Readers will laugh out loud as they watch the mishaps that occur when Harry helps Gran bake a cake. All children will have had some experience in the kitchen and will be greatly amused seeing their efforts reflected in the wonderful illustrations by award winning author, Sara Acton, complementing the assured, expressive words by Fiona Macintosh. The two work together well, reinforcing the sound relations between a grandparent and their grandchildren.
Harry is sent to the recipe book to find a cake he would like, and then Gran passes all the ingredients down to Harry from the pantry. All appears to be ready, but they need eggs. Gran finds a carton but in turning to place them on the bench with the other ingredients slips over the cat and the eggs go flying. Gran is a pretty sight with egg over her face. They measure out the ingredients needed for the cake, but Gran cannot find her glasses. Together they search the kitchen until Harry finds them in the most obvious of places. It is time to use the Mixmaster to put everything together. And here another problem emerges as Gran puts the flour into the bowl, without first turning the machine off. The kitchen has a fog of flour, but eventually the cake is in the tin and placed into the oven. Now comes the best bit, tasting the mixture left in the bowl as two sets of fingers scrape out a bit of the mix that remains. Dishes are washed as the pair wait for the oven timer to ring.
The cake is turned out of the tin to cool on the wire rack and Gran collects the things needed for the icing.
The icing sugar is quite high, but with an extra effort, Gran manages to tip it over and it falls to the floor, covering the cat with sugar. Of course, the last page shows a delightful image of Gran and Harry eating a slice of the cake, and I could almost smell the chocolate.
Each time Gran does something that Harry can see will end badly, he calls out ‘Watch out Gran,’ and younger children will repeat and predict that line when reading the book.
Kids will love reading this tale of the close relationship between a grandparent and a child, recalling loving times spent with their own grandparents. The ingredients are well spaced, giving kids a model for a plan of action, and the procedure for making the cake is shown sequentially, which will make it easy for younger readers to follow. I can imagine lots of households and classes trying the recipe after reading the book, especially as the recipes are given on the end papers. The directions are easy to follow, the illustrations giving a lovely backdrop to the story, including a few traps to avoid when venturing into the kitchen.
Transit Lounge, 2025. ISBN: 9781923023314. (Age:Adult, young adult) Recommended.
It is 2000 and Jess is working as a judge’s personal secretary at the United Nations Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague. The biggest trial since Nuremberg, they are there to bear witness to the murder of 8000 Muslim men and boys by the Bosnian Serb army in 1995. General Lieutenant Radislav K. is on trial. For Jess, it is a temporary position but a step up from the night-time typing pool in Sydney where she had been working since her divorce. After working with her barrister husband, managing his practice she now finds herself overqualified and overlooked at 50. Proud of her independence, having left her Lismore cane farming home at 15, Jess is ever thankful to the finishing school where she learned shorthand and how to behave in social situations from her mentor Eleanor. She is focused and capable, regarding “output a measure of self-worth’, and the love of her life is her son Daniel. Conscientiously she listens to the witness accounts, actual examples of which are interleaved in the text, and while the harrowing stories of families torn apart make her own traumas seem trivial, she finds herself drawn sympathetically to the accused who looks to her like a good person. Jess settles into the routine of the tribunal in its orderly, clinical room, making notes for her judge as witnesses relate their experiences through translators. She meets Gus, the security guard who tells dad jokes and doesn’t ask too much of her and together they see some of the sights of the Netherlands. She meets up with Merjem, one of the women with links to Srebrenica who has come to watch the trial, and she learns more about the personal side of the genocide. Jess tries to measure her own life, her unstable mother who was unable to show love; the way she created an efficient life for herself until the birth of her son and her feelings of loss of control but unconditional love for him; against the backdrop of people who could take young boys from the arms of their mothers and march them off to their deaths. When she is called back to Australia Jess seems able to develop a different perspective on life. Like Helen Garner’s This House of Grief we are taken into a courtroom for a privileged view of proceedings and hear the testimony of witnesses, but this is more personal and reflective. The third part seemed disconnected to the main story and the ending a little rushed and trite but there is much to recommend in the main character’s reflection and introspection as she learns to inhabit herself against a backdrop of such intense suffering. The Note on the Sources at the end would be useful for anyone wanting to know more.
