Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761180385. (Age:12+) Highly recommended.
In the opening chapter, Morgan’s teacher asks each student to write three sentences about themselves, two true and one a lie. Not understanding where the activity is leading, Morgan writes three lines that are perhaps more revelatory than he realises. He refuses to participate in the ensuing guessing game with a shake of his head. And gradually the reader comes to understand that the mute nod, or shake of the head, or a shrug, and downturned eyes, are his usual means of communication. Talking is always kept to the minimum; he’s learned that’s the safest way.
In Jonsberg’s novel we see the world through Morgan’s eyes, and hear his internal thoughts and his limited understanding of the words that people use. He is a beaten person, with no expectation of success at school; there is only the drill and work of soccer, a fierce training that his father inflicts on him. He knows he has no choices, the safest way is to comply.
This is a story of coercive control, a child without a mother, growing up under the thumb of an emotionally abusive father, subsumed in a world of toxic masculinity. There are people who try to reach out to him, his teacher, the school counsellor, and a fellow student. But it is so difficult for Morgan to break out of his cocoon.
Jonsberg’s YA novel has themes in common with Ange Crawford’s ‘How to be normal’, the depiction of scared compliance, the bottled silence, the isolation from others. Both novels present a powerful portrayal of the fear within a situation of coercive control.
Fortunately for Morgan, there are people who persist, and who try to see past the barriers he’s built around himself. They are there even when his confusion erupts in an unexpected violence, because they know that beneath it all there is a good guy who is worth trying to save. I liked how that essential goodness shines through in the end, along with Morgan’s growing understanding of how to be his true self.
Other issues that are explored with great sensitivity include the ‘dead to us’ runaway mother who turns up ten years later seeking reunion with her sons; and the equally absorbing depiction of commonality of experience of the oppressed Morgan and his gay school friend. In both cases, it is only through quiet persistence that barriers are broken down.
There are other lovely people who shine: the encouraging English teacher, and the lonely old lady in need of gardening help. The enduring message of the novel is about caring, and checking ‘R U OK’.
Jonsberg is adept at presenting potentially heavy subjects in an engaging and positive way. Readers are encouraged to seek out his other books, the most recent being Smoke and mirrors (2024) and A little spark (2022).
Themes Coercive control, Emotional abuse, Toxic masculinity, Fear, Identity, R U OK.
Branson Hawthorne Esquire is your typical city child on his way to summer camp after his parents flew off to a ski trip in Aspen without him. Branson likes the normal comforts of life, access to a phone, fresh clean sheets, and writing letters of protest that he never mails – okay not so normal!
But what happens to him and the three other camp attendees is as far from comfortable and normal as you can imagine. Promised poolside luxury, cuisine classes, lessons in interior decorating and an exclusive resort what they discover is anything but with slime encrusted bathrooms an empty pool and accommodation that isn’t fit for the creatures that have already claimed it!
The friends find themselves without phones, access to outside communication is cut off and constantly having their life endangered by the creatures that live in the Daintree Forest as they try to escape from the camp, or at least survive the week!
This book is exciting and packed with action and humour that will keep the reader engaged and turning the page, as Branson and his friends try to work out how to escape the camp owner, Sal without coming into close contact with the cassowary and crocodiles that surround the camp. While Sal and her son constantly block them and make them clean up the camp, fix the pool and remove slime from the bathrooms it will take all of Branson’s negotiating power to bring this to a happy conclusion for all.
This is a brilliantly funny book that really shows the nature of the Australian bush and how by banding together against a common enemy fun and friendships can develop. This book would be a fabulous read aloud as students will want to know what happens next and if Branson and his friends make it out alive!
Themes Action, Adventure, Friendship, Australian Bush, Survival, Camps.
Mhairi Alcorn
All the ways Mum will be there for you by Sarah Ayoub and Kate Moon
Many things that mums do for their children are shown in this infectious picture book, with rhyming stanzas on each page, adorned with bright illustrations full of colour, reflecting the thought in the text on the page. A warm, friendly book full of smiles will encourage children to ponder the things their parents do for them without thinking.
