Review: I Want To Be In A Book

I Want To Be In A Book is a delightful story about Cecil, a little creature who was created by author and illustrator, Narelle Oliver. The book's character Cecil takes readers on an imaginative, adventurous and sometimes dangerous journey to fulfil his dream of becoming part of a book.

Review: New Worlds (The Secret World Of Curly Jones)

Curly Jones doesn’t have any friends, he’s picked on at school, and he generally keeps to himself. But everything changes when Belle moves next door.

Belle is cool and bold, and she wants to be Curly’s friend. But Belle also has a secret, and when she shares it with Curly, his whole world changes.

You see, Belle has a very cool treehouse in her backyard. And in that treehouse is a magical mirror. And that magical mirror is a gateway to another world: the Secret World. 

Review: Winnie-the-Pooh: The Great Heffalump Hunt

Based on the works of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne and E.H. Sheppard, Giles Andreae has created a magical story in verse, with the much-loved characters Pooh and Piglet.

Best friends Pooh and Piglet are strolling through the forest. Pooh has one of his ‘Grand Ideas’. He wants to catch a Heffalump. 

Rabbit has told him that Heffalumps eat Piglets. After wondering and pondering what bait to use in their trap, Piglet suggests honey.

Review: Koala

This month, Koala climbs his way onto the bookshelves across the country, with the release of a stunning new publication by award-winning non-fiction picture book specialist, Claire Saxby, and one of Australia’s premier illustrators Julie Vivas.

It’s time for little Koala to find his own way, now he is growing older. He must leave his mother and the home he has known.

Review: The Curious Case of the Missing Mammoth

You've gotta love a picture book so completely jam-packed with fun and facts, and colour and intrigue.

It's midnight and there's a baby mammoth on the loose. Oscar has to track him down before the clock strikes one.

Review: Edgeland

Chilling, edgy, addictive. That’s how I’d describe Edgeland by US authors Jake Halpean and Peter Kujawinski.

It’s the story of a world that could be ours but isn’t. It's the story of a world with two factions, the Suns and Shadows, who are so separated in their beliefs that one faction only comes out during the day, and the other only at night.

And all their beliefs centre on the giant drain in the ocean off the island of Edgeland, where the dead are sent to wait in purgatory before entering one of two versions of heaven.

10 Quirky Questions with author Gabrielle Williams

1. What's your hidden talent?

I’ve got a black belt in karate. I use it mainly to tie up my yoga mat these days, but still. Black belt. Don’t mess with me.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why? 

I adore Heathcliffe from Wuthering Heights. He’s so vindictive and take-no-prisoners and crazy and bent – what’s not to love? Plus, he gets bonus points for being immortalised by such a cool chick as Kate Bush.

Review: Return

Return is the third book in the trilogy of wordless picture books by Aaron Becker that started with Journey (a Caldecott Honor Book in 2014), and which was followed by Quest.

Dad is hard at work and having a hard time of it.

He becomes distracted by a red kite which is a clue to his daughter's whereabouts.

He follows her trail, passing through a red door to enter a forest beautifully lit by glowing lanterns.

Giveaway: Australian Animals

Thanks to the great people at Walker Books Australia and in celebration of Australian wildlife and Australian talent, we have three absolutely gorgeous Australian Animals Picture Book Packs, to giveaway. Each pack includes a copy of A is for Australian Animals by Frane Lessac and a copy of Koala by Claire Saxby and Julie Vivas.

To enter, simply tell us in 25 words or less a fun fact about your favourite Australian animal.

Email your answer along with your name and postal address to dimity@gmail. The response we like the best will win the pack. Competition is open to anyone, worldwide, so long as they have an Australian postal address for delivery of the book. Please note, we cannot deliver to PO Boxes. Entries without a name and street address will be ineligible. Winners will be announced right here on our website on Sunday 20 August 2017.

Competition runs from 5am Monday 14 August to 9pm Saturday 19 August 2017. Adults can enter for those aged 17 and under. This is a game of skill, not chance. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

 

Review: A Perfectly Posh Pink Afternoon Tea

Six girls in beautiful pearls are having a posh pink afternoon tea, but over the fence two scheming boys are plotting a devious plan to ruin their fun.

A Perfectly Posh Pink Afternoon Tea is pure delight. It’s fun and funny, and it has the most fabulous surprise ending that will make you smile and want to shout out ‘yes!’.

August Young Adult New Releases

This month we present some amazing new YA books, mostly from Australian authors. There's a great cross-section as the bar continues to rise each month in YA fiction by a range of wonderful authors and publishers. Snuggle up, keep warm and enjoy some great reading.

The Undercurrent, by Paula Weston, $19.99, Text Publishing, 9781925498233, Read review here

In The Dark Spaces, by Cally Black, $19.99, Hardie Grant Egmont, 9781760128647, Read review here

Gap Year in Ghost Town, by Michael Pryor, $19.99, Allen & Unwin, 9781760292768

The Build-Up Season, by Megan Jacobson, $19.99, Penguin Books, 9780143573388

The Secret History of Us, by Jessi Kirby, $19.99, HarperCollins, 9780062299468

Sparrow, by Scott Gardner, $19.99, Allen & Unwin, 9781760294472

Exchange of Heart, by Darren Groth, $19.99, Random House Australia, 9780143781578

That Stubborn Seed of Hope, by Brian Falkner, $19.99, University of Queensland Press, 9780702259692

Review: Tell It To The Moon

Amber, Maali, Rose and Sky, the four teenage girls we met in The Moonlight Dreamers, continue to retain their individuality and dreams, by supporting one another through their journey to become who they want to be.

New Year sees them reunited for a catch-up and to reinforce their hopes and dreams for their lives. They begin by sharing their fears around the moonstone.

Sky, after being home-schooled all her life by her dad, now has to adjust to being sent to a public school so her dad can work more. Amber’s desire to learn who she is, is quelled after failing to contact her surrogate mother. Maali, still searching for her soul mate, has her faith tested when her father falls seriously ill. Rose throws the biggest cracker when she comes out about liking girls. Her life becomes even more exciting when she is given the opportunity to advance her career ambitions by managing a cake stall at the market.