Mother's Day Reading Guide 2018

MOTHER’S DAY READING GUIDE SUNDAY MAY 13 a curated selection of new releases & staff favourites

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AUSTRALIAN FICTION

THE DEATH OF NOAH GLASS GAIL JONES $29.99 - PENGUIN

A mesmerising mystery which gently builds to an unexpected climax, Art historian Noah Glass returns from Sicilly to be found face down in his swimming pool. The police interview his children as Noah is under investigation for the theft of a sculpture from Sicily. Martin is an artist and Evie an academic; grieving, they both try to piece the unknown quality of their father’s life together. Evie moves into her father’s apartment while Martin travels to Sicily to retrace his father’s footsteps.

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THE BOOKSHOP OF THE BROKEN HEARTED ROBERT HILLMAN $29.99 - PENGUIN A spectacular and original love story set in 1960s rural Australia. Hillman deftly conjures the country lifestyle and landscape of rural Victoria, and weaves together the fraught past of a Hungarian Jew and the troubles of an Aussie farmer into something special. Full of broken and mended hearts. Desolate and beautiful. This is a book to be savoured.

FLAMES ROBBIE ARNOTT $29.99 - PENGUIN Australian novelist Jane Rawson just might have met her match for originality. In Flames, Tasmanian Robbie Arnott has crafted a beguiling novel that is original in conception and mesmerizing in its descriptions of the Tasmanian landscape. A celebration of the power of language, Flames sings with joy and sadness. Arnott is an author to watch.

AFTERNOONS WITH HARVEY BEAM CARRIE COX $24.99 - PENGUIN Harvey Beam is darkly humorous, flawed and in a career slump after years as a successful radio presenter. After believing he left his problems of his youth back in his hometown, he is drawn back there as his father looks to be finally dying. This is a story of redemption and is one about a character you can’t help but sympathise with, despite all the flaws.

LOVESOME SALLY SELTMAN $29.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN With all the right 90s beats, Lovesome is a charming yet offbeat romantic comedy written

by New Buffalo’s Sally Seltmann. Joni has an exhibition coming up; having finished her art degree she works in a restaurant to peruse her love of painting. Her best friend is a musician with an enviable life. Joni is searching for love while Annabelle steals every fleeting chance. Can their friendship survive this seesaw once James the photographer enters the scene?

THE MAKING OF MARTIN SPARROW PETER COCHRANE $34.99 - PENGUIN Set against the awe-inspiring immensity of the hinterland west of the Hawkesbury River, this colonial epic of chance and endurance is an immersion into another time, a masterpiece of language and atmosphere. Rich, raw, and strangely beautiful, The Making of Martin Sparrow has the nightmarish grace of Cormac McCarthy, Kate Grenville, and Rohan Wilson. There’s no higher praise than that.

BOOK OF COLOURS ROBYN CADWALLADER $32.99 - HARPER COLLINS This is a story about power and the role of women in the turbulent world of the early fourteenth century. The characters are all brought together for the creation of a magnificent book, an illuminated book of prayers.

Those in the workshop tasked with the book’s creation attempt to use the commission for their own agendas, threatening its completion. The noble lady for whom it was created takes great comfort in her book as her world crumbles.

THE JADE LILY KIRSTY MANNING $29.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN Fleeing London with a broken heart, Alexandra returns to Australia to be with her grandparents, who begin to reveal the family mysteries they have kept secret. These secrets lead her to Shanghai; determined to trace her grandparents’ past. As she peels back the layers of their hidden lives, she begins to question everything she knows about her family. A gorgeously told tale of female friendship, the price of love, and the power of hardship and courage to shape us all.

CRIME FICTION

THE BRIDGE ENZA GANDOLFO $32.99 - SCRIBE In 1970s, Italian migrant Antonello is working as a rigger on the West Gate Bridge. When the bridge collapses, killing 35 of his workmates, his world crashes down.. In 2009, Jo and Ashleigh, are on the verge of finishing high school and flush with possibilities. But one terrible mistake sets Jo’s life on a radically different course. Drawing on true events of our worst industrial accident tragedy that still scars the city, this moving novel examines class, guilt, and moral culpability.

