Blog Archives

New Releases

9/11/2024

More New Book Releases!

These fabulous new titles by our fabulous Author Pen Pal Creators are also out early this month. Congratulations!!

Kat Apel - Mad Cows

Illustrator: Beau Wylie
Publisher: Scholastic
Blurb: What's really on the other side of the fence? Greener grass? Or UDDER CHAOS?!
Released: September 2024
Author Website: https://katswhiskers.wordpress.com/books/madcows
Publisher Website: https://shop.scholastic.com.au/Product/100135762/Mad-Cows

Kaye Baillie - TWO New Releases
Cockatoo and The Welcome Cookies

Cockatoo
A poetic story about a yellow-tailed black cockatoo's first year of life.
Released 1 September 2024
Illustrated by Max Hamilton
Published by Windy Hollow Books

The Welcome Cookies
Everyone enjoys the friendliness of their favourite café. But what happens when the place you love suddenly changes?
Released 4 September 2024
Illustrated by Kirrili Lonergan
Published by EK Books

https://kayebaillie.com/

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New Releases

9/7/2024

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More Early September Releases!

August was a busy month for our Author Pen Pals celebrating the joy that is Book Week and everything that goes with it. September is looking to be just as busy with a heap more fantastic new book releases.

Jeanette Stampone - Dragon Guest Handbook

Illustrated by Novia Heroanto
Published by Wombat Books

You should always be prepared for when a dragon tourist lands in your backyard.

Your visitor will need to meet the family, learn table manners and go sightseeing. Will you qualify as a top host?

While this hilarious book is full of silliness, it also explores language barriers and non-verbal communication. The heartwarming ending leaves readers with a beautiful message of embracing differences, and how a hug has universal meaning.

https://jeanettestampone.com/
https://wombatrhiza.com.au/wombatbooks/

Gabrielle Tozer - Before We Met

Before We Met is a joyous celebration of growing families of all shapes and sizes.

Illustrated by Sophie Beer
Published by Harper Collins

https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460764961/before-we-met/

Karen Tyrrell - Logan Then & Now

Sweetie, Martha and Jacob explore Logan’s indigenous and colonial past and present.
What surprises will they discover?
Uncover Logan’s history, attractions, parklands, wildlife and rivers.
Full of wonder and optimism, this book provides an inspiring trail guide for children and families to enjoy the City of Logan.

Illustrated by Megan Forward
Published by Digital Future Press

R A Stephens - Riz Chester: The Evidence Track

Riz Chester loves mysteries, and with an interest in forensics she keeps finding crime. But nothing has happened for months. Will they solve another mystery?

Another forensic science inspired story for young readers.

https://wombatrhiza.com.au/search.php?search_query=riz+chester

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New Releases

9/7/2024

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August and September Releases

The awesome new books from our author pen pal creators keep coming.

Penny Macoun - Two Can be Trouble

Illustrated by Paul Nash

Brothers can play together happily and then they can disagree. Toby and Jordan are brothers that have lots of fun together and often get into mischief and disagree. This book tells the story of one afternoon when some innocent fun turns into a whole lot of trouble.

Tracey Magee - Chloe and the Driftwood Dolls

Chloe Lives with her Mother and their dog on the coast near the Ocean. Chloe loves animals. Chloe worries a lot and Chloe and the Driftwood Dolls deals with what Chloe worries about and how she gets over her fears and anxiety.

Melanie Labrooy - The Lost History

The Lost History is the highly anticipated sequel to the multi-award-winning The Wintrish Girl. Another thrilling and funny fantasy adventure for middle-grade readers, it features at least six impossibly daring escapes, important life lessons about truth and spare socks, a sinister game of Twenty Questions and a cursed family tree. And some very dangerous cheese.

Published by UQP

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New Releases

9/7/2024

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More New Releases!

July was another busy month for our Author Pen Pal creators with new books galore!

Cassy Polimeni - Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra

Illustrated by Hykie Breeze
Published by UWA Publishing

Ella hates her new house. She wants to be back in her old house with her best friend Viv next door ... until one day Ella discovers a secret pond in her neighbours’ backyard with an orchestra of frogs! At her new school Ella meets Mai and learns about their class frog bog project.

But when Ella finds out that the neighbours’ secret pond is under threat Ella and Mai must come up with a plan to save the frogs – before it's too late!
www.cassypolimeni.wordpress.com

Jess Horn - Bernie Thinks in Boxes

Illustrated by Zoe Bennett
Published by Affirm Press

Bernie thinks in boxes. She has boxes for everything: for home, for school and even for the park. Bernie likes boxes. When things fit into boxes, they make sense.

But one day, Bernie's boxes collide, and she must find a way to make sense of her world again.

