The front cover introduces us to the main character in this story, one very cross cat who does not like Christmas: his eyes glare out at the reader, the ears are flat, the whiskers making a cross over his face.
Cat likes to feel comfortable and safe, but one time he does not feel happy with life is Christmas. He does not like the decorations, he hates the silly presents, the sticky food, the noisy visitors who come to stay, especially when they move into his special places. He tries to tell his family, but they don’t take any notice, just shove him out into the cold wet snow after he pulls down the Christmas tree.
He yowls at the moon from a high branch in the tree, and the clouds part. He loves looking at the moon and the stars, and is happy with the world, but as the clouds move together again, it begins to rain, leaving him wet and bedraggled. He walks past the leftover presents, the remains of the feast, the baubles and bunting, to go back inside. He jumps onto a lap and is wonderfully received. The girl asks him where he has been. It is not Christmas without Cat, she says, offering him his present. Christmas has changed, and he loves his new favourite place, getting the attention he wanted.
A charming story of a turnaround as Cat hates Christmas, but when he is included in the gift giving, his attitude changes.
Kids will love reading about the trappings of Christmas, seeing what Cat’s house looks like at this time of the year, comparing it with their own. The illustrations are wonderful, giving a clear idea of how Cat feels with the simple change in his eyes, whiskers or ears, adding lots of laughs to the reading of this story. I loved the dachshund with his snowman outfit, the favourite green chair being taken over by the dog, and the places where Cat causes minor disasters, and over all the wonderful surly looking Cat, daring us to open his book.
A great read aloud, the story is a marvellous look at Christmas from the animals’ point of view.
12-year-old twins, Pearl and Patrick, are talented young people. Pearl is a daring and brave science genius, and Patrick is less confident and a history guru, but they both hide their brilliance. Pearl has used her ‘science-smarts’ to create a time-travel device that sends the twins on a journey into the past. The challenge in time-travel is the desire to change the past to protect the future, but in doing so, will they create a complete mess-up of reality or make an improvement? The organisation TIME (The Interdimensional Misconduct Enquiry) takes these ethical dilemmas seriously, and Pearl and Patrick are confronted by the logic to never change anything - good or bad. Another time traveler seems to be creating ripples in time, and Pearl and Patrick must confront the problems that are created while also addressing their own personal concerns - Pearl has a desire to be recognised and appreciated, and Patrick feels the need to feel brave while still valuing his esteem of history (and maybe even survive the taunts of the class bully). And all of their adventures must happen in secret - even from their family. Can time heal all their struggles, or are they likely to continue in the time-loops of mistakes?
This is a glorious story … I loved every minute of my reading journey, both back in time and into the present. The challenge of writing about time travel is handled brilliantly by the authors, and there is a logical understanding of the possibilities and impossibilities of time travel. The flavour of a Sri Lankan culture for the twins is also unique and appealing - food culture and some history is highlighted. Thank you to Martin Seneviratne for highlighting his own understanding of his family’s culture, mythology, and history. But it is all the journeys into the historical past that are fascinating, with their ethical dilemmas. Would you prevent the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand? This and other time-travel journeys give wonderful insights into history. But there is also a considerable esteem given to scientific investigation in the story as well.
This will be a much-loved adventure where kids use their brains in amazing ways. Readers aged 11-14 with a desire to exercise their own intelligence will love this book (I hope there are more Chrono-loop adventures to follow). It does require some mental gymnastics to follow time-travel logic, but it is worth it!
Themes Time travel, History, Science, Twins, Bullying, Sri Lanka - Culture and history.
Carolyn Hull
Snowed in at the Wildest Dreams Bookshop by Gracie Page
Fans of The Wildest Dreams Bookshop will be thrilled to have another stand-alone romance set in the picturesque seaside town of Fox Bay in Cornwall. Ivy’s first term at art college has been disappointing. Unable to afford to live in the college’s residential accommodation, she must travel to college and hasn’t made any friends. What is worse – she has lacked inspiration for her art and is failing her course. She returns to Fox Bay, with a job in The Wildest Dreams Bookshop, but feels isolated and depressed. Then Trip, a bright optimist, always cheerful and seeing the best in people, making friends with little effort, wants her to show him the sights of the town and when they work together on the school’s annual show, sparks begin to fly.