MACBETH JO NESBO

$32.99 - PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

One of the world’s best crime authors writes as part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series. The most traditional of all the adaptations, using the title and character names from the original which really works in the format of a police procedural. The corruptions, the organised crime, the madness; it comfortably fits into the Scandinavian crime writer’s envisioned world and this thrilling stand alone is a sharp page turner which will not disappoint fans and welcomes a new readership into the fold. Leave Netflix to breathe, Macbeth is your late night binge for this week.

THE PERFECT MOTHER AIMEE MOLLOY $29.99 - HACHETTE Compulsive reading, The Perfect Mother is a psychological thriller that will delight fans of Big Little Lies and Gone Girl. A mothers group in Brooklyn, a baby goes missing on a night away from the bubs and three sleep deprived mums set out to investigate and help their friend find her baby, revealing many hidden secrets amongst this new group of friends. A real page-turner that kept me reading into the night. Perfect!

THE GOOD SON YOU-JEONG JEONG $32.99 - HACHETTE This is a killer! A riveting psychological thriller; with comparisons to A Clockwork Orange and American Psycho. A profound look at South Korea through the eyes of Yu-Jin, a model student, champion swimmer and good son - or is he? Yu-Jin sneaks out from under his mother’s overprotective gaze, and through the window to jog along the secluded waterfront.

He realises he enjoys scaring people but when it goes too far how does he explain mostly to himself what he really is? Intense, graphic and extremely hard to put down.

CROSS HER HEART SARAH PINOBOROUGH $29.99 - HARPER COLLINS Promises can only be kept if you can trust each other. But if someone is lying, keeping a secret – a mother, daughter or a best friend – not just your life, but that of those around you could change forever. An explosive new thriller from bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes; this one will keep you turning pages; we cross our hearts.

DON’T BELIEVE IT CHARLIE DONLEA $32.99 - PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE Grace has spent ten years in a St Lucien prison and has exhausted all avenues of appeal when she writes to filmmaker Sidney Ryan as a last hope to tell her story. In the research that Sidney does she uncovers startling errors in evidence. As she delves deeper she uncovers deception after deception - is she just a pawn in a frightening

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FICTION FICTION PONTI SHARLENE TEO

$29.99 - PAN MACMILLAN The acronym of the word PONTI - Person Of No Tactical Importance - came to mind in my first reading of this exceptional novel, a characterisation of sorts embodied by Szu. Szu is the 16 y.o. daughter of a one time cult horror actress, Amisa, who played a Pontianak in films Ponti one two and three. (Pontianak: the beautiful vampiric ghost of Malay myth who comprised of spirits of women who died while pregnant).

An outsider, Szu lives with her mother and aunt: a (perhaps crooked) spiritual medium. Privileged Circe befriends Szu at school and their friendship grows and falters. Narrated by Szu, Amisa and Circe - this is an absorbing novel that spans contemporaneity and antiquity with fluidity and freshness.

THE BURNING CHAMBERS KATE MOSSE $29.99 - PAN MACMILLAN Labyrinth, the first book I read by Kate Mosse, was so immersive and detailed that it inspired me to travel to Carcassonne, France - an isolated Medieval castle with secretive lanes and history trapped within its cobblestones.

The Burning Chambers is just as immersive! Set in Carcassonne, Languedoc and Toulouse, and spanning from the 16th to the 19th century, this is a Romeo and Juliet style epic that is rich with history and landscape. Minou and Piet are vividly drawn and carved a little space in my heart where their world of love, loss, adventure, war, and priceless artefacts will forever remain.

CIRCE MADELINE MILLER

A SHOUT IN THE RUINS KEVIN POWERS $29.99 - HACHETTE From the author of the much lauded Iraq War novel The Yellow Birds comes A Shout in the Ruins. As an ex-soldier, Powers knows the effect war has on its powerless participants. His focus here is the American Civil War and slavery, and what hope love stands when set against them.

