This is book 8 of the Lottie Brooks series. I have not read any of the others, so this was my first introduction to the group of friends and others. I feel that reading the books in order would help you to understand some of the backstories and references but even without this I really enjoyed the story.
Lottie is a funny and loyal character who experiences similar friendship issues to the reader. Lottie is in Year 8, and her friendship group is in turmoil as her best friend has joined the “mean girls” group and Lottie and her other friends are feeling the betrayal fiercely, but they have a plan to get Amber back before it is too late. Lottie is also facing some other issues with her family, and this contributes to the realness of the story, with readers either remembering or experiencing the angst of teenage life that is impacted by puberty, friendship issues and the expectation of responsibility.
The language used is reflective of current teenage language and this adds to the diary feel of the book, as do the illustrations and cartoons that fill the pages along with the main story.
Lottie Brooks diary series is an excellent way for readers to see that their experiences are normal and that their struggles are often felt by other tween/teenagers who are dealing with similar issues. I really enjoyed the relatability of the story and the diary style of the writing and would recommend this to any tween/teen readers who are looking for something to make them laugh while still supporting them to see they are not alone. I loved that Lottie is naïve and loyal to her friends and tries to always be true to herself even when she is making mistakes and getting it all wrong. A fabulous book and a series that I would recommend investing in.
Themes Family, Friendship, Bullying, Growing-up.
Mhairi Alcorn
Come home, Bibibila by Corey Tutt & Irma Gold. Illus. by Jessica Tedim
Allen & Unwin, 2026. ISBN: 9781761181863. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Subtitled, ‘A story of an echidna finding its way back to Country’ will excite younger readers, knowing that the will be learning a lot about echidnas and where they live.
The Gamillaraay word for echidna is Bigibila and Corey Tutt is a Gamilaraay man who has written his first picture book about his totem.
Beautifully illustrated, the story of the lost echidna will enthral younger readers following Bigibila, as he ignores his mother’s command to stay put. They will bring to mind times when they have gone against an elder's wishes, and wonder about how Bigibila will survive.
The red earth speaks to Bigibila of her Country and when she wanders off and loses her way, she finds she must return home to her own place. When Mum goes off to find termites, Bigibila scrambles out of the burrow to see what she can see. But she encounters Maliyan, the wedge tail eagle, and as he swoops to grab his dinner, a ranger steps in and takes the little echidna back to her sanctuary. Here she is sheltered and fed safe from the predators, but she yearns for her Country. So she digs her way out of the enclosure, and walks and walks until the earth beneath her feet feels right, she feels safe, there are lots of termites to eat and the air tastes right. And there is Mum waiting for her. She is home.
An engaging reminder that we all have a place where everything feels right, our home, and a fitting lesson for younger readers to take notice of their elders.
Illustrator, Jessica Tedim has included animals, birds and insects setting the scene in the red earth country that is home for the echidna. Children will love looking for these as they turn the pages. The sweeps of red earth across the pages will draw readers’ eyes to the plight of the little animal.
At the end of the book are pages devoted to the Gamilaraay words used for the Dark Emu in the night sky, the eagle that nearly ends Bigibila’s exploring, the ranger who saves her as well as the echidna. There are also several pages with information about the echidna, what it eats in captivity and a plea to keep these animals wild, ending with outlines of the authors and illustrator on the endpapers.
Carol is not your average ‘little old lady’, she is in fact a serial killer. After doing her long stretch in prison she manages to buy a new residence in a rather posh retirement home (utilising funds skimmed from a previous victim). In her new surroundings she attempts to ‘stay under the radar’ amongst the other intriguing residents - for example, an ex-policeman, a former pathologist, a retired British Home Secretary, a crime writer and a former police commissioner. Friendship might even be a possibility amidst the strange goings-on of the elderly and those who work in Sheldon Oaks retirement home. But it is murder that puts Carol back into the spotlight and creates problems for her return to freedom. Can the police actually put the evidence together and find the real murderer, or does Carol have to do the work for them to escape suspicion?
Written with a ‘wink and nod’ to Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club books, this has a tongue-in-cheek feel of eccentricity. The characters are British and aged (but don’t assume they were born in war time), and they have left behind careers, histories and secrets and have settled into the maddeningly eccentric (and sometimes ‘slow’) life of the retirement home. But a central character that has a past as a convicted serial killer is almost comedic in flavour. In true Agatha Christie-style, there is a murder, investigation, and denouement, but with a side-serve of busybody investigators and one serial killer! This has an even lighter silliness compared to Osman’s successful Thursday Murder Club series, and the ‘oldies’ engage in some unseemly activities along the way, but there are the standard red herrings and twists that make this murderous mystery an intriguing, quirky and entertaining story. It is not highbrow literature, but adults will enjoy its subtle jests towards the murder mystery genre (sometimes not-so-subtle) and anyone who likes a light-hearted murder investigation will chuckle at Carol’s journey from jail release to Retirement Home - alongside other murderers!
