Rock the Boat, 2025. ISBN: 9780861549528. (Age:Grade 9-12) Highly recommended.
13 yr old Gwen is the protagonist of Jack Mackay’s debut novel, Gloam. Like the rest of her family including step-dad Henry, Roger aged 10 and the 6yr old twins, Hazel and Hester, the Oakworths have sold their home to pay for their late mother’s medical bills. They'd be destitute without inheriting Grandma Fenn’s old house on Gloam Island. That's where they’re headed to grieve and move forward.
But without Grandma Fenn the old house including ‘The Well’ and the ‘Rickety Den’ treehouse are derelict and spooky – they love all her antique collectibles but don’t quite remember so many painted eye amulets in every room. Henry and Gwen haven’t finished arguing about whether a babysitter should be necessary while he’s at work daily off-island, despite Gwen demonstrating capable and responsible care-giving throughout their mother’s long illness. In no time at all Esme Laverne arrives offering her services, which Henry accepts.
Gwen knows something is not quite right about the attractive new babysitter but her instinctive mistrust is dismissed by everyone in the family as an understandable defiance toward a ‘mother replacement’. It doesn’t take long for Esme to show her true colours to Gwen only; and the rest of the book sustains the tension, everyone else being enamoured by Esme. Esme is skilled at gaslighting and blaming Gwen to divert from the truth. Transcendental talking trees, cats and natural elements assist Gwen in convincing her clueless family about the evil which had prompted Grandma Fenn to fill her house with protective amulets.
First Gwen saves her own amulet when Esme insists they all be removed. With every new scare or tragedy in quick succession, will the captivating Gwen succeed in convincing her siblings and Henry that they are all in danger. The demon and the reanimated monsters drawn from the children’s dreams are spine-chilling to weaken them for consumation. Gloam can get pretty dark but it is also heart-warming. We are horrified but hopeful that Gwen’s family, individually or collectively, can confront their darkest fears with the courage to defeat evil. 256p.
Kelly’s novella begins with the sense of touch, the relaxed warmth of an arm across her body in the bed, the sense of safety and peace. Further on in the text, she considers the different meanings of ‘touched’, from gentle fondness to being a little crazy in the head. The craziness in the head is what her memoir explores, the panic attack that assailed her over a period of three days preparing for her graduation day, from her hairdresser appointment to the grasping of the valedictory parchment. All passed in a heightened state of anxiety, a fear from which she would have preferred to retreat.
Touched is a record of her thoughts and feelings across those three days, but it is more than a memoir. She interrogates the whole question of anxiety, what it is and where it comes from: the anxiety of deep-rooted trauma in a Jewish family, the anxiety of a parent’s fears, the anxiety of a child’s imagination, and the anxiety of not being deserving enough of the good things life brings. But above all she lets us in to her personal experience of the fishhooks that catch her, and the steps she takes to breathe through the moment and to continue on.
The novella is a memoir of Kelly’s personal truth. She takes us into her thoughts, her exploration of words and their meaning, the world of philosophical ideas, and the feelings that alternately overwhelm or sustain her. She is a person who has courageously and unhesitatingly become a kidney donor to her partner, but is stricken with nerves at the idea of a book launch or a graduation ceremony. Touched is not a self-help book, but it offers the opportunity to empathise and experience ‘compassionate understanding’.
Kim Kelly’s Touched is one of this year’s winners of the 20/40 Publishing Prize awarded by Finlay Lloyd. She was a previous winner in 2023 with Ladies’ rest and writing room a fictional account of two women each struggling in their own way, adrift in 1920’s Sydney post-war celebrations. It is an equally insightful description of inner turmoil.
Themes Anxiety, Panic, Love.
Helen Eddy
Peculiar parents by Stephanie Owen Reeder. Illus. by Ingrid Bartkowiak
National Library of Australia, 2025. ISBN: 9781922507822.
Each of us has parents that we regard as peculiar in some way, but on the whole they're all pretty much the same in the way they meet, mate and raise their offspring. While they might put on their best dress to catch the eye of a prospective partner, it's unlikely they change colour completely like the giant cuttlefish, play follow-the-leader and emit a strong smell like the echidna or, having attracted a mate, give birth to thousands or raise their offspring in mud nests and feed them vomit!!
