AustLit

'Jessie loved all her friends birthday parties with the rollerblading, soccer and unicorns. But Jessie has something else in mind for her party. Will her friends like the slithering friend she wants to bring or will it be too scary?'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'Jayden James thought his family of five was perfect - until last Wednesday when Mitchell David arrived.

'Now the car's too small, picnics are ruined and no one's paying attention to Jayden anymore. Jayden knows something needs to be done. And he's the only one who can do it!

'A gentle story about acceptance, belonging and what it means to be family.'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'Lola is Centre on the netball court, and knows how to keep the team working together from the middle.

'But netball is not the only situation Lola is always stuck in the middle of-what with her parents fighting all the time, and not to mention her best friends hating each other.

'When her netball team looks like they might be in the State Finals, Lola steps up as captain. But she's got bigger problems of her own when the doctor says that she might have to stop playing netball all together.

'Lola feels like she's losing from all sides. Can she ever stand up for herself? Or will she always be stuck in the middle?' (Publication summary)

'When I'm a famous marine scientist I'll live on a boat by myself. I'll snorkel on the reef all day long. But before I can learn to snorkel I have to be able to swim properly. And right now, I don't even own a swimsuit.

'Eleven year old Tilly dreams of becoming a marine scientist. But she lives in a drought stricken town with her mum and younger brother Oliver, who is autistic. Oliver's meltdowns are making life unbearable. He can't cope with even the smallest of changes to his routine. On top of that, he needs so many different kinds therapy that there's never any time or money left over for swimming lessons.

'When Mum loses her job and decides to move the family to the Queensland coast, Tilly is excited and terrified all at once. Is this her chance to finally learn to swim? Will her dream of snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef come true? Or will so many changes all at once prove too much for the whole family?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Attention! Attention! Calling all young adventurers.

'Starting in Brisbane and ending in Capalaba (the home of Wombat Books), on each page of the book Wombat tells readers what makes the location special. Wombat slops on some sunscreen to visit the beaches of Gold Coast. He spots a roo at Taronga Zoo and gets out his cricket bat to play at Adelaide Oval.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Once
A long time ago
My grandmother’s grandmother
Travelled far, far across the seas
Over the rim of the world to where the stars were new

'Kate Forsyth tells tales of her ancestors’ lives in Australia in this beautifully illustrated picture book that celebrates the power of story. From the first perilous journey to a new land, to the great wars and civil rights movements, readers live through key moments in Australia’s fascinating history.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In the snow-capped Himalayan Mountains, monkeys flitted from tree to tree and fish shone silver in the stream. Hidden there lived a beast that villagers rarely saw: the Ghost of the Forest.

'Once, the slave girl Chandani lived near the mysterious forest, dreaming of kindness. Her work was never done or good enough for her mistress. She longed for her home and family. Then she discovered the Ghost of the Forest and her world changed forever.

'A heartfelt fable of friendship and courage, Chandani and the Ghost of the Forest reminds us that hope can be found even in dark places.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Maddie tries to be nice to everyone. Even weird, chicken-obsessed Tahlia.

'BUT she’d way prefer to hang out with the cool K-girls at school. The only problem is that they don’t seem interested in her anymore. And at Year 6 camp Maddie has a decision to make: how far will she go to be popular?

'Will she be able to live with the guilt when she finally has everything she’s been hoping for?

'Follow Maddie’s hilarious antics with chickens, secrets and undies in the latest adventure at Kangaroo Valley Public School.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'It all starts out innocently enough when two curious curlews discover a stash of artist's paints and brushes. Who could resist this opportunity to dab a little colour here and there? Certainly not these birds, and soon enough it's a free-for-all. Readers will take particular delight in the wonderfully messy—and colourful—ending.' (Publisher's blurb)

'I went on an adventure to a land called Good, if you've never been there, I think you should. Goodness is the sixth book in the Invisible Tree series, an inspirational series of children's books that capture core values that we all esteem in the life of children and adults!'  (Publication summary)

'For the first time, Andrew Lansdown’s much-loved fantasy novels are bound into one omnibus edition, The Chronicles of Klarin.