Somewhere you can dream by Janeen Brian & Hilary Jean Tapper
Allen & Unwin, 2026. ISBN: 9781761181764. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Using a range of media, Tapper’s illustrations reflect watercolour, gouache, pen and ink, pencil and crayon, all blended to make the almost dreamlike atmosphere which support the text of Somewhere you can dream. These wonderful pages are filled with brush strokes that seem deceptively hurried, showing a sky full of moving, reshaping clouds and patches of blue, changing as we move from one page to the next. The children flying kites on the cover introduces readers to a world close to their own, a time of playfulness and exploration, a time of dreams.
On each double page the rhyming lines take the readers on a journey. We are taken to secret nooks, hideaways, shady trees, rocky bays, cubbies, tree tops, places between places where the clouds move quickly. Janeen Brian uses evocative words such as leafy, shady, cosy, sheltered and snuggling, all soft, gentle words which add to the comforting, soothing and calm atmosphere echoed by the illustrations.
‘Wriggling into tiny spaces so you‘re hardly there’, one of my favourite lines, brings forth the image of a child making themselves as small as possible, finding a place to dream, and the illustrations on those pages are just as arresting. One page has a quiet place in the house, a child squeezed into a chair, reading, another sitting quietly on the floor beside the chair, while another climbs into the window seat, the next page showing a child’s face peering into a garden, its colours muted by the moon. The spare words are again reflected in the images presented.
Many of the places we are taken on our journey, are around the home, and later Janeen Brian takes us outside, to rolling hills and deep valleys, a place to shout. And she brings us back into the known, as she looks for a smaller spot, a place where she can sit and dream and think.
This wonderful evocation of quiet places, of wild places, of being at home and outside, offers a place to dream, of being alone, a place to sit and think.
The book evokes the positives of being alone, as well as the comfort of being with a group, extolling the idea of dreaming, of being able to be somewhere quiet and evocative, a place of solitude and thought. These themes are revealed in both text and word, and young readers will love reading it aloud, looking at the detail offered in the illustrations. They will offer their places of solitude, places where they can be quiet and reflective.
A story that wraps its arms around the reader, making them feel comforted both in quiet times alone, and being with friends for active romps.
Themes Dreams, Solitude, Adventure, Family, Home.
Fran Knight
The friendship paradox by Aska
Allen & Unwin, 2026. ISBN: 9781761181689. (Age:Young adult, adult) Recommended.
Physics is Dash’s happy place, so when they get a gap year job at the Pop Science Hub in Perth (Boorloo) there is a lot to look forward to. The job entails presenting science shows to schools, not only in the city but also visiting remote and regional areas of WA. Dad thinks the road trip will be the perfect environment to make friends, but Dash is not so sure, physics is predictable and logical, in terms of physics the universe consists of energy and matter interacting in understandable ways, whereas Dash finds people unpredictable and sometimes mean. The small team responsible for the Pop-Up Rovers includes Kay, the other new presenter whose gregariousness and effervescent character Dash finds challenging. Kay, trained in circus skills, expresses anxiety through movement and finds switching to performance mode alleviates stress and self-doubt. For Dash, being organized and prepared within a framework of rules helps them cope. The two are quickly thrust into science communication performances which they both find challenging but while Kay is less confident with the content it is the frustrations of unforeseen circumstances like an occupied reserved parking space and the need to get their trolley up stairs that result in controlled angry outbursts from Dash.
Presenting this story through graphic illustrations is particularly strong here, Dash’s thoughts and feelings are represented in purple bubbles, anger being a bull which is a powerful tool they are learning to control. One of the experienced presenters suggests finding the neutral point, like in a magnetic field, in any difficult interaction, a point at which you hold your ground but don’t need to invest any energy into disagreeing. The team travel and present key aspects of physics to school children across WA, the engaging presentations appearing in the text on a gridded background identified in the contents page at the front. The road trip does indeed foster closer relationships, with all of the aspects of a paradox coming to the fore; seeming illogical at first glance, revealing the reality that everyone struggles at some time, followed by self-correction, challenging those involved to think more critically and not dismiss opportunities to grow. There is a warning at the front that there are references to alcoholism and suicide and there is a resources page for mental help support at the end.
