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Kokomo (Victoria Hannan, Hachette)
Released August 2020
Since Mina’s dad died, her mum Elaine has not left the house. So when Mina hears that Elaine has been spotted outdoors for the first time in 12 years, she... Read more
Small Town (Phillip Gwynne, illus by Tony Flowers, Puffin)
Released August 2020
Milly, the narrator of this picture book, lives in a small country town called Gong Gong—‘So nice, they named it twice!’ The town is getting smaller by the day and... Read more
The Lost Soul Atlas (Zana Fraillon, Lothian)
Released July 2020
The Lost Soul Atlas marks Zana Fraillon’s triumphant return to middle-grade after a stint writing YA and picture books, with Fraillon once again tackling significant social issues in this exploration... Read more
Matthew Flinders: Adventures on Leaky Ships (Carole Wilkinson, illus by Prue Pittock, Wild Dog)
Released July 2020
Children’s narrative nonfiction has come a long way since I was a child, and Carole Wilkinson’s new book about the intrepid Matthew Flinders is a fine example of how enjoyable... Read more
The Night Whistler (Greg Woodland, Text)
Released August 2020
This may be Greg Woodland’s debut novel, but his career as a screenwriter shows through in the dialogue—especially in his rendering of the distinctly Australian lingo that flourished in mid-1960s... Read more
The Hunted (Gabriel Bergmoser, HarperCollins)
Released August 2020
On a lonely highway in outback Australia sits a solitary service station run by the equally solitary Frank, whose teenage granddaughter has been sent to stay with him for some... Read more
Living on Stolen Land (Ambelin Kwaymullina, Magabala)
Released July 2020
From the title alone to the direct and unabashedly confrontational language, Living on Stolen Land does not equivocate on its message, which is to reiterate the history of settler colonialism... Read more
Stars Like Us (Frances Chapman, Hardie Grant Egmont)
Released July 2020
Sixteen-year-old Australian music student Liliana is missing her home, family and friends while on exchange at exclusive Henley-on-Thames Music Academy in London. When the opportunity arises to join a secret... Read more
The Fogging (Luke Horton, Scribe)
Released July 2020
Luke Horton’s debut novel opens with its narrator Tom having a panic attack on the plane that is taking him and his girlfriend Clara from Melbourne to Bali. With Tom... Read more
A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing (Jessie Tu, A&U)
Released July 2020
Somewhere between wetting her pants during a standing ovation and sleeping with her conductor, violinist Jena Chung finds herself lonely. Set against a backdrop of Sydney suburbs from Willoughby to... Read more
The Snowman’s Wish (Sophie Masson, illus by Ronak Taher, Dirt Lane Press)
Released July 2020
With The Snowman’s Wish, Sophie Masson and Ronak Taher have crafted a soft tale about the passage of time and the beauty in the world. Mr Snowman, a kindly soul... Read more
Metal Fish, Falling Snow (Cath Moore, Text)
Released July 2020
Fourteen-year-old Dylan blames herself for her mum’s recent tragic death. Left alone with her mum’s boyfriend Pat, Dylan has no choice but to leave her hometown and join him on... Read more
The Secret Library of Hummingbird House (Julianne Negri, Affirm Press)
Released July 2020
Julianne Negri’s debut middle-grade novel The Secret Library of Hummingbird House is sure to entice young readers with its effervescent premise and hook. It tells the story of Hattie, a... Read more
The Details: On love, death and reading (Tegan Bennett Daylight, Scribner)
Released July 2020
Tegan Bennett Daylight knows a thing or two about reading. As a writer, critic and creative writing lecturer, Bennett Daylight has a careful eye for detail and knows how it... Read more
Littlelight (Kelly Canby, Fremantle Press)
Released July 2020
A tyrannical leader, an oppressive wall and a courageous girl come together in this timely fable for preschoolers. When bricks start disappearing from the protective wall that surrounds their town,... Read more
The Friendly Games (Kaye Baillie, illus by Fiona Burrows, MidnightSun)
Released June 2020
It’s great to see so many books telling true stories of inspiring young people and overlooked yet defining moments in the lives of different communities. The Friendly Games unearths one... Read more
I Shot The Devil (Ruth McIver, Hachette)
Released September 2021
Richell Prize-winner Ruth McIver’s debut crime thriller is a powder-keg with a slow burning fuse that has you racing to figure out which of the shadowy, unreliable suspects ‘did it’—and... Read more
The End of the World is Bigger Than Love (Davina Bell, Text)
Released June 2020
Davina Bell’s first young adult novel is unlike anything else written for the target audience. This becomes clear almost immediately upon beginning the book, when the identical twin protagonists, Summer... Read more
Henry Turnip (Chloe Jasmine Harris, Walker Books)
Released June 2020
Henry Turnip is a panda who likes strawberry jam sandwiches with the crusts cut off, reading about the ocean, and his seven sets of blue-striped overalls. He dislikes mess, too... Read more
The Dark Tide (Alicia Jasinska, Penguin)
Released June 2020
The island city of Caldella is sinking, and the only way to hold back the tide is through an annual ritual sacrifice performed by the cold, distant Witch Queen. When... Read more