Themes War crimes, The Hague, Bearing witness, Personal reflection.
Sue Speck
Frog, Log and Dave almost save the day! by Trent Jamieson. Illus. by Brent Wilson
Penguin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761347061. (Age:5+)
The Tricycles rock band features Frog, the Queen of guitar shredding, Log on vocals and Dave the dog on bass. The band have Excalivan, which Frog, the D.I.Y mechanic keeps on the road. Their devoted fan Jeremy the pigeon is always there to help out but also loves his job writing toothbrush instructions. When the band need to find a better paying job and earn enough to replace their instruments which are struck by lightning, they turn Excalivan into a delivery vehicle. FLD Deliveries first customer, Count Evil von Evil, is prepared to pay a huge amount just to have a ticking parcel delivered to the Town Hall. Disaster is narrowly avoided when Jeremy, who has recently completed a six-week online course in disarming pollutobombs, saves the day.
The cartoons are colourful and dynamic with bold black outlines and lots of action. The main characters had very limited expressions, especially Log, and plucky little Jeremy was the only one with real character development but this is a simple, fun, easy to read and nicely produced.
Themes Adventure, Courage, Friendship.
Sue Speck
The big backyard plan by Kirsten Ealand. Illus. by Laura Stitzel
Four friends, Jack, Bree, Theo and Azumi live side by side, their fences meeting a point where they can all talk together. They swim in one yard, skate in the next one, while they can help with the vegetable patch in one and feed the chickens in another. They loved their neighbourhood, but to reach their houses they had to walk around the block to the next street. So, someone had the idea of building gates. On the way home from school they began to plan and soon came the idea of one big backyard. They made plans to present to their parents, showing that there could be a bigger hen house and more space for vegetable gardens. They thought up reasons to give their families to bring them to their points of view. They watched as their parents discussed the idea over the fence, bringing up even more reasons to take down the old fences and share their yards. One day they all worked together and pulled down the old fences. The parents were still a little perplexed, and suggested they wait a month before making a decision. But the end of the month came and went, a new bigger hen house was built, wattle trees planted to help the native bees, and a handball court made.
This delightful story about the power of children to suggest and implement change, underpins the theme of climate change and the things that can be done in your own backyard. The children are eager to be able to see each other without the big walk around the block and look closely at what they could achieve if the fences were not there. This prompted the adults to see what could be done, and the more they thought about it, the more positive outcomes could be seen.
Charming illustrations cover each page, full of movement and interest as the children remain front and centre as the power behind the changes. Readers will love seeing what each backyard offers the children, and the differences the one big backyard makes for them. I loved seeing adults being part of the solution and their efforts to support the children, as they find themselves able to communicate more easily and establish relationships which will serve home well. This is a soft plea for a future in which people work together to make their families more able to cope with climate change. And readers will be able to offer their own ideas about what they would include if their backyard was fences.
Simon & Schuster, 2025. ISBN: 9781761428432. (Age:16+) Recommended.
Michelle Prak knows how to press all the triggers of female fear: the escaped criminal, the psycho stalker, the sleazy stepfather-type abuser, the night-time thugs, drunken party guys, and now even vicious out-of-control teenagers. All of these elements combine to make her latest book an adrenaline pumping thriller that keeps adding on layers of potentially erupting violence. The chapters are short, switching between three female points of view, building the tension until the dramatic conclusion.
Laying the groundwork for this story is the theme of homelessness and the desperation of people trying to find somewhere safe to live. It is a scenario that for many young people is only too familiar, the competition for rental places, the scarcity of accommodation options, and rising rent costs. For Mac, it means couch-surfing, testing the patience of friends, until the discovery of an abandoned half-built resort offers a temporary reprieve. But then the real challenges begin.
I felt completely drawn into this novel. It is as scary as her previous novel The rush. There are a number of distracting red herrings, issues that could have had further exploration, but in the end it’s another tense ride for readers of mystery thrillers, with a surprising but satisfying conclusion.