But these are just some of the behaviours of the 60 birds, beasts and insects that inhabit Australia that are explored in this intriguing new book. Focusing on the parenting habits of creatures as different as the humpback whale to the spinifex hopping mouse, young readers learn about the diversity of picking a mate, making a home, having babies, finding food and looking after one another. as they seek to continue the species through generations. Using images that are artworks held by the National Library of Australia (which can all be then viewed online by following the instructions on p65) as well as portrait-style illustrations in watercolours that echo the landscape, Reeder offers an introductory insight into the unusual ways that these particular species have managed to adapt to their surroundings, situation and circumstances so they have been able to survive and thrive over the millennia.
As well, there are explanations of how the first European settlers viewed, described and portrayed these strange creatures and tools to help the young reader navigate the text including a glossary of peculiar words, an index of creatures by name as well as by the animal group they belong to, the various names given to animal babies, and where the reader can go to find out more, including access to teachers notes from the book's homepage on the NLA website. Both content and presentation have kept the intended audience firmly in mind.
Despite the doom-and-gloomers who declare that kids today don't read, the fact that publishers continue to invest books such as this, and that they remain successful demonstrates that our young ones are curious about and are interested in the real world around them and are very willing to read about it, particularly when it is written in such an accessible way as this one and accompanied by real-life illustrations that can lead them on all sorts of new investigations and adventures.
Maybe our parents aren't so weird after all!
Themes Animals - Australia, Animal behaviour.
Barbara Braxton
Waiters in elevators by Dylan and Amanda Shearsby
Little Hare, 2025. ISBN: 9781761213816. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
This wonderful creation will entice the imaginations of young readers as their eyes scan all the details of the elevator, exposed as each page is turned. The day’s work by Franz and Hanz, the waiters in the elevators at the Rigantoni Hotel is revealed as the facade is taken away to show the internal workings of the hotel. Readers will love seeing the way the two elevators work together each of the two hard working waiters having a part to play in the successful running of every day. From dealing with the grumpy concierge, a clock watching manager, to Lady Spongecake having her dog toiletted by one of the waiters, to playing the opening bars of Beethoven’s fifth to wake Professor Tiramisu and straightening the picture of Colonel Strudel, their days are long and hard. Not a smile, thank you or a kind word from anyone.
On their break they decide to write a letter of resignation despite their saving Lady Spongecake’s dog, Popcorn, for which again, no thanks were offered. The next day, mayhem erupts when the two do not appear for work. The concierge searches the kitchen and storeroom for the two men, and tries to accommodate the needs of his guests. But the phones keep ringing, people keep calling out for help, as the hotel’s guests are hopeless left to their own devices.
The concierge writes an abject letter of apology, and calls on Franz and Hanz, asking them to return to work, offering a small increase in pay. They arrive at work the next day, noticing some differences. The concierge smiles, the baron and the colonel ask them to stay for breakfast, and Professor Tiramisu plays his cello for the guests.
But most of all, Hanz and Franz see lots of smiles and hear many thank yous. Everything is running at it should.
The detailed illustrations showing the internal workings of the hotel and its elevators is fascinating and young readers, and others will enjoy looking at how things work.
The book itself is a different size from most, allowing the portrait of the hotel the whole page, making it easier for younger readers to see the workings of the hotel and its guests.
The story of the two waiters will encourage young readers to think about how others see them, and how saying thank you and being kind is a necessary part of their interaction with others.
Adam Cece’s The Locked Room is an engaging and adventurous book that features four teenagers who are trapped in an escape room. Sixteen-year-old Andy is locked in that room with three other students from school: the boy who had bullied him for the past year, the girl he has a crush on, and a girl who he has seen around school. The biggest question is whether they will be able to escape before choking gas is pumped into the rooms?
What I found especially interesting about the novel was how the teenagers had to work together despite their complicated relationships with each other. The escape room is designed with a complex sequence of red and green doors, and the characters must look for patterns and clues to survive. This forces them to communicate and rely on each other’s strengths, even if they did not trust one another at first. The story is told from a third-person perspective, focusing mainly on Andy.
