The prologue to Judy Nunn’s Pilbara reveals the secret at the heart of the book. Charles Burton the young widower with three children sent from his English family estate to the Pilbara to restore his family’s fortunes, is in fact Charlotte, an independent-minded young woman in disguise. This is in the 1880’s but it is not as far-fetched as readers might initially surmise. Charlotte herself names three famous examples of fearless women disguised as men, Hannah Snell, Deborah Sampson, and Sarah Edmonds, and there are others of that period whose disguise had not yet been discovered. But where credibility is stretched, is that none of the difficulties inherent in such subterfuge are given attention in Nunn’s book. In the first section, Charlotte’s early life is simply given the pronoun ‘she’; in the next section, about life as Charles, the pronoun ‘he’ takes over and is so convincing it is hard to remember sometimes that he is supposed to be a woman disguised. The children relate to Charles as their father. Nunn’s focus is not so much the identity switch, as much as the actual story, the adventures of making a life in the rugged environment of a sheep and cattle station between Roebourne and the little port town of Cossack in Western Australia.
Nunn revels most in the characters of the outback, and the lawlessness that abounds, with situations that are almost farcical such as when Charles has to preside over court proceedings against young miscreants. His decisions actually flout any English sense of the law, but allow for his kindness and common sense to prevail. This is also apparent in his relationship with the Aboriginal housekeeper Nina, and the young boy Alwyn. But while there is sympathy for the dispossessed Indigenous people the prevailing view of the time is to see them as lesser, unreliable, and a threat.
More attention is given to the status of women in the 1800’s. Security for a woman is marriage or in the case of the courtesan Eleanor, it is ensuring the patronage of a wealthy man. While Eleanor’s pursuit of Charlotte’s father William is viewed by his daughter as self-seeking manipulation, Nunn also makes the reader aware that there aren’t many options for a woman not born into the gentry. Charlotte herself is only able to do the things she wants by undertaking her own education, and then becoming a man. It is only the next generation, Charlotte’s daughter Victoria who dares to assert herself as a woman running a property in her own right.
Judy Nunn’s experience as an actor shows in her work. It’s a story with a great plot and interesting characters. Some of the conversations read like a script ready to be brought to life on stage or in film. And her enthusiasm for Australian history also shines through, revealing the harsh world of pioneering outback settlements. All in all, it makes for a rewarding and entertaining read.
Themes Women, Independence, Determination, Australian history, Outback.
Keshe Chow’s latest book has an interesting premise. Like her previous novel The girl with no reflection, she again explores the idea of parallel worlds. This time, it is the afterworld. In her note to the reader she says the inspiration lay in the Chinese word ‘jian’ meaning ‘ghost of a ghost’. Could a ghost die? Could a ghost die more than once? The illustration inside the front of the book shows The Living Realm and The Death Realm, the latter having many levels deeper and deeper into darkness. The heroine of the story, Jia Yi finds herself discovering the different levels of the afterlife when she is stabbed by an enemy’s sword.
The twist is that Jia Yi discovers her secret power, only now revealed in death. Her community thought she was an ‘Empty’ without any special power, unlike the rest of them, each of whom had a unique magical ability. Now Jia Yi discovers she has the power of resurrection. She can come back to life, but each time afterwards, when she dies she enters a deeper level of the Death Realm. It may be that she will eventually descend so deep there will be no return.
For no mortal creature shares some commonalities with the science-fiction film Inception with its depiction of different levels of dream world. There are also strains of Wuthering Heights, with the intense relationship between Jia Yi and her wild orphaned childhood friend Lin recalling the passionate relationship of Catherine and Heathcliffe. In this novel there is also the triangular pull of love interest between Lin, Jia Yi, and the noble Prince Essien, though I find this a bit confusing as to how it was going to resolve.
Readers who enjoy romantic fantasy will most likely enjoy Keshe Chow’s novel with its intriguing thread of Chinese mythology, the swirl of emotions of love, grief, and betrayal, and the feisty heroine with her passion and determination to protect her people against ruthless conquerors.
Themes Fantasy, Romance, Chinese mythology, Death, Ghosts, Magic.