He portrays the intimate but paints on a vast canvas, seeking to answer profound questions, like how the seeds of a nation are sown and their tainted produce reaped.

PROPERTY LIONEL SHRIVER $29.99 - HARPER COLLINS A striking new collection of ten short stories and two novellas that explores the idea of property in every meaning of the word, from the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of the National Book Award finalist So Much forThat and the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin. What could be more topical than ‘property’ for property obsessed Sydney?! The Standing Chandelier novella, which opens this collection, is a stand-out.

$29.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN What makes someone a villain? Are we ever villains in our own stories?

Madeline Miller explores these questions and more in her portrayal of Circe, the witch from Odysseus’s legend. It is a touching tale of a young girl finding her place in the world and learning to use the power she possesses. Circe’s voice is pure, as a daughter, mother and lover. It’s a book about the role of women and the space they carve out for themselves. This is not a fast-paced read, but it is a very worthwhile one. It is great to see Circe’s voice brought to life in such a vivid way.

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THE PHARMACIST’S WIFE VANESSA TAIT $29.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN You can totally judge a book by its cover, right? You can with Vanessa Tait’s Victorian-era story of addiction, sexual obsession and the disempowerment of women, which will appeal to lovers of Sarah Waters and more besides. Love. Desire.

Vengeance. A deadly alchemy indeed!

YOU THINK IT, I’LL SAY IT CURTIS SITTENFIELD $29.99 - PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE Breezy and approachable writing make Sittenfeld’s first story collection a real gem.

The theme of each of these ten stories is judgement and the tension that arises when people’s quick dash judgment of others is incorrect. This fabulous book is one to savour because you won’t want these dazzling shorts to end.

THE LIBRARIAN SALLEY VICKERS $32.99 - PENGUIN Set in the 1950s, The Librarian is an acute observation of the emotional life of a small English town. Sylvia, the new children’s librarian, arrives with a mission to share her love of books with the town’s youngsters. She discovers much more – passion, joy, disappointment and courage.

Vickers’ tender writing also explores the impact reading can have on young lives, an aspect of this book I particularly loved; I’ll be looking for a few of the titles that are included in the narrative. A thoughtful and inspiring read.

THE OVERSTORY RICHARD POWERS $32.99 - PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE The much anticipated and hugely ambitious work from the lauded and award-winning Richard Powers. Fuses the multiple narrative structure of someone like David Mitchell with Annie Proulx’s Barkskins to create a history of migration to the USA, and a principled hymn to the majesty of trees. Not so much a shrub as a redwood giant. Think sequoia. Think big.

SCIENCE FICTION

ONE WAY S. J. MORDEN $29.99 - HACHETTE

This very human thriller follows Frank Kitteridge, a lifer seeking purpose. He and seven others are sent to Mars to build the first ever NASA base. Work and a desire to survive the harsh conditions give new meaning to the prisoners’ lives, but all is not well – someone is killing off the team. I found the science behind surviving on an inhospitable planet, the emotional journey of the characters, and the tension created in this novel completely fascinating.

KING OF ASHES RAYMOND E. FEIST

$39.99 - HARPER COLLINS In the Kingdom of Garn, the ruling family of Ithrace are exterminated by the King of Sandura as he moves to rule over all five kingdoms. But in the chaos of war, was the newborn son of the last king of Ithrace saved?

Rumours stir that he was taken in by the Quelli Nacosti, a secret society of spies, who aim to infiltrate the wealthy and powerful.

Acutely aware of the danger, the four remaining kings move to have the child killed before he matures into his fiery vengeance.

THE TANGLED LANDS PAOLO BACIGALUPI & TOBIAS S. BUCKELL $29.99 - HARPER COLLINS Told in four interrelated stories, The Tangled Lands is an evocative and epic story of resistance and heroic sacrifice. A once decadent empire is now rotting from within, crippled by the misuse of magic, and facing environmental collapse. At the forefront is a giant plant that grows relentlessly and sends people into a coma with the slightest prick. These four bleak and eerie tales from the last surviving city of this empire read almost like dark fairytales, each exploring themes of tragedy, revenge and resistance.

