Review: The Grey Beret’s Guide to Surviving the Odds

When the odds are against you it pays to be ready!

Odie Gusberry-Smith, who has experienced catastrophe throughout her short 8 years of life, has based her life on facts and believes there are no fairytale endings. Since the disappearance of her world famous biologist mother, Odie has retreated to the attic in her house and limited her interactions with the world to avoid any more sadness and hopefully disasters. Her father, who does not seem to be coping any better, has allowed Odie to be homeschooled, with her tasks arriving via her pet pigeons. Odie is living a very isolated life.

Review: Bloodsuckers

What could possibly go wrong on a flight across the Pacific? For Jett Torrens, the answer is a plane full of vampires.

Steve Worland’s Bloodsuckers delivers a fast-paced adventure that combines just enough horror with plenty of humour, making it an entertaining choice for emerging readers who enjoy a little fright without anything too frightening. When Jett discovers that the people on his flight are not quite what they seem, an ordinary plane trip quickly becomes a fight for survival. With the pilots in danger and nowhere to escape, Jett must find a way to stop the vampires before the plane becomes their feeding ground.

The short chapters and straightforward writing make Bloodsuckers particularly accessible. The story moves quickly, with plenty happening to keep readers turning the pages, while the manageable length makes the novel a satisfying choice for readers building confidence with longer fiction.

Worland also keeps the tone light. The vampire premise creates plenty of opportunities for suspense, but the story never becomes overwhelmingly dark, with humour woven through the action. A running joke about Jett’s determination not to swear adds another layer of fun and gives the novel a playful personality. There are a few genuinely creepy moments that may be unsettling for more sensitive younger readers, but the overall approach remains age-appropriate.

Jett is an appealing protagonist, particularly for readers fascinated by planes and flying. His knowledge and enthusiasm for aviation become an important part of the adventure rather than simply a character detail, giving the story an extra point of connection.

With an accessible format, a likeable hero and a vampire invasion at 40,000 feet, Bloodsuckers offers a light-hearted introduction to horror for readers ready for something a little different.

Title: Bloodsuckers
Author: Steve Worland
Publisher: Penguin, $14.99
Publication Date: 8 September, 2026
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761352935
For ages: 9-12
Type: Middle Grade

Review: Hunt for the Nighthawks

Ancient Rome, a ghostly messenger and a gang of treasure thieves collide in Hunk for the Nighthawks, an entertaining middle-grade adventure from bestselling Australian author Felice Arena.

When Jake encounters the ghost of a young Roman, an unusual mission begins. Alongside friends Tilly and Rabbit, Jake must track down stolen treasure and outsmart the Nighthawks, a group of thieves determined to get what they want. What begins as a search for gold and silver soon uncovers secrets that connect the past with the present, raising the stakes for the young detectives.

Sunday Shelfie - What's the Time, Mighty Wolf?

Happy #sundayshelfieday. It is my pleasure to welcome Katrina Germein and Kooky Chooky. This week we are celebrating Katrina and Amy’s delightful picture book What’s the Time, Mighty Wolf?

‘What’s the time, Mighty Wolf?’ The animals are getting closer and closer to Wolf’s house ... what is Wolf really up to? 

Find out in this playful twist on the popular children’s game. But be careful ... it’s nearly dinnertime!

Written by Katrina Germein
Illustrated by Kooky Chooky
Published by Scholastic Australia 

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Meet the Illustrator: Tamlyn Teow

Name, title, location: Tamlyn Teow, traditional and digital artist, Sydney, Australia

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Experimental and dependent on the subject, narrative and intended emotion.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Laptop, Wifi, tablet, mints, music or podcast, lollies or bread, paper, pencil, kneadable eraser, handheld vacuum, alcohol wipes, desk, computer chair, lavender oil, an empty container and a Rubik's Cube.

Review: High Flyers- Roulettes

When you read this book, you’ll find yourself looking to the sky, hoping to see Roulettes!