Helen Eddy
Castle crashing by Andrea Rowe and Hannah Sommerville
Little Hare, 2025. ISBN: 9781761214073. (Age:3+) Recommended.
A delightful book about children on holiday at the beach becomes a warm recollection for many adults and children alike of family time spent at the seaside. Five kids on the cover are having the most fun, building up a sandcastle, then pulling it down, working together with buckets and spades, buckets and trolleys. They are all in beach clothes and hats against the sun, with a lighthouse in the background and a warm looking sea breaking waves on the shore. It is o reminiscent of summer in Australia, where thousands go to stay in shacks and other seaside accommodation, transplanting their families for a period of time, time full of doing things not done at home.
Bonnie calls her friends to the beach. Matilda begins to dig out a trench while Milla builds rooms with shells, Clancy is digging a hole and Clementine is making windows with shells and broken coral.
But Bonnie wants one huge castle to be built in a place she wants it to be, a clubhouse for them all. She tries hard to get them to listen and work together, but they go on with their own castles.
Bonnie becomes very frustrated and marches off alone. She follows a trail into the dunes, and soon she is very much alone. There are no other children or their sandcastles. She sits and counts to ten, cooling down, thinking mess-ups can be mended. She hears familiar noises from her friends as they rush towards her, hugging her to them. She whispers I’m sorry, and the group returns to the castles, together, and together they dance across the sand, pushing some over. Tomorrow is another day.
This lovely tale reflects the emotions felt by younger readers. Bonnie’s need for her friends to do what she wants, falls on deaf ears, and it takes some time by herself to work herself out of her temper.The others come to find her and all of them have learnt some positive ways of behaving with their friends.
Bonnie learns to calm down, apologising to the others for trying to order them all into doing something she wanted. Her friends are patient and understanding with Bonnie, waiting for her to calm down.
Illustrator, Hannah Sommerville, has created beautiful scenes against which the events are played out. The warmth of the beach is reflected in the illustrations, the gritty sand, the waves in the background and the friends on the beach building sandcastles will readily remind children of times they have spent at the beach, and look at the way the illustrator shows us Bonnie and how she behaves when thwarted. Amongst all the fascinating images portrayed, I love the unregimented shacks with a track leading to the beach, and I love the images of Bonnie as she calms down in the dunes. Readers will love this book, showing both sides of an argument, modelling how to resolve differences of opinion amongst friends.
Themes Patience, Beach, Summer, Friendship.
Fran Knight
Little cloud by Heidi McKinnon
Little Hare, 2025. ISBN: 9781761215810. (Age:1-3)
This board book for young children new to books, is a sturdy addition to a child’s library. The little cloud wanders through the sky, in sunny, rainy, windy and thundery times, each making the cloud a little uneasy, until it returns home to where it is loved, safe and sound.
Each double page shows the cloud in a different weather event. One is the sun, shining brightly, and next the cloud moves to where it is raining as the cloud goes up into the sky. Then thunder occurs, frightening the little cloud, followed by strong winds which buffet the little cloud across the dark blue sky. Here the cloud is a long way from home, and weeps tears, falling as rain.
The pages reveal to softer blues as the little cloud finds its way back to the sun and the clouds it belongs to.
The warmth of the sun is reinforced by the warmth of the parent clouds as they all snuggle together at the end of the ebook. The book goes from soft, light blue pages to heavier, more ominous dark blues of the thunder and lightning, wind and rain. Children will be happy when the little cloud comes back home, having learnt a few new words about the weather outside.
Raszewski’s fascinating book challenges the idea of what a novel should be. It is exactly the work of ‘shifting sands’ that young Lydia, the key protagonist, wants to create, in defiance of her mentor Leonora’s assertion that a book must follow a certain formula. Raszewski turns that all on its head, and the resulting novel is a mixture of fiction, memoir, memory, and snippets of information gleaned haphazardly as Lydia grows up. Lydia is enthralled by the woman next door, Leonora, the lesbian, the artist, the lover of literature, but she will never admit to such a thing. Lydia is the sullen unresponsive child, observer of her mother’s relationship with the amazing Leonora, but never willing to admit any encroachment on her own sense of identity, never willing to accept any advances of friendship or influence.
