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September Reading G u i d e 2 0 15 bet terreadkids.com.au
Welcome to the Better Read Kids September Reading Guide!
Better Read Kids
September is the month for next-in-series new releases! There is a new Alice Miranda, the next book in the Day the Crayons Quit picture book series, a new Wonder story, the next Diviners novel and a follow up to David Levithan’s Everyday. The final book in the How to Train Your Dragon series is also here, so pick up a copy of Hiccup’s final adventure!
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The latest novel from Patrick Ness is sure to be a hit, and we’ve picked it as our book of the month! It tells the story of a Mikey, who isn’t the chosen one; who doesn’t fight dragons or zombies but is extraordinary none-the-less.
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02 picture
toddler
books
Please click on the book images to link directly to the Better Read Kids website purchase area.
03 junior fiction
06 graphic novels
fiction
05 young adult
07 non fiction
08 activities
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All our content for each category is now linked by clicking on a bubble.
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01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Baby & Toddler Dot Town: Where are you Blue? | Sonali Fry | $12.99 | Simon & Schuster Blue Dot is running late for dinner, and one misheard statement leads to a string of rumours about where he could be. Did he move out of town? Has he become a circus clown? Why is he delayed? Did he join a parade? It’s a classic game of telephone gone awry. A sturdy board book filled with both rhyming text and dots who are as vibrant in colour as they are in character.
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“filled with both rhyming text and dots who are as vibrant in colour as they are in character.”
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A B See | Elizabeth Doyle | $12.99 | Simon & Schuster Here’s a beautifully illustrated, graphic alphabet book with a fun search-and-find twist. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s in a single letter? Everything in ‘A B See,’ because hidden in each graphic letter is a tiny trove of ABC treasure waiting to be found by sharpeyed readers. For example, the page-one text says ‘Alligator admires an apple,’ but a host of other A-things are pictured in the colourful body of the big ‘A’—and so it goes for every letter, A-to-Z!
“a beautifully illustrated, graphic alphabet book with a fun search-and-find twist.”
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Baby & Toddler
Gin’s Pick
Walter’s Wonderful Web | Tim Hopgood | $14.99 | Pan Macmillan This new board book from illustrator Tim Hopgood is about an incredible spider Walter, who, not unlike Charlotte’s web’s Wilbur makes incredible shapes with his web. This book is geared towards helping kids learn to identify shapes with a wonderful smiling spider. The suspense filled tale will enchant kids with wonderful alliteration.
Blinky Bill’s ABC | Dorothy Wall | $9.99 | Harper Collins This board book uses Dorothy Wall’s gorgeous Australian illustrations to teach kids the alphabet. Characters like Blinky Bill and Nutsey, Mrs Koala and wombat are used to show how the letters relate to word sounds. The letter G, sometimes confused with the sound j in its comparison to the word giraffe is for ‘ghost’, so no confusion arises.
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“geared towards helping kids learn to identify shapes with a wonderful smiling spider.”
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“This board book uses Dorothy Wall’s gorgeous Australian illustrations to teach kids the alphabet.”
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Picture Books Grrrrr! | Rob Biddulph | $24.99 | Harper Collins Fred is the Best Bear in the Wood – and he’s got the medals to prove it. Being the best takes a lot of hard work, and time on your own, but Fred doesn’t mind. Until a new bear moves to town, and Fred’s champion GRRRRR goes missing… How will he ever win now? Or will Fred instead learn that some things are more important than winning?
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Amelia’s Pick
“Fred is the Best Bear in the Wood – and he’s got the medals to prove it.”
What the Ladybird Heard Next | Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks | $24.99 | Penguin Once upon a farm lived a ladybird, And these are the things that she saw and heard. Join the cow, the goose, the horse, the sheep, the cat, and everyone’s favourite ladybird in this fantastically funny farmyard caper - a much anticipated sequel to the hugely successful What the Ladybird Heard, which has sold over a million copies worldwide.
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“Join the cow, the goose, the horse, the sheep, the cat, and
everyone’s favourite ladybird in this fantastically funny farmyard caper.”
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Picture Books Pierre the Maze Detective | Hiro Kamigaki | $24.99 | Thames & Hudson Pierre the Maze Detective has a new case. Mr X has stolen the Maze Stone, which has the power to turn the whole of Opera City into a maze. Can you help Pierre and his friend Carmen find their way through the mazes – and stop Mr X before it’s too late? Trace your way through each maze, spot the clues and solve the extra mystery challenges along the way.
