CHILDRENS BOOKS

Welcome To The World Little Baby  Welcome your baby to the world with this stunning First Nations illustrated baby records book!  I love you with every fibre of my being, every grain of sand beside the gaagal (ocean) and every fallen autumn leaf. Welcome your baby to the world with this fully illustrated baby records book from talented Gumbaynggirr artist Melissa Greenwood. Includes heartfelt poems and lots of space to record your baby's firsts and special moments!  A companion to Melissa's lyrical and heart-stirring picture book series: Miimi Marraal, Mother Earth; My Little Barlaagany (Sunshine); Giinagay Gaagal, Hello Ocean; Miimi and Buwaarr, Mother and Baby and Giinagay Juluum, Hello Mountains.

In this slapstick, illustrated crime adventure, the honest Theo Pincher, who doesn’t fit in to his family of criminals, finds himself suddenly on the other side of the law because of an ancient curse.  "Theo and Ellen accidentally break an ancient cat statue in the antique store. When they tell their mother Nic, she turns pale. It must have been the statue that ruined the life of their ancestor Pick Pincher! The curse of the Egyptian cat turns thieves into honest people and honest people into thieves. Pick met a terrible fate for a Pincher—he became a police officer. Now suddenly Ellen can’t lie and Theo is becoming a criminal. Theo and Ellen follow the clues to break the curse—after sneaking into the zoo through secret tunnels, breaking into the antique store and digging his way into more trouble, Theo must decide whether he is or isn’t a criminal.

Adults and children alike will be captivated by the naïve, colourful illustrations and the recognisable tunes and rhymes, which will be re-visited over and over again.

From the creators of An Aussie Christmas Gum Tree and When Santa Got Stuck in a Gum Tree, comes an Easter adventure full of laughs, friendship and surprises.  The Easter Bunny has dropped his eggs!  The kids in the neighbourhood gather to save the day … but are they really helping?  A deliciously sweet – and hilarious – spin on an iconic tale, from the best-selling team behind An Aussie Christmas Gum Tree.

A quirky, surprise-filled and light-hearted romp through the stuff that makes up our world, from atoms, elements and light, to water, soil and DNA, to buildings, books and smartphones.  A quirky romp through the stuff of our world, from atoms and elements and light, to water, soil and DNA, to buildings and books and smartphones. With chatty explanatory text, fast facts, and clever, stylish and sometimes funny photos, illustrations, and diagrams, this fantastically browsable book offers hundreds of entry points for knowledge-hungry kids.

A darkly comic debut novel for fans of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, Matilda and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.  This is a story so strange, it might almost be unbelievable ... Sisters Lake and Birdy are latest arrivals at the Charitable Home for Poor Unfortunates Touched by Tragic Circumstances. And if you think that sounds bad, that’s just the beginning. Luck is not on the sisters side, it seems. Or is it? Depending on the way you look at it, together these sisters are capable of surviving everything and anything. But it is going to take all of Lake and Birdy’s courage to face their biggest misfortune of all: the dreadful, the awful, the terrible … Miss MacGregor. A darkly comic, fantastic and fantastical tale from Damien Leith, with only a few embellishments, the very odd exaggeration, and much to enjoy.

"Brilliantly spooky and funny." Jennifer Killick, author of Dread Wood"Spine-chilling terror and laughs on every page." S.J. Wills, author of Bite RiskDiscover a brilliantly spooky new horror-mystery series for fans of Dread Wood, Goosebumps and Aveline Jones...Indigo and Rusty might live in a funeral parlour, but they don't believe in ghosts. That is, until Indigo drops an old urn, accidentally releasing the Cinderman: a terrifying ash monster, who will smother their town in ashes and turn everyone into zombies, unless they can stop him by sunset.Using their newly awakened Spooksmith skills, Indigo and Rusty set out to enlist the help of other ghosts. But can the Blasted Banshee and Chuckles the Phantom Toddler really help them find the Cinderman's true name and put him in his grave for good before Ashmageddon strikes?