Mums encourage, support, offer adventures. They find ways to play in the midst of a hectic day, plan games, spend nights with the family, cook special treats together. Lots of cuddles come from Mum as she walks with the child to the playground, where they swing and run, play and jump in puddles. The text relates lots of ways Mums support the child, each page offering a different range of activities shared between them. Children will love recognising the things they do with their parents, seeing other things which they may be able to suggest at home.
They share and love, read, reflect and give, they take children out of their home to wonder about other things outside their experience. They support and teach how to be confident and adventurous, they are always there to ensure they are constantly part of each other’s lives.
This is a colourful introduction to the idea of parents and parenting. Children will reflect on their own homes and how they could contribute to the comfort given by their Mums.
Themes Love, Caring, Families, Parenting.
Fran Knight
Out of the box by Madonna King and Rebecca Sparrow
University of Queensland Press, 2024. ISBN: 9780702268779. (Age:Adult) Recommended.
Described as a “one-stop guide to navigating neurodivergence” journalist Madonna King and teen educator Rebecca Sparrow gathered information from Australian families, teachers and global experts to bring together the latest tips and advice about navigating the world of a neurodivergent (NT) teenager and how some of the care, consideration and structure we can surround these kids with can also benefit neurotypical (NT) teens who can also be struggling. The reader is provided with a useful glossary of terms, introduced to the language used and is asked to consider some pre-conceived ideas in the community about conditions like autism. It then moves on to diagnosis, labels and language, there are fly-out quotes from parents like 'I had no idea what ADHD was. I used to call her an airhead. Her year 3 teacher suggested there may be a problem' p. 16.
The rest of the book is divided into four parts under the headings of ‘Friendships’, ‘Education’, ‘Spreading Your Wings’ and ‘The Future Looks Bright’. In each section there are personal stories from parents and teens that are poignant, along with those of teachers who often find themselves untrained and unprepared for the adjustments they must make to accommodate the range of differences in their class. Their stories are backed up by experts in their field and a comprehensive section at the end of the book outlines resources for parents, educators and for ND kids and teens. I was impressed by the inclusion of specific examples of ways to improve outcomes for ND kids like Professor Linda Graham’s simple examples of how teachers and parents can provide repetition, issue instructions in brief sentences and ‘No soliloquies, where they just tell kids to do five things then wonder why they’ve only done one' p96. Interacting with ND teens will never be simple though and it was a privilege to read the personal stories shared by so many. This accessible book takes us through some of the nuanced divergences and helps us to understand and value the different perspectives ND individuals can bring to our lives.
Opening with former Inspector Rebus in the dock, rather than in the witness box, shocks the readers eager to read the 24th in Ian Rankin’s series of books about crime and detection in Scotland. Hooked, Rankin takes the reader back, filling in the story of how Rebus ended up in remand. Certainly, a man to cut corners in his career, causing angst amongst his seniors, he was known for getting things done.
Now retired he is at a loose end, Brillo the dog not completely filling his life. Rebus is asked by crime boss, Cafferty to find a person believed dead but seen in Edinburgh recently. Rebus begins to investigate, finding he is stepping on the toes of the gaggle of detectives working at the Tynecastle Police Staton. This station has a reputation for brutality, misogyny and corruption and when one of their number, Francis Haggard, is arrested for domestic abuse, the ranks close in. He offers to disclose some of the workings of Tynecastle, naming names, in return for dropping the charges, but before he does this, he is found dead. Rebus’ investigations overlap as DI Siobhan Clarke discusses the Haggard case with him. Into the scene comes Malcolm Fox, charged with reducing the impact of that exposing the Tynecastle Police corruption, and what it may do to the reputation of Police Scotland.
This heady story weaves its way through the corruption of Tynecastle and what it did to young women police appointed to the station. Fox is keen to expose this but also subscribes to the idea that Rebus’s association with Tynecastle puts him in the firing line as well. The double layer of characters and families will stretch readers’ recollections as they delve more deeply into the story, but as with all of Rankin’s stories, many strands join up satisfactorily at the end, while some remain obstinately unresolved, keeping all readers alert to a myriad of possibilities, perpetrators and suspects. I listened to the story via Audible and will happily listen again.
