Our latest blog posts
What we're reading: Baldree, Jose and Hazelwood
Each week our wonderful staff share the books and music that they've been enjoying.
Lian Hingee is reading Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
Our Kids Shop manager Dani has been raving about Travis Baldree's work of cosy fantasy, Legends and Lattes, ever since it came out in 2022. It took me a year, but over my holidays I finally read it, and I'm delighted to say that this unorthodox tale about a barbarian orc who hangs up her…
The 100 bestselling kids & YA books of 2023
We've run the reports and crunched the numbers. Here are our 100 bestselling kids & YA books from the past year.
The 169-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton (illus.)
Welcome to Country by Aunty Joy Murphy & Lisa Kennedy (illus.)
Taylor Swift: A Little Golden Book Biography by Wendy Loggia & Elisa Chavarri (illus.)
If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
No Words by Maryam Master
Artichoke to Zucchini by Alice…
Bestselling books in new, compact formats
With the New Year there is a lot to catch up on. There has been an abundance of fabulous books made available in a more portable format over the past couple of months. So if you missed them on initial release or you're a bit more budget-conscious, especially at this time of year, here's a selection to tempt you!
Cult Classic by Sloane Crosley
One night in New York City's Chinatown, Lola is at a dinner with former colleagues when…
The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards shortlists 2024
Exciting news! The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2024 shortlist has just been announced. The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards were inaugurated by the Victorian Government in 1985 to honour literary achievement by Australian writers. The awards are administered by the Wheeler Centre on behalf of the Premier of Victoria.
★ Prize for Fiction
But the Girl by Jessica Zhan Mei Yu
Edenglassie by Melissa Lucashenko
Only Sound Remains by Hossein Asgari
Serengotti by Eugen Bacon
Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood
…
Young adult LGBTQIA+ highlights of 2023
2023 was a wonderful year for LQBTQIA+ stories. Our selection of highlights includes both local and international releases, and spans everything from supernatural adventures to the all too real trials and tribulations of high school.
Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens
Two rival apprentice sorcerers must team up in a quest to save their teachers and protect their own magic in this lively romantic adventure.
Edison Rooker isn’t sure what to expect when he enters the office of Antonia Hex, the…
Reading into the Heartstopper universe
by Poppy, Readings Teen Advisory BoardPoppy from our Teen Advisory Board takes a closer look at Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper series adaptation; specifically, what is the key bookish character of Isaac seen reading throughout the television series – and would you enjoy the books, too?
All fans of the graphic novel series Heartstopper will be excited to read Alice Oseman’s latest volume (Volume 5), and just like me, will be rereading her books and rewatching the Netflix series adaptation in anticipation. But when they're…
Our Teen Advisory Board's favourite books of 2023
It's been a huge year of reading for our Teen Advisory Board. Below you can discover some of their favourite books from 2023, what their go-to summer break reads are, as well as the books they're hoping to buy, borrow or be gifted these holidays.
Favourite book of the year?
'At the beginning of this year, I picked up a beautiful copy of Jane Eyre, which had been given to me as a Christmas gift. Delightedly, I flew through…
A cookbook for every cook
2023 has seen the release of many inspirational and thoughtful cookbooks from local and international chefs. Whether you're earth conscious, need to reduce your spending or want to recreate a meal from your favourite restaurant or country's cuisine there are options galore to suit every home cook. Below are twelve of our top choices to get you inspired.
CDMX: The Food of Mexico City by Rosa Cienfuegos
CDMX is a celebration of the food of Mexico City, the dishes that…
Books for earth conscious kids
This selection of beautiful books – from wildlife bedtime stories and magnificent trees to amazing plants, tigers and a book inspired by David Attenborough's Planet Earth III – are perfect gifts for the earth conscious child.
Secret Stories of Nature: A Field Guide to Uncover Our Planet's Past by Saskia Gwinn & Vasilisa Romanenko (illus.)
This beautifully illustrated field guide explores the histories and mysteries hidden in the wild, just waiting to be shared. Readers are invited on a journey…
2023 fantasy, sci-fi and speculative fiction highlights
It has been a bonza year for all things fantasy, sci-fi and speculative fiction! We've rounded up some of our favourite reads that include cozy fantasies, epic space operas, and multiple not-too-distant dystopias.
Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
Every year, thousands flock to San-Er, the dangerously dense capital twin cities of the kingdom of Talin, where the palace hosts a set of deadly games. Those confident in their ability to jump between bodies can enter a fight to the death…