Teen readers deserve to have intriguing mysteries that pique their curiosity and inspire them to keep reading. This is one of those books! Set within the walls of an elite boarding college, for the wealthiest families to inculcate, educate and network their children for power careers into the future, two teen sisters arrive as scholarship holders (escaping the attention of a sad family history), and land into this strange world that drips with prestige. Fellow students come from extreme wealth or neglect, and this can cause some to be difficult classmates. Younger sister Liza is prone to pushing boundaries and Douglas College does not suit her personality. Older sister Meg is perhaps more suited to the academic rigours of her new school, but she soon has doubts about Douglas College when Liza’s personality changes overnight. An unexplained death, or two, and doubts about the school’s leadership and governance sets Meg, her roommate, and a few trusted hackers onto the search for truth. But are they putting their own lives at risk? Or can they fight against the power of wealth and privilege without being manipulated by it or is something evil at play?
Written by Australian author Amy Doak, this story has the hallmarks of an American YA mystery. The ‘wealth and privilege’ society and the ‘boarding school life for rich children’ is mostly at a considerable distance from Aussie teen experience (except through Film and TV), but this is not a problem. The story is almost a reality-fantasy scenario that twists and turns with thriller possibilities, and a little teen romance. It is engaging and exciting for YA readers aged 13-18. The main YA characters are mostly trying to uncover secrets surrounding the school rather than be openly and actively rebellious, and the poor relationships with families seem to be a symptom of great wealth or possibly a consequence of the mystery that unfolds. This is the kind of book that teens will share based on positive peer-reviews and the joy of discovering a book that has a dark cynicism and cinematic feel.
Themes Wealth, Mystery, Boarding school, Teen romance, Murder, Mind control, Biological poisons.
The Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shinn is one of my favourite fantasy series, which I reread every year, especially when I want wonderful characters, romance, shapeshifters and magic. When I saw that Shifter and Shadow was a novella that came immediately after The Thirteenth House, I hoped that some of the niggling questions that stayed with me when I finished that book would be answered. Kirra Danalustrous, a shapeshifter and daughter of a rich marlord has fled to a small fishing village after an affair went wrong, with her loyal protector Donal following her. The village houses children dying from the fatal red-horse fever and Kirra has found a radical cure for it. She turns the children into dogs who can take the medicine that will save them. When they recover, she turns them back into children. But many people fear the magic. Will Kirra convince the parents to let her save the children? Will she mend her broken heart?
Shifter and shadow is a short novella that highlights Donal, the shapeshifter who is usually sitting quietly in the shadows, while the beautiful Kirra bewitches those around her. It has been painful for him to see her grieving the loss of another man and he keeps to his animal form rather than talking to her. As well as healing the children, it is a time of healing for Kirra as she gradually moves on from her grief and begins to appreciate the stoic young man who loves her.
This is not a stand-alone novella, but a wonderful addition to the series, which fills in the gap about Kirra and Donal's relationship in a very satisfying way. The series is best initially read in order: Mystic and rider, The Thirteenth House, Dark Moon Defender, Reader and Raelynx, and Fortune and Fate, although readers like me might dip back into favourite books for a second or third rewarding re-read.
Themes Fantasy, Magic, Romance.
Pat Pledger
The ocelot and the crab by Shaun Micallef. Illus. by Rebel Challenger
The speedy ocelot loves to run. And what is an ocelot, readers may ask. The opening pages give an outline of what he is and what he is not, presented in four line rhyming stanzas, which beg the readers to predict the rhyming word. He is compared with a panther, and a tiger, a cat and a cheetah, leopard and a jaguar, all designed for readers to check out the differences, and predict the attributes he does have.
His competitor is a crab, lured by the offer of millions in gold and doubloons to the winner.
The readers may think that the race is unfair given the different competitors, but we are told, the ocelot has no sense of direction. So what could possibly go wrong?