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BIOGRAPHY BIOGRAPHY ELIZABETH MACARTHUR MICHELLE SCOTT TUCKER $32.99 - PENGUIN There were many remarkable women in the period of the early colony of Sydney, women of canny intelligence, strength and resolve. In this wonderful biography of Elizabeth Macarthur, we have yet another, whose practical tenacity underpinned the ambitions of her fractious husband, John Macarthur, the man credited as the father of our wool industry. Perfect for readers with a love of history and unearthing the often overlooked impact of the women who have shaped it.

MEMOIR MEMOIR BUTTERFLY ON A PIN ALANNAH HILL

MRS PANKHURST’S PURPLE FEATHER TESSA BOASE $39.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN In Victorian society it was customary for ladies to adorn their hats with plumage. Entire species faced extinction! Leading the charge against the big business of feathers and running the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was Etta Lemon. Intertwined with the strong militant tactics of Pankurst, this book looks at women who’ve used their voices for change in a male dominated society.

ACCIDENTAL ICON IRIS APFEL

$45.00 - HARPER COLLINS Bright, zany and sweet - words that describe Iris Apfel herself as well as this lovely book.

The book switches between Iris’s memoirs and her tips on style. It gives the reader insight into the inspirations she has had in collecting her incredible wardrobe with its intense colours, beautiful jewellery and eclectic patterns. Everyone should aspire to have a little bit more Iris in their life. She gives fantastic advice, such as this marvellous tidbit: ‘’If your hair is done properly, and you’re wearing good shoes, you can get away with anything.’’

$32.99 - HARDIE GRANT

Alannah Hill is the queen of reinvention. Having grown up in a milk bar in Tasmania with a family where there was abuse, anger, hardship and disappointment Alannah was determined to leave her sad childhood behind and create a new, happy and fulfilling life for herself. A talented designer she became one of Australia’s most successful fashion designers. Sad, shocking, confronting, funny and inspiring this is the story of a brave young woman who turned her life around.

MISS EX-YUGOSLAVIA SOFIJA STEFANOVIC $34.99 - PENGUIN A heartfelt memoir of Stefanovic, who recounts her childhood in Serbia and adolescence in Melbourne and Belgrade, where she comes to accept the ‘Ex Yugo’ culture, leading her to join a local pageant show. Instead of seeking comfort, Stefanovic knocks her former self in this humourous tale, and shows how war lives in between the lives of families.

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THE COST OF LIVING DEBORAH LEVY $29.99 - PENGUIN This is the second thrilling memoir from Levy, writer par excellence. In the first,, she identified her wish to writing ‘living’ autobiography, and engaged with the ideas and ideals of writers including Virginia Woolf, and Marguerite Duras. Following a marriage breakdown she re-engages with the ideas of Simone de Beauvoir, in particular ideas around living, freedom, love and risk. A magical, witty writer.

SHARP MICHELLE DEAN $32.99 - HACHETTE

NON FICTION

Award-winning critic Michelle Dean gathers an extraordinary cast of women – among them Joan Didion, Zora Neal Hurston, and Susan Sontag – under the sign of a single compliment. Sharpness often implies intelligence, elegance, deftness, and precision. But there’s a sense of danger to the word too, a sense compounded by the stifling gender roles, sexism, and relentless critical hostility each of these women were forced to overcome in their desire to be heard. A love-letter to brilliant women.

AUSTRALIA REIMAGINED HUGH MACKAY $32.99 - PAN MACMILLAN Individualism is rampant. Income inequality is growing. Public education is under-resourced.

The gender revolution is stalling. We no longer trust our major institutions or our political leaders. Yet esteemed social researcher Hugh Mackay remains optimistic. Argued with intelligence and passion, this book is essential reading for everyone who loves Australia enough to want to make it a better place for all of us.

EXACTLY SIMON WINCHESTER $32.99 - HARPER COLLINS Precision is essential to the items we use in our daily lives. Phones, computers, televisions, cars; none of these would be possible without the precise engineering used in the manufacturing process. But when did precision begin to mould the modern world? Winchester gives us a detailed history of the pioneering engineers and their machines that have got us to where we are today.