“Can you help Pierre and his friend Carmen find their way through the mazes?”
Better Read Kids
Suri’s Wall | Lucy Estela | $24.99 | Penguin Eva squeezed Suri’s hand. ‘What’s there? What can you see?’ / ‘What can I see?’ Suri looked out over the wall. ‘Oh, it’s beautiful, let me tell you all about it.’ A moving tale of the power of the human spirit brought alive by Lucy Estela and award-winning illustrator Matt Ottley.
“A moving tale of the power of
the human spirit brought alive by Lucy Estela and award-winning illustrator Matt Ottley.”
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Steph’s Pick
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
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Picture Books Find Me a Castle | Beci Orpin | $24.99 | Penguin Find me a dinosaur, a bucket and a spade, something to draw with, and pink lemonade. Find me some cheese with holes inside; a gecko, a lorikeet, a horse to ride. There’s lots to discover in this book, so open it up and take a look, search for each hidden thing, and then, Find me a castle and we’ll start again!
Better Read Kids
“Find me a dinosaur, a bucket and a spade, something to draw with, and pink lemonade.”
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T-Veg: The Story of a Carrot-Crunching Dinosaur | Smriti Prasaham-Halls | $24.95 | Walker Books Reginald has a fierce roar, gnashing teeth and mighty footsteps that thunder through the jungle. There’s just one teeny, tiny thing that sets him apart...While the other T-rexes munched on juicy steak...Reginald the T-rex ate crunchy carrot cake! A brilliant story which shows that real strength is on the inside and the bravest thing you can do...is have the courage to be yourself.
“have the courage to be yourself.”
Steph’s Pick
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
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08 activities
Picture Books I’m a Girl! | Yasmean Ismail | $15.99 | Bloomsbury The girl in this book likes to win, she likes to be spontaneous, fast and strong, and because she also likes to dress in t-shirt and shorts, she is forever getting mistaken for a boy. And when she meets a boy who likes wearing princess dresses and playing dolls, they both quickly discover that they share interests that are wide and varied.
“because she also likes to dress in t-shirt and shorts, she is
The Bear’s Surprise | Benjamin Chand | $29.99 | Chronicle Books Hibernation is over and Little Bear is ready for another adventure! But where is Papa Bear? Never fear, Little Bear will find him! Follow the curious cub through interactive cut-outs on every page of this detail-rich extravaganza: into a bustling forest, deep beneath a mysterious cave, and en route to a rollicking circus in full swing.
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forever getting mistaken for a boy.”
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“Follow the curious cub through
interactive cut-outs on every page of this detail-rich extravaganza.”
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
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activities
Junior Fiction Coco Banjo Has Been Unfriended | N J Gemmell | $14.99 | Random House Coco Banjo meets the Prime Minister in the second hilarious book of Coco’s fabulous adventures! It’s time for school camp and Coco anticipates some of her selfdescribed ‘coco-licious’ adventures, but two problems could ruin everything: Jay Page is hiding his pet rat in his bag and even worse Coco’s best friend N wants to join Belle’s group! Has Coco been ‘unfriended’? Can Miss Trample really ban Coco from the disco?! Could this camp get any worse?! Coco needs an amazing plan to make things right and perhaps the Prime Minister can help!
Better Read Kids
“Coco Banjo meets the Prime Minister in the second hilarious book”
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Sofia Martinez: My Family Adventure | Jacqueline Jules | $14.95 | Random House Sofia Martinez has a personality that far exceeds her size. Her ambitions too are huge, which surely makes every day memorable. Her adventures focus on her sisters and her cousins and Sofia is a sevenyear-old who knows how to make every moment count. Sofia’s love of her family and love of life will warm your heart.
“Sofia Martinez has a personality that far exceeds her size. ”
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Junior Fiction Hey Jack! That’s Another Big Book! | Sally Rippin | $24.95 | Hardie Grant The Hey Jack! adventures are perfect for boys who are ready to begin reading but are bored by daggy school readers. Jack and his friends love to build cubbie-houses, Lego castles and play soccer. Wherever there’s fun to be had, Jack will be there! This bind up of ten Hey Jack! super fun mega awesome thunder patrol meister adventures is sure to be a smash.
