Inside the Australian and New Zealand book industry

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Reviews

 

Adult fiction

Bugger (Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Hachette)
The Sisterhood Rules (Kathy Lette, Aria)
How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates (Shailee Thompson, Atria Australia)
The Duke’s Secret (Sue Williams, A&U)
In a Common Hour (Sita Walker, Ultimo)
The Watchmaker’s War (Danny Ben-Moshe, HarperCollins)
The Last Resort (Amanda Hewitt, Echo)
The Other Child (Susi Fox, Penguin)
Dreamwives (Claire Novak, HarperCollins)
Might Cry Later (Kay Kerr, Macmillan)

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Bugger (Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Hachette)

The cover of "Bugger" by Michael Mohammed Ahmad.

Released February 2026

Bugger by Michael Mohammed Ahmad (The Lebs, The Tribe) is a heart-wrenching investigation into child sex abuse. Its protagonist, Hamoodi, is an isolated 10-year-old who adores Power Rangers and lives with his mother. Bullied at school and suffering deeply from the absence of his father, Hamoodi often retreats into imaginative worlds of fantasy to escape… Read more

The Sisterhood Rules (Kathy Lette, Aria)

The cover of "The Sisterhood Rules" by Kathy Lette.

Released February 2026

Bawdy, cheeky and resoundingly “punny”, Kathy Lette’s latest romp, The Sisterhood Rules, is 100% on brand. Twin sisters Isabel and Verity have been estranged for five years, ever since Verity became involved with Isabel’s husband. But when their 69-year-old mother, Nicole, a famous conductor, goes missing, they are forced to work together to save her,… Read more
 

Adult nonfiction

Meltdown (Lauren Novak, HarperCollins)
A Time of Living Graciously: Reflections on Growing Older (Brigid Lowry, Fremantle)
Bush Tukka Guide for Kids (Samantha Martin, Hardie Grant Explore)
Wurnan: Sharing on Ngarinyin Country (Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation, Magabala)
Plotting the Oceans: Stories of Powerful Maps and Their Makers (Sarah Hamylton, Monash University Publishing)
AI for Business: A Guide to AI Adoption (Jon Whittle, CSIRO Publishing)
Yet She Lives: Fierce and Fantastical Women of Norse Mythology (Lisa Hannett, T&H)
A Brain That Breathes: Essential Habits for an Overwhelming World (Jodi Wilson, Murdoch)
The Wardrobe Project (Emma Edwards, Wiley)
The Mushroom Tapes: Conversations on a Triple Murder Trial (Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper & Sarah Krasnostein, Text)

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Meltdown (Lauren Novak, HarperCollins)

Released February 2026

Meltdown is a heavily researched yet highly accessible examination of “mum rage”, the gendered term the book uses to describe anger experienced in motherhood, exploring why it happens and how parents can understand and manage it. Drawing on her own experiences, Lauren Novak presents a compassionate guide to understanding and working through a topic “no… Read more

A Time of Living Graciously: Reflections on Growing Older (Brigid Lowry, Fremantle)

The cover of "A Time of Living Graciously" by Brigid Lowry.

Released February 2026

In a culture obsessed with youth and productivity, it’s easy to forget that rest is not laziness, aging is not failure and our worth is not measured by output. Brigid Lowry’s latest collection of short essays, A Time of Living Graciously, offers a refreshing antidote to this obsession. It confronts the realities of aging while… Read more
 

Children's picture books

The World from Here (Cassy Polimeni, illus Mel Armstrong, CSIRO Publishing)
Saving Shark Pup: The Incredible True Story (Sharon Dalgleish, illus Amandine Thomas, A&U Children’s)
Muttonfish Magic (Ruth Simms & Lucy Robertson, illus Jasmine Seymour, Magabala)
My Sister, the Todzilla (Jacinta Froud, illus Matt Shanks, Affirm)
How to Get Home (Deborah Frenkel, illus Karen Blair, Affirm)
Let’s Make an Adventure (Carrie Gallasch, illus Kïa Hing Fay, Little Book Press)
How to Have the Best School Year Ever (Jess Sanders, illus Andrea Onishi, Affirm)
Otto’s Ink-Redible First Day of School (Rory H Mather, illus by Rebel Challenger, Larrikin)
The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef (Sophie Masson, illus Cheryl Orsini, HGCP)
Dogs with Jobs: The Heroic Hounds Who Make a Difference (Andrea Rowe, illus Julia Murray, HGCP)

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The World from Here (Cassy Polimeni, illus Mel Armstrong, CSIRO Publishing)

The cover of "The World From Here" by Cassy Polimeni and illustrated by Mel Armstrong.