While the crab scuttles forward, its goal a huge walk away, the ocelot becomes hopelessly lost and travels the world in search of his route. So the reader gets to see Stonehenge, the Eiffel Tower, the Sphinx, Hadrian’s Wall, Kolkata, Prague and the sands of Sahara. While seeing these sights, the crab on the other hand is diligently walking, taking the day to walk about a mile, his friends seeing that at this pace the course will take him a month.
Meanwhile the ocelot has flagged down a police car to ask directions, and they cordially take him to Mount Olaf, the end of the race, where he is greeted wildly by his fans. Even though he has technically won, things happen to make things fairer, and all is resolved by the last page.
The rhyming stanzas carry the story beautifully, with some devious and ingenious rhyme that will make kids laugh.
And the moral of the tale comes as a twist at the end. With nods to Aesop’s Tortoise and the hare, this tale is different in that the faster animal uses trickery to win and is found out, while the crab just does what he always does, scuttling along at his own pace.
With illustrations to capture the imagination of the readers, humour abounds on each page. The obvious differences between the competitors is a source of hilarity, and reveal the scrapes they get into, sure to bring smiles to all faces. Using pencil and digital enhancement, Challenger is able to pick out the animals’ attributes with ease, her love of flora and fauna shining through.
This is a great read aloud, begging children to predict and join in, and to be borrowed and read for pleasure at home or at school, with lots of delicious words to stretch the imagination. I loved coming across rhymes that were different from what I expected, and I loved the maps on the endpapers giving a place in which the race is set. And the crab on the cover reading a map, predicts the fun to be had opening the pages of the book.
Themes Race, Competition, Ocelot, Crabs, Humour.
Fran Knight
The sunbird by Sara Haddad
University of Queensland Press, 2026. ISBN: 9780702271076. (Age:9+) Highly recommended.
How can a new country be put inside a country that was already there?
This beautiful book tells the story of Nabila Yasmeen, an 80-year-old lady living in Australia reflecting on her childhood in Palestine and her journey to Australia after the 1947 UN resolution to create a country inside a country.
The Sunbird (young readers edition) is an adaptation of the critically acclaimed adult novella of the same name and is beautifully written in language that young readers can understand. From Nabila’s idyllic childhood in her village where she plays with her friend Khalil, climbs trees and dreams of going to school, to leaving Palestine, settling in Lebanon and finally travelling to Australia, this book engages the reader in the experience of a child living through the unrest and horror that continues today.
The impact of dividing Palestine into two states is explored but in a way that is not overwhelming to the reader however, what is left unsaid allows the older reader to consider the impact of war and civil unrest on families, community and culture. The black and white illustrations enhance the story with their simplicity, and the short chapters make this book easily accessible for all independent readers.
The Sunbird would make an excellent addition to any library, both home and school. It would be an excellent read aloud for a classroom or an independent read. The information in the back of the book is very helpful to understand the history of Palestine and the culture and language of Nabila’s family. Teacher's notes are available.
Simon & Schuster, 2025. ISBN: 9781398536265. (Age:14+) Recommended.
Fans of romantic fantasy are sure to enjoy The Wycherleys, set in the popular Regency period, with its unique magic, a slow burning romance, beautiful ballgowns and deadly danger. Seventeen-year-old Aurelia Wycherley has been looking forward to her debutante season as a witch but the Nightly Curse changed her magic, turning her hair grey and leaving her peers afraid. To practise her magic, she needs a tether, a perfect match to work with, but no one wants to be near her and without a tether she will lose her magic completely. Jules Nightly is a descendant of the Nightly who cursed the Wycherleys and when Aurelia learns that he is trying to find a way for witches to retain their magic without a tether, she reluctantly joins forces with him, searching through old spell books and tracing links to a deadly group that is murdering witches. Together they face a growing attraction and deadly danger.
