Our latest blog posts
What the characters of Mean Girls are reading
It's Wednesday and you know what that means! It's time to put on that one pink item of clothing you own, make the word 'fetch' happen and of course, read! Here is what we think the characters of Mean Girls would read!
Cady Heron is reading Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Looking for tips and tricks for bringing Regina George DOWN, Cady is reading Burn for Burn, the perfect revenge story ... Or so she thinks!
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The 100 bestselling books of 2023
We've run the reports and crunched the numbers. Here are our 100 bestselling books from the past year.
This year's top 100 includes:
37 works of nonfiction
6 Australian First Nations writers
3 cookbooks
4 stars of the screen
2 works of poetry
1 member of the British royal family
every book in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series
You can discover our 100 bestselling children's and young adult books from 2023 here.
Back to school
Whether returning to school or going to school for the first time there are a range of wonderful books to help your children on their way. From confidence building to making new friends here are some new, as well as staff favourites, to get you started.
The Crayons Go Back to School by Drew Daywalt & Oliver Jeffers (illus.)
The hilarious crayons from the number one New York Times bestseller The Day the Crayons Quit are ready to go back…
25% off 25 personal development favourites
We’re offering 25% off a select range of our personal development favourites! Simply apply the code PD25 at checkout to receive a 25% discount on all participating titles.
If you've seamlessly slipped back into old habits and are already feeling an all too familiar lack of vigour and vitality, a change to your routine or mindset could be in order. But where to begin? We've brought together some of our favourite personal development titles – at 25% off! –…
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
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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…