$17.95 Paperback
ISBN 9780 645191554
Listen to an author interview on LACE Radio.
Starberries and Kee
Written by Cate Whittle
Solar Punk Middle Grade Fiction
Released 1 May 2023
Teachers Notes will be provided.
The stars linked them through space – and even through time. Those same stars had looked down on all the people that had come before her and would still twinkle when she was as old as Libby and maybe even if she had great-grandchildren of her own.
Wren is a Wild Child who has been brought up on the mountain by Old Man, learning everything he knows from nature, while Hannah has always lived in the city. When their paths collide, a secret friendship brings a family full circle, linking the past to the present and the old with the new.
Starberries and Kee is solar punk climate-fiction told with positivity and hope. It confirms that in the face of crisis, it is community and compassion that defines us, connecting us to the future we choose to create.
Paperback
ISBN 9780 645191516
TEACHERS NOTES.PDF
Longplay Teacher Trailer
Ocean Warriors: The Rise of Robo-Shark
Written by Candice Lemon-Scott
Middle Grade Fiction - Environmental Adventure Series
Released 1 March 2022
Being sent to a submarine to help restore extinct sea creatures for summer camp is not exactly Kai’s idea of fun.
Then he discovers a cyborg great white shark in the ocean, but no one believes it could be real. After all, the last shark vanished years ago. Now he must prove the shark exists and save the species. Except not everyone likes the idea of bringing the great white back from the brink.
Join the Ocean Warriors on this environmental adventure.
WARNING: contains sea cucumbers, slime eels and a bum-breathing turtle.
Enjoy a sneak peek of the first three chapters here!
“What a fun, fast-paced and FIN-tastic underwater adventure! Dive in with these ocean warriors as they try and save our seas one animal at a time. This is a JAW-some tale full of hope, friendship and conservation.” - Dr Sue Pillans (aka. Dr Suzie Starfish)
“It’s fair to say that for me, on a scale of 1 – 10, sharks normally rate -5. Thankfully, this rocking new fiction by environ-guru extraordinaire, Candice Lemon-Scott, is about to turn all that on its head. The first of what could be an exciting new series by an exciting new publishing house, Ocean Warriors: The Rise of Robo-Shark is a slippery-paced futuristic tale with a commanding conservational twist…. Lemon-Scott’s penchant for infusing action-thrills-and-spills-adventure with serious ecological concerns and dressing them all with humour, quirky characters and moments of sabotage and betrayal makes Rise of Robo-Shark compelling reading for middle primary schoolers. Snappy chapter titles and rapid scene changes ensure non-stop page turning. The delicious paradox of falling in love with a great white shark is not lost on this afore mentioned shark-fearing individual. I am sure youngsters will find Melvin alluring in every possible way too, which is handy, for he becomes the incongruous hero and champion of marine conservation.” - Dimity Powell, Kids Book Review
Paperback
ISBN 9780 645191523
TEACHERS NOTES.PDF
Longplay Teacher Trailer
The Riddle of Tanglewood Manor
SHORTLISTED, BOOK OF THE YEAR, SPEECH PATHOLOGY AWARDS
Written by Tracey Hawkins
Middle Grade Fiction - Historical Mystery Series
Released 1 February 2022
Teachers Notes provided below.
Once you open this book, you too, will be tangled.
To Sam and Harry, a tree change means a TREEHOUSE... and time travel!
150-year-old Tanglewood Manor is Sam and Harry’s new home in the country. As their parents set about renovating the ruin, the brothers explore its secrets.
One book in the dusty library is different.
They open it and read a riddle.
Now the house is suddenly full of the dead people from the portraits on the walls.
And they are very much ALIVE.
Will Sam and Harry ever be able to return home, or will Tanglewood Manor keep them in its grip forever?
The historical references add an extra layer to the narrative, with the opportunity for humour when the kids’ modern lives conflict with the new one they’ve found themselves in. The family dynamics are well written, and this would be a perfect book to share or read aloud among adults and children. Sam and Harry have a relatable sibling bond, and they grow closer as their time-travelling caper progresses. The Riddle of Tanglewood Manor would suit readers aged seven and up who like a mysterious adventure tale that follows the much-appreciated conventions of the genre, including a satisfying conclusion.
BOOKS+PUBLISHING (Karys McEwen, President Victorian Branch CBCA)