The Regency setting is delightful to read about. Aurelia and her friend Constance agonise over what gowns to wear to the masked ball; flowers are sent by prospective partners and beautifully illustrated invitations are scattered throughout the book. Against this background the author outlines the fear that Aurelia has of losing her magic and the determination that Jules has of finding a solution and helping his sister and Aurelia keep their magic. The author deftly manages the love-hate relationship between Jules and Aurelia, while describing their discovery of runes that leads to a breakthrough about magic connections and the exploration of who could be murdering witches and how it threatens the magical world.
The Wycherleys is an engaging story that is sure to please readers who have enjoyed the Twin Crownsseries by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber and Divine rivals by Rebecca Ross and they will want to pick up the next in the series, Love and other curses.
You'll always be my baby is a sentimental poem adapted from one of Jessica Urlich's most popular poems and formatted stanza by stanza into the pages of a softly illustrated hardback keepsake edition in response to requests from Jessica Urlich's 1 million + followers. Urlichs is a New Zealand poet, influencer and writer and the Sunday Times bestselling author of Beautiful Chaos. Urlichs writes about family and motherhood. She maintains a strong online presence through a large Instagram community and even offers her poems as digital downloads through her shop on Etsy. Her books for babies and young children help children navigate their emotions in the early years and her "honest and heartfelt poetry" help as popular guidance for parents around the world.
You'll always be my baby is beautifully illustrated by Australian author, illustrator and designer Jedda Robaard, who is known internationally for her "sweet and whimsical style of illustration". Soft pastel colour washes are used throughout across the double page spreads. The images are of gentle shared pursuits, beach going, dandelion blowing, making snow angels, knitting, reading and hugging.
The poem, You'll always be my baby, describes the love of a mother for a child - a love that endures from birth for the rest of the mother's life into old age. The words of love are expressed through the mother's first person stance and are addressed directly to the child. The poem takes the reader through the stages of childhood to old age and asserts over and over with each new double page spread, ..."You'll always be my..."
The rhyming scheme is a gentle a/b/c/b pattern and the rhythm is a gentle beat that is maintained throughout.
Possibly for some, this book may seem too cloying but there may be times when the emotions catch any reader unawares, particularly if they are a new mum or grandmother reminded afresh of the cycle of life and the ongoing nature of maternal love. Gently rhythmical and presenting an emotional insight into motherhood, You'll always be my baby would make an ideal choice for a shared reading experience for parents and children and as a gift. Reminiscent of Anita Jeram's and Sam Mc Bratney's Guess how much I love you, You'll always be my baby is a heart warming and calming bedtime story in poetry form with a message about the constancy of love that is poignant for parents and children alike.
Valerie: Australia's bravest sausage dog by Lucinda Gifford
Albert Street Books, 2026. ISBN: 9781761182594. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Valerie the sausage dog goes missing from her camp site, after pinching a sausage from the barbecue. But once eaten she finds herself on a boat pulling away from the shore. Out at sea, she rolls with the waves until one tosses her overboard. Buoyed up by a pod of dolphins, she leaps onto a surf board and gets to the shore. She lives a dream life, sunning herself on the beach at Kangaroo Island, floating in the water, lying on the beach, stealing food from picnics, and licking the occasional ice cream.
Lucinda Gifford has taken this fascinating story of Valerie the sausage dog, and imagined how she may have survived almost two years. We are taken into Valerie’s memories as she runs through the bush, going down stairs, watching the waves and fishing by the river. She is able to eat enough to keep well until one day she sees a campsite just like hers. The smells draw her on and she peeks inside the tent to see a dog on its own bed. She looks wistfully at the dog and makes up her mind to find her family. She runs through valleys, down hills, through deserts and rivers, until she spies a cottage that looks familiar. And again a barbecue is cooking food as she approaches the family wagging her ears. A joyous reunion occurs and she gets back into her bed, wondering what adventure to go on next.
