Treasure and the Lake was a big hit at Readings and it was shortlisted for our 2022 Readings Children’s Prize, so we were all super excited to see a new book coming from the very talented Adelaide-based author and illustrator Jason Pamment.

Ember is a shy critter, just the size of a teacup, and we meet him loitering outside a school in search of friendship. A chaotic moment leads him to Lua, a lovely and nurturing sea turtle. Lua guides Ember on a journey to the Island for Lost Creatures; a place with a constantly suprising environment where he can live and learn at school with an interesting assortment of classmates, including a blue-tongued lizard who is a bit of a bully.

As the new guy in class, Ember has some trouble making friends, and there are frequent unusual occurences on the island for him to contend with. It’s an action-packed book with positive themes about bravery and forging friendships. This hearty and imaginative adventure is great stuff for ages 8+.