Our latest reviews

The Night Fairy: Lara Amy Schlitz & Angela Barrett

Reviewed by Alexa Dretzke, Children's Book Specialist, Readings Hawthorn

Oh my, this is such a sweet story; I was beguiled by this dear little fairy. When the fairyophiles in your life are ready to move on from Rainbow Magic this is a more than worthy successor.

Plucky little Flory…

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Bye-Bye, Big Bad Bullybug! Ed Emberley

Reviewed by Callie Martin, Children's Book Specialist at Readings St Kilda

To answer your question, yes, Mr Emberley is the fingerprint guy. His fabulous Learn to Draw books have graced our shelves for a while now. But in this bright, simple and just-the-right-amount sparkly book, it’s not fingers we’re worried about…

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The Second-Last Woman in England Maggie: Joel

Reviewed by Jane Cockram, freelance reviewer

Opening with the murder of Mr Cecil Wallis by his wife, Mrs Harriet Wallis, on the day of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, The Second-Last Woman in England begins in a London recovering from the war. Harriet Wallis, society wife, and Cecil…

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Gatherers and Hunters: Thomas Shapcott

Reviewed by Mark Rubbo, Managing Director of Readings

Tom Shapcott has been writing fiction and poetry since 1964. As well, he has been Director of the Literature Board, Copyright Agency Limited and Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide. This new collection of short stories explores…

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In-human: Anna Dusk

Reviewed by Fiona Hardy, Readings Carlton

In Tasmania’s Oatlands, teenager Sally Hunter is becoming painfully aware of her new body and blossoming sexuality. But this is not an everyday tale of adolescence: Sally’s form and world is stretched and changed by her transformation into a werewolf…

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Frightfully Friendly Ghosties: Daren King

Reviewed by Leanne Hall, Kids' Book Specialist, Readings Carlton

If there’s one thing you’ll learnin this book, it’s that thestill-alives are incredibly meanto the frightfully friendlyghosties Tabithy Tumbly,Charlie Vapour, PamelaFraidy, Rusty Chains, AgathaDraught and others. Herethey are, our lovely ghosties, doing their bestto befriend the still-alives with bedtimestories, and…

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Guardian of the Dead: Karen Healy

Reviewed by Leanne Hall, Kids' Book Specialist, Readings Carlton

Ellie Spencer is a normal Kiwi girl who boards at a Christchurch high school, hangs out with her buddy Kevin, rails against teacherly authority, gets crushy over mysterious Mark, and sports a definite grumpy and sarcastic side that immediately endeared…

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When Courage Came To Call: L.M. Fuge

Reviewed by Holly Harper, Kids' Book Specialist, Readings Malvern

Imm is just another 13-year-old living onthe island of Zamascus. He wants to traveland loves to read, unlike his twin brotherSaxon, whose passion lies in being a pilot.Then the bombs fall and everything changes.

Imm is thrown into the middle…

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A Girl Like Me: Penny Matthews

Reviewed by Kathy Kozlowksi, Readings Carlton

Set in rural Australia in theearly 1900s, this is first acoming-of-age story about awell-bred young woman,Emily, exploring the riskyworld of adult relationships.Her main source of ‘proper’information is Mary WoodAllen’s What a Young Woman Ought to Know.

A quote from…

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Here Lies Love: Fatboy Slim & David Byrne

Reviewed by Fiona Hardy, Readings Carlton

A musical based on the relationship between human shoe museum Imelda Marcos and her maid, this album has an enviable roster of guest vocalists playing the parts, including Sharon Jones, Camille, Florence Welch, Sia and Cyndi Lauper.

An upbeat, beautiful…

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