12-year-old Sam has a few things going on in his life. Firstly, he sees himself as the kid with the crazy hair – which happily makes him look taller. His fro may not fit under his school hat and it may get too much attention from his nemesis Boot, but it’s the only part of him that came from his “Black African father”.

Sam has never met his father and he is fine with that. His main problem at the moment is trying to complete his “Who am I and Where do I come from” assignment. His teacher, Mr Peacock, is hassling the class to create eye-catching and thought-provoking pieces. He especially encourages Charlee, a first nations student, to embrace her heritage.

While Sam ponders his own heritage, his mum springs a surprise on him that changes everything. His dad, from South Africa is here and would like to meet him.

Anton Clifford-Motopi has given readers a humourous insight into identity. People’s preconceptions and society’s ideas on self, are challenged in a way that gives an understanding from a different point of view. The themes of identity, family and blended family are used here to create a fun novel for Middle Grade readers.

For Ages: 8-12 years

Number of Pages: 304

Published: March 2024 Allen & Unwin

Themes: Identity, family and friendship

Purchase here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Anton-Clifford-Motopi-To-and-Fro-9781761180378

Kip and his family have moved to a new town so his father can sell his fresh produce at the local market. His school, Verity Harbour High, is proving an education in itself. The canteen provides delicious non-PC food, but Kip’s parents insist he eats fresh foods, especially now he has been diagnosed with Diabetes. His friend Reggie loves the food at the canteen and like nearly all of the students, eats there most school days. Kip’s only companion during lunch time is Lucille whose Nona provides her with wonderful Italian meals.

Kip begins to notice odd things happening at the school. Apart from the creepy headmaster, Mr Ridley (who keeps on calling him Chip), Kip sees that at times his fellow students seem to fall into a trance. They accomplish great test results and swim faster than Kip has seen. And then there’s the schools PA system, it seems to hum and crackle and tick in a weird way.

When the township starts experiencing a series of burglaries and strange creatures are captured on home security cameras, Kip, Lucille and Reggie decide to investigate. Little do they know it will lead to an all-out monster battle that they may not survive.

Leo Baker has created an action-packed adventure. The characters are beautifully formed and walk, or rather run, across the pages with humour, bravery and solid friendships. Kip’s voice is real and his interactions with his friends, family and even his enemies are crafted in a way that endears you to each and every one. The showdown near the end of the book is epic and full of nail-biting moments that leave the reader breathless. The novel explores themes such as family, belonging, disability and friendship. Middle Grade readers who enjoy Tristan Bancks books will love this action-packed novel.

For Ages: 8-12 years

Number of Pages: 260

Published: April 2024 Loaf Books

Themes: Family, belonging, friendship and disability.

Purchase here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/tuckshop-terrors-leo-baker/book/9780646823867.html

Terry Clegg and Basil Beedon are not naturally two boys who’d become friends. Terry is sporty and Basil, bookish. So, when Basil’s father arranges for him to help Terry with his reading, both boys prepare for some seriously boring Saturdays. Terry brings along the first book he grabs from his grandmother’s book shelf which happens to be The Complete Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm, and that’s when it gets anything but boring.

The boys are drawn into the fairy tale land that lies behind every story. The administrative hub of all things fairy tale-ish. Yunions, princesses and meandering VAGUELYs. Hansel has disappeared, and Gretel must find him before morning when the wicked witch is scheduled to be pushed into the oven. Each fairy tale, she explains, runs through from start to finish on an endless loop and nothing must change or there’ll be untold trouble. The boys and Gretel embark on a hunt for Hansel, hoping they will find him in time. They meet characters from different stories and see them in a totally different light to their usual personas.

Annaleise Byrd has created a delightful imagining of what lies behind the well known and loved, world of fairy tales. Basil and Terry who are opposites in every way, realise friendships are not based on preconceptions and that together they make a great team.

This is a fun adventure that readers who enjoyed Spellhound by Lian Tanner and The Fix-It Princess by Janeen Brian will love.