South Australian author Helen Edwards has written her third engaging upper middle grade to early YA historical fiction novel, On Gallant Wings, which follows The Rebels of Mount Buffalo and Legend of the Lighthouse Moon. This new release begins with the bombing and evacuation of Darwin in 1942 and shares the story of Ava, her family, her homing pigeons and her friends, through the remaining war years both at home in Australia and in war zones overseas.
With the threat of war looming large over the city of Darwin Ava and her best friend Kazuo spend time together enjoying childhood activities and looking after and training Ava’s precious homing pigeons. Ava’s Dad is serving overseas as an RAAF navigator and her brother Fred has lied about his age joining the militia and then the Australian Corps of Signals Pigeon Service and taking Ava’s pigeons with him. Sadly, Kazuo is interned along with his family and other Japanese after the bombing of Pearl Harbour. Ava stays in Darwin due to her mother’s important job but once Darwin is bombed they are evacuated to her grandparents farm in Lake Boga.
For Ava, the changes she has to cope with are not easy and as she struggles silently with each day passing, readers gain a valuable insight into Ava’s worries about her father, her brother and her pigeons especially Essie, who are serving their country. The journey firstly by cattle train from Darwin to various towns along the way is long and challenging and fitting into a new life at her grandparents farm takes time and courage on Ava’s part. She does though make friends, bravely stands up for Kazuo and learns to be proud of what she continues to manage.
Author Helen Edwards is a gifted researcher who successfully combines fact with fiction to provide a compelling read. There are many stories within the main story and the clever use of letters to allow the readers to hear about the lives of Ava’s Dad, Fred and Essie provides a rich background of learning. Darwin’s suffering during wartime has not always been a focal point for historians and with the mention of the little known Catalina Flying Boat Base, there is an opportunity for readers both young and old to discover more about Australia’s wartime past.
This wonderful pop-up book will be eagerly sort after, especially starring the hungry caterpillar, a character loved since first appearing in 1969!
The hungry caterpillar is just an egg on the leaf as the book is opened, while a lift-up flap shows the rising sun which allows the egg to hatch one very hungry caterpillar. Turning over the page we come across some familiar looking fruit, apples, pears, plums strawberries, and oranges, all with a hole eaten out of them. On that page, numbers one to five are reprised with the fruit, but over the page, we find that the caterpillar is sampling a lot of different things, leaving a hole in the midst of each: these include a piece of cake, an ice cream, a lollipop, and a slice of watermelon. And that night he does not feel very well. Children will be delighted with the little flap which shows his distressed state.
Over the page, he has retreated back to eating leaves, and again we see a lot of holes eaten. The caterpillar is getting bigger all the time. When the time is right, he builds himself a cocoon where he stays for about two weeks, until he nibbles a hole in the end and emerges as something completely different. I can hear the wows of the children when they turn that last page, marveling at the lite cycle of this little caterpillar. This book is a beautiful, engrossing introduction to the natural world for eager little fingers, keen to lift the flaps and marvel at their environment.
Eric Carle died in 2021, but his legacy lives on with a new range of books to delight the younger reader.
Alma is tall, and so basketball is her sport. She is the classic ‘middle child’ - so ironically is overlooked, but it is in the pursuit of the purple-bellied parrot that she stands out. On a family bird watching activity, she makes a rare sighting of a bird that has not been seen for 32 years, but without corroboration it leads her to an impossible task of proving that her word counts as truth. Friends, family, teachers and birdwatchers generally are curious and in two minds about her experience. Can she be trusted? What should she do to encourage them to believe her? Alma is at that pre-teen age when friends and reputations are important, and she is at risk of losing both! This is a fun ‘tall tale’, the second in the series. Alma is quirky, a little prone to weaving truth into knots to justify poor choices and yet is remarkably likeable. Her poor decisions are immediately obvious to readers but not to Alma and we must follow her discomfort throughout the book. She has amazing friends, the obligatory teasers or mean-girl associates, teammates who are accommodating (after all she is very tall and can influence the result of a game), and the usual struggles with family members.
