Kids
West of the Moon by Margi Preus
Left in the care of their avaricious aunt and uncle while their father settles in America and prepares to send for her and her younger sister, Astri is sold to an old goat farmer as a servant. Life with him…
Moondial by Helen Cresswell
Helen Cresswell was one of my childhood favourites. I feel nostalgic at the mere mention of Lizzie Dripping, The Secret World of Polly Flint and, most especially, Moondial. This 1987 classic combines Cresswell’s love of historical, gothic and…
The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell
In a remote location outside St Petersburg, twelve-year-old Feodora and her mother, Marina, teach tamed wolves to become wild again. This idyllic existence as wolf wilders ends when Marina is arrested. Determined to rescue her beloved mother, Feodora and her…
Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
I waited for the latest Riordan with bated breath and I wasn’t disappointed. Following the son of a Norse god in his latest series, Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer is a rip-roaring adventure through the nine homeworlds, with…
The Marvels by Brian Selznick
Brian Selznick is an innovative storyteller who uses both intricate hand drawings and text to tell his stories. His middle-grade novels, The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck, are contemporary classics. The Marvels is perhaps even more extraordinary than…
Close to the Wind by Jon Walter
Unfortunately for humanity this isn’t an extraordinary story. And even though I had no idea when and where this story takes place, there was no doubt in my mind about its authenticity. What’s clear is that a young boy and…
Mango and Bambang: The Not-a-Pig by Polly Faber & Clara Vulliamy
Mango & Bambang: The Not-a-Pig is the most delightful celebration of an unlikely but beautiful relationship: the friendship between Mango Allsorts, a busy little urbanite, and Bambang, a lost tapir and definitely NOT a pig!
Mango is an irrepressible girl…
Danny Best: Full On by Jen Storer
Jen Storer’s brilliant Truly Tan series has all the child-led outdoor adventure of Blyton but is truly contemporary and truly Australian. New character Danny Best has all the high-jinx and confidence of Dennis the Menace, but again it’s modern and…
The Fairy Dancers by Natalie Jane Prior
The Fairy Dancers contains three adorable stories, perfect for both young independent reading, or sharing at story time. The stories follow ballet-obsessed Mia, Emma and Grace and the detail is just gorgeous. The illustrations add a humorous undertone to the…
Atmospheric: The Burning Story of Climate Change by Carole Wilkinson
This non-fiction book on climate science for readers aged ten and up is well researched and highly readable. To engage readers more effectively, each chapter begins with a first person narrative set in a key period in the past. These…
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