Review: Sword Echoes : Pirate Academy 3

Welcome back to the Pirate Academy, Coral Sea Province, with most of the students back in their Barracuda Class. 

Yet again the Pirate Academy is battling against mysterious and evil forces and the students are preparing to face even more obstacles to their survival.

Neo, one of the three central characters in this action-packed adventure series, has left the academy to follow clues his renowned pirate mother left him on her trails, in order to understand his own destiny. With help from Captain December Wilde, aboard her ship Brave as the Waves, Neo follows the coordinates left for him to claim a sword bestowed to him by his mum. But now he needs to know what is the significance of the sword? 

Review: The Baby-Sitters Club Fan Edition: Baby-Sitter Summer

Appealing to new audiences as well as nostalgic fans from generations past, this fan edition stays true to the heart of Ann M Martin's enduringly popular series while weaving in contemporary updates to provide a freshness and extension of character arcs.

 
Like the original BSC Super Specials, this fan edition captures snapshots of the summer break with chapters written from the first person viewpoint of each of the babysitters starting with the iconic postcards in their handwriting.

Written by original series author Ann M Martin, along with an all-star line up of contemporary writers who are also big BSC fans, we catch up with our favourite characters and find out about the ups and downs of their summer break and how they tackled the challenges that came their way.

Review: Hill End Gold

With a glint of gold fever in his eye and gold lust running through his veins, since he was 18, Alfie Wilson’s dad decides to sell their Bathurst family farm and head to the goldfields at Hill End, where the latest gold strikes have been reported.

Alfie and his younger brother are immediately swept up by their father’s optimistic enthusiasm and firmly believe their father’s motto, ‘Fortune favours the bold’ will inevitably lead them to become the Wealthy Wilsons. Their mother and older sister are far more cautious and prefer the safety and security they have on their farm, even though it may not be so profitable. But as a family they begin their journey to Hill End to claim their stake purchased by their father at a gold mine near where big finds have been unearthed.

Review: Don't Forget to Smile

Behind the elegance, discipline and applause of the ballet world lies a demanding culture of perfection, and Ariane Beeston's Don't Forget to Smile offers an honest and compelling glimpse behind the curtain.

Told through the alternating perspectives of Clara, Elle and Ben, three talented young dancers competing for a coveted place at the International Ballet Grand Prix, the novel explores what it truly costs to pursue excellence. Each protagonist faces their own personal battle: Clara struggles with the expectations of fitting the traditional ballet mould, while Elle and Ben challenge outdated attitudes and entrenched power structures within the dance world. As their individual journeys unfold, an unexpected scandal draws the trio together in surprising ways.

Review:Max and the Haircut

Meet Max, who is just about to experience his very first visit to the hairdresser.

Before we even begin reading, Samareh Azadi invites us into Max's world through the adorable front cover. I loved the way hairdressing tools are cleverly woven into the title design and continue throughout the endpapers. These thoughtful details immediately set the scene and encourage readers to look closely.

This relatable story is told from Max's point of view, allowing readers to step into his shoes and experience the world through his eyes. One of my favourite moments appears on the very first page when Max proudly introduces himself: "I look like a lion! Roar!" It is a delightful opening that instantly captures Max's personality and draws readers into the story.

As Max arrives at the hair salon, he quickly discovers that it is much brighter, noisier and busier than he expected. For many children, this experience will feel very familiar. What makes this story particularly special is the way it gently shows how Wendy, the caring hairdresser, takes the time to understand Max and support him through the experience. Rather than expecting Max to simply cope, Wendy adapts and innovates, helping to reduce his anxiety and build his confidence. The result is a positive experience where Max leaves feeling proud of both himself and his new haircut.

The illustrations are engaging and full of meaning. Throughout the story, Samareh uses animals to represent Max's emotions. This visual technique helps readers understand what Max is experiencing internally and opens the door for rich conversations about emotions.

At home and at school, this sensitive and thoughtful story provides many opportunities for discussion. Readers can explore the powerful message that we are all different, and sometimes we simply need to discover what works best for us. It also encourages conversations about the wide range of feelings we experience, making connections to past experiences, preparing for new experiences, and celebrating the strategies we can use when we feel anxious or overwhelmed.

Max and the Haircut is a warm, reassuring story that offers comfort when we face something new, uncertain, or challenging. It reminds readers that understanding, patience and flexibility can make all the difference. A wonderful book for families, classrooms and anyone supporting children as they navigate new experiences.

Title: Max and the Haircut
Author/Illustrator: Samareh Azadi
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books
Publication Date: 7 May 2026
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781915659798
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

Review: Wanted: The Cutest Baby in the World

Sometimes, it is worth reading the author’s dedication first: 

‘For tired parents everywhere – your tiny master criminals are lucky to have you’.

Davina Bell’s dedication sums up the entire premise of Wanted: The Cutest Baby in the World better than any blurb could.

When the detective arrives at Mum and Dad’s house, it's very late at night, which is okay because everyone’s awake anyway. 

Review: Learning You By Heart

Some books beg to be read aloud while you’re snuggled up with the ones you love. Sarah Wallace’s newest book, illustrated by Michelle Conn, is one of those books.

