Little Hare, 2025. ISBN: 9781761214837. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
A delightfully droll tale of a dog whose inner life is in marked contrast to her real life. She runs, leaps, climbs and sleeps in the wild. She catches her own food, leaping for the butterfly, chasing a rabbit and a bird in the tree. Sometimes she runs with other wild dogs, but mostly she is a loner, an outsider. But as we turn to the last pages we find what she really is, a family dog, being scooped up for her return home after an adventure in the park.
Readers will love the humour in the story, belying the antics of Cynthia in the illustrations. Children will have realised that she is probably not a wild dog, her name and natty little coat giving the first clues, and so watch for hints of her real life. None of the animals she tries to catch seem to be in peril, and her antics with her short stumpy legs seem out of character with her size and shape. Children will laugh out loud as she scampers around the hills, able to see the gulf between reality and what she thinks.
Children will love talking about their inner lives: dreams of being a princess or superman, a ranger or an explorer. Cynthia’s dreams of herself are beautifully executed, with a dry, undercurrent of humour in both text and images. Riddle’s illustrations create a wonderful landscape for Cynthia’s inner life: mountains and hills, trees and forests, a few other animals. She bounds around the setting confidently, only to look a little embarrassed when a voice calls her back to the car. She is now called honeybun and is taken home for a good night’s sleep after her exertions.
Penguin Random House Australia, 2025. ISBN: 9781760895747. (Age:adult, young adult)
Lucy Whitehall’s sister is getting married in 1961 and she persuades her family to invite her 14-year-old best friend, Jane Elisabeth McEvoy to the wedding. But Lucy abandons her friend for an attentive boy, leaving Jane adrift and vulnerable to the attentions of the bride’s drunken father and she subsequently finds herself pregnant. According to the nameplate on the front door Harrowford Hall is a ‘haven for girls in crisis”. The grand building at Horsham presents a smart public face in 1961 but for Marilyn Genevieve Pollard, despised and reviled for ‘getting herself pregnant' the reality of becoming a resident means that she is stripped of any personal possessions, and forced to become one of the ‘laundry whores' who cook, scrub and polish until their babies are due. Jump to 1973 and the home has been closed for a month, but a nurse has been murdered there, and Detective Sergeant Eleanor Smith is assigned her first murder investigation by her misogynist boss, Superintendent Cotter, as it is women’s business. In 1961 society attitudes to unwed mothers was harsh, blaming the girl and pushing for the babies to be adopted, but I got tired of the repetitive 'sluts and whores' name calling. In 1973 the police force was unrepentantly sexist, Eleanor Smith, ’15 years a cop, just the twelfth detective in Victoria without a penis' p33, is to be admired, but Cotter’s repetitive slurs and hair comments became tiresome. The goings on at the government run home were extreme to the point of the reader needing to suspend disbelief and this distracted from the plot. I am still a bit confused about the two main characters, one of whom disappears into the home at a critical moment and the detective who seems to flounder about with her sidekick constable in fear of confirming her boss’s belief that women don’t belong in the police force.
Readers might enjoy this as a multiple murder puzzle in a gothic setting at a time of harsher and unforgiving social mores but I had too much difficulty with the plot and characters to really enjoy it.
Themes Murder, unwed mothers, Australian social history.
A Gallery of Rogues, sequel to The Dictionary of Scoundrels, by Beth Lincoln is a humorous and lively adventure that is quirky and unique. Filled with frivolity, escapade and intrigue, this novel will immerse you in the family’s twisted life and put some clever detective skills to the test to decipher fact from fiction in this ‘whodunnit’ mystery.
Shenanigan Swift is no ordinary protagonist, and her family is anything but conventional. Each member of the Swift clan has unusual gifts or eccentricities, making for an amusingly chaotic household. So, when the family’s heirloom painting is stolen, the mystery soon grows more tangled when they must join forces with their long-standing rivals, the Martinet family of Paris. Together they must overcome simmering rivalry to outwit OUVOLPO - the elusive art-thieving organisation who famously return stolen pieces to their rightful owners.