Shadow And Tide  The second irresistible adventure in the Compass and Blade trilogy, full of intrigue, sizzling romance, dark magic and monstrous beings.  A magical bargain always comes at a cost. On Rosevear, Mira is plagued by nightmares. She is lost and untethered – and then the watch strike, burning her home. The attack ignites a spark within her, and Mira knows it’s time to call in her bargain with Elijah, and tear down Captain Renshaw and the watch. But she must find allies to help her unlock her siren abilities, and the witches aren’t all on Mira’s side. In Coven Septern, Brielle has always believed in her work as a hunter, is proud to slay the monsters plaguing their world. She’s a trained weapon, a sharpened blade, a nocked arrow. She knows the blood she drains will be used for good, and yet her next assignment is a human girl. For in the eyes of the council, Mira is a monster, and monstrous creatures must be tamed …

loved this: funny, quirky, exciting and moving

Rex investigates funny goings-on in the city museum in his latest adventure. The third book in the side-splitting series for 7+ readers, from a Lollies Prize winning author-illustrator.  Rex can't wait for his first trip to the city museum. But, hold on, are those ... bones? Dinosaur bones?! It turns out that museums can be scary places. And now, someone or something has been causing havoc around the place and it's up to Rex, Sandra and the gang to find out who.  Can Rex successfully go undercover as the new security guard? How can he help his newest unexpected friend, an Ancient Egyptian mummy? And most importantly, can he pull off the greatest museum sleepover in the history of sleepovers?  Highly illustrated throughout and laugh-out loud hilarious, this is perfect for fans of The Bolds, Dogman and Bunny vs Monkey.

Relic Hamilton is just your average 12-year-old, living a quiet life with his grandfather above their old antiques shop in Chinatown in London.  Until one day, while polishing some mysterious brass lamps in the basement, something extraordinary happens. Relic feels spine-chillingly cold. Breathless. Scared. And suddenly, a real, live genie stands before him!  But this is no kind, benevolent genie. This genie is evil ... and it feeds on hope.  Relic finds himself catapulted to the centre of a fast-paced underground community of genie hunters, led by the excitable Professor Latimer and the tech-savvy Doctor Raphaela. Together, they travel in their one-of-a-kind jet, the Aladdin, secretly chasing rogue genies before they can wreak havoc on the world…  A thrilling new adventure series from the former Waterstones Children’s Laureate and winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing.

‘Parrot Palace is an open invitation from the heart to step into a multi-hued, multicultural, inclusive world where difference is celebrated, tradition is valued, and the language of love is spoken. It certainly does ‘make the world a better place’ A Must Read!’   -    Professor Meenakshi Bharat, Head of English, University of Delhi. Â Three inventive and daring kids, along with their families, live in a three-story apartment block called' Parrot Palace'. Â Hari, Lily-Rosa, and Mikey come from different cultures, but their differences unite them as they form a close-knit team. They share their secrets as they navigate their dreams and challenges. Will Mikey become a joker or follow in his dad's footsteps as a builder? Can Lily-Rosa balance her dreams of becoming a firefighter, and a ballerina? And will Hari fix the disaster he created for his Nani and mother? Â They join together and confront their arch enemy, the neighbour Mr Crabtree. It is here, that they eventually find the real answers to friendship. Â PRAISE FOR PARROT PALACE Â ‘Growing up, some of my best friends were books, and how I wish I’d had a friend and a book like this, reflecting the true, warm, beating heart of Australian multicultural diversity. Hari and his friends will stay with you long after you’ve left Parrot Palace.’ – Dr Sunil Badami a writer, critic, broadcaster, academic and regular reporter for ABC and ABC personality. Â ‘Parrot Palace aptly illustrates the essence of humanity: love, care, and sharing what we have for the common good of the community we live in. I strongly recommend it to all our children growing up in Australia.’ - Dr Andrew Kwong, Winner of the 2021 Michael Crouch Award" ‘With great power, we can teach our children profound truths and timeless value.’ - Professor D.R. Pattanaik, Banaras Hindu University Â ‘An open invitation from the heart to step into a multi-hued, multicultural, inclusive world where difference is celebrated, tradition is valued, and the language of love is spoken. It certainly does 'make the world a better place!' A Must-Read!’ - Professor Meenakshi Bharat, Literature University of Delhi Â ‘An amazing story that brings India and Australia closer together celebrates human relationship which doesn’t change from one side of the Indian Ocean to the other and fosters ‘dosti’ (friendship) between the two great nations.’ - Indranil Halder Ambassador of Halder Â ‘A delightful story that captures the feel of summer, school holidays and the sheer joy of play. From the opening pages, our taste buds are tantalized with the honey of jalebi, the warm sweetness of ripe strawberries, apple pie and samosas. This is a story of now.’ -  Dr Anne Benjamin Educator Â ‘Parrot Palace aptly illustrates the essence of humanity: love, care, and sharing what we have for the common good of the community we live in. I strongly recommend it to all our children growing up in Australia.’ - Dr Andrew Kwong ‘Very relatable and entertaining. I read it to my 6-year-old son and he enjoyed it thoroughly. He found it adventurous and loved how the kids helped Mr Crabtree in spite of him being mean to them. That's a life lesson.’ - Neel Banerjee, Intercultural Theatre Practitioner