A beautiful story about thinking differently and navigating change in a neurotypical world.

www.jesshornauthor.com
www.instagram.com/jesshornauthor

Lara Porter - illustrator of Running With Wings

Written by Sam Squiers
Published by New Frontier Publishing

“Running with Wings” is a special book about Mimmi and Frankie's friendship, sport and enjoying the journey in reaching your dreams. Frankie and Mimmi’s bond grows through the challenges they meet together and we ALL learn a little along the way. We are better in showing representation in books but often kids with disabilities are the background characters and if they’re the main character, often the book centres on their disability. Normalising differences starts with the next generation and the books they grow up with play a big role in that.

https://laraporter.com

Lian Tanner - When the Lights Went Out

Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley
Published by Allen & Unwin

The night was frosty dark but we were snug and cosy in the kitchen.
When suddenly SNAP! the lights went out
and the dark came flooding in around us.
Mama? Dad?
I was scared!
In the dark of night, a neighbourhood becomes a new country to explore, and an ordinary winter evening turns into a family adventure. A reassuring story about finding comfort in community from the award-winning creators of Ella and the Ocean.

https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Lian-Tanner,-illustrated-by-Jonathan-Bentley-When-the-Lights-Went-Out-9781761180019

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New Releases

9/7/2024

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Author Pen Pal New Releases

Our Author Pen Pal creators have been busy writing letters AND making fabulous new books!

There have been so many wonderful releases this year from our Author Pen Pals that unfortunately, we've had trouble keeping up with them.

Here are some great new releases from earlier in the year.

Y K Willemse - Jerry's Window

Ten-year-old Jerry is so badly behaved a group of hairy monsters decide to kidnap him and teach him a lesson.
Release date: 3 April

https://wombatrhiza.com.au/jerrys-window/

Rebecca Fraser - Jonty's Unicorn

Jonty's Unicorn is a middle grade novel perfect for readers who love thrilling adventures told with heart and humour. When Jonty, a girl with a high-stakes dilemma, enters a unicorn into the King’s Annual Horse Race in an effort to secure much-needed prize money, the stakes are much higher than she could have possibly realised. Racing Stripes meets The Brothers Grimm in this page turning fantasy adventure.

Published by: . IFWG Publishing

https://ifwgpublishing.com/title-jontys-unicorn/

Jacque Duffy - The Word Jar

A wordless picture book about a new child at a school who is emotionally tied up by the nasty things other children say. She discovers her own strength and resilience in a simple way and goes on to share this method with other children who have been incapacitated by the words of others.

The emotive illustrations tell the story and are easily deciphered by a young audience. This book is ideal for speech therapists and social - emotional wellbeing workers for children.

www.jacquesartandbooks.com

Yasmin Bastouil - Who Likes the Zoo?

Illustrated by Liza Polovynkina

"Who likes the zoo?" is the story of a student sharing about his favourite place, the zoo, with his teacher and peers. During the presentation his classmates contribute a variety of comments, none of which are relevant to the topic of the zoo. Despite the teacher's best efforts to steer the conversation back on track, chaos and humour ensue in this lively and engaging tale.

Debra Tidball - Lights Out Little Dragon

What's a kid to do when a cheeky little dragon keeps them awake at bedtime? Ask the reader to help, of course, in this delightfully funny, interactive bedtime romp. It's bedtime and Little Dragon is trying every trick to stay awake. Can you help him get to sleep? You might just have the magic touch! A delightful book about one cheeky little dragon who is determined to beat bedtime.

Illustrated by Rae Tan
Published by Harper Collins

websites: www.debratidball.com and https://www.harpercollins.com.au

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New Releases

More New Book Releases!

Kat Apel - Mad Cows

Kaye Baillie - TWO New Releases​Cockatoo and The Welcome Cookies

New Releases

More Early September Releases!

Jeanette Stampone - Dragon Guest Handbook

Gabrielle Tozer - Before We Met

Karen Tyrrell - Logan Then & Now

R A Stephens - Riz Chester: The Evidence Track

New Releases

August and September Releases

Penny Macoun - Two Can be Trouble

Tracey Magee - Chloe and the Driftwood Dolls

Melanie Labrooy - The Lost History

New Releases

More New Releases!

July was another busy month for our Author Pen Pal creators with new books galore!

Cassy Polimeni - Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra

Jess Horn - Bernie Thinks in Boxes

Lara Porter - illustrator of Running With Wings

Lian Tanner - When the Lights Went Out

New Releases

Author Pen Pal New Releases

Y K Willemse - Jerry's Window

Rebecca Fraser - Jonty's Unicorn

Jacque Duffy - The Word Jar

Yasmin Bastouil - Who Likes the Zoo?

Debra Tidball - Lights Out Little Dragon

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Kaye Baillie - TWO New Releases
Cockatoo and The Welcome Cookies