Baby & Toddler Alphablock Christoph Franceschelli HB $19.95 Children and parents will enjoy this peek-through guessing game around the letterform itself. As readers interact with the thick pages cut into the shape of each letter, they will familiarise themselves not only with the 26 letters and associated words, but also with each letter’s physicality – angles, holes and curves, both front and back. With animated and stylish visuals, this fresh ABC book encourages readers to manipulate the alphabet in a whole new way.
Sherlock Holmes in the Hound of the Baskervilles: A Sounds Primer Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver BB $14.99 October
Toys Galore Peter Stein and Bob Staake HB $24.95 If you’re game, open up the world’s wackiest toy chest, where anything and everything can turn into nonstop, action-packed fun. Once again, Peter Stein’s playful verse and Bob Staake’s uproarious illustrations come together in an explosion of colour and whimsy, while imagination takes center stage as the best toy of all. Toys Galore is one playground you won’t want to miss!
Anna Karenina: A Fashion Primer Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver BB $14.99 October
A series of board books for brilliant babies. This incredible author/illustrator team has once again worked together to give us a gorgeous, fresh new take on well-known classics for the youngest of readers. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design and illustrations by Sugar’s Alison Oliver, these books are a must for every savvy parent’s nursery library.
The Apple Dick Bruna HB $9.95 October The Apple tells the story of a rosy red apple who yearns to see the world beyond his tree. With the help of a friendly rooster he finally gets a glimpse into the lives of others. The Apple was the first book ever created by Dick Bruna, the author and illustrator that is most associated with his character Miffy. This new edition celebrates the 60th anniversary of The Apple’s first publication.
Tolstoy’s classic tale of love and scandal is reinvented to introduce even the youngest of readers to the wonders of Russian literature. Kids will be able to explore elements of fashion through Alison Oliver’s gorgeous illustrations and Jennifer Adams’s clever text. Definitely one to add to the collection!
The School Dick Bruna HB $9.95 October The School is a fun, rhyming introduction to the school day and is a perfect way to prepare young children about to enter nursery or day school. In print for the first time since 1968, this is a gorgeous new edition of a classic Dick Bruna title.
Picture Books Journey Aaron Becker HB $27.95 October
Starting School Jane Godwin and Anna Walker HB $24.99
A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure and danger abound. Red marker pen in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon and a flying carpet which carry her on a spectacular journey… who knows where? In this exquisitely illustrated, wordless book, an ordinary child is launched on an extraordinary, magical journey towards her greatest and most rewarding adventure of all.
Tim, Hannah, Sunita, Joe and Polly are all off to school for the first time. There are new friends to make, fun ways to learn and lots of different things to discover. This beautiful book focuses on the experiences and feelings of five very different children as they begin at school for the first time. Jane’s simple words and ideas combine with Anna’s gentle and detailed illustrations to help children feel comfortable about taking this big step.
Slightly Annoying Elephant David Walliams and Tony Ross HB $24.99 November
Moonday Adam Rex HB $24.99
The Lord of Laughter, David Walliams and critically-acclaimed illustrator, Tony Ross, combine their bestselling talents once again – this time on their first ever picture book! Elephants never forget – and neither will millions of readers once they’ve met… The Slightly Annoying Elephant.
Octopuppy Martin McKenna HB $24.99 Meet Edgar. He’s determined to train his new puppy. Sit. Stay. Fetch. What could go wrong? It’s just that Edgar’s dog happens to be an octopus. A particularly brilliant octopus at that. Meet Jarvis. Edgar’s life is about to change forever.
What do you do when the moon lowers itself into your backyard? When mornings are replaced by perpetual night, and people sigh – sleep in their eyes. What do you do when the tide comes in, and all the neighbourhood dogs won’t stop howling? You take the moon for a ride.
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild Peter Brown HB $25.95 Are you bored with being so proper? Do you want to have more fun? Mr. Tiger knows exactly how you feel. So he decides to go wild. But does he go too far? From Caldecott Honor artist Peter Brown comes a story that shows there’s a time and place for everything – even going wild.
