to you all...

MERRY CHRISTMAS to our festive little bookworms!

We hope your holiday is filled with fun and Aussie-themed Christmas carols, such as Colin Buchanan's Aussie Jingle Bells:

"jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!

oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden ute!"

or Rolf Harris' classic Six White Boomers (our favourite).

And we also hope you get...

from the booksellers at the Younger Sun Bookshop!! xxx

Pigeons in the Post

Pigeon Letters is an in-school letter writing exchange linking school students with Australian authors. Run over two school terms, the project facilitates a creative collaboration between the author and student, resulting in a piece of writing such as a short story, poem or comic. The final pieces are published in a professionally printed and bound book.

The Younger Sun is very pleased to be selling this marvellous book. There are 21 fantastic short stories

The authors involved this year are Kirsty Murray, Sally Rippin, Meredith Costain, Michael Pryor, Paul Collins, Gabrielle Wang, Andrew McDonald, Jen Storer, Michael Hyde, Martine Murray, Jackie Kerin, Robert Greenberg, Claire Saxby, Tony Wilson, Bernard Caleo, Mirranda Burton, Alison Lloyd, Jen Breach, George Ivanoff, Stephanie Brotchie and Sherryl Clark. Wow!

Not to mention 21 fantastic emerging authors from Footscray City Primary School. Yeah!

Visit the Pigeons website here.

Good deeds at Christmas : Buy a present for a local Sudanese child

The Younger Sun bookshop is going to be giving a bunch of books as Christmas presents to young Sudanese children this year. The majority of these kids have arrived in Australia as refugees or are the children of refugees from South Sudan.

Most of these kids are otherwise unlikely to receive anything at Christmas and by giving books we're also increasing their access to reading materials within their homes. So if you would like to donate a book too - you can! Just come into the shop and choose one you think is great.

The books will be distributed amongst young Sudanese families in Melbourne's west by the Lost Boys Association.

Already our hearts have been warmed by the generosity of our customers. Thank you!

Gift Ideas for Titchy Small Kids this Christmas

The Noisy Book, Solidad Bravi


ABC is for Circus, Patrick Hardy


Flip-o-saurus, Sarah Bell


The Very Cranky Bear box set, Nick Bland


The Wonky Donkey box set, Craig Smith and Katz Crowley

Hey Teenager! Do you love Christmas?

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (Allen & Unwin)

From the authors of the excellent Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List comes this gorgeous and funny Christmas-themed story about geek-chic - or maybe just geek - Lily (who loved Christmas) and snarly hipster Dash (who does not love Christmas).

Dash finds a red notebook at his favourite bookshop (no, not the Sun Bookshop) in between his favourite author's books. On the front it says DO YOU DARE? and inside is written:

I've left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don't, put the book back in the shelf, please.

...and so begins a mad-cap game of dares and adventure. christmas carols, department stores, Madame Tussauds and insane relatives. It's clever, very very funny, heartwarming and full of Christmas cheer. This is one of my favourite books of the year.

--kate--

BOOK LAUNCH!

Heath McKenzie will be at the Sun Bookshop to celebrate his latest Christmassy creation:

THE AUSSIE NUTCRACKER

on Saturday 4th December at 10.30 am (that's in the morning)

This is also going to be a bit of a Sun Bookshop Christmas Party - snacks and a bit of juice so come along to celebrate with us! Heath will also be signing books. Free, fun, fab - but please RSVP on 9689 0661 or info@sunbookshop.com

INKY WINNERS

Here at the Younger Sun we have been so very busy preparing for Christmas (just imagine Santa's Workshop but with more packing bubbles) that our Inky posts sort of fell of the radar.

The Inkys were awarded today at the Centre for Youth Literature in Melbourne.

The Gold Inky for an Australian book went to...

LUCY CHRISTOPHER for her book STOLEN

Congratulations Lucy!!
Read our review of Stolen here.

