Kids
Our August 2023 children's and young adult bestsellers
One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus
Welcome to Sex! by Dr Melissa Kang & Yumi Stynes
The World’s Worst Monsters by David Walliams
Ghost Book by Remy Lai
Scar Town by Tristan Bancks
Never a hero by Vanessa Len
The Skull by Jon Klassen
It’s the Sound of the Thing by Maxine Beneba Clarke
This Camp is Doomed by Anna Zobel
Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures by Jason Pamment
Storm by Jane Bunn
The winners of the CBCA Shadow Judging Book of the Year Awards
The winners of the 2023 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shadow Judging Book of the Year Awards have been announced. Inaugurated in 2022, the awards this year were judged by over 2000 young readers from more than 250 groups across Australia.
A vibrant network of young readers, from emerging to young adult, dive deeply into the 2023 CBCA Shortlist and express their opinions and share their responses as judges ‘shadowing’ the CBCA Judges. They use the same criteria to…
The Readings Children's Prize shortlist 2023
Now in its 10th year, The Readings Children's Prize is presented to the best contribution to Australian children’s literature from an emerging author.
Our staff judges for the 2023 prize are Katey Bellew (chair of judges, Readings Kids), Kate McIntosh (manager of Readings Emporium) and Janine Larson (Readings Kids). We're proud to announce this year's six Children's Prize shortlist titles, and look forward to sharing our Young Adult Prize and New Australian Fiction Prize shortlists soon!
The winners of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards 2023
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced their Book of the Year Awards winners for 2023. These Awards celebrate the best Australian books for readers in early childhood up to young adult readers.
Here are the winners for each category:
Older Readers (Ages 13-18 years)
Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for readers in their secondary years of schooling. Ages 13-18 years.
Note: Books in this…
Our July 2023 children's and young adult bestsellers
Welcome to Sex! by Dr Melissa Kang & Yumi Stynes
Inkflower by Suzy Zail
Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures by Jason Pamment
Sink or Swim (Wolf Girl, Book 9) by Anh Do
It’s the Sound of the Thing by Maxine Beneba Clarke
The Bad Guys Episode 17: Let the Games Begin! (Full Colour Edition) by Aaron Blabey
Blind Spot by Robyn Dennison
The Skull by Jon Klassen
Australia: Country of Colour by Jess Racklyeft
Our June 2023 children and young adult bestsellers
Sunshine on Vinegar Street by Karen Comer
Wilam: A Birrarung Story by Andrew Kelly & Aunty Joy Murphy
With a Little Sprinkle of Courage by Jackie Case
Welcome To Country by Aunty Joy Murphy & Lisa Kennedy
The Bad Guys Episode 17: Let the Games Begin! by Aaron Blabey
The Sun and the Star (from the World of Percy Jackson) by Rick Riordan & Mark Oshiro
Custodians (Wylah the Koorie Warrior, Book 2) by Jordan Gould & Richard Pritchard
Exit…
Favourites from our Magabala collection
During the month of July we are delighted to have a special offer on some of the best children's books from Australia’s leading First Nations publishing house, Magabala Books.
Aboriginal owned and led, Magabala Books champions the talent and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices. We're highlighting some of our favourites below, but pay us a visit instore to browse the full range and purchase 3 books for the price of 2. This offer is available, while stock…
BookPeople 2023 Book of the Year winners
The 2023 BookPeople Book of the Year winners have been announced! These awards celebrate the best books of the year, as judged by Australian book industry members. In addition to book honours, these annual awards also celebrate the wonderful work of Australian booksellers and this year our Managing Director Mark Rubbo was chosen as Bookseller of the Year!
Below are the winners titles from across the three categories.
Adult fiction book of the year
Limberlost by Robbie Arnott
Adult nonfiction…
Our May 2023 children and young adult bestsellers
A Hunger of Thorns by Lili Wilkinson
The Sun and the Star (from the World of Percy Jackson) by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro
Sunshine on Vinegar Street by Karen Comer
Robodog by David Williams
The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman
Let the Games Begin! (the Bad Guys: Episode 17) by Aaron Blabey
With a Little Sprinkle of Courage by Jackie Case
Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea (The Adventures of Dog Man, Book 11) by Dav Pilkey
…
Engaging new picture books for young readers
Twenty Questions by Mac Barnett, Christian Robinson (illus.)
