Beautiful and useful: A guide to Aussie animals that includes scenes from 11 habitats so you can find critters in situ, with complementary illustrations and descriptions for each individual animal. Lovely illustrations, well researched and a great price. Perfect for your little naturalist aged 6 to 12.
The Australian Animal Atlas – Leonard Cronin & Marion Westmacott (ill.) – A&U – HB – $25
Dragon fans, rejoice! Carole Wilkinson has just published the sixth and final books in the Dragonkeeper series, the third novel following Tao’s adventures as Kai’s companion. The two arrive at the Dragon Haven, only Tao finds it isn’t what he expected. Are they welcome, and where will help come from as he faces a dragonkeeper’s trials?
A lovely hardback edition, perfect for your dragon-lover aged 8 to 12.
Dragonkeeper #6: Bronze Bird Tower – Carole Wilkinson – HB – Black Dog Books – $25
Steph’s best books
Clancy of the Undertow – Christopher Currie – PB – $20
Convict Tattoos: Marked Men and Women of Australia – Simon Barnard – HB – $40
His Bloody Project – Graeme Macrae Burnet – PB – $20
The Turner House – Angela Flournoy – TPB – $33
Words in Deep Blue – Cath Crowley – PB – $19
That’s our best books for 2016, all wrapped up. Why don’t you comment or post to let us know your favourites?
Jess’s best books
The Bone Sparrow – Zana Fraillon – PB – $20
Gemina (The Illuminae Files 02) – Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff – TPB – $23
Lots – Marc Martin – HB – $25
The Other Side of Summer – Emily Gale – PB – $17
They All Saw a Cat – Brendan Wenzel – HB – $30
Stay tuned for Jodie’s best books tomorrow…
The Fairfieldbooks staff have put our heads down, and we’ve each come up with our five top titles for 2016. You can see most of our choices in the lovely display (above). We’ll post one list every day over the next week, and do come in and tell us what your favourites have been this year!
Stay tuned for Heather’s best books coming tomorrow…
Exciting news! Zana Fraillon’s moving novel The Bone Sparrow, telling the tale of a friendship between a boy born in a refugee camp (Subhi) and a girl on the ‘outside’ (Jimmie), has now been shortlisted for The Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. It is one of only four titles shortlisted for this prestigious international prize. Congratulations, Zana, and good luck for the winner’s announcement on 17 November.
Check out this article to learn more about Zana’s thinking behind the book, and if you’re lucky you might see her next time you’re in the bookshop. It’s suitable for readers aged 11 and up.
The Bone Sparrow – Zana Fraillon – PB – Lothian – $20
Filed under Tweens (11-14 years)
The moment has come for all the die-hard Ruby Redfort fans: the sixth and final novel in the series is now here! Over 500 pages of codes, pictures, notebooks and adventures await. Come and get yours now!
Ruby Redfort #6: Blink and You Die – Lauren Child – HB – Harper Collins – $20
We’re very excited to host the launch of Jen Storer’s new book, The Fourteenth Summer of Angus Jack. It’s a fantasy-mystery tracing Angus and sister Martha over the course of one summer, adventuresome and just a little bit scary, and perfect for late-primary readers. Check out the book trailer here.
The book will be launched by Judith Rossell, author of the gorgeous intrigue novel Withering-By-Sea.
Come join us here in the bookshop at 4pm on Sunday 13 September, and meet Jen, Jude and Angus for yourself.
The Fourteenth Summer of Angus Jack – Jen Storer – PB – ABC Books – $17
Filed under Events, Junior Readers (8-11 years), Tweens (11-14 years)
The Year It All Ended
by Kirsty Murray
Review by Grace, age 11
This fantastic book will have you hooked for hours on end. With a beautiful writing style you will feel like you are really there, standing right next to Tiney Flynn. This book features World War 1, family, peace and relationships.
When Tiney Flynn turns 17 she feels like everything is coming into place. The Great War has ended, her three sisters are falling in love, and her family and friends are coming home from fighting in the Great War. But not everything goes to plan. Disaster strikes when Tiney’s Brother, Louis, fails to return from the War. From that point on, everything is different. Tiney has dreams for her and her family that cannot be fulfilled. Her sisters spread all over Australia and suddenly she feels very alone in a world where she does not belong, desperate to wake up with Louis nearby. Tiney’s life is suddenly turned around with dances, riots in the street of her home town and holidays.
Author Kirsty Murray grew up in Melbourne as the middle child in a family of seven children. She now has six children. She has two grandchildren and lives in Melbourne. Kirsty had done a brilliant job at weaving together history with fictional characters. I would highly recommend this book for ages 11-15 nd rate it 9.5 out of 10.
Due out on 01 September — Allen & Unwin Children — PB — $17
Thanks for the review, Grace! We welcome other contributions from young readers, so get in touch and let us know what you’d like to read and comment on.
I had put off reading the new Meg Rosoff because after the truly wonderful How I Live Now her subsequent books were a bit of a disappointment. That was a harsh view really because if anyone else had written Just in Case et al I would have been far less critical but because How I Live Now set such a high standard I was less charitable.
However I am glad I’ve braved the new book because it is terrific. Not as good as How I Live Now but it is still very good. ( Poor Meg, I wonder if she views that book as a blessing or a millstone!)
Mila is twelve years old and lives with her parents in London. Her mother is a musician and her father a translator so it is a creative and cerebral household. Mila is unusually tuned in to the moods and feelings of people and senses things most people don’t. Despite this, she is still mystified and hurt when her best friend Catlin withdraws from her for no apparent reason.
Mila’s father Gil has an old friend Matthew who lives in upstate New York with his wife and baby son. They had an older son, Owen, who died in a car accident three years earlier while Matthew was driving. When Matthew’s wife Suzanne rings Gil to tell him that Matthew has gone missing, Gil and Mila fly over to help. Their search reveals some unexpected truths about Matthew which surprise Mila. What Mila also learns is that even the adults she trusts can also deceive.
Strictly speaking Meg Rosoff writes for teenagers, but I would happily recommend her to anyone over 11 years, including adults. Highly recommended. (But also read How I Live Now!)
Paperback, $20
Filed under Children's Books, Tweens (11-14 years), Young Adult (14+)
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