Walker Books Australia

www.walkerbooks.com.au Clare Hallifax | Clare.Hallifax@walkerbooks.com.au

Walker Books Australia has been bringing the best of children’s publishing to Australian children for over 20 years and is recognised as a market leader in quality children’s books, publishing award-winning authors and illustrators. The company is dedicated to publishing books of unwavering quality for children and young adults to read and treasure.

FRANK'S RED HAT

Sean E Avery

Frank is a penguin with ideas. Mostly terrible ones. That’s why his fellow penguins are nervous when he shows them his strange new creation. Something they’d never seen or expected to see in their cold and colourless Antarctic world — a red hat.

• Frank’s Red Hat is a story about never giving up on your talents, because even though what you do may not be appreciated right now, it may be in time. Possibly by someone you’d least expect.

• A fantastic read-aloud with witty text and hilarious visual humour.

RELEASE DATE: 10/2022 ISBN: 9781760654283 RRP (AUD): $24.99 FORMAT: HB, 32pp RIGHTS: World CATEGORY: Picture Book

FRIENDLY BEE AND FRIENDS

Sean E Avery

Friendly Bee’s cheerful attitude sometimes gets him into trouble — like becoming a delicious meal for the mildly homicidal Enormous Hairy Spider. Luckily, Friendly Bee’s reluctant best friend Angry Wasp is there to save this buzzing buffoon from certain doom — if he really has to.

• This graphic novel collection of four laughout-loud stories from talented authorillustrator Sean E Avery is sure to bee-witch young readers.

• A second Friendly Bee and Friends graphic novel is scheduled for 2023.

RELEASE DATE: 09/2022 ISBN: 9781760654351 RRP (AUD): $14.99 FORMAT: PB, 32pp RIGHTS: World CATEGORY: Graphic Novel

EVIE AND RHINO

Neridah McMullin and Astred Hicks

When Evie finds a fullygrown rhinoceros washed up on a beach, she feels an immediate connection and knows she has to help him. Side by side, these unlikely friends form a bond capable of overcoming the tragedies that saw one in chains and the other lose her parents and unable to speak.

• Neridah McMullin’s touching narrative is complemented by stunning illustrations from award-winning illustrator and designer Astred Hicks.

• A moving tale for middle-grade readers about love, connection and the healing powers of friendship.

RELEASE DATE: 10/2022 ISBN: 9781760654207 RRP (AUD): $22.99 FORMAT: HB, 240pp RIGHTS: World CATEGORY: Middle-grade Fiction

THE GHOST LOCKET

Allison Rushby

Eleven-year-old Lolli is faced with a seemingly impossible task — enter a historic house and make things right for two ghosts, one friendly and one decidedly not, and open her heart to people in both the living and twilight worlds.

• A captivating supernatural mystery set in a house haunted by secrets from the past.

• Allison Rushby is an awardwinning author and a master of spooky middlegrade mysteries including The Turnkey, The Mulberry Tree and When This Bell Rings.

RELEASE DATE: 04/2022 ISBN: 9781760654139 RRP (AUD): $17.99 FORMAT: PB, 238pp RIGHTS: World CATEGORY: Middle-grade Fiction

THE HIDDEN GIRL

Louise Bassett

Within the pages of a stolen diary, Melati discovers a coded cry for help — the diary belongs to Devi, an Indonesian teenager who is being held by traffickers. Mel races across the island of Java and against the clock to work out Devi’s identity and where she’s being held.

• Mel has everything to lose — but how can she stand back when she knows something’s not right?

• A gripping and original YA novel that delves into issues of ethics, privilege and responsibility.

RELEASE DATE: 08/2022 ISBN: 9781760654788 RRP (AUD): $19.99 FORMAT: PB, 336pp RIGHTS: World CATEGORY: Young Adult Fiction