Review: Where The River Runs Free

This spring weather is just glorious and a perfect time for a family walk out in the beauty and calm of nature. Why not follow the example of this family as they take an adventurous walk along the local river.

What might they see? A frog? Birds? Tadpoles?  Butterflies? Platypus? Wattle blossoms?

What might they hear? Splashes and sploshes, waddles and flops, rumbles and scratches.

It’s a feast of onomatopoeia that is just perfect for  your younger readers. Follow the children as they take their curiosity, and  find their joy in the simple pleasures of paddling in the water and observing the bush. And, of course, a picnic lunch is perfect to snack on when it’s time to rest up before making their way home.

Review: The Peach King

The Peach King, Inga Simpson’s second book for children, begins at the cover which depicts a magnificent pear tree stripped almost bare. 

But heralds life again with scattered blossoms. 

The emergence of green leaves from its thin branches proclaims the resilience of nature. 

The orchard was filled with Little Peach trees. 

Saplings that bent in the wind. 

On the crest was Peach King; an image of authority, standing strong against the wind, watching over the tender young ones. 

Meet The Illustrator: Hélène Magisson

Name: Helene Magisson

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Whimsical, dreamy, poetic, delicate, timeless, charming, ethereal.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
My window is essential. It's open in every sense of the word. Open to let light pour in, open to the world outside. My books are also necessary. Art books and picture books from all over the world, always within reach to get inspiration. Then there are all the tools of my creative process: paper, brushes, paints, a scanner, my tablet, and an iPad for listening to audiobooks during the colouring phase. And of course, a mug for the hundreds of tea breaks I need throughout the day.

Review: Millie and Stella - Best Friends Forever: The Puppy Project

Ten-week-old puppy Fergus, is being trained as an assistance dog.

His trainer, a friend of Granpa’s, has been called away to a family emergency. A temporary carer is needed until he recovers from an operation. 

Stella overhears the conversation and having longed for a dog of her own, convinces Grandpa that she and her best friend Millie, will be happy to take care of Fergus. 

The girls decide that this will be their Project of Choice theme, one of the many which their class has been allocated to research. 

Being the Project of Choice means they must take Fergus to school with them to allow him to assimilate to all the social skills he needs to know, such as being with other people and animals, birds and sounds. Above all, to obey commands and be toilet trained.

Review: Oh Dear, Look What I Got!

Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury are award-winning, best-selling creators of books for children. 

Maybe you recognise their names, or maybe you don't, but you probably know their internationally acclaimed picture book, We're Going On a Bear Hunt.

Michael and Helen are back with another collaboration, their first in more than 30 years.

It's called Oh Dear, Look What I Got!  

In it, a child's trip to the shop to buy a carrot turns into a succession of mistakes.

Review: Danger Road

Danger Road is the current true crime podcast absorbing Mum in the car, forcing brothers Leo and Alex to listen also, as she drives them wherever they need to go.

It is a twenty-five-year-old cold case, about seventeen-year-old Corey Armstrong, who was hit and left to die just outside of town.

The podcast is nearing the end with the mystery still unsolved. 

Leo is smart, athletic, and popular. Alex is a single-friend person, with few interests outside of his art.  

Their constant bickering concerns their single mother a great deal. She suggests that they team up to see if they can find any clues about Corey’s death that may have been missed, before the last podcast. 

She hopes that doing something important together will bring  them closer to one another.

They reluctantly agree although it is a challenge for the boys to both agree to anything. 

At night they go with torches, to the tree where Corey’s memorial cross was hammered, but has now been removed. Here they find their first clue. 

Slowly and through crafty questioning and casual conversations, they uncover unknown information. 

Harry is Alex’s only friend. A highly intelligent individual, she discovers what the boys are up to, and wants to join in. Her intuitive and lateral thinking proves valuable. 

Slowly truths are uncovered. The past becomes the present as personal issues concerning their estranged father, are stirred up.  Prominent names of the town surface under the list of unanswered questions.

They find themselves wading in dangerous waters.

Can the brothers discover the truth about Corey’s death? 

Within the mix of mystery and the search for truth, is the underlying evolving relationship between the brothers, who, until the decision to investigate together, had no time for each other. 

Red herrings lead the reader astray at times, but it is exciting to follow the detailed trail of clues about what really happened to Corey so many years ago. 

Multi- talented A.I. Tait has created a riveting mystery/adventure. Although she writes in varied genres, crime is her favourite and is something at which she excels.

Title: Danger Road 
Author: A.L. Tait   
Publisher: Scholastic, $ 17.99
Publication Date: 1 July 2025
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761646270
For ages: 10+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction

Review: Ningaloo: Australia

This non-fiction picture book is itself a ‘wild wonder.’

Ningaloo – Australia’s Wild Wonder looks at the extraordinary natural phenomenon of  land and sea known as Ningaloo, and celebrates both the awe-inspiring and quiet things that make this place unique.

Penned by Australia’s beloved Tim Winton and accompanied by 100s of gorgeous, hand-painted illustrations by Cindy Lane, it’s a veritable treasure trove of surprise and information.

From itty bitty blind fish that live deep in the murky depths, to massive whale sharks in the glossy blue sea, Ningaloo features more than 50 species of aquatic and terrestrial animals and plants.

Junior Review: When We Were Monsters

Jennifer Niven’s When We Were Monsters explores the dark depths of ambition and morality. 