Apologies to Kirsty Eagar, whose great book Raw Blue we never got to put under the spotlight. I think it was a very strong contender for the Inky - but since it did win the 2010 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards I suppose it's fair to spread the love around a bit.

Raw Blue (Penguin Books) is a moving and atmospheric story about a young woman nursing a terrible hurt. Carly has dropped out of uni to live, work and surf the beaches of northern Sydney, where she meets fellow surfer Ryan and sets herself in motion for healing and future happiness. This one's a bit racy. 15+.

Apologies also to Maggie Stiefvater, whose book we also were saving until last. Apparently for good reason, too! Because the winner for the Silver Inky for an international book went to...

MAGGIE STIEFVATER for her book SHIVER

Shiver is a romantic and paranormal tale (with one of the best covers of the year). The wolves in the forest behind her house have always drawn Grace to them and when she meets yellow-eyed Sam, human during the warm summer months, and the two face the possibility that come winter Sam could become wolf forever. For those Twilight fans looking for something new.

Congratulations Maggie!

Contact the Bookclub

If anybody is interested in joining the Younger Sun Teen Bookclub, please send us an email at youngersunbookclub@gmail.com.

We are a lively group of girls and boys aged 10 to 16. It's always hilarious at bookclub, with laughing and talking and tzatziki. Bookclub will begin again in 2011.

The Hunger Games

For a great article about the bestselling series The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, go here. Written by the excellent Frances Atkinson, it tells you all about the series, and gives you far more succinct and well-put reasons to read the books than I ever could (err... they are AWESOME). It also discusses the phenomenal response the series has garnered all over the world, some reasons for this response, and just why it is that 'roughly half of The Hunger Games fans on Facebook are full-fledged adults'.

Destined for the classics shelves.

--clare--
(a full-fledged adult fan)

a silver Inky - Going Bovine

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

"The best day of my life happened when I was five and almost died at Disney World. I'm sixteen now, so you can imagine that's left me with quite a few days of major suckage." Cameron has just had some bad news: he's sick and is going to die. Which totally sucks. But then hope arrives in the form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel with a bad sugar habit who promises Cam there is a cure if he's willing to go in search of it.With the help of Gonzo, a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf, and a garden gnome who might just be the Viking god Balder, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America of smoothie-drinking happiness cults (and possible serial killers), parallel universe-hopping physicists, mythic New Orleans jazz musicians, whacked-out television game shows, snow globe vigilantes, and disenfranchised, fame-hungry teens and into the heart of what matters most.

I don't think I have to add anything, really. This is what would happen if John Green and Jaclyn Moriarty had a baby, which was then raised by Jack Kerouac (toted around in a backpack On The Road)...and then if that baby grew up to write a book about a young guy who gets mad cow disease and then heads off on a madcap road trip. I love it.

You can vote for it here.

--kate--

a gold Inky - Guardian of the Dead

Guardian of the Dead, Karen Healey (Allen & Unwin)

Set in modern-day New Zealand, Guardian of the Dead takes its reader on an imaginative thrill ride through Maori legend and fantasy. The main character, Ellie is a tough girl living at a boarding school where at first it seems her biggest problem is that her best friend Kevin (who is asexual - that's a first in YA, surely?) is spending a lot of time with the university theatre crowd and Ellie feels a bit left out...and there's a weird new girl who has her eye on Kevin.

Enter Mark: he's mysterious, Ellie is drawn to him - and him to her. Things happen when she's around him. And something BIG is going to go down. The gods are angry and the earth is shifting. Ellie is not a Bella, however. She's not going to sit around and wait to be rescued: she's off to save the world! The dialogue is great, the mythology spectacular and it is fabulous to see a clever and tough young woman out there defending herself.

Another strong contender for the gold Inky! Vote here.

What is new with you?

We take a quick break in our Inky overview posts to let you all in on a secret.
Well, it's hardly a secret...
The Younger Sun has received November new releases and the shop is BULGING at the seams with all kinds of amazing new books. Come and check it out!

