Better Read Kids 1
O cSteopbteermRbeeard Ri nega dGi n ug ide G u i 2d0e15 2 0 15 bet terreadkids.com.au bet terreadkids.com.au
Welcome to the Better Read Kids October Reading Guide!
Better Read Kids
October is new release month; as we get ready for Christmas (yes... already) we can’t help but get excited by the enormous range of new titles that have just hit the shelves. From the ilustrated Harry Potter by J K Rowling and Jim Kay, to a new Rick Riordan and Ransom Riggs, there is something for everyone this October.
2
We chose two books of the month; The Marvels, another stunningly illustated story by Brian Selznick and Zeroes, the first of three in an exciting new trilogy by YA superstars Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti. Happy Reading!
01 baby &
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
Better Read Kids
All our content for each category is now linked by clicking on a bubble.
04 primary
3
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 This and That | Mem Fox & Judy Horacek | $19.99 | Scholastic Told in delicious rhyme and highly alliterative syntax, this is a story of a parent mouse and child mouse. Perhaps a response to ‘tell me a story’ requested at bedtime, ‘This & That’ is collaboration from two brilliant Australians. It is illustrated with artful zest that creates interaction between picture and text, this is my new favourite bedtime story.
Better Read Kids
“illustrated with artful zest that creates interaction between picture and text.”
How to Hug with Hugless Douglas | David Melling | $19.99 | Hachette Stretch. smile and squeeeeeeze, and join Hugless Douglas and his friends for a fun-filled hugging competition. What prize will Douglas win? With a soft and strokeable touch-and-feel cover, this gorgeous gift book is bound to endear Douglas to yet more young fans. Now everyone can give the best and biggest bear hugs!
4
“Stretch. smile and squeeeeeeze, and join Hugless Douglas and his friends for a fun-filled hugging competition. .”
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 Colour Dog | Matthew Van Fleet | $29.95 | Scholastic A wonderfully interactive book about dogs, dogs and more dogs to help teach little ones about colours, shapes, numbers, letters, opposites and much more. Starring Matthew Van Fleet and Brian Stanton’s beloved dogs, this captivating new multi-concept book features cleverly designed tabs, scratch-and-sniffs and lift-theflap reveals that will have toddlers playing along from start to surprising finish. Bow-WOW!
Out of Shapes | G Ashley | $11.99 | Simon & Schuster In this charming board book little ones will love seeing how just a few shapes make up all of their favourite things—from a rocket ship, to a kitty cat, to a friend, and beyond! What can you make out of a triangle, a circle, a square, and a rectangle? Almost anything! This bright, artistic board book is perfect for little hands.
Better Read Kids
“A wonderfully interactive book about dogs, dogs and more dogs...”
5
“little ones will love seeing how just a few shapes make up all of their favourite things.”
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 Charlie & Lola: One Thing | Lauren Child | $24.99 | Hachette In her first book in five years, Child introduces children to the joys of counting. Lola is allowed “one thing” when she goes to the shops. Her older brother is as well. That makes “two things”. The story writes itself from there. Told with Child’s trademark wit and visual panache, One Thing is another triumph for this much-loved author.
Amelia’s Pick
Better Read Kids
“One Thing is another triumph for this much-loved author.”
That’s Not Mine | Chris Weyant | $24.99 | Hachette Two creatures both want to sit in the same comfy chair. The trouble is, they can’t agree who it belongs to! This silly and simple take on sharing will be a wonderful addition to any child’s bookshelf. Kang’s stripped-down dialogue and Weyant’s exuberant cartoons combine in a story that highlights the foolishness of fighting when there’s fun to be had.
6
“exuberant cartoons combine in a story that highlights the
foolishness of fighting when there’s fun to be had.”
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
Imaginary Fred | Eoin Colfer & Oliver Jeffers | $27.99 | Harper Collins An extraordinary collaboration between Irish Children’s Laureate Eoin Colfer and picture book superstar Oliver Jeffers! Sometimes, with a little electricity or luck, or even magic, an imaginary friend might appear when you need one—an imaginary friend like Fred, who floated like a feather in the wind until a lonely little boy wished for him and found a friendship like no other. The perfect chemistry between text and artwork makes for a dazzlingly original colour gift book.