Picture Books Hello, My Name Is Ruby Phillip C. Stead HB $24.99
Francis, the Little Fox Veronique Boisjoly and Katty Maurey HB $25.95
Join Ruby, a plucky little bird, as she ventures through life, making new friends, learning new skills and asking questions which may have some very surprising results. Fearless Ruby’s search for adventure, friendship and her place in the world comes to life through acclaimed author/illustrator Philip C. Stead’s whimsical illustrations and succinct, charming text.
Francis the fox enjoys everything about his Saturdays at Mr. Li’s Laundromat, except for Mr. Li’s granddaughter, Lily. When Lily plays a dirty trick on Francis, it’s up to the little fox to clean up and save the day.
Dream Animals Emily Winfield Martin HB $24.95 November
Kissed by the Moon Alison Lester HB $19.99 October
Ideal for bed time reading, this book will appeal to parents and children who love Grandfather Twilight and On the Night That You Were Born. Author, illustrator and creator of The Black Apple Etsy shop, Emily Martin convinces children to close their eyes and discover who their dream animal might be and what dream it might take them to. With a perfect nighttime rhyme and gorgeous illustrations, this book is irresistible.
Zubert Charlie Sutcliffe HB $19.95 November What happens when you’re bored, you’ve finished all your books and you’re hanging around in the biggest and best hotel in London? Follow Zubert and his new magic friends as they find out! From buffalos in the lobby to an elephant in the kitchen, Zubert and his friends will have to work hard to hide all the animals from the hotel inspectors and save the hotel – and their home.
May you, my baby, sleep softly at night and when dawn lights the world, may you wake up to birdsong. Part poem, part lullaby, this gentle story celebrates a baby’s wonder at our beautiful world. From much-loved Australian Children’s Laureate Alison Lester comes a timeless book to share and to treasure.
Esther’s Rainbow Kim Kane and Sara Acton HB $24.99 October A truly delightful picture book about exploring colour, from the creators of The Unexpected Crocodile. Esther spies a rainbow peeking out from under her chair… and then it’s gone. She looks for colours in everything she sees, finding a different rainbow colour each day of the week – but will she find her rainbow again? A warm and joyous family story about exploring the world, from two award-winning creators.
Picture Books Captain Cat Inga Moore HB $27.95 When Captain Cat and his ship full of felines decide to retire from the trading business, they find themselves unexpectedly caught on a remote island with a charming Island Queen who has never seen a cat before. So when Captain Cat and his crew save the day, the Queen begs the Captain to trade his cats for untold treasure. Does he? Could he? What happens next? Never fear, fellow travellers! The purr-fect solution is on the horizon and is sure to satisfy both pet-lovers and adventurers.
Rosie Revere, Engineer Andrea Beaty and David Roberts HB $19.95 Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she’s a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. When her aunt comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal – to fly – Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt’s dream come true. From the author-illustrator team of Iggy Peck, Architect comes Rosie Revere, Engineer: another charming, witty picture book about believing in yourself and pursuing your passion.
Warning: Do Not Open This Book! Adam Lehrhaupt and Matthew Forsythe HB $19.99 It looks like a book, it feels like a book and it even smells like a book. But watch out… madness and mayhem lie within! Debut author Adam Lehrhaupt urges you NOT to take a walk on the wild side in this humorous, interactive romp with inventive and engaging illustrations from Eisner Award-winning comic artist and rising star children’s book illustrator Matthew Forsythe. This quirky, subversive creation begs to be enjoyed again and again and again.
Rules of Summer Shaun Tan HB $24.99 October The much anticipated new book from Australia’s most acclaimed picture-book creator. Tan’s new book, Rules of Summer, is a deceptively simple story about two boys, one older and one younger and the kind of rules that might govern any relationship between close friends or siblings. Moments of humour, surreal fantasy and the sometimes devastating ways we interact with the people we love the most, are presented in Shaun Tan’s typical thought-provoking style.