At the heart of this novel is not only a mystery of stolen Pierrot art pieces, but also a layered exploration of trust, loyalty and murder! The narrative takes its time to build momentum, with an opening that carefully sets the scene and reintroduces readers to the Swifts’ peculiar world and characters. However, as the chase deepens through Parisian galleries and hidden passageways, the pace quickens, and the book becomes a rich, page-turning puzzle of betrayals and revelations.
What sets this story apart is its clever weaving of language and etymology. English and French words are playfully unpacked, with meanings and histories revealed at just the right moments to echo the action. This adds both intellectual intrigue and a sense of linguistic playfulness, giving readers something extra to savour beyond the plot.
By the closing chapters, readers are fully immersed; questioning motives and second-guessing alliances. Who stole what? Who killed who? And above all - who can truly be trusted? This book is perfect for fans of clever mysteries, richly created characters and a touch of etymological flair. Readers who love adventure, eccentricity and some mystery will thoroughly enjoy this twisted tale of treachery!
This is an awesome story! Leo and his younger brother Alex have been unwilling listeners to their mother’s passion for True Crime podcasts. The current listening session has special significance because it revisits the death from 25 years ago of Corey Armstrong, a contemporary of their mother (and their now estranged father) and many of the adults connected to Leo’s Rugby team. To stop the brother’s bickering and persistent fighting, their mother suggests they try to solve the death of Corey Armstrong themselves. This begins a compelling investigation by the two teens (and Alex’s clever friend Harriet, known as Harry). Leo’s sporting competitiveness and Alex’s artistic and observational skills, in combination with Harry’s different insights all work together to unravel clues that have been overlooked for 25 years, but sadly people they know may become implicated in Corey’s death.
This is the kind of book you can recommend to any reader aged 12-16 and you can be sure they will enjoy it. I am sure they will also recommend it to their friends. There is the usual sibling rivalry within families, friendships that are sometimes problematic, sporting and artistic talents on display, the beginnings of teen attraction and a mystery that needs solving. The teens keep up with sports training expectations and homework and are essentially respectful to adults (rare in most teen fiction) even though they do sometimes stretch boundaries and test themselves, but they are relatable characters that you grow to like. The author has managed to combine the true-crime phenomenon with a mysterious death from the past and create a contemporary mystery story that is really exciting. The story is told in different chapters from the perspective of the two brothers, and this provides different insights and variety. This story may inspire young readers to listen to podcasts or read Crime mysteries… or maybe explore sport or art in their own lives!
When a little boy discovers his bird has died, he accepts that lives can be short or long, but, after burying it, he wonders where it might have gone.
My fluttering, chirping, hopping bird was gone. Its body was still there, a silent, feathery shape, but all life had left it.
As he asks family members, he discovers that each has a different belief - his sister believes in reincarnation as another creature; his mother suggests going to heaven; while his grandfather thinks the end is the end and we turn into soil, returning to become part of Nature again.
Sadly, a friend lost her husband just before Easter, leaving two young children to ponder this very question. Being at a Catholic school they had been learning about the origins of Easter and that Jesus had risen on the third day after having been crucified. So they were convinced that when they went to the church for the funeral their daddy would be there waiting for them, just like Jesus.
This is a gentle, soft-touch exploration of life cycles and life spans and the emotions that are evoked, made more sensitive by the creator choosing autumn to be the time when the bird passes so the illustrations are naturally those warm colours of red, orange and yellow. While the little boy explores his questions and feelings by talking with the loved ones around him, and even though they may have different beliefs and explanations, nevertheless they are united in their conviction that no matter what, it is the memories that are important and that these will live on forever.
Despite trying to shield little ones from such sad events, nevertheless they are going to encounter death and dying in their lives whether that be a pet or a family member so this is a story that has a place but perhaps one that is shared at an appropriate time with adult guidance. We can never know all the things that are happening in a child's life beyond the school bell and thus what could be comforting to one may be confronting for another.