A lullaby for a precious child, Learning You By Heart captures a mother’s absolute devotion to her child as she delights in every smile, every touch and every breath.

 
Learning something ‘by heart’ usually refers to the rote memorisation of times tables, spelling words or scientific formulae at school. It involves close observation, repeated actions and intense focus.

Review: The Not So Quiet Life of Marcel Marceau

Like most people I opened The Not so Quiet Life of Marcel Marceau knowing very little about the man beyond the typical mime gags. After reading, I was actually disappointed in myself that I had never learned more, for Marcel Marceau was a truly exceptional human being. From fleeing his home in Strasburg as a child and watching friends and family being marched off to concentration camps, to joining the French Resistance and being instrumental in saving countless lives. This was all before becoming a world famous performer who was still touring the world, well into his 80’s.

Review: Daddy Bear

There’s something extra special about a child’s relationship with their father. 

And there are some things, like this relationship, that simply can't be celebrated enough.

Rory H. Mather and Helene Magisson capture the essence of this relationship in their delightful picture book, Daddy Bear – a gentle and heartwarming peek into a child’s beautiful bond with their daddy.

Review: Survival Show

Set in a future shaped by climate disaster, inequality and society’s obsession with entertainment, Survival Show by Juno Dawson transforms the familiar world of reality television into something far more sinister.

After devastating floods destroy their home, Taryn Beck and her family are forced to relocate as refugees. Struggling to survive in a society where food, housing and healthcare are increasingly limited, the pressure on Taryn’s family becomes unbearable — especially when her younger brother Jenson relies on medication to stay alive. Desperate for a way to support her family, Taryn auditions for Starmaker, the country’s biggest reality television show.

At first, Starmaker appears to offer everything audiences love about talent competitions: glittering costumes, dramatic performances, celebrity judges and the promise of fame. But beneath the glitz lies something much darker. In this dystopian future, contestants are literally competing for their lives, with eliminated participants executed as part of “Project Population”, a government initiative designed to reduce the strain on society’s resources.

Sunday Shelfie - Home

Happy #sundayshelfie day! It is my pleasure to welcome Rory H. Mather and Matt Shanks. This week we are celebrating their delightful new picture book Home.

Home is where the heart is, and no matter where you roam, you are always welcome here. There’s no place quite like home. 

Some live in the suburbs and others in the city. Some by the beach and some in the bush. Wherever it is you live, home is where your heart is

Written by Rory H. Mather
Illustrated by Matt Shanks
Published by Scholastic Australia 

Visit Picture Book Book Club  @picturebookbc on Instagram. 

Review: The House That Walked Away

I have heard over the years that when coming up with a title for a picture book one should avoid being too clever. Just say what the book is about without giving too much away. There is definitely no confusion when it comes to Simon Howe’s new release The House that Walked Away. If indeed you do need a little more assistance, the little house casually strolling down the path will help you out.

A lot can be said about that little house, even before you open the book. Instantly recognisable is the one door, two windows and a chimney, (well two actually) construction that is the go-to design when a child draws a house for the first time. It has a face of sorts, making it ‘alive’ and with its almost scale like shimmering tiled arms and legs, there is no doubt that this little house has character and a unique personality. All of this combined make for the perfect book cover that children will pick up wanting desperately to know what the story is all about. Well done Simon.

And what about that story? It begins, ‘Once there was a house that didn’t feel at home.’ What a great opening line. I’m sure many of us can completely relate to that sentence. What I love is that this little house decided to do something about it.

The House that Walked Away follows the little house as it searches for somewhere that ‘feels right’. Somewhere that feels like home. Discontent, It never stays in one place for long as nowhere seems to fit, or perhaps it feels that it, doesn’t fit anywhere. One day a family notices this little house and begins to follow it. That’s when everything changes.

With under 200 words this may come across as a picture book with a simple story, but I can assure you it is not. Those words have been perfectly chosen and combined with the illustrations create something unexpectantly emotional.

Let me just take a moment to give credit to those illustrations as they rightly deserve. To begin Simon has created a house full of hope and yearning. A house…. with emotions…. that is a marvel in itself, but it just gets better from there.

Composition wise, the book changes from full spreads to an almost graphic novel approach, perfectly enabling the story to flow without the overuse of text. Then the colour is added, and what glorious colour it is. Simon has chosen the perfect colour palette and uses it expertly to show emotion throughout the narrative. There is a deep sadness felt in the grey ocean and uplifting hope in the fire red clouds, which also happens to be my favourite page. The painterly texture throughout just adds to the appeal. In short the artwork, and it is art, is stunning. I must also give credit to the choice to print on matt paper instead of gloss.

This may be a book written for children, but the story has such a wider reach. Even as adults we are constantly searching for our tribe. Many of us spend years being restless in jobs or moving and changing friends as we look for a place where we are appreciated just being ourselves. We are always looking for somewhere where we can relax at the end of the day and feel safe. Ultimately we are all looking for somewhere to feel like home. 

