Better Read Kids Christmas Reading Guide 2017

My Lazy Cat | Christine Roussey | $21.99 | Thames & Hudson Boomer is tubby and chubby and looks like a pancake spread out fast asleep. Boomer is the best friend of a little girl who is always busy, but when her plans are ruined, she spends the day with her best friend and she has the best time. Sometimes it is good to slow down and enjoy doing nothing.

Say Zoop | Herve Tullet | $22.99 | Allen & Unwin Another genius book from the author of Press Here, Let’s Play and Mix It Up. Turn the page to embark on a magical journey with this interactive, inventive, intuitive book of sound, colour, motion and imagination.

PICTURE BOOKS

CHRISTMAS READING GUIDE

The Poesy Ring | Bob Graham | $24.99 | Walker Another amazing story illustrated by author Bob Graham. Bitter tears were shed and a ring was thrown. Caught by the wind, the Poesy Ring has an amazing journey until finally settling at the bottom of the sea. Found by a fisherman and sold, will the beautiful Poesy Ring find a finger to live on by someone truly loved.

Stardust | Jeanne Willis & Briony May Smith | $24.99 | Allen & Unwin Everyone loves stars. We all shine in our own way. A beautiful story of wonder and wisdom as a little girl is told a story by her Grandad of how the universe began. One day her dream will come true and she will fly to the moon. A staff favourite.

Malala’s Magic Pencil | Malala Yousafzai | $24.99 | Penguin Where Malala grows up in Pakistan not all girls go to school. When she’s older she’ll be expected to cook and clean for her brothers. But she has a dream of equality, for no one to live in poverty, and there to be no wars. The amazing story of a courageous young girl who made the world stand and take notice.

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PICTURE BOOKS

Franklin’s Flying Bookshop | Jen Campbell & Katie Harnett | $24.99 | Thames & Hudson Do you love dragons and books?

Good, then this is the book for you!

Franklin loves stories. They keep him warm at night in his cave. When it’s warm, he flies into the sky and reads by the light of the moon. Everyone in the village is afraid of him, until he meets Luna who also loves stories.

They hatch a plan to share their favourite books with as many people as they can on Franklin.

On a Magical Do-Nothing Day | Beatrice Alemanga | $24.99 | Thames & Hudson It is raining and all I want to do is play my game and stay cosy until Mum decides to take my game away. What am I going to do? Well go outside I guess. So I go exploring in the garden and find dozens of mushrooms , put my fingers in the mud where there is an underground treasure that I can feel. I run and leap, climb a tree, drink raindrops and find an amazing world on this magical do nothing day.

It Takes a Village | Hillary Rodham Clinton & Marla Frazee | $24.99 | Simon & Schuster This powerful, lovely illustrated story gives out a strong message of hope for the future. The world is always in a hurry and it is important that we slow down and let children be children. Community is a great way to teach children that if we kind and sharing the world would be a better place. We are all in this together and together we have to care for each other.

FAVOURITE AUTHOR HIGHLIGHT | JAN’S PICK

Kes Gray | Hachette Kes Gray has been one of my favourite children’s picture book author since the first in the Oi Series. He is now in the top 10 authors in the U.K. Oi Cat along with Oi Frog and Oi Dog are packed with illustrations in vivid strong colours and animals with the most funny facial expressions. The rhyming text is perfect for reading out aloud and there will be much giggling from children and adults. A special little friend of the bookshop Obie, aged 3, just loves Oi Cat. I think Dr Seuss has a rival!

The Lost Words | Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris | $49.99 | Penguin Once upon a time, words began to vanish from the language of children. They disappeared so quietly that at first almost no one noticed - until one day, they were gone. But there is an old kind of magic for finding what is missing, and for summoning what has gone. If the right spells are spoken, the lost words can be brought back. All over the country, there are words disappearing from children’s lives. Words like Dandelion, Otter, Bramble, Acorn and Lark represent the natural world of childhood, a rich landscape of discovery and imagination that is fading from children’s minds. The Lost Words stands against the disappearance of wild childhood. It is a joyful celebration of the poetry of nature words and the living glory of our distinctive, British countryside.

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A World Without You | Beth Revis | $16.99 | Penguin | Young Adult A World Without You is a profound insight into the world of mental illness. It’s both a pageturning adventure and a melancholy, emotional journey. It’s a story of learning to accept the truth when the easy choice would be to sink into a delusion of a better world. A World Without You is an emotional roller-coaster that has you hooked from the first page!

