When I saw the names of these two wonderful writers, Katrina Nannestad and Freya Blackwood, on the joyful cover of A song for the king, I knew I would read a wonderful story that was likely to win awards. This is a retelling of the traditional nativity story told from the viewpoint of three animals who have a song in their hearts. Netta, a little donkey, loves to loudly sing Joy! Joy! Joy! Esther is a sheep who bleats Love! Love! Love! And Uzi the camel likes to rumble Peace! Peace! Peace! The three unite, their songs reverberating in towns and meadows. They believe they are brilliant but the townspeople’s opinion is different and they are sent to market, the songs in their hearts silenced. Netta’s new home is with Joseph and Mary, and she is the one to carry Mary to Bethlehem, where they stay in a stable. Her voice slips out, Joy! Joy! Joy! when a baby boy is born. A sheep bleats Love! Love! Love! when the shepherds come to see the children, and the wise men’s camel joins in, Peace! Peace! Peace! The trio are united in their song.
This is a heart-warming story that will gladden the hearts of those who read it or listen to it. I loved how the narrative vividly described what was happening with the animals and how enthusiastic they are about singing and how despondent they are when they are taken to market. Blackwood’s soft water colour illustrations complement the text. The three baby animals are the focus of the story and I loved their expressions, the enjoyment they had in singing and working together. The illustrations also brought the countryside, the people and the markets to life, while adding depth with tiny details like chickens flying and a gorgeous little cat curled up on the stable.
The message of the words joy, love and peace is an important one not only for the festive season but also for troubled times.
A song for the king is a stunning example of how two creative people can collaborate to share this message, while producing a wonderful read aloud, feel-good story with delightful illustrations. Highly recommended.
Text Publishing, 2025. ISBN: 9781923058613. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
Intense, disturbing. Benbecula is a fictionalised account of a true crime committed on the Outer Hebrides island in 1857. Angus MacPhee bludgeoned to death his mother and father and his aunt who lived with them. Malcolm, his older brother, recounts his memory of events, now alone in the ‘Murder House’ following the departure of his other two siblings, Marion and John.
Malcolm’s description of his brother Angus’s childhood, his impulsive and uncontrollable behaviour, makes one wonder how he would be regarded today, perhaps ADHD, perhaps autistic. But his behaviour while annoying seems harmless enough, until the day he returns from working with shoemaker MacPherson. Malcolm himself had not liked working for MacPherson and had sent Angus in his place. When Angus returns he is in a violent temper, and struggling wildly. His behaviour becomes mad and unpredictable.
It is a strange family, the parents old and disinterested, and the siblings Marion and John simple and reclusive. At least that is how Malcolm describes them, but as we read on it becomes increasingly apparent that Malcolm is not a reliable narrator. His thoughts reveal him to be perhaps as callous as Angus, in the way he sabotages Marion’s hopes of marriage, and the way he disparages John. The only difference is that unlike Angus, Malcolm is secretive and disguises his impulses. He senses that he is not Angus’s opposite but his mirror image. And as his writing progresses it seems he is increasingly haunted and losing a grip on reality.
In his Afterword, Burnet’s research of the archival records reveals that there was little that could be done for a person like Angus. He is deemed to be insane. The only option is to keep him physically restrained in a lunatic asylum. There is no treatment; signs that he is becoming dull and despondent over the years are seen as an improvement.
Reading Benbecula is an immersive experience, entering the impoverished closed world of Malcolm’s family, following his thoughts and sensing his mental decline. It’s a time and place that doesn’t allow him any escape, though his sister and younger brother manage to set out for another life. For Angus and for Malcolm, there is only what they know, and sadly no positive outcome. Their story raises many questions about how to best care for people with mental health issues.
Stone Town is a small country town, with a history of past gold finds, but is now the centre to a terrible murder. Three teenagers have stumbled across a body in the bushland and Senior Sergeant Mark Ariti, in charge of the local police station, is called in to investigate the crime. The victim is Aidan Sleeth, a property developer who had been causing angst in the local community by buying up land to build a housing development. Two homicide detectives are brought in from the city to investigate while also looking at the disappearance of Detective Sergeant Natalie Whitsted, a young detective who had been investigating the dangerous Scopelliti crime family. As the investigation gathers momentum, evidence shows that the two crimes may be linked and Mark finds himself in the middle of a case that involves gangs, corruption, undercover police and the local community.
