SEPTEMBER READING GUIDE 2026

SEPTEMBER READING GUIDE

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OUR BOOKS OF THE MONTH

Exit Party | Emily St. John Mandel | $34.99 | Pan Macmillan/Picador No one writes speculative fiction like Emily St. John Mandel, and her new novel, Exit Party, does not disappoint. Exit Party is for you if you’re craving a page-turning plot, ambitious and expansive world-building and complex characters. It’s 2031 and America is at war with itself, and the states definitely don’t seem united – but for the first time there seems to be hope, after the Republic of California has been declared, and everyone in the city is going to a massive party. Reflecting on freedom, surveillance, art and survival in a broken world, Exit Party is a hopeful reminder of what makes life worth living, even when the end of the world is in sight.

– Arabella

The Elders | Dan Bourchier | $36.99 | Macmillan In 2023, award-winning journalist Dan Bourchier became the ABC’s Voice and Referendum Correspondent. As part of his work, Dan travelled across Australia to interview Indigenous Elders for the series One Plus One: The Elders in the hope of fostering understanding and connection. This book is an extrapolation of that spellbinding series, and allows Dan, who has Indigenous heritage on his mother’s side, to further explore the experiences, wisdom, love of family and Country, resilience and determination these vital members of the community have – and wish to impart to younger generations not only before it is too late but also as an act of healing. The Elders featured here have worked tirelessly for change and recognition for First Nations peoples. The job for all of us now is to listen – truly listen – to them… and maybe that understanding and connection might finally become a reality. – Sylvia

My Tiny Universe | Maryam Master | $16.99 | Pan Macmillan This new fiction is from one of Better Read Kids’ all time favourite authors, Maryam Master, who never fails to impress, educate, enlighten and inspire.

In My Tiny Universe, Maryam introduces us to almost-12-year-old Leif. Leif is named after a Viking, but the name is as close as he’ll ever to get to being one, as Leif is a self-professed science nerd who uses algebra to calm his ever-racing, ginormous brain… which keeps his mind off his multiple phobias and (CIA) Climate Induced Anomalies, a condition he was born with. Leif has been in desperate search of a friend, but finding one in Albe could be the biggest mistake he’s ever made. This book has genuinely engrossing characters, authentic landscapes and a writing style that holds you and won’t let go from start to finish.

– Robert

Saint Peter: Chapter & Verse | Josh Niland | $80.00 | Hardie Grant In 2016, Josh Niland and his wife Julie opened Saint Peter, their now internationally recognised restaurant, with a singular precept in mind: to approach fish cookery in a way that respects and utilises all parts of the fish. What followed is a decade of innovation, creativity, trial and error, openings and closing, award-winning cookbooks, COVID, losses and wins. Now located at Paddington’s Grand National Hotel, the restaurant – and the Niland’s – have survived it all with expert grace. In his latest book, Josh presents a series of essays about his and Julie’s journey, woven throughout with 140 of Saint Peter’s exquisite recipes. This stunningly beautiful, thoughtful and inspiring book is a must for any serious foodie.

– Sylvia

The Castle | Jon Ronson | $36.99 | Penguin When Jon Ronson received a series of disquieting texts from his son Joel who'd been lured to a mysterious castle in New England late one night, it sets Ronson Sr. off on an adventure into an underworld of unmoored and disaffected men. As Jon deepens his investigation into the castle and the wider 'man crisis' – where some are feeling tossed around in a sea of conflicting ideologies of what it means to be a man – urgent questions come to light. What exactly is 'Princessing'? Why did a lawn care influencer dress as a baby in front of billions of online viewers, with catastrophic results? And more pressingly, why are two recently released murderers on their way to pay Jon a visit?

Here, Jon shows us our rapidly changing world like never before, and the men caught in the middle.

Cold Sunset | William Boyd | $34.99 | Penguin Accidental spy Gabriel Dax is on route to Russia, tasked with delivering a mysterious Blanco drawing to celebrated defector, Kit Caldwell. But Caldwell is convinced that the KGB suspects him of treachery and he wants to get out – now. When Gabriel is ordered by his enigmatic handler Faith Green to help, he is pulled into a web of shifting loyalties and dangerous escape plans. As tensions rise and trust fractures, he is forced to confront the fine line between devotion and deception. But which will he choose?