Here Be Monsters Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene HB $24.99 October Fearless pirate, Captain CutThroat, doesn’t believe in monsters. When he and his dastardly crew set sail for a treasure island, they must first pass through the Mist and as legend tells it, there be monsters in the mist! But as the Captain says, monsters simply don’t exist. But then who or what is gobbling up the Crew? A thrilling, swashbuckling, pirate adventure from the award-winning creators of The Princess and the Pig and The Santa Trap.
The Storm Whale Benji Davies HB $19.99 Noi and his father live in a house by the sea. Noi’s father works hard as a fisherman and Noi often has only their six cats for company. So when he finds a baby whale washed up on the beach after a storm, Noi is excited and takes it home to care for it. He tries to keep his new friend a secret, but there’s only so long you can keep a whale in the bath without your dad finding out. For Noi, the arrival of the whale changes his life for the better – the perfect gift from one friend to another.
Classics Ash Road Ivan Southall PB $12.95 It’s hot, dry and sweaty on Ash Road, where Graham, Harry and Wallace are getting their first taste of independence. When they accidentally light a bushfire no one would have guessed how far it would go. These children are forced to face a major crisis with only each other and the two old men left in their care. The bestselling Ash Road is an action-packed adventure story, so evocative of rural Australia you can taste the Eucalyptus.
A Fortunate Life A. B. Facey HB $19.99 And that’s the way it was. I would often go into the bush and watch the birds and think in some ways they were like me – they had to fend for themselves as soon as the mother bird thought that they were old enough. The remarkable story of an ‘ordinary’ man. Bert Facey lived to eighty-seven and wrote down his extraordinary story for his grandchildren. In spite of its difficulties and sufferings, he always believed he had had ‘a fortunate life’. A classic in Australian writing.
Just So Stories Rudyard Kipling and Robert Ingpen HB $39.95 Rudyard Kipling first entertained his own children with these delightful, warm and humorous stories, which he later wrote down for publication in 1902. Conjuring up distant lands and exotic jungles, they are bewitching for both children and adults. Kipling’s unforgettable cast of extraordinary animal characters is brought to life in stunning new illustrations by the awardwinning illustrator Robert Ingpen.
Momo 40th Anniversary Edition Michael Ende HB $32.99 The Neverending Story is Michael Ende’s best-known book, but Momo, published six years earlier, is the all-ages fantasy novel that first won him wide acclaim. After the sweettalking gray men come to town, life becomes terminally efficient. Can Momo, a young orphan girl blessed with the gift of listening, vanquish the ashen-faced time thieves before joy vanishes forever? This allnew 40th anniversary edition celebrates the book’s first U.S. publication in over 25 years.
Pinocchio Carlo Collodi and Agnese Baruzzi HB $24.99 Glorious cut-paper pictures perfectly complement this well-known fairytale. A perfect gift for any age, this book features the timeless tale through intricate, lace-like die-cut pages. The marionettelike images bring this fairytale to life.
Romeo and Juliet Gareth Hinds PB $22.95 Gareth Hinds’s stylish graphic adaptation of Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy offers modern touches – including a diverse cast underscoring the story’s universality. In a masterful adaptation faithful to Shakespeare’s original text, Gareth Hinds transports readers to the sun-washed streets and market squares of Shakespeare’s Verona, vividly bringing the classic play to life on the printed page.
Classics The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame and David Roberts HB $35.00 Generations have fallen in love with Kenneth Grahame’s enduring story – and here, in a sumptuous new gift edition stunningly illustrated by David Roberts – illustrator of Iggy Peck, Architect and Dirty Bertie – The Wind in the Willows stands poised to capture young readers’ hearts anew.
The Little Mermaid Robert Sabuda HB $29.99 November Come along on a magical journey under the sea in this stunning pop-up adaptation of the beloved fairy tale The Little Mermaid, expertly crafted by renowned paper engineer Robert Sabuda. Amazing three-dimensional paper structures pop off each page, bringing this classic underwater adventure to life. This visually stunning tale of adventure, true love and sacrifice is sure to become a favourite in any story-lover’s library.