Stone Town is another riveting read in the rural noir genre. There are many twists and turns that keep the reader glued to the page. It is told in the third person from Mark’s point of view as he uses his knowledge of the local area to join the dots connecting the two cases. Natalie’s story, which is told in alternate chapters, will keep the reader totally involved in her plight, hoping that the police will find her whereabouts. Secondary characters, especially the local women who work tirelessly for the community, are vividly portrayed as Mark interviews people who knew Sleeth. And the bush adds a brooding atmosphere of danger, with its watching eyes, strange men looking for rare birds and mine shafts to trap the unwary.
Although Stone Town sees the return of Senior Sergeant Mark Ariti, who first appeared in Cutter’s End, it is easy to read it as a stand-alone, Hickey giving enough depth to her characters that the reader feels comfortable reading about them. Fans of Jane Harper, Garry Disher and Chris Hammer are likely to enjoy Hickey’s books, which include Ill wind and Creeper, the winner of the Ned Kelly Award 2025.
Themes Murder, Thriller, Rural noir.
Pat Pledger
Kawaii Koala: Beach Babies by Michi Mochi
Pan Macmillan, 2025. ISBN: 9781761773969. (Age:2+)
Two colouring books in this series, Beach babies and Candy pop are offered to the younger readers who loves colouring in. And some older people may like to use them as well.
Each book contains 40 single page illustrations to colour with the added bonus of learning a few things along the way. Beach babies shows the sorts of things they can do at the beach, by themselves or with friends, as a range of beach related activities are there to be coloured in. Pages of fun filled things can be seen: the family in a caravan at a beach shack, tons of balls and ball games, surf boards, beach umbrellas, sailboats and picnics. Each page brings a different aspect of a holiday at the beach to life and kids will love colouring them in, and look for the Australian animals on the pages. A relaxing way to spend some time, perhaps with a meditative aspect for older people with a coloured pencil in their hands.
Lots of pinks, purples and pastels will cover these pages as they are coloured in, and kids will love naming them and the things they contain. Older people with a coloured pencil will find colouring in meditative.
Michi Mochi ís a Melbourne based designer and illustrator with a deep fondness for anything Japanese resulting in 12 books about that country.
Themes Colouring in book.
Fran Knight
The Maskeys by Stuart Everly-Wilson
Transit Lounge, 2025. ISBN: 9781923023420. (Age:Adult, young adult)
In the small town of Naples, “the air perfumed with incense and weed”, there is a pattern to life as the girls in the park watch their children and distribute drugs from their prams. Outside the Potters Gallery, where Hilda Maskey sells her mosaic creations, dealers sit on the bench in the sunshine where information is exchanged and fortunes can be told by Serenade Theodora, the town’s glamorous mystic. Then of course there is the pub and club for more alcohol, drugs and information exchange for “in small towns words take hold faster than flames” p5. Flames there have been, as Eric Lunarzewski’s newly built house on Gayle Reynolds’ land near the Maskey family property has recently burned down for a second time. It is widely believed that drug lord, George Maskey is responsible, and the assumption does nothing to harm his reputation as a hard man even though he is crippled, the result of a motor bike accident. Service station proprietor Gayle Reynolds, Eric’s lover, is searching for news of her son Duncan who stole drug money from the Maskeys and she is sure they are responsible for his disappearance. At the centre of it all is Rodney; weasel, runt, neglected child of a dead addict mother, working for the Maskeys, growing their dope and living in the forest. Self-sufficient Rodney, reader of library books, friend of Duncan, is so much part of the town’s fabric that he is overlooked and underestimated.
Naples is a microcosm of grief, love, loyalty, power, influence and salvation. The townspeople get on with life, trusting no one. The complex characters are flawed, George, “not much of a farmer, fell into dealing”. Hilda, “everyone expected a lot of me, but I never let myself become a junkie”, people who have lost their way, acting to survive, facing the consequences of the lives they have carved out for themselves.
The shifting timeline and perspectives are masterfully managed with humour and compassion as the author cleverly withholds details, trickle-feeding morsels that make sense of characters’ decisions and relationships. I thought the ending was rather too neatly wrapped up, maybe because I was more interested in the excellent storytelling and not ready to give it up.
Themes Family, Drug use, Small town life.