Some new releases include:

Behemoth, Scott Westerfeld (sequel to Leviathan)
Monsters of Men, Patrick Ness (third and final book in the Chaos Walking trilogy, now in paperback)
Rangers Apprentice: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, John Flanagan (number 10 in the series!
Scarlett Dedd, Cathy Brett (remember Ember Fury? This is the newie from that author!)

Zog, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (they wrote and drew THE GRUFFALO)
Princess and Fairy Twinkly Ballerinas, Anna Pignataro (with glitter)
The Paper Bag Princess, Robert Munsch and Michael Martenchenko IN BOARD BOOK.


and...
my personal favourite:

The Noisy Book, Soledad Bravi

With its gorgeous and quirky illustrations and fabulous descriptions of noises (the drum goes ratatat, the bottle goes mmm, the rabbit goes tntntnstn, the socket goes NO!) It's sure to be a Christmas fave.

Leviathan: a silver inky candidate

My first blog post! oh the excitement!

Alek is a prince without a throne. On the run from his own people, he has only a fighting machine and a small band of men.

Deryn is a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She must fight for her cause- and protect her secret- at all costs.

A steampunk retelling of the first world war? could YA books get any better than this? Scott Westerfeld wrote it? apparently they can.


The way Scott Westerfeld develops his characters is fantastic, despite the fact that they live in an unimaginable world and do amazing things they are still wonderfully accessible and real. Deryn may be a typical tomboy but she still retains hidden depths revealed throughout the novel. I've always been a fan of dual perspective books and with the characters; Deryn and Alek Westerfeld has achieved harmony between two radically different protagonists.

Despite this book being aimed at the YA genre Westerfeld has managed to once more create a book that overlaps genres and audiences.

Leviathan is a beautiful book, the writing coupled with the illustrations serve to create a whole different world, a world of war machines and massive flying creatures and an ultimately believable world. Definitely in the running for the silver inky and most definitely my choice for the winner. You can vote for Leviathan here

-tom-

a gold Inky - Swerve

Swerve by Phillip Gwynne

From the author of Deadly, Unna and Nukkin Ya this is very different. Hugh is a cello-playing private schoolboy from Sydney with a secret obsession for muscle cars. An old hippie man with a long ponytail has been hanging out the front of his school, trying to talk to him. It turns out he's Hugh’s grandfather - long estranged from the family - and he's got a proposition. Poppy wants Hugh to drive them to Uluru in his '69 Monaro. Hugh falls in love with the car instantly, plus he wants to get his hours up (he's still on his ls) and not even the audition in a week's time at the conservatorium can stop him. Hugh is totally out of his comfort zone with Poppy and away from his posh Sydney life. With Poppy he has to mingle with rough types of people and is confronted by the girls he constantly refers to as 'skanks'.

Predictably, things don't go to plan on the road. There's the hitchhikers manifesto, which dictates they must pick up all hitchhikers: not always a great idea, there's the runaway and then the psycho... But they meet some great people at truck stops and they camp in swags off the beaten track (checking into the million star motel!) And they wrestle with the powerful car, which remains the main character in the book. This is a moving and funny novel.

You can vote for Swerve here.

--Kate--

a silver Inky - The Sky is Everywhere

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (Walker Books)

I think this is my pick for the silver Inky.

For a book that is about a girl coming to terms with the sudden death of her beloved sister it is wonderfully heartwarming and sexy and fun. It is sad in parts, very much so, but it's not doleful.

This is Lennon's story (Lennie to most people). Her older sister Bailey has recently died unexpectedly from a fatal arrhythmia and the book explores Lennie's grieving process and her relationships with her Gram (who has looked after her and bailey since their mother took off exploring), her uncle Big, her friends and two different boys. Toby is Bailey's boyfriend - equally as adrift and devastated as Lennie and the two fall - horribly - into each other's arms for comfort. Joe Fontaine is the new boy, a total dream, and it is with him Lennie (or John Lennon, as he calls her) feels like she can play music once more.