 For Ages: 8-12 years

Number of Pages: 135

Published: March 2024 Walker Books Australia

Themes: Friendship, family, fantasy

Purchase here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/losing-the-plot-annaleise-byrd/book/9781760656409.html

Dorothy McIntyre and her family have just moved to 11 Ruby Road in South Brisbane. It is 1900 and life is very different from today. Dorothy, one of six sisters, lives beside a general store they have taken over for their elderly relative, Auntie Mildred. After exploring her home, Dorothy encounters a stray dog she names Ruffes who introduces her to a new friend, George.

Life falls into a comfortable pattern where the girls who are old enough, walk to school and after, do their chores and homework. Dorothy doesn’t like school, she finds it a waste of time that drags her away from her writing. She decides she’d like to be an actress, rather than marry like her older sister, Florence. So, when she starts writing a play during school time, her teacher is pushed to breaking point.

Along with her friend George Lin, Dorothy writes a play and tries to persuade children to take part. It is here that she encounters prejudice with regard to her friendship with a Chinese boy and her wish to become an actress rather than marry. Traditional roles and beliefs were strongly held at this time. Australia in the 1900s, was in many ways different. The Suffragette Movement was gaining momentum, racism abounded and the traditional roles for men and women were entrenched.

Charlotte Barkla has captured an era in our history where change was just on the horizon. Women gained the vote in NSW in 1902 and this was said to herald new and different times. The themes covered in this novel, family, racism, the Suffragette movement and finding your niche, have a bitter-sweet feel. It was a time of so much hope, and things did change, but some things stayed the same. This is a great book to use to spark conversations around racism, women’s rights and conventional roles. I love an historical fiction novel, I think most readers do. This is an insight into a time where change was just around the corner and society had a chance to put things right.

 For Ages: 8 - 11 years

Number of Pages: 181

Published: March 2024 Walker Books Australia

Themes: Family, friendship, Suffragette movement, racism and community

Purchase here: https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/9781760657949

In this latest instalment, Friday’s mum has been arrested for espionage and along with Ian and Melanie, Friday needs to sort it out – fast. Working for Interpol in Paris, Friday herself has unfortunate encounters with the police which hinder her race to Switzerland and CERN to find answers as to why her extremely vague physicist mum is in jail.

Melanie orchestrates an incredible make-over for the three of them, so they can travel to Switzerland undetected by the police. Friday, now a bleach-blonde with a nose ring, tries to ignore the seriously uncomfortable feelings she is having whenever she thinks about her beloved cardigan and hat.

When they reach their destination, the girls find that Ian is missing which only adds to the confusion and unsettling danger surrounding their investigation. After sending out a call for help to find Ian, Friday and Melanie continue on with their work, hoping to clear everything up quickly.

With the help of the Ms Dekker, the lawyer representing CERN and therefore most of Friday’s family who work there, Friday works her way through a number of inter-connecting mysteries surrounding the important scientific research facility. What has caused the collider to malfunction? Where has a priceless Raphael drawing disappeared to? Where is Ian? Who is smuggling grapes out of the country and who pays for a graffitied tablecloth?

R.A. Spratt has given readers another fast-paced, entertaining, mystery adventure. Her style is a wonderful combination of intellectual, literary slapstick which draws the reader into a world of crazy possibilities and totally endearing characters. Enjoy!

For Ages: 11+ years

Number of Pages: 288

Published: February 2024 Puffin Books

Themes: Family, adventure, science

Purchase here: https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/friday-barnes-12-collision-course-by-ra-spratt-9780143779254

James Greenaway’s world is turned sideways when his mum and dad tell him they’re getting a divorce. He hadn’t seen it coming and now he must live between two houses; shuttled back and forth during the week. The uncertainty and the constant change of plans as they all settle into a new life, is really, really hard to handle. He longs for the past when everything was great. He remembers a hiking trip, and a birthday party – times when they were all together having fun.

When he meets Yan, a girl who reads long out-of-date computer manuals, he believes he may have at last found a friend. Roscoe, his bullying nemesis, is giving him strife and his parents seemed to have lost the plot. Even the fun times he spends with the school secretary arranging the school baking competition, are tainted by a number of parents fighting over which cake they want to bake. Yan is calm, enigmatic and she has an interesting theory about time travel. James wants to go back, and Yan proposes an experiment.

