It’s hard not to wonder, with the visual riot and chaos of cooking pancakes in this fabulous book, whether there have been spies in my household for years... Sautrday is Pancake Day is a gorgeous, messy and delectable (I use that word loosely) rendition of a family tradition taken to extremes. The huge pancake on the cover is tactile with those little holes that signify the very best of pancake-dom. Fancy. Milo makes the best pancakes, but today, Henry doesn’t feel like them. What? Why? Who in their right mind doesn’t like pancakes? This book sets out to explore all of the best things th ..read more

Name: Blithe Fielden Describe your illustration style in ten words or less. Fun, playful, colourful, scribbly, imaginative, narrative, child-like, nostalgic What items are an essential part of your creative space? If there is one thing I have learnt since my move from England to Australia 18 months ago, it is that it's possible to work almost anywhere as an illustrator. As long as I have a sketchbook on hand, a pencil case filled with an assortment of colourful pencils and somewhere to sit down - whether that is a table in a park, a blanket on the grass or a bench in the city, I can happily ..read more

Move over MacGyver, there’s a new Queen of Improv in town and her name is Miss Weatherby; that’s Winnie to you and I.  Young teen, Winnie rocks as an inventeress. Yes, the gender specification is acceptable because the time period Winifred rocks in is the late 1800s as in the latter part of Queen Victoria’s reign, which adds a delicious extra layer of richness to Alison Stegert’s first middle grade fiction, Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies. This astoundingly long-titled novel is an extravaganza of remarkable indeed. An exciting mash-up of Nancy Drew come Famous Five sporti ..read more

A touching story based on the author’s real-life, features Natasha, a Jamaican teen facing imminent deportation in the next 24 hours, and Daniel, who has been living in the shadow of his older brother his entire life.  When they cross paths at a bookstore, neither of them knows that this is the start of a unique and heartwarming love story. Both Natasha and Daniel have their own demons to fight, with each of them living in homes that feel broken as they dream of a way to escape their reality.  Ironically, 'dream' is not a word in Natasha’s vocabulary as she only sticks to the facts ..read more

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you. Waddling around the north end of Albert Park Lake are a pair of black-and-white ducks. I am obsessed with watching them and how in-sync they are. 2. What is your nickname? Abro, or as my high school jumper had embossed FABROLOUS. 3. What is your greatest fear?Snakes - yikes! Or, not having access to a waterway for an indefinite period of time. I need my oceanic fix. 4. Describe your writing style in 10 words. Whimsical, heartfelt and harvested by metaphors of the natural world. 5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a write ..read more

The images in The Bird Art of William T. Cooper are of immense beauty.  They are accompanied by valuable information on bird life.   The text is presented by his wife, Wendy Cooper, botanist, author, and explorer. This is a companion volume to The Botanical Art of William T. Cooper, and is made up mostly of unpublished artwork, with a few exceptions. A stunning collection, the book is perfect for older children interested in learning about Australian and other magnificent birds and the areas that they frequent. During his earlier years as an artist, Cooper painted mainly landscapes ..read more

Ryel and his dad officially become a blended family when they move into Lonnie’s house.  Luckily, her twins Harry and Darcy, are already close friends with Ryel as they go to school together. Sharing a room has many challenges and becomes something Ryel can’t come to terms with after having his own room for so long.  Darcy talks and shouts in his sleep, while Harry’s breathing noises are epic, and keep Ryel awake all night. Half asleep through the day, his performance at school drops. The only solution to the problem is the storeroom that houses the twins’ sports equipment and other ..read more

An alphabet book with a difference, Alphabetter is here to teach you more than just your letters.  It’s a book to inspire and support you, providing 26 ways to be the best you. Like being friendly (the word for the letter F), which the book goes on to describe as sharing and being kind, like when you team up with someone new in class. The beautiful descriptions are relatable and real for kids, and there’s one for every letter and word. Under each of the featured words are a couple of alternative words, to help kids understand what they mean. Brave is also called being courageous and ..read more

We’ve grouped together some of the many book lists we’ve shared over recent years, in case you missed them the first time around. We hope they inspire you to pick up a book you’ve not read before, or find a book to help explore and better understand a particular subject with readers of all ages. Peace and war feature in many books, from picture books for preschoolers and older readers to YA fiction.  Over the years we've shared more book lists on this topic than any other. While non-fiction can teach us about historical events and people who have had an impact on the world, fiction giv ..read more

The thing about children is that unless they are Peter Pan, they grow up. Unfortunate for us if one of them happens to be a Junior Reviewer.  Fortunately, there are still plenty of kids who love reading and love sharing their thoughts about a great read with others. Ellissa Freestone is one of them.  Elle read and wrote stories from a very young age. Creative writing has always come easily to her with a poetic writing style that often invokes intrigue. Novels are binge read between her other passions of drawing, basketball, and singing, both privately and choral. Ell ..read more