The Books I read that were Written by Women

In 2023, I read 173 books written by women across a range of genres and audiences and age groups, and many of these were review books or books that I reviewed throughout the year. I made the effort to be as diverse as possible – whether this was the story, the author, or the characters in the story. Sometimes this can be affected by what I am sent to review. Some reviews are yet to be published as well. Overall, this year I focused on children’s literature in as many forms as possible, and in particular Australian children’s literature, especially given my involvement with the Children’s Book Council of Australia and the National Centre of Australian Children’s Literature.

1. Finders, Keepers by Emily Rodda
2. Cold Iron by Sophie Masson
3. Dusty in the Outwilds by Rhiannon Williams
4. Taken by Dinuka McKenzie
5. The Bookseller’s Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
6. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
7. Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
8. Hope is the Thing by Johanna Bell and Erica Wagner
9. Ollie and Bea: Bunny Ideas by Renee Treml
10. Ollie and Bea: Otterly Ridiculous by Renee Treml
11. Friday Barnes: Last Chance by R.A. Spratt
12. Tumbleglass by Kate Constable
13. The Rocket-Powered Racing Caravan by C.E. Hayes
14. Plague by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley
15. The Month that Makes the Year by Inda Ahmad Zahri
16. Duckling Runs Away by Margaret Wild
17. Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
18. Running with Ivan by Suzanne Leal
19. The Fix-It Princess by Janeen Brian
20. The Glow by Sofie Laguna and Marc McBride
21. The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Disastrous Dog Show by Katrina Nannestad
22. Homecoming by Kate Morton
23. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
24. Nightbirds by Kate J Armstrong
25. Mini and Milo: The Teeny-Tiny Voice by Venita DiMos and Natashia Curtin
26. Return to the Secret Garden by Holly Webb
27. The Hats of Marvello by Amanda Graham
28. So That Happened, But Maybe You Already Knew That by Tami Sussman
29. The Red Wind by Isobelle Carmody
30. Pearly and Pig and the Lost City of Mu Savan by Sue Whiting
31. Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker
32. Miss Penny Dreadful and the Malicious Maze by Allison Rushby
33. Gumnut Land Adventures by May Gibbs
34. Becoming Mrs Mulberry by Jackie French
35. Little Matilda Goes to Hospital by Caz Goodwin
36. Grace and Mr Mulligan by Caz Goodwin
37. The Midnight News by Jo Baker
38. A Message Through Time by Anna Ciddor
39. The MudPuddlers by Pamela Rushby
40. Women and Power by Mary Beard
41. The Great Gallipoli Escape by Jackie French
42. Huda was Here by H Hayek
43. Spellhound: A Dragons of Hallow Book by Lian Tanner
44. Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood
45. Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd
46. Harriet Hound by Kate Foster
47. Shadow Catchers by Karen Blair
48. Hercules Quick’s Big Bag of Tricks by Ursula Dubosarsky
49. Mars Underground by HM Waugh
50. Last Man Out by Louise Park
51. Bird’s Eye View by Sophie Masson and Lorena Carrington
52. Secrets of the Good Fairy House by Sophie Masson and Lorena Carrington
53. Seven Wherewithal Way: Across the Ice and into the Jungle by Samantha-Ellen Bound
54. Possum Magic 40^th Anniversary Edition by Mem Fox and Julie Vivas
55. Leeva at Last by Sarah Pennypacker
56. The Fire and the Rose by Robyn Cadwallader
57. Deadly Waters by Helen Chapman
58. None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney
59. Hedgewitch by Skye McKenna
60. Tulips for Breakfast by Catherine Bauer
61. Sunshine on Vinegar Street by Karen Comer
62. Queen Narelle by Sally Murphy
63. The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate
64. Some Shall Break by Ellie Marney
65. The House of Longing by Tara Calaby
66. Ella at Eden: Perfect Score by Laura Sieveking
67. Etta and the Octopus by Zana Fraillon and Andrew Joyner
68. Easy Peasy by Ky Garvey and Amy Calutti
69. The Girls Who Changed the World: Ming and Hilde Lead a Revolution by Jackie French
70. The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
71. Feelings are Wild by Sophy Williams and Gavin Scott
72. The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart by Samera Kamaleddine
73. The Scope of Permissibility by Zeynab Gamieldien
74. Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star by Laura Noakes
75. Timefire by Nean McKenzie
76. Hamlet Is Not Okay by R.A. Spratt
77. Love Me, Love My ADHD by Chrissie Davies
78. The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer
79. Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth by Anna Fienberg
80. The Unlikely Heroes Club by Kate Foster
81. Mille Mak the Maker by Alice Pung and Sher Rill Ng
82. Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue by Jodie McLeod and Eloise Short
83. Kensy and Max: Time’s Up by Jacqueline Harvey
84. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