Award winning South Australian children’s author and Early Years educator Katrina Germein has just released her twenty ninth book, a lively tribute to all things girlhood. Told through short four line verses with carefully chosen words, this skilfully written picture book radiates energy and charm. Its dynamic rhythm and joyful vibe are sure to delight readers from start to finish.
Girls like…
Chalk art Mud art Box art Bud art
Quick beats Slow beats Soft beats Show beats
Skirts on Jewels on Shirts on Tools on
A powerful message of diversity and inclusivity is shared throughout the narrative, with the bold and captivating illustrations bringing visual interest and vitality to the text. The endpapers, both front and back, extend the richness of the illustrations by showcasing a beautiful array of colourful snapshots drawn from the artwork within. This will provide a wonderful Early Year’s learning opportunity that will encourage young readers to recognise familiar images and search for them as the story unfolds.
Myra in the middle by Seetha Dodd. Illus. by Peter Cheong
University of Queensland Press, 2026. ISBN: 9780702270994. (Age:5+) Highly recommended.
Seven-year-old Myra likes maths, football and things staying the same. So, her world is flipped upside down when her family welcomes a new baby. Myra was happy living with her mum, dad, grandma and big sister but now she is the middle child, and everyone knows the middle child is always getting forgotten. Not only is she a middle child at home but when she tries out for the soccer team her coach puts her in midfield, how can she stand out and be memorable when nothing ever happens in midfield that will allow her to shine.
This is a beautifully written story that perfectly reflects the feelings of being the forgotten middle child without falling into cliches and negativity. I loved the discussion of Myra's feelings with friends and her family and the ways that she felt unseen or forgotten. I also really enjoyed reading about her plans to fix the problem, with limited success.
Myra is a positive character who is portrayed with an authenticity that is endearing. I absolutely can see this becoming a favourite on home and school library shelves as it would be a great book to open the door to discussions about bigger families and the way that sometimes people can feel unseen.
This book is perfectly suited to an emerging independent reader or a class read aloud. I really enjoyed reading this book and would love to read more about Myra's adventures.
Following on from Iceberg, Tree and Volcano, author Claire Saxby has once again written another striking narrative non-fiction book that shows her deep understanding and research into our natural environment.
The summer storm begins with a whisper of the wind where the birds and the sea creatures are waiting and watching. The creatures retreat as the build-up of clouds begins. As the storm gathers momentum both the sea and the land take a battering. Then the storm moves abates. The sand and the air are cool. Everything is still. Life goes on.
Throughout this book the poetic and descriptive language used is brilliantly executed:
“Periwinkle tracks scribble across a blister rock pool to where edge-tucked anemones extend tentacles wide.” “A flutter, a ripple, a shiver show where it blows.” “White-lipped waves snack at the shore.” “The wind is alive. It flings and slings rain at the land, at the sea.” “The reef disappears in a tumult of wind-built bubbles and wave churn.”
The reader can feel the power and majesty of the storm at its height and then the sense of reprieve when it has passed. Until next time.
The dynamic watercolour illustrations perfectly capture the words and feeling of this imposing storm. The gorgeous colours used in the rockpools and ocean scenes in the stillness complement the darkness of the storm clouds. The double page foldout spread is simply stunning. It is a magnificent storm: frightening in its intensity but as is noted in the final pages becoming more common with rising sea levels and increasing global temperatures.
Storm is another valuable addition to a school and public library. Highly recommended.
Allen & Unwin, 2026. ISBN: 9781761066276. (Age:7+)
Anders and his trusty flying beetle Skip return from their first adventure in Anders and the comet to engage in another imaginative story while on a camping holiday near an extinct volcano. He travels with friends Bernie and Eden and his family during the school holidays, meeting up with Veronica who also has a flying beetle. Anders and new girl Veronica enjoy some flying time together before meeting up at the same camp site destination. Bernie and Eden soon find pet beetles as well, but Bernie's is a reluctant flier, showing a preference for swimming. This becomes problematic later when the friends find themselves in a tricky situation with limited time to react.
Anders is a positive role model of how to support, interact and build friendships. His actions and the words he uses with others show a maturity beyond his years. It is refreshing to see his unconditional acceptance of the choices his friends make, for instance when Bernie supports his new beetle Lump when the others go flying. Anders is inclusive of others and encourages new friendships with the people he meets on his holiday travels.