This is a great book for readers aged 9-13, but I loved it too! This perhaps is slightly coloured by my experience of knowing birders and twitchers and their passions (I have even been a semi-reluctant bird spotter myself), but even without a personal knowledge of the quirky world of Birding, this is a fun story.There are a smattering of amusing cartoon-style illustrations through the book and some very funny moments, as well as the insights into pre-teen experience, making poor choices, stretching the truth and being distrusted and how this impacts a child’s wellbeing. The story is written with a tongue-in-cheek style from the perspective of Alma and will be a great book to put in the hands of pre-teen girls. With perhaps a hint of the quirkiness of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, this is a series that will be a winner with young readers.
Themes Birdwatching, Basketball, Pre-teens, Truth and lies, Friendship.
Carolyn Hull
The thylacine and the time machine by Renee Treml
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761181184. (Age:8+) Highly Recommended.
Violet has a school assignment to finish over a weekend focussed on the extinction of the Tasmanian Tiger or Thylacine as we discover they prefer to be called. This graphic novel is a great fun read and could almost be non-fiction as it has a lot of informative and real educational information. Renée Trell does what she does best writing fun informative and engaging graphic novels with a guest appearance by Sherlock Bones.
Violet has been working hard on her assignment and is all alone in the room except for her dog Tassie, when she is visited by the ghost of a thylacine who is determined to educate her on all things, Thylacine. In the process Violet is taken back to the past when thylacines roamed Tasmania and learns how they supported the natural world in ensuring that the populations of small marsupials were kept in balance with other flora and fauna. They then travel to a lab where they meet a scientist who discusses her work and how science is helping other endangered species.
The graphic novel follows the characters into the future before landing back in front of the computer that Violet is doing her project on. This book will appeal to children who like graphic novels and learning about the natural world. It will also appeal to students with a scientific interest in extinction with a bit of Jurassic Park thrown in the mix. This is an informative and engaging graphic novel that could be used for science and discussions around extinction, DNA extraction from fossils and taxidermy specimens, and the environmental impacts of humans.
I really enjoyed reading this and found the information to be informative and done in such a way that students would be able to engage with it particularly like when Violet says 'I want to know more but I need it in language I understand'. This is a great example for students to show that it’s okay to ask for simplified information when they don’t understand. This is a fabulous book that I can see becoming a favourite within school libraries and on home library shelves, for confident independent readers as there is a lot of information in the margins and footers.
Frog Squad: Sink or Swim is an exciting treasure hunt presented as an episode on a TV show. It is ideal for young readers 6 plus and includes engaging illustrations throughout. Expect plenty of playful puns that keep things froggy, and ‘ad breaks’ that include a humorous play on TV advertising!
Although this is the third instalment in the series, the introduction provides sufficient recap and background for it to be enjoyed as a standalone adventure. Join the Frog Squad, a team of frogs residing on a high-tech floating base called the Lily Pad, which transports them to various locations. Discover fascinating facts about different frog species and marine life – the Captain, for example, is a Green Tree Frog, while the Professor is a Titicaca Water Frog.
The Professor needs the help of the Frog Squad, which takes them on a journey to the Bermuda Triangle in search of an ancient shipwreck treasure, a priceless pearl. The Professor has invented special Frogvision goggles that allows them to see long distances, descending to the ocean floor in a special mini submarine called the Sea Pickle.
When the Professor gets lost in the Sea Pickle, it’s up to the Frog Squad to rescue them and race against time. Along the way, they encounter their rivals, the Toads, and a madcap battle ensues, complete with ping-pong balls and jelly.
The adventure also includes valuable lessons about the environmental impact of plastic in our oceans and looking after our natural environment. Young readers who enjoyed the humour of Kate Temple's The Under Dogs books and her picture book, Bin Chicken, will love this instalment of the Frog Squad series.
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761180644. (Age:4+) Highly recommended.