The trope of grumpy versus sunshine is managed well by Gracie Page, making Ivy the antisocial character and Trip the guy full of happiness. The reader can identify with Ivy whose dreams of leaving a small town and shining in a new environment are shattered, while Trip’s optimism is alluring. However there is a small cloud over Trip’s reason for being in Fox Bay that is subtly written by the author and readers will enjoy getting to know the backgrounds to the characters.
Snowed in at the Wildest Dreams Bookshop is an engrossing rom com that will have readers quickly racing through the book, eager to see how Ivy’s life and art progresses while enjoying the cheer and friendliness of Trip. This is a feel-good book, perfect for holiday reading and fans of Lynn Painter and Jenny Han. Readers may also enjoy Grumpy darling by Alexandra Moody.
Channelling a life led by many busy adults, the story of Jacinda Ardern sees her work more crowded and involved, when she becomes Prime Minister of New Zealand.
This fun loving book takes Jacinda and her daughter, Neve, through their work for the week. Monday is day care and Neve gets dresses, stomping her feet, not wanting to go. But Mum agrees that some days she doesn’t want to go to work either.
Neve has a good day at day care and loves it when Mum comes home and reads her a book.
Tuesday sees a day at home with Dad, and Mum’s homecoming is fashioned wit a hug. Wednesday sees her at day care, and again on Thursday which is painting day. Neve cannot understand why Mum gets a little cross as it is Dad who does the washing. On Friday Mum comes home early, giving time to play a favourite game: hide and seek.
Saturday sees the family take a picnic to the playground, although a little dog steals some of their food. And Neve takes issue with having to go to bed early. When she grows up she says bedtime will be later.
On Sunday, Mum takes out her very large briefcase and starts her work, caring for all the people just like Neve, who settles down next to her with her own busy work.
This charming story shows the strong relationship between members of the family as they navigate their lives around Mum’s work.
With an emphasis on hugs, doing things together, asking and answering questions, and having routines, a loving family is modelled for readers. They will see a dancing Mum, a Dad who hugs, a Mum who reads stories, a child who works with her mother as she settles down to her Sunday work, a picnic family, a loving family which makes the child the centre of their days. Sometimes Neve questions decisions, or stamps her feet, but each time, things are explained, hugs given and love radiates around them all.
The lovely illustrations show a smiling happy family, holding out their arms for a hug, or holding hands, being together, laughing, smiling and child centred. Mum’s shoes and oversized briefcase are tossed aside as Jacinda reads Neve a story, her shoes can again be seen as she hides in the game of hide and seek. Readers will love following Neve’s week, comparing it with their own, centred around child care, school and parents’ work.
Themes Family, Relationships, Humour, Love, Prime Ministers, New Zealand.
Fran Knight
The Thing About Christmas by Jo Dabrowski. Illus. by Briony Stewart
With Christmas almost upon us, it is a time when the everything is about December 25. The plethora of advertisements, promotions and discussions on all types of media including print, broadcast, social and digital can often leave young readers, for whom Christmas may not be quite the same as others, feeling like they may be missing out.
…The thing is, when your Christmas isn’t like that it might get you thinking or feeling quite flat. It may lead you to ask if it’s Christmas at all. Is Christmas still Christmas if Christmas is small?...
A beautiful new picture book The Thing About Christmas written by Jo Dabrowski and strikingly illustrated by Briony Stewart, explores many different types of Christmas celebrations where families come together in a way that is unique and special to them. In engaging rhyming text, children will learn that there is no one way to celebrate Christmas:
…There are still a few presents, but they’re not very grand. Some aren’t what you hoped for, all they’re all second-hand. The lights blew a fuse, and the baubles aren’t shiny. There isn’t a turkey, just a chook that’s quite tiny. Of maybe your Christmas is split up in two, and the one thing you wished for didn’t come true…
The rhyming verse is skilfully executed and flows harmoniously across the pages of colourful, vibrant images, showing diversity and inclusivity that perfectly complement the sensitive and thoughtful text.
