Judith Viorst

Ray Cruz

The perennially popular tale of Alexander’s worst day is a storybook that belongs on every child’s bookshelf. Alexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in this hair. And it got worse… His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV! This handsome new edition of Judith Viorst’s classic picture book is sure to charm readers of all ages.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Mem Fox

Kerry Argent

Wombat loves everything about Christmas–especially the Nativity play. He’s wanted to be in it for as long as he can remember. At last he’s old enough to try out. But at the auditions, the first part goes to someone else. So does the next. And the next . . . Will there be a part left for Wombat?

Wombat Divine

Alison Lester

Noni the Pony and her friends help a lost wallaby joey find his family in this jaunty follow-up to Noni the Pony and Noni the Pony Goes to the Beach. Noni the Pony and her friends Dave Dog and Coco the Cat are headed out to spend the day roaming the hills near Waratah Bay. But then they meet a lost wallaby joey who needs help finding his family. So Noni, Dave, and Coco ask all of their animal friends, from koala to wombat to possum, if anyone has seen the wallaby family. Will they be able to help their new friend find his way home?

Noni the Pony Rescues a Joey

Jackie French

Bruce Whatley

“Slept. Scratched. Slept.” Indeed, it seems like Christmas will be just another day for the wombat . . . until she smells carrots! In this charming picture book, the star of Diary of a Wombat goes head to head with Santa’s reindeer in competition for carrots—and wins. Then, as an accidental stowaway on Santa’s sleigh, she learns that carrots are internationally available. No wonder she isn’t hungry for treats on Christmas morning! Engaging illustrations delightfully complement the spare text in this unique, wombat’s-eye view of a favorite holiday.

Christmas Wombat

Jo Parker

Saxton Moore

Australia

animals

Explore the Australian Outback to find koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles, and more!

Did you know kangaroos can jump 10 feet high? And they can travel up to speeds of 40 miles per hour!

Learn more fun facts about some of Australia’s favorite animals!

In connection with the publication of Animals of Australia, Penguin Random House will donate a portion of the proceeds to support efforts to provide Australian bushfire relief.

Animals of Australia

Jane Godwin

Felicita Sala

lost and found possessions

Arno and his Horse is a beautifully written rhyming text, matched with exquisite illustrations, that explores love, memory, loss and the power objects can hold. Arno had a horse, it was brown and it was black.He took it with him everywhere, but did he bring it back? When Arno loses his precious toy horse, all the kids  in town help him to look for it. They look everywhere, but will Arno ever see his horse again? A touching story about memory, dreams, and the mysterious ways we feel connected to those we love.

Arno and His Horse

Lara Hawthorne

Alba the fish has spent her entire life collecting precious objects that drift down to the ocean floor. From delicate shells to brightly colored coral, each year on her birthday she gathers one more precious item. But over the years, Alba notices her collection is losing its sparkle and that the world is changing. There is trash everywhere! When, on her birthday hunt, something unthinkable happens, it seems like the plastic may have changed her ocean home forever. Is it too late?  

Alba and the Ocean Cleanup is a beautifully illustrated picture book about what we can do to save this important ecosystem.

Alba and the Ocean Cleanup

Elizabeth Honey

“Hop up! Wriggle over! Wakey-wakey: hungry!” Thus starts a full and busy day for an appealing animal family. Simple onomatopoeic words and irresistible illustrations capture familiar routines in a young read-aloud containing a warm and subtle reminder that families come in all shapes and sizes.

Hop Up Wriggle Over

Elizabeth Verdick

Marc Rosenthal

Small Walt befriends a tow truck when he comes across a car in need of help in this irresistible companion to Small Walt, which Kirkus Reviews called “charming and endearing” in a starred review. We’re Gus and Walt We plow and we salt We clear the snow so the Cars can go! A bitter blizzard. A snowbound town. When a car skids off the road, Small Walt and Gus might not have what it takes to save the day on their own. But who does? Mo the Tow to the rescue! When we need a tow, We call on Mo… We can depend On our new friend! Text filled with onomatopoeia and Walt’s affirming chants make this story about friendship and accepting help from others a real winner.