Great and Unfortunate Things | Jason Arday | $36.99 | Simon & Schuster When Jason Arday was 37, he became the youngest Black professor in the history of the University of Cambridge. But that is only part of his tale. Jason was diagnosed with autism and global developmental delay at the age of three; much of his childhood was non-verbal, and doctors and teachers believed there was ‘no one in there’. But Jason’s mother, Giff, refused to accept the limits others placed on her son. With the faith of family, friends and mentors, Jason slowly found his voice, speaking his first word at 11 and learning to read at 18. Soon, he discovered a passion for education and helping others that would transform his life. This is an extraordinary story about resilience and love – and the transformative power of someone who believes in you when the world does not.

The Smiths | Michael Bracewell | $34.99 | Hachette Wildly inventive and magnificently surreal, this novella recounts the impact of an unconventional pop group from Manchester on one man's life. Taking the form of a flaneuring journey through the landscape of memory, our anonymous protagonist is accompanied by the actress Carole Bouquet, who becomes his guide and interlocutor. As the unlikely couple perambulate from the old Selfridge Hotel to West Hollywood, their conversation interrogates and celebrates the joys of outlandish pop genius, the zealous dedication of fans and the cult of outsider disaffection given uproarious voice.

FATHER’S DAY PICKS

Becoming Dad | Zachary Perez | $29.99 | Penguin Written in real time during the first chaotic weeks of his son's life, Zachary Perez captures what becoming a father actually feels like: the love, the panic, the tenderness, the identity shift and the overwhelming sense that no one really prepares you for any of it. From naming debates and nappy disasters to late-night arguments and moments of breathtaking connection, Perez turns the blur of new parenthood into something moving, relatable and laugh-out-loud funny. Told in short, accessible entries, Becoming Dad is the kind of book fathers can turn to before the baby arrives and through the overwhelming early weeks that follow. It's for dads trying to find their place in the chaos of new parenthood, and will make them feel prepared, seen, comforted and less alone. Warm and perceptive, Becoming Dad is a love letter to early fatherhood.

FATHER’S DAY KIDS’ PICKS

The Thing About Dads | Debora Frenkel | Illustrated by Daniel Gray-Barnett | $24.99 | Thames & Hudson One thing about dad-ing: there's all kinds of ways…

Some dads are born and some dads are made.

This heartfelt celebration of fatherhood is a joyful ode to dads' special knack for turning ordinary days into truly awesome ones.

Every Day is Special with Dad | Sarah Ayoub | Illustrated by Kate Moon | $24.99 | HarperCollins Every day is special with you, Dad | When we're together, it makes me glad. | I love all the moments that I have with you | and I can count on you in all I do.

With joyous text by acclaimed author Sarah Ayoub, and bright and lively pictures by Kate Moon, this is the perfect book for fathers and children to share together.

The Dad Book | Forest Xiao | $22.99 | Hachette Becoming a dad is a journey like no other. From leaky nappies and early wake-ups to newborn cuddles much too good to share, celebrate the magic (and tiredness!) of parenthood with this relatable, brilliantly observed, heartfelt book. Packed with love and humour, The Dad Book perfectly captures the wonder that comes with being a dad.

Dad, You’re the Best I Nic McPickle | Illustrated by Tommy Doyle | $19.99 | Allen & Unwin To the daddest Dad I've ever known. | I can't believe how much you've grown! | Thank you so much for all that you do. | But thank you most for being YOU! A hilarious and warmhearted celebration of fatherhood - perfect for dads of all shapes, sizes and species.

My Dad Makes the World Go Around and Around | Maddy Mara | Illustrated by Andrew Joyner | $24.99 | Harper Collins Would you like to know something amazing and true? | There's nothing on earth that my dad cannot do. A gleeful celebration of dads and the impossible (literally!) things they do – from making the sun rise each day to taming the monsters under the bed, dads really do make the world go around!

Daddy Doesn’t Believe in Dragons! | Sarah Tagholm | Alice Courtley | $29.99 | Walker Books A little girl takes her dad on an epic walk where they encounter magical creatures like trolls and yetis and dragons – but Daddy doesn’t believe in any of them!

Will she convince Daddy to put away the distraction of his work, relax and see the magic all around them?