This wonderful new release is an important book to share with students. Not all Christmases are the same and it is never too early for children to begin to understand this. The most valuable message about Christmas that comes from reading this book is that love between families is what really matters. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
How big is love? by Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler. Illus. by Jade Goodwin
Hachette, 2025. ISBN: 9780734420176. (Age:3+)
Snuggled together under a patchwork blanket on the veranda, the older woman tells the child that she is loved. Back comes the question, how much? And after that is a long series of comparisons, showing the younger child just how much she is loved. She is loved from one heart to another, or all the way to the dog lying in the garden, all the way to the goanna on the fence, or to the top of the tallest tree. Each is followed by another question, asking is that all, urging the older person to keep going with more comparisons.
She is loved all the way to the hawk flying high in the sky, to the red cliffs. But each of the questions is edged with tiredness as she snuggles into the patchwork quilt. All the way to the waterhole, and to the end of our country, but by this time the young child’s head is leaning against the old woman’s shoulders.
And to the now sleeping child, she is loved to the setting sun and the emu in the sky.
This is a loving tribute to the love between generations, as the young girl wants to quantify the love shown to her. How big is love is the question offered throughout the book, prompting responses aiming to quantify that love. But as all the readers know, this is impossible, and they will be able to add more lines to the book.
The journey goes across the backyard, the hills, country, to the sky and beyond, encompassing all the love a family can give to each other.
The bright full page illustrations reflect the Australian landscape and young readers will be able to pick out flora and fauna, all the while learning that love is a constant in all families.
Author, Carl Merrison is a respected Jaru/Kija man from Halls Creek and is well known as a mentor and coach. He was the winner of the black&write! Fellowship in 2020 for his young readers' series Backyard Sport, and his debut picture book, My Deadly Boots.
Hakea Hustler is an experienced teacher who has taught in remote Aboriginal communities. And she worked with Carl producing the award winning Black Cockatoo(Magabala Books), which was an Honour book in the CBCA Young Reader Award.
Jade Goodwin is a First Nations illustrator who loves bringing imagination to the fore through her empathetic and bright illustrations hoping to inspire all readers.
274p. The Mirror World is the sequel to Femi Fadugba’s speculative debut novel. Set in 2040’s London approx 5 years on from the events of The Upper World, Rhianna is now the central character. It is not her Mentor Esso’s face we see on the cover this time but Rhia’s. Rhianna is arriving at Oxford University to take up her place as a first year Physics undergraduate. She seems determined to put Upper World experiences behind her and focus on her own ambitions to change the world through quantum physics. She rarely communicates with Esso. An orphan from the other side of the tracks in Peckham, her outstanding mind lacks self-confidence - the same as any Fresher meeting an esteemed professor for a one-on-one tutorial for the very first time.
Rumours of a secret elite society called the Ravens, tantalize Rhia. Even Oxford graduates can wind up back on struggle street beyond university – but not this network producing many of the world’s wealthy and powerful people. Its most famous Alumni running for Prime Minister is unlike any politician or corporate CEO Rhia has ever met but it's Imogen and her friends (all older students) who confirm the existence of the Ravens. They pressure her to take drugs for the first time in return for a shot at membership. Will she succumb to peer pressure or is this the first test ahead of a gruelling initiation ceremony?
Reaping success from her Raven connections, Zedek, takes her to the heart of the CantorCorp where Rhianna will eventually work. He shares the Mirror chip at the centre of a quantum computing project, capable of storing the sum of all human knowledge. Later Imogen alerts Rhia to the growing malevolent presence from The Upper World. Can Rhia calculate the physical forces necessary or be destroyed by electromagnetic fields?
Another fast-paced instalment in the series, to follow the announcement that The Upper World is soon to be a major movie starring Academy Award Winner, Daniel Kaluuya. Senior students may even start thinking about their own upcoming academic lives in the near future.
Martin Scarsden returns in the fourth book in the series, and what a thrilling ride this is! He escapes an assassination attempt when his book launch about organised crime is bombed and shots are fired. He escapes, and separated from his wife and son, arrives at an isolated town, Port Paroo, in the outback. Will he be able to outwit his pursuers and discover who is trying to murder him? Martin’s curiosity leads him to start investigating a decades old mystery, when he meets Ecco, a disgraced woman fleeing from her past. She has been employed to write a history of Longchamp Downs, huge grazing property, by the owner Clay Carmichael. She uncovers intriguing links to past explorers and the disappearance of Chloe, his daughter who was accused of murdering her fiancé, Roman Stanton, the heir to another property. The Stanton and Carmichael families had been involved in a long feud about water rights.