Small Walt and Mo the Tow

Frané Lessac

Night-time in Australia, animals are waking, people are exploring, discoveries are being made – under the Southern Cross. What makes ribbons of colour swirl in the sky? What are the spooky balls of light that bounce across the outback? What animal lays eggs that look like squishy ping-pong balls? Where can you watch a movie with bats circling overhead? Discover the answers to these questions and more in this factastic picture book tour of Australia after dark.

Under the Southern Cross

Yu-Hsuan Huang

What is Baby Koala’s favorite snack? Follow along with this cute baby animal as it experiences its world, from playtime to bedtime. The simple, comforting stories in this go-to baby gift series have made it a multimillion seller. Featuring a permanently attached plush finger puppet, each volume offers parents and children a fun, interactive way to play and read as they build a lifelong love of books together.

Baby Koala: Finger Puppet Book

Bronwyn Bancroft

This delightful counting book of Australian animals has lizards hissing and wallabies hop- ping. Both a charming introduction to the numbers one through 12 and a unique exploration of Australian wildlife—some familiar, others more unusual—it also features sugar gliders, emus, geckos, and many more.

123 of Australian Animals

Introduces the letters of the alphabet through colorful illustrations from indigenous artists and simple text which examine the wildlife of Australia, featuring the kangaroo, bandicoot, echidna, cockatoo, goanna, and more.

ABC of Australian Animals

Cheryl Kickett-Tucker

Jessica Lister

Tjalaminu Mia

Jaylon Tucker

Tracey Gibbs

Grandparents are special, and the time you spend with them is special, too. This collection draws together four tales for younger readers from the Waarda series of Indigenous stories,  first edited by acclaimed author Sally Morgan. These charming tales share some exciting, happy, and even scary times exploring Australia in bush and beyond.

Bush and Beyond

Elinor Teele

A rip-roaring puzzle box of an adventure about grit, guts, and gold, from Elinor Teele, the acclaimed author of The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin. The small, run-down town of Eden is the only place Jenny Burns has ever called home. The roots of the trees are in her bones, the air of the mountains is in her breath, the lakes and rivers are in her blood. And that’s why, when her father loses his job and tells Jenny that they may have to move on from Eden, she knows she can’t let that happen. The fever of New Zealand’s gold rush still runs in the veins of Eden, and everyone knows the legend of Doc Magee: how he found the largest gold nugget anyone had ever seen and hid it somewhere in the hills before he disappeared. Jenny and her best friend, Pandora, know that if they can find the gold, it’ll solve all their problems. But the way is fraught with mysteries, riddles, and danger—and those are just the threats they know about. Before her quest is over, Jenny will have to face challenges from within as well as from without.

The Treasure of Mad Doc Magee

Danny Katz

Mitch Vane

Three bite-size stories kick off a series based on a popular TV show about all the fun (and maybe a little trouble) that happens at snack time. Little Lunch – aka snack time – is only fifteen minutes long, but it’s always full of surprises. In this trio of tales, Rory forgets his snack and does something that shocks everyone, Battie thinks he might have ruined Grandparents Day, and Melanie decides to hold a bake sale to raise money for homeless puppies . . . but the only thing she’s selling is a lumpy cake that smells weird. Who knew so much could happen in fifteen minutes? Based on the hit Australian TV series picked up by Universal Kids and Netflix, Little Lunch is a little silly – and a lot of fun.

Little Lunch: Triple Treats

Remy Lai

A poignant, laugh-out-loud illustrated middle-grade novel about an eleven-year-old boy’s immigration experience, his annoying little brother, and their cake-baking hijinks! Sometimes life isn’t a piece of cake . . . When Jingwen moves to a new country, he feels like he’s landed on Mars. School is torture, making friends is impossible since he doesn’t speak English, and he’s often stuck looking after his (extremely irritating) little brother, Yanghao. To distract himself from the loneliness, Jingwen daydreams about making all the cakes on the menu of Pie in the Sky, the bakery his father had planned to open before he unexpectedly passed away. The only problem is his mother has laid down one major rule: the brothers are not to use the oven while she’s at work. As Jingwen and Yanghao bake elaborate cakes, they’ll have to cook up elaborate excuses to keep the cake making a secret from Mama. In her hilarious, emotional middle-grade debut, Remy Lai delivers a scrumptious combination of vibrant graphic art and pitch-perfect writing that will appeal to fans of Real Friends.

