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Children’s & young adult – quick links
Best new children’s & young adult books September 2025
If we were dogs, Sophie Blackall – 26 August
Join two friends as they bark and growl, woof and howl in a romp that makes room for everybody’s ideas. Sophie Blackall unleashes an exuberant game of pretend that explores navigating friendship and celebrates boundless imagination.
When the Mountain Wakes, Matt Shanks – 26 August
A powerful picture book on hope and healing: what happens when the mountain wakes after years of sleeping?
Dear Broccoli, Jo Dabrowski and Cate James – 26 August
A picture book that is sure to make even the pickiest of eaters look at their dinner in a new light.
How Big is Love?, Carl Merrison, Hakea Hustler, Jade Goodwin – 26 August
A young child and a loving family member sit on the porch at sunset watching a storm roll in. The adult whispers, ‘I love you,’ but the child needs reassurance: ‘How much?’ With each new declaration, we learn that the love between adult and child is boundless.
A Guide to Falling off the Map, Zanni L Arnot –26 August
A funny, tender, messy, and authentic story about two teens who fall in love on the precipice of things falling apart.
Promises and Other Lies, Sue Whiting – 1 September
A middle-grade mystery in which a small coastal town is torn apart by more than just a bushfire.
The Making of Martha Mayfield, Jo Dabrowski – 2 September
A middle primary school book about coming out of your shell, finding out what you’re capable of, and showing the world who you really are.
Maisy Hayes iIs not for sale, Allayne L. Webster – 2 September
Maisy Hayes is not for sale is a coming-of-age story about hardship, coping with anger and frustration, and being true to yourself.
I am me, Mitch Tambo and Carla Hoffenberg – 2 September
Yaama! Singer and musician Mitch Tambo celebrates the diversity of First Nations culture in this picture book about being true to yourself.
Songs of a Thousands Seas, Zana Fraillon – 2 September
A lyrical verse novel of homecoming and friendship by Zana Fraillon, the multi-award-winning author of The Bone Sparrow and The Way of Dog.
This Season’s Draft, Jason Dent – 2 September
Set in the year leading up to the AFL Draft and following the experiences of six teenagers who are in its orbit, this YA novel is unique, compelling, authentic and full of footy. Perfect for sporty kids.
Neighbourhood Nest, Sarah Jane Lightfoot – 30 September
Maggie the magpie is very surprised when she finds an extra egg in her nest. Whose egg could it be? Does it belong to the kookaburras or the galahs? Or maybe the rainbow lorikeets? Maggie is on a mission across the sky and through the neighbourhood to find the egg’s family.
The Peach King, Inga Simpson and Tannya Harricks – 30 September
A contemporary fable about the resilience of nature. When Little Peach Tree was just a sapling, all they could see was row upon row of other peach trees. And, on top of the hill, watching over the orchard – the Peach King.
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