Aggie Flea Steals the Show by Tania Ingram & A.Yi

Aggie Flea Steals the Show by Tania Ingram, ill. A.Yi (Scholastic Australia) “Or maybe my brain just made them up. My brain sometimes does stuff like that. Mum says I have a big imagination like Dad. Sometimes my big imagination gets me into trouble, though. Like the time I thought my new neighbour was a vampire. […]

Fluff: Mess Up! by Matt Stanton

Fluff: Mess Up! by Matt Stanton (ABC Books) “ ‘Hello? Is this Organised Grime?’ Fluff says into the phone. ‘I’m looking for someone to clean our caravan. Yes, it’s urgent. There’s been an accidental food fight and … well, we have a fish with a poop problem.’ ” (Fluff: Mess Up!) Fluff: Mess Up! by Matt […]

Tilly in a Tangle by Margrete Lamond illustrated by Monty Lee

Tilly in a Tangle by Margrete Lamond illustrated by Monty Lee Dirt Lane Press, WestWords ‘Tilly’s boat tumbles and jumbles. It muddles and mangles. Before long, Tilly is tangled inside, all the way to who-knows-where. (Tilly in a Tangle) Tilly in a Tangle by Margrete Lamond, illustrated by Monty Lee is a 2025 CBCA Notable […]

The Garden of Broken Things by Freya Blackwood

The Garden of Broken Things by Freya Blackwood (HarperCollins Australia) Inside the 2025 CBCA Shortlist 2025 CBCA Shortlist 2025 CBCA Notable Books Freya Blackwood is one of our most accomplished and highly regarded picture book creators. Two of her books are shortlisted in the 2025 CBCA Picture Book of the Year category: The Garden of […]

Frog, Log & Dave Almost Save the Day! by Trent Jamieson & Brent Wilson

Frog, Log & Dave Almost Save the Day! by Trent Jamieson & Brent Wilson Penguin Books The first in the new Frog, Log & Dave graphic novel series by Trent Jamieson & Brent Wilson has arrived. It is really good – an interesting story, funny, generously illustrated and well designed. It sets up the action […]

The Midwatch by Judith Rossell

The Midwatch by Judith Rossell Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing Author Interview with Judith Rossell about The Midwatch ‘Miss Mandelay says we should all learn as many useful things as we possibly can,’ said Harriet, ‘so we’re ready.’ ‘Holy mackerel. Ready for what?’ asked Maggie. Harriet took a bite and said with her mouth full, ‘Ready […]

Meg Rosoff and Almost Nothing Happened

Meg Rosoff and Almost Nothing Happened Published by Bloomsbury Author interview with Meg Rosoff ‘Eurostar was showing a twenty-minute delay, which was perfect because if I didn’t get something to eat before I boarded the train I’d have to eat my own liver. I joined the queue for a sandwich with my mate, Moe, and […]

Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas

Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas (University of Queensland Press) Author/illustrator Interview at PaperbarkWords “Leo dropped the telescope and rolled over, laughing. Ralph always cracked him up like that. They had … dreamt of planets with funny names, imagined the creatures that lived there and the spaceships they might fly. If Mum didn’t call out to […]

Thunderhead by Sophie Beer

Thunderhead by Sophie Beer Author Interview at PaperbarkWords “I know that what I’m going through right now is the rather unfortunate end result of a few troublesome cells. It isn’t the universe conspiring against me. It’s just bad luck, a random event in a meaningless mess. But I read somewhere that humans are programmed to […]

Taronga Presents by Kristin Darell

Taronga Presents by Kristin Darell, ill. Laura Wood Published by Penguin Random House Australia Kristin Darell is a treasure in the Australian children’s literature space. As well as being a relatively new author of two series: Taronga Presents (for readers aged 7 and up) and Football Fever, she is the Program Manager for the Australian […]