ORIGIN STORY DAVID CHRISTIAN $35.00 - PENGUIN This is a historical narrative reaching back almost 14 billion years and inversely into the remote future. Considering human existence on a universal scale he uses both evidence and historical insight to create the grandest yet accessible detective story of our time. Hey breaks it down into key stages and even looks at how our latest period of mega-innovation may be our very downfall.

A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN SEVEN CHEAP THINGS RAJ PATEL & JASON W. MOORE $34.99 - PENGUIN Nature, Money, Work, Care, Food, Energy, and Lives. These are the seven things that have made our world and will continue to shape its future. By making these things cheap, modern commerce has controlled, transformed, and devastated the Earth. This book proposes a radical new way of understanding — and reclaiming — the planet in the turbulent twenty-first century.

THE ORDER OF TIME CARLO ROVELLI $29.99 - PENGUIN Time is a mystery that does not cease to puzzle us. Philosophers, artists and poets have long explored its meaning while scientists have found that its structure is different from the simple intuition we have of it. With his extraordinary charm and sense of wonder, bringing together science, philosophy and art, Carlo Rovelli unravels the mystery of time.

THE MOTHERHOOD EDITED BY JAMILA RIZVI $34.99 - PENGUIN An enlightening anthology exploring the joys, trials, and tribulations of motherhood, Jamila Rizvi’s latest compiles imagined letters written by women – including Zoë Foster Blake, Jo Stanley, and Clementine Ford – to their past selves in a bid to offer advice and reassurance during the first heady weeks of new parenthood. Everyone in this collection has a unique perspective to share, and yet the work is unified by common threads, including loneliness and love.

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COOKING ONE KNIFE, ONE POT, ONE DISH STEPHANE REYNAUD $39.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN Best-selling, internationally celebrated chef Stéphane Reynaud pares down delicious French food to its essential best ingredients with 160 one-pot recipes that even the most inexperienced or time-poor cooks will love. There are pre-dinner dips and snacks; hearty vegetarian dishes; simple one-pot recipes for fish, beef, lamb, veal, pork or poultry; slow-cooked roasts, delicately seasoned with herbs and spices; classically simple one-pan desserts such as clafoutis; and even ideas for the perfect cheese course. Stéphane demystifies simple, good French cooking - preparing dinner has never been this easy!

THE NATURAL BAKER HENRIETTA INMAN $39.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN Trained pastry chef Henrietta Inman uses whole grains, incorporating veggies and fruit into her recipes along with spices, good fats and minimal sugar, in order to create mouth-watering desserts that anyone can replicate! My personal favourite is the prune, honey, buckwheat and walnut crumble cheesecake. Enjoy being whisked away (pun intended) to a whole new world of baking with this book!

SOUK NADIA ZEROUALI & TOL MERIJN $49.99 - SIMON & SCHUSTER Create a mezze table like a local who’s returned from the local souk (market) fresh produce and culinary knowledge handed down from the generations past. More than just ‘Meditteranean Middle Eastern tapas’, the mezze table is all about the rich tradition of hospitality. The photos of the food, places and people accompanying the recipes are as plentiful as the food you’ll lay out on your table after mastering the cusinse inside.

JAPAN NANCY SINGLETON HACHISU

TOKYO LOCAL CARYN & BRENDAN LIEW $39.99 - SIMON & SCHUSTER It’s the chicken skin yakitori you eat at 2am in a bar the size of a cupboard. It’s the pork curry you devour after having to line up for 45 minutes with a bunch of excited teenagers.

It’s the yuzu ramen you slurp after ordering it from a vending machine. Tokyo is an explorer’s dream and a food-lover’s paradise. Tokyo Local brings you the food and experiences from the city streets straight into your home.