People With Money | Rebecca F. Kuang | $34.99 | HarperCollins People With Money opens in the office of a couples’ therapist, which was exciting to me because I recently made a friend by joking that we should go to couples therapy together – to see how long it would take the therapist to notice that we didn’t know each other. I had the feeling while reading Jess Ho’s first look into fiction that my new friend and I understand each other better than Amy and Edward could ever hope to. This novel is about art and love, and most of all about the invisible rules of class. Forceful, intelligent and very, very funny.

– Leona More | Gillian Anderson | $36.99 | Bloomsbury Gillian Anderson returns as a curator and guardian of anonymous sexual fantasies from women across the globe. It could be strange to describe a collection of sex fantasies as ‘wholesome’, but this is the word that most came to mind when I read Anderson’s introduction to this second volume. She manages to be movingly earnest towards and protective of both the idea of sexual fantasy, and also the women who have contributed to these texts. Where Want became a non-judgemental archive for sexual imaginings, More emerges as a genuine and sensual love letter to the community that was created out of the act of sharing. – Leona

Loneliness is Molecule | Helena Fox | $32.99 | Pan Macmillan/Picador This compelling, un-put-downable novel about an 18-year-old girl battling grief and the aftereffects of trauma is a powerful exploration of the conflicting emotions around the death of her abuser (who used to be her best friend), the issue of consent, and the young woman’s journey as a survivor towards regaining a sense of self. The writing is deeply poetic, with many phrases taking the breath away: ‘You think you are one thing. An always thing. Then you are calved like a glacier, and the force of the rupture turns you into shadow and ice.’ Fox expertly traverses different time periods of the protagonist’s life, and the evolution and eventual shattering of the relationship that changed everything. This exceptional novel is the work of a writer at the very top of their game.

Fawn | C. N. Vair | $34.99 | Random House If it’s feminine rage, I’m reading it, and this Appalachian folk horror is full of it. Amidst the clash of Christianity and ancient magic stands a woman trying to survive and to protect her village. Steeped in rich flora and fauna, both the author’s and character’s connection to nature is visceral – that inherent and ancient feminine relationship with all creatures. If you loved Slewfoot by Brom or The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis, you’ll also love this. – Ruby

STAFF PICKS

Hafni Says | Helle Helle | Translated by Martin Aitken | $29.95 | Giramondo What starts as a phone call turns into a full-blown debrief of where Hafni has been for these last few weeks, a blunt, awkward, darkly humorous, but oddly relatable life’s story told through They – the novel's narrator and the friend on the other end of the line. The first thing we are told is that Hafni is getting a divorce. This becomes the least of the shocks over the recount. Hafni says she wants a getaway, so she sets off on an open-faced sandwich tour across Southern Denmark that leaves her sidetracked, rambling and disclosing all the details. Her plans are almost always getting rescheduled; her meal times lead to moments of reflection, her interactions regretful, she is a serious over-thinker, but that’s what makes her endearing. As the novel unfolds, discomfort turns to comfort and we are opened up to the beginnings of Hafni’s journey to self-discovery. I really did enjoy this!

– Francesca

FICTION HIGHLIGHTS

The World Beneath Her Feet | Holly Ringland | $34.99 | Harper Collins Maggie Byrd lives a charmed life in London. She works at the Natural History Museum and shares a home with her best friend and her partner. However, beneath this carefully constructed façade lies a buried past Maggie resolved never to unearth, so when she learns that she's inherited her uncle's rewilded land in Queensland, Maggie's life begins to fracture. In the 90s, the wild, vivid valley shaped Maggie; it was her home and sanctuary, where she experienced the intoxicating powers and limitations of friendship, first love, desire and loyalty – until she betrayed everyone she loved and fled. When the same land that Maggie turned her back on comes into her care, she is forced to face what we all cannot bury, abandon or forget.

We Love You, Bunny | Mona Awad | $22.99 | Simon & Schuster Samantha Heather Mackey, the protaganist of Awad’s Bunny, has published her first novel to critical acclaim. But on her book tour, her onetime frenemies, furious at the way they’ve been portrayed, kidnap her. With Sam bound and gagged, we plunge headfirst into the wickedly intoxicating fairy tale the Bunnies offer up as their side of the story. Hilarious and dazzlingly original, We Love You, Bunny is a captivating descent into dark academia and shows just how deeply our fictions reveal the truth of our hearts.