Pippi Longstocking Astrid Lindgren PB $10.99 Dana Tanamachi has designed three titles in the new Puffin Chalk series of classics and they are all absolutely gorgeous. Inspired by child-like playfulness, adventure, creativity and wonder, these covers were lovingly created completely by hand then photographed for reproduction. The bright colours and daring design is a perfect match for the wild adventures of Pippi Longstocking.
The Babar Collection Jean de Brunhoff HB $69.95 October This charming collection of French illustrated classics follows the adventures of Babar the elephant as he becomes king of his people, builds a city, founds a family and even meets Father Christmas. Tested by difficult trials – from snakes to fire to runaway prams – he always comes out on top, with the help of patience, determination and, on one memorable occasion, a flight of winged elephants.
Winnie-thePooh Complete Collection A. A. Milne HB $99.95 November These beautifully produced, high quality editions of the original Milne and Shepard titles Winnie-the-Pooh, The House At Pooh Corner, Now We Are Six and When We Were Very Young are the perfect gift for any Pooh fan. These books reproduce as closely as possible the first editions of the books, collected together in a beautiful slipcase with gold foiling and a sumptuous matt finish.
The Wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum PB $10.99 Dorothy thinks she’s lost forever when a tornado whirls her and her dog, Toto, into a magical world. To get home, she must find the wonderful wizard in the Emerald City of Oz. On the way she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion. But the Wicked Witch of the West has her own plans for the new arrival – will Dorothy ever see Kansas again?
Children’ s Fiction Flora & Ulysses Kate DiCamillo HB $19.95 October
Kensington Reptilarium N. J. Gemmell PB $16.95 November
It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman is the just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight and misspelled poetry – and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart.
Dad’s away hunting and the Caddy kids are loving it. Until they find out their father is missing. Suddenly the four grubby urchins from the Aussie outback find themselves in London, living with their child-hating Uncle Basti. He prefers the company of the hundreds of snakes in his fabled Kensington Reptilarium. But fate lends the Caddy kids a helping hand in the guise of the authorities who want to close down the Reptilarium. With the police about to descend, can sour old Basti be transformed in time?
Sidekicked John David Anderson HB $24.99
Star Wars: Jedi Academy Jeffrey Brown PB $12.99 October
Drew Bean might be a part of a secret organization for the training of superhero sidekicks, but that doesn’t mean that life is all leaping tall buildings in single bounds. And that’s before a supervillain long thought dead returns to the city of Justica and Drew’s two identities threaten to crash head-on. Drew has always found it pretty easy to separate right from wrong, good from evil. It’s what a superhero does. But what happens when that line starts to disappear?
Fortunately the Milk… Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell HB $17.99 October You know what it’s like when your mum goes away on a business trip and Dad’s in charge. She leaves a really long list of what he’s got to do. And the most important thing is don’t forget to get the milk. Dad forgets. So the next morning, before breakfast, he has to go to the corner shop and this is the story of why it takes him a very, very long time to get back. Neil Gaiman delivers a spectacularly silly, mind-bendingly clever, brilliantly bonkers adventure with lip-smackingly gorgeous illustrations by Chris Riddell.
Roan’s one dream is to leave home and attend Pilot Academy like his older brother, father and grandfather. But just as Roan is mysteriously denied entrance to Pilot School, he is invited to attend Jedi Academy – a school that he didn’t apply to and only recruits children when they are just a few years old. Until now. This inventive novel follows Roan’s first year at Jedi Academy where, under the tutelage of Master Yoda, he learns that he possesses more strength and potential than he could have ever dreamed.
