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What Do You Call Your Dad? (Ashleigh Barton, illus Martina Heiduczek, ABC Books)
Released July 2024
What Do You Call Your Dad? is a love letter to fathers by writer Ashleigh Barton (Freddie Spector, Fact Collector: Space Cadet) and illustrator Martina Heiduczek (Spies in the Sky), the... Read more
Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra (Cassy Polimeni, illus Hykie Breeze, UWAP)
Released July 2024
Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra by Cassy Polimeni (The Garden at the End of the World) is a beautifully written junior fiction story exploring themes of animal conservation, friendship... Read more
The Book Star (Bec Nanayakkara, illus Joanna Bartel, Affirm)
Released July 2024
The Book Star is a fun and engaging story about the importance of being yourself and following your interests. Centred around Book Week, this picture book offers a relatable situation... Read more
Leaf Letters (Lorena Carrington, Christmas Press)
Released July 2024
Nine-year-old Hazel Bird loves to explore her local area and collect little treasures. When her baby sister is born, she can no longer bring home ‘choke-ables’ and is gifted an... Read more
Return to Sender (Lauren Draper, Macmillan)
Released July 2024
A historical letter-writing mystery and searching for the missing ‘Adder Stone’ are two of the many compelling story arcs in this highly engaging, fast-paced contemporary YA novel. Brodie McKellon (‘The... Read more
Raymaŋgirrbuy dhäwu, When I was a little girl (Kylie Gatjawarrawuy Mununggurr, Magabala)
Released July 2024
This beautiful book is written in dual languages: Dhuwal, also known as Djambarrpuyŋu (widely understood in north-east Arnhem Land), and English. The artworks/illustrations by author Kylie Gatjawarrawuy Mununggurr depict family... Read more
Wild About Book Week (Sarah Speedie, illus Kruti Desai, Larrikin House)
Released July 2024
Wild About Book Week is a meta-tale of sorts, which celebrates what has become an annual tradition for many families: dressing up for Book Week. The protagonist, a pigtailed child,... Read more
Spiro (Anna McGregor, Scribble)
Released July 2024
Spiro is a humorous new picture book by Anna McGregor, the multi-award-winning creator of Anemone Is Not the Enemy. The protagonist is Spiro, a determined little spider on a mission to catch... Read more
Always Was, Always Will Be (Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson, Magabala)
Released June 2024
Always Was, Always Will Be is set to be an indispensable resource for young people looking to understand First Nations resistance in Australia. Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson, whose collaboration began... Read more
Brock the Croc (Adrian Beck, illus Dean Rankine, Larrikin House)
Released June 2024
Brock the Croc is a humorous early chapter book for kids aged 7+ who have recently become comfortable with independent reading. Brock is the only crocodile in the swamp, and... Read more
Freddie Spector, Fact Collector: Space Cadet (Ashleigh Barton, illus Peter Cheong, Lothian)
Released July 2024
Freddie Spector, Fact Collector: Space Cadet is the first instalment in this funny, fact-filled junior fiction series, ideal for ages 7 to 10. Freddie is a wacky, confident eight-year-old boy who... Read more
Father of the Lost Boys: The Mecak Ajang Alaak story (Yuot A Alaak, Fremantle)
Released June 2024
In Father of the Lost Boys, former child refugee Yuot A Alaak immortalises the hero who rescued 20,000 boys from the brink of death—his father, Mecak Ajang Alaak. Affectionately embraced as... Read more
Liar’s Test (Ambelin Kwaymullina, Text)
Released June 2024
The latest YA novel from Palyku author Ambelin Kwaymullina is a high-action, thematically rich fantasy with a gutsy, intuitive protagonist who must become a good liar to survive in the... Read more
Hide & Seek Beautiful (Nicki Esler Gill, illus Jedda Robaard, Scholastic)
Released June 2024
Hide & Seek Beautiful by Nicki Esler Gill explores a tender and heart-warming story of friendship and the little things in life. Best friends since birth, Annie and Boo find... Read more
The Real Cowgirl (Isabelle Duff, illus Susannah Crispe, EK Books)
Released June 2024
The Real Cowgirl tells the story of young Sal, who wants to be a ‘real’ cowgirl, ‘with boots and a hat just like Dad’s’, but doesn’t yet have confidence in... Read more
The Very Polite Knight (Ian Smith, Affirm)
Released June 2024
Finn is not like other knights in the kingdom. While Boris, Ethel and Walter are busy with scaring, fighting and stealing, Finn prefers gardening and reading. He is quiet, kind... Read more
Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat (Li Chen, Penguin)
Released June 2024
From the creator of the beloved ExtraOrdinary Comics, Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat is the debut graphic novel from Aotearoa New Zealand comic artist Li Chen. For... Read more
Queen of Dogs (Joe Weatherstone, Walker)
Released June 2024
Eleven-year-old Maddy feels like she doesn’t fit in at school or at home with her sporty family. She’d rather be hanging out with her dog, Gusto. When Gusto disappears, Maddy... Read more
Good Hair (Yvonne Sewankambo, illus Freda Chiu, Walker)
Released June 2024
Good Hair is a sweet picture book all about celebrating diversity—through hair. When Birungi is reluctant to go to school after struggling to do her hair, she declares she hates... Read more
Lights Out, Little Dragon (Debra Tidball, illus Rae Tan, HarperCollins)
Released June 2024
Lights Out, Little Dragon is an interactive bedtime book for toddlers aged 3+ and their caregivers, with a cute and relatable character that is just too busy to go to... Read more
