Sunny and Storm, written by Tanya Hennessy and illustrated by Rachael McLean, is a hilariously funny and highly entertaining story that bursts with imagination, friendship and wonderfully silly language.
Sunny and Storm are not just best friends - they are Besticles: best, best, best, bestest best friends! The two girls love spending time together and filling their shared journal with the many made-up words they invent. Words like Fluffit, fiddlewallop and anivac to name just a few! This playful language contributes to the appeal of the story.
The girls live in the country, where everyday life comes with its own unique challenges - like constantly dodging piles of animal poo! Even school isn’t safe from the chaos, especially when Somewhere, the local wandering cow, often turns up anywhere and everywhere. These quirky rural moments add to the humour and give the story a lively and relatable backdrop.
When Storm and Sunny are given a whole week of reflection time at school for something they insist they didn’t do, and then it happens again, the girls decide they’ve had enough. Determined to clear their names, they set out to uncover who is really responsible. Their investigation adds a fast-paced mystery element that keeps readers engaged while still delivering plenty of laughs along the way.
Hennessy’s writing is witty, energetic and packed with comedic timing that makes the story exciting and entertaining. Combined with McLean’s amusing and animated black-and-white illustrations to perfectly complement the text; adding extra layers of humour and visual comedy.
The creative use of different fonts, bold words and varied text sizes adds another engaging dimension, helping emphasise jokes and emotions while making the pages feel lively and dynamic.
Sunny and Storm is a standout for engagement and entertainment. With its memorable characters, laugh-out-loud humour, and inventive storytelling, it’s the kind of book readers will race through and want to share with friends. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of many more adventures for these two unforgettable Besticles.
Themes Friendship, School, Country Life, Mystery, Humour, Relationships, Family.
Michelle O'Connell
The drover's son by Leah Purcell. Illus. by Dub Leffler
Danny ’s father is away for months on end, droving. Danny has had to grow up quickly and take on the roles his father would have had. He knows that soon he will have to go off with his father, and become a drover as well, but he is not keen to follow that path.
Purcell leads us into a familiar landscape, her descriptions making the reader think about where they are, and why. The loneliness of the woman is heart wrenching, although it is better than having her husband at home. She gives birth to a stillborn alone, she rallies her children, taking them for walks, explaining the landscape to them.
One day an Aboriginal man appears. He does the woodchopping, mother tells them. And he and Danny share their stories. Through his stories, Yadaka becomes a role model for Danny, one as different from his father than any he has come across. Dany sees a man who is strong and hardworking, treating those around him with interest and respect. A far cry from the father he knows.
Yardagi begins by opening Danny’s eyes to the land. This is not something he can do quickly he says, but learnt after many years of being part of the land, of listening to stories of the land, of watching, of experiencing what is about them.
Yadaki shows Danny how to make a spear, from selecting the right piece of wood, of smoothing the bark and using the fire to harden it, telling him all the while why he is doing this. He infuses Danny with how it should be used and never to throw it at the children.
Yadaka teaches Danny things he has never thought about, treating him with respect and kindness.
But one day he goes, leaving Danny to use the skills he has learnt, to tell his mother that he will never go droving. He had seen and learnt through another’s eyes the life she leads.
This wonderful reworking of Henry Lawson’s The drover’s wife, is engrossing, in its concentration on the boy and his journey.
Supported by the luminous illustrations, the landscape as shown on the endpapers, beg the readers to see it through the eyes of a family alone. And through the story each of the characters is given substance, showing their lives as they eke out a living on the land. The mother’s love is paramount and her gentle gathering of her brood, is shown through the illustrations as she protects, feeds and tells them stories. Yadaka comes into the family quietly, taking the young boy, Danny into his circle, showing him through his behaviour how another path can be taken. He teaches the boy through his stories and work, that the way his father behaves is not the only way, and teaches him skills to make his way in the world.
This retelling touches on the colonial experience, the taking of the land used by the First Nations for millennia, the role of a father in a family, and the experience of women left to cope alone in places beyond any community. It is rich with discusion points and a platform for reading The Drover’s Wife.
Themes Australian history, Droving, Aboriginal themes, Stillbirth.
