Stephanie Owen Reeder (text) and Briony Stewart (illustrator), Trouble in the Surf, National Library of Australia, October 2019, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780642279460 A fascinating step back in time to Australia’s Sydney Town where we learn so much through the story of two typical, fun loving nine-year-old cousins Charlie Smith and Rupert Swallow. On a hot summer’s day, the cousins are keen to dive into one of our nation’s iconic locations, Bondi Beach. The boys get more than expected, when a strong rip carries them beyond the breakers. How will they make their way back to safety? And…
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Rove McManus, Rocky to the Rescue (Rocky Lobstar #1), Scholastic Australia, October 2019, 192 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760664930 With Rocky Lobstar, Rove McManus joins the ranks of Australian comedians penning zany chapter books for younger readers. The format will be familiar to anyone who has read any of the series featuring goggle-eyed dogs, sharks, pigeons, etcetera. You know the books. The ones that are lightish on words but full of snot and fart jokes — extended picture books in a novel’s packaging that can be churned through in one read-aloud sitting or can give newly independent readers the…
Alex Miles, Making Magic (Girl Geeks #4), Penguin Books, October 2019, 176 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780143795087 Presented by the Girl Geek Academy, this wonderful story for the tween-agers out there; is book 4 of the series and continues to have us share the journey of four tech loving friends, Hamsa, Eve, Niki and Maggie. In this book, we delve into Maggie’s world. She is considered to be a quiet and reserved type, yet full of creative problem solving and bright ideas. The friends are all super excited to be part of the upcoming school play; it’s an opportunity…
Alex Miles, Perfect Holidays (Girl Geeks #3), Penguin Books, October 2019, 176 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780143795070 Presented by Girl Geek Academy, this is book three of a series that shares the journey of four friends Hamsa, Eve, Niki and Maggie, each so different, yet all so complementary. This series of books is aimed at upper primary girls to encourage their curiosity and development of technical skills; whilst exploring the trials and tribulations of a close friendship group. Meet Eve – she is super relatable to the perfectionists out there; a girl who loves to draw and design, who…
Nean McKenzie, Cryptosight, Midnight Sun Publishing, October 2019, 222 pp., RRP $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781925227536 Max Kaminski is a cryptozoologist, someone who researches and seeks out legendary creatures which may or may not exist. Australian examples include the bunyip and the yowie. Max has high hopes that his children, Raff and Zara, will follow in his footsteps but do either of them have the abilities needed to detect these imaginary beasts? To test them, Max takes them on a camping trip to Wilpena Pound. Ten-year-old Zara is the more promising of the two as she can communicate with animals and…
Diane Jackson Hill (text) and Craig Smith (illustrator), Windcatcher: Migration of the Short-tailed Shearwater, CSIRO Publishing, October 2019, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk) ISBN 9781486309870 Under the star-soaked sky, the chicks flapped and flapped, their soft down choking the air. Each night, Hope joined them. Written by award-winning children’s author Diane Jackson Hill and illustrated by Craig Smith, Windcatcher is the remarkable tale of a fledgling short-tailed shearwater named Hope, whose adventures begin as soon as she leaves the burrow and embarks upon her marathon migration. Driven by seabird law, Hope faces fatigue, wild storms, savage seas and manmade dangers…
Lisa Fuller, Ghost Bird, University of Queensland Press, October 2019, 280 pp., RRP $19.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780702260230 Lisa Fuller is a Wuilli Wuilli woman from Eidsvold, in Queensland, a place she uses as the background to this, her debut novel. Fuller acknowledges the permission she received from family members to write about the town and, importantly, the community’s culture and spiritual beliefs. Stacey and Alana (Laney) are twins – unusually they are mirror twins. This means they are different in personality and even in many ways in behaviour. Nonetheless, they are close in the way perhaps only twins can be…
Jenny Hessell (text) and Trevor Pye (illustrator), Grandma McGarvey Joins the Scrum, Scholastic Australia, August 2019, 32 pp., RRP $18.99 (pbk) ISBN: 9781775436034 Celebrating thirty years of Grandma McGarvey’s zany adventures, author Jenny Hessell and illustrator Trevor Pye team up once again for this rhyming, footy inspired story. A RUGBY MATCH! Before she had time to think what to do, the ball came hurtling out of the blue. Then somebody tackled her hard, and thud! Grandma McGarvey flew into the mud. When Grandma McGarvey’s car breaks down, she heads to the local footy ground for help and before she knows…
Elaine Bickell (text) and Raymond McGrath (Illustrator), The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo, Scholastic Australia, August 2019, 32 pp., RRP $18.99 (pbk) ISBN 9781775435754 Winner of the 2018 Joy Cowley Award, The Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo is an enchanting picture book with an irresistible combination of skillful rhyme, stunning illustration and fun animal sounds. Little Ghost has lost her boo and has no idea where to find it, but instead of moping about the dark forest hoping for its return, this determined spirit heads out into the night to look for it. I’ve lost my boo! I’ve…
Tony Ross, Silly Mr Wolf, Andersen Press Ltd, 32 pp., RRP $27.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781783447817 Tony Ross, illustrator of over 800 books, has created Silly Mr Wolf, a classic stranger danger tale of a wolf who has grown out of sheeps’ clothing (literally!) and now tries to trick sheep with a variety of sharp suits and a large paper bag over his head. This simple story will entertain young readers from 3-6, with its tongue in cheek humour and lively illustrations, however it also provides an introduction into more serious topics, such as personal safety. Although Mr Wolf is portrayed…