The Fall | Tristan Bancks | $16.99 | Random House | Junior Fiction We couldn’t put The Fall down and we couldn’t stop thinking about it! It puts you straight into the action and it builds tension and immediacy by being set over a 24-hour period. We liked how it was set in Sydney because we could relate to the places and it feels like you’re in the story, which made everything seem creepy (even texts from your mum!) We didn’t like the end though... because that meant it was over!

The Boundless Sublime | Lili Wilkinson | $19.99 | Allen & Unwin | Young Adult This book is so good but gruesome! The characters are well developed and you can easily relate to them despite the unusual cult situation. It showed an interesting perspective and the transition of her getting brainwashed is done really well. There is lots of tugging and conflict that makes you want to keep reading because it’s so tense. Plus it has the creepiest and most grotesque villain ever who constantly tries to trick you into liking him. The Boundless Sublime will half brainwash you!

See You In The Cosmos | Jack Cheng | $16.99 | Penguin | Junior Fiction We loved this book! It’s full of humour and heart, similar to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and Wonder. The style of writing was different and clever - some of it was layed out like a script and some of it like a voice recording. We really liked the main character, Alex, becaue he was relatable and felt like a friend by the end of the book.

JUNIOR & YOUNG ADULT BOOK CLUB REVIEWS

Our Book Clubs are run by one of our children’s and young adult specialists. We are dedicated to encouraging kids to talk about literature they love and inspire them to join in our book community. These are their Top 5 reads from this year’s book club meetings.

Highly Illogical Behaviour | John Corey Whaley | $16.99 | Allen & Unwin | Young Adult Highly Illogical Behaviour is a simple, yet endearing read that raises fundamental questions about morality, ethics, and the boundaries of friendship. It’s a powerful book that breaks the stigma surrounding mental illness as the main character – Solomon, who suffers from agoraphobia – is portrayed as funny and lovable (and a little bit nerdy!) The eccentric character of Grandma made us laugh out loud and the other characters were very realistic and engaging. We wished it had been longer because we didn’t want it to end!

The Mysterious Book Society for primary school students and Miss Peregrine’s Young Adult Book Club meets monthly to discuss a new release fiction book. To join one of our book clubs in the new year visit www.betterreadevents.com.au

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BEGINNER FICTION

“I, Geronimo Stilton, traveled on the wings of the Dragon of Fortune back to the Kingdom of Fantasy! I was called there by my friend Blossom, Queen of the Fairies, who needed my help.”

The Dragon of Fortune | Geranimo Stilton | $19.99 | Scholastic Do you like dragons, wizards and talking lizards? If so join Geronimo as he goes on another adventure to find the missing Winged Ring. Without this ring the owner won’t be able to travel between the Kingdom of Fantasy and the real world. Can he find the ring before it reaches evil hands. Great early reading with colour, illustrated pages.

Mr. Penguin: The Lost Treasure | Alex T Smith | $19.99 | Hachette Mr Penguin was a penguin, he looked like one but there was something odd about him. You see he was an Adventurer , all very prepared for his mission with his dashing hat and packed lunch of a fish finger sandwich. After a short time without work he finally gets a call from Boudicca Bones he is needed to find the missing treasure which is somewhere in the Museum of Extraordinary Objects. Solving secret codes and fighting ferocious beasts this case turns out to be more exciting than Mr Penguin could ever have imagined.

Safari Pug | Laura James | $12.99 | Bloomsbury Meet the brilliant, the wonderful, the courageous ...

Safari Pug! The third book in a joyful illustrated series for fans of Claude and Squishy McFluff. Pug is too scared to meet a lion. But Lady Miranda decides to take him to the Safari Park to prove that he is not a scaredy cat. Off they go in the car with a picnic lunch but Pug is very worried that the animals will have him for lunch. Then they meet up with Arlene Von Bling. Fabulous first reader.

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Mighty Mitch Aussies vs England Game On! | Mitchell Starc | $9.99 | Scholastic Mitchell’s team, the U10s Wander Hill Wombats are playing against their greatest rivals, England.

Mitch is sure that his team will be flogged and his bowling is not too good. What else can go wrong, oh yes, his Dad is the coach and keeps embarrassing him and his cricket whites are turning pink. A great read for cricket fans with fielding position, batting shots and cricket terms in this hilarious book.