Darruyay yilaaming marraala, buwaarr: Welcome to the world, little baby by Melissa Greenwood
ABC Kids, 2025. ISBN: 9780733343063. (Age:1+)
A strongly bound hard back book which encourages young families to record their baby’s progress is told within the framework of Melissa’s First Nation heritage. Written and illustrated by Gumbaynggir artist, Melissa Greenwood, author of several books which warm the heart, My little sunshine and Hello ocean, to name a few. Each uses her beautiful paintings showcasing her adept use of Aboriginal motifs combined with a modern perspective and swathes of soft pastel colours. Each page is framed with dots, circles, and lines using wonderfully soft colours, to create a warm environment in which to place memories of the new baby’s development.
Starting with a poem welcoming the new child’s arrival, a page is left for the first scan, while over the page details of the child’s birth and first photos. Then on to stages of development as the child grows, which are offered with spaces for information and photos. This will make a delightful compendium of a baby’s development and the memories of the family as the child grows. This will make a truly memorable book within the family, to share, ponder, compare and marvel. Lots of pages are included to add all sorts of things: first words, first steps, a list of the first times for many mothers, things such as first sleep through the night (hallelujah), first laugh, first roll over and first hair cut to name a few.
The last page welcomes special memories for the family, ending off a charming book of reminiscences to share.
A fan of McTiernan’s books I was thrilled to read her latest novel, especially as Cormac Reilly features again. This time he is confronted with a body in a bog, a body that suggests a strange ritual. The murdered man is Thaddeus Grey, a local school principal, not seen for two years. There does not appear to be a reason for his murder, and Cormac finds it difficult to concentrate on his investigation as his ex-girlfriend Emma has pleaded with him to help her find her husband Finn, who has gone missing in Paris. As Cormac juggles the two cases, more bodies appear. Is there any connection or is a serial killer on the loose?
The background to the novel was fascinating with its brooding Irish countryside, descriptions of historical bodies found in bogs, military use of cybersecurity and ways of cheating winners of the lottery. Cormac’s struggle with his feelings about Emma and the fact that she is married and pregnant is vividly described, while his internal conflict about taking on a new job in the police force and his relations with his co-workers adds depth the story.
The theme of justice is a thought-provoking one. Cormac is clear that it is the justice system that makes the final decision about guilt or innocence but has fears about tackling police corruption and how his colleagues will react. Meanwhile, his off-sider Peter finds that for him justice is not so easily defined.
I was amazed at McTiernan’s ability to juggle three separate investigations and kept wondering how she would manage to tie all the clues together. Of course she did that brilliantly in this clever, twisty police procedural. I am looking forward to more books with Cormac investigating.
Themes Murder, Detectives, Ireland.
Pat Pledger
There is time by Lisa Melichar & Lisa A. Kennedy
Little Steps, 2024. ISBN: 9781922833051. (Age:3+)
Taking time to do the most ordinary things is lauded in this verse story which encourages imagination, observation and slowing down. The child in the tale is shown idly getting out of bed, observing the day through the window, having a dressing gowned mum brush her hair, then doing a few stretching exercises to start her day. Dressed, she spends time playing her musical instrument, then goes outside to smell the flowers, to observe and play. She sings and dances, writes and performs; she hops and skips, runs and jumps. There is always time to explore, to read and dream, and time to pretend. At the end of the day there is time to eat, laugh, play and bath, ready to hear a bedtime story read by someone close.
And looking at a wider landscape, to learn when the child goes to school, and time to accept change as it comes along, especially in the shape of a new sibling. The book ends with supporting children to take time out to laugh and play, to greet each new day as it arrives, making the time to observe and interact.
Gentle illustrations support the text, and reflect the things the child is doing as she sees each day anew, seeing all the things that make up the environment in which she lives. An emphasis on wellbeing, of being mindful, of taking time to look at all around them encourages the reader to stop and smell the daisies with her.
Themes Mindfulness, Time, Observation, Environment, Family, Siblings.
Fran Knight
Spirit of the crocodile by Aaron Fa'Aoso & Michelle Scott Tucker with Lyn White
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781743317099. (Age:10-14) Highly recommended.
