AustLit

'Maddy’s family are talented and ambitious ― sporting trophies, top grades, they collect them all. But Maddy would rather spend time with her best friend, her pug Gusto. When Gusto disappears … her world changes.

'Her search for Gusto reveals a surprising talent and Maddy can't believe her ears. She can understand everything the neighbourhood dogs are saying and suddenly Maddy becomes the go-to canine problem solver. But when more and more dogs go missing, Maddy finds herself with a much bigger problem … and she is going to need a lot of friends – two-legged and four-legged – to help her solve it ...' (Publication summary)

'There is a path I walk with care.
There is a shadow that follows me there.
There is a place, a secret I keep,
where something special is buried down deep …

'A sumptuously illustrated and immersive picture book that speaks to memory, shared moments, and love beyond and between worlds.' (Publication summary)

'Waking up can be hard, and getting ready for the day can be tricky, especially when Birungi thinks doing her hair is a chore. Luckily Dad knows the secret to good hair and he’s about to share …

'Because once you learn the secret to celebrating hair …

'EVERY DAY is a GOOD HAIR DAY!' (Publication summary)

'Christmas at Greycoat Hall is time for festivities, feasting, presents – and more feasting. But why are valuables disappearing? And who is the mysterious Cerberus Schwartz?

'The Wolves of Greycoat Hall has been described by the Sydney Morning Herald as "an absolute winner, teeming with humour, whimsy and warmth". This third book in the series finds Boris at back at home in Morovia - a country of fairy tale forests, Medieval alleyways and quirky Wolfish traditions.' (Publication summary)

'Cora Lane gets tongue-tied, is often ignored and would rather hide in the library than step onto a stage. However, when her parents decide to renovate an old theatre in small-town Tasmania, Cora realises this is the perfect opportunity for her to reinvent her personality. Enter Cora 2.0, stage left.

'When Cora quickly slips back into her old ways and has once again made friends with the librarian rather than kids her own age, she feels lost. Frustrated she’s not the person she wants to be, she shares her deepest feelings with her imaginary pen pal. The last thing she’d expect is for her letters to go missing. And now, the real Cora Lane is about to go public, but is she ready?' (Publication summary)

'Every life is made of hours, moments and feelings … what will you remember?
A unique invitation to ponder the moments that create our memories and the mystery of time …' (Publication summary)

'When Fenton and his father catch the coach to Geelong, they have no idea that their driver of the team of powerful horses is the famous Edward Devine - 'Cabbage tree Ned'-or of the incredible adventure that lies ahead.

'A breathless story of bushrangers, danger, daring and escape as Fen finds himself holding the reins of the tearaway coach.' (Publication summary)

Look at all the MUMS and MOGS!

A celebratory cat-alogue, to celebrate mums...and their mogs!

'A joyful carnival of fun, family, and more than a little bit of mischief... (Publication summary)

'Every wonderful word is true!

'In the oldest rainforest on Earth, on the oldest continent, a seed falls to the ground.
Over hundreds of years, the seed will grow into a sapling reaching for the sunlight, to become a tree towering above the rainforest canopy.

'Generations of insects, butterflies, bird, lizards, snakes and an abundance of native wildlife will bear witness to the magnificent Bull Kauri pine...'(Publication summary)

'The future of war-torn Cretacea hangs in the balance, in this exhilarating finale to The Deadlands series.

'Having dealt the Carrion Kingdom a devastating blow, the heroic outcasts return home to face the herds that cast them out. But Eleri’s treacherous brother is now Lord of the Battlefield, and the outcasts are condemned to die as traitors. Meanwhile, an Army of Beasts is marching towards the Mountain Kingdom, hellbent on revenge. With enemies on all sides, how will the exiles survive long enough to convince their kingdoms of the real threat, and prevent a massacre?' (Publication summary)

'New, from award-winning historical novelist, Pamela Rushby, exploring the roles, and struggles, of women in wartime

'The poster had a picture of a tanned, healthy girl, wearing a regulation uniform hat and shorts that were, surely, anything but regulation.
When Hilly volunteers for the Women’s Land Army in 1942, she’s sixteen years old. She expects to be picking sun-kissed fruit and bottle-feeding fluffy white lambs, all while she's wearing a flattering outfit.