The black and white graphic novel incorporates explicit learning moments on the nature of volcanoes during the story as well as in a short appendix about how volcanoes form. The story is broken up into chapters and presents an easy read for younger readers who are just beginning the journey into graphic novels.
Annette Mesecke
Themes Graphic novel, Volcanoes.
Anders and the comet by Gregory Mackay
Allen & Unwin, 2026. ISBN: 9781761066269. (Age:7-9) Highly recommended.
Author and illustrator Gregory Mackay's first graphic novel celebrates friendship, adventure and creativity.
Anders and his classmates are surprised when their teacher gives them a homework assignment for the school break. They have to write a report on their holiday activities. Anders, his cousin Eden and new mate Bernie enjoy family outings, visiting the zoo and a carnival, exploring the local park, playing video games and play and craft activities. They have fun making bows and arrows, building a box cubby, imagining they are in far off lands and adventures with the Green Grabber. They find a fantastic new pet Skip a glow bug that can perform some amazing tricks.
Anders and the comet is the first in a series of junior novels by Gregory Mackay; the young reader can take inspiration from the three friends and use their imagination to create their own adventures with everyday objects. Why not try making a comic book, a cubby house or a gyrocopter?
Rhyllis Bignell
Themes Friendship, Holidays, Imagination.
Fair game by Dylan Alcott with Fiona Regan & Nahum Ziersch
The second book in the Dylan Alcott series does not disappoint. Dylan is driven to win; he loves to come first no matter what the competition. And the school sports carnival is coming up, and he is sure he will nail it on the day. The problem is nothing is going his way, his parents are interfering, he keeps losing on and off the field and then there is the party of the Year that is a complete disaster.
This is a story of a boy who is competitive and driven, who is pushing himself to win and in doing so is not being a good friend. But it is also a story about Dylan’s childhood experiences of being in a wheelchair, with a lot of humour and energy in each story. In Fair Game, Dylan must learn that sometimes winning isn’t the most important thing and sometimes being a good friend or working as a team can be more important.
I really enjoy these books as they give an insight into Dylan’s life with humour and honesty. Fair Game showed the struggle for “fairness” against wanting to fit in. There is also an aspect of being different and trying to show that you deserve your place in the team or on the field, but the story shows that there are different ways that this can happen. Dylan leans that believing in yourself, even when things are not going the way you hoped can be the best way of winning.
I really like these books and think they will appeal to any reader who enjoys a good story. The series would make a great read aloud but I think most readers will be independent readers who will enjoy the fast, fun and challenging world of Dylan and his friends. The illustrations really enhance the story and help to embed the real-life feel to the story.
An excellent read and one that I highly recommend to teachers and students.
Lothian Children's Books, 2026. ISBN: 9780734423801. (Age:13+) Very highly recommended.
Edward Heffernan and Nolan Li have a serious problem. They are sitting on the kerb under a streetlight with Police sirens bearing down on them. It’s a magnificent hook for a backstory of psychological drama recounted by the narrator for the next 350 pages.
Nolan Li is the friend Edward never wanted to have. Socially inept Nolan, the typical Nerd, drags Edward down by association – if only he could have higher status friends and be less targeted for the derision inherent in the toxic culture of elite educational institutions like Highview Grammar? Nolan couldn’t care less about social mores although he is mortified that he accidently smashed the nose of popular jock, James Crombie during a school softball game – worse, the points were never going to be counted for his sports house!
Inspired by his father's political successes and incensed by serious injury, James finds two unlikely accomplices to launch an underground student rights movement aka “Common Sense,” with the aim of dismantling the unfair competitive sports houses. Poster bombing the school with revolutionary rhetoric at night is one thing, but hacking email addresses to hit back at the school’s old boys is giving ‘Hefferlump’ and Nolan cold feet.
Nolan grasps Crombie’s agenda pretty quick and appeals to Edward to withdraw from the student revolution that had become James’ personal vendetta against the school and ‘Nackers’ the Assistant Principal in particular. But Edward is thriving on his secret association with James, which conveniently can’t be public or it will arouse suspicion that they’re heading the “Common Sense” student revolution, gaining followers by the declining dress standards.
The protagonist's essential insecurity is relatable as is the moral support of his mother, a doctor working long hours. Edward needs to make better choices, rising to the anti hero status of every coming of age story. Can he let go of his dreams for popularity, be loyal to his one real friend and take responsibility for his bad decisions?