12 year old Ezra is on the verge of leaving childhood behind with the big move to high school on Thursday Island imminent. He is leaving the comfort and security of his home in the small Torres Strait Island community on Sabai Island. The cultural threads of his life are strong, but his own anxiety in the face of change is bubbling up and unsettling him. His good mate Mason will be joining him at high school and their friendship is strong (they have a culture of daring one another to complete boyish tasks), but leaving family behind is hard. Ezra must grow up. Mistakes made, that disappointed his parents, are also weighing heavily on him. The eye of the crocodile is looking right at him. A fierce storm, a high tide and the impacts of climate change all coincide and collide to create a disastrous impact on the small community and put Ezra and Mason’s dad’s lives at risk, and their families in desperate circumstances. Will Ezra demonstrate that he has grown up or is everything too hard to face?
The setting of this story within the Torres Strait community on Sabai Island is an absolute delight! We are welcomed into the warmth of their families and feel their heartache as climate change impacts become a burden for their future. This is a wonderful journey into a coming-of-age story in a different cultural setting that is imbued with real heart. The adventure through disaster is stirring, but it is the cultural differences and practices that are endearing. Everyone on the Island works hard to support one another and in their tiny community we see real power, but a future that may well be hampered as sea levels rise and climate impacts threaten. This is for readers aged 10-14, who will enjoy the boys-own experience facing insecurity and danger, with a bit of friendly fun, and an eye on environmental issues.
Themes Family, Saibai Island, Torres Strait Islands and culture, Storms, Climate change, Coming of age, fear and insecurity.
Carolyn Hull
Pugnacious & Scuttlebutt: Mall madness by Adam Wallace and Wayne Bryant
Pugnacious & Scuttlebutt: Mall Madness is sure to keep the audience laughing with this whirl wind escapades and fun filled fiascos.
Adam Wallace, together with Wayne Bryant’s clever illustrations, deliver another fast-paced, laugh-out-loud adventure in the third instalment of the series. The totally memorable, yet unlucky homeless dogs, Pugnacious and Scuttlebutt, are still on the run; desperately searching for a home while dodging the relentless dog catcher, S.M. Ellybottom.
Believe it or not, Mall Madness finds them in even trickier situations than before. Discovering they are trapped inside a shopping mall and hot on their tails are three security guards, their old nemesis, S.M.Ellybottom, along with an unpredictable and whacky granny. How will they ever get out of this mess?
Wallace masterfully blends humour and suspense, keeping readers on edge as the dogs stumble from one disaster to the next. From heart-pounding chases to laugh-out-loud mishaps, the story is packed with action and comedy galore. Bryant’s brilliant cartoon illustrations compliment and complete the storyline; adding excellent engagement for the audience.
This fabulous short fiction novel is extremely fast paced with a highly energetic and engaging storyline. Filled with loads of fun black and white cartoon pictures, speech text and action, it is a style mixed between a graphic novel and standard novel. This targets a wider audience and will appeal to many. Containing short chapters, large print and a really cool layout, it is a great story for all ages.
Perfect for fans of the Ratbags series by Tim Harris, Pugnacious and Scuttlebutt: Mall Madness is an engaging, fun-filled read that will leave the audience eager for the next adventure. With its mix of action, comedy and heart, this book is a fantastic addition to the series, proving once again that sometimes, even the most mischievous underdogs deserve a happy ending.
From the outside Astrid’s family might look normal. There is a scene that Crawford describes, where Astrid and her mother and father are sitting at a table in a restaurant, and to any observer they must look like the perfect family: there is no distraction of mobile phones, father, mother, and daughter look happy, sharing a family celebration in their local restaurant. But this is the ‘honeymoon phase’, the good time, the apologetic ‘making it up’ time, after the last explosion of tension in a coercive relationship.
Astrid desperately wants to look normal. She is starting the final year of school, after years of homeschooling, because her father’s job has come to an end and her mother needs to work to support them. Mother and daughter have to venture into an outside world that has been shut off until now; and it’s Astrid’s father who’ll be waiting for them when they come home, timetables marked out on the kitchen whiteboard.
