Holly is there to welcome them, inside the old shelves are gone and sinuous new shelves cling to the walls. Bright colours welcome the customers and wonderful chandeliers hang from the ceiling.
The boy finds the old things he loves, but surrounded by new fittings. So change is good, but some things always stay the same. The boy’s misgivings are not realised as the new bookshop is the same but different.
Children wil love poring over the detailed illustrators, recognising bookshops they know and love, looking at the things which might change and equally surprised at the difference when the new shop is unveiled. I love the endpapers with the cracked tiles of the old shop on the first endpaper, to the gleaming tiles at the end on the new floor.
Little gems appear all through the pages of images, ensuring young eyes will take time over the illustrations as they read.
A charming tale of change is a great read aloud as children see why the boy has misgivings, but equally happy to see change happening and his acceptance of it.
The Haunting of Hindmarsh Hall is the first mystery in Kate Gordon’s exciting new series The Secret Detectives Club. Readers will be caught up in the unwitting charm of Table Cape Bay, a small coastal town in Tasmania where strange things are beginning to unfold.
At the heart of the story is Rocko, a quiet and thoughtful boy struggling to find his place in a world that doesn’t always feel kind. Having recently moved schools after being bullied, Rocko often feels overshadowed by his effortlessly cool older sister. His attempts to start clubs with his best friend Cosmo are more miss than hit, until the night they try to start a Scrabble club. What begins as another failed effort takes an unexpected turn when they’re joined by Mingus, a cool kid, and then encounter none other than the famous author P.D. Watson, who is visiting from out of town. When Watson reveals his temporary residence, Hindmarsh Hall, is haunted, the night becomes very intriguing.
Driven by a mix of excitement and fear, Rocko and his new club members set out to uncover the truth behind the troubling incidents that are occurring at Hinsmarsh Hall. But in true detective fashion, not everything, or everyone, is what they seem. Rocko’s nerves are tested, but he soon discovers a surprising new talent; a knack for close observation and critical thinking. As the mystery deepens, Rocko’s quiet courage begins to shine.
Gordon’s novel is filled with warmth, humour and a good dose of ghostly suspense. The atmosphere is skilfully spooky without being too scary, making it a perfect entry point for middle-grade readers who love a mix of mystery, friendship, thrills and twists.
Ultimately, The Haunting of Hindmarsh Hall is a story about sleuthing, bravery, belonging and self-belief. It is a great start to The Secret Detectives Club series, and readers who love a little investigating will eagerly await Rocko’s next case.
Following the fabulous Eleanor Jones is not a murderer and Eleanor Jones can't keep a secret comes another mystery for Eleanor to solve. This time someone is starting fires in Cooinda, the first one a house fire where someone dies. When Eleanor gets a note to tell her to keep quiet, it looks like it could be murder. There are only eight people who could have left the note and she can’t resist trying to find out who it was. Then there is a spate of car thefts and burnt-out cars in the town and even though Eleanor has been warned to keep away, she still finds herself in danger.
As with the first two in the series, this is a well written, engrossing mystery. The setting in a country town is vividly described and readers get a clear picture of just how dangerous any fire can be in a town that is in drought. The theft of the cars and the car racing adds a thrilling touch and it is difficult to work out who is setting them alight.
Eleanor is feisty and inquisitive, and she must investigate the clues that keep swirling in her head. She has a group of good friends who try to help and Holly from the local police station is on hand as well. All the characters are relatable and the growing relationship between Troy and Eleanor will engage readers who like a touch of romance in their stories.
Right until the last tense moment Doak kept me in suspense wondering who the arsonist was, and I was left pondering the consequences of this unexpected denouement. I am eager to read more mysteries by Doak and I was thrilled to find in the information about her at the back of the book the news of a standalone YA mystery, What have they done to Liza McLean? due to be published in November 2025. While waiting readers might like to read Two sides to every murder by Danielle Valentine or books by Karen M. McManus or Holly Jackson.
Themes Mystery, Arson, Country life, Criminal investigation.
All of the many and varied creatures of Myth Valley rely on the Creature Clinic for medical care. Doctor Kara Orc and Doctor Tucker Wolf are first year residents under the supervision of Kara’s demanding mother Doctor Orc. Mythical creatures come in all shapes and sizes but all get the very best care including a unicorn with a broken horn, a basilisk with fang ache and a griffin needing a wing transplant. When a giant is brought unconscious into the clinic’s colossal chamber Dr Orc’s tests are inconclusive but it is clear that a human boy, stuck under the giant’s boot and transported from Fableland, has been squished. However Kara’s mother says the clinic does not treat humans, as they are the most dangerous species, bringing war and destruction on Myth Valley. Secretly Kara treats the boy who turns out to be helpful around the clinic even if he has to do it in disguise as Mitch, the emotional support elf. The colourful comic characters include Bullcowski, the two headed nurse, the Oompa Loompa like pink Hobbies who make everything happen at the clinic, and Oblong, the perpetually happy janitor who loves to clean.