The background of the dry outback, the problems faced by graziers and life in the tiny town of Port Paroo is vividly described. The flood water slowly coming down the dry rivers and spreading across the floodplains adds to the feeling of suspense and isolation, as roads are cut off.
The story is told in two voices, that of Martin, in the third person and Ecco in the first, making it easy to relate to the different stories and characters. As always, Hammer’s story is complex with the threat of assassination, a murder to solve and links to historical explorers. The reader is also left wondering about Ecco’s backstory. The suspense is intense as Martin tries to survive and Ecco finds clues in old documents and diaries.
Hammer brings all the threads together in an enthralling climax, and I can’t wait to read more by this outstanding author.
A young Pat Cummins plays for an under-11 mixed-gender cricket team that is in contention to win this year’s competition, but it is the chance for their cricket club to host the first regional game of the the Big Bash League that sets his team alight. Learning to communicate well is the focus for their next game but collecting trash from a mysterious bush-site will keep them busy in the lead up to the final as they help their team to raise funds. Pat finds something that he initially fails to disclose and the secret may have big consequences. Is the secret from the bush going to upset his concentration and can they really raise the funds they need? And is there really a ‘Bigfoot/Hairyman’ creature in the bush?
Weaving a mystery with links to recycling, aboriginal culture and cricket, and maybe even a crime, creates a wonderful story with heart. Young sport-loving readers will connect to the young passionate cricketers and the mystery is intriguing enough to keep the pages turning. The sport-interest is high and the fear-factor is fairly low-key, so this book will appeal to male or female readers aged 8-12. It is great to have indigenous characters and voices within this story too. (And a cricket coach who is a cricket ‘Sensei’ adds a hint of Karate Kid wisdom!) Even reading-resistant kids will enjoy this book.
“You’re so much bigger than your name, always remember that. All of us are a tale within a tale within a tale.” p13
And so begins the new life of Hans Whitby, formerly known as Lavender Wolfe, a young pickpurse left alone on the steps of a wharf and taken to become a galley boy on the pirate ship, The Good Marchioness. Unbeknown to Lavender she has a magical secret that can only be smelt by a giant ogress known as Big Agatha who finds abandoned children with special powers and brings them to her galley to assist in a dangerous voyage to ‘find treasure before the dawn of the seventh year or be turned to sand.' Unfortunately for Hans this time is approaching very quickly and she reluctantly becomes a key to the seemingly impossible quest for the spectral map that will lead them to The Marigold’s treasure.
Early in the first few challenging days at sea, Hans meets an array of assorted characters including the galley boys: Poppet, Colin, Peter, Thomas, King Samuel. Big Agatha is the one fierce constant in their lives but is Big Agatha the person she really seems to be? She herself has a terrible story and burden to bear. There is the frightening and unpredictable Captain Odyessia Pleasant, a fierce pirate with a bird's wing in place of an arm, a severed ear on the left side of her face along with a ragged scar, and the ghost-fetcher, The Little Duchess, who befriends Hans and they spend time together on the ship learning from each other.
Over the course of the journey Hans learns about the terrible curse, the ghostship The Lady Eloise and its devilish crew, loses some of the galley companions and is instrumental in the fight for survival. She also suffers great heartache when a friendship is lost. For Hans and the crew will the curse be broken if and when the treasure is found after a perilous journey? Will Hans ever be able to return to her life as Lavender Wolfe or is there something more instore for her?
This phenomenal read by award-winning author Karen Foxlee is rich in language and descriptive imagery so real that pictures form in the mind of the reader. It is an epic saga which will enthral those middle grade children who enjoy a swashbuckling adventure full of action, drama, a crew of misfits otherwise known as the Worshipful Company of Uncommon Seaman, ghost ship with ghost pirates, fateful curses, danger and endless magic.
A truly engaging and exciting read. Highly recommended.