Home and Away John Marsden PB $16.99 November A dramatic picture book for older readers that poses the question: what would happen if a typical Australian family found themselves refugees? April 27, the war starts. September 13, Dad hears news of a boat. By September 30, we are in a huge prison, with razor wire all around us. The government says there’s no room for us. Apparently there was a queue or a waiting list or something and we were meant to put our names down to be considered. I feel terrible about the trouble we’ve caused them.
Children’ s Fiction Year of Shadows Claire Legrand HB $19.99
Weirdo Anh Do PB $12.99 October
Olivia is having a rough year. Her mother left, her neglectful father – the maestro of a failing orchestra – has moved her into his broken-down concert hall to save money and her only friend is a stray cat named Igor. Then she meets the four ghosts who haunt the hall. Olivia has to do the impossible for her new friends: save the concert hall. But helping the dead has consequences for the living and soon it’s not just the concert hall that needs saving.
My parents could have given me any first name at all, like John, Kevin, Shmevin . . . ANYTHING. Instead I’m stuck with the worst name since Mrs. Face called her son Bum. Meet Weir Do. No, that’s not a typo, that’s his name! Weir Do is the new kid in school. With an unforgettable name, a crazy family and some seriously weird habits, fitting in won’t be easy . . . but it will be funny!
Ice Breaker Lian Tanner PB $18.99 November
Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things Cynthia Voight HB $24.99
300 years on the ancient icebreaker has seen its crew forget their purpose and break up into three warring tribes – all of which exclude Petrel. Then a boy is discovered on an iceberg and brought onto the ship. The crew is distrustful of strangers and it is up to Petrel to save him and hide him away – hoping he will be her friend. What she doesn’t know is that the ship has been guarding a secret that could change the world. A secret that the boy has been sent to destroy, along with the ship and everyone on it.
Max’s parents are missing. They are actors and thus unpredictable, but sailing away and leaving Max with only a cryptic note is unusual even for them. Until he can figure it out, Max feels it’s safer to keep a low profile. Hiding out is no problem for a child of the theatre. But finding a job is tricky – until it turns out Max has a talent for finding things. He finds a runaway child, a stray dog, a lost love… Max finds a way to solve people’s problems. Now if only he could find a solution to his own problems.
Other Worlds Jon Scieska PB $12.99 Other Worlds features ten thrilling tales of science fiction and fantasy from some of the biggest names in children’s literature. Prepare yourself for the unknown, as your favourite writers – Rick Riordan, who has written an all-new Percy Jackson tale, Tom Angleberger, Rebecca Stead, Shannon Hale, Neal Shusterman, Shaun Tan and none other than the late Ray Bradbury – spin tales of fantasy and science fiction the likes of which you have never imagined.
Billie Mysteries: Spooky House Sally Rippin PB $9.95 Billie and her friends dare each other to explore the spooky house at the end of the street. They are sure it’s haunted. Sooo scary! But if anyone can handle ghosts, it’s Billie B Brown! A brand new series featuring the much-loved Bille B. Brown as she grows into an extraordinary investigator!
Young Adult Rose Under Fire Elizabeth Wein PB $16.95
More Than This Patrick Ness HB $27.95
Rose Justice is a young American ATA pilot, delivering planes and taxing pilots for the RAF in the UK during the summer of 1944. A budding poet who feels most alive while flying, she discovers that not all battles are fought in the air. From the exhilaration of being the youngest pilot in the British Air Transport Auxiliary, to the aftermath of surviving the notorious Ravensbruck women’s concentration camp, Rose’s story is one of courage in the face of adversity.
From award-winner Patrick Ness comes an enthralling and provocative new novel chronicling the life – or perhaps afterlife – of a teen trapped in a crumbling, abandoned world. A boy named Seth drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments, losing his life as the pounding sea claims him. But then he wakes. He is naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. Seth begins a search for answers, hoping that he might not be alone, that this might not be the hell he fears it to be, that there might be more than just this.