“Adventures perfect for boys who are
Ballet Cat: The Totally Secret Secret | Bob Shea | $16.99 | Disney Ballet Cat and Sparkles the Pony are trying to decide what to play, but nothing that Sparkles suggests goes well with the leaping, spinning, and twirling that Ballet Cat likes to do. When Sparkles’ own leaps, spins, and twirls seem half-hearted Ballet Cat asks him what’s wrong, Sparkles says that he has a secret that Ballet Cat won’t want to hear. Ballet Cat has a secret too. A totally top-secret secret and once it’s shared will their friendship end, or will it be stronger than ever?!
“Ballet Cat and Sparkles the Pony are trying to decide what to play”
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ready to begin reading but are bored by daggy school readers. ”
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Primary Fiction
Better Read Kids
Series Spotlight
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How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury | Cressida Cowell | $19.99 | Hachette Hiccup is back for book 12; the epic finale in the bestselling fantasy adventure How to Train Your Dragon series! The Doomsday of Yule has arrived, and the future of dragonkind lies in the hands of one boy with nothing to show, but everything to fight for. Hiccup and all of his friends are back to end the rebellion and save the dragons for good. But the stakes have never been higher, as the very fate of the Viking world hangs in the balance! This action packed conclusion definitely won’t disappoint dragon fans!
“the epic finale in the bestselling fantasy adventure How to Train
Your Dragon series!”
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Primary Fiction
Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories | R J Palacio | $19.99 | Random House After the phenomenal success of Wonder we finally get to hear the story from the perspective of three other characters. Bully Julian, oldest friend Christopher and classmate Charlotte give insight into how Auggie – an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face –has touched their own lives and changed their perspectives. Thought-provoking, surprising, infuriating, heartbreaking and heartwarming, Auggie & Me is a must-read for the thousands of readers who loved Wonder.
“Auggie & Me is a must-read for
the thousands of readers who loved Wonder.”
Better Read Kids
Demon Road | Derek Landy | $19.99 | Harper Collins The author of the long running Skulduggery series gives us a new supernatural thriller! Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers: they’re all here. And the demons? Well, that’s where Amber comes in...Sixteen years old, smart and spirited, she’s just a normal American teenager until the lies are torn away and the demons reveal themselves. Full of Landy’s trademark wit, action and razor sharp dialogue, Demon Road kicks off with a shocking opener and never lets up the pace in an epic road-trip across the supernatural landscape of America.
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Primary Fiction Listen to the Moon | Michael Morpurgo | $14.99 | Harper Collins Michael Morpurgo, the impeccable storyteller of novels such as War Horse is back with a stunning new book about World War I. May, 1915. Alfie and his fisherman father find a girl on an uninhabited island in the Scillies - injured, thirsty, lost…and with absolutely no memory of who she is, or how she came to be there. She can say only one word: Lucy. WW1 is raging, suspicion and fear are growing, and Alfie and Lucy are ever more under threat. A beautiful tour de force of family, love, war and forgiveness in which what was once lost may sometimes be found, washed up again on the shore.
“A beautiful tour de force of family,
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love, war and forgiveness.”
Flyaway Girls | Julia Lawrinson | $16.99 | Hachette Chelsea works hard at gymnastics. But the new girl Telia has more natural talent. Chelsea is jealous and confused, but she really likes Telia, who is no snob, like some other girls there. Meanwhile strange things are happening in her family and her school friends are acting weird. It’s time for Chelsea to figure out what’s important – and just maybe it’s not what she thought.
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“It’s time for Chelsea to figure out
what’s important – and just maybe it’s not what she thought.”
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activities
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Primary Fiction
Alice Miranda in the Alps | Jacqueline Harvey | $16.99 | Random House Alice Miranda is back for her 12th adventure! This time it’s snowy escapades in stunning Switzerland; off to ski, sightsee and experience the unique White Turf racing event. Mid-holiday, the Baron, a close friend of Alice-Miranda’s family, reappears after being mysteriously uncontactable, and the group head across the country to stay at the Grand Hotel Von Zwicky. The resort town is full of charm, but underneath the picturesque exterior are glimpses of shady dealings and unsavoury characters. Can Alice-Miranda work out who is involved in time to save the Baron’s beloved hotel?