Fran Knight
Ernest Rutherford and the birth of modern physics by Matthew Wright
Much has been written about Ernest Rutherford whose work in the field of particle physics and the relationship between matter, electricity and the forces involved, resulted in two Nobel prizes. In this very readable book Matthew Wright looks at his achievements through the lens of Rutherford’s personality, his New Zealand background and the international cohort of scientists working in the field with whom he worked and corresponded. Incremental observations were shared, ideas bounced off one another whilst at the same time competition was fierce to publish first and claim the next advance. Wright outlines the path taken by Western scientists building on Newton’s classical physics, questioning, testing and observing, harnessing new materials and techniques to peer deeper into the unknown.
Born near Nelson N.Z. in 1871, Ernest was one of twelve children. Originally home schooled by his mother, a teacher, he exhibited a flair for mathematics and a Physics textbook he was given at age ten engaged his interest in experimentation, something he was able to try out in his father’s milling businesses. The family valued education but was not wealthy and after a series of hard-won scholarships and some good teachers Rutherford entered Canterbury University in 1890 where his exploration of the effects of alternating current electricity on metal, inventing devices to measure and record observations shaped the way he approached physics. As Ernest reached the limits of academic progress in New Zealand a scholarship became available to study in Britain for students from the colonies. He was second choice for the only entry for New Zealand but in a sliding door moment he gained the award when the winner declined it. The author follows Rutherford’s career starting in Cambridge exploring the relationship between electricity and matter and at each step the succinct explanations keep the reader engaged, with specific examples and summaries. Occasional explanatory pages outline some of the key concepts and there are photographs, many sourced from NZ archives, while notes, glossary and bibliography invite further study. My physicist brother read and enjoyed the book saying it made him want to revisit his old textbooks while I found myself almost understanding concepts quite beyond me and wanting to read more by this author. Senior students should be encouraged to read how a research imagination, creatively asking many questions then rigorously exploring all lines of enquiry without prior knowledge of what is important can lead to scientific breakthroughs. To follow on from Rutherford from an antipodean perspective try Wizards of Oz by Brett Mason exploring the work of Oliphant and Florey.
Themes Physics, Science history.
Sue Speck
It's a twin thing: The break up by Kristin Darell. Illus. by A. Yi
Penguin, 2026. ISBN: 9781761353598. (Age:8-12)
Kristin Darell manages in It's a twin thing:the break up to nail the intense friendship issues that seem to occur, particularly for girls, at around the year 5 level of primary school. For Brooklyn and Abigail, the twin central protagonists, the problem of relationships is heightened as not only do they have school friendship groups to navigate, they have their close twin relationship to navigate simultaneously. Being a twin, it seems, is like being a close sister but on steroids.
It's a twin thing:the break up opens with Brook and Abigail on the brink of year 5 and turning eleven years old. The first scene is of the twins together at Cherry Lake standing on a high diving platform. Brook seems to be the fearless one, encouraging the more timid Abi to make the jump. The nature of their "unstoppable", "inseparable" relationship is depicted along with the fact that they are the best and closest of friends sharing a mutual friend called Chary. Something important happens. The twin's parents tell them that it is time for the girls to be separated into different classes at school for the first time ever. This break is huge for them and tiny cracks in their relationship start to happen. Wisely, as the parents communicated this difficult message, they gave the girls journals so that they could write down their thoughts (and make sense of their anxieties and challenges through journaling). The journals became, for both girls, a way of processing their emotions. Through the different styles of writing (represented by different fonts) the reader becomes aware of the differing characters of the girls. New friendships are forged, jealousies are intense and Abi and Brook, for the first time in their lives bicker and become envious of each others' new friends while feeling left out and angry. They break up and don't speak. The wider family are a wonderful buffer, with their older brother doing his best and the parents demonstrating warmth and wisdom. Other adults in the story, similarly demonstrate understanding and good judgement, particularly the teachers at Cherry Lake Primary.
