Cirrus@Austlit

'Twelve-year-old Art and his younger brother Hilary are great friends, best friends. When they move to Melbourne from a small town in Queensland things seem to be easy for Hilary, who is still in primary school, but Art struggles to fit in, and he’s become a target for school bully Jack. His dad is too busy to give him much attention, but Art has his stepmum, Sally, who is always ready to listen. And there’s paperbark tree. Art and Hilary climb into its branches and hold a secret meeting whenever they need to sort things out. The only problem is Art’s not sure he still wants to be part of the paperbark tree committee. He’s getting older and he thinks he needs to solve his problems on his own

'The Paperbark Tree Committee is a heartfelt story about growing up and leaving childhood behind; it’s about family and being a good brother, fitting in and finding friends, and about making mistakes and learning from them'  (Publication summary)

'It’s the start of the summer holidays and twelve-year-old Bertie is worried. Next year she’s going to a high school in the city, while all her friends stay behind in Merri, the small town she’s lived in all her life.

'To help her feel better prepared for high school, her best friend, Claire, makes a list of tasks Bertie has to complete over the summer. They start working through the list together, only to find that some of the cracks in their friendship are beginning to show. Soon, Bertie’s not even sure she’ll have one friend by the end of the summer.

'All the Little Tricky Things is a charming, heartfelt novel about a time when everything is changing, and a girl who’s trying to make sense of it all.'(Publication summary)

'In her first column for 2019, high school library manager Karys McEwen argues that young people have much to gain from interacting with authors in person—but authors need to be supported.'

"Karen Foxlee's new middle-grade novel, Lenny's Book of Everything is a 'bittersweet tale about heartbreak and healing' with 'a sense of whimsy that never feels forced.' Reviewer Karys McEwan spoke to the author." (Introduction)