Better Read Kids
The Lion Inside | Rachel Bright | $24.99 | Hachette From the creator of the known and loved Bright Side lifestyle brand, Rachel Bright, and the winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Jim Field, comes a feelgood rhyming story about one little mouse trying to make himself heard and discovering along the way that even the smallest of us has the heart of a lion. Perfect for fans of Giraffes Can’t Dance this stylish book from two contemporary stars really is something to shout about - it will make you laugh, cry and read it every bedtime.
7
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary
05 young
fiction
adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08
activities
Picture Books
Better Read Kids
Jill & the Dragon | Lesley Barnes | $24.99 | Harper Collins As Jill finishes reading her book that supposedly ends with “happily ever after” she notices that a dragon is not happy at all because the king is displeased with his fiery manner. Jill sets about teaching him how to become accomplished at more acceptable everyday ways, with not a lot of success –until she thinks big! Lesley Barnes has created a brilliant book with bold and vibrant pictures and a character who doesn’t fear a challenge.
8
Counting Lions | Virginia McKenna | $27.95 | Walker Books This is the most astonishing book to learn to count that I’ve ever seen. At once an homage to the beauty of endangered wildlife drawn in charcoal by Stephen Walton, a way to learn animal names and to count! Kids can also learn about lions, elephants, giraffes, tigers, gorillas, penguins, Ethiopian wolves, macaws, turtles and zebras. A 5% royalty will be donated to Virginia McKenna’s Born Free Foundation. Sublime.
“This is the most astonishing book to learn to count that I’ve ever seen.”
Gin’s Pick
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
Welcome Home, Bear | Il Sung Na | $29.99 | Randhom House Bear is tired of waking up every morning in the same green forest, so he decides to search for a new place to live. He visits the birds in the trees, a mole underground, a camel in the hot desert sand, puffins in the cold arctic snow . . . only to realize his own home is the perfect place for him after all. Welcome Home, Bear offers rich illustrations, bright colors, and a simple text—all wrapped up in a beautiful, kid-friendly package. Readers meet animals in their habitats around the world—and return with Bear to the one place he is truly happy.
Better Read Kids
Claire’s Pick
Perfect | Danny Parker & Freya Blackwood | $24.95 | Hardie Grant On a perfect day, the hours stretch endlessly ahead. Scribbling with chalk, running with kites, digging for shells ... paddling, climbing, dreaming. Hour unfolds upon hour, with reassuring comfort and sleep beckoning at the end. Danny Parker captures the simplicity, spontaneity and freedom of an idyllic childhood. Kate Greenaway and multiple CBCA winner Freya Blackwood’s paintings of three children roaming a rolling beachside idyll capture the light—and even the smell and feel—of a perfect summer day.
9
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08
activities
Junior Fiction Fairy Dancers | Natalie Jane Prior | $19.99 | Harper Collins Every Saturday, with a hop, a skip, and a magical twirl, Mia, Emma and Grace (with a little help from Mia’s dachshund, Coco) put on their dancing shoes and turn into Fairy Dancers. There are three stories about their adventures in this book, making it a perfect gift for little girls aged 4-8. Ideal for newly independent readers, and for bedtime stories with Mum or Dad.
Better Read Kids
“Every Saturday, with a hop, a skip, and a magical twirl, Mia, Emma and Grace put on their dancing shoes and turn into Fairy Dancers.”
10
Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party | Shannon & Dean Hale | $19.95 | Walker Books Princess Magnolia wants everything perfect for her birthday party. But just as the guests arrive… Brring! Brring! —the monster alarm! She runs to the broom closet, ditches her frilly clothes and becomes the Princess in Black! She rushes to the goat pasture, defeats the monster and returns to the castle before the guests discover her double-identity secret. The party progresses, but not without repeated monster-alarm interruptions, to which the Princess (Magnolia / in Black) must attend, urgently yet discreetly!
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08
activities
Junior Fiction Mango and Bambang | Polly Faber | $17.95 | Walker Books Mango is an irrepressible girl with a wonderful optimism and a very hectic schedule that includes karate, diving, playing chess, and the clarinet. Bambang is a stranger in a big city – everything is large and scary, confusing and intimidating. But together they’re a remarkable pair, bringing a little magic and adventure into each other’s lives. The Not-a-Pig is the most delightful celebration of an unlikely and beautiful friendship!