Sue Speck
Whatever The Weather, We're In This Together by Jessica Braithwaite and Rebecca Ralfe. Illus. by Laura Bee
Albert Street Books, 2025. ISBN: 9781761182297. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Channel Nine weather presenter, songwriter and parent Jessica Braithwaite has teamed with Rebecca Ralfe, a Cairns-based children’s book author and anthropologist to create a wonderful rhyming story about our Australian seasons. With detailed vibrant illustrations by NZ illustrator Laura Bee, this engaging story showcases all facets of our seasonal weather.
The bright and colourful cover and clever endpapers that capture two different seasons in the same location, are the perfect introduction to a delightful narrative about the weather and how families enjoy their time together.
I love your smile when the sun shines bright, when magpies sing in the morning light. I love your hug when thunder rumbles, clouds roll in and raindrops tumble.
The accessible text creatively flows across the double pages and reflects the weather of the day with emphasis on some key words. For example, the windy words WHOOSH across the page, the thunder R U M B L E S, the Lightning splits the sky in two.
The repetition of the words 'Whatever the weather, we’re in this together' encourages early word recognition and reinforces the connectedness of family.
The CBCA Book Week theme for 2026 is Symphony of Stories and Whatever The Weather, We're In This Together has an accompanying ballad that you can listen to on Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube, or most other music streaming services. Youtube clip: Whatever The Weather, We're In This Together
This is a positive and heartwarming read that will appeal to early years children both at home and school. With Seasons being an important topic in both early learning centres and schools, Whatever The Weather, We're In This Together will be a valuable resource to have on hand.
This gorgeous picture book shares a simple yet engaging story about a last canoe made by Bapa, the author’s grandfather. Bapa takes his family on what will be their last canoe journey before his three daughters leave to attend school in the city. It is a long journey for them to connect with Country and create memories for the future.
The narrative begins with Bapa making a large canoe out of the Kapok tree that will be big enough to fit the family of five. During the journey, the family sing songs, fish, listen to stories and take in the stunning country that surrounds them. They visit their extended family and camp, cook periwinkles over the campfire and listen to Bapa tell stories under the stars. Travelling some more the family spends months together before the three girls must go to a new school far away. Bapa symbolically sets the canoe free and the family know that changes are ahead for them.
The vibrant illustrations are bold in colour and perfectly reflect the gentle telling of the story. The use of repetitive text is an important part of early years reading and the placement of the words and at times how they move across the page helps to reinforce meaning and understanding. A delight book for schools and public libraries.
Nature books full of unique animals and plants from land, sea and sky are very popular with children. When the information and images are divided into colourful sections, the interest is piqued even more. The Colours of Nature is a striking non-fiction book that will be sure to engage a new audience.
With a handy contents page at the beginning, the first chapter looks at how the colours living things see are formed using a clever diagram to enable understanding. The following chapters are broken into colours with an array of creatures and plants, clearly labelled with some accessible facts to read and share. On a double page spread after each colour is discussed, further information is given about specific aspects of nature. For example, mentioned on one of the green pages is information about algal bloom and how it poisons huge number of sea life - very relevant for South Australian readers in 2025. In the pink section is information about the Boto, freshwater dolphins of the Amazon River who are born grey but turn pink as they grow. These dolphins are endangered due to the poisonous metal mercury used by gold mines polluting the freshwater. Throughout the book are fascinating facts about colours such as blue being one of nature’s most mysterious colours and that orange used to be known as yellow-red and the word ‘orange’ was first used to describe a fruit before it was used as a colour word.
This book is both a fascinating and interesting read, using colourful and vibrant images to complement the informative text. It must be noted that the Australian koala mentioned on the grey colour pages is incorrectly labelled as a koala bear. The author does however mention in the information below the koala’s image that it is not a bear but a marsupial.
Although 15th in the publication order in the Penric and Desdemona series, Testimony of Mute Things is a novella in which Lois McMaster Bujold takes Learned Penric and his demon Desdemona back to a time when he was young. The most recent book in the series that I had read was Adventure of the demonic ox where Penric was happily married with children who were asserting their independence, so it took me a few pages to adjust to picturing a young Penric, supporting the Princess-Archdivine Llewen of Martensbridge, who is adjudicating a dispute in the border town of Occo. When Penric discovers that a woman’s death is suspicious, he and Des are determined to find the murderer and uncover the strange circumstances leading to her death.
The world building is wonderful as Bujold brings to life the complexity of trying to arbitrate peace settlements and petty jealousies between Temple hierarchies. As always Penric and Desdemona’s characters are fascinating and the mystery that they set out to solve is one that mystery lovers will enjoy.
