6 minute read
On the shelf Our top latest release book picks
The Treehouse Joke Book 2 by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
Andy and Terry live in the world’s craziest treehouse. They like making books and telling jokes. And now they’ve made the world’s funniest joke book. Again! From fairytale fun to classroom capers and movie madness, there are jokes galore for the whole family. An especially perfect book for fans of the Treehouse series. Q: What did one ghost say to the other ghost? A: Do you believe in people? Published by Pan Australia. RRP $14.99
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The Dragon and Her Boy by Penny Chrimes
A story of a the very last living dragon, stuck living in a tunnel under London, and the boy who unintentionally finds himself as her protector, perfect for fans of The Girl of Ink & Stars. When Stick discovers there is a dragon living underneath the streets of London, he finds himself unintentionally drawn into an epic adventure and a quest -- but how can he find a place for a dragon to live in London when dragons aren’t supposed to exist? And with foes at every corner who want to exploit the dragon for themselves, it’s going to take a daring plan for Stick to find a safe place for his dragon -- and for himself. Published Orion Children’s Books. RRP $15.99.
Huda and Me by H. Hayek
When their parents have to travel to Beirut unexpectedly, twelve-year-old Akeal and his six siblings are horrified to be left behind in Melbourne with the dreaded Aunt Amel. Things do not go well, and Akeal’s naughty little sister, Huda, hatches a bold plan to escape. After stealing Aunt Amel’s credit card to buy plane tickets to Lebanon, the iconic Huda persuades her reluctant favourite brother to come with her. So begins Huda and Akeal’s action-packed journey to reunite with their parents half a world away, in a city they’ve grown up only dreaming about. They’ll need to make it through three airports, a boy who is both cruel and kind, and the war-torn streets of Lebanon to get there. Ages 9-13. Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $14.99
Cuckoo’s Flight by Wendy Orr
When Clio’s town in Bronze Age Crete is threatened by seafaring raiders, she faces the greatest sacrifice of all. A raiders’ ship appears off the coast, the goddess demands an unthinkable price to save the town - and Clio’s grandmother creates a sacred statue to save Clio’s life. But Clio is torn between the demands of guarding the statue and caring for her beloved horses. Disabled in an accident, she must try to put aside her own grief at no longer being able to ride - and in the process, save a friend’s life and stop a war. Rippling with emotion and drama, war and resistance, fear and determination, this novel is a brilliant companion to Dragonfly Song and Swallow’s Dance. Ages 9-13. Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $16.99
Green Cleaning by Alisa & Cynthia Mayne
Change starts from home and each chemical cleaning product that you leave on the supermarket shelf is an inspiring step towards a simple, clean, healthy, and happy home. Green Cleaning is your go-to guide for beating the big companies at their own game. Handy and simple home hints, tips, and recipes for cleaning anything the environmentally friendly, non-toxic way, whilst saving lots of money! Written as an easy-to-follow workbook that takes you from room to room. Perfect for people interested in environmentally friendly cleaning, saving money, DIY, and living a simpler life. Published by Wilkinson Publishing, RRP $19.99 Out 15th April.
Dear Mum, edited by Samuel Johnson
If you could tell your mum anything, what would it be? An honest, moving, emotionally memorable collection of letters to their mothers from some of Australia’s most notable notables including Samuel Johnson, Amanda Keller, Vika and Linda Bull, Guy Pearce, Elizabeth Tan, Rebecca Gibney, Peter Helliar, Clare Wright, Hilde Hinton, Gillian O’Shaughnessy, Adam Spencer, Brooke Davis, Lawrence Mooney, Patti Newton, Shane Jacobson, Julie Koh, Susie Youssef, Lehmo, Favel Parrett, Matilda Brown and many more ... The perfect gift for the mum (or mum figure) in your life! Published by Hachette Australia. RRP $22.99
Hormone Repair Manual by Lara Briden
The Hormone Repair Manual is a must-have guide to understanding and overcoming the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Naturopath Lara Briden has more than 20 years’ experience in women’s health. Her fresh approach aims to overturn the stigma of perimenopause and menopause and show women that many symptoms are temporary and manageable. Addressing common symptoms such as hot flushes, insomnia, mood changes, migraines, weight gain, low libido and heavy periods, Lara offers practical solutions of diet, lifestyle, nutritional supplements and tips for how to speak to your doctor about hormone therapy. Published by Macmillan Australia. RRP $34.99
I’m So Effing Tired by Dr Amy Shah
Exhaustion doesn’t have to be your new normal. Are you feeling overwhelmed, overstressed, and overtired? If so, you’re not alone - and you don’t have to settle for feeling this way. Inspired by her personal wellness journey, Dr. Amy Shah has created this program so that you can regain your energy and reclaim your life. The key is tapping into the powerful energy trifecta: the complex, interconnected relationship between your gut, your immune system, and your hormones. Drawing on the latest science and her work helping thousands of clients, Dr. Shah explains how to transform your life Published by Hachette Australia. RRP $32.99
lockdown goggle-DADS
2020 was not kind to Former Gogglebox fan favourites and parents Wayne and Tom, faceing increased feelings of loneliness and isolation. This was particularly true of Wayne, who is a huge hugger! Being Melbourne based, and experiencing months of lockdown, the loss of physical connection with others and their children had a real impact, but the pair remain thankful for each other’s company. While they still haven’t seen their two eldest daughters in more than 12 months, they thankfully were finally able to drive to Sydney in February to see their youngest. The pair recently teamed up with ANZ to bring a little extra love and support to their community in the recent Mardi Gras – particularly for the many families and children who loved watching them on Gogglebox and have felt the ‘chosen family’ love from the duo since.
Wayne and Tom say their community is resilient, and they have come together many times to support each other through many challenging times and events. This time is no different, whether it was supporting LGBTIQ+ businesses, using online platforms and chat rooms to host virtual parties or just simply asking are you okay. There’s a natural characteristic that bonds the LGBTIQ+ community together. New research from LGBTIQ+ community support service QLife, prepared exclusively for ANZ, has revealed there was a 75% increase in calls from under 18’s in 2020, with many callers experiencing feelings of isolation and loneliness. During the second half of 2020, QLife experienced a 58% increase in the number of people wanting to access its telephone and web services. It also recorded a 31% increase in calls from people who said they had experienced feelings of “isolation” and “loneliness”.
QLife saw a 75% increase in demand from LGBTIQ+ Under-18’s in 2020
The social effects of the pandemic proved to be particularly challenging for LGBTIQ+ Australians living in rural and remote communities, where QLife experienced a 78% increase in the total number of calls made to the service, year-onyear. ANZ has announced a $100,000 donation to QLife, the equivalent of an additional 2,250 hours of anonymous, free telephone and web chat as well as peer support to LGBTIQ+ community members throughout 2021. This is part of ANZ’s long term commitment to supporting the LGBTIQ+ community and as Principal Partner of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
As Wayne and Tom say: “We may not have been able to make it to Mardi Gras this year, but the strength of the community is as powerful now as ever. Even on our own, we’re still together.” For more info visit www.anz.com/mardigras To learn more about QLife visit Qlife.org.au
