AustLit

'With a BING! and BOOM! and BAM! and BLAST!

Each trick was more dazzling than the last...

“We haven’t got a single trick. Teach us, Wizard, teach us QUICK!”

'Three little wizards want to learn all the Wise Old Wizard’s magic tricks... but everybody has to start at one.' (Publication summary)

'With the Map of Half Maps finally in the hands of Atticus and his crew, the rest should be easy, right?
'Wrong! Rattling skeletons, ghosts, monsters from the deep, killer sands and a boiling hot tub are just some of the obstacles between them and certain TREASURRRRRE!' (Publication summary)

'ATTICUS VAN TASTICUS is back. And this time he means business. Having escaped certain disaster on the high seas, he's on the scent of treasure. Then the call comes from above- 'Ship ahoy, Captain, ship ahoy!'

'If only it were good news, which of course it ain't. Vicious, mean and mighty unclean Bjorn Ironhead is on the warpath - and Atticus and his crew are in his sights. Stay and fight, or run and hide? But where do you hide a pirate ship, and who's this Captain Half Map, and, most of all, where's that TREASURE OF TREASURRRRES?!

'Join Atticus and his crew as they roll from one adventure to certain disasterrrrr...' (Publication summary)

'One, two, three... One, two, three... Every day was a skip and a hop for Three. He was happy to walk from here to there, wherever his nose led, or wherever his legs took him... all the way to new friends.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A ten-year-old pirate captain? Absurd? Not in the world of Atticus Van Tasticus, a fabulously funny new illustrated junior fiction series from the brilliant and whacky creative minds of Andrew Daddo and Stephen Michael King.

'1750, when times were tough and teeth were rotten…

'As part of an ancient family tradition, young Atticus Van Tasticus narrowly escapes a life down the coal mines – or worse, going to school – when he gets to choose the gift of a pirate ship from his Grandnan’s treasure pile.

'It’s a choice that will change the course of history – well, OK, hisstory, at least. Atticus pulls together a rag-tag bunch misfits – AHEM – a tough, brilliant crew, and sets out to wreak havoc – I mean – live a piratin’ life.

'With little else to his name, Atticus has a taste for adventure, beauty and danger – where any minute might be your last, and your next minute could be your best (…if only they could get off the dock).' (Publication summary)

'I have a horse, a beautiful horse,

'and her name is Wandering Star.

'We roam wild and free, from the hills to the sea,

'and it’s magic wherever we are.

'Follow this truly enchanting story of discovery, adventure and wonderful friends by two much-loved Australian picture book creators.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Barney loves cat food. Barney loves greens. Barney loves bacon and biscuits and beans...

'Barney the dog loves to eat. In fact, Barney not only loves every food he has ever encountered, but he also loves to eat all sorts of things that aren’t really food at all!'

Source: publisher's blurb

'Bear likes to dive into the deep blue ocean, blowing bubbles and turning somersaults. He wakes with the sun and sleeps with the moon. 

'One morning, Bear is shocked to discover that his coat has changed. Is Bear dreaming? Or are two cheeky polar bear cubs responsible?'   (Publication summary)

'And there in the stable this special baby was born, just as the angel Gabriel had said.

'In this beautiful picture book, Australia's most-loved children's illustrators have chosen their favourite Nativity scene to illustrate.Featuring the work of Gaye Chapman, Bettina Guthridge, Wayne Harris, Sally Heinrich, Ann James, Stephen Michael King, Caroline Magerl, Beth Norling, Cheryl Orsini, Sally Rippin, Gregory Rogers, Judith Rossell and Anna Walker.'(Production summary)

'When a Man from the Government struggles up the mountain where Georgia lives with her family and Trouble the dragon, it means trouble, and not with a capital T. Even though they didn't ask for their house to be stolen and plonked down in a Wildlife Park, Georgia and her family have settled in and want to stay. So when Georgia finds out the man wants to blow up their house she knows she has to stop him!' (Publication summary)

'Words sing over the pictures in this evocative story: a beautiful lullaby about what we can be for each other. A mother and baby, a boy and a dog run for their lives. A little boat carries them across the sea. A polar bear, too, has come adrift. When will they find land? Who will welcome them in? An inspiring and timely story of courage, endurance and hope . . . for a world in which we can reach out and embrace one another.'