Farewell to Eden | Sebastian Faulks | $34.99 | Penguin Random House Philip Deval, a soldier recently returned from the beaches of Normandy, arrives in Palestine on a peace-keeping mission in the final days of the British Mandate. The Sea of Galilee glitters in the distance as war-weary troops marvel at the novelty of oranges and sun – a paradise that belies a fierce new conflict about to erupt. Some years later, Philip begins work teaching at a school in the English countryside and meets the enigmatic music mistress, Frances Darwood. Over long evenings spent listening to records in her music room, they grow close. But Philip is a changed man, and must confront the secrets and scars of all he has lived through – which threaten, even now, to upend his future. Farewell to Eden asks how, after great suffering, do we retain our humanity, love again and learn to believe in a better future?

The Wreck | Riley James | $34.99 | Allen & Unwin 1977. A pilot vanishes over Bass Strait after a chilling radio transmission: 'A large aircraft seems to be flying above me... it's colossal... it's soaring down.' Then – silence. Twenty years later, a rumour surfaces that the pilot’s plane wreck has been sighted on a remote island in the notorious 'Bermuda Triangle of the South'. A group of researchers sets sail to uncover the truth. On board are Teo Young, an ambitious PhD student, and Hannah Buttery, a UFO enthusiast with an agenda of her own. After a storm leaves them stranded on the island and the rest of their party missing, Teo and Hannah are left facing a terrifying reality: no one is coming to their rescue… and a sinister presence is lurking in the shadows.

The Second Child | Malcolm Knox | $34.99 | Allen & Unwin 1945: Josef Stalin has the world's future in his hands, but is increasingly suspicious that his security overlord Lavrentiy Beria is plotting against him. Beria does have a secret weapon – Melor Murtova, a patriot and Beria's eyes and ears in the Kremlin. There, she must outwit power plays and the whims of her frenemies, all while conducting a secret mission of her own. Against a backdrop of international politics, spying and the true-history intrigue of the closing days of WWII, The Second Child is a chilling black comedy about survival in the court of madmen.

Taipei Story | Rebecca F. Kuang | $34.99 | HarperCollins Yale student Lily arrives in Taipei hungry: for family, culture, connection.

But her classes are grueling, her roommate unbearable and a reckless, awkward trip to the hot springs with a guy soon ignites vicious gossip.

Then her grandfather dies. Grieving and adrift, Lily embarks on a wryly funny search for understanding: of herself, her family and the meaning of home, all over one summer in Taipei.

The Disappearers | Marlon James | $34.99 | Penguin 1988. Eight gay men brave risk to audition for a queer play. But that’s nothing compared to when a mob descends on one of the rehearsals.

By the end, one man is dead, all are injured. Two later disappear. Some try to forget, some embrace their rage and some vanish. But this story won't stop until both the disappearers and the perpetrators have been tracked and an ending reached.

She’s a Doll | Barbara Truelove | $34.99 | NewSouth Books Lucy has been murdered by Kyle. Possessing the body of an antique doll, she sets out on a quest for revenge. Being18 inches tall and made of porcelain, she turns to Nicola, a human with her own reasons to hate Kyle. But if no one wants to hear the truth, Lucy will have to roll up her lacy little sleeves and teach Kyle a lesson the old-fashioned way, and as slowly and painfully as possible. A ghoulish and gleeful tribute to the unstoppable power of female rage and a love letter to the friends who have our back in this life and the next.

The Witches of Cambridge | Alice Hoffman | $34.99 | Simon & Schuster 1950. Ava arrives at Massachusetts’ Radcliffe college and meets Lauren, the wild daughter of a wealthy local family. They are soon recruited by Radcliffe’s secret Lilith Society of witches. Ava and Lauren form a close bond as they learn to navigate their new power. But when girls from the Society go missing, Ava and Lauren realise the witch trials of the past may not be as deeply buried as they once believed…

Life of M | Rachel Cusk | $32.99 | Allen & Unwin Film star M’s image is everywhere, and has been since she was a child.With such fame, her life has the appearance of freedom, but it seems the rules of reality have melted away. Now, a writer has decided to pay close attention to M's life, in the hope of understanding who she really is. It is hard not to feel ugly next to M, hard not to feel insignificant. But what truths might this proximity allow the writer to briefly capture? Is M to play a character in the book, or is it the writer who is acting the role of M? In this astonishing, explosive novel, Rachel Cusk hunts for the nature of truth without ever swerving away into self-deceptions.