Joe and the Magic Snowman | Enid Blyton | $14.99 | Hardie Grant The tenth classic tale from Enid Blyton’s magical Faraway Tree series, with exciting new full-colour illustrations from Alex Paterson – perfect for newly independent readers aged 7-9! This classic tale from the Faraway Tree adventures is a short story perfect for newly independent readers. With colour illustrations you can join Joe when he meets the Bossy Snowman who is determined to make Joe his servant. Can his new friends Moon-Face, Frannie and Beth rescue him?

Northern Lights: Volume One | Philip Pullman | $32.99 | Penguin A stunning graphic novel adaptation of part one of Northern Lights, the first book in the His Dark Materials trilogy. Lyra Belacqua lives half-wild and carefree among the scholars of Jordan College, with her daemon familiar always by her side. But the arrival of her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, draws her to the heart of a terrible struggle – a struggle born of Gobblers and stolen children, witch clans and armoured bears. 10+

Illegal | Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin | $29.99 | Hachette This is a powerful and timely story about one boy’s epic journey across Africa to Europe, a graphic novel for all children with glorious colour artwork throughout. From Eoin Colfer, previously Irish Children’s Laureate, and the team behind his bestselling Artemis Fowl graphic novels.

Ebo: alone. His sister left months ago. Now his brother has disappeared too, and Ebo knows it can only be to make the hazardous journey to Europe. Ebo’s epic journey takes him across the Sahara Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless sea. But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a reunion with his sister. 10+

GRAPHIC NOVELS

All’s Faire in Middle School | Victoria Jamieson | $19.99 | Penguin Calling all Telgemeier fans! The author of Roller Girl is back with a heartwarming graphic novel about starting high school, surviving your embarrassing family, and the Renaissance Faire. Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire, and she’s eager to begin her own training as a squire. First, though, she’ll need to prove her bravery. Luckily Impy has just the quest in mind - she’ll go to public school after a life of being homeschooled! As she did in Roller Girl, Victoria Jamieson perfectly and authentically captures the bittersweetness of high school life with humour, warmth, and understanding. 10+

Spacebat and The Fugitives | Chris Sheridan | $22.99 | Penguin Spacebat, the galaxy’s greatest misfit, is pressed into service by three children to battle robots, psychics, and even the very laws of nature to stop a mad scientist, his army of ill-mannered robots, and (worst of all), a universe-bending machine.

Romp across reality in a wide-ranging escapade for all ages from acclaimed cartoonist Chris Sheridan featuring bold lines, quirky characters, outer-space adventures… and tacos! 8+

Mighty Jack and The Goblin King | Ben Hatke | $24.99 | Macmillan The garden behind Jack’s house has gone wild with creatures set loose by the magic beans Jack and his kid sister Maddy planted. One particularly mean creature has kidnapped Maddy and carried her off. Now Jack and his neighbor Lilly must follow her to a world between worlds beyond the vines and stalks, where giants grind the bones of human children to feed their beast in the castle up above, and a fearsome goblin king rules down below. It’ll take more than Lilly’s bag of concoctions and tricks, and more than one hero, to rescue Maddy, reunite Jack’s family, and bring them all safely home again. 8+

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JUNIOR FICTION

Whichwood | Tahereh Mafi | $19.99 | Penguin | Mischa’s Pick If you haven’t read any of Tahereh Mafi’s books yet, you need to start! Whichwood is the companion novel to the whimsical and adventurous Futhermore, and begins a new and wonderous journey with another unforgettable heroine. Laylee was left as the sole remaining mordeshoor in the village of Whichwood, destined to spend her days washing the bodies of the dead and preparing their souls for the afterlife. But soon, a pair of familiar strangers appears, and Laylee’s world is turned upside down as she rediscovers color, magic, and the healing power of friendship. Mafi weaves an utterly lush and darkly enchanting adventure! 9+

The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club | Alex Bell | $16.99 | Allen & Unwin This gorgeously imaginative new fantasy adventure has all the magic and charm of Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights! It sounded like a respectable and worthy enough death for an explorer - tumbling from an ice bridge to be impaled upon a mammoth tusk - but Stella really, really didn’t want that to happen, just the same. Join Stella Starflake Pearl and her three fellow explorers as they trek across the snowy Icelands and come face-to-face with frost fairies, snow queens, outlaw hideouts, unicorns, pygmy dinosaurs and carnivorous cabbages. When they get separated from their expedition can they cross the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale? 9+