Not all questions have answers. Some have more than one answer. And others have endless answers, unfolding out to the edges of the world. In this sparse yet expansive narrative, acclaimed author Mac Barnett poses twenty questions both playful and profound. Some make us giggle. Others challenge our assumptions. The result is a quirky, wandering exploration of where the best questions lead – to stories.
Intriguing, richly interactive, and brought to vivid…
Cosy graphic novels for when the weather turns frosty
It's getting colder and if you're anything like me, there's nothing you'd rather do than snuggle up with a book. This blog is full of cosy graphic novels to help you choose what to pick up next.
For those who needs a little bit of courage...
Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen
Garlic feels as though she’s always doing something wrong. At least with her friend Carrot by her side and the kindly Witch Agnes encouraging her, Garlic is…
New and recommended children's books in May
We have so many delightful new Australian books to celebrate this month, beginning with our Book of the Month, the gorgeous new picture book by artist, Kat Macleod. There’s also a hilarious picture book about a sea cucumber, a stunning new Jeannie Baker, as well as new junior and middle fiction stories that are truly delightful. Read on to discover more.
CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Tiny Tailors by Kat McLeod
The new book by Kat Macleod, featuring the…
Our April 2023 children and young adult bestsellers
Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea (The Adventures of Dog Man, Book 11) by Dav Pilkey
Pasta! by Felice Arena & Beatrice Cerocchi
The Garden at the End of the World by Cassy Polimeni and Briony Stewart (illus)
Robodog by David Williams
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
The Bowerbird by Julia Donaldson and Catherine Rayner (illus)
The Glow by Sofie Laguna & Marc McBride (illus)
Memorable mums in children's literature
As we look forward to another Mother’s Day, we’ve been reflecting on some of our most unique and iconic mums in children's books. Maybe they made us laugh, or made us feel safe and loved. Or perhaps they challenged us to extend ourselves and step beyond our comfort zone. Here, in no particular order, are a few memorable mums from children's literature.
A mum who never lets visitors leave hungry:
The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
In…
New junior fiction series for emerging readers
We’ve had some exciting new stories published recently by both established and fresh authors that will appeal to young minds and have them begging for the next book in the series. And let’s face it, we want kids to be desperate to read more because school readers are not always very exciting! These books are all highly illustrated with fun, engaging stories that should appeal to energetic young minds.
Ratbags Book 1: Naughty for Good by Tim Harris & Shiloh…
BookPeople 2023 Book of the Year longlists
The 2023 BookPeople Book of the Year longlists have been announced! These awards celebrate the best books of the year, as judged by Australian book industry members.
Below are the longlisted titles from across the three categories.
Adult fiction book of the year
Limberlost by Robbie Arnott
Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au
Sunbathing by Isobel Beech
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
This Devastating Fever by Sophie Cunningham
Exiles by Jane Harper
All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien
The…
The 2023 Yoto Carnegie shortlists
The shortlists for the 2023 Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing and Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration have been announced!
The Carnegie Medal for Writing is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people. The Carnegie Medal for Illustration* is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people.*formerly known as the Kate Greenaway Medal
Below are this year's two shortlists.
The 2023 Yoto…
New middle grade historical fiction
Reading stories set during tumultuous historical times can be a gentle, age-appropriate way of introducing history to young readers. We currently have a swathe of brilliant new fiction for middle grade readers set during WWII in Europe, after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the Ukraine, and in Australia last century.
Fritz and Kurt by Jeremy Dronfield
This moving story is based on the true story of the Kleinmann family, who lived in Vienna at the start of World War II…
New and recommended children's books for March
It's March already – how did that happen?! Luckily, we have many exciting new children's books to distract us from the rapid passing of time. Our book of the month is an exciting horror story by Sofie Laguna & Marc McBride with a cover that takes you right back to the eighties! We also have some charming new picture books for little ones, a groundbreaking picture book written in both Braille and English, some brilliant junior fiction, and a magical…
CBCA Notable Books of 2023
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced its Notable Books for 2023. Congratulations to all the authors, illustrators and publishers!The CBCA presents annual awards to books of literary merit, for outstanding contribution to Australian children’s literature. The CBCA Awards were first presented in 1946 and are the longest-running book awards in Australia.
