Title: Silver Linings Author: Katrina Nannestad Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: ABC Books/HarperCollins Australia Published: 1st November 2011 Format: Hardcover Pages: 304 Price: $19.99 Synopsis: A new heartwarming novel set in 1950s Australia from bestselling author Katrina Nannestad Nettie Sweeney has a dad, three big sisters, a farm full of cows and a cat called Mittens.… Continue reading Silver Linings by Katrina Nannestad
Category: middle grade
Kip of the Mountain by Emma Gourlay
Title: Kip of the Mountain Author: Emma Gourlay Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: 4th October 2023 Format: Hardcover Pages: 256 Price: $19.99 Synopsis: The astonishing and magical debut novel from Melbourne writer Emma Gourlay Kip Boowitt is desperate for a best friend. So when she rescues a tiny creature that looks like… Continue reading Kip of the Mountain by Emma Gourlay
Courageous Kids and their Amazing Adventures by Stephanie Owen Reeder and Liz Duthie (illustrator)
Title: Courageous Kids and their Amazing Adventures Author: Stephanie Owen Reeder and Liz Duthie (illustrator) Genre: History, Non-fiction Publisher: NLA Publishing Published: 1st November 2023 Format: Hardcover Pages: 352 Price: $19.99 Synopsis: Stephanie Owen Reeder’s Heritage Heroes series celebrates stories of incredible survival, persistance and resilience by young people. This book binds together the five original, beloved stories with… Continue reading Courageous Kids and their Amazing Adventures by Stephanie Owen Reeder and Liz Duthie (illustrator)
October 2023 Reading Wrap Up
In October, I read eighteen books, and reviewed sixteen of them. Most were by Australian authors, and all were aimed at children or young adults. I had hoped to read more but travel and a few other things meant I didn’t get through everything I wanted. I also worked on some posts about my visit… Continue reading October 2023 Reading Wrap Up
Casander Darkbloom and the Threads of Power by P.A. Staff
Title: Casander Darkbloom and the Threads of Power Author: P.A. Staff Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Walker Books Published: 1st November 2023 Format: Paperback Pages: 384 Price: $19.99 Synopsis: The first in an extraordinary middle-grade fantasy series that takes the traditional "chosen one" narrative and flips it on its head. Think Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil, but with… Continue reading Casander Darkbloom and the Threads of Power by P.A. Staff
Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks by Allison Rushby
Title: Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks Author: Allison Rushby Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction Publisher: Walker Books Published: 1st November 2023 Format: Paperback Pages: 160 Price: $15.99 Synopsis: The final exciting instalment in the Miss Penny Dreadful series from acclaimed author Allison Rushby.Searching for a new story idea for her aunt’s famous penny dreadfuls,… Continue reading Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks by Allison Rushby
Ayla’s Christmas Wish by Pamela Jones and Lucia Masciullo
Title: Ayla’s Christmas Wish Author: Pamela Jones and Lucia Masciullo Genre: Christmas Publisher: NLA Publishing Published: 1st November 2023 Format: Hardcover Pages: 32 Price: $24.99 Synopsis: Christmas is coming, and Ayla wants a snowman just like in her book, but there is no snow to be found in her drought-stricken town, not even a drop of rain.… Continue reading Ayla’s Christmas Wish by Pamela Jones and Lucia Masciullo
The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet (Kingdoms and Empires #5) by Jaclyn Moriarty
Title: The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet (Kingdoms and Empires #5) Author: Jaclyn Moriarty Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Allen and Unwin Published: 31st October 2023 Pages: 544 Price: $22.99 Synopsis: A magical book in the rich and whimsical world of the Kingdoms and Empires about a girl, a threat and a pickle jar filled with gold… Continue reading The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet (Kingdoms and Empires #5) by Jaclyn Moriarty
Completion of QBD Reading Challenge 2023
I have completed the 2023 QBD Challenge. My last prompt was a funny memoir, which in some ways was hard to find, but I settled on Paul Jennings’ memoir, Untwisted, which was funny in parts, and I enjoyed the way he told the stories – with humour and empathy throughout. I reviewed twenty books for… Continue reading Completion of QBD Reading Challenge 2023
The Puppets of Spelhorst: A Norendy Tale by Kate DiCamillo
Title: The Puppets of Spelhorst: A Norendy Tale Author: Kate DiCamillo Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Walker Books Published: 18th October 2023 Format: Hardcover Pages: 160 Price: $24.99 Synopsis: From master storyteller Kate DiCamillo comes an original fairy tale, enchantingly illustrated, in which five puppets confront circumstances beyond their control with patience, cunning and high spirits.Once, there… Continue reading The Puppets of Spelhorst: A Norendy Tale by Kate DiCamillo
