Category: middle grade

#AussieAuthors2026, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, animals, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, challenges, Children's Literature, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Young Adult

The Ghost Horse of Snowy River by Stef Gemmill

Ashleigh

Title: The Ghost Horse of Snowy River Author: Stef Gemmill Genre: Contemporary Middle Grade/YA Publisher: Wombat Books Published: 3rd June 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 216 Price: $18.99 Synopsis: A year has passed since 12-year-old Georgie Stone had a serious horse-riding accident. Now that she’s back at the cattle station, she tries to overcome her fear… Continue reading The Ghost Horse of Snowy River by Stef Gemmill

#AussieAuthors2026, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, adventure, animals, Anita Heiss, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, biography, Book Industry, Books, challenges, check in post, Children's Literature, Crime/Mystery, Disney Reading Challenge, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, humour, Indigenous authors, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, memoir, middle grade, mythology, non-fiction, Picture Books, poetry, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Scholastic, series, short stories, The Nerd Daily, Verse novels, Young Adult

July 2026 Reading Round Up

Ashleigh

What a month July was. I read 21 books this month and reviewed as many of them as possible, and others were read for fun. I also didn’t have time to review everything. And what I did read was chosen for various purposes to fit in with reviewing and challenges. Some books were longer or… Continue reading July 2026 Reading Round Up

#AussieAuthors2026, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, adventure, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, humour, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Young Adult

Aidan versus the Ocean by Dannika Patterson, illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith

Ashleigh

Title: Aidan versus the Ocean Author: Dannika Patterson, illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith Genre: Contemporary Publisher: Wombat Books Published: 1st August 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 130 Price: $16.99 Synopsis: All Aidan thought he'd have to survive during the summer school holidays was yet another game of Fortnite with his mates. But his plans are suddenly… Continue reading Aidan versus the Ocean by Dannika Patterson, illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith

#AussieAuthors2026, #LoveOZMG, adventure, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, Crime/Mystery, humour, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews

The Lost Island by Samantha Wheeler, illustrated by Anke Noack

Ashleigh

Title: The Lost Island Author: Samantha Wheeler, illustrated by Anke Noack Genre: Fantasy Publisher: UQP Published: 4th August 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 224 Price: $17.99 Synopsis: Bestselling and award-winning Australian author Samantha Wheeler returns with this thrilling desert island survival story full of action, mystery and adventure.Theo thinks there’s nothing worse than being stuck on… Continue reading The Lost Island by Samantha Wheeler, illustrated by Anke Noack

#AussieAuthors2026, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Young Adult

Miles Thorne and the Forbidden Magic by Rebecca Ahola

Ashleigh

Title: Miles Thorne and the Forbidden Magic Author: Rebecca Ahola Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Wombat Australia Published: 1st August 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 238 Price: $19.99 Synopsis: Miles Thorne was kicked out of his last school, the prestigious Nox Wizarding Academy, because he’s a wizard with almost no magic. At his new school, he meets Eric,… Continue reading Miles Thorne and the Forbidden Magic by Rebecca Ahola

#AussieAuthors2026, #LoveOZMG, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, Crime/Mystery, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews

The Nardi Puzzle by Gabriella Page

Ashleigh

Title: The Nardi Puzzle Author: Gabriella Page Genre: Science Fiction Publisher: Wombat Books Published: 1st August 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 242 Price: $18.99 Synopsis: Thirteen players. Thirteen hours. One extraordinary prize. When 12-year-old Sebastian Walker is invited to legendary game-maker Elisabetta Nardi’s mansion in Sardinia, he thinks he can finally leave his troubles behind. Instead,… Continue reading The Nardi Puzzle by Gabriella Page

#AussieAuthors2026, #LoveOZMG, animals, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, humour, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, series

Josie Mack and the Mega Division by Bethany Loveridge, illustrated by Jade Goodwin

Ashleigh

Title: Josie Mack and the Mega Division Author: Bethany Loveridge, illustrated by Jade Goodwin Genre: Contemporary Publisher: Wombat Books Published: 3rd June 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 106 Price: $14.99 Synopsis: One night, a wombat knocks at Josie's window. She thinks her lifelong wish for a pet has come true! But Ursula the wombat is on… Continue reading Josie Mack and the Mega Division by Bethany Loveridge, illustrated by Jade Goodwin

#AussieAuthors2026, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, challenges, Children's Literature, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Verse novels, Young Adult

A River I Must Be by Kate Foster

Ashleigh

Title: A River I Must Be Author: Kate Foster Genre: Contemporary Verse Novel Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: 28th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 272 Price: $18.99 Synopsis: A compelling and moving verse novel by award-winning author, Kate Foster, who combines her heart-felt writing with an authentic view of autism and the pressure of masking. And… Continue reading A River I Must Be by Kate Foster

#AussieAuthors2026, #LoveOZMG, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, historical fiction, history, humour, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, middle grade, mythology, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, series

Myths Meet Mayhem (Ludicrous Legends #2) by Jol Temple, illustrated by David Conley

Ashleigh

Title: Myths Meet Mayhem (Ludicrous Legends #2) Author: Jol Temple, illustrated by David Conley Genre: Fantasy Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: 28th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 112 Price: $16.99 Synopsis: Ludicrous Legends is a hilarious junior-fiction series that reimagines myths in a fun way for early readers, 7 to 10 years old. When his three-headed… Continue reading Myths Meet Mayhem (Ludicrous Legends #2) by Jol Temple, illustrated by David Conley

#AussieAuthors2026, #LoveOZMG, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, Crime/Mystery, humour, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews

Eighty-Nine Questions for After by Ashleigh Barton

Ashleigh

Title: Eighty-Nine Questions for After Author: Ashleigh Barton Genre: Contemporary Publisher: Hachette Australia Published: 28th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 304 Price: $16.99 Synopsis: A wise and beautifully written middle-grade novel about finding answers to the big questions in life from popular children's author Ashleigh Barton. Ester Star is a germophobe and hypochondriac and she's… Continue reading Eighty-Nine Questions for After by Ashleigh Barton