See below the links to the notable books for each category.
Older Readers
Books in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and are appropriate…
Picture books about friendship
As kids return to school and childcare, friendship is both their greatest desire and sometimes a source of confusion and hurt. Who gets to be included, what happens when a friendship has changed or what if a friend is different to everybody else? Picture books are a great resource to explore the benefits and the challenges of friendship in a gentle, reassuring way and here are some favourite recent releases on the topic.
Walter Had a Best Friend by Deborah…
The 2023 Yoto Carnegie longlists
The longlists for the 2023 Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing and Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration have been announced!
The Carnegie Medal for Writing is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people. The Carnegie Medal for Illustration* is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people.
*formerly known as the Kate Greenaway Medal
Below are this year's two longlists.
The 2023 Yoto…
New and recommended children's books this February
2023 begins with a bang with many exciting new titles, including a time-slip story by Kate Constable, a beautiful new picture book about hope (the cover of which graces this month's Readings Monthly), a picture book about the creator of Blinky Bill, and a new middle grade novel by the author of beloved middle grade novel, Wildwood.
FEBRUARY BOOK OF THE MONTH
Tumbleglass by Kate Constable
When 13 year-old Rowan discovers a ring and puts it on, she…
The 100 bestselling kids & YA books of 2022
We’ve run the reports and done the maths. Here are our 100 bestselling kids & YA books from the past year.
The 156-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
Heartstopper: Volume One by Alice Oseman
Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior by Jordan Gould & Richard Pritchard
One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Maybe by Kobi Yamada & Gabriella Barouch
Barefoot Kids by Scott Pape
Our January 2023 children's and young adult bestsellers
Cat Kid Comic Club 4: Collaborations by Dav Pilkey
Off to the Market by Alice Oehr
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
Australian Animals by Matt Chun
Barefoot Kids by Scott Pape
Freedom Day by Thomas Mayo, Rosie Smiler & Samantha Campbell
Diper Överlöde: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang
The 156-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton
…
Dani Solomon's funny favourites of 2022
Our Readings Kids shop manager, Dani Solomon, picks her favourite funny books of the year. This is an eclectic collection of titles, ranging from picture books all the way through to fantasy, with plenty of manga in between, and (of course) lots of laughs throughout!
My Parents Won't Stop Talking by Emma Hunsinger & Tillie Walden
This book made me laugh out loud. Molly and her family are going to the park - how exciting! Unfortunately, her parents bump into…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Barefoot Kids by Scott Pape
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
Runt by Craig Silvey
A Tiny Light by Alison Lester
Off to the Market by Alice Oehr
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg
Colours, Colours Everywhere by Julia Donaldson & Sharon King-Chai
Come Together: Things Every Aussie Kid should know about the First Peoples by Isaiah Firebrace & Jaelyn Biumaiwai
Brilliant series' for kids to dive into over summer
It can be difficult keeping the kids busy over summer. You need something for them to dive into and become devoted to over the long, lazy days. Here are the first books in some absolutely guaranteed, tried and tested series' for readers aged from 6 to 12 that will have kids (and adults) utterly addicted.
Real Pigeons Fight Crime by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood
This addictive early reader series about a crack team of crime fighting pigeons is a…
Picture books celebrating self-expression, rainbow families, and inclusive communities
We have some beautiful picture books that celebrate authentic self expression, families in all their guises, and inclusive communities. Collected here are a mix of new favourites, as well as, contemporary classics that we just can't resist. Explore our ongoing collection for even more wonderful stories.
All the Colours of the Rainbow by Daniel Gray-Barnett
March through the rainbow in this glorious celebration of pride! Children will delight in this stunning board book where every page reveals a colourful ribbon…
Detective fiction for curious kids
Everyone loves a good detective story. In addition to the popular detectives of yesteryear – Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon and the Hardy Boys – we now have some brilliant contemporary equivalents who crack codes, solve mysteries, and catch the criminals while the grown-ups miss all the clues! Here are some of our favourite contemporary detective stories for ages 7-12.
Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt
Friday Barnes is a genius codebreaker and when she catches some bank robbers, she…
Picture books where creatures feature
Whether they're sly cats, grumpy trolls, or even raccoons baking apple cakes – these picture books are populated by eccentric and memorable creatures that young readers will adore.
