Australian literary superstar Alice Pung again pairs up with talented illustrator Sher Rill Ng (their picture book together, Be Careful Xiao Xin!, is a 2023 CBCA Notable Book) for the middle-grade novel Millie Mak the Maker. For early middle-grade readers, this is an absolutely beautiful story about Millie Mak, who likes to sew, design, and make as many things with her hands as she can.

The two stories in the book (‘Gelati Party’ and ‘Rita the Brave’) cover vast emotional territory. Millie, nine, must settle into a new school and new suburb, facing racism, mean girls and big responsibilities with kindness, bravery and humility. Millie is a Scottish Chinese Australian, who feels the tensions in her identity, but ultimately finds so much love in her Granny and Ahma, as both value resourcefulness and the skills to make and repair things by hand. Both stories in the book also include craft instructions so that readers can follow along with all the projects Millie embarks on, primarily with materials already at home.

This is a book with an enormous heart, a cosy read sure to become a favourite, and with immense potential for inspiring not just creativity but kindness and critical thinking too. Millie Mak the Maker is a true treasure in Australian middle grade. For ages 7+.