Cirrus@Austlit

'An accidental purchase of a villa and a chaotic Eat, Pray, Love adventure in Italy changes one man's life. Accidentally buying a Sicilian villa for just one euro is not the great Eat, Pray, Love game changer that Brian Chapman hopes it would be. Instead, tumbledown buildings, a shortage of plumbers, and resentful locals make Brian's drunken whim look like the biggest mistake of his chequered career so far. Who could believe that an outbreak of swearing would lead not only to cultural reconciliation but to this very Australian fish out of water finding true love in Italy?' (Publication summary)

'The story of Robin Miller - the woman who single-handedly flew life-saving vaccines in her own plane to remote communites. Imagine flying solo, crisscrossing the north-west of Australia in your own plane, and single-handedly delivering life-saving vaccines to remote communities. Robin Miller did this, and at a time when most people didn't think women should be pilots at all. Her arrival seemed like magic to the outback children who received her polio vaccine on sugar cubes. Before long, she became known as the Sugarbird Lady. And this was just the start of Robin's extraordinary real-life adventures!' (Publication summary)

'These 18 stories of courage will have you weeping, laughing and celebrating moments of bravery. Women of a Certain Courage is an uplifting read that follows the long tradition of women supporting and guiding other women. These 18 stories of courage will have you weeping, laughing and celebrating moments of bravery. With tales of activism, of finding a voice, escaping domestic violence, battling and much more, Women of a Certain Courage will inspire awe with the myriad ways women prevail and demonstrate courage.' (Publication summary)

'From the author of the Backyard series, Palyku author Helen Milroy, comes an exciting picture book about bush bubs!This delightful collection of illustrated Australian baby animals is sure to capture the hearts of readers big and small. From adorable numbat joeys to fuzzy little wombats, this is a cute and educational early reader picture book introducing tiny readers to tiny bush babies.' (Publication summary)

'Award-winning author-illustrator James Foley releases an exciting new story about the divide between the Bigfoots and the Yetis, and their struggle to reconcile.The Bigfoots and the Yetis live on either side of the great rift. They have been fighting for as long as anyone can remember. Every day, the Bigfoots throw fruit at the Yetis, and the Yetis throw snowballs at the Bigfoots. But one day, one Bigfoot and one Yeti decide to find what lies at the end of the rift. But what they find at the end of the rift is something completely unexpected. And the relationship between the Bigfoots and the Yetis is about to change forever.' (Publication summary)

'Written by award-winning and bestselling author Helen Milroy, this is a richly woven story about courage and adventure. Calla is born with a precious gift - she can talk to the dingoes. It is her special job to learn their ways and to look after them. But when new people come to her land, Calla and her family are forced to move away from her beloved dingoes. Meanwhile, one of Calla's favourite dingoes, a cheeky little pup named Chichi, escapes from danger through a special cave. When he emerges in a different time and place and is befriended by a young girl named Sunny, she takes him to meet her grandmother, and discover that they already know each other - Sunny's grandmother is Calla! Together they work to get the dingoes safely back to country.' (Publication summary)

'A heart-wrenching romance set around WWII that was shortlisted for 2023 Fogarty Literary Award. Sarah Willis longs to free herself from the expectations of a privileged upbringing, while Winston Keller can't afford the luxury of a dream. Despite their differences, the pair are drawn together in a whirlwind romance that defies the boundaries of class. But when a dark family secret pulls the young lovers apart, and WWII plunges the world into chaos, it seems impossible they will ever find their way back to each other - or even hold onto the dream of what might have been.'(Publication summary)

'Build a calmer sleep routine with this adorable new book. Lilly May tries to count calming, soothing sheep to help her get to sleep, but Lilly May's sheep aren't the calmly kind. All 10 of them are up to no good and it takes a lot of finagling before all of them are tucked up in bed and fast asleep.' (Publication summary)

'A devastating separation from her partner Josh has left Georgie emotionally and financially shattered. So when Nico, her boss-turned-lover, invites her to join him on a high-stakes bid in Canada, she seizes the opportunity, even though it means abandoning her nephew Tommy, the only person in her life right now who gives her unconditional love.

'As Georgie strives to keep her affair a secret while trying to impress Nico’s super demanding boss, Randy Kuchma, it feels as if her partnership in the firm, as well as personal redemption, are almost within her grasp.

'But from the rugged landscapes of north-western Australia to the bleak wilderness of western Canada, Georgie discovers that in every resource-dependent boom town, the trappings of wealth are intertwined with heartache and loss – especially when the person who needs you most is the one that you need too.' (Publication summary)

'Whether it's escaping boarding school, or buying hormones from the local speed dealer, Geraldine is open to all the world has to offer - even if the world doesn't quite know what to make of her.