Pie in the Sky

Maree Coote

Every picture is made with the letters that spell its name! This tour of Australia is unlike any other. Readers spell their way through the pictures of landmarks and animals of Australia, via illustrations created entirely with letters. This is a unique graphic device. Letter Art encourages letter recognition, observation, and spelling, and helps associate words with the pictures they describe. Colors are bold and bright, and the book is supported by Teachers’ Notes via the back page and online.

Letters from Australia

Donovan Bixley

Here is a counting book like you’ve never seen, featuring Donovan Bixley’s most popular characters from his uniquely Kiwi Wheels on the Bus and Old MacDonald’s Farm. Look out for the milkshake-making cow, the All Black lambs, the cute pink ski-bunny, and the colossal squid and many more of Donovan’s vibrant, amusing illustrations. Fun for the kids—and fun for the adults!

Great Kiwi 123 Book

Ros Moriarty

Balarinji Studio

What’s that there? That’s the rushing river’s curly bend, cried the sea eagle perched on a knotted branch, swaying. There, look! What’s that there? That’s the cliff face sharp with sun-scorched stones, glinting, shrilled the hawk, gliding on summer winds. There, look! An exhilarating celebration of the Australian landscape as seen from the sky featuring vibrant illustrations by Balarinji, Australia’s leading Indigenous design studio. Ros Moriarty, author of the acclaimed memoir Listening to Country, is also the founder of Indi Kindi early literacy education.

What's That There?

What can you see? Follow the clues that landscape, seasons, weather, the stars, the moon and the sun give to navigate bush tracks and find the Australian animal. A lyrical, fun story about tracking animals in the bush featuring vibrant illustrations by Balarinji, Australia’s leading Indigenous design studio.

Bush Tracks

Sally Morgan

Dingo is on the prowl. He can see Emu, Swan, and Turtle. He can hear Crocodile, Frog, and Kookaburra. But where is Galah? Sally Morgan brings the Australian landscape alive in this colorful exploration of animals and animal sounds. Children will have fun with the search-and-find element. Galah is hiding on every page!

Where Is Galah?

Claire Saxby

Tannya Harricks

Poetic language and glorious illustrations follow a dingo from the comfort of her pack into the darkening landscape in search of food for her family. Can you see her? There – deep in the stretching shadows – a dingo. Her pointed ears twitch. Her tawny eyes flash in the low-slung sun. Dingo leaves her sleeping pups with her mate and lifts her head to smell the air. Dusk is a busy time – the time for hunting. Softly and fleetly she runs through the forest, past a possum, a wombat, and kangaroos in the gully below. Now she climbs to the highest point and sniffs again, locating the scent of rabbits in the wind. Interspersed with text offering facts for curious readers, Dingo is a lyrical foray into the life of these fascinating wild dogs.

Dingo

Raymond Huber

Brian Lovelock

The creators of the award-winning “Flight of the Honey Bee” team up once again for this wonderful introduction to one of the coolest lizards on the planet: the gecko. Full color.

Gecko

Marsha Diane Arnold

Nearly all the sheep ranchers in Blue Gum Valley rode horses or drove jeeps to check on their sheep. But Joshua Summerhayes liked to run…with Yellow Dog trailing behind him.” So it’s no surprise when Joshua decides to enter a race from Melbourne to Sydney. People laugh when old Joshua shows up in his overalls and gumboots, calmly nibbling a slice of pumpkin for energy. But then he pulls into the lead, and folks are forced to sit up and take notice. Inspired by a true event (and just in time for fall’s pumpkin harvest!) a talented team introduces a humble and generous hero who knows that winning isn’t always the reason to run a race.

The Pumpkin Runner

Deborah Abela

Aleksie Bitskoff

“India Wimple can spell with the best of them. How else would she have won the Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee and garnered an invitation to the Most Marvelous International Spelling Bee? India couldn’t be more thrilled to travel to London along with the rest of the Wimples. And at first, it seems like a dream come true; she reunites with her spelling bee friends, and they even get to meet the Queen!