Gifford has created a lovely, amusing story about a lost dog living in the bush. Kids will adore seeing the little dog surviving and wonder how they may have survived, laughing all the while at Valerie’s antics. Gifford’s illustrations present Kangaroo Island landscapes along with flora and fauna easily recognised by younger readers. They will enjoy hearing the book read aloud, which encourages the readers to predict the rhyming words in the stanzas.
Themes Verse form, Animals, Kangaroo Island, Survival, Family.
Quin and Davinia are back in the sequel to The Callers in this exciting fantasy book. The shocking truth about Calling has been revealed: the magical ability to conjure something out of thin air is stealing resources from another place. Quin has left Elipsom and is searching for answers with his new friend Allie, on Evantra. Davinia is struggling with missing her brother and dealing with her mother, Chief Counselor of the Callers, whose need to quieten the rumors and maintain control of the city is becoming increasingly desperate.
The story is told from the siblings’ perspectives with alternate chapters showing what they are each doing. Quin searches for the place that will help him heal the vine, the source of all growing things in Evantra, while Davinia is sent to the heart of the rebellion in Elipsom and tasked with finding answers as to where her brother is and what these citizens are hiding. As she learns more about the community she is torn between her loyalty to her mother and her brother. When Davinia is told that if she can’t find a reason for the Council to invade, she must plant evidence to make this happen, her loyalties are tested and she begins to question and investigate on her own.
This story is an interesting look at how power and truth often don’t share the same space and the way that people who question and seek answers are called rebels or cast out rather than being accepted. I really enjoyed this book as it was engaging and showed the power of fighting for what you believe in.
This book would appeal to younger readers and would be excellent as a class text or read aloud. I am looking forward to reading more in the series as the ending has left me wanting more.
Did you know that looking for faces, patterns, animals in nature is called pareidolia? Or that the study of clouds is called nephology?
This newly released non-fiction picture book will provide answers to many common questions about clouds and weather, along with other interesting observations and explanations shared in a simple scientific manner.
The two main curious characters, Milo who is lying in the grass observing clouds, and Maya who is in a plane looking out the window, share different perspectives from the view they both have. The storm that affects them both does so in distinct ways. Milo is inside watching the storm from a window while Maya is ‘inside’ the storm as it tosses her plane about. Both experience feelings of being scared and simple strategies are provided to help them manage their fear. After the storm, the outside world can be changed and Milo wanders around noticing nature with new eyes.
This is a deeply thoughtful book, encouraging children to be aware of their surroundings and observe the natural world. The colourful and appealing illustrations share the pages with text shapes providing fascinating and accessible scientific names and insights. In the final pages are detailed facts about weather as well as a glossary.
What is you had one chance at a do-over, one chance to turn back the clock and try again. What would you use it for? And would it be worth the risk of it being worse than before.
Dixie only has one plan for her annual summer trip to the little Californian town of Cielo Springs – to finally tell her best friend Sawyer that she’s in love with him.
Every Summer, Dixie leaves her fast-paced life and her wealthy parents in New York City and heads to Cielo Springs for a chance to slow down with her beloved Aunt Kate, cousin Bunny and best friend Sawyer. The only problem is her feelings for Sawyer are complicated, and just as she finds the courage to confess her feelings, she sees Sawyer kissing someone else.
Thankfully, Dixie is a Mulligan, and every Mulligan gets one chance at a do-over. A chance to rewind to an event in the past 365 days and change the outcome. Dixie sets out to claim her ‘rewind’, but the impact of her choice is far more complicated than just going back to where she thinks it all fell apart. Dixie keeps her life in New York City separate from Cielo Springs but as the rewind processes, she must confront the fact that by doing so she is holding herself back from what she truly wants.
This book is told in two parts, before and after. It isn’t a romance novel but rather a look at dealing with life and secrets, growing up, and discovering the ways in which our life choices shape who we are.
I was expecting a lighthearted romance novel, but it is so much more than that. The characters are well written and the plot twists in such a way that the reader is always engaged and surprised at the ways that the story unfolds.