THE LITTLE VIET KITCHEN THUY DIEM PHAM $39.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN Offering a fresh approach and insight into how to make the best of classic dishes and Vietnamese family favourites, it is Thuy’s expertise and memories that are the heart of each and every recipe. The book delves into her journey from Vietnam to England, celebrating her love of Vietnamese cooking, culture and way of life and tantalizing the reader’s tastebuds, turning everyone’s kitchen into a Little Viet Kitchen.

EGGS MICHEL ROUX $29.99 - HARDIE GRANT This new edition of a bookshelf staple is a beautifully illustrated compilation of the best 100 egg recipes. Each chapter focuses on a way to cook eggs, from boiling, frying, poaching to baking and scrambling, and illustrates how to make the perfect omelette, mousse, soufflé and custard. Classic egg recipes such as Hollandaise Sauce, Eggs Benedict, Lemon Soufflé, Crème Caramel and Pavlova with Summer Fruits are given a modern twist.

$59.95 - HACHETTE Not just an examination of local tradtions; this cookbook is a curated experience of Japan’s culinary framework from a specific moment in time. It is a beautiful representation of the island nation in the smallest of details as well as an overall image. Clean, simple elegance is what Japanese food is all about, and so are the gorgeous images and recipes in this essential kitcken companion.

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LIFESTYLE LEAF SUPPLY LAUREN CAMILLERI & SOPHIA KAPLAN $49.99 - SIMON & SCHUSTER This is a cornucopia of inspiration for plant nerds. Compiled by authors with extensive expertise in indoor plants, this book is a robust and fascinating guide to 100 different houseplants. Leaf Supply also warrants recognition as one of those rigorous and helpful horticulture books that doubles as a beautiful addition to one’s coffee table. If you want to learn why indoor plantkeeping is about more than just peace lilies and self-watering pots, take a stroll through this delightfully verdant tome.

ROMANCE WAS BORN ANNA PLUNKETT & LUKE SALES $70.00 - THAMES & HUDSON Anna Plunkett & Luke Sales are the dynamic duo, Romance was Born. This cutting edge Australian fashion label create unique collections that are both lavish and fun having collaborated with icons Jenny Key, Lego and Marvel. Declining an internship with Galliano at Dior to ‘do their own thing’ Romance was Born have set the fashion scene alight and this is their illustrated story of becoming one of Australia’s most successful fashion houses.

THE MUSEUM OF LOST ART NOAH CHARNEY $44.99 - HACHETTE Whether it has been stolen, damaged or has disappeared there is so much of art and its history that is unknown to us today. Charney takes you on a journey though thousands of years of art that is no longer here, as he discusses the lost paintings of Da Vinci, the statues destroyed by ISIS, paintings stolen in WWII and vanished ancient cities. Charney reminds us of the fragility of art and the need to preserve its history.

CURIOUS AFFECTION PATRICIA PICCININI $44.95 - THAMES & HUDSON I first encountered Patricia Piccinini’s hyperreal imaginings as a teenager at the MCA, and remember being struck by a curious feeling of wanting to run while being unable to look away. Is this a foil for intimacy more broadly?

To be terrified by what we so desperately need; indeed, by the need itself? In this immaculately curated anthology, I found myself falling, once again, for Patricia’s peculiar and intoxicating vision of affection.

WELCOME TO COUNTRY MARCIA LANGTON $39.99 - HARDIE GRANT Welcome to Country addresses the growing desire for tourists to learn about Indigenous Australia and is the first comprehensive travel guide to map the rich and diverse range of experiences one can have. Elder and author, Professor Marcia Langton covers a range of topics on languages, customs, history, cultural awareness and etiquette, whilst also taking us to some of Australia’s best festivals, art galleries, visitors centres and performances.

IMAGINARIUM SIBELLA COURT $100.00 - HARPER COLLINS Sibella Court’s Imaginarium is an aesthetic lover’s guide to style and design. With over 300 photographs this book covers everything from travel, nature, interior design and a world of curiosities. Court loves colour, history and make believe and it is exquisitely showcased throughout this brilliant coffee table book. It is the ultimate styling guide!

From Hay-on-Wye in Wales to Ureña in BOOK TOWNS Spain, Fjaerland in Norway to Jimbochu ALEX JOHNSON $29.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN in Japan, around 40 book towns now exist around the world. But until now, there has been no complete directory of their location, history and charm.