'When the unlikely hero, Colyn, finds a knife with mysterious powers, he opens a door into Klarin—a fascinating otherworld. Here he is attacked by dragons and defended by warriors. As his adventures into the otherworld continue, Colyn meets his match in Yasni, a girl who helps him in his dangerous quest to stop the dragons from gaining a new power that threatens his world.

'In one final battle, Colyn finds himself struggling against not only the dragons of Klarin but also the dragons of the heart.

'The Chronicles of Klarin is a tale of the bonds that bring us together when terrors threaten to tear us apart. Readers of fantasy will be delighted through the books: With My Knife, Dragonfox and The Red Dragon.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Hey, kids. Are you looking for a new daddy? Well, look no further. At The Daddy Shop, we have daddies to suit every occasion. Check out our daddies today!

'The Father and Son Picnic is coming up, but Daddy can’t go with Tai because he’s working. When Tai hears about The Daddy Shop, he takes matters into his own paws and tries out some new daddies. Around-the-House Daddy loves doing chores and Out-and-About Daddy plays all day long. But which daddy will be the best one for Tai?

'A big-hearted tale that celebrates daddies everywhere.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Toby has one mission at school: to stay out of trouble. Only then will his parents let him have a pet.

'But that’s just it, Toby has trouble staying out of trouble.

'It wasn’t his fault that a lizard found its way into Miss Mott’s sleeve or that a snail turned up in Ivy’s lunchbox.

'Join Toby and his friends on this hilarious adventure as they navigate the sandpit, adventure playground and sports shed in their mission to stay out of trouble. Add a dancing spider, a red-nosed dobber and the SNAKEBUSTERS for what will be an unforgettable read.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Abby Smart is planning to have the most awesome year ever. She's the leader of the Smart Girls Club and after winning the talent quest, her dream to be a musical singer looks like it might come true.

'And then Stella turns up, fluttering her mascara eyelashes.

'She’s way too cool for little old Kangaroo Valley. Worst of all, she’s making Abby’s friends like ridiculous things such as makeup and new music! Abby’s plans to have a great year are being turned into dog food. Will Abby follow her friends, or follow her dreams? Because she can’t have both.

'After all, Smart Girls don’t wear mascara!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When Lily finds a beautiful, big, shiny balloon she wants to keep it forever…

'But what if somebody else needs it more?

'Lilly’s Balloon is a gentle, hopeful story about disappointment, loss and learning to let go. Three young lives are connected through one balloon, which touches them in different ways.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

''We're so lucky,' said Gran. 'We've just enough for two.'

'Jess and Gran have always made the best of everything. When there’s not much for dinner, they cook oodles of noodles. When there’s no cake for birthdays, they toast marshmallows on the stove.

'When it snows in the mountains, Jess longs to go. But there’s no extra money for a holiday this year.

'So Jess finds a way to see the most amazing snow of all.

'Jacaranda Snow is about one family that lives with less money but plenty of love and optimism.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Attention Campers! Seeking maximum adventure? Looking for maximum fun? You need CAMP MAX!

'Tania’s all set to go on camp! She’s planned which cabin she’ll be in, what snacks to take, she’s even arranged for her best friend, Emily, to come too.

'There’s one small problem though: Emily’s parents gave away the money that would have bought her ticket.

'Luckily the town talent show offers Camp Tickets as a prize – all they have to do is win one for Emily. But even as they rehearse to win, no one’s expecting Tania’s own ticket to go missing. And when it does, Tania knows she’s going to need more than just talent to avert maximum disaster.

'Because some things are worth more than a camp ticket, and friendship is one of them.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When Charlie comes to visit Opa she looks through his old boxes and photographs. Opa tells Charlie about the colour she cannot see in the black-and-white pictures.

'From yellow ribbons to green pine trees and blue over-sized jumpers, Charlie and Opa share his colourful memories.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.