Cirrus@Austlit

'From the author of the stunning Bear and Rat comes a powerful, heartfelt gem about the strength of community and the magic that can come from the innocence of a child.

'In a fractured old house
with a wiggly sign
lived a bent old man, alone.

'But it wasn't always this way...

'When Mr Singer's wife went away, the colour and life disappeared from Dragon Hall.
Can his young friend Evan help to bring back the dragons and the magic?' (Publication summary)

'The amazing true story of Jean Robertson and Kathleen Howell, who helped map Australia.

'In 1928, girls don't drive cars, let alone race them, until two fearless and intrepid best friends make history, racing across Australia and beating the land speed record ... with Barney the dog in tow!' (Publication summary)

'A is for Attitude.

'May you have bucketloads of it, kid.

' B is for Brave and Bold.

'Two good things to be.

'This affirming alphabet story advocates for every single kid. It is a reminder to be yourself, without apology. And no matter the zig-zag journey, don't ever give up on dreams.' (Publication summary)

'Every day, children all over the world are travelling to school — by bus, by canoe, through valleys, over mountains and snow. How do you get to school?

'With themes of diversity and culture, On the Way to School celebrates the joy and challenges of travelling to school'  (Publication summary)

'Penny has a massive imagination. She loves to draw up plans, gather her tools and turn sketches and scribbles into new creations.

'One day, she visits her grandpa’s house and is amazed at his gadgets and gizmos. He has a telephone hanging on his wall, an organ with bellows to pump and a contraption with a handle to churn homemade butter.

'Then Penny discovers grandpa’s garage …

'Christopher Cheng’s The Imagineer is a beautiful story about an inquisitive little girl whose imagination is sparked by the things around her. It also highlights the value in spending time with a grandparent and learning from their lived experience.'  (Publication summary)

'A delightful story about the special bond between a boy and his cat, from the award-winning team, Sonya Hartnett and Lucia Masciullo, celebrating friendship, courage and the value of those we love.

'A delightful story from the award-winning team who brought us Come Down, Cat! that celebrates friendship, courage and the value of those we love.

'When Nicholas finds a silver coin in the garden, he tells his cat,
'I can buy liquorice with this!'
Nicholas loves liquorice more than almost anything.
'Stay home, cat,' he says, and sets out for the shop.
But as Nicholas walks down the street he hears a voice he knows . . .' (Publication summary)

'Penny has a massive imagination. She loves to draw up plans, gather her tools and turn sketches and scribbles into new creations.

'One day, she visits her grandpa’s house and is amazed at his gadgets and gizmos. He has a telephone hanging on his wall, an organ with bellows to pump and a contraption with a handle to churn homemade butter.

'Then Penny discovers grandpa’s garage …

'Christopher Cheng’s The Imagineer is a beautiful story about an inquisitive little girl whose imagination is sparked by the things around her. It also highlights the value in spending time with a grandparent and learning from their lived experience.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Hi! I'm Katie.
'I have a wobbly tooth that won't come out! But it's not going to spoil my trip to the beach. We're going to eat mangoes and play beach cricket!'  (Publication summary)

'It's not easy being imaginary ...

'Rupert isn't real, but he has a real friend, William. They both love sport, painting and music and have amazing adventures together in William's imagination.

But why can't they have the adventures that Rupert wants? And what will happen if William no longer wants an imaginary friend?

'A heartwarming story of friendship, identity and the power of imagination from bestselling author David Hunt and award-winning illustrator Lucia Masciullo.'   (Publication summary)

'Children will love the humour and catchy rhymes of the twenty-nine poems featuring manic TVs, monsters and everything in between.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'It's 1941 . . . and the war is changing Pearlie's life every day. Darwin is full of soldiers, there's a spy on the loose, her beloved pets are in danger and people are turning against Pearlie's best friend, Naoko, just because she's Japanese. When everything falls apart, will Pearlie be brave enough to stick up for what's right? Timid, kind, and courageous, Pearlie is an unforgettable Australian Girl.'(Publication summary)

'If you were walking through the woods
and a hole you came upon,
would you stop and take a look?
Or simply carry on?