The Potion Diaries | Amy Alward | $16.99 | Simon & Schuster When the Princess of Nova poisons herself with a love potion meant for her crush, she falls in love with her reflection. A nationwide hunt is called, with competitors travelling the world for ingredients, deep in magical lands, risking death. The news reaches Samantha Kemi whose family were once respected alchemists, and winning the hunt would save their reputation. But can Sam really compete? And what of her nemesis, Zain Aster?
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The Cat with the Coloured Tail | Gillian Mears | $19.95 | Walker Books Join Mr Hooper and the cat with the coloured tail in their ice cream van. They travel through the country feeding people their moon creams and searching for heart shapes. But something is amiss. The heart of the world is in trouble. Illustrated by Dinalie Daberera this tender tale about love and healing works on many levels. A magical story, rich in symbolism, with a subtle environmental message.
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01 baby & toddler
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Young Adult Book of the Month
Better Read Kids
Book of the Month
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The Rest of Us Just Live Here | Patrick Ness | $24.95 | Walker Books One of our favourite YA authors is back with a hilarious and quirky new novel about the boy who wasn’t chosen to fight zombies, or soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck the Chosen Ones are up against next. Each chapter begins with a run down on the ‘indie kids’ and whatever supernatural thing they’re facing. But the story centres on Mikey, who is pretty ordinary; he just wants to graduate and go to prom. Ness expertly plays with the tropes of Young Adult fiction, whilst undeniably respecting them, reminding us that ordinary doesn’t mean unextraordinary.
“a hilarious and quirky new novel about the boy who wasn’t chosen to fight zombies”
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One | Sarah Crossan | $16.99 | Bloomsbury From the author of Apple and Rain comes this somewhat unconventional, yet highly emotional and engaging read. Sixteen year olds Tippi and Grace share everything – clothes, friends, even their body from the stomach down. Starting at Hornbeacon High after being home-schooled all their lives changes everything. Will they find real friends? What about love? And now their body is beginning to fight against them, will they be able to face the impossible choice of whether or not to risk dangerous separation surgery? Writing in free verse, Sarah Crossan tells the sensitive and moving story of conjoined twin sisters, which will find fans in readers of Gayle Forman and Jandy Nelson.
Cloudwish | Non Pratt | $16.95 | Walker Books Jane Eyre obsessed Vân Uoc doesn’t believe in fairies, zombies, vampires, Father Christmas - or magic wishes. She believes in keeping a low profile: real life will start when school finishes. After losing her creative writing class prompt, a glass vial with the word ‘wish’ trapped inside and attracting the attention of Billy Gardiner she finds herself in an unwelcome spotlight. Not even Jane Eyre can help her now. Wood has written another genuine and beautiful novel about the experiences of a VietnameseAustralian teenager to stand alongside Six Impossible Things and Wildlife.
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Young Adult
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Young Adult
Better Read Kids
Another Day | David Levithan | $19.99 | Text Publishing We never thought this day would come: in this enthralling companion to Every Day, Levithan tells Rhiannon’s side of the story as she seeks to discover the truth about love and how it can change you. Every day is the same for Rhiannon. She has accepted her life with her distant, temperamental boyfriend, Justin. As Rhiannon begins to question everything, a stranger tells her something that turns everything on its head. Written in Levithan’s signature poignant and thought-provoking prose, readers and non-readers of Every Day will be blown away by this impeccable story.
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Dumplin | Julie Murphy | $17.99 | Penguin Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Then she meets Bo, a hot former jock who Will is undeniably attracted to, but is surprised when he seems to like her back! Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant. Murphy has created a fearless and moving tour de force about self-confidence told from the perspective of a wildly unforgettable heroine. Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.
Mischa’s Pick
Lair of Dreams | Libba Bray | $24.99 | Allen & Unwin The long awaited next instalment to the enchanting Diviners series is finally here! Now, Evie ‘America’s Sweetheart Seer’ is living out her dream as a media darling. But with mysterious deaths from an unknown sleeping sickness turning up, Evie might have to step into the game once again – maybe this time with some more Diviners on her side. Bray manages to expertly weave historical fiction, murder mystery, horror, humour, romance, and the supernatural all into one dark and dazzling Gothic read. It will stay with you long after you’ve put it down!
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Young Adult
Am I Normal Yet? | Holly Bourne | $16.99 | Harper Collins All Evie wants is to be normal. And now that she’s almost off her OCD meds and at a new college where no one knows her as the-girl-who-went-nuts, there’s only one thing left to tick off her list... But relationships can mess with anyone’s head; something Evie’s new friends Amber and Lottie know only too well. But if Evie won’t tell them her secrets, how can they stop her making a huge mistake?