Claire Saxby’s Volcano is a captivating picture book that brings the power and wonder of underwater volcanic eruptions to life and shares factual information about their role in shaping our planet. With a vivid, informative and engaging text, along with stunning illustrations by Jess Racklyeft, this book takes young readers deep beneath the ocean’s surface to witness and explore how the underwater eruption reshapes the seabed and influences the surrounding marine and terrestrial ecosystem.
Saxby’s writing is both informative and lyrical, making complex geological processes understandable and interesting for young readers. She cleverly balances scientific facts with expressive storytelling, drawing readers into the exciting world beneath the ocean’s surface. The book not only explains how volcanoes form and erupt but also highlights the ripple effects on marine and coastal life. Readers will discover how volcanic activity creates new habitats, influences the delicate balance of nature and contribute to the Earth's ever-changing landscape; forming mountains, ridges and islands over time.
Racklyeft’s illustrations are a visual feast, filled with bright, vibrant colours and intricate details that perfectly complement the text. Each page bursts with movement and energy, helping to depict the immense power of the eruption and its impact on the underwater world. The artwork adds depth and excitement, even including a gatefold to a large volcanic eruption, ensuring extra excitement and engagement for young readers.
Perfect for curious minds, Volcano is an excellent introduction to earth science and marine ecosystems. It is ideal for classroom discussions, nature lovers and aspiring young scientists. With its blend of fascinating facts, lyrical language and breathtaking illustrations, Volcano is a must-read for children eager to explore the dynamic forces that shape our planet.
Simon & Schuster, 2025. ISBN: 9781398543249. (Age:14+) Recommended.
Vendetta is written by the popular author of The dagger and the flame and The Twin Crown series. It was first published in 2015 and republished in 2025 with an appealing new cover – and it has stood the test of time. Sophie’s summer holidays working at her uncle’s diner are much more interesting when five handsome Italian boys come to live in the old Priestley mansion. Sparks fly when she meets Nic, but secrets about the Falcone family and Sophie’s own past mean that their Romeo and Juliet romance could be doomed. Nic is part of a Mafia clan and Sophie’s father is in prison.
This is a story that readers will want to stay up to finish, and then beg for Inferno, the next in the series. Doyle gradually builds up the tension as Sophie cannot work out why she is being warned away from the Falcone family by both her dodgy uncle and the boys in the family. Some readers will be frustrated by Sophie’s inability to work out what is happening but the truth is gradually revealed and the gripping closing section of the book makes up for her incomprehension.
Doyle’s clever narrative and plotting bring Sophie’s world to life. The themes of revenge, an eye for an eye and the beliefs of the brothers, brought up with a Mafia code, make for an intriguing story and the romance will entice readers to find the next book in the series.
Themes Murder, Romance, Thriller, Mafia.
Pat Pledger
All about the gut by Dr Liz Bannister. Illus. by Beck Feiner
All About the Gut, written by Dr Liz Bannister, a paediatric gastroenterologist at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, is the third book in the All About the Body non-fiction series. Gut health is of vital importance in our society today. It is reported on frequently in the media and children today are possibly more aware of how gut health plays an important role in a healthy mind and body than they were in past years.
The book begins with the description of the gut as the engine of the body and that the gut begins at the mouth and ends at the bottom. The following pages discuss digestion in detail with clear images and accessible text. Key words are highlighted and the more challenging ones are to be found in the glossary at the back of the book. The topic of nutrients follows digestion and goes into detail about how they are necessary for growth. There is information about poos and releasing gases and microbes. The connection between the gut and mind is an important section to read and focus on.
The information presented on every double page spread is in accessible font and is well-spaced. The colourful images and diagrams add appeal to the very interesting facts shared.
This is another wonderful companion to All About the Heart and All About the Brain. A treasure trove of simplified facts to encourage young children to understand how the human body works.
Themes Gut, Food, Science, Human Bodies.
Kathryn Beilby
Design & Building on Country by Alison Page and Paul Memmott. Illus. by Blak Douglas
Thames & Hudson, 2024. ISBN: 9781760763565. (Age:Primary and secondary) Recommended.
Whenever our young people hear the now familiar Welcome to Country or recite their school's Acknowledgement of Country, are they just hearing or saying words or do they have an understanding of the meaning and purpose behind them?