'One by one, a group of animals come upon a strange black hole in the middle of the woods. What is lurking down below? And is that its tummy rumbling? Read on to find out ...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

There was once a tiny man who loved apple pie, and the apples from his orchard - tart and sweet and clear - made the perfect filling. When his orchards are crowded out by a growing city, he learns how to transform his altered world so he can continue to bake the perfect apple pie. An inspiring story about urban greening and creative adaptation to change. (Source: back cover)

'The third adventure in this incomparably witty and charming series from award-winning author Katrina Nannestad How absolutely splendid! Dust the doorknobs. Polish the silver. Roll out the red carpet. The Queen is coming to Mrs Groves' Boarding School for Naughty Boys, Talking Animals and Circus Performers for tea! Nothing, absolutely nothing, could possibly spoil this right royal moment. Except for the return of scheming villain, Pig McKenzie ... and the arrival of a strange, harsh woman called Thistlebloom ... and the fact that the Inspector of Schools has promised to close the doors of Groves forever if the Queen's visit does not run smoothly ... Oh deary, deary me! Nothing ever runs smoothly at Groves! Someone needs to take control. Someone clever, brave and practical. Someone with big ideas and an even bigger heart. Someone named Olive. But does our beloved heroine have what it takes, or is this the end of Groves, once and for all? Ages 8-12' (Publication summary)

'What happens when the dearest of friends want to go in different directions? Edwina Wyatt's perceptive story about individuality tells how friends find ways to be together, even when they are apart. Sensitive and evocative illustrations by award-winning Lucia Masciullo bring love, bafflement and loneliness to life in this endearing ode to timeless friendship.' (Publication summary)

'The hilarious debut picture book from the award-winning and bestselling author of GIRT. This is a book with a grossness that kids will love, and with a message that parents will adore.Oliver has a bad habit. A very bad habit. He just can't keep his fingers out of his nose, which is a big problem for the tiny pixies who mine his 'nose gold' to keep their cities running.The Nose Pixies return to their kingdom with empty handkerchiefs night after night. And unless their luck changes, they'll be out of a job ... or worse! A wickedly funny, deliciously clever cautionary tale from award‐winning creators David Hunt and Lucia Masciullo. Ages 4-8 yrs.' (Publication summary)

'Olive is gobsmacked. Basil Heffenhuffenheimer has just hiked out of the Black Forest in 1857 and into Mrs Groves' Boarding School for Naughty Boys, Talking Animals and Circus Performers. When he offers to take Olive into the past, she cannot resist a time-travelling adventure. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

'Plenty, dear reader. Plenty!

'When Olive and her friends return to the present with a hungry dinosaur, an Elizabethan pirate and a scissor-happy servant boy, strange and disturbing things start to happen at Groves. Furthermore, 'new' student, Pigg McKenzie, is taking an uncomfortable interest in the dangers and disasters of time travel. Can Basil and Olive keep control of their adventures, or will the Time Slurp and a certain villainous pig have their wicked way?' (Publication summary)

'Henry will do anything to win the hand of his beloved Carmelita. He is inventive and determined, and nothing is going to stand in his way. Except maybe a niggling feeling that something is not quite right.' (Source: Publisher's blurb)

'Olive lives with her beloved grandparents in a small, isolated community. Her grandparents have scrimped and saved to send her to boarding school where she can meet kids her own age. It's not exactly what Olive expected, in fact, Mrs Groves' Boarding School for Naughty Boys, Talking Animals and Circus Performers isn't what anybody really expected!

'Faced with disappointing her grandparents, Olive, who is not a boy nor a talking animal, pretends to be an acrobat so that she can stay on. Now she has a month to learn how to leap, somersault and overcome her fear of heights.

'With exploding lamingtons, a vicious school bully, talking animals and new faces, can Olive leap over these obstacles, become an actual acrobat and find a place to fit in?' (Publication summary)

'Molly made … slippery duck pasta for her brother's headmaster, spit-roasted geese for the local police, and Singapore noodles for the Montague poodles!

'After making a curry for her neighbour Murray, Molly's delicious dishes are in demand. Now everyone wants a taste of her cooking! Before long, Molly's making meals for people in her street, suburb and then people in other cities and even other countries.

'But when an unexpected accident means Molly can't cook, it's time for Molly to accept kindness in return from her neighbours.

'A fun and entertaining story about food, neighbours and kindness.' (Publication summary)