Genius Squad by Catherine Jinks
12 March, 2008
Genius Squad is Catherine Jinks’ second novel featuring Cadel Piggot, the now-reformed title character of Evil Genius. Following the events of that story, Cadel is in foster care in the suburbs, bored, frustrated and bullied, as his complex legal situation is resolved.

The Brain Full of Holes by Martin Chatterton
12 March, 2008
The Brain Full of Holes by Martin Chatterton is an enjoyable absurdist adventure. Picking up the story after the events of The Brain Finds A Leg, Sheldon and The Brain are now living in Switzerland and some very unswiss oddities are occurring.

At Seventeen by Celeste Walters
12 March, 2008
Celeste Walters has built a reputation for writing novels that challenge our perceptions and understanding of teenage life and the effect institutions have on our society. In her new novel At Seventeen we see the world through the eyes of Catherine as she enters boarding school for her final two years while her parents move to Spain.

White Crane: Samurai Kids Book 1 by Sandy Fussell
12 March, 2008
White Crane is the first book in a new series, ‘Samurai Kids’, by Sandy Fussell. In it, we are introduced to a unique school (ryu) for young samurai.

Nathan Nuttboard Upstaged by Anthony Eaton
12 March, 2008
Nathan Nuttboard, surfer, loyal friend, and likeable lad returns for a third time in his new book Nathan Nuttboard: Upstaged from celebrated author Anthony Eaton. When Sally-Anne Anderson, the most popular girl in Year Seven, dumps Nathan in front of his mates he’s confused.

Escape by Sea by L S Lawrence
12 March, 2008
Escape by Sea is the new historical novel from L S Lawrence, author of Eagle of the East. Sara lives in Carthage, a city of the northern coast of Africa, and an enemy of the newly rising power, Rome.

Audrey of the Outback by Christine Harris
12 March, 2008
Audrey lives in the sandy scrubby outback, with her mother, two brothers, and an imaginary friend named Stumpy. Her dad is away most of the time, riding camels and selling dingo scalps to the government.

When Henry Caught Imaginitis by Nick Bland
12 March, 2008
Henry is an overly methodical boy, preferring sums and order to playing or daydreaming. Luckily, he catches a fortuitous case of ‘Imaginitis’, a condition where silly thoughts invade one’s head in a random manner and beg to be acted on.

Lofty’s Mission by Krista Bell
12 March, 2008
Harley has bred Lofty to be a champion racing pigeon, but the army needs strong pigeons to help them win the war. Krista Bell’s heart-warming story of a pigeon sent to join the army and be trained as a messenger pigeon is based on true events during the Second World War.

Hide and Seek by Irini Savvides & Owen Swan
12 March, 2008
A beautifully balanced colour palette of red, mint green and sepia adds a wistful, slightly nostalgic flavour to this book, marrying nicely with the poignancy of the text as a little boy searches to rediscover his connection to his dead grandfather.

The Firefighters by Sue Whiting
12 March, 2008
Opening with a lovely celebration of imaginative play, The Firefighters follows a group of small children deeply involved in a pretend game of rushing to put out a shop fire. Vivid and highly effective pictures and text successfully communicate the energy and excitement of the game.

Dancing With Grandma by Rosemary Mastnak
12 March, 2008
Spare on words but strong on pictures, this delightful picture book for young readers is full of life, joy and warmth, and has obviously been a labour of love.

Columbia Sneezes by Janeen Brian, illus. by Gabe Cunnett
12 March, 2008
Janeen Brian is an expert at rhyming text, which never sounds forced and is always fresh, lively and full of rhythm. She is also an expert on camels, having written the award-winning book Hoosh! Camels in Australia.

Collecting Colour by Kylie Dunstan
12 March, 2008
Rose and Olive are best friends. They live in the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. Collecting Colour depicts the girls as they accompany live’s (Indigenous) family on a special trip to collect pandanus leaves, which they then dye and weave into coloured baskets, mats and bags.

Goon Town by John Larkin
10 January, 2008
Goon Town follows the adventures of four unlikely friends as they uncover a unique way to get ahead on their school project. After several attempts at getting along and trying to start their project, Dermot, Jade, Leon and Paige stumble across a time machine invented by the mysterious Professor Snodgrass who has recently disappeared and is nowhere to be seen.

Guess What? by Mem Fox & Vivienne Goodman
10 January, 2008
This book was originally published in 1988. Since then, not only has Mem Fox become an Australian icon, but this has become a classic Australian picture book. While the market seems flooded with mediocre new picture books, it is commendable that some wonderful books are being republished for a whole new generation to enjoy.

I Love to Dance and I Love to Sing by Anna Walker
10 January, 2008
Ollie the zebra and his friend Fred, who is a dog, love to kick up their heels and dance in all sorts of places and in many different ways; whether it’s skipping through the autumn leaves or wriggling after a bath, their dancing is always with total enjoyment.

Mia by Greg McCroary
10 January, 2008
Mia is a dog who has enjoyed the company of her best friend Tommy for all the school holidays. One morning Tommy leaves on the school bus and Mia is alone at the bus stop, wondering where her playmate has gone.

Noodle Pie by Ruth Starke
10 January, 2008
Andy is an Australian of Vietnamese parentage and he and his dad go to Vietnam to meet all his relatives. What a cultural shock it is for this Aussie kid to meet them all. He thinks they are greedy and grasping.

Pharaoh by David Kennett
10 January, 2008
Pharaoh is a striking, innovatively composed, large nonfiction book for mid-primary to junior secondary. Its February publication makes it an excellent choice to promote to school libraries and classrooms, in particular. ‘Egyptophiles’ and other readers will be impressed by the author/illustrator’s representation of both the grandeur and intricacy of New Kingdom Egypt

Puffling by Margaret Wild, illus by Julie Vivas
10 January, 2008
Puffling tells the story of a plucky young puffin who dreams of the day he will be able to leave his nest high on the rocky cliff-face and venture out on his own. His affectionate parents, Big Stripy Beak and Long Black Feather, nourish and protect him, watching his progress attentively for when he is ‘strong enough and tall enough and brave enough’ to be allowed to make the journey to the outside world.

Sunny Side Up by Marion Roberts
10 January, 2008
Sunny lives very happily with her mum and her dog Willow in suburban Melbourne and spends time at weekends with Dad and his new wife. She and best friend Claud operate a Wood Fired Pizza delivery business on Friday nights called Pizza-a-go-girl and her life is pretty good.

Twenty Two Truly Twisted Tales by Terry Spring
1 January, 2008
Not everyone gets their reading pleasure lost in a novel and for those readers wanting something on the shorter side, Twenty Two Truly Twisted Tales is the ideal solution.

Blood Ties: book One of the Castings Trilogy by Pamela Freeman
19 December, 2007
Pamela Freeman has made her name as a children’s
author; Blood Ties marks her entry into adult epic
fantasy. And it is epic, in its themes (necromancy,
revenge, heritage) and in its expanse across time and
space.

Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly and Gravy by Michael Rosen and Quentin Blake
6 December, 2007
Fun, nonsense, the spooky and the scary, rhymes and zany, wonderful illustrations. What more could a 5-7-year-old want? Well, a CD to listen to in the car, perhaps. All this is here one aptly named package.