AustLit

'For decades Helen Baldwin has been painting outback Australia and the Aboriginal people. Her travels have taken her throughout western New South Wales and to Alice Springs, Darwin, Yuendumu, Napperby, Mbunghara, Papunya, Kintore, Docker River, Areyonga, Maryvale and countless places in between. Through her friendship with Michael Ellis and his wife Lizzie, a full-blood Aborigine of the Ngaanatjarra tribe, Helen has been taken to special areas that few white people have ever seen.

'The natural affinity for the Central Australian desert and its people felt by Helen is visible in her artistic work. She is able to see through the incongruous Western clothing, tangled hair and ubiquitous dust to the flame that gave birth to one of the purest forms of spirituality ever articulated. . At night, telling Dreamtime stories by the campfire, an ancient dignity lights the eyes of the old people.

'It is the essence of this message that Helen Baldwin captures in her paintings of the Aboriginal people: wisdom, simplicity, spontaneity and grace.
Children of the Dreamtime presents a vivid picture of the Aboriginal people of central Australia, their way of life and their environment.

'In her work Artist Helen Bladwin shows us the beauty she perceives in the Australian outback and the people who first made it their home.'

Source : publisher's blurb (New Holland Ed.)

'The team that produced A Flair For Hair are back with their latest book A Flair for Fun .

'Meet all the new characters and with all the things these characters do for fun.

'Rhyming text to read to children with bright vibrant colours.' (Publication summary)

'Breathing Through a Straw is a memoir of a father's fight to do absolutely everything to save his son's life.

'Mark and Bridget received the devastating news that they had given their smiling six-month-old baby boy a genetic death sentence in the form of cystic fibrosis. They were terrified to learn that, at the time, a child with cystic fibrosis would be lucky to survive to their teenage years. The family's world was turned upside down and they were set on a path to find new treatments and support the efforts to find a cure, all while trying to give Cody as normal a childhood as possible.

'With good humour and emotion, Mark Sheehan tells a story familiar to anyone with a loved one battling a chronic cycle of medications, therapies, treatments and hospitalisations. For sufferers like Cody, every breath required to stay alive was like breathing through a straw.

'Following successful transplant surgery Cody is something of a miracle - living a full life in his thirties. Cody and his story provide living, breathing hope for others with cystic fibrosis. For Cody and for his fellow 'cystas' and 'fibros' the next best things to cure is hope.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Ernst Leitz II (“the photography industry’s Schindler”) not only designed and manufactured Germany’s most famous camera, but also saved hundreds of Jewish lives from certain death during the Holocaust.

'From the kernel of this true story, Joe Reich weaves an interesting – sometimes outrageous – blend of fact and fiction, historical and current times, drawing the reader into the fictional life and exploits of the protagonist elderly “survivor” Jack (Yaakov Stein) now living in Melbourne. After trying to pass off a false testimony to a young Catholic photographer, Ian Gross, he then relents and tells us the truth ... Or does he?

'With false memoirs all the rage, this is clearly a fictitious story with some real characters, at once highly entertaining and deadly serious.' (Publication summary)

'Next Door’s Dog is a Veteran’s Dog is the fourth book about working dogs, written by Gina Dawson to educate children about the roles of Assistance and Therapy Dogs in modern society and the invaluable work they do.

'Veteran Joe and his family have moved in next door to Lucas. Dad and Joe are good mates who served in the military together. They both look well and healthy, but Joe is troubled by memories that make him anxious, angry or sad. That’s why he has Poppy, an Assistance Dog, who goes with him everywhere.

'When Lucas sees Joe getting off the bus with Poppy by his side, he wants to know more. He listens to Dad but doesn’t really understand how Poppy helps Joe – until he sees it for himself.

'At a café Lucas looks on while Poppy keeps watch, stays close to Joe, and allows him to relax and enjoy the celebration without worrying about what is happening behind him. That’s when Lucas begins to understand the wonderful work that Poppy does to help Joe to live a full life. He also learns that the way people look does not always tell the whole story.

'Next Door’s Dog is a Veteran’s Dog is a sensitively written, unique children’s book with many messages, including educating children about PTSD and anxiety, invisible disability, the work of veterans and first responders, correct behaviour around Assistance Dogs, and most of all, about the unique bond between a man and his dog, and how they look out for each other.

'Written in a way that shows compassion and respect, this book is educational and relevant in a time where PTSD, anxiety and mental health issues are becoming more prevalent, particularly in Veterans and First responders.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'This insightful and touching book evokes the challenges and the contributions of Aboriginal soldiers during WWI. It is a touching story of the trials and tribulations of Finny, an Aboriginal warrior who wanted nothing more than to serve his country.

'It leaves the reader with a sense of pride of our Indigenous stockmen’s contributions to the war effort, and also the War Animals who also greatly contributed to Australia’s war efforts.

