Review: Fearless Finn

Finn is a young modern day knight in shining armour. He is on a hero quest to defeat a dragon that has caused chaos in his village. Donning his home made armour of a cardboard breastplate, saucepan helmet, saucepan lid for a shield and a broom for a sword, he sets off on his mission to find and conquer the fire-breathing dragon that has left a path of destruction.

But when he finally meets the foe, he discovers that this dragon is not as dangerous or fierce as he first thought. Can Finn be the hero perhaps in a completely different way?

Review: Danny Go’s Volcano Adventure

Is your young reader ready for a challenge? This interactive picture book will take them into a world of volcanoes, hot lava and avoiding danger at every turn.

Danny Go! is a popular YouTube show that is designed to entertain and activate kindergarten children with songs, stories and movement. One of his most popular videos is The Floor is Lava. This now takes the lava to another level.

Review: The Apocalypse and Other Mild Inconveniences

12 year old Xavier Gency longs to be a stand-up comedian and is constantly practising his craft. Unfortunately his very serious father does not share his sense of humour or support his career choice.

Life in 2043 in Wendouree, Victoria does not provide many light-hearted moments and the decision to send Xavier to Melbourne to boarding school, is definitely adding to his feeling of doom. 

The welcoming sign at St Anthony’s, ‘Your Future is Assured’, could not be further from the truth when it comes to Alex and his home.

Review : StEvEn & Parker - Dinos Are Forever!

Fans of the immensely popular YouTube series, StEvEn and Parker, will be excited to know their favourite characters are now starring in a graphic novel of their own. 

Parker James, social media content creator, in collaboration with Toonstar, has successfully transferred all the fun and hijinks of his shows into a bright and highly visual delight for his followers.

Whether you are familiar with the YouTube series or not, the reader will fall in love with StEvEn, an eight year old, highly imaginative, dino-obsessed young boy and his ever-patient older brother Parker, who is constantly frustrated by his young brother’s (often Dino-related) antics.

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 - Banjo Paterson : Man From Snowy River / Waltzing Matilda

Iconic Australian poetry classics in the hands of babies? As they say it’s never too young to start. Two of Banjo Paterson’s famous poems are available as beautiful board books, edited by Kathryn England and illustrated by the talented Cate James.

Banjo Paterson - The Man From Snowy River begins with that most memorable line we all can recite, ‘There was movement at the station for the word had got around that the colt from old Regret had got away’ and off we go.

Review: Spare Kisses

Eve has the most loveable Nan. Nan’s heart and house abounds in all things love and fun. 

She has all a grandchild adores - delicious treats, craft supplies, spare keys to her doors and open arms for hugs. 

Nan has ‘spares’ for every occasion and is patient, kind and generous to everyone. 

Amongst her treasures and pleasures she has spare kisses. These are the kisses she gives to Eve when she is sad, hurt or lonely. 

Review: Sharks Up Close

Did you know the word ‘shark’ is thought to have come from the Dutch word for ‘villain’ or ‘scoundrel’? Hearing about shark attacks off different parts of our coastline this definition matches what many believe.

But sharks are central for the health of our marine ecosystem and are becoming endangered through human behaviours and climatic change.

Sharks Up Close provides a balance between the non-fiction text and visually rich photographs to stimulate interest in these much maligned animals and highlights the role they play in ocean life. 

Review : Come Home, Bigibila

Bigibila, the echidna, entered the world when Gawarrgay, the Dark Emu, was high in the sky. Surrounded by love, smells and sounds, she instantly knew this was her Country and this was her Place.

Bigibila grew into an inquisitive little animal and one day decided she would like to explore more of her Country. 

But such an adventure brings dangers she did not predict and suddenly finding her way home is not easy at all.

Review : Judgy Bunny and the Terrible Beach

Judgy Bunny is a cute little character with a very big (negative) attitude. She has arrived at the beach and nothing is going to impress this bunny. It’s too hot, too sandy, too many seagulls and even a bright beautiful beach ball will not lighten her mood. She will find any reason to complain and meeting new friends is not on her agenda.

With crossed arms, a pouting face and highly opinionated responses, one can instantly recognise the judgy bunnies we meet (or at times have been) in our lives.

Review: Phoenix

Harper is devastated. She has discovered that her father has cheated on her mum with her best friend's mother! Now her parents are going to divorce and her life is totally upturned. 

There is no other way to describe this turn of events than as a ‘bomb’. Her friendship has broken to pieces, she and her mum, and their beloved dog Harvey, are moving away and Harper wonders can her life ever be rebuilt. 

The new house in a new town is small and is tucked into a corner of a horse farm. Harper is hesitant around horses having had so little contact with them. 

Her first encounter with a horse proves to be positive and she spends many afternoons watching the young riders at the horse farm developing their skills and building rapport with their horses.

Review: Mary Fowler: Mary's Game / Mary Fowler: Beach Party

Mary Fowler, one of our inspirational Matilda football stars, has co-written with Jasmin McGaughey a four-book series to bring young readers a fun and exciting new series about friendship, school, sporty tales and celebrating special events.

These short chapter books with simple texts and beautiful black and white illustrations by CBCA notable illustrator Cate James, are ideal for emerging readers transitioning from school readers to independent reading.

Both Mary and Jasmin have drawn upon their own childhood experiences in Northern Queensland to create stories that will not only will feel familiar to their young readers, but also engage and entertain them.

Review: Sunny and Storm

Meet Sunny and Storm, two nine-year-old girls opposite in names and opposite in nature. 

Sunny is quiet and shy from a large family, where being heard is difficult, whilst Sunny is larger than life, verbose and impulsive. But they are friends, in fact, besticles, their creative word to describe themselves as the best, best, best-ever friends you can be. 

They become the centre of mysterious events that all seem to lead to them and they are determined to prove their innocence.

Set in a small country town brimming with unique human and animal characters, Sunny and Storm face many everyday challenges from random cow pats in unexpected places, to cranky teachers who do not seem to understand them.