Our latest blog posts
Recommended realistic middle fiction
We love realistic middle fiction for its ability to hook kids in a single, relatable thought. Reflective of their own experiences, offering a new lens on familiar situations, or exposing them to experiences completely different from their own, these stories have the power to build empathy and understanding in engaging ways. Below are some excellent realistic middle fiction stories that we recommend exploring.
Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott & Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Punk rock-loving JJ Pankowski can’t seem to fit in at…
Our January 2024 children's and young adult bestsellers
1. Taylor Swift: A Little Golden Book Biography by Wendy Loggia & Elisa Chavarri (illus.)
2. Winter Turning (Wings of Fire Graphic Novel, Book Seven) by Tui T. Sutherland
3. Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
4. Cat Kid Comic Club: Influencers by Dav Pilkey
6. Artichoke to Zucchini by Alice Oehr
7. Heartstopper: Volume Five by Alice Oseman
8. Waverider (Amulet, Book 9) by Kazu Kibuishi
9. No Words by Maryam Master
10. If You Could See…
Our January 2024 bestsellers
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
Question 7 by Richard Flanagan
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi & Geoffrey Trousselot (trans.)
Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan
Quarterly Essay 92: The Great Divide: Australia’s Housing Mess and How to Fix It by Alan Kohler
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi…
Contemporary romance writers to fall in love with
It's the most romantic day of the year! And whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not, this list of contemporary romance authors will have you feeling all the love!
Emily Henry
Emily Henry is easily recognisable by her brightly coloured covers containing swoon-worthy rom coms. Jodi Picoult calls her 'my newest automatic-buy author.'
In Happy Place Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds perfect! Or at least they were... Every year for the past decade…
Our books of the month, February 2024
Explore our books of the month for February; each of the below titles has been read and recommended by our booksellers before being selected as our book of the month for its category.
FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH
We All Lived in Bondi Then by Georgia Blain
Reviewed by Aurelia Orr, Readings Kids
‘Imbued with loss, love, and a yearning for something beyond our grasp, We All Lived in Bondi Then is written with acuity and nuance’Shortly after…
Win a place at Faber Writing Academy
We're thrilled to be partnering with Faber Writing Academy to offer one lucky Readings Kids shopper the exclusive chance to win a place in their semester-long after-hours course, Writing For Kids: Picture Books and Children’s Fiction.
Taking place online from 20 February – 4 June 2024 (Tuesdays 6.30pm – 8.30pm), this is the perfect three-month course (usually $2,500) for people who wish to write picture books and children’s fiction.
The course will cover the elements required to create a stand-out…
What we're reading: Due, Paulsen and Armfield
Each week our wonderful staff share the books and music they've been enjoying
Jason Austin is reading The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
The last couple of weeks I have been loving Tananarive Due's amazing ghost story, The Reformatory, which is loosely based on experiences endured by the author's great uncle who died at the Dozier School for Boys in Florida in the 1930s.
With their mother deceased and their father having to flee town after being accused of raping…
Junior graphic novels to keep children engaged
There's so many wonderful illustrated novels for children right now. With longstanding bestsellers like The Bad Guys, Real Pigeons and Dog Man having become household names over the last ten years, it's no wonder there's now a cornucopia of choice for young readers when it comes to illustrated works. Below, we're recommending graphic novels that we love to share with emerging readers. These volumes are packed with silliness, sensitivity and adventure.
A Friend for Dragon by Dav Pilkey
Lonely…
Beginner's Guide to Ali Hazelwood
Ali Hazelwood is one of the most well-known authors in romance right now! But if you're new to her work, it's hard to know where to start. So to celebrate the launch of her latest book, Bride, I thought I'd create a guide to help you decide which Hazelwood to pick up first.
For the paranormal addicts...
Hazelwood's latest book is quite different from her other titles. Bride is her first book that isn't contemporary, but don't worry, there's…
Best of the Best 2023
Every year our staff vote for their favourite books of the past 12 months. From their votes, we uncover the titles they loved most. Across six categories – Australian fiction, international fiction, nonfiction & memoir, picture books, junior & middle books, and young adult books – we share with you our top ten bookseller-voted titles. This year we've taken it one step further and asked you, our customers, to nominate your top read from each list of ten. After tallying…
Browse our blog by category
