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Stuck in the Middle (Anton Clifford-Motopi, Allen & Unwin)
Released August 2026
Anton Clifford-Motopi’s Stuck in the Middle is a lively, heartfelt comedy for readers aged 8 to 12, capturing the chaos and warmth of life in a big family. Leon, one... Read more
Funny Fairytales (Tim Harris, illus Christopher Nielsen, Penguin)
Released July 2026
Funny Fairytales by Tim Harris, illustrated by Christopher Nielsen, sees the creator of the Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables series turn his trademark humour to fractured fairytales. He reworks 5 familiar stories... Read more
Joey and the Junjardy (Allison Rocca, illus Brenton E McKenna, UQP)
Released July 2026
Wakka Wakka and Kaanju author Allison Rocca’s debut middle-grade novel, Joey and the Junjardy, is a fast-moving, vibrant comedy-drama. Joey is an 11-year-old, well-meaning yet misjudged prankster who has just... Read more
The Rebound (Fiona Harris, A&U Children’s)
Released July 2026
The Rebound, by award-winning author Fiona Harris (The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks), is a topical, reflective middle-grade novel about a basketball-loving boy navigating the pressures of growing up in... Read more
Josie Mack and the MEGA Division (Bethany Loveridge, illus Jade Goodwin, Wombat Books)
Released June 2026
Josie Mack and the MEGA Division by Bethany Loveridge (Renegade Timeline Officer) is a fun, adventurous tale that shows how children can respectfully interact with and safeguard native wildlife. Josie... Read more
Cleopatra: The Girl Who Would Be King (Heroes in the Ancient World #1) (Jackie French, HarperCollins)
Released June 2026
Bestselling author and historian Jackie French (Tigg and the Bandicoot Bushranger) tackles the question of what the Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra was up to during her tween years in Cleopatra: The... Read more
Kid (Peter Carnavas, UQP)
Released June 2026
Award-winning author Peter Carnavas is something of a master of timeless children’s novels full of heart and gentle lessons about life, family, grief and love. This most recent addition to... Read more
The Wild Unknown (Emily Gale, Text)
Released May 2026
In The Wild Unknown by Emily Gale (Outlaw Girls), the year is 2045, and Eddie’s world is completely run by technology. From household devices to classroom support systems and the... Read more
The Clueless Guide to Solving a Mystery (Clueless #1) (Samera Kamaleddine, illus Hykie Breeze, HarperCollins)
Released May 2026
In The Clueless Guide to Solving a Mystery, the first instalment in the Clueless series, Samera Kamaleddine (The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart) introduces readers to Claudia. She is temporarily... Read more
The Prime Minister Problem (Brenton Cullen, Riveted)
Released May 2026
Brenton Cullen’s debut middle-grade novel, The Prime Minister Problem, is a tender story about loneliness and community, an ode to the power one person can have to spark change, and... Read more
Edith: The Girl Who Was 100 Years Old (Catharina Valckx, trans Antony Shugaar, Gecko)
Released May 2026
In Edith: The Girl Who Was 100 Years Old, French author and illustrator Catharina Valckx tells the bittersweet story of a little girl granted 2 extraordinary gifts, in an English... Read more
Running in Circles (Shivaun Plozza, UQP)
Released May 2026
In Running in Circles, Shivaun Plozza (The Worst Perfect Moment, The Boy, The Wolf and the Stars) brings climate science and extraterrestrial speculation together in a coming-of-age suspense novel set... Read more
Gross Things Animals Eat (Claire Stevens, illus Adele K Thomas, HarperCollins)
Released April 2026
Gross Things Animals Eat is packed with disgusting, bizarre and outrageous descriptions and illustrations that young readers aged 5 and up will absolutely love. Australian veterinarian Claire Stevens invites children... Read more
The Last Word (Two Hearts) (A L Tait, Scholastic)
Released April 2026
Scholastic’s multi-authored Two Hearts series is capturing the Australian middle-grade romance market. It is notable for its appealing, tween-appropriate relationships, where friendships can evolve into gentle romance and culminate in... Read more
Frank the Monster (Mats Strandberg, trans Julia Marshall, illus Sofia Falkenhem, Gecko)
Released April 2026
Frank the Monster is a gentle introduction to horror in chapter-book form, written by Swedish writer Mats Strandberg and translated into English by Julia Marshall. The story follows Frank, a... Read more
Myra in the Middle (Seetha Dodd, illus Peter Cheong, UQP)
Released April 2026
Uplifting and true to life, Seetha Dodd’s Myra in the Middle is a junior novel that weaves together themes of family, identity and navigating change. Myra, a 7-year-old maths enthusiast... Read more
The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks (Fiona Harris, Affirm)
Released April 2026
In The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks, Fiona Harris (Musical Markus) introduces 12-year-old “Rock Goddess” Gracie Sparks, who is devastated to be starting at a different high school than her... Read more
Life and Breath: Stories (Ursula Dubosarsky, Christmas Press)
Released March 2026
Life and Breath: Stories brings together 13 short stories by Ursula Dubosarsky, offering a delightful showcase of her distinctive ability to inhabit the shifting borderlands between memory, imagination and self-discovery. Though... Read more
The Mighty Pipsqueak (Poppy & Pipsqueak #1) (Deborah Kelly, illus Amie Sabadin, Wombat)
Released March 2026
The Mighty Pipsqueak is the first charming book in the Poppy & Pipsqueak series by Deborah Kelly for readers aged 6 to 10. Poppy lives on a farm with her... Read more
The Lonely Lunch Club (Your Next Read Silver) (Maddy Mara, illus Laura Stitzel, Affirm)
Released March 2026
The Lonely Lunch Club, written by Maddy Mara and illustrated by Laura Stitzel, is the first title in the Your Next Read Silver series. Benji and Alice both drift to... Read more