Title: The House that Walked Away
Author/Illustrator: Simon Howe
Publisher: Little Hare
Publication Date: May 2026
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761218309
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture book

Review: Butterflies Do Not Ride Their Bikes

Ali Rutstein and Nina Nill have come together again to bring you the latest addition to the bestselling Preschool Problems series Butterflies DO NOT Ride Their Bikes.

I would like to begin by saying that as my children are older I have not read the first three books in the series so I am coming at this with fresh eyes and no expectations. I have however seen the covers of the previous titles and will say this one is just as adorable as the others.

Sunday Shelfie - Filo's Butterflies

Happy #sundayshelfie day! It is my pleasure to welcome Litea Fuata and Myo Yim. This week we are celebrating their beautiful picture book Filo’s Butterflies

Filo is going to dance at his aunties’ Samoan wedding! He’s been rehearsing the steps for his first siva fa’ataupati for weeks, but now there are butterflies dancing in his belly. 

As the day goes on, the butterflies grow bigger and bolder. Will they stop him from performing the siva and having a good time? 

Filo’s Butterflies is a charming picture book about how a young Samoan boy calms his nerves before his first siva performance at a family wedding.

Written by Litea Fuata

Illustrated by Myo Yim

Published by Bright Light Publishing 

Visit Picture Book Book Club @picturebookbc on Instagram

Review: A House Divided

A House Divided by Clare Hallifax, is the second book in the Our History series, and an entertaining and informative window into history. 

It covers a year in Juliet’s life and the year is 1975. Colour television was introduced in Australia, flared jeans were fashionable, and the landmark National Library of Australia building opened. It was also a time of political upheaval. 

1975 brings lots of changes for Juliet, her family, and the whole country. 

Juliet lives with her parents and grandmother, and has an older sister at university interstate. Her dad works in a quite senior position in the federal government. 

She's entering her final year of primary school, and is expected to complete a year-long, individual project, one that she needs to choose for herself. 

Juliet decides to compare her life growing up in the seventies, with her Gran’s at the end of the First World War and afterwards.

Review: Again! said Rabbit

Again! said Rabbit is book number three in Marjoke Henrichs’ series exploring first experiences and emotions for young children. 

Rabbit, with his Mum and Dad, have arrived at the beach for a day of fun and relaxation. There is sandcastle building, football, and kite flying. ‘Again!’ Rabbit demands after each activity until his exhausted parents suggest a swim. 

When the sun disappears behind a cloud and Rabbit is dumped by a big wave, it feels like the fun is over. 

Review: Bella Grows a Bicycle

Bella Grows a Bicycle, starts with a simple premise. Bella wants a bicycle but it’s nowhere near her birthday, so what is she to do? ‘Maybe we could grow one,’ says Dad.

Based on the cover alone you could be led to think that what comes next is a fanciful tale of a magical tree that grows presents of all kinds including bicycles but this is not the case.

A trusting Bella does as her Dad suggests and heads out to the garden but she is quickly disappointed when her tiny seed does not produce a bicycle, but a radish instead. 

Review: The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks

Starting high school is nerve-wracking enough for most kids. Different teachers. New subjects. A maze of corridors and classrooms to navigate. More homework. That’s all bad enough but when your dad insists on sending you to a school where you don’t know anyone except your aloof big sister and one weirdo from your primary school … well, that’s next level.

Enter Gracie Sparks.

The transition from being the popular and cool student who wows everyone with her electric guitar skills to being a friendless nobody does not sit well with Gracie and she’s determined to do something about it. But what?

All the other Year 7s at Middleton Grammar are already in tight friendship groups so Gracie is initially stuck with boring-girl Margot. 

Review: Hafsa’s Way

Hafsa will not take no for an answer. She intends to be a doctor but her parents do not hold the same dream for her. Her parents don't support the idea of girls being doctors and believe she should follow a more traditional path and seek marriage.

As a companion novel to the Amal Unbound and Omar Rising, we are once more transported to a small Pakistani village, hours away from the big city of Lahore. 

Hafsa Imtiaz discovers a flyer advertising the Bukhara Summer Science Camp, in Lahore, that teaches kids about medicine. She applies without her parents’ permission and is excited to be accepted. Her parents believe the camp is expensive and will not let her go to Lahore unsupervised. Hafsa persuades her father to let her go after her sister, Shabnam and her husband, Sohail, who live near the camp, offer to pay for the camp and let her stay with them.

Review: The Prime Minister Problem

Brenton Cullen's debut novel is a terrific read for middle-grade. This young man has been a keen writer since childhood and is now making his dream of writing professionally come true. And what a great start this is!

It's very definitely a sweet and engaging read and, a word I use very deliberately for books of this ilk - wholesome. It's that feel-good, warm-fuzzy uplifting narrative to which young readers always respond with alacrity. Actually, it puts me in mind of some of our great middle-grade authors such as the wonderful Robin Klein and Morris Gleitzman.

We've likely all known a kid like Wren, or maybe even been that kid ourselves. He's the outsider. The one who's friendless and never seems to fit in anywhere. He's quiet and his anxiety often causes him to be tongue-tied. His mum is caring and loving but, as a single mother lacking any support from the ex-husband, she's always super busy and very tired, working two part-time jobs. His older brother works too.