This is a book that will appeal to readers who are looking for more than just a romance novel, as it really shows that messy work of growing up, taking risks and learning to accept that sometimes your life story might not take the path you were hoping for. I really hope that there are more stories about these characters from this author as I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Mystery of the Missing Turtles by Deborah S. Bower, Ricky-John Spencer, Michael B. Thompson, James U. Van Dyke and Elizabeth Hale. Ill by James O'Hanlon
Mystery of the Missing Turtles is an engaging narrative non-fiction picture book about freshwater turtles that will provide children with fascinating facts intertwined within an appealing story. Written by the Australian biologists who created the 1 Million Turtles Citizen Science Project 1 Million Turtles, this important story is a gentle introduction to creating understanding about the effects of feral wildlife on our Australian fauna and how simple conservation ideas can support the survival of these creatures.
Brooke loves to spend hours watching the freshwater turtles in the creek on her farm. She knows so much about them and shares these interesting facts with readers. However, gradually she realises that all of the turtles she sees regularly are old. She wonders why and searches for the turtle nests. Brooke is saddened to see the eggshells broken and empty. The baby turtles are being eaten by something and with help from her father she uses some detecting skills to uncover the culprit. After leaving some chicken eggs in a nest and setting up a camera, she discovers a red fox is the thief eating all the eggs. With more help from her father, she creates a very clever wire mesh barrier to place over the turtle eggs and the turtles hatch successfully.
This is a wonderful read and the illustrations work beautifully in tandem with the text. The skilful use of panels shows a layered storytelling effect and provide a way of guiding readers to a deeper understanding of the actions that take place over time.
In the final pages there is further fascinating and detailed information about turtles including how to become a turtle warrior with ‘1 Million Turtles’, a valuable glossary and acknowledgments.
Kai Masters is a border guard; his job is to keep Earth safe from the beasts of Beastium. Kai and his dogbot battle buddy, B.C., must battle the beasts that are continually mutating, this means new beasts, combo beasts and new environments that Kai must endure in his quest to keep Earth safe.
The series Boy vs Beast is brilliant, a great book for newly independent readers with illustrations that enhance the excitement and battle descriptions. These books have everything a young reader could want - epic battles, a cool robot dog buddy, powerful mutating monsters and brilliant gadgets and gear. The story is fast paced and exciting making it an engaging independent read but also a great read aloud story, although be prepared for lots of discussion about how the listener would have fought the beast.
This series promotes discussion about the story, and the illustrations certainly help the reader to understand the story. I love this series as they are aimed perfectly at newly independent or reluctant readers with humour and the good guys winning in the end. They combine just the right amount of suspense and danger for the age of the reader.
This is a series that is guaranteed to be a hit in any library or classroom and is a good one to read aloud or encourage independent reading.
Random House, 2025. ISBN: 9780593685990. (Age:Adult) Recommended.
As a fan of mystery and detective stories I picked up The In Crowd as it was the winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel (2025) and found myself engrossed in the world of upper class British society, with garden parties at Richmond, politicians and celebrities, drugs and champagne and young men rowing in the nearby River Thames. But all is not a party, a woman is pulled out of the Thames and Detective Caius Beauchamp is sent to the Richmond Station to investigate the murder. Strings have been pulled and it looks as if the victim may have links to people in high places. He and his teammates DS Matt Cheung and DC Amy Noakes look at the evidence which could be linked to embezzlement and fraud in an upper crust financial institution while also pursuing the disappearance of Eliza, a young girl who went missing from her prestigious school many years before. Caius becomes embroiled in high society figures and meets Callie, a milliner to the rich and famous.
The story is told from the alternating viewpoints of Caius with an emphasis on police procedure and Callie who fleshes out the main characters who feature in the high society that Caius is examining. Vassell is very clever with quirky banter and astute comments about trends and fashion and the humour lightens the darkness of some of the characters and events. It is fascinating when the author brings all the threads together in an unexpected way; many red herrings certainly will have readers looking for the murderer in various places.