It is no surprise to the reader that Lydia is not the inheritor of Leonora’s house. There are intimations that her brother is more deserving of that beneficence, but perhaps the gift of the writing desk, books and walnut sideboard to Lydia is the special encouragement that she needs because those things become the inspiration for a major art installation that draws together all the threads of memory and relationships, a cathartic interpretation of the mysteries of the actors in her childhood world.
Raszewski’s book is one of shifting identities: Leonora was previously Isobel, sometimes Theresa; and her friend was Doreen, or maybe Miriam or Tanya. People changed names, changed relationships, and while observers may try to put the fragments of identity together they can never frame the finite person. That is how life is. There is no omniscient narrator.
Crimson light, polished wood is an intriguing work, deserving of more than one reading. It reveals the intricacies of relationships, of how one can never truly know another person, but how the influence of others can have an enduring impact. And if you are seasoned book lover, there are many references to past literature to enjoy.
Little Hare, 2025. ISBN: 9781761217661. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
The listless shape draped over a pile of cushions will speak to many readers as they have all had a time when they just have nothing to do. Rita is so bored that she cannot read or write or draw. She is so bored she does not feel hungry something she can usually do with ease. She jumps to and fro in front of ht mirror in case something appears to ease her boredom, her brother thinks she is wild as she yawns through her boredom.
She wonders what other bored people in the world do. She imagines them all getting on a bus and like Rita are full of yawns. But their yawns make them swell up like balloons and they float out of the bus into the sky. As some of the yawns leak out they fall onto an island, Bored Island. Here they found things to do, one woman creates a sculpture, several people form a band while one young man turns his yawn into a yodel, attracting the attention of a passing whale. One person plays I Spy and finds several new galaxies. Others try out new things, and when Mum calls Rita down for dinner, Rita yells back that she is far too busy.
This wonderful story will engage readers as they recognise that they too have times when thye feel a little bored, and like Rita become so involved with something, that they are absorbed, bored no longer.
Self taught illustrator, Felicita is Italian, living and working in Rome. Her books have won awards around the globe for their whimsical and funny look at childhood. She comes at themes from a different perspective, one which involves children from the start, as they recognise a situation they have all experienced. With boredom, there is no adult telling her to snap out of it, or make suggestions which are not pleasurable, but Felicita leaves Rita to her own devices, using her imagination to develop a world of interest and fascination.
I love the front cover - how often have we felt just like Rita, listless, disinterested and bored. And the image of the bored people floating above the bus, settling down on Bored Island, where they all use their imaginations to fill their time is hilarious.
This is a wonderful book full of fun and off beat humour, sure to tickle the funny bones of all readers, bored or not, as they ponder how they fill their time.
Themes Boredom, Imagination, Activity.
Fran Knight
Audrey skips by Andrea Rowe. Illus. by Lisa Coutts
Well known award-winning Australian picture book author Andrea Rowe has once again written an engaging narrative that will provide younger to middle grade readers with an opportunity to learn about a small but telling part of Melbourne’s rooftop history. Written in a mixture of rhyme and non-rhyming verse, this expressive and imaginative tale brings to life the story of Melbourne’s first animated neon sign, the Skipping Girl, a timeless treasured landmark that turns 90 in 2026.
First erected in 1936, the neon sign advertised the Skipping Girl Vinegar brand. Over a number of years, the sign has been moved and undergone numerous renovations. The original rhyme "salt, vinegar, mustard, pepper, if I dare..." connected vinegar and a skipping girl and is cleverly used throughout the picture book.
This story is predominantly set in the 1930’s and history tells us that many in Melbourne were facing the effects of The Great Depression. Audrey skips across the sky bringing light and joy in the darkest of times. When the sign no longer functions, darkness adds to people’s despair. However, with a dedicated community effort the sign is eventually repaired and Audrey’s light shines brightly once more.
Lisa Coutts has brilliantly illustrated Audrey’s journey across the skies beginning with the front endpapers showing Audrey skipping across the night sky and with the final endpapers showing Audrey in the brightness of early morning. Careful use of muted tones adds to the atmosphere of the time and setting including the night sky and the troubled time of living through the Depression.