FICTION HIGHLIGHTS

Our Noble Selves | Kate Atkinson | $34.99 | Penguin Random House 1951. Having failed to resume his journalism career after the war, Harry reluctantly joins an oddball team of misfits helping to launch the Festival of Britain. Harry's attempts to resume a romantic life also founder when his date goes missing. Could he have been responsible? The answer may just lie in the hands of precocious13-year-old Veronica and a scruffy terrier called Mrs Betty...

NON-FICTION HIGHLIGHTS

Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea | Emily Wilson | $29.99 | Allen & Unwin How do we give old words new voices? What must a translator lose – and might she gain – when she moves between languages, bringing ancient stories to modern life? Reflecting on the inspiration, interpretation and (mis)appropriation of words from Antiquity to today, Wilson invites us to explore the translator's art and mind, and gives a fresh insight into the joys and quandaries of her work. From Athenian comedy and Rome's love of Greek culture to Han Kang's novels, Cardi B's lyrics and the discoveries she made while translating Homer, this is a playful voyage into the promise, possibility and constant renewal of our founding classical culture.

Middle Rage | Myf Warhurst | $34.99 | Hachette Around the time Myf Warhurst turned 50, things shifted. Her sunny disposition went into the lost property box, joining other items from her youth like her waistline, temperature regulation and a good night's sleep. Middle Rage set in, and it wasn't pretty. In this honest and relatable book, Myf gets deeply personal about her own experience of this complex midlife stage. Maybe channelling her rage about the injustices of the world into something positive will help you – and help her find her sense of humour again.

How to be Hopeful | Caitlin Moran | $36.99 | Penguin Random House One morning, Caitlin Moran realised she had reached Peak Despair – the point when someone goes on a faraway quest to find hope. Instead, she decided to stay at home, but try to feel better about the modern world by making better days.

Leaving social media, eschewing 24/7 news for local newspapers, sitting on buses without headphones and listening to what people are really saying. Picking up litter, donating blood, rewilding a garden, and the hardest thing of all – learning to fall back in love with the world again. Over a year, Caitlin finds that life can be transformed when you rebel against the news cycle and algorithms that want to keep us angry, adrenalised and anxious. You can't change the world – but you can change your days. And, once you've changed your days, maybe you could change the world. Just a little bit.

Grand Ambition | James Curran | $49.99 | Simon & Schuster At the moment of his political defeat in 1996, Paul Keating stood defiant, still arguing for a vision of Australia that reached far beyond the limits of electoral politics. Three decades on, this book revisits that vision: bold, contested and somewhat unravelled by subsequent Coalition governments. Drawing on newly revealed documents and extensive interviews, James Curran traces how Keating sought to reshape Australia’s foreign policy at the end of the Cold War: anchoring the country in Asia, embedding China within a regional order, deepening ties with Indonesia and challenging long-held assumptions about dependence on great powers. For Keating, economic reform, national identity and international strategy were inseparable. Ambitious and provocative, this book argues that the questions Keating grappled with – about independence, security and identity – remain unresolved and more urgent than ever in a world defined by rising tensions.

The Illuminated Man | Christopher Priest and Nina Allan | $49.99 | Bloomsbury J. G. Ballard’s stories helped cement Christopher Priest's passion for science fiction. Priest began a biography that would show people Ballard wasn't just a cult writer. When Nina and Christopher met, they bonded over their shared love for Ballard's work, so after they realised Christopher would succumb to cancer, Nina promised she would complete the biography. If this book began as a tribute from Priest to Ballard, it is now also a love story written by Nina for Christopher, and, with Ballardian strangeness, celebrates and mourns those who are gone.

A Bloody Scandal | Evelyn Scott | $34.99 | Harper Collins Evelyn was just a teenager when she began suffering symptoms of endometriosis. For 15 years, she endured agonising pain – and from the doctors, irresponsible misdiagnoses. Weaving her experiences with those of women worldwide, Evelyn examines the medical, political and educational failures that are still causing preventable harm to women with painful reproductive conditions.