The wicked ship, the first book in Amelia Mellor’s brand-new Oceanforged series, launches readers into an unforgettable fantasy adventure brimming with action, danger and the spark of heroism. Mellor, the acclaimed Australian author of The grandest bookshop in the world and The bookseller’s apprentice, once again proves her gift for weaving imaginative settings with compelling characters.
The story follows Cori, a thirteen-year-old orphan from Nexus, a city within the magical realm of Aquinta. Once ruled by the legendary Champions during the celebrated “Days of Glory,” Aquinta has since fallen into decline; its government corrupt and failing its people. Cori, hardened by injustice and her harsh time aboard the wicked pirate ship, Harridan, has little faith in kindness or hope. Life under the cruel Captain Scrimshaw is a daily fight for survival, leaving Cori both disillusioned and determined to escape.
Her fate shifts dramatically when she is ordered to steal a treasure, only to uncover an ancient gauntlet once worn by the Champions themselves. In a moment of destiny, the gauntlet chooses Cori, locking onto her arm and granting her mysterious new powers. Thrust suddenly into a role she doesn’t understand and doesn’t yet trust, Cori knows she must flee the pirates who will stop at nothing to reclaim the artefact.
Shipwrecked during her escape, Cori is rescued by Tarn and his family, whose warmth and generosity clash with everything she has ever known. Wary but intrigued, she begins to glimpse the possibility of trust and friendship. Yet danger remains close behind, and Cori must summon both courage and cunning if she hopes to master her Champion’s legacy and rise against the forces pursuing her.
Mellor’s fast-paced adventure is cleverly crafted, and a riveting read. The mix of high-seas danger, magical powers and a heroine wrestling with her own mistrust creates a story that is as emotionally engaging as it is adventurous. Young readers who love fantasy, action, and tales of reluctant heroes, will find Oceanforged: The wicked ship impossible to resist..... and eagerly awaiting the sequel!
In this sequel to Of Jade and Dragons it is two years since Aihui Ying’s father was murdered and she managed to be accepted into the guild of engineers in the capital, Fei, to find out why. She is now back on her home island of Larut engaged to the son of the local clan leader while her sister Nian is in the capital, engaged to the high commander of the Antaran Isles, Ye-yang. Ying doesn’t intend to marry and is engineering a submarine while planning her escape when a pirate attack from the Blood Phoenix changes everything. Ying must go back to Fei and use her skills to help engineer a means to defeat the pirates’ deadly submarines while negotiating the relationship with Ye-Yang which was unresolved when she left. Working together to defeat a common enemy Ying and Ye-Yang they find that despite differences they are still attracted; while younger sister, loyal, obedient, Nian finds she has a talent for politics and strategic planning and enjoys working closely with Ye-kan.
There is plenty of action and battles with some interesting twists like the all-female multi nationality pirates with a captain in a wheelchair, but the intervening scenes had too much laboured angst and explaining for me to care enough about the characters. Nian is the only one that seemed to develop, the relationship of central characters Ying and Ye-Yang was confused and stilted and the ending was rushed and unresolved. As in the first book I enjoyed the use of a rich Chinese cultural background and the engineering aspects. Akba Khan reportedly said engineering should be used for good not evil, but so often in our world, like this one, inventions are harnessed for war and domination, it was sad to read a story so lacking in hope for peace and prosperity.
Themes Fantasy, war, engineering, relationships.