Source: Publisher's burb.

'The old milk bar on the corner is coming down to make way for something new. Little Davey Durak is gathering scrap - a short piece of wood here, a long piece there.

'But what's Davey building? Bruce the builder wants to know, but Davey won't tell ...

'Bestselling author Andrew Daddo and award-winning illustrator Stephen Michael King come together for the first time to bring you this very special picture book.' (Publication summary)

'Nina the New Kid at school thinks that dragons don't exist. Trouble is still banned from the schoolyard, so he can't show her she is wrong. It's no fun when people don't believe in you, but believing in things is good for everyone, as Georgia is about to find out. ' (Publication summary)

'From the creator of Tashi - meet the irrepressible dog Figaro and his cat-friend Rumba, who find themselves in big adventures that are fabulous fun for chapter book readers. With pictures in full-colour by award- winning illustrator Stephen Michael King.

'Come on two fabulous adventures with two best friends.

'When Figaro and Rumba catch the Very Fast Train to the beach, they meet a cunning crocodile with conga drums and a satin waistcoat, but they can't imagine such a musical creature might be a villain with a catnapping plan...

'And when Figaro howls in the Cool Cats' choir, the little ginger cat takes him exploring in the Catmobile. Open-air driving is the best thing ever, but Figaro thinks he's seen a monster in the car...' (Publication summary)

'In Book Four of this hilarious and action-packed series for newly confident readers, can Fizz find a way to save himself and his sister from the clutches of the Handbag Kidnapper in his most dangerous case yet?

'Meet Fizz - the daring dog detective!

'Fizz has solved his first real case as an undercover police dog, but his next assignment is about to get personal. Two handbag dogs have been kidnapped at red-carpet events in Sunnyvale City, and now there's another victim: Fizz's sister Crystal! Sergeant Stern sends Fizz, Remi and Amadeus undercover as dog models at the spectacular Shrill Alarm Collar launch. And in order to catch the culprit in the act, Fizz is going to be the bait!' (Publication summary)

'In Book Three of this hilarious and action-packed series for newly confident readers, Fizz becomes an undercover police dog and his first case is to catch the Show Dog Jewel Thief.

'Meet Fizz - the daring dog detective!

'Fizz's heart is beating fast. Today he begins his first case as an undercover police dog. It's going to be tricky. At the last three show dog championships the winner's tiara has been stolen. Now Fizz must go deep undercover as a contestant at the Pemberley Show Dog Trials. Fizz and police dog Remi have to perform at their peak to try to catch the show dog jewel thief red-handed.' (Publication summary)

'In Book Two of this hilarious and action-packed series for newly confident readers, Fizz goes to the Police Dog Academy for skills training, but once there he has a mystery to solve: who is sabotaging the trainee dogs so that they have to be sent home?

'Meet Fizz - the daring dog detective!

'Today Fizz starts his training to become an undercover police dog. The police dog tryouts were hard, and skills training will be even harder. But Fizz and his new friend Remi are given an extra challenge to test their detective skills. Trainee dogs are being injured and sent home. Sergeant Stern believes it's no accident. He wants to know who is doing this and why. Fizz and Remi must solve the mystery, or they won't graduate as undercover police dogs.' (Publication summary)

'In Book One of this hilarious and action-packed series for newly confident readers, Fizz is determined to go to the Police Dog Tryouts and prove that he can do the job. But he is the smallest, whitest, fluffiest dog in the long queue.

'Meet Fizz - the daring dog detective!

'Fizz wants to be a police dog. He's brave, clever and super-fast, but Fizz doesn't look like a police dog. His family are show dogs and companion dogs, not working dogs. Fizz longs for adventure, and he's determined to try out at the Sunnyvale City Police Station. There, he is the smallest, fluffiest dog in the line-up, and he meets fierce Amadeus, who definitely wants to be top dog.' (Publication summary)