This is a story of coercive control. There is no physical violence. But the emotional abuse is terrifying. Crawford never provides details; we can only guess why Astrid flinches every time one of her school mates uses a swear word. What Crawford does do, so masterfully, is portray the fear that rules their household, the tip-toeing in the morning, the neat lining up of plates and cutlery, the anxiety over a burnt roast, the vegetables not at exactly the right temperature, the bits of rubbish hastily gathered from the street after the bin collection, all the things that have to be just right or it might trigger the explosion of hate and anger mother and daughter so dread.
The other scene that resonates so powerfully is when Astrid’s school friend Cathy comes to dinner, and Astrid’s father is so charming and accepting of the friendship; what could possibly be Astrid’s problem, why would she be so fearful about visitors to her family? It’s a façade that outsiders don’t see beyond, ignorant of the tension below the surface.
Astrid makes friends at school and while Cathy and Leila both share confidences with her, Astrid is never able to let people in to what is happening in her home. It’s a form of isolation that is so difficult to break down. Crawford writes in her note to the reader that that this was an isolation that she grew up with, and decided to share, in order to help others. There are links to support services at the end of the book.
Crawford’s debut novel is winner of the inaugural Walker Books Manuscript Prize 2024. It is an absolutely absorbing novel, eye-opening and sincere, an incredibly important insight into a kind of abuse that still hides in our society. It is written from a young person’s point of view, in a way that is not too overt, but can only open conversations that are desperately needed. Highly recommended.
Another in the series of fine books by Helen Milroy, a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia will be eagerly picked up by little hands. A comfortable size, bright vivid illustrations and images of babies all create instant appeal.
Helen shows the reader the range of Australian animals and their offspring, framed by the environment in which they thrive. The front cover presents the baby animal: koala, kangaroo and so on, predicting what will be found when the book is opened, creating a sense of anticipation. Inside each double page offers a baby animal, surrounded by stunning illustrations. As each page is turned, young children will hear the rhyming sequence and predict the rhyming word on the next page.
While the Bilby points his toes Wombat waddles to and fro.
Each pair of rhyming lines gives information about the animal depicted, adding to the knowledge base of the very young. And kids will pick out their favourites; mine is the little sugar glider depicted opposite Helen’s photo and short biography on the near to last page.
Helen has written and illustrated an impressive range of books, all aimed at younger readers, encouraging them to know more about the environment in which they live, using stunning paintings as the backdrop. Children will love the vibrant endpapers, enticing the readers to seek out all the animals depicted.
Themes Aboriginal stories, Aboriginal art, Australian animals, Humour, Verse.
Fran Knight
Song of a blackbird by Maria van Lieshout
Allen & Unwin, 2025. ISBN: 9781761181795. (Age:12-17, Adult) Recommended.
This beautiful graphic novel has the reader engaged at once. The fold-out maps of Amsterdam 1943 at the front and ‘today’ at the back, immediately establish the setting. The stylized blackbird and buildings on the cover are repeated and stand out against the limited palette of reds and grey greens through the book. The five prints of significant buildings give structure to the narrative which switches back and forth between then and now. The story begins in 2011 when Annick’s oma, Johanna, who has raised her, is sick and needs a bone marrow transplant, but when tested she finds her siblings are not biologically related to her or Annick. In a bid to find the biological family Annick starts to question Oma about her childhood but all she can remember is their home being bombed when she was four. The only things she has from her childhood are five prints of Amsterdam buildings; there is a scribbled message on the first print, a link to Amsterdam 1943. It is a print of the Dutch Theatre which became a deportation centre for Jews and through a mix of graphics and photographs from the time we are introduced to Emma at her college where the teacher is leading a class discussion about propaganda, critical thinking and questioning. He later reveals to Emma and two friends that he is involved in the resistance and that there are multiple ways they can help fight the Nazis. They get involved with smuggling Jewish children away from the deportation centre to be fostered instead of being shipped to the death camps, if discovered they would face death. Meanwhile, in 2011 at the memorial to those deported, Annick makes the connection between one of her Oma’s prints and the child smuggling and fostering. With the help of the blackbird as narrator, much like the character Death in The Book Thief, we follow Emma and Annick’s journeys, to fight for humanity and find family. In an added dimension the story is included of the forging of millions of guilder’s worth of treasury bonds to fund the resistance. At the end we are given a factual summary of the people and places behind the story as well as the resistance photographers who risked their lives to document Amsterdam under Nazi occupation. Art is central to the retelling and remaking of this story, keeping the memories of those times alive. I particularly liked the way the making of the copper plate etching process tied together the forging of papers for the resistance and the artwork that leads to Annick finding her biological family. An uplifting book which will reward any reader.
