Junior Book Club – this month’s reads
Friday, 5 June 2026 Books+Publishing @booksandpublishing
Searching for your next great read to share with kids? Our Junior Book Club highlights new titles each month that are perfect for classrooms, libraries and family reading time. From fun and imaginative adventures to books that spark curiosity and conversation, these are the latest releases worth adding to your shelves and sharing with young readers of all ages.
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Benny’s Bad Day (Choose Your Ending #1) Nathan Luff, illus Wayne Bryant Scholastic ISBN: 9781761642791 RRP: $16.99 Age: 8 and over |
| Why young readers will love it: “Benny’s Bad Day is such a fun, hilarious read with genuine laugh-out-loud and gross-out-loud moments. Readers will love the many options for choosing a tremendously fun adventure full of wild moments that challenge Benny in every way. And just when you think it can’t get any wilder, Nathan Luff pushes Benny into even more outrageous scenarios. Wayne Bryant’s illustrations are gorgeous and really bring the characters to life. With 7 stories in one and more than 70 illustrations, this is a book that junior readers won’t be able to put down.” – Alexandra Nahlous, senior editor, Scholastic | |
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The Boy Maeve Kai Ash Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing ISBN: 9781761212468 RRP: $21.99 Age: 12 to 15 Teacher resources |
| Why young readers will love it: “Forming your own identity is a key part of the adolescent experience, and I love the unusual exploration of this theme in this lush, layered novel. It centres on Maeve, an adopted trans boy who thinks he’s ordinary but is definitely not. The search for the truth about Maeve’s complicated past is a real emotional roller-coaster, and it opens up whole worlds of possibilities that readers will be keen to discuss with their friends.” – Luna Soo, senior editor, Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing | |
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Brave Like Bunji Jake Gablonski, illus Samantha Campbell Allen & Unwin ISBN: 9781761180668 RRP: $24.99 Age: 4 to 8 |
| Why young readers will love it: “Joy radiates from this book, and I think children will love Brave Like Bunji because it validates and dramatises feelings and events many experience as they make their way into the wider world. Bunji feels things deeply, and one day, when he feels especially lost and alone, he is taken on a journey by Wylla the rainbow lorikeet. Wylla shows him how to draw on the strength of Country and family, and demonstrates that it is indeed possible to be your authentic self with others and to wear your true colours with pride.” – Erica Wagner, publisher, Allen & Unwin | |
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Cleopatra: The Girl Who Would Be King (Heroes in the Ancient World #1) Jackie French HarperCollins ISBN: 9781460766545 RRP: $16.99 Age: 9 and over Teacher resources |
| Why young readers will love it: “This action-packed and page-turning historical fiction sees renowned author Jackie French imagine the year a young Cleopatra spent in Rome with her father when she was just 12 years of age. Filled with daring escapes, pirates, shipwrecks and crocodiles, this is a very funny, fast-paced adventure. It also highlights this truly remarkable pharaoh who ruled Egypt for 30 years and brought about great change, making it an appealing choice for classroom and library collections and offering young readers an engaging introduction to one of history’s most fascinating figures.” – Lisa Berryman, publisher, HarperCollins | |
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Dingoes Up Close Jane Forge Wild Dog Books ISBN: 9781742037240 RRP: $24.99 Age: 5 and over |
| Why young readers will love it: “Few animals embody the mystique of the Australian outback like the dingo. It is both familiar and elusive, occupying remote parts of the country but also a unique place in Australian popular culture. Kids will love finding out how much the Aussie dingo has in common with their pup at home, where these wild animals came from and how we can protect them in the future.” – Lisa Mclellan, publishing assistant, Wild Dog Books | |
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A Flash in the Dust Meg Caddy University of Queensland Publishing ISBN: 9780702271090 RRP: $21.99 Age: 14 and over |
| Why young readers will love it: “A Flash in the Dust is an #OwnVoices queer historical YA thriller by Perth-based writer Meg Caddy. It is set in 1890s Western Australia, and follows two queer young people, Gil Brady and Norah Devaney, after they escape Fremantle Asylum. While on the run, they befriend Nyungar brothers Malkar and Kedalak, form a bushranging gang, and hunt down a serial killer: the cop who killed Norah’s mother. It’s a gripping cracker of a story. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop! However, it’s also a tender queer love story, with a gentle romance between the two protagonists woven throughout the action and adventure, providing plenty of discussion material for teen book clubbers.” – Cathy Vallance, children’s publisher, University of Queensland Publishing | |
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The Ghost Horse of Snowy River Stef Gemmill Wombat Books ISBN: 9781761113543 RRP: $18.99 Age: 9 to 12 Teacher resources |
| Why young readers will love it: “Any child who dreams of owning a horse and being a hero will enjoy The Ghost Horse of Snowy River. It has a strong female protagonist determined to save a herd of brumbies. It includes messages about conservation and animal welfare, while also touching on courage and overcoming obstacles, as Georgie, the protagonist, is recovering from a serious riding accident and has to overcome her fear of horses and riding.” – Lynne Stringer, editor, Wombat Books | |
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Hand to Hand Liz Anelli Walker Books ISBN: 9781761600005 RRP: $25.99 Age: 4 to 9 |
| Why young readers will love it: “Hand to Hand is a story that will touch the hearts of many young readers, set against a backdrop of Australian history and shaped by events of recent times. With incredibly detailed bush landscapes, it is hard not to imagine young eyes taking in the vivid world beyond their own front door. Readers will find themselves immersed in a 2020 tale that explores how humans and animals alike relied on one another for emotional and physical support during a challenging time. They will delight in familiar native creatures such as kangaroos, kookaburras and platypuses, which are sure to charm readers aged 4 to 9.” – Laura Mowlem, publicist, Walker Books | |
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Shadow Reaper Lynette Noni Penguin ISBN: 9781761350986 RRP: $27.99 Age: 14 and over Teacher resources |
| Why young readers will love it: “What’s not to love? Lynette Noni’s latest YA book is a thrilling fantasy novel of epic proportions, featuring an engaging magic system, fast-paced plot and an enemies-to-lovers romance you can’t help but root for. Everyone at book club will be eager to discuss the shocking twists throughout the novel and how much they need the sequel ASAP!” – Jessica Pearson, marketing executive, Penguin Random House Australia | |
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Our History: Hill End Gold Sue Whiting Walker Books ISBN: 9781761601491 RRP: $18.99 Age: 8 to 12 Teacher resources |
| Why young readers will love it: “The history of Australia’s Gold Rush era is a staple of school curricula, but what young readers will love about Hill End Gold is the voice of its protagonist, Alfie. Seeing the town of Hill End through Alfie’s eyes will make young readers feel as if they are on the muddy streets, hearing the thump of the stamper battery, or fossicking for surface gold. Just like Alfie, readers will be caught up in ‘gold fever’ – but the book’s balancing of gold rush excitement with the realities of life in the 1870s will also impart lessons about honesty, responsibility and family.” – Erin Middleton, editor, Walker Books | |
Category: Book Club
