PICTURE STORY
1. Here We Are
Oliver Jeffers
Well, hello.
And welcome to this Planet.
We call it Earth.
Our world can be a bewildering place, especially if you’ve only just got here. Your head will be filled with questions, so let’s explore what makes our planet and how we live on it. From land and sky, to people and time, these notes can be your guide and start you on your journey. And you’ll figure lots of things out for yourself. Just remember to leave notes for everyone else… Some things about our planet are pretty complicated, but things can be simple, too: you’ve just got to be kind.
Here We Are is the utterly heartfelt new book from Oliver Jeffers. We’re glad you found it.
2. The Very Noisy Baby
Alison Lester
Here is the story of a very noisy baby.
She could bellow like a buffalo
And roar like a lion
And howl like a wolf for a very long time.
The baby loves to make all kinds of sounds. She’s really very loud.
But when some animals in the town go missing, can the very noisy baby help?
Find out in this wonderfully boisterous story, full of action, fun (and noise!).
3. The Second Sky
Patrick Guest
The first thing Gilbert sees when he hatches from his egg is the sky. It is love at first sight and from that moment on Gilbert longs to fly like other birds.
But Penguins don’t fly, they waddle, and so begins Gilbert’s quest to find his place in the world.
Great things happen when you reach for the sky.
4. Koala Bare
Jackie French
For too long koalas have been called bears.
But this koala is out to prove to the world that he is BARE!
And that never, ever, ever can a koala be called a bear …
From the internationally renowned author of the bestselling Diary of a Wombat comes a hilariously funny picture book that Jackie French has created with talented new illustrator, Matt Shanks.
5. No One Likes a Fart
Zoe Foster Blake
Fart is excited! He’s desperate to make friends and have fun. But no one likes a fart. Not even a fart with a heart. Too smelly. Too embarrassing. Too gross.
A sweet, funny story about accepting yourself and finding a friend who loves you just the way you are. Mostly, though, it’s about a fart. And fart jokes. Loooots of fart jokes.
6. The One Hundred and One Dalmatians
Adapted by Peter Bently. Illustrated by Steven Lenton
A special 32 page picture book adaptation of Dodie Smith’s much-loved story, perfect for younger children aged 4+. When Missis and Pongo’s darling Dalmatian puppies are stolen, they know just who to suspect . . . the evil Cruella de Vil! She’s enough to scare the spots off a pup and she would love nothing more than to turn them into a spotty fur coat! With the help of some fearless furry friends, the parents set off on a brave rescue attempt. But can the Dalmatians parents rescue their precious pups in time?
7. River Rose and the Magical Christmas
Kelly Clarkson
It’s Christmas Eve, and River Rose wants to stay up all night to hand-deliver a letter to Santa. She can’t wait to finally meet the man in red until . . . Oh no! River Rose and her dog, Joplin, have fallen asleep and been swept off on another magical adventure. This time, they’re off to the North Pole to let Santa know what River Rose really wants for Christmas.
This joyous new holiday story perfectly captures the spirit of the season and comes complete with a link for readers to listen to a brand-new, original Christmas song written and performed by the original American Idol, Kelly Clarkson herself.
8. Ruby Red Shoes Goes to Paris
Kate Knapp
Ruby and her grandmother Babushka are off to Paris for a holiday! When they arrive they go and meet Babushka’s brother, Monsieur Gaspar Galushka, who loves hats as much as Ruby loves red shoes. And with Monsieur is his grandson, Felix, who becomes Ruby’s guide while she is in Paris. together the two young hares zip around Paris on Felix’s racy red scooter taking in all of the beautiful sights that Paris has to offer. It is the adventure of a lifetime, filled with memories that Ruby will treasure forever. Ages:4-8
9. The Little Reindeer
Nicola Killen
An enchanting Christmas story about a magical yet unlikely friendship between a little girl and a lost reindeer, lovingly told and illustrated with red foil highlights and interactive die cuts.
When a jingling sound wakes her from her sleep, a little girl’s dreams come true when she meets a lost reindeer in the forest. They set off on a magical adventure and it becomes a Christmas never to forget. Nicola Killen’s evocative illustrations are sure to enchant in this beautiful book with die cut pages, foil, and flashes of festive red.
10. The Ugly Five
Julia Donaldson & Alex Scheffler
Who’s that singing on the savanna? It’s the top-five ugly animals in Africa!
The wildebeest, warthog, vulture, hyena and marabou stork swagger proudly across the savanna, rejoicing in their ugliness–and delighting their babies, who think they’re perfect just the way they are.
Inspired by the real-life Ugly Five safari animals, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s brand-new picture book is a jubilant celebration of animals who are often rather unloved.
The funny, heart-warming rhyme is a joy to read aloud, while bold, comical illustrations bring the savanna spectacularly to life.
JUNIOR FICTION
1. Bad Dad
David Walliams
Dads come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
There are fat ones and thin ones, tall ones and short ones.
There are young ones and old ones, clever ones and stupid ones.
