AustLit

'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)

'It's Lady Beatrix's birthday, and Sir Walter is planning a celebration at Flamant Castle. There will be games and competitions and a big surprise party. Everyone at the castle is excited ... except the pigeon. But the pigeon is needed for a very special job - and when he goes missing, it looks like Sir Walter's plans will be ruined. Can Tommy find her friend and save the celebrations?' (Publication summary)

'A trickster is turning life at Flamant Castle upside down. Someone has put sneezing powder in the knights' soup and itching powder in Sir Walter's sheets and changed the salt for sugar in Mrs Moon's kitchen. At first the tricks seem funny, but Sir Benedict is not amused. He thinks the trickster is Tommy - and unless the tricks stop, he will send her away from the castle! Can she find out who the real trickster is before she is banished forever?' (Publication summary)

'Omar is very busy as the new odd job man at Circus La Fleur, and he loves to watch the stars practise during his lunch break. Would Omar ever have an act of his own?' (Publisher's blurb)

'What IS wrong with the wobbegong? Anything? Nothing? Who can tell, when he never says a word ...' (Publisher's blurb)

'When Sir Walter, Sir Benedict and the other knights go to nearby Roses Castle for a tournament, the enemy knights from Malice attack Flamant. The only hope of rescue lies in getting a message to Sir Benedict, a day's ride away. But the castle is surrounded and there's no way out! With the help of her friends, Tommy devises a daring plan. Can she save Flamant Castle before it's too late?' (Publication abstract)

'Ella's school has been invaded by the Scatterbungle-a gaseous poison designed to destroy the powers of all Magicals and Flitterwigs in its path. It's Ella's destiny as the Clearheart to build a new team of magical bloods brave enough to go into battle and stop the devastation ... But what if it's already too late?' (Publication summary)

'The 60 poems in this collection appear in their original, or near original, form and are wide-ranging in their subject matter: animals, the countryside, the struggle of bush life, early transport, sport, growing old, being young and having fun with words! But whether they are humorous, serious or playful, they are simply a joy to read!

No matter if we grew up reciting these classic poems at school, quote from them on important occasions or are meeting them for the first time, there is no doubt that these classic poems embody what it is to be Australian.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Willy must steal from the Queen, stop a man from marrying a tree, try not to upset a one-eyed squirrel, and save Yorick from being an ass—could this be the true story behind A Midsummer Night’s Dream?When a delusional King of the fairies tries to wage war on Queen Elizabeth I, Willy creates a distraction by slopping love potion in the drinks. Unfortunately, the wrong people drink the potion and mayhem ensues. Can Willy unravel the tangled state of affairs and the scrambled affairs of the heart?' (Publication summary)

'Pyro Watson loves pirates, treasure and all things to do with maps and tales of long ago. When his mother goes away to nurse Nan, Pyro is left stranded in a caravan at the beach with his Aunt Mor. So Pyro calls in his alter ego, Simeon the Pirate Fighter, to pass the long evenings and longer days.

'Then Pyro meets local boy Min and his four-legged mate, Becks. Life becomes interesting - even downright dangerous - when the town bullies claim the beach as their own. Can Pyro and Min draw on Simeon’s daring to defend themselves?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Escaping from a gang of bullies, a Boy slips into a grand old gallery - the perfect hiding place, full of mystery and treasures. Enchanted by the magic of painting and befriended by a mischievous dog, the Boy ventures into the world of a famous Vermeer painting - and he and his new friend are transported to Little Street, Delft in seventeenth century Holland.

'But the streets of Delft are a dangerous place for a dog, and the Boy has to use every ounce of his ingenuity to rescue his canine mate from an untimely fate on the butcher's block.' (Publisher's website)