The author's personal connection to the topic shines throughout High Flyers: Roulettes. Sue shares intriguing facts, fascinating details and plenty of glimpses into her passion for these incredible aircraft and the people who fly them. It is the kind of book that makes you curious, invites questions and has you wanting to know more.

At home, I can almost guarantee you’ll be saying, “Did you know?” as you read!

Review: The Far-Out Five: Portal Loo Panic

Portal Loo Panic is the second book in the completely bonkers graphic novel series, The Far Out Five, written and illustrated by Olaf Falafel. (No need to worry if you missed the first book because this one opens with a funky-fresh recap rap to bring readers up to speed on all the characters and the story so far).

There is Spewnicorn, the punk unicorn, Tubbs, a bathtub with legs, Glossy Jeff, the way cool seal, and Bloof, the blue-footed booby. There is also Wally, the grumpy koala. 

The group are searching for Wally’s magic wand that they hope will transform them back into humans and get them home. They have one final place on their map to search, an island full of porta-loos which turn out to be gateways to 26 different dimensions. There are lands filled with quicksand, baked beans, belly-button fluff, and worst of all, Vlad, the evil music-hating Impala.

Review: Bert and Billy

You do NOT want to miss out on  this new one from the very talented Mark Carthew. Not just because it’s an entertaining narrative with a twist on a traditional tale but because it’s loaded with some wonderful teaching possibilities particularly for extending Smalls’ literary language and vocabulary skills.

There’s a very grotty troll living underneath a bridge who is also very grumpy. But his grumpiness is caused by the fact that he is lonely and would dearly love some friends. But who wants to be friends with someone so stinky and unkempt?

Review: The Wave

Birin Island is a home away from home for holidaymakers, but for 13-year-old Max, it is simply home. With the beach on his doorstep and his beloved dog, Ralph, never far away, life on the island feels familiar and safe — until a tsunami warning changes everything. With his mum stuck on the mainland, Ralph missing and the clock ticking, Max must find a way to reach higher ground. What follows is a tense race against time as Max tries to navigate the unfolding disaster and make it to safety.

Sarah Armstrong delivers a fast-paced survival adventure that knows exactly when to turn up the tension. Short chapters and plenty of cliffhanger endings make The Wave particularly well suited to readers who need a compelling reason to keep turning the page. The danger feels immediate without becoming overly frightening or graphic, making this an accessible high-stakes read for middle grade readers.

Review: Bah Humbug!

Do you count the days until Christmas? Do you love the festive season and all its tinsel and partying? You do? Then consider yourself a diehard Christmas bug!

But as we know, amongst us are those that deplore all the glitter and baubles and try to avoid it at all costs. And those cranky bugs are known as humbugs!

In this delightful book, Bah Humbug!, Andy Geppert presents to us a very cranky Christmas bug (a humbug) and his efforts to ruin all the magical things of Christmas for one family - the decorations, the preparations and the celebrations - by munching his way through each illustration.

Review: I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941

The I Survived series has a knack for bringing history to life through the experiences of young people, and I Survived: The Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941 is a strong example of how effectively this can work in graphic novel form.

Danny Crane has recently moved with his mother from New York City to Hawaii and is desperate to find a way back home. But his plans are quickly forgotten when Japanese fighter planes fill the skies over Pearl Harbor and Danny finds himself caught up in the attack.

Sunday Shelfie - Bird Park

Happy #sundayshelfie day! It is my pleasure to welcome Julie Murphy and Annie White. This week we are celebrating Julie and Annie's gorgeous picture book Bird Park.

Birds paddle and skedaddle.
They hop and drop and coo and woo.
See them walking! Hear them squawking!

Come and explore our magical Australian bird park! Can you spot all 61 bird species?

Imagine your local park and all the birds you can see there: galahs, magpies, cockatoos. In Bird Park you’ll be welcomed into a magical place that all Australian birds call home. 