Transcendent | Laverne Cox | $39.99 | Penguin Random House Laverne Cox’s path from struggling trans actress to a cultural movement was anything but easy. Surviving early years of trauma, at 40, she was about to throw in the acting towel with she was cast in Orange is the New Black. She then became the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy, won a Daytime Emmy and went on to be a fearless advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

What’s So Great About the Great Books? | Naomi Kanakia | $39.99 | NewSouth Books Early on, Kanakia set out to read the ‘Great Books’, as listed in her literary guide. Over the next two decades, she read two-thirds and found doing so to be pleasurable and insightful. But many have been skeptical about the idea of reading the Great Books: is it realistic? Aren’t the works too problematic, reactionary, irrelevant?

Here, Kanakia attempts to restore context for the Great Books – because books that expose us to fundamental truths about the nature of beauty and reality are worth fighting for.

Hawking | Graham Farmelo | $36.99 | Hachette A brilliant theoretical physicist, Hawking lived an extraordinary life.

Yet at 21, he was given only a few years to live – and spent the next 55 showing what can be achieved despite near-hopeless odds. Graham Farmelo reveals the complex man behind the theories and global celebrity, and the resilience and support that enabled Hawking to defy his life-limiting diagnosis.

Nothing About Us Without Us | Tristan Kennedy | $19.95 | NewSouth Books First Nations academics and leaders in our universities face many challenges, but as we race to address the threats of climate change, it is imperative that First Nations knowledges and perspectives from across Southeast Asia, the Pacific and Australia are brought to the conversation. The only way to tackle the existential threats to Country and society is to come together as a community of knowledge holders and researchers. Indigenous and Western knowledges, together, will address the challenges of our time.

NON-FICTION HIGHLIGHTS

How Queer Bookshops Changed the World | A. J. West | $29.99 | Bloomsbury Here, A. J. West traces the evolution of queer bookstores from under-thecounter operations to out-and-proud institutions. West reveals how the queer bookshop stood at the vanguard of LGBTQ+ rights, offering support and vital information through the AIDS crisis and beyond, and also celebrates the booksellers that brought queer literature and lives into the mainstream.

KIDS HIGHLIGHTS Please Look After This Dragon | Sarah Ward | $16.99 | Hardie Grant Congratulations! This little dragon is yours.

Once you’ve given him a name, you can pop out the special play piece and take him with you everywhere. There are places to slot him in on every page of this fun book – it’s perfect for small world play!

Mouse Goes to the Mountains | Alice Melvin | $29.99 | Thames & Hudson Join Mouse as he leaves the urban bustle of a busy railway station and makes his way to a majestic mountain peak. This journey has a distinctively autumnal feel and features a subtle message about biodiversity (showing the effects of over-grazing) and even featues mountain hares planting saplings to restore mountain forests.

The Everywhere Train | Deborah Frenkel | Illustrated by Sanny Snell | $24.99 | Hardie Grant When Pop moves into an agedcare facility, it seems that his and Scout’s Friday train-riding tradition is over… but Scout and Pop have a plan. They build a station by his bed, make the tickets and board a train that can take them anywhere – to yesterday and tomorrow, to here and there, and all the everywheres in between.

The Thing About Giants | Christopher Galvin | $17.99 | Walker Books Jacq Dyer is the daughter of renowned giant hunters and is soon to follow in their footsteps. Everyone knows that giants are violent, senseless creatures… aren’t they?

But when an accident leaves Jacq lost and injured in the wilderness, she comes face-toface with Corman, a young giant.

As they uncover the truth about each other’s worlds, they find that not all tall tales are true – and that it’s up to them to set things right.

The Library of Memories | Barbara Perez Marquez | Illustrated by Lissy Marlin | $24.99 | Scholastic Copenhagen arrived at the library one day without any memory of how she got there.

Now, she helps out the mechanical creatures who tend to its care, but the longer she stays, the more she forgets. But the library has been losing magic for quite some time, and with it, all the memories it holds. To save this wondrous place from ruin and to get her memories back, Copenhagen must journey deeper into the library than ever before, even if what she finds shatters everything she thought she knew.

Kitten Magic | Cara Jones | Illustrated by Dan Santat |$19.99 | Scholastic Sparkle the kitten and her siblings have magical powers, but Sparkle hasn’t found hers yet. On the eve of the Sparklepaw Festival, she is taken to the Scratching Sycamore to find her talent. But then, disaster!

The ceremony is interrupted. Can Sparkle find her talent in time to bring ice and snow to Whisker World – and save the day?

