Cirrus@Austlit

'A gently lyrical story about discovering Country and the importance of family, friendship and the magic of the bush, from an emerging Indigenous talent and winner of a black&write! Fellowship.

'When eleven-year-old Alex moves to Adelaide from London after her mother gets engaged to a man across the globe, Alex must negotiate a new country, a new school, and (most difficult of all) a new stepbrother, the prickly teenaged Koen.

'What sustains Alex in this strange new world is the wonder of the natural world around her, particularly a magnificent tree that comes to represent magic, resilience and strength.

'Alex discovers the mystery of the bush, the true impact of climate change and a passion to fight for what is right.'  (Publication summary)

'People are like rainbows - each colour is different, and you can choose to be any colour of the rainbow. A gentle look at gender diversity and acceptance by non-binary transgender poet Rae White, with illustrations from award-winning artist Sha'an d'Anthes.

'Jem is a kid who sometimes loves wearing yellow dresses and sometimes loves wearing blue jeans. They feel like a girl when searching for bugs and lizards in the rain, and like a boy when running around under the sun. And when there's a rainbow in the sky, they feel like a boy and a girl, like both and neither.

'Some adults in Jem's life only want to see in black and white, leaving Jem confused about what choices they have, until Mum helps them with a different and wonderful way of seeing the world.'  (Publication summary)

'Explore over 140 of the world's most extraordinary animals in this beautifully illustrated book from CBCA award-winning author-illustrator Jennifer Cossins.

'Did you know the immortal jellyfish has the longest lifespan of any creature on Earth? Or that the dung beetle is the strongest animal for its body size?

'Get ready to explore the record-holders of the animal kingdom, from the animals that can dive the deepest in the ocean to those that can fly the highest in the sky. Perfect for readers aged 7+ who love learning about the world around them.'  (Publication summary)

'A beautiful picture book about learning to swim in the waves at the beach, from acclaimed author Pip Harry and award-winning illustrator Hilary Jean Tapper

'I'm jumping waves at the beach with Dad.
If they're small I can leap over their frothy peaks.
Easy!
But further out, when they're big, you have to duck dive under.

'Maisie is learning about ocean swimming at the beach. The small waves are easy, but how will she know when to dive under the bigger ones? And will she be brave enough to try? Lucky Dad is there to help her.

'A beautiful picture book from acclaimed author Pip Harry and award-winning illustrator Hilary Jean Tapper.'  (Publication summary)

'Discover the incredible features and characteristics of some of the natural world's most fascinating extinct and critically endangered animals in the latest gorgeously illustrated hardcover encyclopaedia from award-winning author and illustrator Sami Bayly.

'Pore over beautifully detailed illustrations of some of the most fascinating extinct and critically endangered animals in the natural world. Discover how these species fit into the history of the animal kingdom and why they have become extinct or are under threat.

'Featuring facts and astonishing illustrations about sixty amazing animals, including the Western black rhino, thylacine, dodo, South Island giant moa and Tapanuli orangutan, as well as megafauna such as the giant wombat-like diprotodon and the crocodile-like Quinkana. Plus creatures with mysterious origins like Delcourt's giant gecko.

'Children and adults alike will wonder at the contribution these animals have made to the natural world while being reminded of the importance of wildlife conservation.'  (Publication summary)

'An A-to-Z celebration of the chaos and tenderness of the toddler years - that bittersweet window of domestic life when each day is a magical bunfight that you wouldn't trade for anything . . . or would you? From bestselling and award-winning author Davina Bell and critically acclaimed illustrator Jennifer Falkner.

'A is for aeroplane, all-gone and ant

And the apple you bit and then dropped in a plant

B is for bubbles and bee-buzz in blossoms

For bruises and bottles and bare bathtime bottoms

'A tender and funny journey through the toddler years, that never-ending but also gone-in-a-flash time when both love and mayhem reign supreme.' (Publication summary)

'George the Wizard loves life on top of his mountain. He loves speeding around on his flying cloud, playing hide-and-seek with the animals and looking after his crystal gardens.

'The only thing missing from life on George's mountain is friends to share it all with. But does George have the courage to show others who he really is?

'An uplifting story about friendship and the rewards that come from being the real you, from beloved TV personality TONY ARMSTRONG, with artwork by EMMA SJAAN BEUKERS.'  (Publication summary)

'A beautifully illustrated story about learning and making mistakes -- If we don't get things right away, we'll try again another day.

'Bodies grow and brains do, too. Always learning -- me and you.

'If we don't get things straight away, we'll try again another day.

'We all know learning can be hard and life skills don't always come right away ... sometimes, we need to keep trying! A rhythmic and fun read-aloud from the trusted author of All Bodies Are Good Bodies and From My Head To My Toes, What I Say Goes, this life-affirming book will appeal to fans of All the Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell.' (Publication summary)

'As the sun goes down on Christmas Eve, a little star rises up and watches over the celebrations below.

'One family hangs a wreath on their door, another plays on the beach, another gives a present to someone who needs it more. The little star shines brighter as they share in the joy and magic of this special night.