Darell seems to depict the ideal conditions for girls navigating the primary/ Middle Year transition at school. Brooke and Abi learn to find their separate and individual talents and interests and they learn how to move towards being fully functioning individuals whilst maintaining a healthily close relationship as twin sisters. Darell writes with authority on the subject as she is a twin herself. The importance of sensible and kind adult mentors and a warm family in helping girls navigate these difficult years is paramount. Abi and Brooke are supported through this time by their village.
It's a twin thing:the break up will appeal to readers who enjoyed the Twinning series by Alexa Moses or Francine Pascal's Sweet Valley Twins. It would also be helpful for any girl experiencing the anxieties and hopes of a ten year old girl beginning to chart her own path through school and extra-curricular activities.
Illustrator A. Li is well-known for her illustrations of the best-selling Alice Miranda and Willa and Woof series. It's a twin thing, with the same warm and cheerful illustrations, is a new series with The break up being the first in the series. The big switch is the immediate follow up so readers will be able to follow the further adventures of Abi and Brook. This series is sure to be popular in school libraries.
Themes Twins, Shifting friendships, Year 5/6 (late primary years) school life, Family, Jealousy, Competition.
It has been a long wait since Australian writer M.L Stedman's debut novel The light between oceans (2012). The reason has to be the evident quality of Stedman's work both in terms of research and literary value. That cannot happen over night. Works such as The light between oceans and this second book A far-flung life offer profound insights into human existence with complex interwoven themes that are universal and timeless, psychological depth that probes the human mind and deeply charged moral dilemmas. Added to this there is such a high degree of descriptive power in the depiction of the physical landscape, the landscape of the characters' minds and the consequential behaviours that the reader cannot help but be powerfully moved.
An amalgam of outback noir and historical fiction, A far-flung life features small town/outback station family secrets, social isolation and an unsettling atmosphere. Stedman's topics and situations are intense, passionate and volatile. Stedman, in A far-flung life, has traced generations of the MacBride family who have lived on a remote sheep station called Meredith Downs. The power of observation and description is apparent in beautifully crafted sentences such as..." Under dust-green mulga, a lizard seeks shade and shadow; ants engineer heat-defying nests: kangaroos suck moisture from tender leaves, ears swivelling to locate a distant rumble: on the straight vermillion line that cleaves the sparse trees, a lone truck is approaching." An old man kangaroo suddenly appears in font of the truck looking like a man and Phil MacBride breaks all the rules trying to avoid the animal. This moment in time cleaves the MacBride family history into a before and after.
Who would think that one family-once respected and successful, could experience the extent of heartbreak, anguish and horror that followed that moment! Stedman takes the reader to dark places. Set chiefly in the 1960's, a period of time in Australia when societal rules were extremely rigid, A far-flung life encompasses amongst many themes: death, long convalescence, amnesia, incest, illegitimate birth, suicide, cross-dressing, cruelty, heroism, coming of age, romance, decisions about right and wrong and humane responses versus officiousness.
The characters are powerfully rendered. All are leading far-flung lives. Some are escaping horror elsewhere and wash-up at the station, some are born and bred there, some are townspeople, some are drawn out there working for mining companies and some are tied by love and duty to the station. All have been through the storms of life and all are looking for shelter. All have secrets. Matt, the quiet younger son is central to the novel. Having survived an accident that killed his father and brother, he developed amnesia. A shocking thing happened to him - a secret that could never be outed... Will it effect his ability to love..?
Other characters are strongly developed in all their strengths and weaknesses. Pete Peachey, the roo shooter, and the MacBride family have a long-term relationship of great loyalty. This kind of relationship, usually of few words but of much mutual, quiet support was not uncommon in station country. Loners found work and solitude escaping from urban areas to live on properties. Peachey was crucial to the lives of the MacBrides assisting them through the worst times and showing incredible strength of character while at the same time hiding an intense fragility. Characters in the town, like gossipy Myrtle in the post office and the new policeman who wants to dig up old files that were best left alone, represent a real threat to the MacBride family and the reader feels a visceral fear that the MacBride's fragile existence is going to be shattered. Stoic Lorna, the mother, knows part of the story. Some people are to be ever left in the dark. The question is - is it best to let some things just go? Is it better all around to keep secrets and let lives recover and flourish? What is the right and wrong? Great sacrifices are made in protecting people from the truth and burying the past. Great and quiet heroism is demonstrated.
