Newsletters | Books+Publishing

Image. Advertisement: The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis

Children's and YA book reviews and interviews

View full newsletter

Feature review

Swan Lake
Anne Spudvilas, A&U, November 2017, reviewed by Margaret Hamilton

Interview

Blast off: Sha’an d’Anthes on ‘Zoom’

Out of the ordinary: Jaclyn Moriarty on ‘The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone’

Picture books

Bird to Bird
Claire Saxby, illus by Wayne Harris, Black Dog Books, March 2018, reviewed by Meg Whelan

A bird drops a seed. A seed becomes a tree. Eventually, the tree leaves the forest for the big city, and from there, to the other side of the world... Read more

Excuse Me!
Dave Hughes & Holly Ife, illus by Philip Bunting, Scholastic, November 2017, reviewed by Thuy On

Husband-and-wife-team Dave Hughes—yes, the comedian—and Holly Ife’s first picture book is about something close to any toddler’s heart (or should I say bottom). It’s all about farting, that universal, evergreen... Read more

Hello, Melbourne!
Megan McKean, Thames & Hudson, October 2017, reviewed by Maria Alessandrino

Megan McKean, the designer and illustrator who produced Hello, Sydney!, is back with a book celebrating the wonders of Melbourne. In this delightful look-and-find story, six magpies take the reader... Read more

If Baby Could Talk
Michael Wagner, illus by Jess Racklyeft, Windy Hollow Books, September 2017, reviewed by Thuy On

It’s never too early to start reading books to children; even newborns will derive pleasure from listening to words read out loud by a loved one. If Baby Could Talk... Read more

M is for Mutiny!: History by Alphabet
John Dickson, illus by Bern Emmerichs, Berbay, November 2017, reviewed by Thuy On

An alphabet book designed specifically for the middle-primary reader, M is for Mutiny! is a brilliant crash course in Australian history for those interested in learning more about significant events... Read more

Molly the Pirate
Lorraine Teece, illus by Paul Seden, Magabala, November 2017, reviewed by Jessica Yu

Molly the Pirate tells the simple but compelling tale of a girl who imagines herself as a swashbuckling pirate. Author Lorraine Teece follows in the tradition of picture books such... Read more

Tilly's Reef Adventure
Rhonda N Garward, NLA Publishing, November 2017, reviewed by Bronte Coates

Tilly’s Reef Adventure tackles conservation in a gentle manner that will appeal to parents and educators alike. Adventurous baby green turtle Tilly must navigate many natural dangers as she makes... Read more

The Very Noisy Baby
Alison Lester, Affirm, November 2017, reviewed by Margaret Hamilton

Alison Lester never disappoints. She is a much-loved, award-winning author and illustrator with many successful books to her name. This delightful book is no exception. It has all the trademarks... Read more

Zoom
Sha'an d'Anthes, Lothian, November 2017, reviewed by Bronte Coates

Intrepid explorer Scout and Scout’s trusty red space shuttle Beattie rocket through space in this jubilant adventure. Each planet they pass on their journey is depicted as an adorable astrological... Read more

Younger readers

Accidental Heroes: The Rogues Book One
Lian Tanner, A&U, October 2017, reviewed by Helene Ephraim

The first in a new series by the bestselling author of ‘The Keepers’ series, this book has all the key ingredients of another spellbinding adventure. Duckling, the deceitful granddaughter of... Read more

The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone
Jaclyn Moriarty, A&U, November 2017, reviewed by Jarrah Moore

As a baby, Bronte Mettlestone was left in the lobby of her Aunt Isabelle’s building by her parents, before they set off to have adventures. When she is 10, Bronte... Read more

It's OK to Feel the Way You Do
Josh Langley, Big Sky Publishing, October 2017, reviewed by Meg Whelan

It’s OK to Feel the Way You Do is a gentle journey through the emotions that everyone feels at some point—happiness, anger, sadness, loneliness, pride, fear and anxiety. It guides... Read more

Young adult

This Mortal Coil
Emily Suvada, Puffin, November 2017, reviewed by Bec Kavanagh

Catarina has survived a genetic apocalypse, a disease that has ravaged humanity, turning some into the walking dead, doomed to explode in a toxic, highly contagious cloud. The daughter of... Read more