Category: Indigenous authors

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#AussieYAChallenge 2025 Completed

Ashleigh

And that’s a wrap on this year’s #AussieYAChallenge. 45 books read, and all the prompts marked off. Some of the books I read probably also crossed over into children’s and middle grade for various reasons, which I aimed to explain in the reviews. And I did my best to read as diversely as possible, as… Continue reading #AussieYAChallenge 2025 Completed

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My Favourite Books of 2025

Ashleigh

I haven’t done this for a while, because whenever I see posts about people’s top ten reads of the year, I never know what to put on mine. Somehow, I always end up with more than ten, or not quite ten, or I’ll have read a series during the year, and have enjoyed all of… Continue reading My Favourite Books of 2025

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Readings Book Bingo Completed-ish

Ashleigh

 One final challenge I took part in this year was the Readings book bingo. I managed to tick every prompt apart from the cookbook prompt off, which probably had more to do with time than anything else. 2024 Prize Winner:  A Gift from the Birds by Caroline Stills (Text Prize 2024) A debut author: Earth… Continue reading Readings Book Bingo Completed-ish

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November 2025 Reading Round Up

Ashleigh

I didn’t read as many books in November. It was a quieter month in terms of review books, so I took the chance to catch up with some of my other reading that I’ve had on my shelves for a long time. I had two review books, but reviewed three out of the 11 books… Continue reading November 2025 Reading Round Up

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Book Bingo found on LinkedIn

Ashleigh

In July, I found another book bingo, and downloaded the card. It was shared by Rebecca Fung from Giulia Ralton, a library and literacy teacher. She explains the purpose behind a book bingo challenge here. Fingers crossed all these links work, and apologies if they don’t.  I’m always interested to see what reading challenges do,… Continue reading Book Bingo found on LinkedIn

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giwang by Belinda Bridge, illustrated by Peta-Joy Williams

Ashleigh

Title: giwang Author: Belinda Bridge, illustrated by Peta-Joy Williams Genre: Language and learning Publisher: Aboriginal Studies Press Published: 1st November 2025 Format: Paperback Pages: 32 Price: $24.99 Synopsis: The dry central western region of New South Wales is Wiradjuri Country. Here, the landscape slips from one weather cycle into another as hot, dry and windy… Continue reading giwang by Belinda Bridge, illustrated by Peta-Joy Williams

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Dymocks Reading Challenge 2025 Completed

Ashleigh

And just like that, another year of the Dymocks Reading Challenge is over. I managed to fill in each prompt for this one, and may have ummed and ahhed about the Gothic Ruins prompt, because I read a couple of books that seemed to fit it well. I did focus on Australian books and authors… Continue reading Dymocks Reading Challenge 2025 Completed

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Wilderness Awards  2025

Ashleigh

The 2025 Karajia and Environment Award Winners, stories that connect kids to Country and nature have been announced. They were announced at 11am on the 11th of October on Love Your Bookshop Day, which is also the start of Nature Books Week. These awards celebrate authors and illustrators who have written and created stories to… Continue reading Wilderness Awards  2025

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Naynay and the Mermaid by Tasma Walton, illustrated by Charmaine Ledden-Lewis

Ashleigh

Title: Naynay and the Mermaid Author: Tasma Walton, illustrated by Charmaine Ledden-Lewis Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Scholastic Australia Published: 1st October 2025 Format: Hardcover Pages: 24 Price: $19.99 Synopsis: 'With long tendrils of seagrass for hair, her body is blue green like the sea, and her tail sparkles with iridescent scales ...' Naynay and her family… Continue reading Naynay and the Mermaid by Tasma Walton, illustrated by Charmaine Ledden-Lewis

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#AussieYAChallenge Update 2

Ashleigh

It’s time for another update! Last time, I had read 12 books, and completed my chosen level. So now I’m working on getting up to 40 books, Well, I have read 22 more Australian young adult books since April, and some possibly crossover into middle grade, because I found them on lists for both, and… Continue reading #AussieYAChallenge Update 2