AustLit

'From award-winning storyteller Peter Carnavas comes this stellar novel about space, starting over and the best friend you could ever imagine.

'Ralph sat up. His voice was croaky. ‘If a shooting star zoomed past right now, what would you wish for?’ ‘To find another friend like you.’

'Leo and Ralph have been best friends ever since Ralph flew down from one of Jupiter’s moons. But now Leo’s older, and Mum and Dad think it’s time to say goodbye to Ralph. When the family moves to a small country town, they hope Leo might finally make a real friend. But someone like Ralph is hard to leave behind... 

'Perfect for kids who enjoy gentle, thoughtful stories like The Wild Robot by Peter Brown and the Polly and Buster series by Sally Rippin.' (Publication summary)

'Luke and his big brother Ben spend the summer on the banks of Cabbage Tree Creek. Quiet Luke sketches birds, while Ben leaps off the Jumping Tree. The boys couldn’t be more different but they share the same dream: winning a boat so they can explore the creek properly.

'Then Ben starts high school and the boys drift apart. When Luke catches Ben sneaking out at night, he knows his brother's up to something, but what?

'A timeless story of birds and boats, and of brotherly love that is bigger than a wedge-tailed eagle, bigger than the sky.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'What are we going to do? 
You dad, does he snore too?

'My dad snores so much that no one else can sleep . . . until we find a really clever solution! ' (Publication summary)

'Some dads pull billycarts

painted blue and black.

But my dad is a dragon...

I sit upon his scaly back!

'All dads are different. But what if your dad was really different? What if your dad was a dragon?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Mary is a quiet girl. Her family makes so much noise they hardly notice her – or anything else. Until Mary, in her own gentle way, shows them what they’ve been missing.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Leave taking noun the act of saying goodbye

'What if you had just one week left to say goodbye to everything you’ve ever known?

'Toby and his mum and dad are leaving their family farm after the death of Toby’s younger sister, Leah. Together, they sort through all their belongings and put things aside to sell or throw out. It’s a big task, and Toby doesn’t want to leave the only place he’s called home. 

'As his last day on the farm approaches, Toby has a plan – a plan to say goodbye to all the things and places that mean something special to him and Leah, from the machinery shed to Pa’s old truck to the chook house. With the help of his best friend, Trigger the dog, he learns what it means to take your leave.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Some mums gulp green tea, with bitter barley blends. But my mum is a magician . . . her cup of coffee never ends.

'Jump and shout…. clap and cheer on this rollicking adventure with a lively family. Join them as they swing, skip and tumble through the neighbourhood on a joyful day out.' (Publication Summary)

'An elephant?’ Arthur gasped. ‘In your house? But... is it real?’

'Olive leaned a little closer and lowered her voice. 

'‘Well, that's the thing...’

'Olive’s father has a sadness so big that she imagines it as a large grey elephant following him around. With the help of her cheery grandfather and her best friend, Arthur, Olive sets out to chase away her father’s elephant.

'Beautifully written, this novel from acclaimed author and illustrator Peter Carnavas will stay with you long after you finish.' (Publication summary)

'All brothers are different. But what if your brother was really different? What if your brother was a beast? A brilliantly boisterous picture book celebrating our lovable brothers and the fun and adventure they bring into our lives. A must for every family and library.' (Publication summary)

'Some sisters glide on scooters

next to lanes of tooting cars.

But my sister is a superhero …

she races rockets around stars.

'All sisters are different. But what if your sister was really different? What if your sister was a superhero?

'A spectacular picture book celebrating sisters everywhere.' (Publication summary)

'Whale is sad - his bike doesn’t work. Penguin hears his friend singing his Blue Whale Blues and tries to help.' (Publication summary)

'Today in my lunchbox I happened to find ...

'What could be inside the lunchbox? An apple? A bear? A dinosaur?' (Publication summary)

'On the heels of the popular My Nanna is a Ninja comes the second picture book from a talented author and illustrator duo this time celebrating our much-loved grandfathers.

'Some pops scream ‘Huzzah!’ when they dive in dazzling pools.

'But my pop is a pirate … he yells ‘Aaarrrgghhh!’ and buries jewels.

'All pops are different. But what if your pop was really different? What if your pop was a … pirate?

'A rollicking and comical picture book celebrating pops and grandfathers everywhere and the joy and fun they bring to our lives. A must for every family and library.' (Publication summary)

'Mr Darcy loves making his famous Christmas pudding. But what happens when Mr Collins drops by unexpectedly?' (Publication summary)

'Oliver is ready to play but George the bear is busy ... reading. Oliver tries everything to get George's attention. What happens when a boy bothers a bear too many times?' (Publication summary)

'A laugh-aloud picture book celebrating nannas everywhere from a talented author and illustrator team.

'Some nannas dress in pink when they jog around the track.

'But my nanna is a ninja … so she dresses up in black.

'All nannas are different.

'But what if your nanna was really different?

'What if your nanna was a ninja?

'This fun, poetic picture book portrays the many different guises, faces and personalities that nannas can have and demonstrates the significance of their role in the modern family.' (Publisher's blurb)

'Jonathan loves to dress up and scare his family, but they insist that he is just not scary.

What happens when Jonathan is too scary?' (Publication summary)

'Mr Darcy dreads the first sign of Spring. Flowers blooming means only one thing – dancing season, and Mr Darcy simply cannot dance.

'Can Lizzy convince Mr Darcy to take a turn around the maypole?' (Publication summary)

'A small boy lands on the page and, quite by accident, discovers the joy and wonder of life. ' (Publisher's blurb)