85. Traced by Catherine Jinks
86. Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles
87. Bush Turkey by Kate and Jol Temple
88. When You Wish Upon A Star by Elizabeth Lim
89. Saving Charli by Di Walker
90. Set in Stone by Mari Macusi
91. Cub and Brown by Edwina Wyatt
92. Captain Thunderbolt’s Recital by Jane Jolly and Liz Duthie
93. Honey and the Valley of Horses by Wendy Orr
94. The Ghost Book by Remy Lai
95. The January Stars by Kate Constable
96. Jawsome by R.J. Timmis
97. The Wish Sisters 3: The Running Wish by Allison Rushby
98. The Wish Sisters 4: The Pet Wish by Allison Rushby
99. The Dog Squad: The Newshound by Clara Vulliamy
100. Bluebird by Sharon Cameron
101. The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
102. The Fortune Maker by Catherine Norton
103. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
104. The Princess and the Suffragette by Holly Webb
105. Andy and Ghost Boy by Karen Tyrrell
106. Pink Santa by Tanya Hennessy
107. Violet Kelly and the Jade Owl by Fiona Britton
108. A Woman’s Work by Victoria Purman
109. Mini and Milo: The Big Flappy Ears by Venita DiMos and Natashia Curtin
110. Two Sparrowhawks in a Lonely Sky by Rebecca Lim
111. The First Summer of Callie McGee by A.L. Tait
112. Dragon Games: The Frozen Sea by Maddy Mara
113. This Camp is Doomed: A Dennith Grange Misadventure by Anna Zobel
114. Bone Rites by Natalie Bayley
115. Through My Eyes, Australian Disaster Zones: Alex by Rosanne Hawke, series editor Lyn White
116. Last Place Lin by Wai Chim and Freida Lu
117. Copycat by Kelli Anne Hawkins
118. The Lorekeepers: Raine in the Underlands by E.M. Greville
119. Dragon Games: The Thunder Egg by Maddy Mara
120. Mason Mooney: Supernatural Sleuth by Seaerra Miller
121. Who’s the Gang in Our Street? by Susanne Gervay
122. Coco and the Christmas Beetle by Laura Bunting and Nicky Johnston
123. Always, Never, Always by Meg McKinlay and Leila Rudge
124. These Little Feet by Hayley Rawsthorne and Briony Stewart
125. Dangerous Devotions by AD Penhall
126. Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma by Sharon Giltrow
127. The Ultimate Book of Brilliant Bedtime Stories by R.A. Spratt
128. Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose by Nancy Springer
129. Stuck up and Stupid by Angourie Rice and Kate Rice
130. The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester
131. Blair Moon: How to Be Cooler than the Moon by Ashleigh Mounser
132. Ella Diaries: Winter Wonders (Super Special #1) by Meredith Costain and Danielle McDonald
133. Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds: Stories, Poetry, and Plays for Children by the CBCA NSW Eastern Suburbs Sub-branch
134. The Rebels of Mount Buffalo by Helen Edwards
135. Glitched by Emily Snape
136. Deadlands: Trapped by Skye Melki-Wagner
137. Portraits of Celina by Sue Whiting (10^th Anniversary Edition)
138. Temora and the Dreamers by Kate Gordon
139. Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks by Allison Rushby
140. The Turtle and the Flood by Jackie French and Danny Snell
141. A Life Song by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker
142. Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery by Jacqueline Harvey
143. Casander Darkbloom and the Threads of Power by P.A. Staff
144. Murder on a School Night by Kate Weston
145. The Puppets of Spelhorst: A Norendy Tale by Kate DiCamillo
146. Hunter on Holiday by Jessica and Stephen Parry-Valentine, illustrated by Ashlee Spink
147. Ayla’s Christmas Wish by Pamela Jones and Lucia Masciullo
148. The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet by Jaclyn Moriarty
149. Every Exquisite Thing by Laura Steven
150. Like a Charm by Elle McNicoll
151. Yours from the Tower by Sally Nicholls
152. Every Word a Lie by Sue Wallman
153. Kaldoras by Lynette Noni
154. The Space Between Here and Now by Sarah Suk
155. The Legend of Ghastly Jack Crowheart by Loretta Schauer
156. Courageous Kids and their Amazing Adventures by Stephanie Owen Reeder
157. History Factopia: Follow Ye Olde Trail of 400 Facts by Paige Towler and Andy Smith
158. First Mate Lenny by Elayna Carausu, illustrated by Sandra Eide
159. Kip of the Mountain by Emma Gourlay
160. Silver Linings by Katrina Nannestad
161. Our Family Dragon: A Lunar New Year Story by Rebecca Lim and Cai Tse
162. Secret Sparrow by Jackie French
163. Murder You Wrote: An Interactive Murder Mystery by L.J.M. Owen (editor)
164. How Hayden Found Her New Favourite Foods by Stefi Mac and Kat Fox
165. The Diemen Alexander by Marie Heitz
166. This Fresh Hell by Katya de Becerra and Narelle M Harris
167. Andy and Ghost Boy by Karen Tyrrell
168. The Tale of Martha B Rabbit and How She Became the Fairies’ Cook by Shirley Barber
169. The Star on the Grave by Linda Margolin Royal
170. All Is Found: A Frozen Anthology edited by Heather Knowles and Mari Macusi
171. Monty, Dog Detective:  The Nosy Detectives by Louisa Bennet
172. Two Selkie Stories from Scotland by Kate Forsyth, illustrated by Fiona McDonald
173. Temora and the Wordsnatcher by Kate Gordon