Junior Review: Secret Factopia!

Factopia! is back again, and this one is all about secrets! This book is filled with lots of interesting secret facts. The ones you wouldn’t get in most non-fiction books.

Facts like…

During the Air Guitar world championships in Finland, contestants rock out on instruments that don’t actually exist.

And...

Some companies make underwear with secret pockets that can be used to hide things.

And...

Since the 1950s’ government map makers in Switzerland have hidden tiny drawings in official maps.

Junior Review: Science FACTopia!

Science Factopia! is packed full of amazing, funny and mind blowing facts about science. Facts like:

Lobsters pee out of their heads to communicate.

And...

The seeds from a sandbox tree can explode, launching them through the forest at 258 kilometres per hour.

And...

When a palaeontologist is unsure if an object is a rock or a fossil, they sometimes test it with a lick.

This book is hilarious and interesting at the same time. I learnt a lot of cool facts about so many different science things, and the book was really easy to move through.

Junior Review: Amanda Commander: The Blues Day Tuesday

In Amanda Commander The Blues Day Tuesday, Amanda gets sick and has to stay home from school. She’s excited to get back to her friends, but when she’s finally better, things have changed.

Her friends, Lu and Mai, have been playing with other people and she’s behind in pottery classes.

Amanda feels left out and alone. She isn’t enjoying being back at school at all. And turns out she isn’t the only one going through this. Other kids get sick, and they also find it hard when they come back to school.

Amanda knows she has to do something, and she also knows her friends will support her. So she tells them how she feels and comes up with a plan to make sure everyone is included.

Junior Review: Sensational Australian Animals

Fun, surprising and interesting. That’s how I’d describe Sensational Australian Animals by Stephanie Owen Reeder and illustrated by Cher Hart.

This book is filled with weird and wacky facts about Australian animals and has beautiful illustrations. 

The information is broken up by the senses, so there are sections on smell, taste, sound, sight and touch. Each section includes different animals and the interesting ways they use their senses.

Did you know Australian herrings gulp in air from the surface of the water, store it and then release it in high-pitched farts?

Junior Review: The A to Z of Who I Could Be

An inspiring book about Australian female athletes who have achieved greatness.

The A to Z of Who I Could Be tells readers about great athletes and how they went at the Olympics and in sports competitions. 

From Ash Barty, Caitlin Foord and Georgia Godwin to Tamika Upton and Zali Steggall, it’s got 26 great Australian females who kick butts at 26 different sports.

Junior Review: Lily Halfmoon: The Magic Gems

Lily Halfmoon is a normal girl like everyone else, until her birthday cake explodes on her 9th birthday, and her pencils start levitating in art class. Something isn’t right, but Lily doesn’t know what it is until two girls from school (Gigi and Mai) tell Lily she’s a witch and has magical powers.

Lily has to go to a school for witches and wizards with Lily and Mai, where their teacher sets them a special assignment — find out who’s eating his precious flowers.

Each witch has a magical crystal that stores their witch powers. They also have a special animal sidekick who helps them along the way. Lily has to discover all of this, plus build new friendships, plus solve the mystery her teacher has set.

Junior Review: Ghost Book

Ghosts, magic and mystery come to life in this graphic novel by Remy Lai.

July is an odd girl, and she isn’t really noticed by the kids at her school (and sometimes her dad, too). But there’s something special about July. She can see ghosts!

One day, July meets two ghosts called William and Floof. William tries to convince July he’s not really dead, so they go to the library and search for information about him on the computer. 

They discover that when William was a boy his heart stopped for three minutes, and now he’s in a coma. This is why he has a string connecting his ghost body to his real body in Red Hill Hospital.

Junior Review: The World's Worst Monsters

Vampires all the way through to the loch ness monster.

The World’s Worst Monsters has ten mini stories about mythical creatures — like the abominable snowman and werewolves.

If you’re into flying and mysteries, you’ll like the story about the vampire. 

Amber is a bright and positive girl who really wants a sibling. But when she gets a baby brother (little Alucard) she starts to notice strange things about him, like the fangs growing from his mouth.

Junior Review: Wylah the Koorie Warrior: Custodians (book #2)

Wylah is a strong and kind girl, but she’s been through a lot. Her grandmother passed away and her family got kidnapped. 

In book 1, Wylah had to reunite the five guardians of the tribes so she could become the Koori Warrior. 

But her tribe and her family are still missing, captured by evil dragons.

In book 2, Wylah and her crew (her cousins Po and Merri, Merri’s new friend Jayden and the guardians) must travel through the most dangerous place — the Valley of Spirits — to get to the gold mines.

They’re hoping to trade gold for their people, but things don’t go to plan. Drop bears attack, a giant emu tries to trample them, and angry Yowies like to make trouble.

Announcement: New Junior Reviewer - Meet Ayla!

Our reviewing team are passionate about sharing some of the best stories for children and teens with anyone who'll listen. 

It's one thing reviewing kids' books. It's another creating stimulating, entertaining and enthralling content for kids but it's something altogether special when kids share their true thoughts and feelings about a story with other kids. 

Which is why we are over-the-moon excited about the latest member to join our elite KBR team. Give it up for the delightful, book mad, soon-to-be-published-author, Ayla Wardrop everyone!