Ever since 1835 when NSW Governor Richard Bourke implemented the legal principle of terra nullius in Australian law as the basis for British settlement until its repeal in 1992 by the High Court's Mabo Decision that recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' continuing connection and rights to land through Native Title, there was a legally perpetuated belief that Australia was, indeed, a "land belonging to no one", having "a complete absence of people and additionally the absence of 'civilised' people capable of land ownership" and thus, was used to justify and legitimise the dispossession, dispersal, and inhumane treatment of First Nations peoples.
But in this book, shortlisted for the CBCA 2025 Eve Pownall Award for Information Books, the authors and illustrators have provided a critical insight into the culture and history that underpins those statements and helping them better appreciate what they are hearing and saying. With easily accessible language, impactful illustrations and an appealing layout, they show that not only was the land populated by a culture that has been here for 65 000 years at least - making it the longest continuing culture in the world - but that there were amazing homes and buildings constructed, as well as incredible science, technology and design knowledge ensuring both its continuation and development.
A peek inside...
Speaking directly to the reader, they start with an explanation of the difference between 'country' and 'Country' as it forms such an integral part of who the Aboriginal person is, their heritage, beliefs, values and identity. Using their own cultural heritage as well as their professional expertise in design and development to show that this country was anything but terra nullius, readers learn about how the need for food and shelter were satisfied by the invention, development and refinement of tools and structures that were unique to the land and landscape around them as well as contributing to that deep connection to the land and their spirituality. But as well as offering the information itself, the reader is also encouraged to consider how their own environment determines and impacts how their lives are lived. While modern technology and transport might mean that our food needs and availability are fairly generic, how does my mountain landscape change my life compared to that of my brother on the Queensland coast? How does what those who have lived thousands of years before us influence how we live now?
Originally published as a book for adults in the First Knowledges series edited by Margo Neale which include: Astronomy, Country, Innovation, Plants, Health, Songlines. Design and Law, this is the second from that series that has been developed for young readers, the first being Songlines, itself a CBCA Notable Book for the Eve Pownall Award in 2024. Both, and any future adaptations deserve a prominent place in any primary or secondary school collection supporting First Nations studies.
Januaries: Stories of love, magic & betrayal by Olivie Blake
Tor Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781035039586. (Age:17+) Highly recommended.
This ‘mix tape’ of 14 short stories spans the gamut of human experiences; love, betrayal, revenge, motherhood, power and death, and invites reflection on life’s big questions.
The styles are as varied as the themes; adult fairy tales, wedding vows, absurdist verse, reimagined Greek myths, magical realism, romantic noir, speculative fiction and fantasy.
Blake’s world-building is impressive as she creates a magical/mythical/speculative universe for each, populated with characters that variously include fairies, demons, witches, vampires, gods and demigods and medieval lovers, as well as contemporary young adults visited by these creatures. All the stories are infused with both humour and tragedy…
The guardian of a magical bridge grants wishes each month.
A futuristic Life Audit program loans young people their life earnings, on the condition that later in life they work to pay it back.
A young orphan joins a Victorian witch family as their servant but over time becomes something much more.
Two vengeful Medieval lovers take turns to kill each other before returning with various magical powers.
Wedding vows envisage a changing future together.
A boxer, foretold of his death in a year, is challenged by a disgraced demigod to do better.
A shaman is resurrected to help concoct potions.
A mother confronts the conflicting emotions of her post-natal depression.
A poet writes to the village witch.
In a humorous satire a young man dies prematurely and is sent to Hell because of the way he would have lived his life.
A poor American Filipino student takes a job cooking for a series of hungry demons. Can she keep them at bay?
A young woman is lured by a handsome stranger into his night castle where she confronts truth, her future, wishes and fear.
An assassin crosses multiple universes to ensure that parallel histories are kept on track.
A banished pixie shares a house with a depressed young woman; as she asks questions to better understand human behaviour, they both learn more about themselves.
Three of these pieces were previously published in Fairytales of the Macabre, but in this collection, there is sure to be something for everyone who is open to the weird and wonderful.