One of the best things about this book is the suspense. Adam Cece creates a lot of tension, making you want to keep reading to find out what happens next. The puzzles in this book are creative and clever. The characters are different from each other, making it interesting to see how they grow and change throughout the book.
At times, the story could be a little hard to follow because there were so many twists, but I think this adds to the mystery and thrill. Overall, I would recommend The Locked Room to people who enjoy mysteries and puzzles.
Themes: Teamwork, Puzzle Solving, Trust and Deception, Isolation, Survival
Kiarra C. (Student)
Ariana Treasure: The Fundraiser by Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern. Illus. by Karen Erasmus
For junior primary children beginning to show more interest in reading early chapter books, this new series Ariana Treasure will provide an excellent stepping stone from classroom readers. With six novels in the series, there is an opportunity for children to become familiar with Ariana and The Treasure Chest – a thrift shop which her mother owns and manages.
In this sixth and final story The Fundraiser, Ariana is devastated when she learns her mum has to sell the Thrift Shop due to financial problems. Ariana does not take the situation lightly and is determined to do something to help save the shop. She speaks with her friends both young and old, and they work together to organise and hold a fundraiser. The community pitches in as well and the day is a success. However, at the end an unexpected disaster occurs. Will the thrift shop still need to be sold or is there a surprise in store for Ariana, her mum and their local community?
The vocabulary used in this book is accessible and provides repetition. The text is large and the sentences are simple and well-spaced. The idea of using a thrift shop as a setting will provide a unique experience for some readers or a familiar one for others who visit second hand shops.
Text Publishing, 2025. ISBN: 9781923058330. Recommended.
The Edge of Everything by Miranda Luby, is a young adult novel that I personally found extremely moving. It captures the rawness of grief while still offering hope, healing and possibility of new beginnings. Published in 2025, this book follows Lucy, who is a teenage girl whose life had been turned upside down by the sudden loss of her older brother, Charlie. A year later, she is still caught in the aftermath of her loss, trying to find her way around, and find a purpose again.
Everything changes when a rare, endangered bird, a plains-wanderer, collides with her bedroom window. Lucy takes this as a sign, and she becomes determined to save it. This decision leads her to a wildlife sanctuary, where she meets Ben, a boy whose kindness and love for the animals and plants begins to pull her out of her bubble of grief. As Lucy and Ben grow closer and spend more time together at the sanctuary, she is forced to face the cracks in her friendship, her strained relationship with her parents, and her own fear of moving forward without Charlie to help guide her.
One of the strengths of this novel is its honest depiction of grief. Luby avoids presenting grief as something simple or easily overcome, because let’s be honest, it never is. Instead, she shows how messy, frustrating and deeply personal it can be, and how sometimes, there’s no way to get over grief, only grow around it. Lucy’s impulsive actions and mood swings can be difficult to read about at times, but they also feel authentic for someone her age going through a pain so large. The symbolism of the plains-wanderer bird adds even more layers to the story, reflecting Lucy’s own feelings of fragility and survival, while reminding readers that caring for something else can be the first step in caring for ourselves.
The novel touches on powerful themes such as the ongoing nature of grief, the search for meaning and connection even in randomness, and the healing power of love. By tying Lucy’s personal healing journey to the conservation of an endangered bird, the story delivers more meaning then what meets the eye.
Overall, The Edge of Everything is a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel that balances sadness with moments of lightness, romance, and also more importantly hope. Miranda Luby’s story feels both authentic and comforting, leaving the readers with a message that while healing is not straightforward, it is always possible.
Themes: Grief and healing, Hope, Connection and love, Identity, Family
Winner of the Finlay Lloyd 2025 20/40 prize for fiction, Angus Gaunt’s novella enters the consciousness of a teenage girl just released from a concentration camp and enjoying for a while the freedom of walking in a forest. But those precious moments mean that she misses the gathering of survivors to board the train to take them to somewhere else. It means that her siblings, and the children she has cared for, are on their way to safety whilst she is left behind, alone, until the intrusion of an equally alone boy casting off his uniform of guard but still carrying a rifle.