KIDS PICKS

I See Red | Maggie Hutchings | Illustrated by Sarah Zweck | $26.99 | Thames & Hudson When my brother and I were little, the times that he lost, I was the worst person that had ever existed in the known universe. If you can see this with your kids, then this hilarious and truthful picture book about conflict and finding that path to making amends, and is the perfect reminder of the great things siblings do for each other.– Robert

Finding Mister Tibbles | Emma Yarlett | $19.99 | Walker Books If you haven’t yet entered the worlds created by Emma Yarlett, then do yourself and your younglings a favour and come and help find Mister Tibbles.

With a great rhyming tempo and deliciously crafted illustrations, you and your kids will be reading this over and over again. This is definitely going to be a family classic.

– Robert

The Good Decision. | Jo Dabrowski | Illustrated by Cate James | $24.99 | Walker Books Sometimes no matter how hard you try, or how good your intentions are, you are going to get a day that is just plain disastrous – and for poor Albert, that day is today. Jo Dabrowski’s new, riotously funny picture book is about the hilarious truth that we don’t always get things right.

– Carolina

Protector of Beyond | Shara Curlett | $18.99 | Penguin Random House Elder Triss is about to be thrown into the dangerous and unfamiliar Beyond to see if she will be accepted into the Protectors Academy or be marked as an outcast. The first in a new series of fantasy books, this is a great read for those who like stories about selfdiscovery, friendships, academia trials and dragons. – Alia., 11 yrs

The Wave | Sarah Armstrong | $18.99 | Hardie Grant Max loved his life on the island before everything went wrong.

Then one day his dog starts acting strangely. Within hours, the whole island is underwater, and Max is thrown together with two strangers.

He’ll have to learn how to face his fears, see past his anger and believe in his own abilities if he’s going to survive. A terrific survival story. – Christopher G., 12 yrs

Little Monsters | Máire Roche | $29.99 | Simon & Schuster Marie Roche resets Little Women in modern-day Salem during Halloween. The March sisters have a secret, and they can’t trust anyone. Their bodies are changing; they are becoming little monsters – literally. A sweet story about accepting yourself, and accepting love and help from others, wrapped up in supernatural cloak.

– Emily

STAFF PICKS

Doctor Who: Jubilee | Robert Shearman | $34.99 | Random House One of Doctor Who’s most acclaimed audio dramas is now a novel by the original author! Robert Shearman reimagines this gritty tale as a political satire, introducing the story from a new perspective. As a long-time fan of the Doctor, I am always appreciative of new or refreshed content. In this uncertain time as we wait for the news on whether the show will continue in the future, there is still a plethora of other content for Who fans to absorb themselves in, such as this excellent adventure.

– Ruby

The Newer World | Sebastian Barry | $34.99 | Allen & Unwin I came to this having never read a Barry novel before, and now I think I need to read everything he has ever written. Set against the backdrop of a post-civil War American South, The Newer World follows Tennyson Bouguereau escaping his past and searching for his future. A newly freed man, a violent act of self defence forces him on an intercontinental odyssey in which he becomes intertwined with many characters from Barry’s McNulty saga. The voice of Tennyson is grounded and moving, and Barry certainly does not shy away from grappling with the legacy of slavery and the troubles of a nascent free identity throughout the novel. It is overall a touching read, as Tennyson’s peregrinations are crafted with an elegiac prose that will resonate with those who, like myself, are big fans of other contemporary Irish writers. – Angus

Bodies of Magic | Freya Marske | $34.99 | Pan Macmillan A medical, dark academic fantasy with a murder mystery? Consider my interest piqued. Five students are about to qualify as ‘healers’, a dwindling workforce in the face of an outbreak. When they find a fellow student dead, they're thrown into a high stakes investigation that threatens to reveal all secrets.

The story immerses you in a captivating fantasy with a magic system that has a unique focus on the human body. With notes of queer romance, medical politics and descriptive reminders of the bodies we inhabit, this is a read that keeps you hooked and wanting to know more from the start.

– Adina A Tender Age | Chang-rae Lee | $34.99 | Simon & Schuster This unique coming-of-age novel tells the story of Jeon-Gi, a middle aged Korean-American man, married with two kids, reflecting on his teenage years. It’s a complex interrogation of American masculinity and immigrant identity. Reading like a memoir, Jeon-Gi recounts his young adult life which includes his experiences with bullying, family pressures and the juvenile justice system. His actions are never framed as right or wrong, good or evil; he simply is who he is because of his circumstances and the context of his upbringing. I would recommend this for anyone who loves a good bildungsroman; this is certainly a refreshingly new take on the trope.

