This month sees a slew of sweet, gentle and imaginative kids’ books about dog-walking, nurturing new and old friendships, teeny-tiny angels and mythical sea-rocks. Plus one very excellent book about evil magician rabbits.

(Find our best recommendations for teen books this month here.)

NEW PICTURE BOOKS

Mini Grey’s picture books are always something to look forward to and The Bad Bunnies’ Magic Show is sure to be one of my favourites of the year. When magician Hypno is unable…

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Here are our top 10 bestselling books of the year – so far. And we’re thrilled to see that all 10 of the books listed here are from Australian writers.

1. The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape
2. Lion by Saroo Brierley (including sales from the young reader’s edition)
3. Fighting Hislam by Susan Carland
4. Fight Like a Girl by Clementine Ford
5. The Dry by Jane Harper
6. The White Queen (Quarterly Essay 65) by David…

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The State Library of New South Wales (SLNSW) has announced the shortlist for the $25,000 National Biography Award.

This Award is presented annually to a published work of biographical or autobiographical writing aiming to promote public interest in these genres.

The six shortlisted titles for 2017 include:

The Unknown Judith Wright by Georgina Arnott

Mick by Suzanne Falkiner

Position Doubtful by Kim Mahood

Evatt by John Murphy

The Long Goodbye by P.J. Parker

Before Rupert by Tom D C Roberts

…

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Tuck In by Ross Dobson

Dobson is famous for his wonderful cookbooks about the virtues of the humble barbecue. Here, in this easy-to-read, easy-to-follow collection of recipes, he includes methods made delicious by the humble fire, but also brings a new range of treats to his collection. Taking inspiration from all over the world, here is the guide to making friends and family happy over and over again. Tuck In provides a dish for every occasion, from Tuesday-night meals to…

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Random Life is the ninth book from much-loved Australian cartoonist Judy Horacek. Offering some of her best commentaries on contemporary society, this collection of cartoons is both hilarious and thought-provoking.

‘Judy Horacek is an alternative fact of the most engaging and necessary kind.’ – John Clarke

All customers who purchase a copy of Random Life from the Readings website before 5pm on Wednesday 12 July will go into the draw to win a signed and numbered original print featuring artwork…

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Crime author Megan Goldin defends the use of the word girl in crime fiction titles.

When I wrote my psychological thriller, The Girl In Kellers Way, I chose the title because it encapsulated the key themes of my story of four women whose fates are connected by a remote forest road where a series of tragedies take place. Little did I realise that by choosing a title with the word girl in it, I was stepping into a minefield…

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Suite Cubed: Bach and Beyond by Umberto Clerici

‘Cellist Umberto Clerici wondered how eighteenth-century audiences listened to J.S. Bach’s cello suites, and what they heard and recognised in the music. Although Bach’s solo cello suites are variations of dance forms, he did not write them for dancing. Audiences perhaps experienced an emotional connection to the ‘stylisations’ of each dance, and (perhaps) therefore a physical connection. Contemporary audiences hear, experience and feel that music in a different way – our familiarity…

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Wimmera by Mark Brandi

Open House Melbourne Weekend: 2017 Program by Open House Melbourne

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy

Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of Cardinal Pell by Louise Milligan (this book is no longer available for sale in Victoria)

The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape

The Long Goodbye (Quarterly Essay 66) by Anna Krien

Hunger by Roxane Gay

Random Life by Judy Horacek

The Clever Guts Diet by Michael Mosley

The Museum of Modern Love by…

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Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo

The World’s Worst Children 2 by David Walliams and Tony Ross

The Wayward Witch and the Feelings Monster (Polly and Buster Book 1) by Sally Rippin

A Most Magical Girl by Karen Foxlee

Family, Friends and Furry Creatures (Tom Gates Book 12) by Liz Pichon

The Fall by Tristan Bancks

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (20 Anniversary Griffyndor Edition) by J.K. Rowling

My Life as a…

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Happy NAIDOC Week! The theme for NAIDOC Week 2017 is ‘Our Languages Matter’ – a chance to focus on the importance, resilience and richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. Here are 10 highly recommended reads that explore Indigenous culture and voices for young people, from toddlers through to teens.

Welcome to Country by Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy

This picture book celebrates the original inhabitants of Melbourne, the Wurundjeri people, by taking the reader through a Wominjeka…

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