I read The In Crowd as a stand-alone but enjoyed it so much that I immediately read The other half, which I would recommend reading first as it contains the story of Rupert, one of the least likeable characters in the book and fleshes out the characters of the detectives in more detail. The third in the series, A deadly inheritance, is equally engrossing and I look forward to more books from this talented author.
Themes Murder, Detectives, Class barriers.
Pat Pledger
How do you hide a hippo? by Rebecca Grant. Illus. by Jedda Robaard
Little Book Press, 2026. ISBN: 9781923141384. (Age:2+) Highly recommended.
This charming rhyming picture book featuring a ‘ginormous’ hippo and an adoring young child will be enjoyed by early readers. The lyrical rhyming text flows effortlessly off the tongue and will be a joy to read aloud at any time of the day including bedtime.
Throughout this engaging story, the child is desperate to hide her pet hippo from her mum and thinks of some clever and creative ways to do this.
In the kitchen sink? He’d need to shrink. Maybe the bin? He won’t fit in.
In with the ice? That’s not very nice. It’s zero degrees. Harry will freeze!
How do you hide a HIPPO?
The playful use of positional language including under, behind, outside, inside, among, offers a gentle introduction to spatial concepts for Early Years learners. The repeated question ‘How do you hide a HIPPO?’ at the end of each one or two verse sequence, supports emerging pre-reading skills through predictable text patterns. The narrative’s continual use of questions creates further learning opportunities, encouraging young children to think, respond, and engage actively with the story. The soft pastel images skilfully extend and reflect the text, providing great visual appeal.
There are four girls, all daughters of single mums, in a back-water town, desperate to escape the dead-end future everyone predicts for them; they are the losers, the girls who sit at the back of the class, the group that teachers have given up on. But their music teacher Mr P is different; he cares. He thinks they can make it in the Battle of the Bands. They have talent, they have a future, their band ‘The Bastards’ is going to make it, just like their idol Kurt Cobain.
They are four band members, until they are only three. Lily detaches herself, and calls the others dumb. The three girls blame Lily’s mother’s mean new boyfriend, Buddy. But, strangely, bizarrely, it is Mr P, the beloved music teacher, that Lily accuses of sexual assault. How could that be?
Liz Allan employs the plural narrative voice for the three unnamed girls. Everything is recounted as ‘we’. Their lives are exactly the same, they spend all their time together in each other’s homes, and they feel safe, able to face any danger as long as they stay together. But when all their hopes come crashing down, they spiral into a path of self-destruction.
In bloom is about sexual abuse. People recognise the threat of abuse in Lily’s home, and in the thuggish gangs of the neighbourhood, but nobody ever suspects the charmer that everybody likes, the teacher that encourages the dreams of his students. But when the finger is pointed at him, the tide of community opinion turns against him; he is after all the outsider, the German Kraut. Parents want to know that their child is safe.
In bloom is an astounding debut novel, exploring themes of class, prejudice, sexual abuse, and teenage identity. If there was a music track to accompany it, it would be the grunge band Nirvana. The teenagers are full of rage and defiance; united they can face down anyone. But in the end, each has to become their own person, and face the secret they never wanted to countenance.
Liz Allan has crafted an engaging fast-paced novel, which takes you into the world of the teenage rebels. It is a rampage of anger and confusion, as they try to work out the problem that suddenly confronts them: how to get their favourite teacher back, how to get their band on the road, how to make their dream come true. They are desperate to be heard, desperate to be something different. But in the end, it might mean becoming their individual selves.
I highly recommend this novel for its unique and highly original approach to tacking sensitive subjects, in an almost a detective-style plot that draws readers in.
Themes Rebellion, Music, Bands, Sexual abuse, Class, Identity.