It's a beautiful read, full of blowsy, overblown language. (Oh, there are a lot of flowers in this story too).

you can vote for it here.

--kate--

John Marden writes to the Teen Bookclub

Dear Teen Bookclubbers -

John Marsden read everything we wrote about Tomorrow, When the War Began.

He wrote to say:

"I read the comments and love them. They use some pretty powerful words. And needless to say I was pretty happy with the number of points they assigned the book."


Isn't that great? Thanks for being great bookclubbers, guys. And thank you John for being brilliant.



If anyone is interested in joining the bookclub, please call 9689 0661 or email info@sunbookshop.com

A silver inky- Will Grayson, Will Grayson

What if you were somewhere you never expected to be and met someone with your name?

What if the girl you didn't think you were interested in started being interested in you?

What if your best friend started writing a musical about your life... and it made you look lame?


What if you are depressed?

What if you're in love with someone you've never met?

And what is the story with the guy walking around with your name?

What is not to love about this one. Co-written by the super fabulous (I LOVE HIM) John Green and the excellent David Levithan (he co-wrote Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with Rachel Cohn) Will Grayson, Will Grayson is about two rather different boys with the same name that bump into each other in a completely unexpected place (by unexpected I mean a porn shop). It is brilliant, completely extravagant and while I found the ending a wee bit bananas, somehow it worked (I think). And as for Tiny Cooper (author of the musical that makes Green's Will Grayson look lame), well, what is not to love?! He is utterly fabulous. For me he was the highlight of the book, as well as character that made his way into my mental archive of favourite book people.

Read it. Actually, read everything John Green has ever written, and then read Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. You will not regret it (and if you do it isn't my fault, you probably just have suspect taste...)



This is my pick for the Silver Inky. You can vote for it here.

--clare--

a gold Inky - Liar

Secrets, lies, murder and betrayal.
Micah Wilkins is a liar. But when her boyfriend, Zach, dies under brutal circumstances, the shock might be enough to set her straight. Or maybe not. Especially when lying comes as naturally to her as breathing. Was Micah dating Zach? Did they kiss? Did she see him the night he died? And is she really hiding a family secret? Where does the actual truth lie?
Liar is a breathtaking roller-coaster read that will have you up all night, desperately seeking for something true.

Liar is one of the very best books I have read recently - I stayed up long past my bedtime to find out what happened. And even now, months later, I am still not completely sure. Micah is a brilliant, though remarkably unreliable, character who forces her way off the page and into your life. It's controversial, compelling and certainly a strong contender for the Gold Inky.

Justine is another Australian author living away from our shores, but we love her nonetheless. Liar is published by Allen & Unwin and you can vote for it here.

--Kate--

a gold Inky - Stolen

It happened like this.
I was stolen from an airport.
Taken from everything I knew,
everything I was used to.
Taken to sand and heat, dirt and danger. And he expected me to love him. This is my story.
A letter from nowhere.

This is an incredible book, well deserving of its gold Inky.
Gemma is a great character, likeable and relatable. But it is her kidnapper, Ty, that really wowed me. He is a very complex, ambiguous and entirely mysterious character. Why did he capture Gemma? Why, if he had decided to steal her away from her family, her life, did he also decide not to harm her in any way, and make everything as comfortable for her as he could, going as far as buying her dresses in her favourite colour?

Powerful. Thought provoking. Very confronting. I was completely absorbed the whole way through, and also, by the end, feeling very conflicted and a little bit in love with Ty.
Highly, highly recommended.

Lucy Christopher, though currently living in the UK, is a local to the West - and an absolute favourite of the Younger Sun Bookshop!
Vote for Stolen here. Stolen published by Chicken House.

--clare--

The Inky shortlist

The Inky awards are an annual youth choice award for the very best Australian and overseas Young Adult books of the year. This year's selection was announced just last week. It's a great list!

