Inside the Australian and New Zealand book industry

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Dear Mutzi (Tess Scholfield-Peters, NLA) 

Tuesday, 2 April 2024
Tess Scholfield-Peters’ debut book, Dear Mutzi, is a narrative nonfiction account of her grandfather's experience in Nazi Germany. It powerfully describes how 18-year-old Hermann Pollnow fled Nazi Germany for rural...

Heartsease (Kate Kruimink, Picador) 

Tuesday, 2 April 2024
Ellen 'Nelly' and Charlotte 'Lot' are as unalike as sisters come, yet they were once inseparable despite this. Lot is Nelly’s elder by eight years—an employment lawyer and single mother...

Every Last Suspect (Nicola Moriarty, HarperCollins) 

Tuesday, 2 April 2024
Nicola Moriarty’s latest novel combines the domestic drama she’s known for with a compelling hook that will draw in mystery and thriller readers. Harriet Osman lies dying on the floor,...

Latest Dog Man debuts in top spot 

Tuesday, 2 April 2024
Top 10 bestsellers The Scarlet Shedder (Dog Man #12) (Dav Pilkey, Scholastic) Bluey: Hooray, It's Easter! (Puffin) What Happened to Nina (Dervla McTiernan, HarperCollins) Bluey: Happy Easter (Puffin) Bluey: Easter...

Books in the media this weekend, 30–31 March 

Cover of Let Us Not Thursday, 28 March 2024
A round-up of the books being reviewed and mentioned in key media this coming weekend. National The Saturday Paper Grief Is for People (Sloane Crosley, Serpent's Tail) Lead Us Not (Abbey...

Because I Love Him (Ashlee Donohue, Magabala) 

Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Because I Love Him is an intelligent and insightful reply to the question, ‘Why are you with him?'. As a society, we're beginning to realise that it's the wrong question...

Grace the Amazing (Aleesah Darlison, Wombat Books) 

Tuesday, 26 March 2024
This tender middle-grade novel by well-established children’s author Aleesah Darlison (who wrote the popular junior series League of Llamas) explores friendship, coming to terms with death, and finding the courage...

Book of Hours (Clare McFadden, Walker) 

Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Book of Hours, written and illustrated by Clare McFadden (The Flying Orchestra), tells a life story in a series of dreamy vignettes. These postcard moments capture memories by the sea—of...

Suddenly Single at Sixty (Jo Peck, Text) 

Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Not long after Jo Peck’s 60th birthday, her husband drops a bombshell—he’s leaving her for a (much) younger woman. She is shocked and heartbroken that the life she’d worked towards—full...

The Lost Letters of Rose Carey (Julie Bennett, S&S) 

Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Inspired by the life of the Australian swimmer and film icon Annette Kellerman, The Lost Letters of Rose Carey follows two heroines: Emma Quinn, in the present time, and Rose Carey, in...

Love & Rome (Jenna Lo Bianco, Macmillan) 

Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Stella Chiaro is an Australian-Italian artist trying to find her place in the eternal city. With a one-way ticket back to Australia and dwindling funds, Stella has six months left...

Books in the media this weekend, 23–24 March 

Cover of Appreciation Friday, 22 March 2024
A round-up of the books being reviewed and mentioned in key media this coming weekend.  National The Saturday Paper Appreciation (Liam Pieper, Hamish Hamilton) Crimes of the Cross (Anne Manne,...

‘The Gut Repair Plan’ enters top 10 

Cover of The Gut Repair Plan Friday, 22 March 2024
Top 10 bestsellers What Happened to Nina? (Dervla McTiernan, HarperCollins) Bluey: Horray, It’s Easter! (Puffin) Bluey: Happy Easter (Puffin) Bluey: Easter (Puffin) RecipeTin Eats: Dinner (Nagi Maehashi, Macmillan) Atomic Habits (James Clear, RH Business) Fourth Wing (Rebecca...

Australian titles with international appeal

Image promoting the Australia Collective Stand at Bologna Book Fair Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Explore the latest rights opportunities from Australian publishers participating in the Australian Collective Stand at Bologna. View the Stand Catalogue here, featuring over 70 children’s and YA titles with international...

Six Summers of Tash and Leopold

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Leopold and Alytash – Leo and Tash – are neighbours who used to be best friends, but aren't anymore, for reasons that Leo doesn't entirely understand. But now it's the...

Australian publishers nominated for Bologna Prize

Logo for the Bologna Prize Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Australian publishers Affirm Press, Fremantle Press and Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing have been shortlisted for this year’s Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publisher of the Year in the Oceania...

2023 Australian market overview

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Overall, the book market was down in Australia in 2023 by 2.1% in value and 1.7% in volume, according to figures from Nielsen BookData’s BookScan service. However, sales in 2023...

Nonfiction children’s titles on offer at Bologna

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
From Walker Books, I Wonder ‘explores how curiosity leads us to knowledge’ in a book by Philip Bunting, ‘the master of inviting us to ponder questions without definitive answers’. Other...

Picture books being pitched at Bologna

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
First Nations publisher Magabala, winner of the 2023 Bologna Prize for the Oceania region, is excited: ‘The release of a book by bestselling and award-winning author Gregg Dreise is always...

Junior and middle-grade titles on offer at Bologna

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Junior Affirm Press describes its junior fiction title Forbidden Journal of Rufus Rumble #1: Worst Space Crew Ever (Nick Long, illus by Robin Tatlow-Lord) as Diary of A Wimpy Kid...

Young adult titles on offer at Bologna

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
From First Nations publisher Magabala Books, winner of last year's Bologna Prize for the Oceania region, comes a young adult novel ‘and gripping thriller’ Robert Runs by Mariah Sweetman, winner...

Aus publishers’ latest acquisitions 

Author photograph of Emily Rodda Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Among the latest children’s and YA acquisitions by Australian publishers: Junior Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to Landovel, a three-part junior fantasy adventure story from Emily Rodda....

Award winners to look out for

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Illustrated books Open Your Heart to Country by Dharug author/illustrator Jasmine Seymour (Magabala) won in the children’s category of the 2023 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards (PMLAs) and is described by Books+Publishing...

Meet the agent: Lisa Fuller at Alex Adsett Literary

Photograph of Lisa Fuller Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Lisa Fuller is a Wuilli Wuilli woman from Eidsvold, Queensland, and is also descended from Gooreng Gooreng and Wakka Wakka peoples. Her debut YA novel Ghost Bird won numerous awards...

Australian authors recommend

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Australian creators tell us the most recent book they have read and loved, and why. Anton Clifford-Motopi is the debut author of the novel To and Fro (Allen & Unwin...