This is the final book in the duology that began with The last Bloodcarver. The first book in the series was compelling and unique, and this book continues in the same awe-inspiring manner. Ven Kochin’s life has been saved by Nhika, but the heart-soothing sacrifice came at the expense of Nhika's own life. Now Kochin is left grieving and yet his past has given him the hope that his own heart-soothing and healing talents may enable a resurrection despite the logical impossibility of restoring life to a corpse. His hope for this future may involve his own sacrifices and he becomes tangled in war and power struggles as he researches and investigates how he might bring back to life the love that sparked his own salvation and rescue. Is this even possible and will his heart-soothing healing talents be stolen by those in power before he can help Nhika?
With the complexity of sci-fi fantasy witha touch of medicine, magic and romance, this book is far from mundane. Suspension of disbelief is compulsory, but there is also an intelligence to the weaving of the impossible that will appeal to YA fantasy lovers aged 16+. It has been some time since I finished book 1 in the series and it did take me a while to reconnect with the characters and the fantasy realm of this book. Consequently, I recommend that the duology be read together to assist in flow and toenable immersion in the depths of complexity of the characters and their struggles, but also the journey towards ‘peace, freedom and love’. This is not a book for the faint-hearted. Bodily resurrection is an uncommon trope in most fiction, but Vanessa Le has created an intelligent story for adept readers who love a complex fantasy that involves powers that are not necessarily magical, but restorative. Persistence, to move past the strangeness of the time setting (is it set in the recent past or in the future?) and the unknown place-setting of Theumas andYarong, is necessary but worth the journey. This is a sharply striking story and yet also sweetly romantic. Early chapters are written with some backward and forward chronology, and the author has thus prevented a wallowing in grief, and discomfort of the travel with a coffin, by foreshadowing a more hopeful future.
Themes Fantasy, Sci-fi, Romance, Resurrection, Love, War, Healing, Grief.
Carolyn Hull
Shibu's tail by Tess Thomas. Illus. by Kamwei Fong
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761182525. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
A wonderful tale of a cat with the most demonstrative of tails, which twitches and shakes, grows and shrinks, curls and knots, reflecting the very strong emotions he has. When he is fearful, his tail provides a protective wall to hide behind, the hair on his tail stands on end when he is cross, the tail makes a heart shape when he feels loving, a question mark when he is confused. Sometimes when he is sick, his tail is bandaged, when he is tired the tail folds around him. But one day he notices that the other cats are watching him. They do not need to show their emotions in the way that he does, they keep their emotions in some order. Shibu does not like being the centre of attention, so he tries to control his emotions and his tail. He ignores the milk truck, but when he breaks his favourite toy, his anger grows and grows. He tries very hard to ignore the lightning and thunder but because he does not share his feelings, he becomes worried and scared. All of the emotions he feels build up, until one day they all crash out together, and Shibu realises that holding his emotions inside does not work.
A picture book about the importance of being yourself, of sharing what you feel with others, of not holding things inside, will find a place with readers. The humour behind the cat’s antics has huge appeal, the cat mirroring the things they sometimes feel but are unable to express. Children will be able to formulate their ideas paralleling the cat and his emotions, and share their feelings just like Shibu.
Tess Thomas lives in New Jersey, and loves fresh ideas, very evident in this book.
Kamwei Fong is a Malaysian artist who uses the most incredible of techniques to create his cat images. Lines of black ink build up the intricate coat of Shibu. A short clip of his technique can be seen here.
Themes Feelings, Emotions, Sharing, Humour.
Fran Knight
Going for pippies by Wilaaran Hunter Laurie. Illus. by Tori-Jay Mordey
A mob goes to the beach to collect pippies, just as their families have done for thousands of years. Uncles and sisters, cousins and nans and pops, mum and dad, all smiles to carry on the tradition and teach the younger ones the skills they have been taught. Dad drives the big white truck to the beach looking for a good spot. Once found everyone gets their bucket and stomps into the water. But not young Wilaaran, he does not like the water.
He watches as the rest of his mob dance in the water. What are you doing he yells at them. We are doing the pippy dance they yell back. Suddenly dad grins and holds up his catch, a group of pippies in his hands. Wilaaran fills his bucket with white, foaming water and puts the pippies in.
The whole mob follow suit, tossing pippies to be added to the bucket. Soon it is time to go back home to cook what they have found, while Nan and Wilaaran take the smaller ones back to the sea. He holds Nan’s hand as she walks with him to the water.
