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Pankration – Dyan Blacklock
Allen & Unwin ISBN:9781864482959 Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $17.99 I was never a big fan of the Olympics but became completely disenchanted following the selection of Beijing as a host, for so many reasons- and now, for just as many the fact that Brisbane will host them and cause endless misery to so many…
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The Last Bookwanderer: Pages & Co #6 – Anna James. Illustrations by Marco Guadolupi.
Harper Collins Australia March 2024 Synchronicity has been a theme in my life the last few weeks and reading this was no exception. I started reading it two nights ago, the same day I started listening to David Mitchell’s Unruly on audio in the car. I’d enjoyed one of the early chapters in which DM,…
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Lani and the Universe – Victoria Carless
Harper Collins Australia January 2024 I really enjoyed Victoria’s earlier book, Gus and the Starlight, so the invitation to write teaching notes for this new one was a great pleasure, and, of course, gave me a very early read of another fresh, funny and poignant MG novel. It’s been patiently awaiting review time for a…
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Picture Book Month Bonus #8: Courageous Kids and their Amazing Adventures – Stephanie Owen Reeder. Illustrations by Liz Duthie.
NLA Publishing November 2023 ISBN: 9781922507624 RRP: $19.99 Contents: • Brave Bee and the Castaway Kids• Will the Wonderkid and the Elusive Treasure• Amazing Grace and the Sinking Ship• Lennie the Legend and the Remarkable Ride• Marvellous Miss May and the Wondrous Circus• Clever Quong Tart and the New Gold Mountain• Valiant Jane and the…
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Foxlight – Katya Balen
Bloomsbury Australia October 2023 ISBN 9781526640437 Imprint Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $16.99 Katya Balen rapidly became one of my favourite authors after reading her debut novel, and I have loved every word in her first three novels, each of these so fresh and original (see my reviews: The Space We’re In , October October, The…
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The Perilous Promotion of Trilby Moffat: Book 2 – Kate Temple
Hachette July 2023 9780734420923 | RRP $16.99 | Imprint: Lothian Books I was getting a little worried I wasn’t going to get this one to review, and I have been waiting patiently for it since the day I finished the first one, but yayyyyyyy!! – thank you Hachette – for getting it to me (on Friday and…
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The Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue – Jodie McCleod/Eloise Short
Wollemi Press July 2023 ISBN: 9780646874708 RRP: $26.99 Confidence can be a frail commodity for many of us, but, perhaps, particularly for little people. And, as a result, it is easy to imbue a particular object with special qualities that make us feel braver, stronger and smarter – whether professional golfer with a lucky tee…
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Khawaja – Words by Paul Kelly. Illustrations by Avinash Weerasekera
Penguin Australia July 2023 I’d be pretty certain that when Uzzy was growing up and dreaming of being a Test cricketer, he didn’t ever imagine he’d be the subject of either a song or a children’s book, but here he is – one of our most inspirational players in a long time, and a role…
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Leeva at Last – Sara Pennypacker. Illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Harper Collins Australia RRP: $16.99 This is another fabulous Sara Pennypacker MG novel, but straight up I’m going to say it’s nothing like Pax nor Here in the Real World, which thus far have been my favourites. It is however, a wonderfully absurdist look at values, relationships/friendships, risk, trust, responsibility, but above – and how…
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