'This is the story of a woman who changes the world that wants to change her. Geraldine is born with an adventurer's heart. Whether it's escaping from boarding school in Rhodesia, or buying hormones from the local speed dealer in Weston-super-Mare, Geraldine is open to all the world has to offer - even if the world doesn't quite know what to make of her. Arriving in Australia as an adolescent, Geraldine finds solace and self-discovery through music. As she grows into a woman, she not only inspires others but also learns to be accepted for who she truly is.'  (Publication summary)

'A group of teenagers on schoolies find themselves confronting life-changing tragedy head-on in this electrifying novel by an award-winning YA author.

A group of school-leavers- free at last, ready to party, expectations high. And even though a remote island on the Western Australian coast wasn't exactly the plan, they're not going to let that hold them back.

'Leonardo, geeky, asthmatic, shy and prone to anxiety, has landed with them. He's terrified-he's definitely not part of this cool gang. Super high-achiever Kaiya is trying to forget her frustration with her drug-addicted sister as well as dealing with pressure from the popular girls to lose her virginity. Mason, footy jock with the physique to match, is coming to terms with his secret desire for his best mate, Jared. And Jared wants a week off from his relationship with Val so he can have sex with as many girls as possible.

'But the party takes a dangerous turn when Val is drugged and a man is found dead on the beach. Blame, fear, mistrust, coverups, power plays and dark secrets tear the group apart and expose the deadly tensions beneath the surface. And each teen is forced to confront demons that will lead them either to devastating tragedy or transformative triumph.

'Whoever survives the week will never be the same again.

'The Brink is a raw, powerful novel that pulls no punches in its authentic exploration of masculinity, sexuality, mental health, drug and alcohol use, relationships and sex. Holden Sheppard takes the teenage experience to the next level.'  (Publication summary)

Cambridge linguist Edvard Tøssentern, presumed dead, reappears after a balloon crash. When he staggers in from a remote swamp, gravely ill and swollen beyond recognition, his colleagues at the research station are overjoyed. But Edvard’s discovery about a rare giant bird throws them all into the path of an international crime ring. [Publisher's blurb]

'My granny and her friends go to the beach, and I go too. When they hit the surf, they duck and dive and twist and turn. It looks like lots of fun. But I don't want to go in the water. There are strange things under the waves.' (From the publisher's website.)

'House is the story of a lonely little house, all by itself in the world, without anyone to open its front door. House abandons its foundations and launches into the sky in search of a friend. From its aerial vantage it can see the whole world – and then, it comes across someone just like it; someone lonely; a child, all by herself in the middle of a storm. House whisks her away to safety, and as the lonely little girl slowly makes her way through each room, she discovers the wonders inside – the fantastical contraptions, the kitchen preparing anything you please, the periscope that lets you watch the world roll by down on the ground. House is a place of calm, of distraction, and of rest – the house is a friend to someone in need.'  (Publication summary)

'Award-winning, bestselling Indigenous creator Helen Milroy is a master storyteller, and her vibrant digital artwork captures the colours of Country in her picture book, The Boab Tree.

'Little Boab is lost and far, far from home. Surrounded by tall, unfriendly trees, he feels all alone. But the friendship of some of the small forest dwellers gives him hope. With a little luck, some clever planning and the help of his new friends, Boab might just find his way back to Country.'  (Publication summary)

'When Olive and her friends find a mysterious stone and discover it grants wishes, they think their lives are made. Sure, they’re going to save the world and all that stuff, but there are a few fun things they want to do first. Then they realise other people are looking for the stone. People who will stop at nothing to get it …

'As the stakes get higher, secrets are kept, loyalties are questioned, and promises are broken. How much are Olive and her friends willing to risk to make all their dreams come true?

'Sometimes funny, sometimes scary, always gripping, this is an endearing story of friendship, family and navigating your way in the world.'  (Publication summary)

'From the author of When I Can Fly and Wombat Can't Sing, comes a visually stunning picture book about making friends.

'When Quokka meets Seal, he wants to be friends. Quokka thinks that making Seal smile would be a great way to start. But, despite his best efforts, Seal doesn't smile. Can they be friends after all?

'This latest picture book from children's author Katie Stewart features much-loved Australian animals and aims to teach children the value of understanding each other's differences.'  (Publication summary)

'When Briony first meets Ren, he is standing in the freezing sea at the edge of their tiny town.

'Ren hasn’t been home for a decade but has returned to be with his dying father.

'Briony won’t leave, hoping that Sarah, her missing sister, will one day reappear.

'But Sarah and her friend Aria have been stranded on a desolate island far off the coast. The longer they’re trapped there, the less alone they seem.

'How many secrets in this town have been swallowed by the brooding sea?' (Publication summary)

'Australian icon Kylie Minogue is the musical muse for this sparkling new anthology. Twenty-four writers, a third of whom identify as LGBTQIA+, used a Kylie Minogue song as the springboard for a new, original piece of work, covering the genres of crime, memoir, speculative fiction, poetry and science fiction – from Kylie’s 1987 release ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ all the way through to her newest album ‘Tension’.' (Publication summary)