AUTUMN READS TO SHARE

Fantastical adventure abounds in The Dangerous Business of Being

It’s that time of year when our minds turn from beach reads to cosying up with a good book – and what better way to do that than by reading with one of the little people in your life? Thankfully, there are plenty of new titles out there guaranteed to keep adults and kids equally entertained.

The Wolves of Greycoat Hall: Boris In Switzerland is the second in a series by Australian author and illustrator Lucinda Gifford. Our lupine hero Boris is from Morovia, where wolves and humans live happily side-by-side. In the first book, he and his family travelled to Scotland to save a family castle, in the sequel he’s been sent to a prestigious boarding school in Switzerland. Once there, he’s troubled to find he’s the only wolf at the school, but he and his new friends are soon drawn into a tantalising mystery. Like the first book, the characters are engaging, the worldbuilding is rich and the writing packed with easter eggs for grown ups. Most importantly, it’s great fun to read aloud. Slightly older kids (9+) should enjoy Crookhaven: The School for Thieves by J.J. Arcanjo – the first in a new series set at a training school for young criminals. Teen pickpocket Gabriel thinks his career might be over when he’s caught, but instead finds himself invited to Crookhaven, where larcenous youth are trained in lockpicking, forgery and other key skills. Thankfully, it’s all for a good cause, with these young Robin Hoods using their talents to trick evildoers and give back to the innocent. Ideal for fans of Alex Rider and Harry Potter.

Trilby Moffat by Kate Temple (another Aussie author). Promoted to the most important job that ever existed – that of Time Keeper – Trilby has to travel to an island outside of time, cure a mystery illness that is making people fall asleep forever (after baking ancient cakes) and wrangle rude cats. Fast, clever, funny and wonderfully weird, this is one to treasure.

Those with a taste for things that go bump in the night will find spooky thrills in Colin Meloy’s The Stars Did Wander Darkling, in which young horror movie fan Archie and friends confront an ancient evil unearthed in their small seaside town. The 1980s setting might recall TV hit Stranger Things, but Meloy’s world has a whimsy all its own, as the kids hang out in the local video store to research scary happenings. Hip parents will be pleased to recognise the author as the frontman of cult band The Decemberists.

Win three months at the gym

Looking for an excuse to get active?

Thanks to VenuesWest, we have a 3 month Universal Gym Membership Prize for HBF Stadium in Mt Claremont or HBF Arena in Joondalup to be won.

To enter, email media@diabeteswa.com.au with your name and member number and write VENUESWEST PRIZE in the subject line.

Win tickets to comedian Urzila Carlson

Multi award-winning South African-New Zealander comic Urzila Carlson (pictured above) has won a legion of fans worldwide in recent years, not least of all thanks to her hit Netflix hour-long comedy special Overqualified Loser. You may also have seen her on smash-hit panel show, Have You Been Paying Attention? Now she’s bringing her new show Just No! to HBF Stadium in Mt Claremont on 27 May. Thanks to VenuesWest, we have a two double passes to be won.

To enter, email media@diabeteswa.com.au with your name and member number and write JUST YES! in the subject line.