The simple message is that we should not judge by appearances, be open to new ideas and to let those you love know how you feel. At the end are notes about creating the graphic novel in seven steps, including drawing the story outline, character designs, thumbnails and script layout before turning to the computer for lettering, outlines and colour. Gavin Aung Than’s author’s note praises the work of medical staff and their dedication to making us feel better; this charming story will definitely help put a smile on your face.
Themes Graphic novel, Magical creatures, Hospital care, Tolerance.
Sue Speck
Trapped! The entombed miner of Bonnie Vale by Julia Lawrinson
Giuseppe (known as Joe in Australia) Varischetti is an Italian boy, a new migrant to an Australian mining community in Western Australia in 1907. School is tough because his English is poor and the Aussie boys are cruel. But when his father is trapped underground following a significant flooding event, Joe too must wait with incredible patience while rescuers work out a way to bring his father to the surface alive. A community must come together despite the ethnic background of the trapped man and a young boy must dig deep to maintain hope.
Written in prose poetry, this is a story based on a real event and a real rescue (although Joe is a fictional character). Imagining the difficulty of a rescue mission in 1907 is part of the interest of the story. The prose poetry format makes this a very accessible story for young readers aged 10-14, and the story is told with a tight economy of words, but a powerful emotive quality. The tension of waiting and the distress of racist attitudes is well communicated, and to hear the story told through the (fictitious) son’s perspective makes this a good story for young readers. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Mining, Rescues, Italian migration, Racism, Courage, Verse novel.
Carolyn Hull
The world we can build by Eliza Hull, Sally Rippin & Daniel Gray-Barnett
Hardie Grant, 2025. ISBN: 9781761213601. (Age:3+)
A positive story about building something that will suit people of different abilities is offered in this cheery picture book co-written by Hull and Ripping and illustrated by Gray-Barnett, with lots of practical applications and pragmatic solutions born out of the needs of the children involved.
When Sam asks Carla around to his house to see this mother, he is embarrassed when he remembers that Carla will not be able to climb the steps at the entrance. They decide to go to the park instead, but realise that the park, like the school playground does not accomodate them: one in a wheelchair and other a friend who wants to play with her. Both are excluded. Together they decide to design a more inclusive playground and set about drawing one that includes ramps, levers and springs.
So they set about making changes to their playgrounds and the illustrations takes the readers into the wider world, showing changes that can be made in the streets or in halls, apartment buildings and shops, to enable all to be included, not just some.
Children will delight in the illustrations of the changes being made recognising some that have been achieved in their school or local community, in their parks and gardens, local shops and theatres. They will be aware of the differences these make to everyone’s participation and will be able to point these out.
The detail will attract their notice as they compare the things drawn to those they see, and question why a few things are still out of bounds for some people. A page of information is given at the beginning of the book about how the book came to be written, and at the end of the story is a page of information about Eliza Hull with ideas about including different abilities in the classroom.
Themes Disability, Wheelchairs, Inclusivity, Schools, Parks and gardens, Community spaces.
Fran Knight
Nightshade by Autumn Woods
Pan Macmillan, 2025. ISBN: 9781035084005. (Age:Senior secondary) Recommended.
Nightshade by Autumn Woods is a captivating novel that drew me in with its unique intrigue and depth. From the outset, I was impressed by how it defied the typical enemies-to-lovers trope, offering unexpected twists and layers of complexity. The story follows Ophelia and Alex, whose paths cross in the most unexpected way, in a world filled with secrets and suspense. Ophelia’s ethereal presence and Alex’s rugged charm create a dynamic that is both engaging and relatable, setting the stage for a relationship that evolves beyond initial expectations. Woods’ writing is vivid and atmospheric, painting a world that is as beautiful as it is dangerous. Her ability to weave themes of identity, power, and redemption throughout the narrative provided me with both entertainment and reflection. The pacing is expertly managed, building tension and excitement as the story unfolds, keeping me hooked from start to finish.
For fans of fantasy, mystery, and romance, Nightshade is must read. The book’s mystery element kept me guessing, as the identity of key figures remained elusive, inviting me to lose myself in the plot of the story. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Night Shade as it kept me engaged and constantly guessing, with its unexpected twists and rich character dynamics.