The characters in this cleverly interwoven story all have parts of their lives that aren’t going well, and their inability to change themselves leaves them stuck. Marr casts a light on social integration, self-confidence and nostalgia with the themes of family, friendship and living in the moment all coming together to create yet another captivating Middle Grade novel.

For Ages: 8 - 12 years

Number of Pages: 288

Published: January 2024 Puffin Books

Themes: Family, friendship and acceptance

Purchase here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/countdown-to-yesterday-shirley-marr/book/9781761340598.html

Grace McKellon loves magic. It’s the one thing in her life she can depend upon. She knows it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but then again, neither is she. School is something to be endured, along with a seriously troubled relationship with her mum. Gran is the only person she truly enjoys spending time with.

When Gran is given a terminal diagnosis, Grace steps up to be her main carer. It’s not something most high school kids would put their hand up for, but Grace’s mother can’t be relied on and neither can her Uncle Mike.

During this unsettling time, Grace is approached by a fellow student with a business proposition. Grace agrees to get a TikTok following and perform at kids’ parties to make some cash. As her followers grow, Gran’s health declines. Grace must juggle making TikTok content, caring for a dying woman, dealing with an alcoholic mum and dreams that haunt her about the car accident where she was the sole survivor.

Barry Jonsberg has given readers an exploration of grief, survivor guilt, family and the power of believing. Strong themes of assisted-dying and trauma are played out here in a way that is realistic and sensitive. His characters are so well formed that you’d wish you had a Gran as feisty as Grace’s and a friend as steadfast as Simon. Grace herself is strong and brave but at breaking point. She trusts no one and as she wades through her life, she begins to realise that trust runs both ways.

For Ages: 11 – 14 years

Number of Pages: 272

Published: January 2024

Themes: Family, resilience, guilt and self-belief

Purchase here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Barry-Jonsberg-Smoke-&-Mirrors-9781761180750/

Nettie Sweeny lives on a dairy farm with her dad and three sisters. Her Aunt Edith, who looks after the household, is a cranky, no-nonsense old bat who is obsessed with peas. Nettie has a good life, filled with animals, family and friends, but she is missing something very important – a mother. Her own died when she was born, and she feels a longing for something she has only ever read about in books.

When her father remarries, life changes for the better. The house is filled with laughter, fewer rules and no disapproving frowns. Aunt Edith returns to her own home and the Sweeny family becomes complete with the arrival of baby Billy.

When tragedy strikes, everyone’s world becomes a small place where they need to tip-toe around the huge hole in their lives. Grief becomes a constant burden that creates dark, dark clouds that threaten to break them all. Nettie comes up with a plan to try and fix the tragic situation. Will it work?

Katrina Nannestad has created an incredible picture of a simpler time in our history. It’s the early 1950s and Nettie’s world is filled with imagination, elaborate games and creative play. When a harsher reality seeps into her idyllic life, she must try to help her broken family. Silver Linings, (both the title and the major theme of the novel), can be found in every situation if you look hard enough. The narration by young Nettie is so delightful; she is the voice of innocence with a strong belief in right and wrong, even though she sometimes struggles choosing the right path to follow.

This gentle story about the balance of happiness and grief in all our lives is an uplifting story. Those who enjoyed books such as Runt by Craig Silvey or Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth by Anna Fienberg will love it.

For Ages: 11 -13 years

Number of Pages: 304

Published: November 2023

Themes: Family, grief and resilience

Purchase here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/silver-linings-katrina-nannestad/book/9780733342257.html

Friends Will, Dar and Juno live in a town that seems to have given up hope. It was meant to be new and shiny and the perfect replacement for the dilapidated Scarborough. The old town was flooded, a damn built and a new beginning was underway. Unfortunately, the dream never came a reality and now Will and his mum, are stuck in Scar Town, weighed under by financial chaos and a failing business. They must also live with the heavy burden of unanswered questions about Will’s father’s disappearance seven years ago.

The damn is leaking and as the water level lowers, a house in the old township is slowly revealed. Will and his friends decide to explore the ruin and discover things that will change their lives forever. As well as answering some important questions.