Spanning a period from 1958-2000 CE, A far-flung life, is bookended by the strange arrival at Meredith Downs of a pearling lugger carried by a team of camels and its departure via helicopter and sling in 2000CE. This is a strange and almost surreal wonder that wraps around the story of the worst era for the MacBride family. Stedman looks back to generations before - to the..." people and kangaroos and bungarras" that have witnessed the life of the station and forward to the future. She places it all in the context of..."a timeless red landscape"...where people..."their deeds, good and bad"...were "destined to join the vast ocean of human forgetments."
What a beautiful, warm and wise book! What a powerful message! Trauma (and mighty trauma) can be overcome when there are kind, honourable, strong and wise people in our communities who look out for each other and make sure that we are safe even to their own peril and sacrifice.
As Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The paper palace says, A far-flung life is epic, grand, intimate and aching". This reader is still aching.
Themes Australian outback sheep station life, Mining, Multi-generational family history, Shame, shifting social mores, incest, Suicide, love, loyalty, the outcast, judgement, sacrifice, secrets.
Wendy Jeffrey
The belly of a wolf by Julianne Negri
UWA Publishing, 2026. ISBN: 9781760803209. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
Red narrates her return to school after fully six months absence. Something terrible has happened. Through her inner monologue we know that her readiness is largely pretence and that Red is still grieving the loss of her best and seemingly only friend, Wolf.
Concise imagery retrospectively recalls the lives of two small town children, inseparable throughout their schooling to Grade 10. Throughout, they go by their nicknames for each other – carryover from the roles each played in their First Grade play, Little Red Riding Hood.
An echoing rendering of the human response to grief, Red’s mental blocks work against her re-entry to school where unsurprisingly her peers avoid her. With the exception of authority figures, she uses nicknames for her minor 'characters' too and we can speculate about her self-protective motivation. Bank Boy is older, kind and supportive by virtue of his car and availability. There’s concerned Older Brother and Music Girl, who with almost no encouragement is steadfast in her attempts at friendship.
Julieanne Negri is back into the difficult themes after her Almost a Fish picture book, with this senior school verse novel. It doesn’t take much foreshadowing to surmise this is a novel about rural youth suicide and a dark departure from her earlier middle school novel, The Secret Library of Hummingbird House. The sharp, bruised verses are relatable whether linear poems (chapters) to be mulled over or conversely devoured in a couple of days for that overdue book review deadline. [Hint for procrastinators.]
In senseless tragedy there is always guilt and conjecture; Whys? and If Onlys… But Negri is less concerned with Wolf’s disappointments and disproportionate fatalism. Belly of the Wolf is more cautionary in intent. Readers experience visceral evidence of the long term impact on those closest to the person. In this regard, this novel in verse succeeds almost as well as John Larkin’s YA novel, The Pause.
The cover design by Amy Daoud depicting Red Riding Hood consumed in the black belly of the wolf isn’t as literal as it seems. Negri is a writer of diverse talent and her website and blog is also highly recommended.
This charming story about a group of children who connect at a bench in the school yard that unites them as ‘The Lonely Lunch Club’ is a simple friendship tale for young readers who have progressed to chapter books. There is a simplicity and charm to the story that incorporates ideas about friendship and struggles that are school-based. As part of the ‘Your Next Read’ series of chapter books it includes a quiz at the end of this story to highlight possible reading preferences for a ‘next read’. For readers aged 5-6 who are exploring independent reading.
Themes Friendship, School, Spiders, Early chapter book.
Con, a middle schooler, is confused and consumed with inner rage, perceiving the world is against him. He narrates so we will have some inkling of his evocative inner turmoil and self-loathing, fearing that his dad left them because he was bad. When he lashes out at his regular tormentor at school, even his best friend Kyron becomes afraid of him. Suspended from school, his mother can’t risk taking any more time off work and Con’s mindset spirals during the lonely days alone in the apartment. It doesn’t help that his violent assault on Mickey has provoked Mickey's brother’s gang to get square. Afraid to leave the building, he is boosted when Mr Williams invites him to visit the rooftop garden, built by Gloria and himself.