The skilful use of descriptive language, onomatopoeia, a variety of short and long phrases, considered text placement as well as alliteration – ‘frilled, feet fast-flashing’ create a powerful and thoughtful story. Audrey Skips is a deeply moving narrative that will open up opportunities for extended discussion as well as providing valuable literacy/language learning experiences.
Yes, No, Maybe by Ursula Dubosarsky. Illus. by Andrew Joyner
Liitle Book Press, 2025. ISBN: 9781923141261. (Age:3-8) Highly recommended.
Yes, No, Maybe is a wonderful interactive picture book to share with young readers. It is brightly illustrated and full of humour with quirky questions and answers. The clever introduction before the title page introduces a curious Guinea Pig wandering around wondering about all manner of things. She sees a signpost directing her to a Tree That Knows Everything and so the narrative begins.
Guinea Pig asks Tree all sorts of questions including:
· Can cows count? · Can spiders make their own clothes? · Will the sun ever go out? · Do robots get hungry? · Can you sit on a cloud? · Are clowns funny?
Before Tree provides a Yes, No or Maybe, readers have the chance to call out what they think. This provides a fabulous opportunity for lively discussion amongst children who may not always agree with each other. Tree’s immediate response is either Yes, No or Maybe but also thoughtfully responds with further information. Andrew Joyner’s brilliant full page colourful illustrations show expressive characters and are full of movement. The endpapers are a standout as is the busy, fun cover.
Yes, No, Maybe is a book that will be enjoyed by children and adults of all ages. A perfect addition to a school or public library.
Themes Questions/Answers, Humour, Curiosity, Guessing, Guinea Pig, Tree of Knowledge.
When a wealthy man, J P Mullick, is found murdered in the Burning Ghats of Calcutta, Captain Sam Wyndham finds that a pretty face can influence him still, especially the charms of a Hollywood star, now surprisingly in India to make a film. When Sam finds that the film’s backer is the murdered man, things begin to happen. The more he delves, the more he uncovers the truth about this man, not the philanthropist people admired but a ruthless user of women. Sam is assigned to investigate the murder, despite being on the outer within the police force, and he is joined by his former sergeant, Surendranath Banerjee, recently returned from a three year stint in Europe. Suren has grudgingly asked Sam for help in finding his missing cousin, a photographer who has set up her own business specialising in photographing women. In return Sam asks for his help with his case, and an uneasy partnership is undertaken. Fascinatingly the two crimes come together, Suren’s cousin being blackmailed by Mullick, and when his deputy is also killed, the facts don’t seem to point in any one direction.
Sam knows he has been given this case because the victim is Indian, and in 1920’s Calcutta, racism is not unsurpising.
This is an amazing read, the characters of Wyndham and Bannerjee are filled out, their relationships with women given more attention. Sam is still smarting after his break-up with Miss Grant and Suren has left behind a broken heart in Paris, the reason he was summonsed home by his father.
Prejudice can be found on every page, with Suren assuming the white woman in the mayor’s house is a secretary, not his wife, or the film star keeping a secret which could ruin her, the deference given to the English administration officers, and the classes in the railway carriage, all woven into the fabric of the book.
The sixth in the series, 1920’s India is brought into every readers’ imaginations, as Sam and Suren navigate the back streets of Calcutta and are cautiously non committal about their own relationships, both with women and with each other. A captivating audiobook.
Themes Murder, Crime, India, Blackmail, Racism.
Fran Knight
Harper Wells Renegade Timeline Officer by Bethany Loveridge
Harper Wells (Harrie) is a twelve-year-old girl whose mother disappeared without trace from her job as a scientist in an Australian museum. Over the 6 years since her disappearance Harrie’s father has grieved and been unbearably protective of her. Her elder brother teases her mercilessly. At last Harrie gets to have her own bedroom and buys a second-hand bed from an op shop. The bed, made of rare Wollemi pine, has fantastic powers, and she finds herself transported back to various times. On the first of these trips, she meets Edith Cowan, an important Australian social reformer. Harrie is recruited to be a time traveller and takes over the role of the previous owner of the bed, Officer 42. In her training she learns her role is to make sure that past events stick to the script. However, there are insidious characters who are trying to mess with this history and it is difficult to tell who is genuinely helpful.