Where Have You Been, Little Cat? by Richard Jones
What do our cats get up to when they're on their own? Little Cat has come back from her exciting outdoor adventures and is asked by her owner all about her day. Was she happy? Was she kind? This is a delightful story…
Bestselling children's and YA books this week
Barefoot Kids by Scott Pape
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
Off to the Market by Alice Oehr
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
Runt by Craig Silvey
A Tiny Light by Alison Lester
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allen Ahlberg
Come Together: Things Every Aussie Kid should know about the First Peoples by Isaiah Firebrace
Maybe by Kobi Yamada
The Baddies by Julia Donaldson
Our top two spots are held by the same…
What to buy for kids you've never met
It can be tricky going to visit a house where you’ve never met the kids but you want to bring a gift. You may not know anything about them, have only a vague idea of their ages, and have no idea what they’re into. Fear not, there are great gifts that work for lots of kids and will entertain them for your visit and beyond. Here’s a few ideas.
Ages 5 and under
All in a Day by Chihiro Takeuchi
…
Children's graphic novel favourites of 2022
In the last few years, graphic novels have rapidly increased in popularity. They're a great way to get anyone into reading. Here are some of our favourite children's graphic novels published in the last year, in no particular order. From adventure to sport to roadtrips, there's something for everyone.
Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner and Tom Jellett
This gorgeous book is half graphic novel, half picture book. Daisy lives in inland Australia with her dad and her grandparents. When…
2022 nonfiction favourites for children
We've enjoyed a diverse, stunning and highly informative range of nonfiction titles for kids this year. Here are a selection of our favourites.
Wild Australian Life by Leonard Cronin & Chris Nixon (illus.)
This stunning atlas of Australian animals features thousands of different species from the deepest parts of the ocean to the tops of the mountains. Discover the remarkable stories behind some of the world's most extraordinary animals in this must-have collection for every Australian family.
Ages 8 and…
Middle grade fantasy favourites of 2022
This year has really seen a boom in brilliant magic, fantasy, and science fiction stories for readers aged 8-13. Read on to discover a selection of our favourite books for young speculative fiction readers published this year.
Book of Wondrous Possibilities by Deborah Abela
Arlo has lived above the bookshop with his uncle and a pet mouse since his mother’s unusual death. That is, until the feisty Lisette barrels into the bookshop holding a grimoire – a magical book that…
Beautiful First Nations children's books to gift
It’s been a brilliant year for First Nations publishing in Australia. Here are twelve of our favourite 2022 titles by First Nations authors and illustrators that would make wonderful gifts.
Come Together by Isaiah Firebrace & Jaelyn Biumaiwai (illus.)
This wonderful picture book introduces children to 20 important concepts of First Nations knowledge in Australia. With vibrant illustrations and stunning design, Firebrace describes the value of caring for Country, explains the importance of Elders and the Dreaming, and much more…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
Barefoot Kids by Scott Pape
Come Together: Things Every Aussie kid should know about the First Peoples by Isaiah Firebrace & Jaelyn Biumaiwai
A Tiny Light by Alison Lester
Runt by Craig Silvey
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Melloy
Off to the Market by Alice Oehr
Back on Country by Adam Goodes, Ellie Laing & David Hardy
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg
Best junior and middle fiction of 2022
Every year our staff vote for their favourite books of the past 12 months. Here are the best junior and middle fiction books of the year, as voted for by Readings’ staff, and displayed in alphabetical order by author.
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
Our Readings Children's Prize winner for this year is an exciting mystery adventure set in the waterways of Far North Queensland.
When Adam and Eli need to help Eli's cousin Jacob…
Best picture books of 2022
Every year our staff vote for their favourite books of the past 12 months. Here are the best picture books of the year, as voted for by Readings’ staff, and displayed in no particular order.