It doesn’t matter which concentration camp Gaunt is writing about, it’s not a work of meticulously researched historical fiction, rather it is an intense immersion in the experience of someone who has suffered and is still suffering, struggling to find her way to that other life, that normal life that is lived somewhere else in the world. Anna is starving, her bones meet her skin, but her mind exerts itself to solve each problem, to find a plan, a way to go on. She constantly pushes through exhaustion, to take each step forward in the direction she hopes is the right one.
A comment from the 20/40 judging panel succinctly describes the Gaunt’s novella as carrying the reader on ‘a journey from victimhood to self-possession’. It is a minutely described experience that submerses the reader in Anna’s ordeal but builds confidence that she has the inner strength to succeed. It’s a beautifully focussed and descriptive story, quite different from the other prize-winning works.
The Finlay Lloyd 20/40 Publishing Prize offers a publishing opportunity for fiction and non-fiction prose works between 20,000 and 40,000 words. Submissions for 2026 are open 1 December 2025 – 31 January 2026.
Themes Survivor, Endurance, Resilience.
Helen Eddy
Where would you go? by Alison Lester & Jane Godwin
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761181573. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
The children of Yalingbu Yirramboi – The Royal Children's Hospital School worked with Alison Lester and Jane Godwin imagining where they would go, and this book of wonderful verses and illustrations is the result. Full of imaginative responses, the images done by the children are infectious, inviting the readers to imagine where they would go, and how they would illustrate their choice.
In four line stanzas, Lester introduces some of the children and their chosen place to go. So Ava dreams of her birthday, inviting all her friends to sing and dance, while Bon just wants sports land where he can kick a ball and play as many sports as he can. Candice wants to be in a place of treats, Ali wants to go into outer space, Max wants a world of books with stories that will stay with him wherever he goes. We also hear from Charlie, Zara, Pablo, Mira and Joe. The places they want to visit are amazing in their diversity, from the world of comics, to outer space, the Outback, so ‘many wild adventures, so many places to roam’, but the last line offers home as the best place to be.
The vibrant illustrations are most attractive, giving a myriad of detail for readers to decipher. Zara’s jungle, for example, has a wide range of animals, Bon’s sports land offers a diversity of sports for readers to recognise, and Ali’s view of outer space will have readers seeing lots of things they know from the world of space.
Pablo is at the fiesta, and his illustration shows a variety of the sorts of things which happen at a fiesta, celebrating many lands. And readers will love seeing all the places Mac finds his stories.
Each double page is largely made up with the illustration, done by the students with support from Jane Godwin and Alison Lester.
The verse and the illustrations help the readers to perhaps understand that these children are all in a hospital school and they may be limited in their ability to travel, but not limited in their imaginations.
This is a wonderful supporting picture book, supporting children away from home, supporting them in their endeavours to imagine, supporting the readers in their knowledge of children in different circumstances from their own, and all the time, supporting home as the best place to be.
Yalingbu Yirramboi – The Royal Children's Hospital School supports children in their learning. The staff liaise with the schools, ensuring the child keeps up with the work done at school. As many of the children are there for an extended period of time, the staff ensure they do not fall behind. Even those sent home to recuperate, but still unable to attend school, are given support from the hospital school. More can be found out about this hospital in Melbourne here.
One in a series of books helping children and grown-ups have meaningful discussions about social, emotional and mental wellbeing, It's OK to Say No is organised into questions and answers. Designed to dip in and out of and revisit relevant areas, it is a comprehensive look at asking for, giving and not giving permission. It explains what consent is and how to ask for it, how to say yes or no, how to show respect when doing things that affect others, and what to do when someone doesn't ask you for permission.
Colourful and inclusive illustrations mean that this book will make all children feel seen and it breaks content down into simple, easy to understand questions. Speech and thought bubbles also help with perspective taking and ways to express or put into words thoughts and feelings. It offers practical advice in the context of relatable situations that show children how to empower themselves, respect and understand the boundaries of others and how to recognise and act when things go wrong.
