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This is an Elf – Beck & Matt Stanton
Harper Collins Australia August 2025 Earlier this year I reviewed the 10th anniversary edition of This is a Ball and just as that one and many other Stanton bursts of hysterical humour have entertained kids (and adults) over the past decade, so too will this one. Kids LOVE proving you wrong. And they especially love…
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Holiday Helper – Kristin Haynes. Art by Anna Thompson
Published by Kristin Haynes December 2025 It’s never any fun feeling left out and just as kiddos very often want to be part of the action and ‘help’, so does Hendrix want to be involved in the family Xmas preparations. But, nobody seems to want or need him. Mum is busy with lists and lights,…
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Just a Dog (new edition): Michael Gerard Bauer
Scholastic Australia November 2025 9781761127816 $15.99 Xmas gift for middle grade kiddos It’s been a while – 2011, we first met Mister Mosely and since then his award-winning fame has travelled the world, and it was a joy to re-visit his gentle nature, his quirky adventures, and his family. We know how much the kiddos…
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Bluey: Bartlebee’s First Christmas
Penguin Australia So in the tiny board book Hooray Presents! we saw Bluey get a mini Heeler toy. Meet Bartlebee! Bluey is enchanted with this new friend and hurls him straight into all the family Christmas shenanigans including Classic Catches in the pool and being licked ‘hello’ by Socks. Bartlebee is baffled to say the…
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Mrs Claus – Renee Price. Illustrated by Travis Price.
Simon & Schuster Publisher: Affirm Press August 2025 This is another I’ve been sitting on since August but it’s worth the wait. I wish you could see how shiny the cover is because that’s just completely gorgeous. Aside from that the first thing that struck is me that glorious mid-century vibe about the illustrations –…
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An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating – Cecilia Edward
Simon & Schuster November 2025 It absolutely is not a Christmas themed book but it would make a great gift for a YA/NA reader in your circle because aside from anything else, it’s SO pretty! Look at those sprayed page edges!! But it is also a nice light rom-com read AND there’s plenty of cats!…
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How to Train Your Teacher- Bethany Walker. Sophie Kent.
Scholastic Australia December 2025 Imprint: Scholastic UK ISBN: 9781761727023 ISBN-10: 1761727028 RRP: $19.95 This is loads of fun and gives Smalls a humorous viewpoint on being at school, as it explains from the kiddos’ perspective how a teacher works and what to expect. It’s a completely different approach to a ‘new to school’ book. Whether it’s helping…
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Picture Book Month Bonus: Frances Bloom – Katrina Nannestad. Illustrated by Marina Zlatanova.
Harper Collins October 2025 Earlier this year I was not only excited to find out that Katrina had a new series on the way but was invited to write notes to support this first Frances Bloom and what fun it was! Anyone, young or old, who has loved Pippi Longstocking will fall in love with…
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Picture Book Month Bonus: The Cockatoo Crew #1 and #2 – Lora Inak. Illustrations by Kruti Desai.
UWA Publishing RRP: $15.99 This is a brilliant new JF series that all kids will eagerly engage with and enjoy. The whole is set in Cockatoo Hill English Language School and casts a group of eight culturally diverse, enthusiastic and delightful refugee kids as main characters. Despite their differences in experiences, cultural backgrounds, language and…
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