Released February 2026

Cassy Polimeni, whose junior fiction novel Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra won the Wilderness Society’s Environment Award, brings her gift for accessible science to The World from Here. In this charming picture book, Polimeni combines engaging storytelling with scientific principles to explore the natural world. Milo lies on the grass, gazing up at the… Read more

Saving Shark Pup: The Incredible True Story (Sharon Dalgleish, illus Amandine Thomas, A&U Children’s)

Released February 2026

Saving Shark Pup: The Incredible True Story is an intriguing and emotive retelling of a great white shark pup’s dramatic rescue from Manly Beach, sure to captivate readers aged 4 to 8 and shark lovers alike. Sharon Dalgleish recounts this real-life 2017 rescue with energetic, expressive language that blends factual detail with poetic rhythm, bringing… Read more
 

Younger readers

My Brother Otto (Ingrid Laguna, Text)
How to Make Friends and Go Viral by Accident (YK Willemse, Rhiza Edge)
The Break Up (It’s a Twin Thing! #1) (Kristin Darell, illus A Yi, Penguin)
Escape from Sherwood (Beattie Alvarez, illus David Allan, Christmas Press)
Frances Bloom (Frances Bloom #1) (Katrina Nannestad, illus Marina Zlatanova, HarperCollins)
Spud and Snowball and the Fancy Fish (Spud and Snowball #1) (Judith Rossell, ABC Books)
Mega Rich Guinea Pigs (Kate & Jol Temple, HarperCollins)
Renegade Timeline Officer (Harper Wells #1) (Bethany Loveridge, Wombat)
Promises and Other Lies (Sue Whiting, Walker Books)
The Making of Martha Mayfield (Jo Dabrowski, Affirm)

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My Brother Otto (Ingrid Laguna, Text)

My Brother Otto

Released February 2026

In My Brother Otto, Ingrid Laguna (Edie Tells a Lie) explores the emotional upheaval of welcoming and losing a new sibling. Quinn is 11 years old and happy being an only child. Since her mother's pregnancy began, Quinn feels her mum no longer has time for her, and her stepfather, Alex, seems constantly preoccupied. Everything… Read more

How to Make Friends and Go Viral by Accident (YK Willemse, Rhiza Edge)

Released February 2026

The novella How to Make Friends and Go Viral by Accident by YK Willemse (Jerry’s Window) follows 13-year-old Hayden Connor as he struggles with a speech impediment and the anxiety it causes him. When his parents enrol him in singing lessons to help build his confidence, he’s surprised to discover a natural talent. Hayden’s newfound… Read more
 

Young adult

Red Star Rebels (Amie Kaufman, A&U Children’s)
Romeo v Juliet (RA Spratt, Penguin)
A Murder is Going Down (Kate Emery, A&U Children’s)
Eggshell (Olivia De Zilva, Espresso)
What Have They Done to Liza McLean? (Amy Doak, Penguin)
Last Chance Joey (Meredith Resce, Rhiza Edge)
For No Mortal Creature (Keshe Chow, Penguin)
Catch (Sarah Brill, A&U Children’s)
Maisy Hayes Is Not for Sale (Allayne L Webster, Text)
Black River (Ruby Jean Cottle, Atria Australia)

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Red Star Rebels (Amie Kaufman, A&U Children’s)

Released February 2026

Amie Kaufman is a well-known name in young adult speculative fiction, particularly for the bestselling Starbound and Illuminae Files series (co-authored with Megan Spooner and Jay Kristoff respectively). Red Star Rebels is a futuristic, action-packed adventure with the romance and sass that Kaufman fans know and love. Set on Mars in 2067, the novel alternates… Read more

Romeo v Juliet (RA Spratt, Penguin)

Released February 2026

Bestselling author RA Spratt’s Romeo v Juliet is a light-hearted time-travelling comedy that will appeal to older middle-grade and younger YA audiences aged 12 and up. When 16-year-old Selby, a reluctant reader recently diagnosed with dyslexia, has to step in as understudy for the role of Juliet in her class production, she calls on her… Read more
 

Recently released titles

Otto’s Ink-Redible First Day of School (Rory H Mather, illus by Rebel Challenger, Larrikin)
Power Moves (Leesa Ronald, A&U)
How to Go to Big School (Sarah Ayoub, illus Mimi Purnell, HarperCollins)
Lucky Dragon Supper Club: Asian-inspired Dinner Party Ideas for Home Cooks (Stephanie Feher, Murdoch)
An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating (Cecilia Edward, Atria Australia)
The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef (Sophie Masson, illus Cheryl Orsini, HGCP)
How to Have the Best School Year Ever (Jess Sanders, illus Andrea Onishi, Affirm)
The Wardrobe Project (Emma Edwards, Wiley)
Better than the Real Thing (Brooke Crawford, HQ Fiction)
Else (Rose Michael, Spineless Wonders)

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Otto’s Ink-Redible First Day of School (Rory H Mather, illus by Rebel Challenger, Larrikin)

A cover of "Otto’s Ink-Redible First Day of School" written by Rory H Mather and illustrated by Rebel Challenger. An orange octopus swims on the cover.

Released December 2025

Otto’s Ink-Redible First Day of School is a playful and reassuring picture book about a shy octopus learning to find his place. Rory H Mather’s rhyming text bounces along with warmth and humour, capturing the familiar nerves of a first day at school with an underwater twist. Otto’s tendency to release ink whenever he feels… Read more

Power Moves (Leesa Ronald, A&U)

Released December 2025

In Power Moves, Leesa Ronald delivers a sharp and witty follow-up to her much-loved debut, Special Delivery. The novel follows Camilla “Millsy” Hatton, media director for the NSW Minister for Education. For Millsy, work is life, and she will do anything to ensure her boss is re-elected in the upcoming election – even if that means… Read more