Pancakes for Plum by Rae Tan

Pancakes for Plum written and illustrated by Rae Tan Published by Lothian Children’s Books, Hachette Australia “One morning, Plum wakes up to the sweetest music. It feels cosy and comforting, just like a stack of warm, fluffy pancakes. ‘I must follow this delicious sound!’” (Pancakes for Plum) Rae, you have created an imaginative, sensory, layered […]

The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet by Jaclyn Moriarty

The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet by Jaclyn Moriarty (Allen & Unwin) “ ‘And what is this world?’ I asked. ‘It’s called the Kingdoms and Empires. It’s like our world, only more old-fashioned. Plus they have magic. The main thing to remember is that Shadow Mages are good and Spellbinders can bind Shadow Magic. Genies […]

One Song by A.J. Betts

One Song by A.J. Betts (published Pan MacMillan) Author Interview with A.J. Betts about her YA novel One Song for Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog I think that One Song is original and highly memorable. Why do you think this is so? One Song is unlike anything I’ve written before, or anything I’ve read. […]

The Pole & Other Stories by J.M. Coetzee

The Pole & Other StoriesJ M CoetzeeTextReviewed by Joy LawnReleased July 2023Trade paperbackISBN 9781922790354RRP $34.99Category: Fiction The Pole & Other Stories by J.M. Coetzee (published by Text) (This review was commissioned by Books+Publishing and is reproduced with permission) Aficionados of South African-Australian Nobel and Booker Prize-winning author J M Coetzee will be delighted with his new […]

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Join Forces by Tim Harris

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Join Forces by Tim Harris “The truth was, Blue Valley School was hurtling so quickly towards dramatic change that it was near impossible to stop. Knowing full well how devastating an impact the change would have on his students, Mr Bambuckle chose carefully to allow his young learners to do the investigating […]

It’s Not You, It’s Me by Gabrielle Williams

It’s Not You, It’s Me by Gabrielle Williams Author Interview “She wished she’d appreciated it more the first time around – when she was living her own sixteen-year-old life, rather than someone else’s.” I am truly excited to interview Gabrielle Williams after being intrigued and indeed flabbergasted by her YA novels over the years. Gabrielle […]

self/less by AVIVA

self/less by AVIVA self/less is multidisciplinary artist and musician AVIVA’s debut novel. It is published by Pan Macmillan Australia. In this YA dystopia, 17-year-old Teddy lives a privileged life in Metropolis where creativity is a crime. Following her desire for freedom and change, she turns her world upside down. AVIVA writes about self/less: At its […]

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 […]

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 […]

The History of Mischief by Rebecca Higgie

“I took the people, stories and books I loved, and added magic.” (The History of Mischief) I am awestruck at The History of Mischief, Rebecca Higgie’s debut novel for young people (Fremantle Press). It has an engaging storyline and overarching narrative and a rich backstorybrimming with fascinating, often unexpected, historical information. The skill, complexity and magic […]