Middle Grade
Title: ‘Elsewhere Girls’Author: Emily Gale & Nova WeetmanPublisher: Text Publishing Age Range: from 10+, upper primary, lower secondary. Themes: friendship, family, courage, pressure, sport, elite sport, academics, timeslip, history, feminism, women, women…
READ MOREI have been showcasing some of my new favourite bee books of late, including ‘The Very Clever Bee’ which you can see my review of here and my more extensive list of…
READ MORETitle: The Fire StarAuthor + Illustrator: A.L. Tait Publisher: Penguin Age Range: 10+, upper primary, middle grade. Themes: medieval history, mystery, knights, maids, friendship, belonging, education of girls and women, secret societies.…
READ MORETitle: ‘Bear in Space’Author: Deborah AbelaIllustrator: Marjorie Crosby-Fairall Publisher: Walker Books AustraliaAge Range: early childhood, lower primary. Themes: friendship, difference, schools, kindergartens, imaginative play, space. I will always shout loudly and lovingly…
READ MORETitle: ‘The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle’Author: Pamela Rushby Publisher: Walker BooksAge Range: 9+, middle primary, upper primary, lower secondary, middle grade. Themes: Victorian England, Egypt, Egyptology, ancient civilisations, historical fiction, mystery,…
READ MORETitle: ‘When Rain Turns to Snow’Author: Jane GodwinPublisher: Lothian, an imprint of Hachette AustraliaAge Range: 12+, middle grade, upper primary, lower secondary.Themes: family, adoption, divorce, step parents, parents, siblings, family secrets, coming…
READ MORETitle: ‘The Year The Maps Changed’ Author: Danielle BinksPublisher: Hachette Age Range: middle grade, upper primaryThemes: Australia, modern history, ‘Operation Safe Haven’, Kosovar refugees, asylum, immigration, empathy, kindness, grief, loss, maps, geopgraphy,…
READ MOREBook Boy Jr has *almost* inspired me to read a book about running with this review…almost. Actually I am hooked on the idea of this book and think it would be perfect…
READ MOREOh how I love this book and I’m so grateful to Sam for reviewing it for me as her Scientific knowledge is invaluable with CSIRO publications. My parents have always had amazing…
READ MORETitle: ‘White Bird’ Author: R. J. Palacio Publisher: Penguin Books Australia Age Range: middle grade*, YA Themes: bravery, kindness, courage, World War II, survival, family, found family, friends. Inspired by her blockbuster phenomenon…
READ MORETitle: ‘Monuments’ Author: Will Kostakis Publisher: Hachette Age Range: young adult Themes: fantasy, adventure, Greek mythology, contemporary fiction, sexuality, friendship, family, grief, coming of age Greek Australian, Indigenous, romance, diversity, humour. Teachers’…
READ MOREDr Sam Lloyd has been reviewing Science themed books for Children’s Books Daily for some years now – you can see all her reviews by clicking on the ‘guest blogger’ category or…
READ MORETerm Three is such a busy term with sports and other school activities (including Book Week!) and it’s often the time of year when many book club attendees are unable to make…
READ MOREIn my humble opinion, Jane Godwin is one of the heroes of the kidlit world in Australia. A former publisher (responsible for the wonderful ‘Our Australian Girls’ series no less), Jane has…
READ MORE‘Sometimes rain made me want to cry, like there was something deep inside of me – the sadness flower that opened up when rainy days came, and blossomed inside of me until…
READ MOREEncouraging young people to read widely and enjoy a balanced literary diet is something that can add immeasurably to their reading and writing journey. For many of us, poetry and verse novels…
READ MORE‘Everything I’ve Never Said’ is a bold book with a powerful voice that will connect with readers from 9+ and many adults. Title: ‘Everything I’ve Never Said’ Author: Samantha Wheeler Publisher: UQP Age Range: upper…
READ MORELife gets busy for our young people with homework and after school activities and around the tween years and reading for pleasure often declines, even in children who have previously loved reading.…
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