Scott Woodard crafts a verbal time capsule of Highview Grammar's toxic culture including nuanced minor Year 9 characters navigating a time before toxic masculinity had been fully outed. Traditions and gender bias prevail and his messages resonate to call out the lingering vestiges that Australian institutions and communities are still grappling with. Poster Boys is an impressive debut and more of the same will earn Woodard a firm following with YA males who will enjoy a twisted plot line and copious self-depreciating humour.
Themes Coming of age, Bildungsroman, Friendship, School, Bullying, Toxic masculinity.
Deborah Robins
The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay by Charlie Archbold
Text Publishing, 2026. ISBN: 9781923058385. (Age:8+) Highly recommended.
The Sugarcane Kids and the Mystery at Angel Bay is the third book in The Sugarcane Kids series written by South Australian author Charlie Archbold. Her first two books, The Sugarcane Kids and The Red-Bottomed Boat and The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage, have been enjoyed by eight to ten year olds who love that feeling of freedom, adventure and outwitting the evil adults.
Andy, Eli, Fletch, Bernie, Harvey, and of course four-legged Washington, are back in full swing in this new release. They love riding their bikes and being outdoors but have noticed a few changes in the natural sea environment. Crocodiles where they are not meant to be, Port Jackson shark eggs too far north and their old mate, Jerry the grouper off his food and disappearing for days on end. It is enough to get the investigative juices of these youngsters flowing and they set off for Angel Bay to try to work out what is happening to Jerry. Alongside this, mysterious amounts of dead fish are piling up on Angel Bay beach which will be catastrophic for the protection order on this once pristine bay.
The local community rallies together to clean up Angel Bay but it happens again and again. There is something up and The Sugarcane Kids will get to the bottom if it. Even if it means not being quite truthful with the adults in their lives. They are suspicious about the Babushka Environmental Detectives, concerned about the proposed resort development on Angel Bay by the pushy and persistent Raymond Royce and do not trust Royce’s niece Goodey who has come to the Bay for basketball. Will the gang be able to follow the clues and use their detective talents in solving the threat to their beautiful North Queensland home environment?
This fast paced, action packed book is a delight for readers. It offers plenty of opportunities to discover fascinating facts about the natural world and its creatures, all while following a cast of likeable characters, their families and engaging storylines.
Themes Family, Friends, Far North Queensland, Adventure, Danger, Excitement, Suspicions, Investigative Skills, Humour, Facts, Environmental Issues.
Kathryn Beilby
Casey Keys and her powerful sneeze! by Meg Riley. Illus. by Garth Cochrane
Little Book Press, 2026. ISBN: 9781923141575. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
For young children familiar with allergies and sneezing, this debut picture book, Casey Keys And Her Powerful Sneeze, will offer some fun and familiar moments especially because Casey has the most powerful sneezes ever. As recipients of the Little Book Press Mentorship Program funded by the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation, both the author and illustrator have successfully collaborated to provide an engaging, colourful and brightly presented narrative.
The skilful rhyming text is vividly enhanced by striking illustrations that magnify both the intensity of Casey’s sneezes and the delightful chaos they unleash.
So many things the whole day through make Casey sneeze- ACHOO! ACHOO!
Suds and bubble in the bath… a pigeon feather on the path… a pinch of pepper on her lunch...
the scent of roses in a bunch.
Casey feels so heartbroken by all the mess her sneezing has caused that she decides to sail away on her own. Out on the open sea, she enjoys the freedom to sneeze as loudly and as often as she likes. But she cannot help missing her friends and family back home. How will they come together to help her finally learn to manage her sneezing problem?
This delightful tale is sure to delight early years readers with its humour, playfulness and gentle fun.
Somewhere You Can Dream by Janeen Brian & Hilary Jean Tapper
Allen & Unwin, 2026. ISBN: 9781761181764. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Many of us have treasured childhood memories of feeling comfortable and safe in places we called our own. Be it indoors or out, these were our special places where we could just be ourselves and dream of things to come. Much loved South Australian author Janeen Brian has captured that feeling with a gentle, lyrical picture book that will resonate with readers both young and old.
With stunning water colour illustrations in soft, atmospheric tones, Somewhere You Can Dream, will encourage shared discussion and reflection amongst young readers about their own experience of magical places they can escape to by themselves, or with others.
Do you love snuggling under covers or nestling in a chair or wriggling into tiny sites so you’re hardly there? Or maybe… you love sea and sky and clouds that are spread out and hills and valleys deep that give you room to shout!
This beautiful picture book would make a thoughtful gift for any occasion - birthdays, Christmas, or simply as a surprise for someone special. It is heartfelt storytelling with striking illustrations that creates a magical reading experience. A true visual delight to treasure and share.