Two Boys Kissing David Levithan PB $19.99
Fangirl Rainbow Rowell HB $26.99
Seventeen-year-olds Craig and Harry are trying to set a new Guinness World Record for kissing. Around them, Ryan and Avery are falling in love, Neil and Peter are falling out of love and Cooper might be somewhere, but he is also, dangerously, nowhere. Narrated, Greek-chorus style, by the generation of gay men lost to AIDS, Two Boys Kissing is trademark Levithan: warm, sharp and real. It is also something new and completely extraordinary.
Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan with her twin sister Wren is her life. It’s what got them through their mother leaving. Now heading to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Instead, Cath’s got a surly roommate and a professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world. Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
You Don’t Even Know Sue Lawson PB $18.95 A story of love, loss and forgiveness. Alex Hudson is a good guy. He plays water polo. He has a part-time job. He’s doing okay at school. Then the thing that anchors Alex is ripped away and his life seems pointless. How can he make anyone else understand how he feels, when he doesn’t t even know?
Picture Me Gone
Meg Rosoff PB $19.99 October Mila is on a roadtrip across the USA with her father. They are looking for his best friend but Mila discovers a more important truth. Sometimes the act of searching reveals more than the final discovery can. Adults do not have all the answers. It all depends what questions you ask. A brilliantly atmospheric exploration of someone on the brink of adulthood, from prizewinning author Meg Rosoff, author of How I Live Now.
Young Adult The Coldest Girl in Coldtown Holly Black PB $19.99 November Coldtown is dangerous. A prison for the damned and those who party with them. Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. It’s an eternal party, shown on TV 24 hours a day – gorgeous, glamorous, deadly. Because, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave. A wholly original story of rage and revenge, love and loathing from bestselling author, Holly Black.
Man Made Boy Jon Skovron PB $19.99 November
Love In Revolution B. R. Collins PB $15.99 Esteya is 15. As war rumbles closer, Esteya’s brother is able to protect their family from the worst of the privations of war. Then Esteya meets an extraordinary girl named Skizi. Esteya and Skizi are drawn to each other and slowly, wonderfully, love blossoms. And then Esteya’s family are betrayed and forcibly taken away. Esteya is left deserted, heartbroken and in terrible danger. But she must find a way to escape – and to find Skizi. A powerful wartime story of passion, romance, bravery, betrayal and revolution.
Lockwood and Co Jonathan Stroud PB $24.95
Sixteen-year-old Boy’s never left home. It’s tough to go out in public when you’re the son of Frankenstein’s monster and the Bride. Boy’s only interactions with the world are online, where he can hide his differences behind a layer of code. When conflict erupts at home, Boy runs away and embarks on a road trip with the granddaughters of Jekyll and Hyde, who introduce him to malls and diners, love and heartbreak. But no matter how far Boy runs, he can’t escape his demons until he faces his family once more.
Unbreakable Kami Garcia PB $16.99 October After the death of her mother, Kennedy is shoved into a whole new – and somewhat more dangerous – world. When Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into her house and destroy a spirit sent to kill her, they reveal that her mother was part of a secret society responsible for protecting the world from a demon – a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night. The teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon – battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.
Ghosts crowd the streets and houses of London. Anthony Lockwood, with his slightly grumpy deputy George and his junior field operative Lucy, make up LOCKWOOD & CO, the small, shabby yet talented ghosthunting agency. After a series of calamitous investigations into the supernatural go awry, the team is desperate to prove themselves. Their opportunity comes in the form of a terrifying ghost, the Red Duke. But little do they know what perils lie in store for them at the haunted Bliss Hall…
These Broken Stars Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner PB $18.99 December Potentially the lone survivors of a horrific spaceliner crash, polar opposites Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen have only each other to rely on as they travel across the eerie, deserted planet to seek help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it. These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.
Reference Books The Treasures of Venice Dario Cestaro and Paola Zaffoli HB $32.95 This is the first attempt in the world to reproduce the city in a pop-up book for children, taking them on a fascinating tour of its most famous monuments, described in simple but never banal words. It captures the wonder and marvels of this magical city in incredibly detailed pop-up spreads. The monuments illustrated in the book include the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Basilica, Ca’ d’Oro, Doge’s Palace, Santa Maria della Salute and Gran Teatro la Fenice.