While simple, this is text-heavy and there is a lot to unpack. The meaningful scenarios make for great discussion starters or role-play starting points for a classroom or home environment. There is also a 'Notes for grown-ups' page at the back that has shown useful tips for encouraging self-respect and respect for others. Other titles in the series include How are you feeling today?, Will you be my friend? and What makes a family?
Themes Consent, Respect, Body boundaries.
Nicole Nelson
Rain on the rock by Jodi Toering. Illus. by Valerie Brumby
Rain on the Rock is a stunning celebration of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, as it details the effect upon the landscape brought by a little water. Beautifully illustrated by Valerie Brumby, drops of water cover pages from the title page, endpapers and many pages between, reminding the reader over and over about this phenomenon.
The rock stands out from its position on the plain, baking in the harsh desert sun. Animals live around its base, a few flowers and plants survive the harsh climate but when it rains, something amazing happens. The first few double pages show a parched environment, Uluru displaying its many colours, but clouds are forming. Behind the rock stunningly coloured with hues as the sun rises and sets, thunder can be heard. Lightning can be seen, small drops of rain fall, then it becomes louder and louder as the spots become steadier, building up the effects of a deluge. Birds spread their wings and dance along the branches, tadpoles appear in the streams because of the rain, frogs buried deep find their way to the surface.The rain stops but the earth smells sweet and pungent. And the water still cascades over the rock. The rain brings Uluru and Kata Tjuta bursting into life. Flowers appear, bush tucker plants arrive, and the plants and flowers around the base of the rock frame this magnificent rock.
Readers will love seeing the different seasons of the creek, its different colours, the life that lives around it, and all this is enhanced when the rain comes over its edges, forming waterfalls over its cliffs, bringing life to the desert, if only for a short while. This celebration of Uluru and Kata Tjuta is wonderful, showing the majesty of the rock as it sits in its landscape, weathered by time, water and the sun, but coming to life when the rain falls. One of Australia’s most outstanding of images, water cascading over the rock faces of this magnificent force of nature will grab the hearts of all readers.
Anangu words are used in the text supported by a glossary at the end of the book. Some of the words (eg Uluru) are well known while others may be new, but an opportunity exists to acquaint readers with old names for things in the outback, rather than the new, and with a pronunciation guide, some language may be learnt.
Themes Uluru, Rain, Seasons, Desert, Anangu.
Fran Knight
Libby’s footy adventures by Libby Birch & Robin Tatlow-Lord
Little Hare, 2025. ISBN: 9781761215445. (Age:3+) Recommended.
Libby loves playing sport. She is good at everything she tries: ducking, weaving, running, and tries a range of sports. Her best friend, Mia is excited that Friday is coming, because Friday is footy colours day and several members of the AFLW are going to be there. But this is one sport Libby feels uncomfortable about. She feels that she does not have the skills necessary for this sport. But when Mia lends her her special orange footy boots, Libby’s skills take off. She has her friends all around her encouraging her and showing her the skills she needs. Each of the ways the footy is held, thrown and kicked are shown, including some funny moments when the oddly shaped ball bounces away from the player.
At the end of the session, Libby feels much happier about her footy skills, and is congratulated by the AFLW players who noticed that Libby kept on trying. Mia tells Libby that she can keep her boots and Libby runs home to tell her parents about her terrific day. After that Libby joins a team and plays footy in the local area with her friends. As each Saturday progresses so do her skills, and she proudly kicks her first goal to win the match.
An entertaining story about one girl’s introduction to AFLW, Libby Birch stresses the need for practice and confidence as she develops her abilities in the game of football. An introduction by Libby on the first endpaper shows her stress on enjoyment and this is carried through with this story, that of enjoying yourselves with family and friends.
Bold illustrations by Robin Taylor-Lord reflect the skills and enjoyment of the game, of being involved, of being with family and friends. The illustrations are tinged with humour and show some of the skills needed for footy.
Themes Football, AFLW, Skills, Family, Humour.