Mischa’s Pick
Weirdo 5: Totally Weird | Anh Do | $14.99 | Scholastic The Weirdo books detail the trials and triumphs of the titular Weir Do. His family are freakish and he too has a propensity for the strange. But that’s okay! This time around he’s participating in the Camp Kangaroo Challenge, against the presumably dreamy new boy named Hans Some. Who will win?
Better Read Kids
“the most delightful celebration of an unlikely and beautiful friendship!”
11
“His family are freakish and he too has a propensity for the strange.”
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08
activities
Primary Fiction Book of the Month
Better Read Kids
Book of the Month
12
The Marvels | Brian Selznick | $34.99 | Scholastic A new Brian Selznick title is always a cause for excitement and in no way does The Marvels disappoint. This brilliant journey through time in words and pictures is set in two very different Londons: 1776 and 1990. The two complex and apparentely unconnected stories deftly woven together through gorgeous art and writing – this is a powerhouse of a book.
“his brilliant journey through time in words and pictures is set in
two very different Londons: 1776 and 1990”
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Primary Fiction Curiosity House #1: The Shrunken Head | Lauren Oliver | $19.99 | Hachette Blessed with extraordinary abilities, orphans Philippa, Sam, and Thomas have grown up happily together. But when a fourth child, Max, joins the group, it sets off an unforgettable chain of events. As spooky as Miss Peregrine and as fun as Lemony Snicket this new series from legend Lauren Oliver is sure to gain new fans very quickly!
Magnus Chase & the Gods of Asgard #1: Sword Summer | Rick Riordan | $22.99 | Penguin We wanted one of our biggest readers to share his review of the new Rick Riordan with you. Thanks David! Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer is a great book that had me hooked till the final letter. Magnus’s upside-down life (but mostly death) will have you laughing out loud. I highly recommend this book for 10-14 year olds. Rick Riordan has produced another terrific book. - David, age 11
Better Read Kids
“spooky as Miss Peregrine and as fun as Lemony Snicket ”
13
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08
activities
Primary Fiction Badly Drawn Beth | Jem Packer | $14.99 | Hachette So, I’m surrounded by crocodiles, holding a briefcase full of fish fingers, I’m wearing a swamp monster mask AND MISS PRIMULA IS ABOUT TO CALL MY PARENTS! Meet Beth—a hilarious new heroine who just can’t help getting in trouble—and all of her fantastically crazy family and friends, and be prepared to laugh your socks off! A hilarious new diary series from the creators of Fleabag Monkeyface.
“Meet Beth - a hilarious new heroine
Better Read Kids
who just can’t help getting in trouble and all of her fantastically crazy family and friends”
Grandpa’s Great Escape | David Walliams | $19.99 | Harper Collins The hotly anticipated next novel from number one bestselling author, David Walliams, and award-winning illustrator, Tony Ross, is here! An exquisite portrait of the bond between a small boy and his beloved Grandpa – this book takes readers on an incredible journey with Spitfires over London and Great Escapes through the city in an adventure full of comedy and heart.
14
“this book takes readers on an
incredible journey with Spitfires over London and Great Escapes through the city.”
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Primary Fiction Danny Best #1: Full On | Jen Storer | $16.99 | Harper Collins Meet Danny Best - confident, rambunctious and always up for a bit of cheeky fun. Along with his friends Fab, Clancy, Sticks & Dylan (as well as his best-dog Pugsley) Danny turns every day into a memorable one and is always up for adventure. Perfect for fans of Weirdo, Tom Gates & Wimpy Kid but with a decidedly Australian flair!
Blackthorn Key | Kevin Sands | $16.99 | Penguin Christopher Rowe was happy, learning how to solve complex codes and puzzles and creating powerful medicines, potions, and weapons as an apprentice to Master Benedict Blackthorn—with maybe an explosion or two along the way. But when a mysterious cult begins to prey on London’s apothecaries, the trail of murders grows closer and closer to Blackthorn’s shop. In his stunning debut novel, Kevin Sands brings readers on a heart-stopping adventure rich with suspense, mystery, and unforgettable characters.