The novel follows a group of students, selected to join an exclusive writing workshop. When secrets unravel and tensions rise, the students begin to realise nothing is as it seems.

Centred at The Moss, an isolated estate where the storytelling workshop takes place, the characters explore themes of power, manipulation and pressure. 

Meredith Graffam is an eccentric director, writer and actress and serves as the student’s mentor. Her character portrays the influence of power and highlights the imbalance she holds over the students. 

Effy Green is a central character in the novel, alongside Arlo Ellis-Noon, both ambitious participants throughout the workshop, who, along with the others, are manipulated by Graffam. 

Issac carries a legacy throughout the book, faced with the pressure to live up to his family expectations and Ness, an overlooked wallflower, struggles with belonging. Throughout the novel, the characters confront their past traumas and question what they believe is true.

Review: Promises and Other Lies

It is a year since the bush fires at Wangaroo Bay destroyed all the area, including most of the houses. 

Immie’s father, a firefighter in the Rural Fire Service, lost his life.

The decision to investigate the probability of arson, is activated by an anonymous call  to police. 

Who could the person be? 

Was it a male or female voice? 

The police are keeping silent.

When further calls are made to police, and a local podcast begins to follow the proceedings, the town becomes reactive.

Fletch is Immie’s best friend. 

His elder brother, Cooper is accused, then arrested as the arsonist. An additional charge is also considered against him for the death of Immie’s dad.

Announcement: 2025 Karajia and Environment Award Winners

Stories that connect kids to Country and nature: 2025 Karajia and Environment Award winners announced.

The Wilderness Society has announced the winners of the 2025 Karajia and Environment Awards for Children’s Literature, which celebrates authors and illustrators whose stories inspire young readers to understand, love, and care for the natural world.

Now in its 31st year, the Environment Award for Children’s Literature recognises books that nurture curiosity about the environment: from the soil below to the canopy above. The Karajia Award, launched in 2022, honours First Nations storytellers sharing stories about connections to Country, culture, and community.

“Books we read as children shape who we become,” said Wilderness Society CEO Matt Brennan. “Stories like these can spark a lifelong relationship with nature and a sense of responsibility to care for it. These awards celebrate the power of storytelling to connect us with Country and each other.” And the winners are ...

12 Curly Questions with children's author Adelle Frittitta

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I don’t hate airplane food. I often feel like I have to agree with everyone else in the world who hates it, but I actually don’t mind it at all.

2. What is your nickname?
Most people call me Del.

3. What is your greatest fear?
I just celebrated a birthday and I can officially cross off ‘dying young’ from my list! It’s likely something so tragic now that I can’t even bring myself to put it into words. Closely followed by being forced to work in an office cubicle from 9-5!

Review: The Style Secrets of Gareth McGreen

The Style Secrets of Gareth McGreen stars a stylish toad named Gareth. 

Gareth is a fashion designer who designs and makes wonderful creations for animals of all kinds.

He's so famous his clients travel from afar to be dressed in his unique outfits.

One such client is an upper class possum who wants a fabulous dress to give her daughter to wear at her birthday party. 

Gareth is inspired and delivers something amazing.

Review: Hello Cocky: A Stickybeak At The Cockatoo

A funny, original rhyming book that celebrates an Australian icon with vigor, humour and a wild, bold outlook.

From treetops to rooftops, follow Australia’s most mischievous bird in this exuberant celebration of the cockatoo. 

It’s truly wonderful as a reader, to be in such capable hands.

I loved everything about this book, from the unusual format (it’s rather tall, reminiscent of a cockatoo stretching itself longways to get a good look at you or steal your chips), to the delight and playfulness of the clever language.

The rhyme is sophisticated and funny. Dangerous and angular. It’s fun to read, and there are peaks and troughs to travel with absolutely no doubt that you’re in safe hands. 

Meet The Illustrator: Tannya Harricks

Name: Tannya Harricks

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.

Textured, painterly, loose and expressive.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Natural light. Paper and pencil – where every idea begins. 

Books are essential in a creative space. I am surrounded by my art books and often listening to an audiobook while I work. 

Dogs. I have 3 dogs, so there is usually one or two lying under my feet and happy for some attention when I need to take a break.

Review: I Believe in You

Blair is unhappy, feeling blue.  She goes to Grandpa who knows about these things and knows what to do. 

A nice hot drink and warm words are prepared to explain it all away. 

Grandpa uses positive words to alleviate the negative ones that are stifling Blair’s brain; to bring a smile and remove the frown. 

A stunning double-spread expresses the darkness that envelops someone who is blue. There is no light. They feel alone. 

Dani Colvin has captured these emotions in her illustrations, by using colour to describe the characters' feelings.

Review: Evie P and Me

Evie P arrives on a Tuesday, floaty, and full of surprise. 

She brings with her a glow of happiness, an aura of mystery, an uncompromising belief in herself, and a Storm Glass Weather Predictor.

Lily is immediately mesmerised by her and hopes Evie P will be her friend.

Evie P thrills the class with the statement that she has arrived in an airship, and this is her first time in a classroom, having been sky schooled by her Air-xplorer parents. 

She loves words and uses them freely to entertain with stories told with unquenchable enthusiasm, and which for her classmates, create new ways of looking at the world. 

When the Storm Glass Weather Predictor, disappears from The Lost and Rarely Found Cupboard, a new adventure pours from her as they give