I spread my arms out wide and I whoop. What is this? I say to Mr Williams. He’s opening the sea-green shed. What is this place? Peace, he says and he laughs…this young Con, is the Upside.
Con truly is uplifted by the vast clean sky above and Gloria’s rows of overflowing garden planters. But his salve comes from helping Mr Wilson care for the homeing pigeons. Con is awestruck by the birds' beauty, sensitivity and intelligence. He loves to handle them, admire their differently toned grey and irridescent feathers. He listens to the stories of their navigational abilities as couriers to distant towns, and feels proud they trust and accept him. Watching the impact of the old man’s kindness and later the community’s support makes this a truly heartwarming read.
Con knows he’s earned Mr Williams trust when the old man takes a trip for a few days, leaving the pigeons in his care. Before his return Con has an idea to use the birds to send his own messages far and wide in order to track down his father. But before the birds return, vandals learn about the “Upside” from Kyron, and nothing will ever be as good again – or so Con believes - Mr Wilson is not the only good guy in the neighbourhood.
Jessica Cruikshank ‘s painted cover, unlike her sketched chapter motif, is a portrait of Con surrounded by the wonders of The Upside. The publisher includes a teaser for Balen’s new novel October, October, an About the Author section and Teaching notes.
All ages will learn about a boy finding peace and beauty from being present with family, friends and nature. Katya Balen’s books convey hope and possibility through very different characters - figuring it out with a little help from humans (and animals) who keep showing up for them.
Themes Family, Acceptance, Self-belief, Bullying schools, City, Pigeons.
Deborah Robins
Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne revenge by Brian Freeman
Head of Zeus, 2026. ISBN: 9781035920082. (Age:Adult) Recommended.
Jason Bourne is part of Treadstone, a super-secretive organisation that uses Bourne’s skills, as an assassin and spy, to control information and manipulate the direction of world powers and operatives. Bourne though has had significant portions of his memory wiped out and frequently struggles to work out his place in the secretive world of his life, and the manipulation of Treadstone seems to impact his own life disastrously. In trying to unravel his own involvement in past deaths involving Chinese assassins he becomes embroiled in an investigation with missing data files, extremely intrusive surveillance, a mega-rich businessman and double agents and untrustworthy sources of information. Where will Bourne end up this time, and will he ever fill the holes of his past or is he just a pawn in a larger contest?
For those who have begun the Bourne series through Robert Ludlum’s books or have watched the Bourne movies, this next instalment in the action-packed series, will be another reading delight for Bourne fans. The confusion of a life with significant amnesiac gaps is part of the intrigue of the Bourne sagas, but there is significant violence included in the life of an assassin and much mistrust between characters. This is a book for adult readers that like action and espionage stories. The Mega-rich character has surveillance capabilities that defy description and raise suspicion about the world of wealth and the power it can wield. Bizarrely, Bourne is described as a ‘moral’ assassin and yet much happens in this complex story that muddies this definition. With a fast-paced style and some convoluted plot twists, this is a book for adult readers who can cope with the roller-coaster ride of the assassin, with violent action and sexual activity as part of his role. The story is compelling, confronting and confusing in equal measure.
Themes Espionage, Assassins, Lies and truth, Memories, Amnesia, Psychological therapy.
Carolyn Hull
Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Text Publishing, 2026. ISBN: 9781923058774. (Age:10-14) Recommended.
What does sleepy Sommer Springs Tennessee have that Knoxville doesn’t? A Pony Club! For 11 yr old Harper that means a new vista - barn, horses and kids her own age coming and going in the paddock behind the cramped cottage she now shares with her mother. But she is a city kid and assumes she is not into horses – yet. In this first title in the Ride On series, Harper must settle down away from her city, her school, her mates, her best friend Cat and the father who “blew up” their family by having an affair with Cat’s mother.
Betrayal, divorce animal cruelty, friendships, bullying, racism, jealousy, horses and parenting are all ripe for discussion. Miss Chelsea mentors Harper as a stable hand since she has shown aptitude in saving a dying horse she was given. Through the Pony Club and school she meets a handful of horsey kids including Dante a Puerto Rican and Night who appears to be non-binary.