– Mazi

God AI | Toby Walsh | $36.99 | Penguin Random House This book is for anyone wanting to understand where A.I is really heading. While it is scary and reads a little like a call-to-arms to humanity, Walsh – Laureate Fellow and Professor in AI at UNSW – also provides an engaging, eloquent and authoritative view on how AI technology is progressing and what it could mean (both positively and negatively) for the future of the world, without dystopian sensationalism and fear mongering. – Emily

Paul Simon: Graceland | Kalvin Schmidt-Rimpler Dinh | $34.99 | Bloomsbury This book revisits Paul Simon’s Graceland as an important example of the global relevance of African music. Released in 1986, amid an intensified period of anti-apartheid activism across world, the album had a unique relationship to South Africa: it drew attention to apartheid and Black African music while its popular significance was simultaneously propelled by the anti-apartheid movement. As a collaborative, cross-cultural project straddling the boundaries of a deeply unequal world economically, politically, racially, Graceland invites reflection on the relationship between art and politics, both then and now.

Metallica | Martin Popoff | $69.99 | Murdoch This album-by-album analysis of Metallica’s work is packed with photos and memorabilia, as well as insights, opinions and anecdotes from acclaimed music journalists, industry figures and fellow musicians to tell the full story behind each record. This is an authoritative journey through the band's legendary career, from their thrash-metal salad days to global superstardom. This richly illustrated hardbound edition not only chronicles Metallica's music but also places their work within the broader context of heavy metal history, offering commentary that will spark debate, nostalgia and rediscovery.

Constellation “Heroes” | Hans Meertens | $42.99 | Peribo Meertens traces David Bowie's 1977 album Heroes as the centre of a wider orbit: a charged zone of resonance and cultural signal. Analytical, imaginative and historically attuned, he maps a web of connections from Chris Burden to Blackstar, from Tokyo to German Expressionism. Framed by Bowie's Berlin era, the album unfolds track by track, linking sonic detail to lyrical shape and production to artistic intent. Meaning unfolds through sound and staging, language and gesture, and how Bowie channels temporal tension into a force both intimate and unstable. Rather than fixing the album’s meaning, Meertens opens multiple pathways, allowing Heroes to emerge as luminous and unresolved, a prism of identity and dislocation.

Lost in Echo | Matt Karpe | $80.00 | Peribo This book documents Linkin Park’s meteoric rise, their early struggles, the stories of each album and the successes that followed. It looks at the devastating passing of Chester Bennington, and how the band was eventually able to reinvent themselves in the wake of such tragedy. Lost in the Echo is an electrifying journey of one of the most ground-breaking bands of the 21st century, and invites readers to feel the pulse of Linkin Park's music, while reflecting on the power of connection and healing.

A SPOTLIGHT ON MUSIC

Patti Smith on Patti Smith | Edited by Aidan Levy | $29.99 | NewSouth Books From the moment Patti Smith burst onto the scene with Horses, her 1975 debut album, the punk movement found its dissident voice. This punk poet laureate has been perhaps just as revelatory and rhapsodic in interviews, delivering off-the-cuff jeremiads that emboldened a generation of disaffected youth and imparted hard-earned life lessons.

With her characteristic blend of bohemian intellectualism, anti-authoritarian poetry, and unflagging optimism, Smith gave people hope in the transcendent power of art. This collection of interviews serves as a compelling counter-narrative to her albums and books, and is a compendium of profound and reflective moments in the life of one of the most insightful and provocative artists working today.

UPCOMING EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: SEPTEMBER Ordinary Funny Tragic Book Launch with Bridie Jabour and Bri Lee Tuesday 15 September, 6.30pm The Vanguard, Newtown Mine Book Launch with Adam Ouston and James Bradley Wednesday 16 September, 6.30pm Better Read The Lyrebird Murders Poetry Collection Launch with Tug Dumbly and Mark Mordue Saturday 26 September, 3.00 pm Better Read For more information, to find out what else is on this month and to RSVP, head to www.betterreadevents.com

CREATIVE WRITING WITH KATE FORSYTH THE COTSWOLDS ENGLAND 25 Sept - 3 Oct 2026

Cover Art by Arabella Hunt