Exit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam Master

Exit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam Master, illustrated by Astred Hicks 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 and, surprisingly, even funny as […]

Heroes of the Secret Underground by Susanne Gervay

“You’re free too … You’re not trapped by the secrets of the past. You’re now a witness to the past. To honour those who have suffered and let no one ever forget so it cannot happen again. You’re free to create your future now.” (Heroes of the Secret Underground) Any introduction of Australian children’s author […]

Words on the Waves Writers Festival 2021

The inaugural Words on the Waves Writers Festival was held on Darkinjung Country on the NSW Central Coast over the June 2021 long weekend. The festival was marked by its combination of professionalism and strong sense of hospitality. The program was exceptionally well curated, ranging from the Climate Changemakers; On Truth, Brains, Money & More; […]

Where Snow Angels Go by Maggie O’Farrell

Where Snow Angels Go by Maggie O’Farrell, illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini Where Snow Angels Go is a sumptuous Christmas gift book by Maggie O’Farrell, Edinburgh-based author of the acclaimed novel for adults, Hamnet, a tale of William Shakespeare’s son. Where Snow Angels Go is an illustrated work in picture book form. It is an […]

When We Say Black Lives Matter by Maxine Beneba Clarke

Book Review Much of Maxine Beneba Clarke’s writing is poetic, and often throws unforgettable diamond-honed punches. I have read and valued a number of her books, beginning with her short fiction Foreign Soil, in which the first story refers to a bike that evokes searing memories as well as a mention of patchwork bikes. Her […]

Ruby Tuesday by Hayley Lawrence

“Everything is quiet in the forest. For the first time in years, I don’t dream of falling when I close my eyes. No, I dream of flying.” (Ruby Tuesday) Ruby Tuesday is a thoughtfully composed tale about Ruby who lives in a forest near a small Australian town with her disabled mother. They are both […]

Breathless by Jennifer Niven

“You were my first. Not just sex, although that was part of it, but the first to look past everything else into me.” (Breathless) Not only is Jennifer Niven one of the most highly regarded and popular writers of YA literature in the world, she is one of the most lovely and charming people you […]

The End of the World is Bigger than Love by Davina Bell

Inside the CBCA Shortlist “We live on a blue planet that circles around a ball of fire next to a moon that moves the sea, and you don’t believe in miracles?” (The End of the World is Bigger than Love) The End of the World is Bigger than Love by Davina Bell (Text Publishing) may […]

Benevolence by Julie Janson

“She thinks she can be in two worlds and not have to choose.” (Benevolence) Benevolence is a searing, unforgettable work for adults and mature young adults by Julie Janson, a Burruberongal woman of the Darug Aboriginal Nation and award-winning playwright. It is published by Magabala Books. Although not easy to read because of the unconscionable […]