A compelling historical fiction adventure, set during the Australian gold rush when daring, dangerous and bold bushrangers were both feared, and legendary. Award-winning author, Sophie Masson asks what makes a hero, or a villain?  Lily and her parents are travelling performers are delayed in Canowindra, just as famous bushranger Ben Hall and his gang - who has pulled off the biggest gold robbery ever - arrive. The gang hold everyone in town hostage– but instead of threats, hold a strange, giant three day party, and Lily is in enthralled. She writes a secret play 'Bold Ben Hall' and dreams of sending it to a famous theatre company in Sydney or Melbourne… Meanwhile, in Forbes, stable boy Sam works for Sir Frederick Pottinger, Ben Hall’s nemesis. Sam who dreams of helping Sir Fred to catch Ben Hall… When Lily and Sam meet, the two are soon at loggerheads about their heroes determined to prove the other wrong...and to try any means to do so! A gripping and unusual adventure, set against a background of the hectic, action-packed atmosphere of the booming Gold Rush towns. It also asks important questions: what is a hero, what is a villain? And how do we separate fact from fiction?

Normal Women The bestselling, critically acclaimed women’s history from blockbuster author Philippa Gregory – adapted for teen readers! Today, when we think of women of the past, we often think of the 1800s and 1900s – crinolines and stage coaches, bonnets and balls – a time when women were told they were naturally inferior to men, and must stay at home while men went out to work and have fun. HUGE MISTAKE! There is so much more to women’s history than bonnets and big dresses! Ordinary women have been doing extraordinary things FOR EVER – it just didn’t make the history books (written by men!). Join multi-award-winning author Philippa Gregory as she tells the story of ordinary English women, making history for 900 years. Meet farmers, highwaywomen, pirates, ‘female husbands’, slaves, soldiers, criminals, writers, inventors, rioters and more – protesting, working, playing, taking risks, getting rich (and getting even!). Their story is one of ingenuity, diversity, rebellion, survival – and sisterhood. Illustrated throughout by award-winning printmaker Alexis Snell. PRAISE FOR Normal Women (teen edition): ‘Impressively researched, by turns inspiring and chilling … brilliantly told’ – Cressida Cowell ‘This book is redemption for unsung female heroes. Prepare to feel aghast, proud and inspired’ – Geri Halliwell ‘Uplifting and empowering’ – Edwina Dunn, The Female Lead PRAISE FOR Normal Women (main edition): A NEW STATESMEN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 ‘A lasting work of social history’ THE TIMES ‘A genuinely new history of our nation’ DAN JONES ‘This celebration of women is a triumph of popular history’ SPECTATOR 'Philippa Gregory uses all her bestseller skills to weave a narrative with pace' ANTONIA FRASER ‘You’ll lose count of the number of things you learn about women and their skewed place in history … the book reframes the past … an essential read’ INDEPENDENT, FIVE-STAR REVIEW

A companion story to the multi-award winning, internationally successful Frank's Red Hat starring Neville, the penguin who was eaten by a whale - or was he?  Neville was a penguin known for being somewhat of a risktaker. He was brave, bold, and beloved by all. Until the day he was eaten by a whale. Or so it seemed … Because that was only the beginning of the story.  A delightful - and daring - companion tale to the award-winning and bestselling Frank’s Red Hat.