My Strange Shrinking Parents by Zeno Sworder
This is a fairytale-like story of parental love, where the parents of a young boy trade their height as payment for their child’s needs over the years. As the boy grows, the parents shrink until they are small…
Our bestselling children's and YA books this week
Come Together: Things Every Aussie Kid Should Know About the First Peoples by Isaiah Firebrace & Jaelyn Biumaiwai
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
Runt by Craig Silvey
A Tiny Light by Alison Lester
Barefoot Kids by Scott Pape
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Melloy
Stellarlune: Keeper of Lost Cities 9 by Shannon Messenger
If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang
The Book that No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade
Our children's and YA bestsellers of the week
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
A Tiny Light by Alison Lester
Stellarlune (Keeper of the Lost Cities 9) by Shannon Messenger
Diper Overlode (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 17) by Jeff Kinney
Barefoot Kids by Scott Pape
Bluey: 12 Days of Christmas by Bluey
Spaceboy by David Walliams
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg
Unnecessary Drama by Nina Kenwood
The Book that No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade
Our Readings…
Our children's and YA bestsellers this week
Diper Overlode: Diary of a Wimpy Kid 17 by Jeff Kinney
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat by Charlie Archbold
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
A Tiny Light by Alison Lester
Spaceboy by David Walliams
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg
Maybe by Kobi Yamada
Real Pigeons Stay Coo: Real Pigeons 10 by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood
Runt by Craig Silvey
Bluey: 12 Days of Christmas by Bluey
Our top two bestsellers are the…
Recommended Children's Books and News for November
We have some fascinating new books to finish out the year. Some gorgeous new picture books, including our Book of the Month about an irrepresible frog and a new Alison Lester, fascinating historical fiction by Katrina Nannestad, fantasy from Katharine Orton, and a junior fiction title by adult book author, Maggie O'Farrell. Read on to learn more about some of the biggest books of the year for children.
For the young adult books round-up, please visit here.
KIDS BOOK…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Diper Overlode: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (17) by Jeff Kinney
The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat by Charlie Archibold
Runt by Craig Silvey
Unnecessary Drama by Nina Kenwood
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
The Jammer by Nova Weetman
Come Over to My House by Eliza Hull, Sally Rippin & Daniel Gray-Barnett
Meanwhile, Back on Earth by Oliver Jeffers
The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynne Barnes
The Others: Bad Guys 16 by Aaron Blabey
The new Wimpy Kid…
Recommended children's books and news for October
There are so many exciting new releases to excite and entertain young minds in the month of October. These books will be high on the wish list, not only for the festive season, but for a long time to come.
KIDS BOOK OF THE MONTH
Come over to My House by Eliza Hull & Sally Rippin, illustrated by daniel Gray-Barnett
Come Over To My House is a delightful picture book that explores the home lives of children and parents who…
Q & A with the 2022 Readings Children's Prize shortlist authors
With the upcoming announcement of this year’s winner, our Children’s Prize shortlist authors talk about their inspiration, their perfect reader, their favourite writing advice and what they hope readers take away from their books.
Want to know more about each shortlisted title? Explore the shortlist here.
What was the initial inspiration for this story?
Shirley Marr (A Glasshouse of Stars): My immigration to Australia with my family when I was seven years old has always been a…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Runt by Craig Silvey
The Heartstopper Yearbook by Alice Oseman
Unnecessary Drama by Nina Kenwood
Spaceboy by David Walliams
The 156-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton
Off to the Market by Alice Oehr
The Others (Bad Guys #16) by Aaron Blabey
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
The Book that No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade
Claris: The Secret Crown: The Chicest Mouse in Paris by Megan Hess
A number of new releases have made the…
New Kids and YA books for book clubs
We are delighted to have many recent children’s books that are richly imagined and would be perfect for study by book clubs and in classrooms. Here are some of our favourites.
AGES 5 AND UP
My Strange Shrinking Parents by Zeno Sworder
With humour and pathos, Sworder reflects on the strange nature of giving and receiving love and celebrates those parents who embrace a hard life for themselves in the hope of a better life for their children.
Themes include:
…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
156-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton
The Others!? (Bad Guys 16) by Aaron Blabey
Wonders Under the Sun by Tai Snaith
The Killing Code by Ellie Marney
A Walk in the Dark by Jane Godwin
The Baddies by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
The Bookseller's Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
Treasure in the Lake by Jason Pamment
A Line in the Sand (The Wild Life 2) by Laura & Philip Bunting
Cheesy Weird (Weirdo 19) by Anh Do
Our…
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