Better Read Kids
Stonebird | Mike Revell | $16.99 | Hachette When ten-year-old Liam moves house to be closer to his dementiasuffering grandma, he’s thrown into an unfamiliar place, with a family that seems to be falling apart. Walking his dog one day, Liam discovers an old stone gargoyle in a rundown church, and his life changes in impossible ways. The gargoyle is alive. It moves unseen in the night, acting out Liam’s stories. And stories can be dangerous things. What if the gargoyle is the only thing that can save Liam’s family?
15
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Young Adult Book of the Month
Better Read Kids
Book of the Month
16
Zeroes | Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan & Deborah Biancotti | $19.99 | Allen & Unwin Three briliant Aussie YA authors have teamed up together to write the first in a trilogy about six teenage who have superpowers - but not how you’d want them. Zeroes has taken the old, worn out concept of superheroes and put their own twist on it. Zeroes effortlessly jumps between the six different characters building an even bigger perspective on the events going on. From stolen drug money to a bank heist, there are so many twist and turns that keeps reeling you in. The range of characters is fantastic; they all have their own flaws and the way the characters are written make you feel for each and every one of them throughout the course of the book. Westerfeld, Lanagan and Biancotti have created an intense, humourous world to remind the reader that everything comes with a price, even superpowers.
Reviewed by our customer Claire
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Young Adult
Library of Souls | Ransom Riggs` | $22.99 | Random House This book sadly marks the conclusion to the Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Trilogy, but what better way to end it than with this thrilling and satisfying finale. Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends fantasy with vintage photography. 16-yearold Jacob and his peculiar companions travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England: the place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Quirky and mysterious as usual, we’ll just have to drag this reading experience out until the release of the Miss Peregrine film (directed by Tim Burton) so we can fall in love all over again!
Unbecoming | Jenny Downham | $19.99 | Scholastic This is like no other YA book that I’ve read recently! Jenny Downham, author of the heart-breaking Before I Die, has created another clever, funny, and moving novel about love, life, and family from a highly wise and honest perspective. 17-year-old Katie is in love with someone whose identity she can’t reveal. Her uptight mother Caroline is worn out and about to find the past catching up with her. And her grandmother Mary is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. But is Mary contagious? Is ‘badness’ genetic? In confronting the past, Katie is forced to seize the present and dare to love. Emotionally raw and beautiful, this book deserves to be read by all ages!
Better Read Kids
Mischa’s Pick
17
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Young Adult Inbetween Days | Vikki Wakefield | $19.99 | Penguin From the author of Friday Brown comes another startling and beautiful novel about coming to terms with growing up. At seventeen, Jacklin Bates has dropped out of school and is living with her runaway sister, Trudy, and she’s in secret, obsessive love with Luke, who doesn’t love her back. But when a stranger sets up camp in the macabre suicide forest, the boy next door returns, Jack’s father moves into the shed, and her mother steps up her campaign to punish Jack for leaving, Jack begins to lose everything including her mind. Full of intelligent insights into the human mind, this is a stunning and memorable read.
Better Read Kids
Night Owls | Jenn Bennett | $19.99 | Simon & Schuster Meeting Jack on the Owl (San Francisco’s night bus) turns Beatrix’s world upside down. Jack is charming, wildly attractive and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight rides and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who this enigmatic boy really is. But Jack is hiding much more - and can she uncover the truth that leaves him so wounded? A unique and profoundly moving novel, Night Owls will linger in your memory long after the final page.
18
Six of Crows | Leigh Bardugo | $22.99 | Hachette Bardugo, author of the Grisha trilogy, dives into a new companion series set in the world of Grishaverse, filled with magic and hidden darkness. Ketterdam is a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price. No one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. When Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams he must recruit six dangerous outcasts to help him achieve the impossible. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction... if they don’t kill each other first. Science and superstition collide in this lavish world that is sure to exhilarate.
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Secret Coders | Gene Luen | $21.99 | First Second Welcome to Stately Academy. The founder of the school programmed clues and puzzles into its very stones to challenge his enterprising students. A seventh grader named Hopper and her friend Eni are determined to get to the bottom of it. Using their wits and their growing prowess with coding, they set out to solve the mystery of Stately Academy no matter what it takes. The book combines logic puzzles and basic programming instruction with a page-turning mystery plot to introduce young readers to basic computer science concepts.