But there is skulduggery afoot, with some rather mysterious goings-on going on and a series of accidents that seem to be not-so-accidental after all. India has her suspicions about who is behind the duplicitous demonstrations. But can she solve the mystery in time to save the competition?”

The Most Marvelous International Spelling Bee

Lydia Williams

Lucinda Gifford

“I grew up in outback Australia–and my friends were the desert animals. I was always competing against them. I tried to do athletics, but the emu was way too fast, I tried to do basketball, but the kangaroo jumped too high and outscored everyone, so I decided to have a go at soccer. The koala was in goals but never could save anything, so I volunteer to be goalkeeper. And it turns out I was great at it!” A funny and triumphant picture book by soccer goalkeeper Lydia Williams.

Saved!!!

Susannah Chambers

Mark Jackson

Snow on the stockman’s hut
Snow on the crows
Snow on the woollybutt
Snow on my NOSE!

It’s a big journey through the snow for a little wombat, meeting animals, birds and people along the way . . . but there’s no place like home! A heartwarming story set in the Australian High Country.

The Snow Wombat

Ursula Dubosarsky

Andrew Joyner

This is a story about a boy called Pender and a kangaroo called Brindabella, about how they became friends, and all the things that happened to them because of it. Pender and his father live in an old house made of honey-colored stone in the bush by the river, with only the company of his father’s paintings and the loyal dog, Billy-Bob. Then, on one winter morning, a gunshot among the trees changes everything. When Pender rescues Brindabella from the pouch of her murdered mother, an unusual friendship blossoms between the lonely boy and the orphaned joey. But Brindabella is no ordinary kangaroo. And though Pender has saved her life, the untameable wildness of the bush–and freedom–call to her . . . Lyrical and unforgettable, Brindabella explores the brutal beauty of the Australian bush.

Brindabella

Barry Jonsberg

Candice Phee isn’t a typical twelve-year-old girl. She has more than her fair share of quirks, but she also has the very best of intentions and an unwavering determination to make sure everyone around her is happy—which is no easy feat when dealing with a pet fish with an identity crisis, a friend who believes he came from another dimension, an age-old family feud, and a sick mom. But she is on a mission. Her methods might be unique, but Candice will do whatever it takes to restore order to her world and make sure everyone is absolutely, categorically happy again.

The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee

Bindi Irwin

Chris Kunz

A fast-paced adventure series featuring the Jungle Girl herself! The stories are inspired and co-created by Bindi Irwin, daughter of the iconic wildlife expert Steve Irwin. The series features the characters of Bindi, her brother Robert, mother Terri, and the Australia Zoo.

Bindi takes a pair of troublesome twins on a thrilling whale-watching trip. It’s going great until one of the twins spots a bright flare in the sky. They race to the scene and find a crashed boat!

Can Bindi help stop the boat from spilling oil and save the nearby sea creatures from danger?

A Whale of a Time: A Bindi Irwin Adventure

Mary Pope Osborne

Sal Murdocca

Wildfire! That’s what Jack and Annie are up against when they are whisked away to the land of Australia. And they’re not alone! Jack and Annie must help a baby kangaroo and a koala escape from a fire-filled forest. Will they be able to rescue the animals in time?

Dingoes at Dinnertime

Shaun Tan

An exchange student who’s really an alien, a secret room that becomes the perfect place for a quick escape, a typical tale of grandfatherly exaggeration that is actually even more bizarre than he says… These are the odd details of everyday life that grow and take on an incredible life of their own in tales and illustrations that Shaun Tan’s many fans will love.

Tales From Outer Suburbia

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Lisa Koesterke

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Evonne Goolagong, the inspiring indigenous Australian tennis player.  

Evonne grew up on a hot, dusty farm in Australia. She was the third of eight children, and descendant of the Wirundjuri people, who have lived on the land for more than 60,000 years. Her talent for tennis was discovered at a local tennis club, and before she knew it, the girl dreaming about the place called “Wimbledon” was playing on center court. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the brilliant tennis player’s life.  

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.  

This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games, and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.  