Although Testimony of Mute Things can be read as a stand-alone, readers new to the series will want to read Penric’s demon, the first book, and no doubt will continue with others in the series.
Dreaming by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing. Illus. by David Hardy
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761065095. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
The fifth book in the series, Welcome to our country sees a young girl seeing back in time to the early Dreaming where the rainbow serpent is building the land on which we live.
The whole series is designed to inform children, parents and educators, to include them in the story, to help them appreciate the history and stories of Aboriginal people. Muda is the Adnyamathanha word for the cycle of life, the past, present and future. And Adam Goodes uses this word in his story.
The book explores Indigenous cultures using a child’s voice. The young girl tells us that at night when she is dreaming, she looks back over many generations to the time when the land is being moulded, rivers created, grassy plains made for the animals to graze. Forests were made for the birds and honey ants, and possums.
Muda is not just in the past, but is here and now, not just now but into the future, with stories shared between generations.
In her Muda law men came down to teach about the country. They showed people how to use the landscape, where to find water, giving rules for people to behave, and they are still there, watching that we know what is right and what is wrong.
In her Muda she sees her place in the family, she sees a future where her stories are passed on as a guide for those still to come.
The young girl sums up the story:
“In my Muda, the Ancestors are never far, and I can see how I fit and who I am”.
This is a joyful, inviting story, showing how dreaming fits into this girl’s life, and how it has been passed down to her, and how her stories will pass it on to the future. The past, present and future is not just for this child, however, but for everyone, Indigenous and non indigenous, old and young.
The bright inviting illustrations show a modern family, living in the suburbs, going to the beach surrounded by high rise apartments, but still solidly linked to the land, with wonderful full page illustrations of the desert landscape, and the night sky, the mountains and Wilpena Pound.
The publication's page has an explanation of the word, dreaming, and how it is used in this story. And the 17 pages of teacher’s notes on the website, offers lots of ideas for using this book in the classroom.
An inviting introduction and reading of the book can be seen here.
Crocodiles do not like the toilet by Ali Rutstein & Niña Nill
Bright Light, 2025. ISBN: 9781761213960. (Age:3+)
Manu is off to day care when Dad reminds him to use the toilet when he is there. He tells Dad that he does so much that he forgets. Dad tells him that even crocodiles must stop what they are doing and use the loo, as he kisses Manu’s snout and gets a friendly flick of its tail. At day care the children shuffle aside to let Manu and his tail into their circle.
Mrs Kevat asks the class to eat their fruit, then go to the toilet and wash their hands. She offers to help Manu take off his tail, but he declines, happy just to wash his hands. That done he rushes to the sandpit to join the dinosaur battle. He does feel a little squirmy, but is too engrossed in his game to do anything about it. He plays with Maya and has a little accident. Mrs Kevat helps him change into some dry clothes, and when Manu goes back the game it is over. He plays after lunch, swinging his tail with the music. He feels squirmy again and realises that he does not want to miss out any games if Mrs Kavet had to change him again. So he asks Ravi to hold his tail while he goes to the toilet.
All is well, because when he gets back the game is still going and he joins in. He has learnt that going to the toilet does not mean missing out with his friends. This is another in the series, Personal Problems, targeting things which children may find difficult to talk about. The series includes, stories about riding a bike, having a bath and going to day care.
Each is brightly illustrated by Nina Nill, showing children involved in a range of activities with their friends. Plenty of colour and movement will attract the readers who will recognise lots of things they know well.
And Manu’s crocodile costume will encourage young readers to make one themselves.
Themes Crocodiles, Toilet, Day care.
Fran Knight
Handbooks for Little Humans: Compassion by Zanni Louise. Illus. by Kim Drane
Compassion is imagining how someone else feels and wanting to help them.
This simple yet powerful sentence sums up this delightful first book in a new series for young children. With the title Handbooks for Little Humans, this first smallish picture book about compassion is an easy to follow resource to guide both adults and children in engaging in meaningful conversations about things that are important in daily life.
Beginning with examples of what compassion might be and then flowing onto what does compassion feel like, the accompanying vibrant illustrations, diagrams and graphic-style images will help reinforce the ideas being discussed. It is important to note that the feeling of compassion can be different from one person to the next.
Ideas for discussion and examples are given throughout the book that young readers will be able to relate to. These include walking around in someone’s shoes, how to show compassion, as well as asking for help from a trusted grown-up. There is valuable insight about self-compassion that is gently shared plus an opportunity to reflect on what has been learnt about compassion.