'A heartwarming, contemporary lullaby for little ones to listen to as they snuggle up at bedtime, The Brightest Christmas Star gently acknowledges that Christmas means different things to different people, but at the heart of it all is love. A perfect gift for baby's first Christmas, or for families seeking a book that reflects the Australian Christmas experience in an inclusive way that doesn't focus on Santa Claus or traditional family structures.' (Publication summary)

'Alytash and Leopold - Tash and Leo - are neighbours who used to be best friends, but aren't anymore, for reasons that Leo doesn't entirely understand. But now it's the last week of Year Six and Tash is standing in Leo's front yard with a misdelivered letter - and a favour to ask.

'It's a request that will set off a chain of events in their little crescent in Noble Park, a suburb that is changing, and fast.

'As they solve an unfolding neighbourhood mystery and help Ms Shepparson, a reclusive neighbour with a tragic past, Tash and Leo each has to confront fault lines in their own recent histories and families.

'They will discover that friendships can grow and change, that bravery takes many forms, and that, most of all - whatever the future holds - friends and family are what matter.' (Publication summary)

'A lost heiress must infiltrate an arcane society and live with the vampire she suspects killed her family and kidnapped her sister in this dangerously romantic dark academia debut.

Orphan Kidan Adane is the heiress to a fallen House of humans bound to vampiric creatures known as draniacs. As a human, it is her responsibility to study and nurture the relationships between draniacs and humans at Uxlay University. But when her sister is kidnapped and Kidan suspects that her own house draniac, the enigmatic Susenyos, is to blame, she heads down a violent path towards vengeance, willing to hurt anyone who stands in her way.' (Publication summary)

'Follow a cast of sport-loving kids as they hop through the backyards of their neighbourhood in the Kimberley, collecting equipment and friends to play with as they go, from award-winning creators Carl Merrison and Samantha Campbell.

'Mum loves tennis, but we don't have a court out here.
One day, she gets out her old racquets and takes me into the backyard.
'I'll teach you how to play,' Mum says, and our tennis adventure begins.

'A joyful series that celebrates sport, where the fun only grows with family and friends!' (Publication summary)

'Every single minute, of every single day, a child somewhere loses a baby tooth.

'But what happens to all those teeth?

'They are collected by the tooth fairy, of course! Or the tooth fairies - because there is more than just one tooth fairy. In fact, there are millions! Like us, they are all different.

'And now there is an informative and fully illustrated guide that's jam-packed with answers to every child's tooth fairy questions, like: What do tooth fairies eat? Where do they live? How do they collect your tooth - and what on earth do they do with it?

'Find out everything there is to know about the magical (and sometimes just a little bit gross) world of the tooth fairy!' (Publication summary)

'A gorgeous and moving book that celebrates finding yourself, the value of trying and the wonders of music from a talented new author and illustrator.

'Plum worries she's not good at anything. Big Brother is good at climbing trees and Second Brother is good at painting, but when Plum tries to join them, she discovers climbing and painting aren't really for her. Then she hears piano notes for the first time and her heart flips over like a pancake on a hot pan. Could playing the piano be the thing that's truly meant for her?

'Pancakes for Plum is a gentle, whimsical celebration of self-discovery, beautifully illustrated by remarkable new author-illustrator Rae Tan.' (Publication summary)

'From three-time Paralympian swimmer, medal-winner and disability advocate Sarah Rose, comes a big-hearted guide to disability, full of letters, learnings and laughs from a disabled person to you.

'A is for Ability is an A to Z of celebrating what makes each of us unique, featuring bold, brightly coloured artwork by award-winning illustrator Beck Feiner - including the Auslan sign for each letter of the alphabet.' (Publication summary)

'Did you know that a bolt of lightning is five times hotter than the Sun? Or that slugs have four noses? How about that humans share 50 per cent of our DNA with bananas? Freddie Spector, the world's greatest fact collector, knows all these things and so much more.

'Freddie Spector loves collecting facts - about anything and everything. His latest obsession is space. It's all he talks about: stars, planets, galaxies, astronauts, space travel - and, of course UFOs and extraterrestrials. Freddie writes all his facts on sticky notes that his mum and big sister, Henrietta, keep finding in weird places - like in their sock drawers or their sandwiches.

'But whenever Freddie collects facts on a topic, his very active imagination always gets involved too. And, after noticing some very suspicious goings-on, Freddie realises it's up to him to discover the answer to a burning question: could aliens have landed in his neighbourhood?

'Fast-paced and funny, this series is all about an everyday eight-year-old boy whose love of facts and extraordinary imagination come together with unexpected and hilarious results.' (Publication summary)

'Did you know that lawnmower racing is a sport? Or that cranberries bounce? How about that Gentoo penguins can bodysurf?

'Freddie Spector loves collecting facts - about anything and everything. At the moment he's obsessed with facts about sport. It's all he talks about: weird sports, Olympic sports, extreme sports, athletes and sporting history. He writes all his facts on sticky notes that his mum and big sister, Henrietta, keep finding in weird places - like in a cup of coffee or the shower.

'But whenever Freddie collects facts on a topic, his very active imagination always gets involved too. And, when the medals for the school sports carnival go missing and the carnival is about to be cancelled, Freddie realises it's up to him to solve the mystery and save the day.

'Fast-paced and humorous, this series is all about an everyday eight-year-old boy whose love of facts and extraordinary imagination come together with unexpected and hilarious results.' (Publication summary)