There are silly ones and serious ones, loud ones and quiet ones.
Of course, there are good dads, and bad dads . . .
A high-speed cops and robbers adventure with heart and soul about a father and son taking on the villainous Mr Big – and winning!
This riches-to-rags story will have you on the edge of your seat and howling with laughter!
Bad Dad is a fast and furious, heart-warming story of a father and son on an adventure – and a thrilling mission to break an innocent man into prison!
2. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow
Jessica Townsend
Morrigan Crow is cursed. Born on an unlucky day, she is blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks – and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on Eventide.
But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.
It’s there that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city’s most prestigious organisation: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart. Except for Morrigan, who doesn’t seem to have any special talent at all.
To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests – or she’ll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate.
3. The Getaway (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #12)
Jeff Kinney
Greg Heffley and his family are getting out of town. With the cold weather and the stress of the approaching holiday season, the Heffleys decide to escape to a tropical island resort for some much needed rest and relaxation. A few days in paradise should do wonders for Greg and his frazzled family. But the Heffleys soon discover that paradise isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. Sunburn, stomach troubles, and venomous critters all threaten to ruin the family’s vacation. Can their trip be saved, or will this island getaway end in disaster?
4. The 91-Storey Treehouse
Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton
Andy and Terry’s amazing treehouse has 13 new storeys. Prepare for more zany fun and crazy adventures!
The seventh book in the bestselling series from Australia’s most popular children’s author and illustrator.
Join Andy and Terry in their ridiculous 91-storey treehouse! Go for a spin in the world’s most powerful whirlpool, take a ride in a submarine sandwich, get marooned on a desert island, hang out in a giant spider web, visit the fortune teller’s tent to get your fortune told by Madame Know-it-all and decide whether or not to push the mysterious big red button. Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up!
5. Harry Potter & the Cursed Child Parts 1 and 2 (Playscript)
JK Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.
While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.
The playscript for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was originally released as a ‘special rehearsal edition’ alongside the opening of Jack Thorne’s play in London’s West End in summer 2016. Based on an original story by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne, the play opened to rapturous reviews from theatre goers and critics alike, while the official playscript became an immediate global bestseller.
This revised paperback edition updates the ‘special rehearsal edition’ with the conclusive and final dialogue from the play, which has subtly changed since its rehearsals, as well as a conversation piece between director John Tiffany and writer Jack Thorne, who share stories and insights about reading playscripts. This edition also includes useful background information including the Potter family tree and a timeline of events from the Wizarding World prior to the beginning of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
6. Explorer
Katherine Rundell
Fred awoke to find that a snake was watching him and that there was an aeroplane in the trees. It was on fire. Being on fire was a quality it shared with much of the surrounding jungle.
After crashing hundreds of miles from civilisation in the Amazon rainforest, Fred, Con, Lila and Max are utterly alone and in grave danger. They have no food, no water and no chance of being rescued. But they are alive and they have hope. As they negotiate the wild jungle they begin to find signs that something – someone – has been there before them. Could there possibly be a way out after all?
7. The Wizards of Once
Cressida Cowell
Once there was Magic, and the Magic lived in the dark forests. Until the Warriors came…
Xar is a Wizard boy who has no Magic, and will do anything to get it. Wish is a Warrior girl, but she owns a banned Magical Object, and she will do anything to conceal it.
In this whirlwind adventure, Xar and Wish must forget their differences if they’re going to make it to the dungeons at Warrior Fort. Where something that has been sleeping for hundreds of years is stirring…
8. Crush Catastrophe (Dork Diaries #12)
Rachel Renee Russell
In Nikki’s newest diary, it’s the countdown to the end of the school year, and Nikki’s juggling some big questions about how she’ll spend her summer.
She’s also facing an unexpected crush catastrophe – there’s a new kid interested in Nikki, but the last thing she wants to do is accidentally hurt Brandon! It all comes down to a big decision Nikki has to make, and drama like she’s never faced before!
9. The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome
Katrina Nannestad
He’s the world’s vaguest novelist. She’s a shy and unusual child. Together, they’re travelling the world, one book a time.
For the first ten years of Freja’s life, she and her mother Clementine have roamed the Arctic in search of zoological wonders. Happy, content, together. Freja and Clem. Clem and Freja. But now, everything is changing, and Clementine must send Freja away to live with her old friend Tobias, a bestselling crime writer and, quite possibly, the most absent-minded man on earth. Tobias isn’t used to life with a child, and Freja isn’t used to people at all, but together they’ll stumble into an Italian adventure so big that it will change things forever … Award-winning Australian author Katrina Nannestad returns with a delicious new series about family, friendship and finding yourself. Ages: 8+
10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Illustrated edition)
JK Rowling & Jim Kay
An extraordinary creative achievement by an extraordinary talent, Jim Kay’s inspired reimagining of J.K. Rowling’s classic series has captured a devoted following worldwide. This stunning new fully illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban brings more breathtaking scenes and unforgettable characters – including Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Professor Trelawney. With paint, pencil and pixels, Kay conjures the wizarding world as we have never seen it before. Fizzing with magic and brimming with humour, this full-colour edition will captivate fans and new readers alike as Harry, now in his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, faces Dementors, death omens and – of course – danger.