Charlie misses her Dad and her home in Broome, and resents having to move to Silver Gum in the Northern Territory. She’s not interested in making new friends or attending a new school. If she has to be in this place she would rather spend her time looking after the orphaned joeys she’s rescued, their mothers victims of speeding cars on Australia’s outback roads. It is a passion she shared with her father: a love of nature, and especially the wildlife.
A disgruntled TV weatherman, down on his luck, turns out to be an unlikely collaborator when his sense of responsibility, and more than a little guilt, kicks in, and the newcomer to the town finds himself drawn into Charlie’s plans to save baby kangaroos.
This is the premise of the book, and soon to be released movie, based on the story of Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, the man who established Alice Springs’ Kangaroo Sanctuary. It makes for a wonderful heart-warming story, and with actors including Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair and Ernie Dingo, plus lots of adorable big-eyed joeys, the film is sure to be a winner. So what better way to get young children into reading the next step up from picture books, than to provide an easy-to-read film tie-in, that allows them to imagine or re-imagine a story with strong themes of caring for wildlife, determination, perseverance and friendship, and quite a few laughs thrown in.
The Kid Who Fell Through Time is a hilariously funny, fast-paced adventure that blends laugh-out-loud humour with historical curiosity and discovery. Schoolboy Angus is your typical student who finds textbook history dull and pointless, until the night he’s accidentally whisked away to Roman Britain in the most unlikely of vehicles - a shopping trolley time machine, piloted by a cheese enthusiast from the local shop. What starts as crazy chaos soon becomes the most exciting homework opportunity in history - literally.
After returning from his first journey, Angus writes an epic history assignment that not only earns him top marks but also wins an award, making his parents beam with pride. Hooked on the thrill of success (and the rush of adventure), Angus decides to try travelling back in time to collect more first-hand “research” for school. But as anyone who’s dabbled in time travel knows, things never go quite as planned and the twists and turn that this story provides will not disappoint.
Greg James and Chris Smith’s witty, casual writing style makes this book an entertaining and easy read. The authors frequently ‘break the fourth wall’, talking directly to the reader with cheeky digressions that add to the fun. Scattered throughout are clever nuggets of real historical information, presented with the help of the wonderfully odd ‘Fact Pig’, a recurring character who pops up with quirky historical facts. This blend of silliness and genuine learning makes the novel both entertaining and sneakily educational.
Erica Salcedo’s amusing black-and-white illustrations perfectly captures the zany energy of the characters and adventures; adding loads of visual humour and helping to bring the madcap time-travel sequences to life.
Perfect for readers who love stories that are a fast and fun, with a bonus of some history too. A brilliant, bonkers and brainy read that will have kids laughing and learning without even realising it.
Every excuse that has ever been made is wrapped up in this funny story. Procrastination takes a bow as the theme detailing the excuses one little boy makes when he simply cannot be ready on time. But these excuses are not what’s expected. The first page has the boy responding to his mother’s ‘Time to go’ with, ‘Wait a minute, I’ve got to tie my sh …’ children will yell out ‘shoelaces’ as the page is turned, only to laugh out loud at the funny excuse the lad gives, not including the word shoelaces, but sheep!
These first two pages set the scene for the rest of the book, as excuses are given which elicit an expected response from the children, but the excuse becomes fanciful as each page is turned. So, ‘I’m going to brush my t. ..’ becomes brushing a tiger’s tail, and ‘I’ve got to find my h …’ becomes finding a hungry hippo.
Children will love working out their own excuses and changing the expected response as the book does.
A frustrated mum lists all the excuses he gives, but the boy interrupts her, saying ‘Oh wait a minute! I forgot my water b …’ The expected water bottle turns into a very funny buffalo lying in a soapy bath reading his newspaper. But then mum calls out again ‘Let’s go’, and he tells her ‘Wait a minute, You need your k …’
Instead of letting him finish with a fanciful response, she breaks in with all the things she can think of that start with k. Again readers will love calling out all the things named, offering some themselves which fits the scene. And turning the last page, gives the reminder the boy is offering his mother.
A wonderfully upside down story, in which kids will laugh at the responses the boy gives, turning the expected responses on their heads. Kids will love the fun of working out what will come after remembering the repeated lines and saying them as the story is read to them, predicting the response.
Zany illustrations cover each page, capturing the readers’ attention as they turn each page. They will love the range of animals pictured, and the positions the illustrator puts them in: the two legged sheep race, the tiger tail being brushed, the laughing llama and so on. I loved the ugg booted crab, the startled kangaroo and the hungry hippo and the last page where all the animals follow mum out the door, finally, but it has taken a lot of patience on her part.
Larrikin House is producing some very funny picture books and the inside back cover shows some of their enticing range. They are well worth seeking out.