Sue Speck
24 hours under the ocean by Lan Cook. Illus. by Laurent Kling
Usborne, 2025. ISBN: 9781805315988. (Age:7+)
In this release from Usborne, readers are invited to "join two scientists as they climb inside a hi-tech submersible and descend into the darkest depths of the Pacific Ocean. Meet strange-looking creatures thousands of miles below the surface and explore alien landscapes. Discover how experiments are performed at the bottom of the ocean, what happens after a whale dies, and what makes extremophiles so extreme." But while there have been any number of fiction and non fiction books that have taken the reader to the depths of the ocean to see what exists where the sun doesn't shine and it is a world of perpetual darkness, this one is written for slightly older readers combining a graphic novel format that follows the journey of Jun and Syl as they join the crew of the RV Abyss, a newly-refitted submarine that has the capability to go deeper than any other with double-page spreads of information about what they discover. It reaches out to a slightly older audience with its information using a format that will appeal more readily giving a whole new slant to narrative non fiction, as well as being perfect for booking an adventure, as would the others in this series.
Themes Ocean.
Barbara Braxton
Emma Memma: days of the week by Emma Memma
Penguin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761355547. (Age:3+)
An unusual board book with insets on each page showing each day of the week will be intriguing for younger children. They will love seeing their entertainer, Emma as she outlines what she does each of the seven days of the week.
Making Monday is the first day, followed by Twirley Tuesday, then Wombat Wednesday, Thank You Thursday, Friendship Friday, Sporty Saturday and Signing Sunday.
Each alliterative day will encourage children to remember the day through the common starting point, while the rhyming will encourage prediction and joining in. Who would not twirl on Twirley Tuesday or say thank you on Thank You Thursday or sign on Signing Sunday.
Along with singing and dancing, a little sign language and lots of laughs, children will eagerly follow Emma’s story and familiarise themselves with the days of the week as they go.
On several pages sign language is used. Common words such as ‘thank you’ and ‘where’, ‘play’, ‘love’ and ‘Monday’ are given, showing how these words are signed, encouraging young readers to sign as well.
As with the others in the series, each Emma Memma book is durable, brightly coloured, informative and educational, giving younger children things to do as they are read to. Three of the other books in the series are shown on the back cover.
Themes Emma Memma, Sign language, Dancing, Board book, Humour.
Wolf hour is a satisfying crime thriller on so many levels. It begins with the account of fictional Norwegian author Holger Rudy visiting Minneapolis in order to research his book about a Norwegian American policeman’s investigation of a serial killer. His book will have all the essential elements of the genre, ‘spectacular murders’, ‘air of mystery, unexpected turn of events, villains and heroes on both sides of the law’; all of these, but above all, it will force the reader to ask ‘could that have been me?’ And that is exactly what Nesbo’s novel does.
Nesbo tells sections of the story from the point of view of a highly skilled and ruthless killer setting about his task of killing selected individuals. But we don’t know his motive or who he will target next. Other sections of the book are in third person and present the investigation undertaken by jaded detective Bob Oz, suffering from a traumatic separation from his wife. We don’t know why Bob is so self-destructive, and only discover his history and his motives, as the novel progresses, as we similarly gather clues about the killer. Bizarrely many of the clues are pieced together from conversations with a taxidermist, seemingly a confidante of both men. Nesbo, aka Holger Rudy, asks, is an author like a taxidermist, stuffing things, looking to clothe a character with the right look, the right eyes?
This is such a clever book. It takes all the elements of a crime thriller: murders, violence and guns; and turns it into a confronting debate about guns and gun control. It presents the sympathetic argument for rights to guns with black policewoman Kay Myers’ story of how growing up she felt so much safer when her mother had a gun under her pillow to protect them from an abusive estranged husband. On the other hand, guns in the hands of crazy teenagers wipe out a family, a mother and a child, and a girl in a wheelchair. Detective Bob Oz never carries a gun; only later we learn why.
Bob Oz and the killer each are suffering from a trauma, the loss of a relationship, loss of a family. It is the underlying similarities between their experiences that provides Oz with insight into the motives of the killer. But Oz, though clearly suffering from aggressive angry impulses, remains essentially a policeman with morals, on the right side of the law, whilst the killer is set on murderous revenge. What separates them, and how close does Oz come to going over the edge? Nesbo’s book becomes a book about ‘how good people can become monsters’. But guns are the tool which makes crime, and revenge, so much easier. This book makes the most powerful presentation of arguments for and against gun control, and should fuel healthy informed debate on the topic.