Told in first person from Will’s point of view, readers are drawn into a life that just about struggles through. Will and his mum, along with Pops and Uncle Monty, exist without much joy. When the catalyst hits, family relationships, friendships and personal misconceptions are thrown into disarray. Tristan Bancks has given Middle Grade readers a real page-turner, with characters that are very relatable. The themes of family, loyalty, friendships and social attitudes are all played out in this great thriller.

For Ages: 10 - 13 years

Number of Pages: 256

Published: August 2023 Puffin Books

Themes: Family, friendship and ethical decisions

Purchase here: Scar Town by Tristan Bancks

The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet is the story of a 10-year-old girl, a pickle jar filled with gold coins, time travel and the incredible worlds of Kingdoms and Empires. It is part of the series that includes The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone.

Lillian Velvet lives a quiet, grey life with her grandmother. It flows with a predictability that would stifle most children, but Lillian Velvet is a different kind of child. She is thoughtful and kind and considering her upbringing, she has a depth of character that somehow ingrained in her. This is Moriarty’s seed that sprouts a wonderous fairy tale.

When Lillian receives a jar of coins for her 10th birthday, she is told she may wish to go to places she’s never been. Considering she has only really ever gone to the corner shop with her grandmother, the possibilities are plenty. Once her adventures begin, Lilian and the reader are drawn into such an imaginative world where so much is possible. But what does it mean? Why Lilian? Who is behind the tragedies that are engulfing the world of Kingdoms and Empires? When Lilian nears the end of her journey and pledge to save a small boy form death, the tension reaches fever pitch. The reader is left to watch on, helpless, as those who wish to manipulate Lilian gain the upper hand.

Jaclyn Moriarty again gives readers an incredible experience. The descriptions of the world of Kingdoms and Empires, the characters living there and what happens when Lilian is there, are absolutely captivating. Lilian’s beautiful character who experiences cruelty, deception, a loveless upbringing and manages to emerge as one of the loveliest characters. The themes of family, time travel, kindness and honour flow through this adventurous tale. Confident Middle Grade readers who enjoyed Tumble Glass by Kate Constable will love this book.

For Ages: 10-14 years

Number of Pages: 544

Published: October 2023 Allen & Unwin

Themes: Family, time travel, kindness.

Purchase here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Jaclyn-Moriarty-Impossible-Secret-of-Lillian-Velvet-9781761067570/

Felix has a problem – several actually. His little brother Olly follows him around like an attack dog, unrelentingly firing corny jokes at him. Plus, it’s Monday and he always has a problem with Mondays. Escaping to the bathroom for a shower will hopefully give him a moment of peace.

However… it’s doesn’t. When Felix turns on the water, he is magically transported to somewhere totally unfamiliar. He is in a field, naked, and slap bang in the middle of two opposing armies. One, a proper army, the others, farmers with a problem. Corn gobbler dragons are destroying crops and the army refuses to help.

When stealing some clothes, he meets Elise and her brother Noah. Together they head off to the local town market to help Felix get some advice on how to get back home. The crazy, and not so magical, Mystical Mago seems pretty sus, but does say Felix needs to find a problem and solve it in order to fix his own dilemma. But what problem can he fix? Elise is positive that if Felix lifts the witch’s curse that makes her brother unable to speak, that will be answer.

Felix must find a way to make Noah laugh and all will be well. But will it work? There are a few problems that need solving and finding and solving them, proves tricky. Will he ever get back home?

Nat has given Junior Fiction readers an hilarious adventure about compromise, acceptance and family. Felix, Elise and Noah are characters with heart, and perhaps the need to step back and look at life differently. Along with the brilliant illustrations of James Hart that capture wonderful moments in the story, readers will thoroughly enjoy this journey into Shower Land. I can’t wait for the next instalment and see what happens. Will Felix ever break the curse?

For Ages: 7 -11 years

Number of Pages: 208

Published: February 2024 Puffin Books

Themes: Family, compromise and acceptance

Purchase here: Shower land Book 1 - Break the Curse by Nat Amoore and illustrated by James Hart

The story of the Little Penguins of Phillip Island is delightful and educational at the same time. We follow Little Penguin as she first leaves her burrow and explores her aquatic world with her friends Scruffy, Cheeky and Big Chick.