Phoneix, the abused horse is the therapy horse she didn’t know she needed. Who is saving who? Can she forgive her father, and her best friend who may have kept his secret? Or can Pheonix help her appreciate her natural affinity for horses - perhaps help her embrace grace and forgiveness.
Bona fide horse lover and two-time Newbery Honor–winning author of The War that Saved my Life, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley weaves several themes into the simple story of a girl’s first horse – a fragile but magnificent beast she has saved from the knackery even though she’s never ridden one before.
Haley Tippman designed the cover art in the style of colouring book outlines roughly shaded. Indeed some kids are forced to grow up too soon and Harper is healed in part by the object of her compassion – a new relationship that informs all her human relationships and losses to set them free.
Only 20 short chapters (176p) and author’s note, the School Library Journal proffers high praise: Not just for horse lovers; it is for anyone navigating major life changes and grappling with learning to forgive. Teacher's notes are also available.
Did you know? The word 'robot' comes from a Czech word, robota which means forced labour or work. Page 7
This is the prefect introduction to an intriguing and fascinating book about robots. Created in an ever-expanding field of computer science, engineering and maths, the construction of robots is advancing in every way. The author, Smriti Daniel, works for CSIRO and spends some of her days interviewing, writing and learning as much as she can about robots.
Beginning with a comprehensive history of the invention and continual development of robots, the book then moves onto how robots are used in rescues. They have been used in search & rescue, getting into places where it is unsafe for humans e.g. Fukushima and travelling long distances through space like the Voyager 1 spacecraft, or exploring deep below the earth’s surface both on land and at sea.
There is a discussion about roboticists: the people who create the robotic machines. Their background may be in mechanical or software engineering, biology, communications, marine biology, astrophysics and ethics. These roboticists can work in a number of different industries and fields including medicine and home automation. This appears to be an expanding and growing industry and may spark some future interest for young readers.
The written text is highly accessible, supported by clear explanations, labelled diagrams, photographs, and engaging “Did you know?” fact boxes. Profiles of dedicated scientists add a human dimension, while the glossary, index, and detailed contents page make the book especially useful for students and educators.
The inclusion of teacher notes further strengthens its value as a classroom resource and may provide an excellent starting point for educators. Robot Responders, Smriti Daniel, 9781486318421
Themes Robots, Rescues, Human collaboration, Ethics, Emerging Technologies.
Kathryn Beilby
Seven Wherewithal Way: Into the Faerie Realm by Samantha-Ellen Bound
“Wherewithal has fallen. When their beloved home comes under siege, the Wherewithal crew flee through the portal to the Realm of Fae. Behind the walls of the Faerie Market, they search for ways to stop the increasingly powerful Red Cap from achieving Realms-wide domination. But Red Cap's army is growing stronger. Old and new enemies are rising, the Realms are in disarray, and Celeste's powers are gone - maybe for good. With a battle on the horizon, and the lives of all those she loves at risk, Celeste will require every bit of cleverness and cunning she has picked up from the Realms for this last fight.”
From the introduction which described a wardrobe portal to another realm, the story had me intrigued. Was the story going to be a Narnia like tale? Immediately, a multitude of characters emerged alongside Celeste and I was grappling to identify each. Not having read any of the previous books in this series, I feel that I was initially challenged by the sheer quantity of different characters, many of whom had appeared in previous installments. In the beginning, I struggled to keep track of each character, their role in the story, their connections to others, and their special talents or abilities. On occasion, I was uncertain as to whether the author was describing an individual or a group of characters due to the pronouns used. Despite my difficult start, as the story unfolded and I got to know the characters, I found the book to be an engaging read.
Having been introduced to the Percy Jackson books by previous students, and enjoyed the links to mythology in Riordan’s series, this was similar and made it appealing to me. Other Percy Jackson fans may well enjoy this series too. (True confessions, though…I had to do some research as I read, in order to identify the mythological context of the characters mentioned in this book.)