The Whizmob and The Grenadine Kid| Colin Meloy & Carson Ellis | $24.99 | Penguin Since Charlie arrived in France with his American diplomat father life has been anything but exciting until he witnesses a group of pickpockets pull off an amazing robbery. When Charlie defends one of them he asks to be taught the tricks of the trade. Soon Charlie is invited to join the secret world of the whiz mob, an international bank of child thieves who have trained at the mysterious School of Seven Bells. 9+

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Race to The Bottom of The Sea | Lindsay Eagar | $16.99 | Walker Books A great book of exploration, sharks, treasure, mystery and adventure. Fidelia Quail is twelve and his grieving the loss of her parents, the famous scientists. Her wish is to become a famous scientist just like them but when she is kidnapped by Merrick the Monster, the scary pirate, she needs to use all her marine knowledge to find his lost treasure lying on the bottom of the ocean floor to survive. Reading this book you will feel that you are at the bottom of the ocean with her. 9+

Undercover Princess | Connie Glynn | $22.99 | Penguin The first book in an exciting new series The Rosewood Chronicles. When fairy tale obsessed Lottie Pumpkin starts at Rosewood Hall and finds she is sharing a room with Crown Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolf she will soon discover that reality doesn’t always have a happy ending. Entering a world of secrets, intrigue and betrayal Lottie pretends that she is the princess so that Ellie can live a normal teenage life. Can they keep the secret? 10+

A Place Called Perfect | Helena Duggan | $14.99 | Harper Collins Violet lives in Perfect. Not that she likes it, everyone wears special glasses to stop them going blind, there are strange noises in the night and when Mum starts acting strange Dad disappears. Can Violet uncover the truth in this weird town with the help of a mysterious Boy. A creepy, fun adventure. As she hurtles towards danger in the cold far North, Lyra never suspects the shocking truth: she alone is destined to win, or to lose, the biggest battle imaginable. 8+

The Creakers | Tom Fletcher | $19.99 | Penguin Do you ever hear strange, creaking noises at night?

Ever wonder what makes those noises? Lucy Dungston always did. Until, one morning, Lucy discovers that all the grown-ups have disappeared - as if into thin air. Chaos descends as the children in Lucy’s town run riot. It’s mayhem. It’s madness. To most kids, it’s amazing! But Lucy wants to find out the truth. A darkly magical new story about the monsters under the bed and one girls determination to find her family. 8+

JUNIOR FICTION

Kick | Mitch Johnson | $14.99 | Harper Collins Budi lives in Jakarta. He is training to become a professional football player with Real Madrid and works in the local factory making football boots. When he kicks his ball through the Dragon’s window life becomes more difficult for Budi. He must do what the Dragon tells him otherwise his family will suffer. A story full of hope and big dreams. 8+

Click’d | Tamara Ireland Stone | $28.99 | Hachette Allie Navarro can’t wait to show her best friends the app she built at CodeGirls summer camp. Click’d pairs users based on common interests and sends them on a fun (and occasionally rule-breaking) scavenger hunt to find each other. And it’s a hit. By the second day of school, everyone is talking about Click’d. Watching her app go viral is amazing.

Leaderboards are filling up! Everyone’s making new friends. And with all the data Allie is collecting, she has an even better shot at beating her archenemy, Nathan, at the upcoming youth coding competition. But when Allie discovers a glitch that threatens to expose everyone’s secrets, she has to figure out how to make things right, even if that means sharing the computer lab with Nathan. Can Allie fix her app, stop it from doing any more damage, and win back the friends it hurt-all before she steps on stage to present Click’d to the judges? Tamara Ireland Stone combines friendship, coding, and lots of popcorn in this fun and empowering read! 10+

The Matilda Effect | Ellie Irving | $16.99 | Penguin | Jan’s Pick “Matilda is a great character, a brilliant role model, and the book is a real affirmation of women as scientists ” Matilda loves science and is convinced that one day she will be famous. When she doesn’t win the science competition at school she is devastated. The judges just didn’t believe that it was her idea. When Matilda discusses this with her Grandma Joss she discovers that her Grandma was once an astrophysicist who discovered her own planet. Unfortunately, her boss stole the discovery and was about to be awarded the Nobel Prize. This sets in motion a hilarious journey to crash the ceremony and reveal the truth. 8+

