RUNNING WITH IVAN by SUZANNE LEAL Published by Angus & Robertson (HarperCollins Australia) “Take it from me, Leo, at thirteen you can do almost everything. Never forget this. Difficult things, courageous things: they are all possible, even at thirteen. No, especially at thirteen.” (Running with Ivan) Suzanne and I first met while judging the NSW […]
Read More Running with Ivan by Suzanne LealSadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over by Miranda Luby As the title Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over forewarns, Sadie Starr is trying to turn her life around and do things differently when she leaves her best friend Daniel and her life in Sydney and begins again in Melbourne. Of course, it will not be […]
Read More Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over by Miranda LubyNo Words by Maryam Master “Words have power.” (No Words by Maryam Master) Maryam Master’s debut children’s novel Exit Through the Gift Shop (illustrated by Astred Hicks) is shortlisted for the 2022 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers category. No Words, her new children’s /middle-fiction novel is equally important and powerful. Not a memoir […]
Read More No Words by Maryam MasterThe Verse Novels of Kathryn Apel Author Interview “Why can’t we all just be friends?” (Too Many Friends) Australia is a leader in verse novels for young readers and Kathryn Apel is one of our major writers in the field. Kathryn’s engaging and affirming verse novels, Bully on the Bus (2014), On Track (2015), Too […]
Read More The Verse Novels of Kathryn ApelKay Kerr made a splash in 2020 with her YA debut novel Please Don’t Hug Me and I interviewed her then at PaperbarkWords. Kerr has a new YA novel, Social Queue (clever title), published this month. Both novels are from Text Publishing. She tells us about it here: I started writing Social Queue, my new […]
Read More Social Queue by Kay KerrExit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam Master, illustrated by Astred Hicks Inside the 2022 CBCA Shortlist Exit Through the Gift Shop is a stand-out middle-fiction novel for mature children in upper primary and for readers in junior secondary school. The combined title and cover are eye-catching. The voice of 12-year-old Ana is striking, memorable […]
Read More Exit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam MasterPicture Book Highlights from Scholastic Scary Bird by Michel Streich Grump! by Jonathan Bentley Two picture books recently published by Scholastic Australia offer important messages in compelling ways. They both use animal characters and telling humour. With verve and insight, both books share scenarios children that will no doubt encounter. Scary Bird by Michel Streich […]
Read More Scary Bird & Grump!“You’re an Arab from Punchbowl. No one will believe you.” (The F Team) The F Team is a compelling new YA novel set mainly in Western Sydney by Rawah Arja (published by Giramondo). It is impossible to put down because of its portrayal of a visceral masculinity and physicality inhabited by authentic, lively characters. It […]
Read More The F Team by Rawah ArjaStarting Secondary School (Penguin Random House Australia) by child and adolescent psychologist and founder of Canteen, Michael Carr-Gregg and experienced teacher and founder of the Resilient Kids Conference, Sharon Witt is a practical, easy-to-read guide. It is aimed at parents with a child entering Year 7 in secondary school but is also useful for parents […]
Read More Starting Secondary School: The Essential Handbook for every Australian family by Michael Carr-Gregg & Sharon Witt
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