Book Towns takes readers on a richly illustrated tour of these dedicated havens of literature, outlining the origins and development of each community, and offering practical travel advice.

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THE BIG BOOK OF THE BLUE YUVAL ZOMMER $24.99 - THAMES & HUDSON NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK

KIDS KIDS

Picture-book charm joins with informative non-fiction to make a beautiful large-format title for parents to share with young children – and for older children to read by themselves. Yuval Zommer’s wonderful illustrations show off some of the world’s slipperiest, scaliest, strangest and most monstrous underwater animals. Every bit as brilliant his The Big Book of Bugs. and The Big Book of Beasts.

SCIENCE SQUAD ROBERT WINSTON

UNDER THE CANOPY CYNTHIA ALONSO $27.99 - WALKER NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK Under the Canopy is a fresh and vibrantly illustrated look at trees from around the world. From environmental significance to cultural significance, historically and mythologically, each spread is brought to energetic life through Alonso’s gorgeously rich illustrations. This book is a fascinating and informative resource as well as a beautiful artwork that is sure to spark your imagination and delight the senses.

SQUARE MAC BARNETT & JON KLASSEN $24.99 - WALKER PICTURE BOOK The beguiling second instalment in the innovative shape trilogy that began with Triangle. This quirky story is simple and funny, and thoughtfully encourages readers to always keep their minds open to wonder about the world. Coupled with Klassen’s signature minimalist illustrations, this book is a unique and thoughtprovoking romp.

I DO NOT LIKE BOOKS ANYMORE! DAISY HIRST $24.99 - WALKER PICTURE BOOK

GRANDMA Z DANIEL GRAY-BARNETT

HIDE AND SEEK WITH MUM ED ALLEN & LAURA WOOD $16.99 - SCHOLASTIC PICTURE BOOK

$24.99 - PENGUIN NON-FICTION The exciting world of science is broken down into fun, digestible chunks in this illustrated book. Find out how robots work, what a food chain is, where lightning comes from, and how lungs allow you to breathe! The S-TEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) are delightful characters! Join them as they take you through informative chapters; including living things, physics, geography and maths!

$24.99 - SCRIBE PUBLICATIONS PICTURE BOOK On an ordinary day, in an even more ordinary town, it was Albert’s birthday.

When Grandma Z roars into town on her motorcycle, Albert is swept up in a very extraordinary adventure. This debut is filled with wonder, imagination, and a wild, magical spirit that will thrill young and old.

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Natalie is learning to read, but when she tries to read all by herself for the first time, the letters look like squiggles, and she isn’t so sure any more. With her unique humour and bold, brilliant art, Hirst celebrates the joy of sharing stories, and perfectly evokes those feelings of frustration and pride that come with learning something new.

This insanely cute picture book about a penguin playing a game of hide and seek with its mother is full of laughs! With vibrant illustrations that add humour and extra things to see, Hide and Seek with Mum is a picture book to be enjoyed on any day of the year.

BAB SHARKEY & THE ANIMAL MUMMIES: THE WEIRD BEARD ANDREW HANSEN & JESSICA ROBERTS $14.99 - WALKER PRIMARY FICTION

Bab Sharkey and the Animal Mummies is the first in a new kid’s series from The Chaser’s Andrew Hansen and his partner, designer Jessica Roberts.

When Bab is travelling through a desert in Egypt, a magical beard attaches to his face, suddenly making him Pharaoh. Along the way he meets a band of new friends in the form of animal mummies and attempts to banish the Unpharaoh to the Afterworld. This novel is laughout-loud funny, immaculately illustrated and historically accurate (probably).

BOB WENDY MASS & REBECCA STEAD $16.99 - TEXT PUBLISHING PRIMARY FICTION This has by far got to be the best author/illustrator collaboration ever! It’s been 5 years since Livy and her family have visited Livy’s grandmother in Australia. Bob – a strange little creature she finds in the wardrobe – has been awaiting her return. Clue by clue, Livy and Bob unravel the mystery of where Bob comes from. A magical, endearing story about friendship, loyalty, and the power of imagination.

