Our latest reviews
Water by John Boyne
This is the first of a projected group of books to be followed by Fire, Earth and Air. The narrator is Vanessa Carvin, a woman fleeing an unknown family tragedy or scandal in Dublin. She has come to…
Baumgartner by Paul Auster
The opening chapter of this book is a beautifully modulated introduction to the life of philosophy professor and 71-year-old widower Sy Baumgartner. Sy roams the rooms of his brownstone, burning his hand on a saucepan that he boiled dry, wondering…
Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson & Elizabeth Portch (trans.)
While I’d hate to imply that I was deprived, I do feel some sadness that I only learned about the Moomins after my childhood had ended, when I began working at a children’s bookshop at 20 and was introduced to…
The Lucky Bottle by Chris Wormell
Jack Bobbin never imagined when he ran away from home – boarding a ship to have an adventure – that he would end up stranded on a desert island, but that is exactly what has happened. Except, the island isn’t…
Tyger by S.F. Said & Dave McKean (illus.)
Adam and his family live in London centuries from now in an empire where slavery and tyranny abound. They are Londoners of Middle Eastern origin, and in this violent, segregated world, looking different is dangerous. One terrifying night, Adam discovers…
Gymnastica Fantastica! by Briony Stewart
Award-winning Australian author–illustrator Briony Stewart has captured the energy and exhilaration of impromptu performances, and the discovery of new talents, in Gymnastica Fantastica! Within its pages we watch as the star performer learns to bend, twist, twirl, roll and flip…
Ask Aunty: Seasons by Aunty Munya Andrews & Charmaine Ledden-Lewis (illus.)
As Aunty Munya asks, ‘Have you ever woken up excited on the first day of summer only to find it’s cold and rainy?’ That’s because the four seasons we’re taught at school aren’t relevant to Australia at all! Across the…
Medieval Monsters: and Other Stories by Timothy Ide
Local illustrator Timothy Ide, whom you may know from his work on the picture books Tom the Outback Mailman or The Story of Sidney Kidman: King of the Outback, both by Kristin Weidenbach, has created his first solo creation…
Kimmi: Queen of the Dingoes by Favel Parrett
Kimmi is a companion book to the moving Wandi, who was an Alpine dingo rescued as a pup when he fell from the sky (literally!). Kimmi opens like the beginnings of a bush ballad, a mellifluous cadence introducing the…
Stuck Up and Stupid by Angourie Rice & Kate Rice
Stuck Up and Stupid is a modern retelling of the much-beloved Pride and Prejudice. The story follows Lily, who lives in the quiet coastal town of Pippi Beach in NSW with her man-obsessed mother, Lydia. When Hollywood stars Casey Brandon…
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