Willow Bright is a country girl to her very core (a cowgirl with skills to match), but now she is reluctantly required to adapt to city existence with its rush and restrictions. And not only that, but she must also live with her Aunt and cousin, far removed from her Dad in his new mining job, and far from her Mum’s gravesite on the country farm she can never return to. A small overgrown garden plot, and its old owner, gives her an opportunity to reconnect with ‘the land’ and to understand her place in her strange new environment in the city. Perhaps she can also unravel a mystery that seems to involve her new school in some strange happenings.
This is a delightful story, combining pathos and growth for the young Willow. It also shows her surviving the difficulties of a new home, new school, new life, witha resilience and determination that is commendable ina 12-year-old. She must cope with her perpetual grief, bullies and finding new friends, and comes up with a ‘plot’ to escape the pressures by helping an elderly isolated man with his garden ‘plot’. The gentle growth in maturity in the face of difficulty makes this a good book for readers aged 10-13.
Themes Moving, family, city life, grief, friendship, bullying, development.
Carolyn Hull
Jo Weston’s Netball Besties 2: Foul Play by Jess Black and Sam Loman
Penguin Random House Australia, 2025. ISBN: 9781761348532. (Age:7+) Highly Recommended.
Foul Play is the second instalment in Jo Weston’s much-loved series, Netball Besties, written by Jess Black and brought to life with illustrations by Sam Loman. Combining the excitement of sport, the warmth of friendship and a touch of mystery, this book is perfect for readers who enjoy real life, relatable stories with plenty of heart.
The story follows Jo, who lives in the Talma Valley and divides her time between playing her beloved netball, helping out on the family farm and spending time with her loyal dog, Billie. Together with her best friend, Ava, Jo begins working on a school project for Harmony Day. Their task is to celebrate cultural diversity, so they decide to interview the workers on Jo’s family farm.
Everyone is super busy preparing the nuts for a big new market that could provide much-needed business. However, disaster strikes when the hulling machine breaks down and it appears the damage may have been done deliberately. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Jo and Ava use their school project to take on a little detective twist, piecing together clues and considering possible motives behind the sabotage.
The book balances this light mystery with themes of teamwork, resilience and curiosity, making it both entertaining and interesting. Jo and Ava’s friendship shines through, as they support one another both on the netball court and in their investigation.
With an easy-to-read font, accessible layout, and occasional black-and-white illustrations, Foul Play is especially well-suited to readers who are moving into longer, independent chapter books. The illustrations add extra attraction and visual interest, breaking up the text and helping to carry the storyline forward.
Overall, Netball Besties: Foul Play is a delightful read that combines sport, friendship and a gentle mystery, with important themes of community, culture and farming. It will appeal to young readers who love netball, farm life, or simply a good story filled with heart and adventure.
Hairbrain saves the ocean by Danny Katz and Mitch Vane
Walker Books, 2025. ISBN: 9781760656515. (Age:6+)
Despite his nickname, Hairbrain is always thinking up new ideas, particularly those that help people live a better life or to save the planet. In fact, he has a file of 10,782 ideas (approximately.) However, when the family goes to the beach and Hairbrain dons his mask, snorkel and fins expecting to be able to see fish, dugongs and other underwater creatures he is very disappointed to discover nothing more than plastic bags, broken bottles and other rubbish left by humans. And so he invents a machine that he is convinced will clean up the ocean - if only he and his little sister can get it there.
This is a new series by the team who devised the Little Lunch series and its release is timely as naturalist David Attenborough celebrates his 99th birthday with the release of Ocean and has declared that "If we save the ocean, we can save the planet." So while its narrative might be light-hearted and its presentation designed to appeal to its intended audience of emerging readers who prefer short and sweet stories, there is a serious underlying message that should provoke thinking not only about what we put into our waterways but what we, as individuals and collectively can do to fix the damage already done. Who doesn't want their grandchildren to see fish and dugongs and whales and the wonders of the underwater world?