Laika Owen Davey HB $22.99 October Laika is a homeless stray living on the streets of Moscow when she is picked by the Space Programme to be the first ever animal launched into orbit! But her rocket disappears and everyone thinks Laika is lost forever – no one knows what happened to her. Now you’ll discover in Owen Davey’s imaginative story that Laika was rescued by a loving new owner and found her true home on a planet far, far away.
Little Red Writing Joan Holub and Melissa Sweet HB $22.95 October Acclaimed writer Joan Holub and Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet team up in this hilarious and exuberant retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, in which a brave little red pencil finds her way through the many perils of writing a story, faces a ravenous pencil sharpener and saves the day. Little Red Writing is an entertaining and clear introduction to word types and the language of storytelling and is sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike.
Dinosaurology HB $29.95 October Explore the lost world of the dinosaurs in this sensational journal. In 1912 Arthur Conan Doyle published his widely acclaimed novel, The Lost World. Little did his fans know that his tale of a South American plateau where dinosaurs had survived was based on the real-life adventures of his friend Percy Fawcett. In this long-lost expedition journal, readers are introduced to a wealth of living, breathing dinosaurs, as our intrepid explorers study them in their natural habitat.
Greatest Dinosaur Ever Brenda Guiberson and Gennady Spirin HB $25.99 November Which dinosaur was the greatest? Was it the tallest, the biggest, the strongest, the smartest, the weirdest, the fastest, or the smallest? Or was it the oldest bird, the best parent, the one with the best night vision, the best armor, or the longest tail spikes? In this picture book from Brenda Guiberson, fascinating facts and spectacular illustrations will inspire young readers to choose their own favorite dinosaurs!
Architecture According to Pigeons Speck Lee Tailfeather HB $24.95 October Pigeon elder Speck Lee Tailfeather plans to dispel a long-held misconception about their race. Pigeons are actually great admirers and aficionados of architecture. It is of course for this reason that they can be found in great numbers around the most beautiful and significant buildings in the world. Experience some of the most famous and awe-inspiring buildings in the world from a different perspective – and maybe learn a thing or two about pigeons in the process!
Activity Books Babylit Pride and Prejudice playset Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver HB $29.99 November With seven punch-out cards featuring the characters and scenes from Pride & Prejudice: A BabyLit Counting Primer and a box to use as a stage set, you can turn Jane Austen’s classic into hours of fun! Stroll in an English village with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, act out four marriage proposals, march the soldiers in uniform, or set up Pemberley, Longbourn and Netherfield. Introduce your little lit-o-phile into the world of drama by setting the stage with Jane Austen’s classic storyline.
How to Make Small Things with Violet Mackerel Anna Branford and Kat Chadwick PB $19.95 November
My Zoo Ellen Giggenbach HB $25.00 Create your very own play-zoo with over 40 separate models and a whole menagerie of animals. Will visitors see the dolphin show, buy an ice cream or help to find a lost baby penguin? You decide in this inspirational model kit, designed to awaken the storyteller inside all children (even grown-up ones).
Playbook Pirates Corrina Fletcher and Britta Teckentrup HB $24.99
Violet Mackerel loves to make things – especially SMALL things. Let Violet show you how to make some of her favourite small things: small things to wear, small things to use and small things to give. Packed full of crafty ideas and lots of thinking outside the square! All of the fun and small things Violet shows you how to make can easily be made with things you have at home!
Pantone: Colour Puzzles Tad Carpenter HB $19.95 October In this fourth Pantone offering for the nursery school set, children learn to match shades of each of the six basic colours. Each spread focuses on variations of a single colour category. The illustration has four removable puzzle pieces that fit into the four associated quadrants, arranged by shade. This puzzle book enables young children to further their colour familiarity in a uniquely engaging way. An appropriately challenging and satisfying matching book for toddlers, preschoolers and colour-conscious adults!