The Gold Inky (Australian)

Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healy
Raw Blue by Kirsty Eager
Swerve by Phillip Gwynne
Stolen by Lucy Christopher

The Silver Inky (International)

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan & John Green
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Over the next few weeks The Younger Sun staff will give a quick review and run-down of each book. Keep your eyes peeled...

If you are under 20 you can vote for your favourite books here.
For more information see the Inside a Dog website (Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria)

cave baby

i love julia donaldson's books; she created the gruffalo, room on the broom and tiddler to name just a few.


i also love emily gravett's books; the odd egg, meerkat mail and little mouse's big book of fears being a selection of my favourites.


and right now, right here, and for the very first time ever, we present (err.. i suppose actually it is the publisher Macmillan that presents) to you an entirely delightful collaboration from misses donaldson and gravett that collects the best elements from both contributors (gravett's amazing pictures and donaldson's wordplay), and jumbles them together and onto the back of a woolly mammoth for a ride through caves artfully decorated with five legged tigers, long curly hares, and maybe, just maybe... a big brown bear.

verdict?
love it. especially gravett's pictures.

--clare--

Children's classics made new

Charlotte's Web, E B White (Puffin)

Always a favourite story for young and old, Charlotte's Web is now out in a beautiful hardback edition, with all the same Garth Williams illustrations - but now in colour.

Wilbur didn't want food, he wanted love. He wanted a friend - someone who would play with him.
One spring morning a little girl called Fern rescues a runt and names him Wilbur. But then Wilbur is sent to live on a farm where he meets Charlotte, a beautiful large grey spider. They become best friends and, when Wilbur is faced with a dreadful fate, Charlotte must find a very clever way to save him.


The Little Prince, Joann Sfar (Walker Books)

From the original story by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry comes this new graphic novelisation of the story of the little prince from the small planet with only three volcanoes who learns just where he belongs.

While I love the original story and think it is quite beautiful - the graphic novel is even better. The most important messages are highlighted and made simpler, while still retaining their poignancy. And it's very funny in parts, too.



Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl (Puffin)

The wonderful story of Willy Wonka, Charlie and Grandpa Bucket and the Oompa Loompas is now in hardback - and in colour!

You're in the museum now and anything can happen!

Museum of Thieves 1: The Keepers, Lian Tanner (Allen&Unwin)

Blurb: In the city of Jewel, impatience is a sin and boldness is a crime and Goldie Roth is both impatient and bold. When she escapes the clutches of the Blessed Guardians to find haven at the Museum of Dunt, an unforgettable adventure begins that will unlock hidden mysteries, dark secrets and awaken dangerous enemies. The thrilling first book in The Keepers trilogy.

What we think: Well, to be honest I am only a chapter in. But already - totally gripped. The children of Jewel are attached, by chains around their wrists, to their parents when at home or the Blessed Guardians at all other hours - apparently to protect them from the dangers of the world. Goldie is instantly a likeable character - gutsy and curious - and I know I'm going to love her.

Now please excuse me so I can get back to reading...

--Kate--

If I had a hammer...

Caldecott Honor illustrator Stephen T Johnson's My Little Red Toolbox has all the tools a child needs to hammer, drill, and have hours and hours of fun! Each spread features a sturdy working tool that's easy to remove and great to play with.Kids will even learn about colors, shapes, and counting, too.

My Little Red Toolbox features seven cardboard tools that really work. A pencil and an erasable slate, for drawing up plans. A ruler to measure things. A saw that makes noise when it cuts wood. A drill with movable parts. A screwdriver and screws that turn. A wrench and bolts that turn. A hammer for pounding nails.

So that is what the publisher (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) says about My Little Red Toolbox.

After having a bit of a play with it, the Younger Sun staff agree wholeheartedly that this book is fantastic. Your children will learn about the steps it takes to make something - measuring, sawing, drilling and keeping the parts together with nails or screws. Plus - there is no plastic in sight, just good quality cardboard and excellent retro illustrations. It's interactive - come and check it out today (or tomorrow).