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Evonne Goolagong

Michelle Kadarusman

extinction

science and nature

music

From Governor General’s Literary Award finalist Michelle Kadarusman comes a novel about a young violinist who discovers her mother’s family secretly harbor a sanctuary for extinct Tasmanian tigers in the remote Australian rainforest Shipped halfway around the world to spend the summer with her mom’s eccentric Australian relatives, middle schooler and passionate violinist Louisa is prepared to be resentful. But life at the family’s remote camp in the Tasmanian rainforest is intriguing, to say the least. There are pig-footed bandicoots, scary spiders, weird noises and odors in the night, and a quirky boy named Colin who cooks the most amazing meals. Not the least strange is her Uncle Ruff, with his unusual pet and veiled hints about something named Convict Rock. Finally, Louisa learns the truth: Convict Rock is a sanctuary established by her great-grandmother Eleanor–a sanctuary for Tasmanian tigers, Australia’s huge marsupials that were famously hunted into extinction almost a hundred years ago. Or so the world believes. Hidden in the rainforest at Convict Rock, one tiger remains. But now the sanctuary is threatened by a mining operation, and the last Tasmanian tiger must be lured deeper into the forest. The problem is, not since her great-grandmother has a member of the family been able to earn the shy tigers’ trust. As the summer progresses, Louisa forges unexpected connections with Colin, with the forest, and–through Eleanor’s journal–with her great-grandmother. She begins to suspect the key to saving the tiger is her very own music. But will her plan work? Or will the enigmatic Tasmanian tiger disappear once again, this time forever? A moving coming-of-age story wrapped up in the moss, leaves, and blue gums of the Tasmanian rainforest where, hidden under giant ferns, crouches its most beloved, and lost, creature.

Music for Tigers

“I’m too fast, you’re too slow. Pan, pan, patty-cake pan, I can get away from you, I can!”  The much-loved story of the Runaway Pancake who pops out of the oven and is sure he can escape all who want to eat him, is given a new spin when Marsupial Sue and her friends put on a play version for their neighborhood. This has all of the wit and whimsy of Marsupial Sue and again features lively illustrations by Jack E. Davis. From the friends’ preparations behind the scenes to the actors’ final bows, readers will be inspired by the production. A CD recording of John Lithgow’s live performance of the song “The Runaway Pancake” is also included.

Marsupial Sue Presents "The Runaway Pancake"

Ginger Swift

Abigail Dela Cruz

Come play in the ocean with our sea turtle friends, Tillie and Tyde! Introduce your baby or toddler to sea animals including turtles, whale sharks, octopuses, hermit crabs, dolphins, and more in this adorable lift-a-flap board book. Simple sentences reinforce future language structure while grasping and lifting the sturdy flaps helps develop fine motor skills. A perfect first book!

Welcome to the world little one! Come explore Babies in the Ocean Lift-a-Flap board book filled with surprises. Perfectly sized for little hands and fingers to open and close the flaps. 6 chunky and sturdy flaps are extra strong so your little one can open and close again and again. Surprise and delight baby with bright artwork and special treats under each flap. Collect all the books in the Babies Love series. From colors and animals to first words and holidays, the Babies Love Chunky Lift-a-Flap series is a great introduction to reading with cheerful, contemporary, and whimsical illustrations and sturdy, easy-to-lift flaps.

Babies in the Ocean: First Lift-a-Flap

Shana Corey

A fun, feel-good, “underdog” story about a little-known female athlete whose derring-do transformed girls’ sports. Are you brave enough to make a wave? If you love sports and people who aren’t afraid to swim against the tide, Annette Kellerman and her freestyle approach to life will make your heart swell. With strokes of genius, Shana Corey and Edwin Fotheringham pool their talents to create a winning portrait of a little-known athlete, performer, and fashion revolutionary who broke records (and rules!) and dazzled the world with her splashy pluck and courage.

Mermaid Queen: The Spectacular True Story of Annette Kellerman, Who Swam Her Way to Fame, Fortune & Swimsuit History!

James and Cooper the crocodile live in Australia, and they love going outdoors to play. Come along and join them as they experience some wild adventures! B.E.S. adorable My Best Friend &amp;amp;amp; Me series features vivid designs and built-in animal finger puppets, making these little board books hard to resist.

