Kids

Hello Twigs, Surprise! by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood (illus.)

Reviewed by Kim Gruschow

The Real Pigeons series has been a great success and the duo behind it are now branching out, pun intended, by turning their attention to new readers with a series called Hello Twigs.

The series is being launched with…

Read more ›

Cub and Brown by Edwina Wyatt & Evie Brown (illus.)

Reviewed by Athina Clarke

This heartwarming tale of adventure and friendship is irresistibly playful, steeped in humour, wit and a dash of whimsy – I was charmed from the very beginning. Cub and Brown is 12 chapters of sheer delight!

Cub, a boy scout…

Read more ›

The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham

Reviewed by Alexa Dretzke

Bob Graham’s latest picture book displays all the wonderful hallmarks of his children’s books: community, diversity, acceptance, and, best of all, there is always a dog! Set amidst an enormous block of flats, at the end of winter the children…

Read more ›

Granbad by Penny Tangey & Peter Baldwin (illus.)

Reviewed by Dani Solomon

Granbad – so known because he does ‘bad’ things such as sneaking the grandkids extra lollies, and breaking rules while attending protests to save forests – does not give up when his protest doesn’t work, and I love him for…

Read more ›

Last-Place Lin by Wai Chim & Freda Chiu (illus.)

Reviewed by Claire Atherfold

Wai Chim, a celebrated Chinese-American-Australian author best known for her fabulous YA novel The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling, became a fixture on our TVs while she was a participant in Australian Survivor: Brains vs Brawn. Her…

Read more ›

Ghost Book by Remy Lai

Reviewed by Kim Gruschow

The newest graphic novel by Remy Lai is about a girl named July, who can see ghosts. July keeps this to herself until hungry ghost month, when she begrudgingly befriends a little boy ghost after saving him from being eaten…

Read more ›

Edward the Emu (35th anniversary edition) by Sheena Knowles & Rod Clement (illus.)

Reviewed by Julia Jackson

Ever feel bored by yourself and your situation? Edward sure knows how that feels. Sick of being an emu, each day he tries out being a different animal, until he realises that actually, being an emu isn’t so bad after…

Read more ›

Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

Reviewed by Claire Atherfold

‘Once was, once wasn’t’ (yeki bood, yeki nabood) is the beginning of classic Persian fairy tales, and to Kiyash Monsef’s debut novel. Monsef, already an accomplished director and producer of Emmy Award-nominated TV shows, took nine years to…

Read more ›

Get Your Act Together, Doris Kozlowski by Jo Dabrowski

Reviewed by Kate McIntosh

It’s the start of Year 6 for Doris Kozlowski, and despite her dad having recently moved to the other side of the world with his new boyfriend, her Babcia refusing to make her any kind of lunch that won’t stink…

Read more ›

The Dragon on the Train by Ben Brooks

Reviewed by Vasilia Nerouppos

Elliot Oppenheim has just lost his grandmother. She was his best friend in the whole world and the person who introduced him to the very thing he loves the most: music. Now, Elliot wants nothing to do with music, he…

Read more ›