New Kingdom of Silk

Plum Puddings and Paper Moons, Glenda Millard (ABC Books)

The fifth book in the multi-award-winning and much-loved Kingdom of Silk series.

It’s almost Christmas in Cameron’s Creek and it’s a time for wishes, big and small.

But Scarlet, the oldest of the Rainbow Girls, is not so sure if wishes can come true.

The kitchen at the Kingdom of Silk is warm and sweet with the smell of buttery shortbread and steamed plum puddings. And in the kitchen of the Colour Patch Café, Scarlet has made a new friend, Anik.

When Anik tells Scarlet about his home far away and of all the things he has lost, Scarlet is determined to make a difference. And so she decides to declare peace on Cameron’s Creek, and maybe even the world.

We have loved the Kingdom of Silk series since the wonderful The Naming of Tishkin Silk and we are so excited about this latest offering from the brilliant Glenda Millard (and love the beautiful, whimsical illustrations by Stephen Michael King).

Australian Stories

My Island Home, Neil Murray. Illustrated by kids from Papunya & Galiwinku, and Peter Hudson.





Solid Rock, Shane Howard. Translation by Ruby James. Illustrated by kids from Mutijulu, Kaltukatjara and Imanpa, and Peter Hudson.






Took the Children Away, Archie Roach. Illustrated by Ruby Hunter and Peter Hudson.





All books published by One Day Hill.

Younger Sun Top Tips for the Weekend

The princess who had no kingdom, Ursula Jones and Sarah Gibb

Our latest favourite princess book, that is so much more than just a princess book. Now out in paperback.

Charlotte's Web, EB White

A beautiful new hardback edition illustrated in colour by Garth Williams

Midnight Zoo, Sonya Hartnett

An incredible, moving fable by this incomparable Australian author.

Mess: the manual of accidents and mistakes, Kerri Smith (author of Wreck this Jounral)

• Do not try to make something beautiful
• Do not think too much (There is no "wrong")
• Continue under all circumstances

Teen Bookclub on Tomorrow, When the War Began

We met to talk about Tomorrow, When the War Began (by John Marsden, published by Pan Macmillan) on Saturday.

Disturbing, but 4 and a half stars - Isabella
Gut-wrenching - Clare
Gory, and 4 stars - Pele
Explosive! - Alexandra
Sad, 4 and three quarter stars - Charlotte
Julian was only 10 pages in but LOVING IT.
Kate's read it over and over again and still loves it, 5 stars.

We talked about how real the story felt, like it could have been happening to us. It was really frightening to read, but so interesting and we couldn't put the book down. Most of us thought Homer was fantastic and funny and our favourite (although Corrie and Fi and Lee also got some votes). We thought that John Marsden is amazing at writing teenagers and that he got their voices completely right. We were all sad about the dogs. Pele wondered if Robyn could have been so innocent if she wasn't so religious. We discussed the moral dilemmas of fighting in a war, and what "good" and "evil" actually means.

It was a great bookclub, thank you to everyone who came. You are all now free to go and see the movie!

Next month we're reading This is Shyness by Leanne Hall. There are signed copies at the Younger Sun, available this month at 20% off!

Do you blog with it?

This is one hilarious book. Monkey is reading a book. Jackass doesn't quite get it:

'How do you scroll down?'

'Where's your mouse?'

'Can you make the characters fight?'

But the Jackass is about to discover just how awesome books can be.

Buy this book. You will love it.

And you don't ever have to charge it up afterwards!

(published by walker books)

Great Father's Day Books!

Me and My Dad, Sally Morgan and Kwaymullina (Little Hare)

Because you are with me, Kylie Dunstan (Lothian Children's)

My dad thinks he's funny, Katrina Germein and Tom Jellett(Black Dog Books)

...and many, many others (some even for your favourite Granddad!)