Bethany Loveridge uses time travelling as a device to educate readers about different eras in Australian history. She also casts a light on the beauty of the natural environment. There is a lot happening in this adventure and many thought-provoking details. For example, how one of the characters describes the concept of time as being non-linear. Given some of the complexities it is ideal for confident middle years readers, particularly those who like a touch of fantasy. Harper Wells has similarities to Playing Beatie Bow or Kate Gordon’s novel, Whalesong. Harrie is a likeable character with her good moral compass and resilience. This story is the first of a trilogy and you are led to hope that Harrie somehow finds her mother. No doubt she will have many exciting experiences time travelling in Australia’s past.
Themes Time travel, Mystery, Australian history, Resilience.
Logan has created a gorgeous little dragon lantern to carry in the Big Lantern Festival to celebrate the Lunar New Year. However, when he tries to leave his home, the little dragon is frightened of the dark and does not want to go. Logan also feels a bit scared but gathers his courage and takes the little dragon by the hand and goes firstly to the end of the street. There they see… ‘twinkling lights shimmered above their heads as flying fish swam through a river in the sky…’
They hear the sound of drums, so Logan suggests they walk a bit further and step by step they go carefully. They find leaping and twirling lion dancers full of energy. On they slowly go and see fireworks in the distance. They stop at the bridge and watch rockets whizzing and fountains fizzing. All the while the tightness of little dragon’s grip on Logan’s hand is gradually lessening. They enjoy sweet rice dumplings and then walk towards the moon where children are releasing their lanterns into the sky. Would Logan be able to let little dragon go?
Much of this richly expressive narrative is set against a night sky with vibrant illustrations that are colourful and appealing. The illustrator has cleverly created vignettes that float between every second or third page and draw the eye to Logan and the little dragon.
Logan's Lantern is a wonderful picture book to share with children when the Lunar New Year celebrations begin.
Themes Luna New Year, Friendship, Courage, Dragons, Celebrations, Lantern Festival.
Kathryn Beilby
Rory Sparkes and the elephant in the room by Hugh Bonneville
Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room, by Hugh Bonneville, is a lively novel bursting with heart, humour and just the right amount of chaos. Set in England, this fast-paced story follows Rory Sparkes, a boy with big emotions, bold dreams and an unwavering desire to run away and join the circus. Life at home isn’t always easy - his older sister knows exactly how to annoy him, maths isn’t his favourite subject and Rory’s fiery temper and wild ideas can often land him in trouble. Yet beneath it all, Rory has a genuinely good heart that readers will be drawn to.
When Evie, a girl from the circus, arrives at Rory’s school with her elephant, the ordinary rhythms of normal life are thrown completely off balance. What follows is a whirlwind of misunderstandings, mishaps and mayhem that escalate quickly - and often hilariously.
The story moves at speed, hopping between a wide cast of characters. While this quick-paced, character-rich structure can feel busy at first, patient readers will certainly be rewarded as each character’s role becomes clear. The story is cleverly woven together, as humour and heart are intertwined with the reinforcement of connection and understanding.
Bonneville’s writing style is packed with pizazz and punch and draws similarity to the work of David Walliams. The comedy is bold and accessible, but beneath the laughter lies a thoughtful exploration of kindness, teamwork, forgiveness and self-belief. Rory’s journey shows that life doesn’t come from having all the answers, but from learning to understand and appreciate others - and yourself.
Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room would make an excellent read-aloud for a middle primary classroom. The exciting storyline, colourful characters and rapid pace invite dramatic reading opportunities, with shared laughter and thought-provoking discussion points. An adventurous story with heartfelt sincerity that is ultimately uplifting; this novel would make a rewarding read that delivers both entertainment and meaningful life lessons.
Humour and heart - this story has a bit of everything.
“I’m not too sure about ghosts”, Mum said, “but I do believe that places can hold the stories of those who have been there before.” p215
A Light on the Rocks is a middle grade novel set in two different centuries that delves into a true event which took place in South Australia in 1859 when the passenger steamer SS Admella, travelling from Adelaide to Melbourne, struck a reef near Cape Banks off the coast of Carpenter Rocks located near Mount Gambier. Many passengers did not survive.
