YOUNG ADULT
CHILDREN’ S
STAFF PICKS
YOUNG ADULT
MY WONDERFUL DISGRACE
Angourie Rice, Kate Rice
$ 21.99 14 +
A funny, edgy dark comedy of errors from Angourie Rice and Kate Rice. Amy Middleton has plans for the school ball – the perfect dress, date and night. When Leo Prince agrees to go with her, success seems assured. But with the buzz of an unexpected text, her perfect night begins to unravel. In this second novel, journal entries, texts, interviews and school newsletters reveal a night gone terribly and hilariously wrong. My Wonderful Disgrace is a dark comedy about unrequited love, manipulation, misunderstandings and the fate of one innocent goat.
SONG OF THE SALTINGS
Rachael King
$ 24.99 13 +
On the isolated island of Brack, the people live by an ancient bargain: every year, a sacrifice must be made to the Glimm, the creature that haunts the salt marshes. Eight years after the monster spared her, 16-year-old Lotta keeps her distance from the villagers who whisper about her fate. But the island is dying. It hums beneath her feet, and a song threads through her dreams. Is the Glimm calling Lotta back? A chance encounter with Moss, a village outcast, will change both their lives, and the fate of the island, forever.
ONCE UPON TOMORROW
Karen Comer
$ 19.99 14 +
Three girls. Three fates. Three interwoven stories. Spanning 100 years, three girls on the cusp of life search for truth and connection amid family dysfunction, climate change and new technology. Miri, an 18-year-old Jungian student, discovers she’ s pregnant in 2025. Aleita, 16, shelters in the library, the one place free of jolts to her digital implant in 2125. Between them stands Sylvie, spinning tapestries to save her life. Connected through time, each must make a choice in this verse novel about journeys, environment, family and community.
CHILDREN’ S
STAFF PICKS
RAISED BY WOLVES Tristan Bancks
$ 17.99 10-14
FICTION
available may 5
When your dad’ s a fugitive, who do you trust – him, or yourself? Olive Silver’ s criminal dad is back after five long years, but is she prepared for what follows next? Olive follows Dad through rain and darkness for answers.
STAFF PICK BY MANDY FROM BALMAIN
THE UMBRELLA Niki Foreman, Binny Talib( illus.)
$ 24.99 3-5
PICTURE BOOKS
For everyone who’ s ever felt,‘ I don’ t fit.’ This is for you.‘ I don’ t fit... Do I need to fit? I’ d like to fit.’ Not everyone finds their place under the same umbrella. So what happens when you want to fit, but can’ t? From an author and parent with intimate experience of neurodivergence comes a story of one child’ s journey to find their place in the world.
STAFF PICK BY MANDY FROM BALMAIN
BUNNS RABBIT Alan Barillaro
$ 24.99 9-12
FICTION
When Bunns is born with small but perfectly functional rabbit ears, the warren is abuzz with auguries. Surely such short ears spell bad luck for the community. Sheltered in her family’ s burrow, Bunns listens to the rhythm of her mother’ s heartbeat, a song of home and belonging. But the unknown world of the meadows call to Bunns.
STAFF PICK BY MANDY FROM BALMAIN
THE APOCALYPSE AND OTHER MILD INCONVENIENCES
Alex Dyson
$ 19.99 9-13
FICTION
Xavier Gency, 12, knows the world is pretty much doomed, but that doesn’ t stop him cracking jokes about it wherever he goes. But when Xavier hears devastating news about his family’ s farmhouse, he knows he’ s got a serious decision to make. Should he sit back and poke fun like he’ s always done, or take action?
WHAT MAKES A BIRD? Nadeem Perera, Montse Galbany( illus.)
$ 29.99 7-9
NON-FICTION
Soar into the amazing world of birds! Follow the flock through rainforest canopies and between skyscrapers in the city, discover many different bird species and find out what makes each of them special. With birding tips from TV presenter and activist Nadeem Perera, it’ s time to learn exactly what makes a bird... A beautifully illustrated and informative book about all things beaks, feathers, migration and nesting, perfect for the young birder.
THE DREAM KEEPER Anna Walker
$ 27.99 3-6
PICTURE BOOKS
Beyond the city and over the sea is a forest of dreams. At the edge of the forest lives a turtle – the Dream Keeper. In a small boat, the turtle sets off on a tumultuous journey to deliver dreams to sleeping souls in the nearby city. Meanwhile, a young girl, scared in the night by the shadows in her room, finds comfort in her toys... but cannot sleep. As both stories unfold side by side, the girl and the turtle must each harness their courage and overcome their fears as their worlds collide.
LILY TRIPP: DIARY OF AN ACCIDENTAL TIME TRAVELLER
Amelia Tait
$ 16.99 10-14
FICTION
available may 5
Why is my life so last century? My name is Lily, I’ m 13, and I have a big secret: every New Year’ s Eve when the clock strikes midnight, I time travel to a totally different era. Talk about inconvenient. Luckily my cat, my best friend, and my not-so-secret crush always turn up, too. But how does anyone survive in ancient times without chicken nuggets?
ONE LAST LEAF Patrick Guest, Jess Racklyeft( illus.)
$ 24.99 3-8
PICTURE BOOKS
A powerful and touching picture book about love and connection, separation and letting go … Autumn has passed and winter is here... but the little brown leaf clings on. Through cold and snow and howling winds, a mighty oak tree stands tall, with one last leaf on its empty branches. One last leaf. From two of Australia’ s favourite picture book creators, bestselling author Patrick Guest and award-winning illustrator Jess Racklyeft, comes a story your family will treasure.
WE LIVE ON A BOAT Dave Petzold
$ 26.99 4-7
PICTURE BOOKS
‘ We live on a boat. She’ s called Lucky Sea Legs. We call her that because we always tumble into good things.’ From the bestselling author of We Live in a Bus comes a windswept family adventure about sailing the open seas, swimming in the moonlight and living a life less ordinary. Dave uses a mixture of traditional and digital techniques to create his illustrations, working initially with graphite pencil, ink and oil paint to create the line work and then moving to the computer to add colour and texture.
8 | MAY 2026