The boy who bit Picasso, Antony Penrose

The boy who bit Picasso, Antony Penrose (Thames & Hudson)

This is a charming little book narrated by a young boy called Tony (actually the son of photographer Lee Miller and her artist husband Roland Penrose) whose family friend was none other than the world-famous Pablo Picasso. Told in a childlike voice, and accompanied by brilliant photographs of Picasso, Tony and his family, as well as cute illustrations.

"I don't remember this, but Mum told everyone that one day, when we were playing, I got over-excited and I naughtily bit Picasso. Picasso turned around and bit me right back - hard! Just before I started to yell, Mum heard Picasso say, in French, ' Gosh! That's the first Englishman I've ever bitten!'"

A gorgeous, slightly quirky, look at one of the great artists.

September New Releases!!

Up and Down, by Oliver Jeffers (published by Harper Collins)

This is the fourth story about the boy and the penguin. We love it. We want to fly too.



The Hunger Games 3: Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins (published by Scholastic)

Team Gale or Team Peeta, we don't care. We love Katniss A LOT and can't wait to read this final installment in such an amazing trilogy.



Girl Saves Boy, by Steph Bowe (published by Text)

Garden gnome theft, lobster liberation, great one-liners and a whole lotta love. This is YA not to be missed.

CBCA Book of the Year 2010 Winners

Early Childhood - Bear and Chook by the Sea, Lisa Shanahan and Emma Quay (Lothian)

Picture Book - The Hero of Little Street, Gregory Rogers (Allen & Unwin)

Younger Readers - Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, Odo Hirsch (Allen & Unwin)

Older Readers - Jarvis 24, David Metzenthen (Penguin)

Eve Pownell Award - Australian Backyard Explorer, Peter Macinnis (National Library of Australia)

Congratulations to all the winners, all the honourable mentions and all the shortlisted authors!

This is Shyness

This is Shyness, Leanne Hall (Text Publishing)

This Is Shyness tells the story of one night in the lives of Wildgirl and Wolfboy as they explore Shyness - a part of town where the sun never rises, a place of darkness, of eternal nighttime. Wildgirl is a tourist in shyness but she's met Wolfboy at the Diabetic Hotel and is drawn to him (he's really hot, she tells us) and he agrees to show her around.

Shyness is home to Dreamers whose dreams are now their realities, a frightening Doctor with dubious medicines on offer - and Shyness also home to sugared-up Kidds always out for a hit and will mug anyone for a chocolate bar or some lollies. Sounds cute, but they are vicious and they carry knives. And, on this particular night, they have taken one of Wolfboy's precious belongings. Our kooky, damaged, wilful duo set out to take back what is rightfully Wolfboy's, even though this means entering Orphanville - home of the Kidds.

If you are a fan of Neil Gaiman, Margo Lanagan or Kelly Link you will love This is Shyness, winner of the 2009 Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Writing.

We have signed copies available!

Some recent favourites...

The Vegetable Ark: A Tale of Two Brothers, Kim Kane and Sue deGennaro (Allen & Unwin)


A fantastic re-telling of the Noah's Ark story. This one is for the gentle greenies. Delightful illustrations. For 3+












Me and You, Anthony Browne (Doubleday)

We are big Anthony Browne fans. This is another re-telling, a beautiful version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, which focuses on where Goldilocks came from and what happened to her after the bears frighten her away. 3+

Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree, Andy Stanton (Import Fiction)

A new Mr Gum book! Join Polly and Friday (and the evil Mr Gum) on another crazy adventure. 5+













The Midnight Zoo, Sonya Hartnett (Viking)

A beautiful new parable from the enormous talent of Sonya Hartnett. Gypsy brothers discover a zoo in a war-ravaged country and animals who need their help. For ages +

Are you a Captain Underpants Fan?

then you're going to love...

Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung Fu Cavemen From The Future!!

!in stock now at the Younger Sun!