'Finny grew up on a station in central Australia. He worked as a stockman, and could ride a horse better than any man. When WWI began, Finny tried to join the army, but aboriginals were not allowed.

'As the war continued, the government restrictions were eased so Aboriginals and other men of colour were allowed to enlist. Finny was one of the first to sign up to the Light Horse Regiment.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Sixteen-year-old Sophie Weston’s life is turned upside down when her father inherits a dilapidated mansion in the Hamptons and her family leave their life in Brooklyn, New York behind to renovate it.

'As a child Sophie regularly visited the house and its eccentric residents, but why can she no longer recall her time there clearly? And who is the ghost of a boy that visits her at night?

'As she tries to adjust to her new life and new school Sophie also has confusing encounters with the cute boy next door. Will Sophie discover the secrets of the Storybook House and help find her great-aunt’s killer before her classmates arrive for the annual Halloween dance?'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Most people know Pat Webster as the incredibly successful trainer of Happy Clapper, the first horse in history to win the ‘big three’ Randwick miles. However his life was anything but easy. His fledgling career as a jockey was cut tragically short after a fall during a race and, after starting a family with the love of his life, to almost losing his son to the ravages of drug abuse. With strength, wit and perseverance Pat turned his misfortune into success: a winning stable, and a life-changing role as a mentor for young jockeys, trainers and stable hands.

'Don’t Die Wondering - The Pat Webster Story is a tale of a man who never gave up, who made something from nothing, and used his experience and knowledge to change the lives of those around him. Pat Webster is determined to give back to the sport that has given him so much. An accredited drugs and alcohol counsellor with Racing industry, Pat mentors young jockeys about the demands of their career and the perils of early success. Pat is also an ambassador for the Racing Mates initiative which supports country racing communities struggling to survive in the most unforgiving of sports.

'A unique Australia Story from a dirt poor upbringing in the country to a successful trainer along the way he has rubbed shoulders with millionaires and battlers.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'DEREK PERCY - Australian Psycho is the story of Australia’s ultimate ‘cold case’ police investigation. In 1969, Derek Ernest Percy was captured after the abduction and murder of a 12-year-old school girl near a lonely beach on Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula. Found not guilty of murder on the grounds of insanity, Percy was detained at the ‘governor’s pleasure’ and was Victoria’s longest serving prisoner deemed too dangerous to be released.'

Source : publication summary

'Here was a young black boy who faced the hourly life-and-death reality of growing up in a humble town on the South Africa–Zimbabwe border, with the edifice of apartheid beginning to crumble in South Africa and civil war raging in Zimbabwe. He only ever started fighting to protect himself, his parents and his siblings.

'But he became so good at boxing, he became a triple world champion!

'Lovemore did not get the opportunity to go to school until he was nine years of age, yet he was committed to educating himself and making the most of his life and epitomised the value of education. Today, he is a successful lawyer with a thriving legal business in Sydney, and with no fewer than seven university degrees to his name. Like he did as a boy trying to protect his family, Lovemore is today committed to helping as many people as he can.

'As a child growing up in Zimbabwe and South Africa, Lovemore Ndou experienced poverty and the injustices of the apartheid system, witnessed atrocities committed against his family and community, was a victim of police brutality and saw his best friend gunned down in a street protest. Yet, against all odds, Lovemore succeeded and rose through the ranks to become a boxing world champion and then a successful lawyer, while making Australia his home.' (Publication summary)

'Come on an adventure with Missy and Beefy

'Missy is an Australian bull terrier, her little brother Beefy is an Australian bulldog, and their dad Chris is a tradie. Missy and Beefy love to visit worksites with their dad and find out about all the different jobs that tradies do. But Beefy is so excited to meet the tradies that he keeps getting in the way and making a mess!

'Be among the first to join Missy and Beefy on an adventure full of mischief and trouble in My Dad's a Tradie.' (Publication summary)

'Today is not just any old day ... Join Winston and his family as they wait for the garbage to be collected.

'The Garbage Trucks are coming today is a fun read for any child who loves garbage trucks.' (Publication summary)

'Zachary's heart is full of sadness. He misses his Nana and wonders where she is. But it's hard to imagine something you cannot see. One night, Zachary embarks on a magical adventure to a place filled with his favourite things.

'With an extra special person to guide him, Zachary finds his imagination and returns with happiness in his heart.' (Publication summary)

'Barnaby loves to Burp, but when he tries to stop, he can’t. What will he do? This book with fun rhyming text, and engaging illustrations will get kids excited about reading.' (Publication summary)

'Leah lives next door to Nan. Every week Nan and her dog Monty visit sick people in hospital. Today Leah is going too. At the hospital Leah looks on while Monty makes people laugh, remember, learn, feel comforted and make plans to get well. She sees that Monty is very special, he is a Therapy Dog.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.