Whether this is a standalone or the first in a series is unclear, but it may be the springboard to newly independent readers seeking out the Little Lunch series or maybe the PawPrints series which is described as "A new series for emerging readers, written and illustrated by some of Australia's funniest popular creators." Whichever, they will continue to read and confirm their belief that they can be "real readers".
Derek is Anne Donaldson's first picture book and it's a testament to its quality that it contains illustrations by Matt Shanks (Koala Bare, Rosie the Rhinocerous). The wonderfully sparse illustrations are full of extra inferential information and make brilliant use of perspective and proportion. The front cover foreshadows Derek as a curious, wide-eyed fish in a big world. Observant endpaper readers know from the beginning of the story where Derek is (a pet fish shop) but it is never explicitly said.
Derek is a curious fish; among other things he wants to know why the (his) universe is round and why the (his) earth is pink. Children will enjoy realising that our questions about the world are often limited by the world that is immediately visible to us. The big creatures that Derek sees 'when food rains down' are shown just as a giant hand (as would be seen by Derek) and poor Derek is desperate to know why he is all alone. Adventurous Derek decides to make contact with the big creatures above but try as he might they are never that interested in him. There's a great little goldfish joke here as it is noted 'they must have very short attention spans'. Children will especially love how Derek tries to get their attention by doing the longest poop he could. Eventually giving up on the big creatures, Derek turns to his own sense of independence and works out a plan to see what else is out beyond his world. He ends up finding someone to share all the big questions with.
This is a lovely story with good inferrencing opportunities and discussions about questioning, curiosity and inquiry.
Themes Questioning, Curiosity, Belonging.
Nicole Nelson
Bronte's big business by Liane Young. Illus. by Tamlyn Teow
Bronte is tearing up the sand at the Nippers training session at her local Surf Club, when Jian falls injured rounding a marker in the sand. Lucky lifesavers know what to do! The offending shard of sharp plastic helped Bronte to notice the growing amount of human detritus on her beach, posing such danger and impacting on the environment. She loves the beach but the nasty litter problem really troubles her.
When Annabelle's friends holiday at Bronte’s house, Amy, Matilda, Jasmine and Emily encourage Bronte to use her artistic ability to raise awareness for the littering problem on the local coastline and waterways.
Aided by her new friends and family, she prints her cute environmental artworks and messages onto reusable rubbish bags, water bottles and other personal items. Her Sunday stall outside the Surf Club (the beneficiary) is an instant success but her customised line of products means that she has more drawing work than she can handle – but that’s a good problem, or is it? Doesn't everyone deserve balance in their lives - childhood should be fun. Can she solve this very grown up issue?
For those who love uplifting, entertaining stories based on real Australian kids, this book also contains an important message: everyone can do their bit to care for the environment but shouldn't feel singularly responsible. Liane Young, explores this theme of children feeling guilty or distressed, mistakenly believing that they have personal responsibility to save the planet. At least Bronte is no longer anxious about becoming friends with Annabelle’s friends and they all get along well in the two weeks, uniting as a team to test their theories about art, commerce and community attitudes.
Tamlyn Teow, the illustrator sprinkles cute pencil sketches (Bronte’s own style) throughout the 70 page large-print novella, finishing with a photo and bio of author Liane Young.
NB An Australian Girl Doll website launched 5 dolls based on all of the main characters . The biographies, pets, accessories and a cute carry bag are available for these 50cm companions who are distinctly Australian. Visit www.australiangirldoll.com.au
Starting a small business will appeal to young girls who love to help their community and hang out together. We can’t help but wonder whether any future businesswomen or corporate bosses will acknowledge Bronte’s story as their source of social responsibility.
Themes Environment, conservation, Australiana, friendship, social responsibility.