Main character Daisy, a particularly likeable character, is passionate about botany, but suffers from insecurities, especially about the journey her family is taking on the Admella. Through the terrible hardships experienced on the shipwrecked boat, Daisy proves to have the fortitude to survive the ordeal.
One hundred years later in 1959, Max and his sister Rosemary are preparing to stay at the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse with their dad, who is one of the lighthouse keepers. Max is a sensitive boy, in tune with nature and animals, and is often the target of bullies at school. Max struggles to read and is taunted relentlessly for this. Being at the lighthouse is a place of tranquillity and a safe haven for Max and it is there that he first connects with the ghostly images of Jupiter, a racehorse that drowned in 1859, and a young deckhand who also lost his life. After an accident leaving his father hurt, Max has to trust in his ability to keep the lighthouse functioning and with support from Rosemary and the ghosts from the past, Max learns to believe in himself.
The main characters in this narrative are children who exhibit all the attributes of their age, often with some of their own quirky and individual traits, but who show extreme courage under pressure.
Author Helen Edwards has once again used her incredible skill in meticulous research to provide young primary school age readers with an absorbing adventure where fact and fiction are cleverly woven through the pages. The stories of the SS Admella and the Lighthouse at Cape Jaffa are ones that may not be familiar to adult readers either but are certainly worthy of further research. The use of short paragraphs and personal thoughts in italics add to the readability of the text, especially for those children who struggle with large chunks of words.
A thoroughly engaging read that would make an excellent class novel for Year 4/5 students.
Here, Bear and everywhere by Damian Balassone. Illus. by Jess Racklyeft
Little Book Press, 2025. ISBN: 9781923141261. (Age:0-5) Recommended.
Here, Bear and Everywhere is a delightful humorous board book that will be a welcome addition to libraries for our littlest learners. Written in simple rhyming text using words that rhyme with ‘bear’ including such bears as Underwear bear, Scare Bear, It’s-not-fair bear, Square bear, Mare bear, this book will be enjoyed as a shared text between an older reader and young child. The engaging and colourful illustrations are in trademark Jess Racklyeft style with each individual bear showing an expressive face in a variety of different scenarios. There is an opportunity for talking about rhyming and different spellings of the ‘air’ sound as well as looking at the feelings expressed on many of the bears’ faces.
Themes Board Book, Bears, Humour, Rhyme.
Kathryn Beilby
A particularly nasty case by Adam Kay
Hachette, 2025. ISBN: 9781398704411. (Age:Adult)
With A particularly nasty case, comedian Adam Kay launches into a riotous opening rich in smart repartee and ludicrous situations. It’s a full-on assault, setting the tone for the book. First of all, Eitan Rose is in a phone box trying, and failing, to report a double murder, and then with a switch back in time we read about his foray into Purgatory, a gay nightclub come orgy, where he ends up half naked performing CPR on a passed-out participant. This is his life. He is actually a doctor, good at his job, but clearly struggling with chaotic thinking and erratic impulses. It is this behaviour that makes his friends and colleagues question his mental health, and doubt his whole murder investigation. Only his new boyfriend Cole seems to be on his side.
Part Two switches to Coles’ viewpoint, and the writing is completely different, more straightforward and sensible. It is only then that the reader realises that until this point they have been inhabiting the perspective of someone with bipolar disorder and a drug addiction. But while Eitan may be manic, it doesn’t necessarily follow that the murders are a wild figment of his overworked imagination. And just how reliable is Cole anyway, the side-kick that always seems to let him down?
Adam Kay’s book obviously sets out to be a laugh a minute. But it also has a serious side; the stigma attached to mental health; how once a person has mental health issues on their work record, all their subsequent behaviour is viewed within that framework and their professionalism is undermined. Despite his personal failings, Eitan shines as an empathetic doctor who relates well to his patients. But working within the National Health System, he constantly battles to have his concerns taken seriously.
If you are a reader that can handle the often crude dialogue, Kay’s combination of crazy humour and murder mystery could make for enjoyable holiday reading.