“at a new college where no one knows her as the-girl-whowent-nuts, there’s only one thing left to tick off her list...”
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Amelia’s Pick
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Better Read Kids
Graphic Novels
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Sunny Side Up |Jennifer Holm & Matthew Holm | $26.99 | Random House From the groundbreaking and award-winning sister-brother team comes a middle-grade, semi-autobiographical graphic novel. Following the lives of kids whose older brother’s delinquent behavior has thrown their family into chaos, Sunny Side Up is at once a compelling “problem” story and a love letter to the comic books that help the protagonist make sense of her world. A 200-page, full-color graphic novel in the vein of Raina Telgemeier’s Smile.
Kid Glovz | Julie Hunt & Dale Newman | $24.99 | Allen & Unwin An extraordinary graphic fable about a boy who inherits a dangerous musical gift, from a multi-award-winning author. KidGlovz is a musical genius. His gift is so precious that he’s kept under lock and key. But when a young thief helps him escape, Kid must embark on a perilous journey through which he will discover the terrifying nature of his talent. A spellbinding graphic fable about friendship and freedom.
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Non-Fiction Utterly Amazing Human Body | Robert Winston | $35.00 | Penguin Professor Robert Winston unravels the mysteries of the human body through pop-ups, pull-outs, flaps, sliders and incredible facts to make learning about the human body fun and interactive. Pop open the mouth to reveal the teeth, tongue and senses of smell, or lift the flap on the human body to reveal all the major organs and systems. From bulging muscles to the inside of the brain, this beautiful pop-up book brings the human body to life.
Strange but True! | DK | $29.99 | Penguin Strange But True! is an eye-popping compendium of weird, bizarre and extreme animals, places and phenomena. Did you know that there’s a plant that eats mice, that you can dip your toe into a rainbowcoloured river or peer into the ‘Doorway to Hell’? Discover the what, where, why and how in Strange But True! Ideal for young folk fascinated by things peculiar and exceptional, Strange But True! delivers the goods via jaw-dropping illustration and clear scientific explanation.
“ideal for young folk fascinated by things peculiar and exceptional.”
Better Read Kids
“this beautiful pop-up book brings the human body to life.”
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Activities
Better Read Kids
You Are Here | Kathrin Jacobsen | $29.99 | Cicada Interactive illustrations allow young readers to learn and engage with the fundamentals of maps by drawing maps of their room, house, and town. Cities are compared to one another in terms of geographical size and population. Subway maps can be completed and coloured in. Country maps are brought to life by doodling, completing, redesigning and embellishing the illustrations. Climate change, bird migration and ocean geography also find their place. A fold-out poster slotted into the back of the book lets you create your own world.
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My First Story Writing Book | Louis Stowell | $12.99 | Usborne This colourful write-in book is full of curious characters, unusual places and exciting ideas to help young children write imaginative stories. A story-writing journey shows how to develop characters, plot the beginning, middle and end of a story and create dramatic twists. Activities for inspiration include word games, ‘story mazes’ with ideas for plot twists and writing diary entries for characters. There are also tips on writing descriptively and using similes and metaphors. A fun and creative book that will spark inspiration and let children’s imaginations run wild.
Better Read Kid’s Individualised Services Specialised Recommendations for All! • Do you have a voracious reader you just can’t keep up with? We can show you the latest and best new releases that they’re sure to love. • Looking for a book on a specific topic or theme to match your child’s interests? We’ve got them covered, from dinosaurs to Frozen! • Are you struggling to get your child enthusiastic about reading and are on the hunt for inspiration? Let us help you find the one that might turn it all around. • Sort of remember the vague colour and shape of a book you saw that one time and hoping to find it? Test our memory! You may be surprised. Complimentary Gift-Wrapping with Purchase We use beautiful, Australian-made wrapping paper suitable for any celebration. Only $6.95 for standard shipping via Australia Post. Gift Vouchers Available in any amount and valid for a whole year! Book Clubs
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We currently run numerous book clubs for kids out of our store most Saturdays in which Amelia and various groups of amazing kids aged 7-16 get together and dissect a book that we selected the previous month. Anyone is welcome to join!
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