AustLit

'Charlotte Chaplin is a city girl. She's cool and stylish and her best friend is Sarah, the Prime Minister's daughter. Her life is perfect.

'That is until her parents get divorced and Charlie is dragged to the sleepy town of Gulgong in the middle of nowhere.

'There's nothing to do - or so Charlie thinks. Things start to heat up when she makes an unlikely friend: Ruby, the daughter of a man wanted for burglary.

'Charlie and Ruby, with a little technological aid and some friends in high places, must catch the real thief and clear Ruby's dad's name before he's sent to gaol.

'A lively, fast-paced mystery with vivid characters and an atmospheric country town setting.' (Publication summary)

'A magical fairytale from an exciting new storyteller: six-year-old Australian author, Chelsea Hardi

'Three beautiful princesses set out to explore the kingdom, looking for adventure. When they become separated from their father, and cross paths with a hungry bear, they become lost in the midst of a dark forest. The eldest princess is determined to find a way home, and the King is determined to find his daughters.

'And with the help of a man with a brave and kind heart, the grateful gesture of a tiny hedgehog, and a magic ball of string, everyone may just find what they truly seek …

'Charmingly told in Chelsea’s distinctive voice, with beautiful illustrations by Olya Badulina, this is a picture book that children and their families will cherish.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Fil always suspected that her cat Harry could talk if he really tried. Sometimes she even dreamed about it. But it was still a shock when he did start talking, on the worst afternoon of her life – or one of them. She seemed to be having a lot of them lately.

'Her friend Kirsten had ignored her all day at school, again, after spending the weekend at her place. Harry told her that her friend Kirsten was “selfishness personified”, and maybe he was right.

'Things got worse after that. Grandma painted Fil’s older brother’s bedroom walls black, escalating tensions with Fil and Stephen’s stepmother Elspeth, who tried far too hard. And Kirsten soon showed her true colours, making Fil’s life even more difficult…

'Harry was the only one in the family who knew the way out of the tangle.

'Fresh, lively junior fiction by acclaimed author, Jenny Blackford, winner of the 2020 Davitt Award for Best Children’s Crime Novel, with fabulous pictures by emerging illustrator Kristin Devine, winner of the 2019 New England Illustration prize. (Publication summary)

'Michael Robins has a new game. It’s cool. It’s retro. It has bows and arrows, an evil king and something that he can see out of the corner of his eye.

'A chance glitch and a child’s sticky fingers finds Michael and his friends sucked inside the computer where the game is reality and The Master is about to reset the program.

'Time is running out. Complete the levels or be deleted.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Maxie, Fergie, Flash and Lady are good friends who live in Mrs Brown’s farm shed. Life isn’t exciting, but they’re happy. Until the day they learn that Mrs Brown wants to sell them–to the scrap yard! So they decide to run away, and life suddenly becomes very exciting for the four lovable machines in a series of adventures that puts them in more trouble than they ever imagined!

'Written by award-winning author Sophie Masson, with lively, appealing pictures by acclaimed illustrator Cheryl Orsini, Four On the Run is a fresh, funny and original chapter book which is great fun both for reading aloud and for young readers to read by themselves.'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'A Christmas Cornucopia is a delicious feast of Christmas stories — and food —from well-known and emerging Australian authors. With delectable illustrations by David Allan and Fiona McDonald, this is a book sure to make your tummy grumble!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

A lively, funny take on Rumpeltstiltskin.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Princess Hayley has everything a princess could want … except a comet. It’s her only birthday wish. Comets are so sparkly and they shoot through the sky so fast – who wouldn’t want one? But then Hayley realises the only way she’s going to get her wish is to catch a comet for herself. Joined by the very best friends a princess could have, Hayley aims to build the biggest and best – the only – comet-catcher in the world and make sure her birthday dream comes true!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Goblins and genies, mice and magic, fairies and fun: a dozen spellbinding stories of miniature worlds at Christmas by established and emerging Australian writers for children, illustrated in full colour by talented new illustrators from Australia and overseas.

'Featuring stories by Pamela Freeman, Stephen Hart, Dianne Bates, Natalie Jane Prior, Stephanie Smee, Oliver Phommavanh, Kathy Creamer, Ian Irvine, Juliet Marillier, George Ivanoff, Michael Grey, Rebecca Fung.

'Illustrated by Siobhan McVey, Sally Heinrich, Amy Golbach, Jennifer Polan, Kathy Creamer, Sandra Severgnini, Amy Bogard, Simone Hale, Penelope Pratley.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Lucy’s mum is always busy, going to this meeting and that, leaving Lucy alone in their old house with one strict rule: NO MAGIC.

'Lucy doesn’t mean to conjure the giant green slug. She only wanted a friendly kitten to keep her company.

'Now, with the help of a talking spellbook and a grumpy cat called Thomas, she must race to get rid of the slug before it eats the prized cabbage garden of the witch next door — and before her mum gets home.

'A lively,  entertaining story for young readers.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In the black velvety mantle of the night sky, two young people fall in love, only to be parted; while in a far-away time, a lonely and mistreated girl finds herself at a ball in a dress of sea green silk and a kingfisher cloak: two beautiful, magical tales from old China, The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd, and The Magic Fishbones, are here enchantingly retold for young readers by award-winning author Gabrielle Wang and evocatively illustrated by David Allan.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A fabulous anthology of twelve entertaining seasonal tales, featuring the special Christmassy magic of toys, by twelve Australian authors, both established and emerging. Illustrated throughout in full colour.' (Publication summary)

'The ancient civilisations of Mesopotamia, located in what is now Iraq, Syria and Kuwait, produced one of the world's great heroic sagas, the Epic of Gilgamesh.

'In this exciting, lively retelling, popular author John Heffernan brings two stories from the Epic to engaging life for young readers, while new illustrator Kate Durack's striking illustrations, inspired by Ancient Mesopotamian art, superbly illuminate the mythical world of the heroic brothers.' (Publication summary)

'Launch title for the Second Look imprint of Christmas Press, this hilarious collection of nine short plays for kids, written by popular author Duncan Ball, ranges from a comic monologue to a play that can involve a whole class, and everything in between. It will suit use both in the classroom and on stage, as well as being lots of fun to read at home. Capturing the imagination and tickling the funny bones of young readers and actors, the plays range from spoof mystery to fantasy to school capers, all with a great zing of humour. The book also includes tips on staging the plays. Originally published as Comedies for Kids in 1988, this fabulous collection has been fully revised and updated by the author, and with a brand new play, The Teeth of a Vampire', added. The lively cover and internal illustrations are by well-known illustrator Craig Smith. Recommended for children aged 7-12.  '  (Publication summary)

'Retold in lively and authentic style by Norwegian-Australian author Margrete Lamond, and sumptuously illustrated by Norwegian-American illustrator Ingrid Kallick, these stories of magic and mischief from Norway will enthral young readers. ' (Publication summary)

'Can a dragon make the toymakers' luck change? Can a dragon pull Santa's sleigh? And will the dragon family get their Christmas feast? Find out in these three entertaining, original stories for Christmas, gorgeously illustrated, featuring everyone's favourite magical creatures: dragons! Great for sharing aloud or for children to read by themselves.' (Publication summary)

'Japanese folklore is full of stories about the tengu, magical beings who grant wishes to those who ask them. But watch out–wishes don't always turn out as you expected!

'In this lively, engaging retelling of two fantastic tengu tales, Duncan Ball introduces young readers to the folk world of old Japan, while David Allan's beautiful illustrations set an atmosphere inspired by classic Japanese art.' (Publication summary)