A gentle story of a family working together to pass on skills to the next generation, Going for pippies has a warmth that will make all readers smile. The mob consists of a range of relatives, all looking forward to the feast at the end of the day. While some do the pippie dance, others collect their catch while sitting on the beach, but Wilaaran is eventually taken by Nan to do an important job, overcoming his fear. This joyous representation of the family working together sings with positive relationships, a nurturing community, of using their environment with an eye to conservation. The warmth of the sun can be felt by all readers, stretching their legs out on the sand, doing the dance in the shallows.
This is a wonderful read aloud book, having lots of actions to do as the book is read. And some lucky people may be able to try the dance out for themselves when they next visit the sea.
The illustrations are warm and inviting, offering a look at an extended family sharing their skills, teaching the younger people things passed on for generations.
The great swathes of colour across the pages will make the readers feel the sun on their backs, the sand between their toes, and the effect their dance has upon the sea bed. Children will empathise with Wilaaran as he sits on the beach watching the others do their dance, and will cheer when Nan take this hand to lead him into the water. Readers will know that next time he will dance. The pictures on the end paper is just right, bringing all the themes together; intergenerational learning, respecting the environment, sharing, community and family. This is a lovely book, subtle, warm and joyous.
Becca has been the face of @BeccaBakes since she was tiny, baking with her mum and having fun. But now it's just her, and her aunty makes it much more stressful, and at fifteen, shouldn't life be a bit more fun, not so business focussed? But, it has paid the bills, the problem for her aunty is, Becca is losing followers - given that's she's not a cute toddler anymore, and instead a growing teen. So now her aunt is always looking for new collaborations and angles, trying to get back those numbers. Struggling with a lack of social life and finding no joy from this influencer life, Becca finds unexpected relief in an online poetry forum, where she makes a new friend. But then Becca is faced with a choice, pitting her new friend against supporting her family, and she's not sure where she'll end up.
This short fiction story by Kat Ost quickly encapsulates how much social media dictates our lives - whether you are in front of the camera or behind it, whether you are trying to win the likes or looking up to the lives of those who are influencing thousands around the world. A heartwarming description of the human condition, wanting to support your family, while wanting to be yourself, Ost has written an evenly paced short novel that readers will find engaging. Good for fans of Allayne L. Webster's Selfie.
Themes Contemporary, Social Media, Family & Relationships, Short Story.
Melanie Pages
Science under siege by Michael Mann and Peter Hotez
349p. Many of us vaguely appreciate that so much of our modern global, national and personal dissonance is beyond our control. But we can no longer be unwittingly complicit for want of connecting the dots. From fake news to anti-science and from social media influenced elections to outright invasions, we citizens are bamboozled, distracted or stupefied by not one, but several interconnected forces united only by driving self-interest.
Demeaned and criticized by fellow professionals in the service of political or financial interests, are two of the world’s leading scientists, Michael Mann and Peter Hotez. In Science Under Seige, they are fighting back by laying out historical and personal attacks in a plain speak manifesto for citizen enlightenment. The authors have ‘named and shamed’ the major players in the anti-science ecosystem and linked a litany of evidence, to the five most powerful groups who threaten our world - the 5 P's – Plutocrats, Petrostates, Professionals (fake or on the take), Propagandists and the Press.
“In some cases there is a blurring of these categories, such as what it means to be a pro versus a propagandist, or a plutocrat versus a propagandist – think Elon Musk. So it should come as no surprise that the same names and groups pop up in multiple chapters…”
By analysing historical events such as political conflicts, weapons and climate debates or the terrible mismanagement of the global Pandemic; we are confronted by the machinations of this insidious network. Mann and Hotez are not without hope, and they expound several ways we can individually and collectively defuse some of the disinformation that is causing so much turmoil while enriching the obscenely wealthy and their minions. Detailed Chapter notes and an Index, rouse readers to dethrone the propogandists by supporting science, democratic values and communicating constructively - not with hate. The authors counter our growing loss of faith in political leaders and scientists with a plea to reject only the attacks; on real science, on the inclusivity of our communities and on the very survival of our planet.
Whilst this is both popular science and political science aimed at adults, it is not only an urgent combative rallying call. It belongs in any school library or social science department collection or broader teacher reference collection if only to model that research by credentialed constructive experts must be our sanity saviour if not saving grace.
Themes Climate action, Disinformation, Anti-science, Politics, Public health.