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YOUNG ADULT FICTION

FAVOURITE AUTHOR HIGHLIGHT | MISCHA’S PICKS

Lauren Oliver | Hachette Michelle Hodkin | Simon & Schuster I simply couldn’t choose between these two incredibly talented YA authors! Oliver masters the dual narrative, creating a scathing, Frankenstein-esque examination of what it means to be human; what happens when people take on the role of ‘creator,’ and the role that genuine friendship plays in the exploration of self-discovery. Hodkin’s writing is wittily hilarious, deliciously romantic, and spine-chillingly creepy. Hallucinations make it difficult to distinguish reality from fiction, if any of it is in fact reality at all. Having the gorgeous, dangerous, dark, lovable characters unaware of what’s happening themselves makes it all the more intuiting, all the more compelling, and all the more thrilling! 14+ Renegades | Marissa Meyer | $18.99 | Pan Macmillan Meyer delivers her most high-stakes novel yet, full of adventure, passion, danger, and betrayal! The Renegades are humans with extraordinary abilities who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone…except the villains they once overthrew. When Nova, on a mission for vengeance, meets Adrian, a villainous Renegade boy who believes in justice their allegiance has the power to end them both. A fun and captivating read with bite. Perfect for a fan of superheroes and villains! 12+ Kids Like Us | Hilary Reyl | $19.99 | Text This is the story of Martin, a teenager on the autism spectrum, who falls for Gilberte-Alice after he mistakes her for a character in a novel he is obsessed with – Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time – whilst spending the summer in the French countryside with his mother. Falling in love, in all its unpredictability, teaches Martin about the beauty of connection and that perhaps the line between reality and imagination does not have to be fixed. Hilary Reyl writes with a sharp, original prose that brims with empathy and humour. Kids Like Us is delightful, heartwarming read for fans of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and Counting by 7’s! 12+

Warcross | Marie Lu | $24.99 | Penguin This new sci-fi is a universally immersive and clever read full of obsessive gamers, hackers, and bounty hunters! When a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, Emika Chen hacks her way into its dangerous depths. Given an offer she can’t refuse by the game’s mysterious creator - Hideo Tanaka – Emika journeys to Tokyo to become an undercover spy in the competitive Warcross Championships. Marie Lu has created another engrossing, original, and dynamic read with a cast of diverse and strong-willed characters.

12+

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Almost Midnight | Rainbow Rowell | $19.99 | Pan Macmillan This beautiful and sparkly mini hardback contains two short stories, decorated with Simini Blocker’s gorgeous black and white illustrations. Charming, quirky, heart-felt, and satisfying in true Rowell fashion! 14+

Unearthed | Amie Kaufman & Megan Spooner | $19.99 | Allen & Unwin Jules Addison and Amelia Radcliffe join forces in a tomb-raiding race on a newly-discovered planet to unravel the secrets of an ancient, long-extinct civilization--only to uncover a revelation that could spell the end of the human race... This book is like Indiana Jones/Lara Croft set in space and mixing in a bit of Doctor Who! Kaufman and Spooner integrate archaeology with futuristic explorations of new planets, which makes for a unique, intricate, and interesting page-turner. 14+

This Mortal Coil | Emily Suvada | $17.99 | Penguin A breathtaking debut by an Aussie author about one girl’s quest for answers in a genetically and technologically advanced future. Catarina’s father was the world’s leading geneticist, and humanity’s best hope of beating a devastating virus. Her only hope is to decrypt a message left by her father that holds the clues to creating a vaccine. The closer she gets, the more she finds herself at risk.

There are three billion lives at stake, two people who can save them, and one final secret that Cat must unlock.

A secret that will change everything. This is a gripping sci-fi thriller with nuanced characters that will appeal to lovers of complex dystopian worlds. 14+

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

Landscape With Invisible Hand | M. T. Anderson | $16.99 | Walker This is a weird but wonderful read! In part, it’s about how a community copes when aliens invade their land, but it’s also a satirical commentary on class, the philosophy of art, and the culture of humanity. It will appeal to reluctant teen readers who will enjoy the sharpness and humour, as well as to teen and older prolific readers who love to unpack books in search for their underlying meaning. M.T Anderson treats his readers like puppets, always knowing when and how to pull at their emotional and intellectual stings. This is one that I definitely want to revisit! 12+