The Phillip Island colony is strong now that it is protected by the Nature Park rangers and all the hard-working people at The Penguin Foundation. But it hasn’t always been the case, their on-land habitat is not the only dangerous place they need to navigate. As we follow Little Penguin and her friends, readers see that there are many threats, both natural and man-made that can impact the lives of these little creatures.

 Jedda Robaards has given us a beautifully illustrated, easy to read, fictional rendition of the life of the Phillip Island penguins. The last section of the book has interesting facts about the animals and online, readers can access teachers notes for further information. This little hard cover book is a useful and engaging introduction to younger folk about nature and humans and how we interact.

For Ages: 4-8 years

Number of Pages: 144

Published: October 2023

Themes: Environment, animals and resilience

Purchase here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-littlest-penguin-the-penguin-foundation/book/9781761341830.html

t’s 1998 and Clara, along with her parents, travel to the Mount Buffalo National Park to celebrate Australia’s centenary. It’s a holiday at the chalet they have enjoyed many times in the past, but this year is different. This year, Clara’s twin brother Darius is not with them. His death has torn Clara’s family apart. Her parents haven’t been able to find a way to exist together and have separated. Clara is left grieving not only her brother’s death, but the deep, dark hole of a lost family.

Clara is interested in visiting Mount Buffalo chalet again as she has done plenty of research for a school project about a young mountain guide, Alice Mansfield, who lived there in the 1890s. Guide Alice was an adventurous girl who explored the area and knew it so well, she guided travellers through the treacherous landscape. She was an early feminist and a keen photographer as well.

One night, Clara, while exploring an exhibition of Alice’s possessions, finds herself transported back in time to Alice’s cabin in the mountains, not far from where the modern chalet stands. Clara is fascinated by meeting Alice and while trying to figure out a way back to her own time, she learns first hand, about life in 1893.

Helen Edwards has given readers an interesting timeslip novel. Taking a real person and inserting a fictional one along-side creates an engaging narrative. Clara’s first-person perspective lets us into her thoughts and the elaborate journey to her healing and acceptance. We learn about life in outback Australia and gain insights into the themes of feminism, grief, family and courage. Readers who enjoyed timeslip novels such as Timefire by Nean McKenzie will like these real events intermingled with fictional characters.

For Ages: 9-11 years

Number of Pages: 208

Published: October 2023

Themes: Grief, family, courage and feminism

Purchase here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-rebels-of-mount-buffalo-helen-edwards/book/9780645218077.html

Blair Moon is a feisty, determined 11-year-old who is about to have her neat, predictable world turned upside down. Her mum has told her she has to go to school rather than be educated at the nursing home they live in.

Blair Moon is comfortable with her elderly friends Nancy and Edgar, and her education, which is of a very high standard. She feels she doesn’t need to “play” with other kids or get used to interacting with different people. Blair Moon – who is only ever known by both her names – is horrified by her mum’s suggestion, and after trying to talk her way out of it, reluctantly goes to school.

There, she has to deal with the cool kids, navigate her way through pointless social situations and ultimately figure out a way to make it work for her. Enlisting the help of her new friend Poppy, Blair Moon decides to run for Student President. What follows is an adventure into personalities, social perceptions, and knowing when going too far, is too much.

Ashleigh Mounser has created a character who can be hilarious, frustrating, smart and ignorant all at the same time. Seen through the eyes of the main character, the reader is given a glimpse of how it could feel to have your world shifted off kilter and learn the lessons that friends, family and society are there to give.

The themes of friendship, belonging, social hierarchies, and gracefully accepting life’s lessons, are played out through the eyes of a very precocious protagonist. Middle Grade readers who enjoyed books like How to be Prime Minister and Survive Grade Five by Carla Fitzgerald will love Blair Moon.

For Ages: 10 -13 years

Number of Pages: 225

Published: October 2023 Ford Street Publishing

Themes: Belonging, acceptance, family and finding your way.