Fran Knight
The hallmarked man by Robert Galbraith
Sphere, 2025. ISBN: 9781408723791. (Age:Adult)
The 8th book in the Cormoran Strike series is another huge tome of 897 pages, but once again I had to finish it to find out what happens to Strike and Robin’s relationship and to discover the outcome of the mystery that they were investigating. Cormoran Strike is asked to discover whether the body of the man found murdered in the vault of a silver shop is that of Decima Mullins’ boyfriend who has mysteriously disappeared. She is convinced that he would not have left her as he is the father of her newborn baby and believes that the police have made a mistake identifying the mutilated corpse as a convicted robber. And the silver delivered to the vault has disappeared. As Strike and Robin investigate the case, different threads appear making it more difficult to find the identity of the dead man. The silver shop specialises in Masonic silverware and is next to a Masonic Hall, and the corpse had Masonic markings on his body. Other men are missing and could be related to the silver theft and they are currently investigating other cases that absorb their work time. Robin’s boyfriend Ryan Murphy is keen to move their relationship along while Strike has developed a plan to tell her of his feelings.
The Hallmarked Man is not a straightforward crime story. It is complex and often difficult to follow. I found the mystery confusing, with many characters to remember in the silver vault case, especially as I had to keep in mind the plots of the secondary cases that the Agency was investigating. However I was glad I persisted, to find all the threads neatly tied together in a satisfactory conclusion. I also found Strike and Robin’s relationship frustrating to read. Strike’s procrastination about declaring his feelings and Robin’s refusal to examine her relationship with Murphy took a sizeable portion of the book, but it was what kept me reading to the end, and no doubt will have me picking up the next book in the series.
Fans of the series will be keen to read The hallmarked man and like me, won’t be able to resist the next in the series.
Look, See, Find Me written and illustrated by Sandra Severgnini, author of Dung Beetle on a Roll, is a glorious seek and find book with a difference. Brilliantly camouflaged in a variety of natural environments, a number of remarkable creatures are not so easy to spot at first glance. The colourful illustrations of each habitat are both subtle and beautifully presented, encouraging readers to search deeply for each hidden creature, clearly labelled with both its common name and scientific name. Throughout the book are questions asked in a clever rhyme that give further clues about where the various species live or what they may look like. For example, the Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) and the Denise’s pygmy seahorses (Hippocampus denise)
Among the coral where we dwell, our knobbly skin blends in well.
The front cover of this book is a visual treat with a number of camouflaged creatures carefully placed within the foliage. The front endpapers show empty magnifying glasses with the back endpapers showing each magnifying glass with a camouflaged creature that has been showcased in the book.
In the final pages is an opportunity to find out more about each creature as well as more information about camouflage plus a simple glossary. This book would be a wonderful gift for a young child and is perfect for a school or public library
Another book to add to the Christmas collection in a library, Mrs Claus celebrates all the work that Mrs Claus does to ensure that everything goes smoothly for Santa Claus as he takes out his sleigh and delivers presents.
The North Pole has a secret to each Christmas Eve's success. She's strong and smart and magic ... and she wears a bright red dress!
Travis Price’s memorable illustrations immediately bring Mrs Claus to life. She is drawn as a bright charming woman, with red lipstick and long hair, big eyes and eyelashes and small spectacles, always with a smile on her face. The jobs that she does are very important. She pins up a list on the wall to ensure that none are forgotten. They include make a naughty and nice list, clean & service the sleigh, make toys and other chores. Once Mrs Claus and elves and cute little mice think of all the cool toys to make, Mrs Claus starts her lessons in her elf school. Then she teaches the elves how to fly the sleigh, reads the letters to the North Pole and wraps all the presents. And finally, Santa and the elves prepare a special surprise for Mrs Claus on Christmas Day.
The narrative flows smoothly and would be good to read aloud while the illustrations complement the story, adding minute details like the tiny mice that children will delight in finding. The book is 'For the special people who make every Christmas magical. Especially our Mums!’ and children will be able to think about the work that their mothers and grandmothers might do to make Christmas a wonderful time.
This book could be a good contrast to the traditional Christmas stories featuring Santa Claus, giving children a glimpse of a vibrant, clever, organised and cheerful Mrs Claus. Teacher notes are available.
