Cirrus@Austlit

'Sometimes, wondering is the only way to see the wonder that's all around. And so buckle up, reader, for a story with all its glorious strange bits still attached on an epic adventure of What on Earths.

'One elephant, one kakapo, one unlicensed teenage driver, one boy waiting for the world to end and one twelve-year-old girl with a very special gift.

'Sal has always had an affinity with animals - especially the lost kind. And so when a kakapo appears at her window, she befriends it. And when an elephant walks into town, Sal feels compelled to help it... but how?

'This wonder-filled adventure celebrates the unusual and the misfits in a poignant and timely story about family and friendship, finding your voice and our connection with the world...' (Publication summary)

'Everyone deserves a bit of grand . . .

'From ordinary to extraordinary, Vincent and the Grandest Hotel on Earth is a marvellous ride that will delight readers of all ages.

'Perched high on the snowy slopes of the Mabombo Ranges lies The Grandest Hotel on Earth. It’s wilder than the African savanna, more fantastical than Disneyland and more magical than Shangri-la.

'So when ordinary eleven-year-old Vincent meets the hotel’s young Florence he sets off on a path leading into his most wondrous dreams.

'But of course, dreams have a funny way of taking strange and surprising turns and, before long, Vincent is torn between right and wrong, friendship and family and the most enticing of desires – to see into the future . . .

'Warning: this book includes insanely cute pocket dogs, travelling by llama or jet pack, chocolate fountains and shoes that play Bach.' (Publication summary)

'Dr Boogaloo was no ordinary doctor. Not at all like the one you might visit if you had a sore tummy. No, Dr Boogaloo was a very different type of doctor. He treated folks who suffered from rather unusual complaints. And how did he treat them? Why, with the most powerful medicine known to mankind . . . Music!

'Blue was no ordinary girl. For starters, her name was Blue. But what was truly extraordinary about Blue was the fact that she hadn't laughed for 712 days. Not a hee hee, a ho ho or even a tiny tee hee.

'According to Dr Boogaloo, music can cure anything. (Of course, you need the right dose of the right music. No point listening to a jive if you're in need of some boogie-woogie, and you can't just substitute a toot for a blow!) But no laughter was definitely a case for alarm.

'Can Dr Boogaloo compose a cure before Blue loses her laughter forever?' (Publication summary)

'The Ballad of Dexi Lee is a classic misfit tale about a little girl. A little girl with giant hands. Life for Dexi is tough. With her very big hands come some very big problems. Then, a trip to the zoo transforms her world. There she discovers a world of animals with all sorts of strange and unusual features. Dexi suddenly realises being different is actually pretty clever. Using rhyme and repetition, the book is beautifully illustrated with colour paintings by award-winning artist Lucy Culliton.' (Publisher's blurb)