Stratford Zoo Midnight Review Presents Romeo & Juliet | Ian Lendler | $24.99 | First Second The Stratford Zoo appears to be a regular zoo…until the gates shut at night and the animals come out of their cages to stage elaborate performances of Shakespeare’s greatest works. They might not be the most accomplished thespians, but they’ve got what counts: heart. Also fangs, feathers, scales, and tails. Ian Lendler’s hilarious tale is perfectly paired with the adorable artwork of Zack Giallongo in this companion to their graphic novel The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth.
Better Read Kids
Graphic Novels
19
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Better Read Kids
Graphic Novels
20
Human Body Theatre | Maris Wicks | $32.99 | First Second If you’ve ever wanted to see a hand, nose, eyeball and ear - all with a set of legs perform on-stage while describing their functions and relation to the body as a whole, then we have the book for you. Maris Wicks delivers all this and more in hilarious fashion.
“If you’ve ever wanted to see
a hand, nose, ear or eyeball perform on-stage...”
Mad Scientist Academy | Matthew McElligott | $32.99 | Random House Welcome to Mad Scientist Academy! The first day of school is always exciting, and Dr. Cosmic’s new students can’t wait to get started. After their teacher reveals that their school pet, Oscar, is a dinosaur, they quickly realize Dr. Cosmic has an unusual teaching style. With a mad genius for a teacher, things don’t always go as planned. Armed with hightech handbooks and the scientific method, Dr. Cosmic’s class is ready to solve their way out of any disaster.
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
04 primary fiction
05 young adult
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Non-Fiction Historium | Jo Nelson | $39.95 | Five Mile Press Welcome to the museum! Here you will find a collection of objects from ancient civilisations. Objects of beauty, objects of functionality, objects of war, objects of life, and objects of death and burial. Discover more than 140 exhibits in this virtual museum, open all hours. As you wander from room to room, explore the magnificence of what civilisations have left behind over thousands of years of human history.
Senseational Illusions | DK | $35.00 | Penguin Senseational Illusions is packed with tricks, challenges and illusions that put your five sense to the test, in ways you’ve never seen, heard, smelled, felt or tasted before. See how optical illusions trick your eyes, feel your way around tactile mazes and test your hand-eye co-ordination with a 3D ball-bearing maze. Plus try out lots of other tricks, experiments and illusions. The newest book in the award-winning Illusions series, including Optical Illusions and Mindbenders, packed with graphics, fact-boxes and interactive tricks and experiments to engage even the most reluctant kids.
Better Read Kids
“Discover more than 140 exhibits in this virtual museum, open all hours.”
21
01 baby & toddler
02 picture books
03 junior fiction
05 young
04 primary
adult
fiction
06 graphic novels
07 non fiction
08 activities
Activities
Better Read Kids
Colour Me Creative | Kristina Webb | $19.99 | Harper Collins Part autobiography, part creative inspiration from one of the most followed artists on Instagram, Kristina Webb, Colour Me Creative is a completely original and unique book to inspire and unlock your creativity. Readers get a firsthand look into Kristina’s personal life and can then go on their own journey by completing the fifty creative, artinspired challenges designed by Kristina herself. Plus, giving readers the chance to download the free Unbound app to access interactive features and bonus videos by scanning the customized icon that appears throughout the book, including neverbefore-seen home videos and videos of Kristina drawing.
22
Write Your Own Book! | DK | $24.99 | Penguin This is the perfect book for kids who are creative, imaginative, and love telling stories to guide them through the excitement of putting their thoughts and ideas onto paper. If you get stuck ‘talking point’ boxes will spark new creative ideas or help you get the story started. ‘Word boxes’ help develop your vocabulary and enhance your story. Plus, there’s plenty of drawing inside too, including a space to illustrate your own personalised book cover!
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
Special Events Better Read Kids regularly hosts author visits and signings. To keep alerted to these exciting events make sure you sign up to our mailing list!
Spring Trading Hours
Stay Up-to-Date
Sunday - Thursday
9.30 am - 9 pm
Better Read Kids
Friday & Saturday
9.30 am - 10 pm
@BetterReadKids
Better Read Kids 265 King Street Newtown NSW 2042 E books@betterread.com.au P (+61 2) 9557 8700 F (+61 2) 9557 8560 W betterreadkids.com.au
Better Read Kids
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!
23