Book of the Year: Older Readers Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for readers in their secondary years of schooling. Ages 13-18 years (NB: These books are for mature readers). Reviews can be found here: The End of the World is Bigger Than Love The Lost Soul AtlasWhen Rain Turns to SnowMetal Fish, Falling SnowWhere We BeginPeta Lyre’s Rating Normal Book of the Year: Younger Readers Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for readers from the middle…
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Vanessa Ryan-Rendall (text) and Brenna Quinlan (illustrator), Bee Detectives, CSIRO Publishing, April 2021, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781486313396 This is one of those wonderful information picture books for kids where the sharing adults will learn as much as the young readers. In this narrative, Olivia and her younger brother Hamish (plus his guinea pig Ignatius), are woken up by the noise of a chainsaw coming from the park across the road. Looking out the window, they can see a very large tree lying on the ground with a smoky haze coming from it. Initially thinking it’s a fire,…
Helen Milroy, The Emu Who Ran Through the Sky, (Tales from the Bush Mob #2), Magabala Books, April 2021, 64 pp., RRP $22.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781925936018 The Emu Who Ran Through the Sky is the second book in the Tales from the Bush Mob picture book series, published by Magabala Books, a specialist in indigenous Australian children’s literature. The creator of the series, Helen Milroy, is a highly regarded indigenous doctor with expertise in Aboriginal and child mental health. Her aim for the series is to help children build resilience through indigenous storytelling. The story follows Lofty, a young emu,…
Kate Foster, Paws, Walker Books, April 2021, 240 pp., RRP $19.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760652661 Alex is an 11-year-old boy who loves playing computer games, drawing, the colour blue and dogs; especially his pet cocker spaniel poodle, Kevin. Alex is also a boy with autism. He doesn’t like loud noises, hard crunchy foods, and finds it difficult to understand what other people are feeling. Paws is written from Alex’s point of view and each chapter counts down the days to the ‘Paws dog show’ event that is coming to Alex’s home-town. He is so looking forward to it, but in the…
Hannah Coates (text) and Claire Neyland (illustrator), A Home for Little Penguin, Forty South Publishing, October 2020, 32 pp., RRP $24.95 (hbk), ISBN 9780648854029 A Little Penguin’s home is destroyed by a yellow ‘monster’ digger and he sets off to find a new home, engaging with various local wildlife on its travels. The story is heavy on dialogue as Little Penguin encounters each new animal and a touch light on themes of environmental conservation. The illustrated map of Tasmanian Little Penguin viewing locations in the appendix encourages children to visit their habitats. The blue watercolour palette is soothing contrasted with…
Tom Tinn-Disbury, My Summer with Grandad, New Frontier Publishing, December 2020, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781471178757 This sweet picture book is the latest offering from author and illustrator Tom Tinn-Disbury. My Summer with Grandad tells the story of Eric and one of his summer’s spent with his Grandad. This summer is special because Eric is now old enough to help out on his grandfather’s fishing boat. Eric imagines he will be a natural fisherman. However, after some mishaps he is assigned the job “Chief Seagull Shoo-er”, a job he performs with energy and enthusiasm. One day Eric encounters…
Josie Layton (text) and Rebecca Timmis (illustrator), Reggie Red, Larrikin House, February 2021, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780648872207 School photos are coming up and some of the girls at Reggie Red’s school are planning how to make themselves look photo-worthy, talking about dyeing their hair and wearing make-up. Reggie knows her bright red, curly hair and freckles don’t fit the images shown online that everyone is talking about and trying to copy. But her attempts to change her appearance end in disaster. She can only use what she has around the house, such as chocolate sauce and Grandma’s…
Ambelin Kwaymullina, Billie and the Blue Bike, Magabala Books, February 2021, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781925936124 Billie wants a new bike, but Mum doesn’t have any money spare to buy it. Uncle Jack could buy it for her, but he won’t. Instead, he’ll give her a job to earn the money to buy it for herself. But making money takes time, and Billie doesn’t want to wait – she wants the bike now! In a series of unsuccessful ventures, Billie tries some crazy schemes to earn a quick buck. She soon learns that there is no getting rich quick…
Sophy Henn, Pizazz vs The New Kid, Simon & Schuster, February 2021, 208 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781471194153 Pizazz is an unusual name for a girl, and it does cause her some annoyance, however it isn’t the most unusual thing about Pizazz. She is a superhero from a family of superheros who live in mainstream society. At any time, whether Pizazz is at school or in another location, she can be called upon to respond to a disaster, rescue someone and, on occasions, save the planet – as instructed by Wanda her pet dog who is the conduit for…
Davina Bell, The End of the World is Bigger Than Love, Text Publishing, June 2020, 288 pp., RRP $19.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781922268822 This tumultuous genre-bending novel defies expectations and challenges our world view. It builds layers through flashbacks and continuously cycles and spirals in form and narration. It’s difficult to talk about without spoiling what happens. What I can do, however, is talk about its pace and the way it balances several universal themes with a nuance and delicacy I’ve rarely seen. Ultimately, it’s not important what conclusions are drawn by the end of the story (and it’s quite possible…