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How to Have the Best School Year Ever – Jess Sanders. Art by Andrea Onishi.
Simon & Schuster Publisher: Affirm Press November 2025 This one takes another tack altogether from the previous two reviews. This is intended for any child or class at the start of a new year and is, essentially, a primer in resilience, self-belief and growth mindset. All of that sounds quite serious and of course it…
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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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How to Go to Big School – Sarah Ayoub. Mimi Purnell.
Harper Collins Australia November 2025 I’m not familiar with the stats of other states but in Queensland there are now almost 12, 000 students being home-schooled. Between 2020 and 2024 there was almost a 164% increase in registrations. I knew the stats were escalating a few years ago when I was home-schooling The Kid myself.…
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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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Dreaming: Welcome to our Country- Adam Goodes/Ellie Laing. Illustrated by David Hardy.
Allen & Unwin September 2025 ISBN:9781761065095 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children To be honest, I know this series doesn’t need any talking up. The previous books and the enthusiasm with which they’ve been received speaks for them far more eloquently than I can. But just in case you’ve been incommunicado for some time, let…
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The Fishmonger and the Pastrychef- Sophie Masson. Cheryl Orsini.
Hardie Grant Australia November 2025 ISBN:9781761211225 Price:AU$24.99, NZ$27.99 Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing Just OH MY!! This is simply an absolutely beautiful treasure from every angle. Sophie Masson has brought the flavour of her family background and her upbringing in France to young readers in what is the most delicious sounding narrative ever. Not to be…
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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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Castle Crashing – Andrea Rowe. Hannah Sommerville.
Hardie Grant October 2025 ISBN:9781761214073 Price:AU$24.99, NZ$27.99 Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing It’s already beach time and soon it will be the holidays and there will be more time to spend with friends at the beach for many children. Riding on the wave of success of Jetty Jumping and Sunday Skating, comes the newest collaboration beween…
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The Peach King – Inga Simpson. Illustrated by Tannya Harricks.
Hachette Australia September 2025 Imprint: Lothian Children’s Books 9780734418517 | RRP $24.99 This is a striking book by all standards. Whether we were personally involved with the tragic infernos of 2019/2020 Black Summer, or not, it was still a disaster that concerned us all. I was on high alert at my cousin’s place in the Blue Mountains…
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