Our latest blog posts

What we're reading: Tana French, Laura Elizabeth Woollett and Megan Abbott

Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on or the music we’re loving.

Nina Kenwood is reading You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott

If, like me, you’re enjoying the Olympics and looking to theme your reading a little, then I suggest You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott. Like all of Abbott books, it’s about teenage girls and involves a page-turning mystery but at its…

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Picture books about siblings

Our digital content coordinator Bronte Coates shares some of her favourite picture books about siblings.

Stupid Baby by Stephanie Blake

Stephanie Blake is a favourite at Readings, and so she should be! Her stories about Simon, a small, irreverent rabbit, are nose-snortingly-laugh-out-loud with bold, colourful illustrations and a healthy dash of grossness that kids will love. In this story, Simon’s parents bring home a new baby, much to Simon’s dismay – now he has to be quiet all the time…

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The winners of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards 2016

The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) have announced their Book of the Year Awards winners for 2016. The CBCA Awards, which are in their 70th year, celebrates the best Australian books for readers in early childhood up to young adult readers. Congratulations to the winners!

Here are the winners for each category.

Older Readers

Cloudwish by Fiona Wood

Scholarship student Vân U’oc Phan is all work and no play – until star athlete Billy Gardiner develops a sudden and…

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A beginner's guide to Tana French

by Lian Hingee

I’m a bit late to the party on Irish crime writer, Tana French, whose first novel In the Woods was released nearly a decade ago. It came out just before The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo hit bookshelves, and despite winning a slew of awards I suspect it may have slipped under other people’s radars as well as mine with the onslaught of Scando-crime that followed.

As a result, I’ve come to the conclusion that French’s Dublin Murder Squad series…

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Our favourite Father's Day picture books

by Holly Harper

Father’s Day is just around the corner – Sunday, 4 September to be exact!

If your ‘What to Get Dad’ list consists of socks, socks, and more socks, take a look at our wide selection of Father’s Day gift ideas. We’ve also compiled a list of our favourite picture books for reading together with dad.

Kisses for Daddy by Frances Watts & David Legge – Baby Bear is grumpy, and doesn’t want to give Daddy Bear his bedtime kiss…

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Books we read in one sitting

Our booksellers share the books that they could not put down – their most memorable one-sit reads.

‘In a former life, I worked for a children’s book publisher and reading a book for my work was always a different experience than reading a book for pleasure – a part of me always had to sit back from the story and think about who the market for the book was, and how I was going to pitch it to buyers. So…

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What ABC TV's The Book Club read in 2016

ABC TV’s The Book Club has wrapped up its tenth season. Here’s what they read in 2016.

The Book Club (previously First Tuesday Book Club) is ABC TV’s nationally televised book club that gathers together Australian booklovers. Each episode is hosted by Jennifer Byrne, with regular panellists Marieke Hardy and Jason Steger, as well as a revolving panel of special guests.

There were plenty of reading highlights throughout the season. Kent Haruf’s Our Souls at Night made Marieke Hardy cry…

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2016 Inky Award Shortlist

The Centre for Youth Literature has announced the shortlists for the Inky Awards!

The Inky Awards recognise high-quality young adult literature, with the shortlist selected by young adults, and the winners voted for online by teens. There are two awards: the Gold Inky Award for an Australian book, and the Silver Inky Award for an international book.

Gold Inky Award Shortlist

The Flywheel by Erin Gough (Hardie Grant Egmont)

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (Allen and Unwin)

Sister

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Our children's and YA top ten bestsellers of the week

The 78-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

Welcome to Country by Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy

The Treehouse Fun Book by Andy Griffiths, Jill Griffiths and Terry Denton

All My Treasures: A Book of Joy by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey

Pokemon Deluxe Essential Handbook

Run, Pip, Run by J.C. Jones

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

Don’t Call Me Bear by Aaron Blabey

Charlie

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