Purchase here: https://fordstreetpublishing.com/book/blair-moon-how-to-be-cooler-than-the-moon/

Hercules Quick’s Big Bag of Tricks by Ursula Dubosarsky, illustrated by Andrew Joyner and published by Allen & Unwin.

Hercules Quick’s Big Bag of Tricks is a lively Junior Fiction book about helping others, friendship and finding wonder in everyday things. And of course, magic. Hercules really wants to buy a box of magic tricks so he advertises his services for 10 cents a job. The apartment building where he lives with his Aunt Alligator is full of quirky characters, all of them needing his assistance. Will he be able to save up enough money to buy his magic box before he is totally exhausted by all his money-earning jobs?

Ursula Dubosarsky has given younger reads a fun filled book with delightful characters and which promotes the ideas of acceptance, friendship and helping others. I especially liked the three magic tricks we got to learn at the end of each “Act”. The formatting of Hercules Quick’s Big Bag of Tricks is beautifully laid out with a combination of wonderful illustrations by Andrew Joyner and the breaking up of blocks of text into chapters and Acts. Joyner’s depiction of the hilarious rough-and-tumble Elk family, the indecisive Professor Calamari, confused turtle brothers, Mike and Herbert and the illusive Queen Claude lend a delightful energy to the narrative.

This is a book for readers who are beginning their reading journey as well as a great nightly a story-time read with parents.

For Ages: 6 - 9 years

Number of Pages: 224

Published: May 2023

Themes: helping others, acceptance finding wonder in the everyday.

Purchase here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Ursula-Dubosarsky,-illustrated-by-Andrew-Joyner-Hercules-Quick's-Big-Bag-of-Tricks-9781761067747

One Wrong Turn is a story about commitment, ambition, family and friendship. Amelia has been the top dancer at her ballet school for years. She believes she deserves it because she practices more than anyone else and it’s her life’s dream to become a professional dancer. Into her world comes Valentina, an Italian girl, new to Australia. She can perform a perfect triple pirouette with ease and Amelia is worried. The mid-year show is coming up soon and auditions being held. Amelia believes she will get the lead as usual but is devastated when Miss Lilly gives the role of Cinderella to Valentina.

How will Amelia tell her dancer mum that she hasn’t got the lead? And Valentina, who finds everything so new and confusing, how will she be able to keep up? Will her traditional Italian family even let her dance?

Chenèe Marrapodi’s debut novel gives an insight into the world of ballet and family pressures. Writing from experience, she brings to life a part of many a young dancers trials and tribulations. The themes of friendship, hard work, acceptance, bullying, family pressures and love run through this thoroughly engaging novel.

For Ages: 9 -11 years

Number of Pages: 288

Published: July 2023 Fremantle Press

Themes: Resilience, friendship, bullying and family.

Purchase here: https://fremantlepress.com.au/books/one-wrong-turn/

Magic Awry is the next instalment in Sarah Armstrong’s Big Magic series. This time, Tulsi is faced with an even bigger dilemma. Something is disturbing the flow of magic for both her and her mother, and Tulsi must go to a parallel universe to try and find a way to return things to normal.

Tulsi travels with her best friend Kit. He is desperate to see his father in a different universe – one where he hasn’t died. When they arrive, they are met by Efa who is there to help them. In this world, Efa and her mother Carys, believe Tulsi is “The Bringer” or the Chosen One. But something is wrong in this universe too. Nature is damaged and bad things are happening all over the countryside. Trees and animals in great numbers are dying as the magic is draining away.

In this universe, Tulsi’s grandmother Sylvie, has taken control and is seeking power over all magicians. Even though Tulsi had taken away Sylvie’s magic powers only three months ago, she has a strong following. Sylvie needs Tulsi to give her powers back so she can have total control.

Can Tulsi and the magicians this universe stop Sylvie and her band of followers from destroying nature? Will she be able to save Kit? And who exactly is the next Bringer?

Sarah Armstrong’s novel is an action packed, page turning adventure. Tulsi is a character built on different emotions and everyday worries that easily align with middle grade readers. Her friendship and loyalty to Kit and those around her are strong and engaging. The themes of caring for the environment and the connectivity of all living things runs through the novel in a way that weaves in beautifully with a story of friendship, ethics and a way of understanding our place in the universe.