Things A Bright Girl Can Do| Sally Nicholls | $22.99 | Penguin Random House Following three courageous young women as they join the fight for women’s votes in England during the Suffragette Movement, Things a Bright Girl Can Do is a dazzling and inspiring must read! Evelyn is seventeen, and though she is rich and clever, she may never be allowed to follow her older brother to university. May is fifteen, and already sworn to the cause, though she and her fellow Suffragists refuse violence. When she meets Nell, a girl who’s grown up in hardship, she sees a kindred spirit. Together and in love, the two girls start to dream of a world where all kinds of women have their place. But the fight for freedom will challenge Evelyn, May and Nell more than they ever could believe. As war looms, just how much are they willing to sacrifice? Nicholls deftly weaves history and politics into the narrative that made it was impossible to stop reading! 14+

A Skinful of Shadows | Frances Hardinge| $24.99 | Macmillan | Mischa’s Pick “When a creature dies, its spirit can go looking for somewhere to hide. Some people have space inside them, perfect for hiding.”

This book is a hypnotic and visceral young adult novel that tells the story of a girl who shares her skin with the spirit of a bear. Her unique and ghostly abilities help to build her strength as she navigates the harsh events and patriarchal world of the English Civil War. Frances Harndinge’s writing is haunting and atmospheric in a way that’s akin to Margo Lanagan’s sensory style. A Skinful of Shadows completely transported me into a beautifully crafted, darkly imagined world, which still refuses to leave me. 14+

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NON FICTION

Time Atlas | Robert Hegarty & Marcelo Badari | $29.99 | Hardie Grant A beautifully designed, interactive book that takes readers to the past, the present, and even the future. This book is highly accessible, charting a brief history of the world and its inhabitants. It celebrates the landmarks and inventions that have made our planet what it is today and poses questions about where humankind will go from here! From dinosaurs to DNA and reed boats to rockets, there is something for everyone in this atlas of time.

The Atlas of Monsters | Stuart Hill & Sandra Lawrence | $34.99 | Five Mile Have you ever wondered where in the world you could find monsters from mythology, like dragons and trolls, minotaurs and krakens? Wonder no more! This beautiful atlas evokes the beauty of a medieval map, highlighting the locations linked with these wondrous beasts. There are also tons of facts about mythology, perfect for every fan of fantastical creatures. Even though it is incredibly informative non-fiction, it retains the magic and mystery of mythical beasts for the curious reader.

A Child Through Time | DK & Steve Noon | $29.99 | Penguin History books tend to focus on adults, but let’s be honest, when are adults actually that interesting? This book explores the past through children’s eyes – discover how a kid might have lived as an Ancient Egyptian, a Viking, a Tudor, or how one would have felt living through the Cold War. See the toys they played with, the food they ate, and read profiles of real children from different time periods. An incredibly insightful and accessible history for kids who ask how their lives might have been if their circumstances were different!

Urban Jungle | Vicky Woodgate | $39.99 | Five Mile Do you have a favourite fact? If not, you definitely will after flicking through this book.

Did you know that there are over 1000 feral chickens in the centre of Miami? Or that wild boar sometimes roam the streets of Berlin? This book is full of surprising stories and facts about the wild side to city life. It will definitely make you see the streets around you in a very different light.

“ Did you know that there are over 1,000 feral chickens in the center of Miami?

Or that wild boar roam the strets of Berlin?”

Discovering Bugs | Julius Csotonyi | $29.99 | Simon & Schuster Some people reaaaaalllllyy hate bugs. But that’s just because they don’t understand them. Really, bugs are incredible and beautiful and spellbinding.

You just need to get much closer than you normally would! This book looks at more than fifty fascinating insects as if through a magnifying glass or microscope. Crawl along the forest floor with beetles and ants or fly the skies next to bees and dragonflies. But the best part? The cover looks and feels like a massive spider!

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NON FICTION

Dinosaur Atlas | Anna Rooney & James Gilleard | $27.99 | Lonely Planet Everyone can always learn something new about dinosaurs! This book lets you unfold maps and lift the flaps to reveal exciting illustrations and facts about how dinosaurs lived and where their bones were discovered. Learn how the dinosaurs evolved, how they hunted and what they looked like.

Meet famous palaeontologists (fossil scientists) and discover all the latest theories about dinosaurs! Lonely Planet Kids is an incredible way to get excited about the world around you, whether you’re travelling the world or holidaying at home.