James & Cooper Finger Puppet Book

Doug Cushman

“My name is Seymour Sleuth. I am the greatest detective in the world.”  Travel to Egypt with the famous wombat detective Seymour Sleuth, and his able assistant, Abbott Muggs, to solve the baffling case of the missing Stone Chicken of King Karfu. Follow along in Seymour’s fascinating casebook as they interview suspects, uncover clues, and catch the culprit after a high-speed camel chase across the desert. But the case isn’t over yet! Decipher the secret code and discover the ancient Lost Treasure to bring the case to a deliciously satisfying close.

The Mystery of King Karfu

In Fly on the Wall, a moving and hilarious diary-style illustrated novel from the award-winning author of Pie in the Sky, a twelve-year-old boy goes on a (forbidden) solo adventure halfway around the world to prove his independence to his overprotective family.A Best Book of the Year for Kirkus, Booklist, Chicago Public Library, and School Library Journal! Henry Khoo’s family treats him like a baby. He’s not allowed to go anywhere without his sister/chaperone/bodyguard. And he definitely CAN’T take a journey halfway around the world all by himself! But that’s exactly his plan. After his family’s annual trip to visit his father in Singapore is cancelled, Henry decides he doesn’t want to be cooped up at home with his overprotective family and BFF turned NRFF (Not Really Friend Forever). Plus, he’s hiding a your-life-is-over-if-you’re-caught secret: he’s the creator of an anonymous gossip cartoon, and he’s on the verge of getting caught. Determined to prove his independence and avoid punishment for his crimes, Henry embarks on the greatest adventure everrr. . . hoping it won’t turn into the greatest disaster ever. Remy Lai takes readers on an adventure filled with humor, heart, and hijinks that’s a sure bet for fans of Jerry Craft, Terri Libenson, and Shannon Hale! “Funny, enthralling, and a great reminder that being a little odd isn’t a bad thing.” –Kayla Miller, author of Click and Camp * Near-misses and laugh-out-loud moments abound, which will endear it to readers who like ‘Big Nate’ and ‘Wimpy Kid.’ –School Library Journal, starred review

Fly on the Wall

Aunty Joy Murphy

Lisa Kennedy

Andrew Kelly

Travel along Melbourne’s twisting Yarra River in a glorious celebration of Indigenous culture and Australia’s unique flora and fauna. As ngua rises, Bunjil soars over mountain ash, flying higher and higher as the wind warms. Below, Birrarung begins its long winding path down to palem warreen.  Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly and Aboriginal Elder of the Wurundjeri people Aunty Joy Murphy join to tell the Indigenous and geographical story of Melbourne’s beautiful Yarra River – from its source to its mouth and from its prehistory to the present day. The writing dazzles with poetic descriptions of the trees, plants, and wildlife that thrive in harmony along the iconic waterway. Lush and vibrant acrylic paintings from Indigenous illustrator Lisa Kennedy make the mighty Yarra come to life – coursing under a starry sky, drawing people to its sunny shores, mirroring a searing orange sunset. Jewel-like details in the illustrations offer opportunities for discovery on every page. As gorgeous and powerful as the river itself, this stunner invites all to come to Wilam: home. End matter includes an authors’ note and a glossary of the Woiwurrung words used in the story.

Birrarung Wilam: A Story from Aboriginal Australia

When Rob starts getting mysterious texts from an unknown number, he has to make a decision–stay under the radar, or risk being exposed in a way he’s not prepared for–in this “stirring” (Booklist) middle grade novel that’s perfect for fans of Wonder. Rob Fitzgerald is determined to impress Destry Camberwick, the perfect new girl who he’s devastatingly in love with. But that’s a difficult task for a painfully shy wallflower who’s prone to panic attacks and would rather hang out with his granddad all day. That is, until he starts getting mysterious text messages from an unknown number with challenges designed to encourage him to venture outside his comfort zone. Is Rob Fitzgerald on the road to getting the girl? Or will fear keep him out of the spotlight forever? Powerful, moving, and full of heart and humor, A Song Only I Can Hear is a delightful novel about dreaming big, being brave, and marching to the beat of your own drum.

