Jane Godwin

A beautiful coming-of-age story about three teenage girls from very different backgrounds who find themselves sharing a hospital ward, for fans of Kate DiCamillo and Fiona Wood Three teenage girls from very different backgrounds find themselves sharing a hospital ward. When they witness a crime in the park below their window, they bond over trying to solve the crime and each one undergoes a profound change. A beautiful coming-of-age story about identity, expectation, class, justice, society, fairness, and, above all, kindness.

As Happy As Here

A runaway, a baby and a whole lot of questions...Lissa is home on her own after school one afternoon when a stranger turns up on the doorstep carrying a baby. Reed is on the run - surely people are looking for him? He's trying to find out who he really is and thinks Lissa's mum might have some answers. But how could he be connected to Lissa's family - and why has he been left in charge of a baby? A baby who is sick, and getting sicker ... Reed's appearance stirs up untold histories in Lissa's family, and suddenly she is having to make sense of her past in a way she would never have imagined. Meanwhile, her brother is dealing with a devastating secret of his own.A beautiful and timely coming-of-age story about finding out who you are in the face of crisis and change.Praise for Jane Godwin:'refreshingly unpredictable, bold and refuses to minimise the complex lives of [its] characters' - Saturday Age on As Happy as Here'an empathetic exploration of family, friendship and how all our actions have consequences' - Readings Monthly'gentle, well-written and thoroughly engaging' - Adelaide Advertiser

When Rain Turns to Snow

Falling from Grace

Don't forget to make your bed, and wear socks that fit your feet... Don't forget to care, to play, To run, to laugh... Sometimes, we need to remember all the things we can do to be part of the world. Small things, like offering a smile. And bigger things, like hoping, dreaming, imagining...

Don't Forget

Raewyn Caisley

Rachel Flynn

Bruce Dawe

Have you ever wanted to have a cat for a pet, a very large cat? Need another player for cricket? How about Scruffy, the dog? How cute are Penguins? What would you do to help save one? A very wet kitten and an even wetter goldfish, will they stay in the family? A wonderful collection of heartfelt stories all about pets and animals. Tai's Penguin - Raewyn Caisley (illustrated by Ann James). Tai fins a little penguin lying on the beach. It needs help. But what can Tai do? Poor Fish! - Jane Godwin (illustrated by David Mackintosh). It's Saturday morning. Auskick starts soon. But there's something wrong with Brendan's Fish... Tim & Tig - Victor Kelleher (Illustrated by Judy Watson). Tim's birthday present from his Aunt Ethel is a kitten. A very LARGE kitten. Scruffy's Day Out - Rachel Flynn (illustrated by Jocelyn Bell). Dad saves a scruffy little dog from being runover. But whose dog is it? No Cat - and That's That! - Bruce Dawe (illustrated by Andrew McLean). Can Sam ever persuade her dad to let her have a cat?

Animal Tales

Walk in the Dark

Arno had a horse, it was brown and it was black. He took it with him everywhere, but did he bring it back? When Arno loses his precious toy horse, all the kids in town help him to look for it. They look everywhere, but will Arno ever see his horse again? A touching story about memory, dreams, and the mysterious ways we feel connected to those we love.

Arno and His Horse

I'll teach you to peel bananas, eat ice-cream in a cone. It's lucky you've got me - I had to learn this on my own. A big sister marvels at how she will always be older than her baby brother, no matter how much he grows. A celebration of the bond between siblings from acclaimed author Jane Godwin, with glorious illustrations from Sara Acton.

I'll Always Be Older Than You

Mikey didn't really want to help steal the garbo's Christmas beer - and now he's lost his duck. A tale of assertion and independence.

Sebby, Stee, the Garbos and Me

So many families, some big and some small. Each one is different, let's look at them all! In this warm and humorous exploration of families, much-loved Australian children's author Jane Godwin has teamed with internationally acclaimed Argentinian creator Yael Frankel. Together, they weave a colourful celebration of all the differences that make every family unique. You'll be sure to recognise a family just like yours!

Families

Andrew Joyner

Michael Wagner

Bear loves to get things done. He can make just about anything! He even builds a wonderful den. But something is missing. What could it be? From this talented trio comes a warm, playful picture book about what truly makes a home.

Bear Make Den

Tim, Hannah, Sunita, Joe and Polly are all off to school for the first time. Would you like to meet them and see how they go? There are new friends to make, fun ways to learn, and lots of different things to discover. From Jane Godwin and Anna Walker comes this beautiful book focussing on the experiences and feelings of five very different children as they begin at school for the first time. Jane's simple words and ideas combine with Anna's gentle and detailed illustrations to help children feel comfortable about taking this big step.

Starting School

Tillys found the perfect hiding place to keep her special treasures. No one knows about it, not even her big brothers and sister, who know everything. But one day, something happens that Tilly could never have imagined... Jane Godwin and Anna Walker have created a wistful, enchanting and timeless story about an old house, a young girl, and how the small things we hold dear stay with us always.

Tilly

Open this book and travel your way all through the year and treasure each day. From this beloved/illustrator team comes a timeless account of a year in the lift of an Australian family. Told through the eyes of a child and featuring each month of the year, here is a book to give, to share and to treasure.

All Through the Year

Splash into summer with this glorious love letter to the seasons. Combining Jane Godwin's sparkling text and Alison Lester's whimsical watercolours, Sing Me the Summer celebrates those precious everyday moments that stay with us forever.

Sing Me the Summer

'The bus went over and the bus went around. The bus went up and the bus went down. ' Winter and summer Little Cat goes to school on the big red bus with her big sister. But one day, Little Cat's big sister is sick and Little Cat must go to school on her own. Unfortunately, on the way back home, Little Cat falls asleep on the bus and no one notices. When she wakes up the bus is empty and it's dark outside. As soon as the bus driver realises what has happened, he sits her in the very special spot up the front of the bus and takes Little Cat home.

Little Cat and the Big Red Bus

Vincent Agostino

How and why did elephants learn to swim? Could it be that they were once marine creatures? This genuinely unique and fascinating book uses both print and full colour illustration to trace the evolution of the elephant from its prehistoric marine beginnings to the water-loving-land animal we know today. The story line is simple but poetic while the illustrations are scientifically informative yet highly imaginative. A beautiful book to read aloud to children or explore visually.

When Elephants Lived in the Sea

Alison Lester

The children of Rawa Community School

Monster Party is an explosion of fun and pure joy. Children will love the hilarious, naughty desert monsters who come out of the ground to have a party on Dora Lake. Eating chips and monster cake, they go `galumphing' all over the place with a drum and a bass! Of all shapes and sizes, these monsters create havoc for the children at Rawa Community School who live on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert - `dancing and stomping', `crashing and crunching', `prowling and growling', `happy and smiling'! Jeepers creepers! The monster cut-out illustrations created by the students are delightful. Monster Party will capture the hearts of the very young and the young at heart.

Jane Godwin

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