As the story ended, I was totally invested and pleased to see the ways in which Celeste had grown and the sisters had come to respect one another. The end of the book was a satisfying conclusion to the series but certainly leaves the way open for future adventures.
My only advice to other readers would be…to make your life easier, read the Seven Wherewithal Way series in order!
Sometimes there are author and artist combinations in picture books that ensure success no matter what the subject material. To my mind, Jane Godwin and Anna Walker are one of these perfect matches. Accessible to readers of all ages, this book is uplifting and philosophical. Originally published as an ordinary picture book, the title has now been rereleased in board book format.
Despite the brevity of this simple story, it provides snippets of wisdom about the things that truly matter in life, and delivers a deeper and more profound truth than can be found in many lengthy tomes.
With advice about the daily administrivia of life, it advises the reader, “Don’t forget to make your bed, and wear socks that fit your feet…Don’t forget to brush your teeth…Don’t forget your coat.”
Wonder, hope, courage, creativity, play, imagination, and taking time to appreciate the joys of nature are all highlighted, as is the importance of positivity, kindness, caring for and helping others. The book concludes with a mention of community… “Don’t forget that life is long, you’re not alone, that you are strong, and don’t forget that you belong.”
With so many additional details hidden amongst the illustrations, this book will provide plenty of interest to even the youngest children. I have loved sharing this title with my eighteen-month-old grandson who has been engrossed in both pictures and story as we have read it on countless occasions already. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
The countdown is on to Greg Heffley’s birthday. Unfortunately, not only has he failed to invite his friends to his party, he’s been busy working out what to wish for on his special day. With his family seemingly preoccupied with a multitude of other activities, Greg realises that a surprise party is being planned…or is it? As his dreams dissolve, he decides that all he really wants is to receive a rare trading card that’s worth lots of money, and works hard to ensure this plan comes to fruition. Will he be successful or not?
As a teacher librarian, I’ve spent almost two decades issuing the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series to eager readers but, despite the simplicity of these books, have never read a single title. Finally, with the release of this title, the 20th in the series, I’ve read my first Jeff Kinney book and totally understand the appeal.
Published in a large, bold font, appearing to have been written on lined notebook, and interspersed with a multitude of simple, cartoon style illustrations, this series is easily accessible for emergent readers to those older readers who might otherwise be disinclined to pick up a book. There is a lot of humour included as we are shown what goes on in the head of young male, with nothing going quite as Greg has planned. Many readers would find it easy to relate to the story, hoping to have a positive resolution for the protagonist, in the belief that they too could experience the same. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, easily devoured in a single sitting but with enough detail in the illustrations to make it worth revisiting and investigating the humour more closely.
Themes Family, Friends, Fitting in, Wishes.
Jo Schenkel
Old games by Fiona Hardy
Affirm Press, 2026. ISBN: 9781761638275. (Age:Adult, young adult)
When private investigators Teddy and Alice are tasked with finding the ashes of a famous tennis player, Perry Perrineau, who has been dead seven years it is understandable that the player’s husband, Suneet Prasad, wants a discreet investigation out of the public eye. The urn containing his ashes disappeared during a party at their luxurious house on the Mornington Peninsula to celebrate the unveiling of a statue of the celebrity. As Teddy is still recovering from being shot in the shoulder and Alice’s sister had been hired in a security role at the party, Choker, their boss might have thought it a suitably routine job for the friends, but it turns out to be far more dangerous. Their investigations begin with those attending the party and they find a growing list of suspects, from the sculptor who likes to incorporate something personal into her creations and the fanatical tennis fan, to his mother, fiercely protective of her son’s celebrity. No strangers to violence the pair travel up and down the peninsula pressuring suspects to give up their secrets about Perry’s life and death. This is the sequel to Unbury the Dead and I probably would have enjoyed it more had I read that first. I found I had to refer to my notes to see who the many minor characters were and there seems to be a considerable backstory unrelated to the plot. Bursts of violence seem a bit pasted-on for effect, especially the gunshot which triggers the traumatised Teddy. I am not familiar with the setting but was not left with a sense of place. Those who do know the Mornington Peninsula and have read the previous book may well enjoy this one.