Themes Nazi occupation, Amsterdam, Art, Printing, Resistance.
Sue Speck
Little bones by Sandy Bigna
University of Queensland Press, 2025. ISBN: 9780702268878. (Age:10-14) Highly recommended.
Bones is a collector. She has a curious interest in bones (hence her unusual name), animal parts and other scientific strangenesses. She is also grieving the loss of a brother, Nico, who had pursued his own curious interests. Friendship has been difficult for Bones since Nico’s death. The arrival of a new potential friend at the same time as she accidentally ‘resurrects’ the skeletal remains of a small bird, sets her on the path to her own re-imagining as she seeks to undo a ‘cursed life’.
This is a sad story, a story of grief and pain, set in a girl’s life as she leaves childhood behind, but in difficult circumstances. And yet, there is a fluttering of hope in the story. There is an introduction of a ‘curse’ in a supernatural way, which distinguishes this story from others dealing with grief and loss. This is done in a strangely delicate manner, although tears are possible. Written in prose poetry, there is a delightful lyrical quality to the writing. Friendship issues are addressed in a believable way. There are some quirks to characters - the new scraggly-haired friend is addressed in non-gendered they/them references, and this is intriguing without being a statement (and their dumpster diving is also unique); the housing commission apartments house a gentle ex-convict, a vibrant artist escaping difficult circumstances and Bones’ own multi-generational family who have struggles and fractures that do not impede love. This is charming and can be recommended for young readers, aged 10-14, who can cope with the weightiness of grief mixed with a light dusting of mystical/magical intrigue, and the detritus of life and its re-imagining. Teacher's notes are avaialble.
(Note: This may be triggering for readers who have fresh grief to bear.)
Themes Grief and loss, Skeletons, Collections, Friendships, Bullying, Prose poetry.
Carolyn Hull
Lobsters can't knit by Karla Courtney and Nicholas John Frith
Lobster can do lots of things: he can eat enough for three stomachs, swim forwards and backwards, and will always win at arm wrestling. But he lives deep in the ocean where it is very cold and he wants a jumper, one with long sleeves to keep him warm. Other sea animals give him lots of reasons why this is impossible. Octopus tells him he has too many arms and Shrimp points out that claws are not made for knitting. But Lobster keeps trying. He unsurprisingly makes a mess and scurries off home, throwing away his knitting efforts, but his fishy friends retrieve the wool and the needles and encourage him to try again. Each animal is given a specific task to do with the knitting. Octopus finds he is a clever knitter, Crab can ball up the wool, and Lobster is adept at cutting. Together they make Lobster a jumper, and several of the other animals have a knitted piece of clothing as well.
A warm hearted look at trying to become skilled at something, Lobster at first throws away his efforts but is encouraged by his friends to try again, with them helping out. A team effort results in Lobster having a warm jumper.
Illustrations with a retro look of books produced in the fifties are most amusing, showing a determined group of sea creatures struggling to help their friend. The pastel colours are a delight, and the endpapers covered with an array of sea creatures will intrigue younger readers.
Lots of laughter will accompany the reading of this story. The animals trying to create knitting is just hilarious, and seeing them eventually covered in woolly pieces will evoke much fun, while the individual animals, see the Crab and the Seahorse, look absolutely charming in their onesies.
A nod to pollution on the sea bed will attract readers’ attention and the information given about a lobster will be absorbed and checked.
Karla’s website has more fun with the readers, showing an array of knitted lobsters as well as information about the author.