Written by Julie Murphy 
Illustrated by Annie White
Published by National Library of Australia

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Meet the Illustrator: Michelle Conn

Name, title, location: Michelle Conn, author/illustrator, Wadawurrung Country, Torquay, Australia

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Warm, textured, story-rich illustrations infused with nature, childhood and magic.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Sketchbooks, reference books, good lighting, a hot cup of tea, and my iPad.

I also like having a knitting project nearby that I can pick up for a break.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Digital illustration with textured brushes, combined with traditional watercolour.

Review: What Jack Brought Back

Scruffy, joyful Jack loves to retrieve things. But each time his owner throws a stick, what Jack returns with is a fun filled surprise.
 

The reader is asked each time to guess what Jack brings back. Combinations such as rats and cats in hats and a goat in a coat in a boat are just two of the fabulous collections of ridiculous characters and amusing costumes and situations Jack returns with for his owner. These laugh out loud scenarios are always met with ‘Silly Jack! Take them back!’

Review; Bowerbird Brave

If you have not yet discovered the fantastic bowerbird series by Aura Parker, now is your chance. Bowerbird Brave is the fourth title in the series, and it is just as beautiful and whimsical as the books that have preceded it.

Before I get to the story, let me just stop and marvel at the glorious endpapers, a signature of Aura’s work. The opening spread is a golden daytime scene filled with so much detail that it is almost a story on its own. This of course includes the usual hidden objects for the reader to find. A quick flip to the back of the book shows that daytime has turned to night with beautiful greys and purples filling the space which again has a list of items to find.

Endpapers are the one place where artists can be free to create without being restricted by text placement. I would love to see more books embrace this space as Aura does.

Now that the scene has been set we open the first page to see a baby bowerbird with the line ‘I am an artist’. Above is the tiny bird’s creation, made with found objects (great illustration). I love this story already.

We continue along being witness to the artistic process as the baby dreams up designs and tests out various ways to bring these ideas to life.

‘I am carried away in the flurry of excitement,…‘Working late until the light is fading’… I am beginning to think this may be art reflecting life as I can easily picture Aura working late into the night, but I digress.

As the light fades and the night animals begin to emerge, our tiny bowerbird encounters a problem. The powerful owl is on the prowl. He is scary and confronting. The baby flees in fright feeling small and fragile.

What follows is a tale of courage and bravery. How does our hero emerge from hiding and confront the powerful owl, and what role do his artistic talents play?

Perhaps I am reading too much into things, but I think this story goes beyond that of a bowerbird family fending off a night time creature.

Children are born artists. They are inspired by everything around them and create magic from the simplest of things. But it takes just one person to undermine everything, making them feel small and unsure of who they are. Some children hide this part of themselves and stop creating altogether, forever fearful of what people might say. As a fellow ‘arty farty’ it can take a lot to stand up and believe in your work. One of the most powerful ways to do that is to find your tribe. ‘Asking. Trusting. Reaching out.’ Standing together with others that believe in you, can give you the courage you need to be brave.

Whether you see this parallel in Bowerbird Brave or not does not matter. Children will love this story regardless, especially the ending. The writing is rhythmical without needing to rhyme and the illustrations speak for themselves, just magical.

Bowerbird Brave will not only make the perfect classroom addition with its ability to link to so many topics, but with its stunning detailed pages it will be sure to be requested over and over for that bedtime read.

Make sure you check out the other titles in this series.

Title: Bowerbird Brave
Author/Illustrator: Aura Parker
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: 1 September 2026
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761727252
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

Review: The Everywhere Train

All aboard for an adventure you won’t want to miss!

Have you ever loved a book or a movie and wondered if the next one could possibly live up to it?

Well, I’m delighted to say The Everywhere Train is every bit as special as I hoped.

This is the second book created by the wonderful creative duo Deborah Frenkel and Danny Snell, and they have absolutely not disappointed!