This brilliant and ingenious novelty package comprises a pop-up storybook, which then unfolds and transforms into a 3D pirate seascape playmat, revealing a pop-up pirate ship, ship-wreck, mermaid island and more! Also with cut-out cardboard rowing boats, pirates and sea-creatures for a great pirate adventure! Then fold it away and store it in its own boxstyle slipcase – perfect portable fun for journeys, playdates and bedtime too.
The Journey Coral Tulloch PB $19.95 November This is the story of a journey. A tale winding through several dark corners and caverns before reaching the light at the end of the tunnel. And you are a very important part of The Journey. Bernard will be your guide, but this is your journey too, for without you it would not exist. The Journey is a unique concept of games, codes and interesting people, all combining to make a recipe to engage the imagination.
Gift Books Owl Babies Pop Up Martin Waddell HB $19.95 December This is a beautiful pop-up edition of the classic picture book. Three baby owls, Sarah, Percy and Bill, wake up one night to find that their mother has gone. So they sit on a branch and watch and wait for their mother to return… Clever pop-ups bring this bestselling picture book to life – the owl babies slowly close their eyes and fall asleep, their mother swoops gracefully through the forest and Sarah, Percy and Bill bounce up and down with joy when their mother comes home.
The Night Before Christmas Clement C. Moore and Holly Hobbie HB $24.99 October
War Horse Michael Morpurgo and Rae Smith HB $26.95 October 1914, Joey, a young farm horse, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. In the desolation of the trenches, Joey’s courage touches the soldiers around him. In this beautiful edition of War Horse, Rae Smith’s extraordinary illustrations bring to life a story of war and reconciliation with stunning vitality. Rae Smith is the Olivier awardwinning stage designer of the production of War Horse that is currently showing around the world.
Joy to the World Tomie dePaola PB $16.99 October
In her fresh imagining of Clement C. Moore’s timeless classic, acclaimed watercolorist Holly Hobbie introduces an entirely new character to capture the magic and heighten the wonder of this exciting, mysterious time. Her inimitable illustrations glow with warmth and feeling and will transport you to a place where anything can happen.
A Child’s Christmas in Wales Dylan Thomas and Chris Raschka HB $12.99 First published in Harper’s Bazaar some 50 years ago, A Child’s Christmas in Wales showcases Dylan Thomas’s genius for language and remains the poet’s most popular prose work in the United States. Caldecott Honor artist Chris Raschka’s fluid torn-paper illustrations honor the poet’s words, evoking their musical cadences and bringing us a fresh appreciation for this most lyric work.
A timeless celebration of Christmas from the legendary Newbery and Caldecott Honor winner Tomie dePaola! This collection unifies three of the incomparable Tomie dePaola’s most beloved Christmas stories into one handsome volume. Vividly portrayed and expertly crafted, The Night of Las Posadas, The Story of the Three Wise Kings and The Legend of the Poinsettia are sure enchant and mesmerize the whole family during the holiday season.
Ruby Red Shoes Goes to Paris Kate Knapp HB $19.99 November Ruby and her grandmother Babushka are off to Paris for a holiday! When they arrive they go and meet Babushka’s brother, Monsieur Gaspar Galushka, who loves hats as much as Ruby loves red shoes. And with Monsieur is his grandson, Felix, who becomes Ruby’s guide while she is in Paris. Together the two young hares zip around Paris on Felix’s racy red scooter taking in all of the beautiful sights that Paris has to offer. It is the adventure of a lifetime, filled with memories that Ruby will treasure forever.
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Cover Illustration by Tai Snaith With a pervasive playfulness and sense of humour, Melbourne-based artist Tai Snaith works across many materials and within widely varying sites and contexts including collage, drawing, painting, installation and illustration. Tai's first children's book The Family Hour in Australia (published by Thames and Hudson) was released in 2012 and her next book is due out late in 2014.
James Yeates Printing & Design 03 5150 2300