Kids

The Boy Who Lost His Spark by Maggie O'Farrell & Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzinni (illus.)

Reviewed by Athina Clarke

When Jem and his family move from the city to a small town, he’s overcome with feelings of loss; making the transition and new connections seems like an insurmountable challenge.

Jem’s overwhelming feelings of frustration and dislocation are deepened by…

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Koori Princess by Anita Heiss

Reviewed by Dani Solomon

Teish loves anything pink and princess-y with a passion. But Koori Princess isn’t really about Teish and her love of princesses – she never really wavers much from her enthusiasm and remains firm in her belief that she is a…

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The Three BIlly Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen

Reviewed by Alexa Dretzke

The troll is hungry, the troll is fierce. Seated under the bridge, he hopes for a tasty meal. Then – clip-clop – a billy goat approaches, and Mr Troll clambers up in all his ugly ferocity. And oh dear, things…

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Gotcha!: A Funny Fairy Tale Hide-and-Seek by Clotilde Perrin

Reviewed by Kim Gruschow

French author and illustrator Clotilde Perrin’s newest book is truly a delight!

Open the pages of Gotcha! and you will learn that there are some terrible critters out there: a nasty hairball with frightful fur; a fizzling stinkwort with a…

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Snap! by Anna Walker

Reviewed by Kate McIntosh

One cheeky little yellow-green frog. One big wide world. One cheeky little yellow-green frog learning all about the big wide world. Sometimes the pond and surrounds are fun – ‘splish, splish, splish’ goes the frog and its fishy friends –…

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Be Careful, Xiao Xin! by Alice Pung & Sher Rill Ng

Reviewed by Jennifer Fraioli

Xiao Xin’s family is always telling him to be careful – always saying don’t jump too high, or run too fast, because the world is a dangerous place, and he might get hurt. They see Xiao Xin as a little…

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Can You Believe It? How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts by Joyce Grant & Kathleen Marcotte (illus.)

Reviewed by Dani Solomon

It’s more important than ever to be able to tell the difference between news and ‘fake news’. You’ll find examples of both in Can You Believe It?, a perfect guide for kids on how to spot when an article…

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Evie and Rhino by Neridah McMullen

Reviewed by Athina Clarke

Set in 1891, this enchanting story was inspired by a real event: the stranding of a steamship and its cargo of exotic animals, bound for the Royal Melbourne Zoo. What actually happened is well documented but Neridah McMullin reimagines history…

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The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor

Reviewed by Angela Crocombe

This prequel to the bestselling The Grandest Bookshop in the World is a magical journey into late 19th-century Melbourne.

Twelve-year-old Billy, the eldest in a large family, must leave school and get a job to help pay the bills. Rather…

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Wonders Under the Sun by Tai Snaith

Reviewed by Athina Clarke

What does a four-toed jerboa, a black-spotted peacock spider and an eastern grey kangaroo have in common? Flick through Wonders under the Sun and all will be revealed!

Tai Snaith’s brilliant new picture book is a treasure trove of 270…

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