Artichoke to Zucchini by Alice Oehr

No Brainer (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 18) by Jeff Kinney

If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

No Words by Maryam Master

Taylor Swift: A Little Golden Book Biography by Wendy Loggia & Elisa Chavarri (illus.)

Kimmi: Queen of the Dingoes by Favel Parrett

The Blunders by David Walliams & Adam Stower (illus.)

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass

Completely Normal (and…

Read more ›

Question 7 by Richard Flanagan

The In-Between by Christos Tsiolkas

Good Material by Dolly Alderton

Women & Children by Tony Birch

So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan

Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life by Anna Funder

Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton

Bright Shining: How Grace Changes Everything by Julia Baird

Killing for Country: A Family Story by David Marr

All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien

Quarterly Essay 92: The Great Divide: Australia’s Housing Mess and How…

Read more ›

Joanna Di Mattia is a bookseller at Readings Carlton.

I made an early declaration this year that Jenny Erpenbeck’s Kairos would be the best novel I’d read in 2023, and as the year now comes to a close, that declaration still stands. For me, no other book has touched it – I love its emotional and psychological complexity, and the way it recreates the last days of life in a divided Germany so vividly and sensually. I think about it…

Read more ›

These zany and engaging works explore history, nature, art, the future and even the mischief of magic! We've included them in this list because each offers something we find uniquely compelling, that we think kids will too! So read on to discover imaginative ways to save the planet, clues to some of our greatest unsolved mysteries, how illusions work, how to break a code, and even why your backyard is the perfect place to begin studying nature.

A Miscellany of…

Read more ›

It is such a brilliant and exciting adventure to discover novels as a teen. After growing up on Tove Jansson, Enid Blyton and Harry Potter, I keenly await, as I get older, further broadening my tastes and knowledge, grappling with my mountainous to-read pile, and figuring out how on earth I’ll fit them on my bookshelf afterwards. I might have to resort to extreme measures, such as stacking them in great piles which intimidate visitors. Most of all, I’m…

Read more ›

It’s KK time again! It feels as though we all like each other a bit more this year? Or perhaps we are getting better at hiding our indifference. Either way, we are moving away from bread bags and sustainable picnic items towards the fun, the practical and the indulgent, and all for under $20! Inflation doesn’t exist in the land of magic that is the office KK.

6 in 1 Pen Tool in a Tin – $14.99

We all know…

Read more ›

It’s been a stellar year for First Nations publishing in Australia. Here are some of our favourite 2023 picture books by First Nations authors and illustrators that would make wonderful gifts or summer reading in your home.

Ask Aunty: Seasons by Aunty Munya Andrews & Charmaine Ledden-Lewis (illus.)

Have you ever been excited for the first day of summer, only to be disappointed when it arrives cold and rainy? For First Nations People, the seasons don't change when the calendar…

Read more ›

It's been a gargantuan year for debuts, both local and international. Below is a list of some of our favourite international debut fiction, published during 2023, to read this summer. You can explore must-read local debuts here.

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Welcome to Chain-Gang All-Stars – the highly popular, highly controversial profit-raising program inside America's private prison system. Harkening back to the time of gladiators, but watched by millions of live-stream subscribers, prisoners compete for the ultimate…

Read more ›

Are you vegan and dreading another Christmas of a few wilted lettuce leaves and some turkey-tainted roast veg on your plate? Or perhaps you're not vegan, but you need to cater for some this festive season and aren't sure where to begin! Well, feast your eyes on this line-up of vegan cookbooks that will have vegan and non-vegan tastebuds singing this Christmas!

For those who like a traditional Christmas...

A Very Vegan Christmas by Sam Dixon

Do you miss iconic…

Read more ›

Teachers, what would we do without them? They are nothing short of amazing. Anyone who can not only corral a room of 20+ excitable children, but also teach them day in, day out, deserves something a little thoughtful. The following are some suggestions for all budgets that would be lovely teamed with a handmade card and a few lines on how they have helped you/your child this year.

For the teacher who loves to cook.

Low cost: We stopped for…

Read more ›