Early years educators and parents will find this book about compassion a valuable tool that will support emotional literacy both in the classroom and at home. The second book in the series Handbooks for Little Humans: Confidence is due out late November 2025. Two further books in the series will be released in 2026: Handbooks for Little Humans: Integrity and Handbooks for Little Humans: Inclusion.
A fabulous resource for home, school and public libraries.
In this intriguing and puzzling book children with different skills and talents follow the style of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot to piece together clues and solve big and small mysteries. Using a combination of story telling and logic puzzles and mazes, we follow their deductions as they solve five separate cases.
This is a book for kids who love solving puzzles. There is usually a short narrative introduction to a problem-solving activity page, with several puzzles for each case. The need to use a pencil to fill in the details on the puzzle pages perhaps precludes this book from finding an easy home on library shelves (too many young readers would find it hard to prevent themselves from leaving their mark). But this would make a wonderful gift for the logical reader who finds joy in solving a mystery or puzzle. The Agatha Christie connection has the sanctioned approval of Agatha Christie Ltd, and there is a brief biography of the well-known mystery writer at the end of the book (after the solutions to the logic puzzles). Kids aged 9-11 (with a little tenacity and logic-enthusiasm) will enjoy the challenge of this book. The reading demands are not high, but the logic puzzles can be stretching, but not impossible for this age group.
Turbo Turtle is fourth book in Gregg Dreise’s series Scales and Tails which includes Fast Fish, Super Snake and Lethal Lizards. This vibrantly illustrated and engaging new release cleverly shares a tale of how a fast impatient lizard became a slow moving turtle.
After hatching from its shell, a lizard explores its environment searching for his parents. Taken by an eagle, he struggles to get free and loses his tail in the process. Falling to the ground he is saved by Clever Man – Biamme, who vows to look after the lizard he names Warrabah until he can find his family. Biamme and Warrabah travel the land looking for his family with Biamme using his magic to allow Warrabah to be turbo-charged in search. But Biamme stresses to Warrabah that he must obey the Elders from different places and ask permission to hunt and be on their Country during his journey.
Initially Warrabah did as he was asked but his impatience led to the Elders of each Country meeting with Biamme and demanding that Warrabah is punished for not respecting the Lore. Biamme protects Warrabah with his magic and as the spears of the Elders are thrown, he changes into a turtle and is forever to live in the water.
Turbo Turtle is a fascinating story with an important lesson to be learnt about facing the consequences after making a mistake. The expressive and detailed illustrations in true Gregg Dreise style are simply stunning and the illuminating lime green used on the cover is a standout.
Teacher notes are available on the Magabala website.
Themes First Nations Culture, Belonging, Permission, Country, Respect, Traditions, Consequences.
The front cover introduces us to the main character in this story, one very cross cat who does not like Christmas: his eyes glare out at the reader, the ears are flat, the whiskers making a cross over his face.
Cat likes to feel comfortable and safe, but one time he does not feel happy with life is Christmas. He does not like the decorations, he hates the silly presents, the sticky food, the noisy visitors who come to stay, especially when they move into his special places. He tries to tell his family, but they don’t take any notice, just shove him out into the cold wet snow after he pulls down the Christmas tree.
He yowls at the moon from a high branch in the tree, and the clouds part. He loves looking at the moon and the stars, and is happy with the world, but as the clouds move together again, it begins to rain, leaving him wet and bedraggled. He walks past the leftover presents, the remains of the feast, the baubles and bunting, to go back inside. He jumps onto a lap and is wonderfully received. The girl asks him where he has been. It is not Christmas without Cat, she says, offering him his present. Christmas has changed, and he loves his new favourite place, getting the attention he wanted.
A charming story of a turnaround as Cat hates Christmas, but when he is included in the gift giving, his attitude changes.
Kids will love reading about the trappings of Christmas, seeing what Cat’s house looks like at this time of the year, comparing it with their own. The illustrations are wonderful, giving a clear idea of how Cat feels with the simple change in his eyes, whiskers or ears, adding lots of laughs to the reading of this story. I loved the dachshund with his snowman outfit, the favourite green chair being taken over by the dog, and the places where Cat causes minor disasters, and over all the wonderful surly looking Cat, daring us to open his book.
A great read aloud, the story is a marvellous look at Christmas from the animals’ point of view.