A Song Only I Can Hear

“Indispensable.” – Booklist (starred review)  Subhi is a refugee. He was born in an Australian permanent detention center after his mother and sister fled the violence of a distant homeland, and the center is the only world he knows. But every night, the faraway whales sing to him, the birds tell him their stories, and the magical Night Sea from his mother’s stories brings him gifts. As Subhi grows, his imagination threatens to burst beyond the limits of the fences that contain him. Until one night, it seems to do just that.  Subhi sees a scruffy girl on the other side of the wire mesh, a girl named Jimmie, who appears with a notebook written by the mother she lost. Unable to read it herself, Jimmie asks Subhi to unravel her family’s love songs and tragedies that are penned there.  Subhi and Jimmie might both find comfort – and maybe even freedom-as their tales unfold. But not until each has been braver than ever before and made choices that could change everything.

Bone Sparrow

Anthony VanArsdale

In this all-new very special miniseries, the Aldens have been recruited by a secret society to return lost artifacts and treasures to their rightful locationsall around the world! The Aldens chart a course for Sydney, Australia, and as the children tour the famed Sydney Opera House, their next puzzleand its keyfalls right into their laps. They need to find the rightful owner of a rare Australian coin. Using their knowledge about Australia, the Aldens find the coin’s owner, but a saboteur is again hot on their heels and nearly spoils their hard work. Next up the Aldens travel to frigid Antarctica, where they need to return an artifact to the hut Shackleton used on his expeditions to the South Pole. The trip is a success, but when the Aldens return, they learn the identity of the person who has been trying to ruin their plans. Will the saboteur keep them from returning the seventh and final artifact?

The Shackleton Sabotage

Elizabeth Kudla

nocturnal animals

koalas

bedtime and dreams

Go on an adventure with a young koala named Claire, who fills her day with endless activities, in a continued attempt to avoid going to sleep. Playful and entertaining, this sweet, rhythmic story has a steady flow that is ideal for young children and early readers. It also displays colorful illustrations that will capture a baby’s attention and spark engagement on every page. This fun read is great for the whole family, with a loveable character who will become a fast favorite on your bookshelf at home.

Koala Claire's Busy Day

Suzanne Selfors

For fans of the Warrior series and Redwall, Braver: A Wombat’s Tale is an exciting new fantasy adventure novel for young readers from Suzanne Selfors and Walker Ranson. A 2021 Charlotte Huck Recommended Book Lola Budge isn’t your average bare-nosed wombat. While her parents and neighbors in the Northern Forest want nothing more than peace and quiet, Lola loves to talk. Bored by the quiet routine of wombat life, Lola desperately wants something, anything, interesting to happen. But when Lola follows the terrifying sound of unfamiliar screeching, she discovers a predator who has been kept in exile for many generations. And this creature has captured the peaceful wombats and carted them away–including Lola’s parents. To save her family, Lola will need help from the Queen of Tassie Island herself. But the road to the golden city of Dore is long and treacherous for a young wombat, especially with predators on the loose. To save the ones she loves, Lola will have to brave infested swamps, rushing rivers, and soaring heights, while encountering all sorts of strange critters, both friend and foe. At times exciting, at times heart-warming, this is the story of a wombat who is much braver than anyone imagined. An Imprint Book

Braver: A Wombat's Tale

Ethan and Ella are on the trail of an Australian coral thief in the eighth book of Greetings from Somewhere, an exciting series about mystery, travel, and adventure. Ethan and Ella are in Australia, home to beautiful beaches and some of the most famous coral reefs in the world–plus tons of cool fish and other underwater creatures! And not only that, Australia is home to Ethan and Ella’s aunt, uncle, and cousin. The twins dive right into the water for some snorkeling at their cousin’s beach house, and while they’re exploring, they come across a watch that’s still ticking. Whose is it? Then they hear reports of fishermen illegally taking coral from the reefs nearby. Could Ethan and Ella be on the trail of a coral thief? With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Greetings from Somewhere chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

The Mystery at the Coral Reef

This wombat leads a very busy and demanding life. She wrestles unknown creatures, runs her own digging business and most difficult of all - trains her humans. Find out how she fits this into her busy schedule around sleeping, scratching and eating. This book is for ages 3-7.

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