TEEN & YA
1. Wonder
R.J. Palacio
‘My name is August. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.’
Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things – eating ice cream, playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary – inside. But ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren’t stared at wherever they go.
Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he’s being sent to a real school – and he’s dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted – but can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, underneath it all?
Wonder is a funny, frank, astonishingly moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page.
2. Take Three Girls
Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell & Fiona Wood
ADY – not the confident A-Lister she appears to be.
KATE – brainy boarder taking risks to pursue the music she loves.
CLEM – disenchanted swim-star losing her heart to the wrong boy.
All are targeted by PSST, a toxic website that deals in gossip and lies. St Hilda’s antidote to the cyber-bullying? The Year 10 Wellness program. Nice try – but sometimes all it takes is three girls.
Exploring friendship, feminism, identity and belonging. Take Three Girls is honest, raw and funny. 3 award-winning authors. 1 compelling book.
3. La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust Part 1)
Philip Pullman
Eleven-year-old Malcolm Polstead and his dæmon, Asta, live with his parents at the Trout Inn near Oxford. Across the River Thames (which Malcolm navigates often using his beloved canoe, a boat by the name of La Belle Sauvage) is the Godstow Priory where the nuns live. Malcolm learns they have a guest with them; a baby by the name of Lyra Belacqua . . .
Philip Pullman returns to the world of His Dark Materials with this magnificent first volume of The Book of Dust.
4. Turtles All the Way Down
John Green
Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred thousand dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.
5. Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories
R.J. Palacio
Auggie & Me gives readers a special look at Auggie’s world through three new points of view. Previously only available in ebook, now they’ll be published all together–complete with an introduction from the author on how she came to write them–in a gorgeous hardcover package!
These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie’s oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie’s new friend at school. Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don’t want to leave Auggie behind when they finish Wonder.
6. Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #3) Rick Riordan
Loki the trickster god is free from his chains. Now he’s readying Naglfar, the Ship of the Dead, armed with a host of giants and zombies, to sail against the Norse gods and begin the final battle of Ragnarok. It’s up to Magnus Chase and his friends to stop Loki’s plans, but to do so they will have to sail across the oceans of Midgard, Jotunheim and Niflheim in a desperate race to reach Naglfar before it’s ready to sail on Midsummer’s Day.
Along the way, they will face angry sea gods, hostile giants, and an evil fire-breathing dragon who happens to be a former acquaintance. But Magnus’s biggest challenge will be facing his own inner demons. To defeat Loki, Magnus will need to use words, not force. This will require finding a magical elixir so deadly that it will either make Magnus Chase powerful enough to out-talk the silver-tongued Loki, or destroy Magnus utterly.
7. Gone
Michael Grant
‘One minute, the teacher was there, the next, he was gone. There. Gone.’
In the blink of an eye all the adults disappear in a small town in southern California and no one knows why. First a car crash, a house up in flames, then a complete communication meltdown…
Suddenly cut off from the outside world, those that are left are trapped, and there’s no help on the way. They must do all they can to survive. Chaos rules the streets. Gangs begin to form. Sides are chosen…strong or weak. Cruel or humane. A new world order is rising, and, even scarier, some survivors have power – power that no one has ever seen before…
8. Untidy Towns
Kate O’Donnell
Seventeen-year-old Adelaide is sick of being expected to succeed on other people’s terms. She knows she just has to stick it out at school for one more year and then she’ll be free. Instead, she runs away from her fancy boarding school back to her sleepy hometown to read and dream.
But there are no free rides. When Addie’s grandad gets her a job at the local historical society, she soon finds out that it’s dusty and dull, just like her new life. Things change when she starts hanging out with Jarrod, a boy who seems full of possibilities. But it turns out he’s as stuck as she is. And Addie realises that when you want something in life, you’ve actually got to do something about it.
A heartfelt story about love, friendship and finding your own way.
9. Monster
Michael Grant
It’s been four years since a meteor hit Perdido Beach and everyone disappeared. Everyone, except the kids trapped in the FAYZ – an invisible dome that was created by an alien virus. Inside the FAYZ, animals began to mutate and teens developed dangerous powers. The terrifying new world was plagued with hunger, lies, and fear of the unknown.
Now the dome is gone and meteors are hitting earth with an even deadlier virus. Humans will mutate into monsters and the whole world will be exposed. As some teens begin to morph into heroes, they will find that others have become dangerously out of control … and that the world is on the brink of a monstrous battle between good and evil.
10. They Both Die at the End
Adam Silvera
On September 5th, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: they’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: there’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure – to live a lifetime in a single day.
Another beautiful, heartbreaking and life-affirming book from the brilliant Adam Silvera, author of History Is All You Left Me.