THE BEST MEDICINE CRISTINE HAMILL $16.99 - HACHETTE PRIMARY FICTION The Best Medicine draws partly on autobiographical elements of Hammill’s own struggles with cancer and how the comedian Harry Hill and her son’s laughter helped to keep her spirits high during such a traumatic time. In the style of Wonder, The Best Medicine tackles sensitive issues with poignancy and humour, and encapsulates the nuances of a relationship between mother and son.

LIFEL1K3 JAF KRISTOFF $17.99 - ALLEN & UNWIN YOUNG ADULT Kristoff’s new YA novel is a unique take on post-apocalyptic USA where the robotic populace has been reduced to slaves and androids have been outlawed. It features Giant Mechanical War Machines. Sexah Androids.

Mutant Powers. Doomed Romance. Sassy Robot Sidekicks. Rebellions. Chases. Escapes.

Betrayals. Lies Upon Lies. Splosions.

LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT BECKY ALBERTALLI $17.99 - PENGUIN YOUNG ADULT With the recent hype over Albertalli’s Love, Simon, it is timely and much anticipated to have a novel dedicated to Simon’s best friend, Leah. What viewers of the film might not know is that Leah has struggles of her own, mainly being her weight and her closet bisexuality. A drummer in an all-girl band, Leah is used to controlling her own beat.

But with senior year, prom, and college on the horizon, Leah must come to terms with herself and who she loves.

GROWING UP ABORIGINAL IN AUSTRALIA ANITA HEISS $29.99 - PENGUIN YOUNG ADULT

Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia highlights the incredible diversity of cultures, experiences and stories which exists in Indigenous Australia. Complied by award-winning author Anita Heiss, this anthology showcases the stories of well-known Australians like Tony Birch, Adam Goodes and Deborah Cheetham, and also gives voice to new writers. It was not the easiest of reads, but is an important, ground-breaking collection that will inspire empathy, challenge stereotypes and educate people of all ages.

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WHAT’S ON IN MAY BETTER READ’S BIGGEST HIGH TEA SATURDAY 26 MAY 3pm - Upstairs @ BRTD Join us for a high tea with Australian authors Julian Leatherdale, Nicola Moriarty and Kirsty Manning, who will be in-conversation about their novels, the writing process and their passions, interests and inspiration. A high tea of sweets, scones, champagne, tea and sandwiches will be served during the talk, and books will be available for sale and signing after the event.

Together, we can help Cancer Council raise much needed funds that go towards vital cancer research, support services, prevention programs, and advocacy.

Ticket includes a $15 donation.

BRI LEE’S EGGSHELL SKULL LAUNCH WEDNESDAY 30 MAY 6:30pm - Upstairs @ BRTD Join Bri Lee for the launch of Eggshell Skull.

It is the story of Bri’s journey through the legal system; first as the daughter of a policeman, then as a law student, and finally as a judge’s associate in both metropolitan and regional Queensland--where justice can look very different, especially for women. Bri’s eyes were opened to the inequity of the legal system and how complainants in sex crime investigations and trials struggle to receive justice, are re-victimised, and let down by the system with heartbreaking frequency.

BOOK CLUBS MYSTERIOUS BOOK SOCIETY OTHER WORLDS YOUNG ADULT JANE AUSTEN YOUNG AT HEART BETTER READER BAD WOMEN JOIE DE LIRE INQUEERING MINDS

1st Tuesday of the Month 1st Tuesday of the Month 2nd Tueday of the Month 2nd Tuesday of the Month 2nd Wednesday of the Month 3rd Tuesday of the Month 3rd Wedneday of the Month 4th Tuesday of the Month 4th Wednesday of the Month

Open 7 Days 9:30am - 9pm

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265 King Street Newtown NSW 2042

(02) 9557 8700 books@betterread.com.au betterread.com.au betterreadevents.com

Better Read Than Dead @BRTDbookshop @betterreadbookshop