Trailblazers: 33 Women In Science Who Changed The World | Rachel Swaby | $14.99 | Penguin Random House Florence Nightingale, Sally Ride and Ada Lovelace are just a few of the women profiled in this book whose vision, creativity, passion and dedication have changed the world. Children who enjoy learning about the world will be fascinated by these snapshots into the lives of female scientists in times gone by. But Rachel Swaby also explains that people aren’t born as scientists – she explains that it takes a lot of observation and experimenting, making it easy for kids to see themselves in a scientist’s shoes.

Pirates Magnified | David Long & Harry Bloom | $27.99 | Allen & Unwin Who doesn’t want to see pirates up close and personal? This book provides the perfect opportunity. Grab a magnifying glass and search for history’s most famous pirates in the search-and-find, packed with items to spot. Meet Blackbeard, Captain Kidd and Anne Bonny and learn about their real life adventures. There are also sections on navigation, survival at sea, pirate codes and finding treasure, so be prepared to hone your pirate skills!

“The thirty-three women included here are meant to inspire you with their extraordinary inventions and creative ideas.”

The Picture Atlas | Simon Holland & Jill Calder | $26.99 | Bloomsbury This is quite unlike anything you’ve seen before. Calder’s beautiful illustrations bring the world to life in a unique way, teaching children not only about the natural wonders of the world, national borders, mountains, rivers, seas and oceans but also about fascinating cultures, historical artefacts and incredible animals. A great way to take a trip around the world from your own living room and discover wonderful new things about our planet.

Egyptomania | Emma Giuliani & Carol Saturno | $39.99 | Thames & Hudson The ancient Egyptians are still some of the most fascinating people in history. This beautifully illustrated Lift the Flap book will hold hours of entertainment for any child.

Learn what the ancient Egyptians wore, what is inside the pyramids, how a mummy is made, and so much more. The secrets of the ancient world are yours to explore with the help of this fabulously interactive book.

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ACTIVITY BOOKS

Welcome to the Museum | $29.99 | Penguin Learn more about the fascinating world of museums with the fascinating book that helps children to build and curate their very own museum. Everything on display in your museum is decided by YOU! Become a curator, set up your own collections and exhibitions. You can even create objects to display from scratch!

An engaging and innovative format filled with press-out pieces and stickers, with tons of tips on creating and running your very own museum, this is a perfect gift for curious young minds.

Pinball Science | Ian Graham | $29.99 | Allen & Unwin Think of the best way to learn about physics. No, the BEST way! You don’t know? Well, it’s pinball of course! This book teaches you how to build your own working pinball machine while teaching you all about gravity, force and acceleration. It’s an exciting interactive book that lets you learn about science and then demonstrate the principles with experiments, finally resulting a working pinball machine! Learn everything you need to know about the essentials of physics through play!

History: A Map Colouring Book | $24.99 | Hardie Grant Colouring is not just an amazing form of entertainment, it can now be educational!

Colour your way through time with this history of the world colouring book. The bright and brilliant maps feature illustrations of everything from famous battles to fantastic inventions and amazing architecture to world leaders. Colour in the pictures, but also learn from the bite size historical facts accompanying each picture. A fantastic way to begin digesting history!

The Usborne Story Writer’s Ideas Journal | Louie Stowell | $19.99 | Harper Collins Feeling inspired for the upcoming school holidays? Why not start your entry for our next Better Read Kids Writing Competition? This book is a write-in activity book for budding writers, combining story prompts, writing tips and inspiring quotes from writers around the world. This is a book no young writer should be without!

Our next Writing Competition theme is Summer! You can submit your entries up until March 1st 2018 and the winner will be announced at an in-store event. Please email all entries as an attached Word Document to mischa@betterread.com.au

Search & Find: Pride & Prejudice/A Christmas Carol | Amanda Enright & Emily Piggot | $16.99 | Five Mile Revisit classic fiction, and introduce the kids to them, through the exciting activity of search and find! The popular classic stories are retold in beautifully illustrated scenes where you can find the characters on the busy pages and follow them through the story. The illustrations are accompanied by an abridged version of the story, making these books a perfect introduction to Jane Austen and Charles Dickens! A fun family activity for lovers of the classics.

The most exciting activity to do this upcoming school holidays is our January 2018 School Holiday Workshops! At the end of January we will be continue our workshops with guest authors who will provide tips, advice, and writing activities for all of the budding young creative writers out there! To express your interest, please email mischa@betterread.com.au.

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