Tasmanian Recent Release: Release by Lucy Christopher
Both a courtroom drama and a road trip in the searing heat of the West Australian desert, Release is the story of two people confronting each other, each intent on destruction and survival.
Ten years ago, sixteen-year-old Gemma Toombs was kidnapped from Bangkok Airport by an infatuated drifter, Tyler MacFarlane, who took her to a secret den in the Australian desert. Now her name is Kate Stone and it’s her turn to confront Ty and try to find answers to the questions that have obsessed her since her ordeal. What is the legacy of this coercive relationship? Who holds the cards now? In the confusion of past and present, will Kate remain trapped in a deranged dance of desire and revenge? Or will she regain control and find release?
Australian Recent Release: Drop Bear by Evelyn Araluen
An innovative collection of poetry and prose from a vibrant new Indigenous voice on the Australian literary scene. Winner of the 2022 Stella Prize!
This fierce debut from award-winning writer Evelyn Araluen confronts the tropes and iconography of an unreconciled nation with biting satire and lyrical fury. Dropbear interrogates the complexities of colonial and personal history with an alternately playful, tender and mournful intertextual voice, deftly navigating the responsibilities that gather from sovereign country, the spectres of memory and the debris of settler-coloniality. This innovative mix of poetry and essay offers an eloquent witness to the entangled present, an uncompromising provocation of history, and an embattled but redemptive hope for a decolonial future.
“Incisive, beautiful and mythical writing.”
Kids Recent Release: The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm by Karen Foxlee, illustrated by Freda Chiu
Miss Mary-Kate Martin might be anxious, but she’s not scared of monsters. Travelling the globe with her famous archaeologist mother, Mary-Kate helps solve legendary problems in this fun fantasy adventure suitable for fans of the Travelling Bookshop or the Magnolia Moon series.
Dressed in sparkly red shoes and carrying her strawberry-scented notebook, Mary-Kate is accompanying her archaeologist mother to the tranquil English countryside to investigate some interesting bones found in an old well. But once they arrive, they realise that the village of Woolington is not as peaceful as it seems. Mysterious noises, earth tremors and a terrifying legend have the locals frightened.
Could there be any truth in the myth of the beast who lives in the ancient well? And if so, why would it return? Mary-Kate might be anxious, but she is not afraid to get to the bottom of this monstrous mystery.
“A deliciously thrilling mystery, full of heart, wisdom, wit and ingenuity.” Edwina Wyatt, award-winning author of The Secrets of Magnolia Moon
“Easily one of the most charming books for young readers I have come across … A perfect balance of fun, fantasy, humour and innocence.” Katrina Nannestad, author of the Travelling Bookshop series
Tasmanian Classic: The Lost Cave of Corinna by G. Kerschbaum
Twelve-year-old Tom is spending his summer holiday in what he thinks is a boring seaside town. But an accident leads to his transformation and a journey of survival in the dangerous and sometimes magical world of the Tasmanian bush. If Tom wants to return home, he must follow the call that will lead him to the mythical Lost Cave. But Tom is now on the menu for anything with fangs and claws, and that’s how he meets Dibley, a hungry Tasmanian Devil. Will Dibley overcome his natural instinct to eat Tom and join him on his journey to find the Lost Cave?
“It’s a beautiful story and quintessentially Tasmanian.” Margaret Boyce
“… utterly enchanting, very moving, totally engaging! There are some stunning descriptions, and the animal characters… are convincing and endearing and their relationships are very satisfying.” Janet Upcher