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Frizzle and Me (Ellie Royce, illus by Andrew McLean, Ford St)
Released June 2021
Frizzle and Me jumps on board a current—and vital—trend for books celebrating diversity, and makes a respectable contribution to the cohort. The premise is that the definition of ‘family’ is... Read more
Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams) (Anita Heiss, S&S)
Released May 2021
Exploring themes of family, belonging, courage, equality and heartache, this important new historical novel from Anita Heiss raises awareness of First Nations perspectives on the early days of white settlement... Read more
As Beautiful As Any Other (Kaya Wilson, Picador)
Released May 2021
As Beautiful As Any Other is a joyous and thoughtful memoir–travelogue covering the terrains of both the body and the environment. Kaya Wilson's voice makes the reader feel immediately at... Read more
Why Do Tigers Have Whiskers? (ed by Sunanda Creagh, Thames & Hudson)
Released May 2021
Curated from the Curious Kids section of the academic-authored news website The Conversation, this book is compiled as a series of questions provided by kids and answered by a range... Read more
A Human for Kingsley (Gabriel Evans, Little Hare)
Released May 2021
Kingsley, a dog who has decided to own a human, sets off on a journey to find just the right one. The problem is, there are so many humans to... Read more
Monster (Ashleigh Synnott, Puncher & Wattmann)
Released May 2021
Monster is a collection of dark, finely written short stories by debut author Ashleigh Synnott. The stories are peopled with eccentric, predominantly female characters living atomised, often isolated lives. Mental... Read more
Elsewhere Girls (Emily Gale & Nova Weetman, Text)
Released May 2021
Acclaimed authors Emily Gale and Nova Weetman have teamed up to write this beautifully rendered time-slip narrative that delves into the personal and social struggles of young women past and... Read more
Before You Knew My Name (Jacqueline Bublitz, A&U)
Released May 2021
We know the phrase from books, from crime shows, from the news: ‘The body was found by a jogger.’ Someone is murdered and somebody else finds them, while just going... Read more
Bear and Rat (Christopher Cheng, illus by Stephen Michael King, Puffin)
Released May 2021
This picture book is a heartwarming, tender tale of the loving relationship between two friends. The elegantly simple story in Bear and Rat holds a timeless, universal appeal with themes... Read more
Two-Week Wait: An IVF story (Luke C Jackson & Kelly Jackson, illus by Mara Wild, Scribe)
Released May 2021
This graphic novel is the delicately told story of one couple’s journey through the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) process. Two-Week Wait is based on the IVF experiences of authors Luke and... Read more
The Three Burials of Lotty Kneen (Krissy Kneen, Text)
Released May 2021
According to many writers, examining memory is a largely creative act. If so, then Krissy Kneen shows us in The Three Burials of Lotty Kneen that it is also an... Read more
Flock: First Nations stories then and now (ed by Ellen van Neerven, UQP)
Released May 2021
Flock is a far-roaming collection of short fiction showcasing the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers. The 20 stories are by a mix of established luminaries and emerging... Read more
Can’t Say it Went to Plan (Gabrielle Tozer, HarperCollins)
Released May 2021
Schoolies is revered as a holiday unlike no other, where, for the first time, teenagers are free—from school, from adults, from responsibility. Can’t Say it Went to Plan follows three... Read more
Artificial Intimacy (Rob Brooks, NewSouth)
Released May 2021
According to evolutionary biologist Rob Brooks, the future holds an abundance of artificial intimacy. New sex technologies, from sex robots to virtual reality porn, will anticipate our every desire. So... Read more
The Little Boat on Trusting Lane (Mel Hall, Fremantle Press)
Released May 2021
In this debut novel set in an exaggerated version of the alternative wellness industry, Richard, an ageing wellness guru, runs his alternative healing centre from a rundown houseboat in the... Read more
Common Wealth (Gregg Dreise, Scholastic)
Released May 2021
In light of the recent change to the lyrics of ‘Advance Australia Fair’, as well as the ongoing debate surrounding January 26, this impassioned plea for recognition and unity from... Read more
Fil & Harry (Jenny Blackford, illus by Kristin Devine, Christmas Press)
Released May 2021
This charming novel is the first book in a new list from Christmas Press aimed at that tricky age between picture books and middle fiction. Written by Jenny Blackford, whose... Read more
The Shape of Sound (Fiona Murphy, Text)
Released April 2021
Just like any relationship, even our relationship with our own body can be fraught with difficulty and denial. Fiona Murphy kept her deafness secret for 25 years, compensating for her... Read more
Spring Clean for the Peach Queen (Sasha Wasley, Pantera)
Released April 2021
Sasha Wasley’s latest novel marries small-town fiction and Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up in a gentle exploration of what really matters. After her boyfriend dies of an... Read more
Sunburnt Veils (Sara Haghdoosti, Wakefield)
Released April 2021
Sunburnt Veils is a debut Own Voices novel that feels very relevant, and author and political activist Sara Haghdoosti’s voice is fresh and edgy. At times it is uncomfortable to... Read more