'Travelling to farms across Queensland, Hilly encounters backbreaking work, but also friendship and fellowship with other Land Army girls, Aileen and Glad, all seeking independence for their own reasons. War is a chance for a life away from family and familiarity, offering adventure and romance. But the poster didn’t mention crutching sheep or 4 am starts. Or the prejudice they would face, and that some men needed to be fought off, rather than fought for. In the midst of adversity, Hilly finds exactly what she is capable of … and it might be more than she ever thought possible. She is one of ‘those girls with grit’.' (Publication summary)

'Laugh-out-loud who-dunnit ridiculousness in this new graphic novel from Sean E Avery

'A thief on the farm. A goat kidnapped by a gang of cats. A giant chicken. Ducky the Spy and Donny 'The Distraction' Donkey are on the case.

'From the internationally renowned creator of Frank’s Red Hat comes a brand new terrific tale, fresh from the funny, and funky, farm.' (Publication summary)

'Chant and clap, play and sing along to this fun-filled collection of nursery rhymes with an Australian twist by bestselling author and illustrator, Frané Lessac.

'Row, row, row, your boat, Gently down the creek. If you hear a Tassie devil, Don’t forget to shriek! Tweaked and twisted nursery rhymes include:Twinkle, Twinkle, Southern Stars; Rock-a-Bye, Joey; D-I-N-G-O!; This Little Froggy; Lizzie Had a Little Bat;Here We Go Round the Banksia Bush; Hop Goes the Bilby; Three Blind Moles; Old McDonald Went Out Bush ... and many more in this glorious 96-page volume, destined to be an Australian classic' (Publication summary)

'Third instalment of the fast-paced middle-grade adventure series, following adventurologist Pearly Woe!

'Pearly Woe is a worrier.

'On remote Mammút Island off the coast of Iceland, Pearly’s worrying is put to the ultimate test when she and Pig are winched from a helicopter onto the island to complete a five-day survival challenge – alone.

'But they are not alone. And that is not the only surprise in store for Pearly and Pig as Mammút Island reveals its many secrets.' (Publication summary)

'A tremendous whooshing noise started up. It sounded like a million pages being riffled at once. I caught a strong whiff of gingerbread. Then The Complete Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm flew open and a human-shaped blur came shooting out …

'Basil Beedon and Terry Clegg are neighbours, and that's all they have in common. Terry loves sport and Basil loves books – but to Basil’s absolute dismay, he’s been roped into helping Terry with his reading. Every. Single. Saturday. However, that's the least of his worries when Gretel comes shooting out of The Complete Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. The boys are plunged into a dangerous world run by the Fairytale Alliance Network of Character Yunions (FANCY), where not everyone is what they seem, Hansel has been kidnapped and a plot hole threatens to destroy everything.

'Witty, clever, with adventure at every turn, this is a fractured fairytale in a very surprising, Grimm world.' (Publication summary)

'It is 1900 and Dorothy and her family have just moved to a new house at 11 Ruby Road. Ruby Road is a busy street, bustling with activity, families and children, noisy carts and animals. The house is close enough to see the city and very different from the rural life Dorothy has known. Best of all it has a secret writing room that only she knows about!

'Dorothy has big plans for her new neighbourhood, she wants to put on a play and write it herself! But there are other reasons for her family's move to the city and as Dorothy starts to learn about her new house, she discovers more about the period of time she's growing up in.' (Publication summary)

'A lot of Little Lunch - the original six titles, now with an additional Bonus Stuff activities, in one Big Book!

'Collecting all the original Little Lunch titles together - The Slide, The Bubblers, The Monkey Bars, The School Gate, The Off-Limits Fence and The Old Climbing Tree.

'Old favourites bound together with additional Bonus Stuff for hours of fun and laughter. From word searches, mazes, graphic novels recipes - all from the stars of Little Lunch themselves, and Mrs Gonsha's Quiz on every one of the 18 stories in this Big Collection.' (Publication summary)