 For Ages: 9 – 13 years

Number of Pages: 288

Published: July 2023 Hardie Grant

Themes: Environment, friendship and sacrifice.

Purchase here: Magic Awry by Sarah Armstrong

 Corpse, Flip and Ghost reunite in this great second instalment of Reece Carter’s Elson-Fright books. After ridding the town of three evil witches, the friends find themselves facing another threat. Dangerous winds are circling and bringing with them a great peril that can’t be ignored.

Flip, Corpse and Girl must seek the help of seafoam sprites that are reluctant to join in anything to do with light-keepers. An age-old feud between Flip’s family and the sprites stands between them like an impenetrable wall. Both sides are at fault but have never resolved the shock of betrayal. As a consequence, Elston-Fright is unprotected from the evil magic of the Poltergusts.

A seafoam sprite called Wing decides to break with tradition and help Corpse find a special something that will hopefully defeat the deadly menace. Can the three friends, with the help of an age-old enemy, overcome the powerful Poltergusts and perhaps find some answers to Corpse’s identity?

Reece Carter has given readers another rollicking ride through the world of Elston-Fright. The themes of friendship, collaboration, trust and forgiveness all come together as the backbone of this story. Middle grade readers will love this adventure. I especially enjoyed Simon Howe’s illustrations and seeing Girl’s face at last.

 For Ages: 8-12 years

Number of Pages: 352

Published: October 2023

Themes: Family, friendship, trust and forgiveness.

Purchase here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Reece-Carter-Lonely-Lighthouse-of-Elston-Fright:-An-Elston-Fright-Tale-9781761066795/

Being Jimmy Baxter is a story about family. Fiona Lloyd’s debut novel follows Jimmy and his mum as they escape a home beset with domestic violence. At first Jimmy is told they are going on a holiday but when his father finds them, they must move quickly and become someone else.

Jimmy is thrown into a new world and has no say in the matter. As he tries to adapt to a new name, town and school, his mum spirals into a depression that leaves her unable to get out of bed. Jimmy, while trying to avoid some bullies, and generally get on with life, meets Mac. A friendship begins that will support them both through rough times. Along with Mac’s favourite singer Elvis, of course.

Jimmy has to tackle so many things. His mother’s debilitating depression and the danger of his violent father tracking them down. He needs to work to feed the family and cope with school work, which is not his strongest skillset. He does all this with a fortitude and resilience that shines out in a gentle, persistent way. 

Fiona Lloyd’s novel, set in the early 1990s, is an exploration of the complex issues that face people in an era that in many ways has not changed. Themes of family, courage, mental illness and domestic violence all come together in a surprisingly heart-warming story.

Here, the cruelty is outweighed by kindness and concern, as Jimmy’s life reaches a climax that cannot be avoided.

For Ages: 10 - 14 years

Number of Pages: 240

Published: July 2023

Themes: Resilience, domestic violence, depression and friendship

Purchase here: https://www.booktopia.com.au/being-jimmy-baxter-fiona-lloyd/book/9781760148515.html

Freya has been thrown out of her comfort zone. Her dad has taken a job across the country and she has had to move with her mum far from friends and her beloved basketball team. She has gone from being the best in her group to having to prove herself all over again.

Life is complicated by the fact she now lives in an apartment on the eleventh floor and she is terrified of elevators. The cool kids at school don’t want to include her in the team and try to block her in every way. Freya feels shut out and can’t see a way to make her life better.

Karen Comer’s verse novel captures the feelings experienced at the age of 12 and how tricky it is to navigate one’s way through change. The fabulous thing about verse novels is that they are perfect for readers intimidated by long chapters and thick blocks of text. This Middle Grade novel invites readers on an enjoyable voyage of managing expectations, emotions, phobias and basketball.

For Ages: 8 – 12 years

Number of Pages: 034

Published: May 2023

Themes:  change, family, friends

Purchase here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Karen-Comer-Sunshine-on-Vinegar-Street-9781761180132/