Book reviews for teachers CBCA Notables 2026
Hello All
It’s that time of the year again. I’m enjoying reviewing the Notables texts in these three categories: Early Childhood, Picture Books, and Younger Readers. I will update these reviews weekly as I gain access to the texts throughout the year. This list is dynamic and will continue to grow until the winners are announced in August. I have made my reviews brief and to the point, with busy teachers in mind, and included classroom reading and music activities that teachers may wish to complete with students, which correlate with English and the Arts: Music curricula. What a joy it is to read and share my views on these texts, and I hope my reviews are helpful and time-efficient for teachers when selecting texts for class.
These are the Notable texts in the three sections I am reviewing, selected by the CBCA (Feb 2026) for consideration for winning texts, which will be announced in August. All highlighted text below is linked to the book review.
Younger Readers
Chickenpox, Remy Lai (Allen & Unwin) reviewed 22-3
Creature Clinic, Gavin Aung Than (Figment Books)
Frances Bloom, Katrina Nannestad, illustrated by Marina Zlatanova (ABC Books)
Ghost Guitar, TJ DOOM, illustrated by Nahum Ziersch (Penguin Random House Australia)
The Hits and Misses of Melody Moss, Helen Dallimore (Penguin Random House Australia)
How to Sail to Somewhere, Ashleigh Barton (Lothian Children’s Books)
Inked, Karen Wasson, illustrated by Jake A Minton (Figment Books)
Into the Bewilderness, Gus Gordon (Figment Books)
Jungle Escape, Nathan Luff (Walker Books Australia)
The Keeper of the Octopus, Neridah McMullin (Walker Books Australia)
Little Bones, Sandy Bigna, illustrated by Tamlyn Teow (University of Queensland Press)
The Making of Martha Mayfield, Jo Dabrowski (Affirm Press)
Moonboy, Anna Ciddor (Allen & Unwin)
The Paperbark Tree Committee, Karys McEwen (Text Publishing)
Promises and Other Lies, Sue Whiting (Walker Books Australia)
Run, Sarah Armstrong (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
Seriously Soccer, Matt Stanton (ABC Books) reviewed 22-3
The Serpent Rider, Yxavel Magno Diño (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
The Silken Thread, Gabrielle Wang (Penguin Random House Australia)
Something Terrible: Tim Tie-Your-Shoelaces, Sally Barton, illustrated by Christopher Nielsen (Walker Books Australia)
Song of a Thousand Seas, Zana Fraillon, illustrated by Aviva Reed (University of Queensland Press)
Spirit of the Crocodile, Aaron Fa’Aoso & Michelle Scott Tucker with Lyn White (Allen & Unwin)
The Surface Trials, H.M. Waugh (Allen & Unwin)
Too Big to Be a Fairy, Kiah Thomas, Bec Kitson, Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
The Year We Escaped, Suzanne Leal (Angus & Robertson)
Early Childhood
The Bin Monster, Annabelle Hale (Affirm Press)
Castle Crashing, Andrea Rowe, illustrated by Hannah Sommerville (Little Hare), reviewed 25-3
The Colours of Home, Sally Soweol Han (Thames and Hudson Australia)
Counting Crocodiles, Students from Bulla Camp Primary School (Indigenous Literacy Foundation)
Derek, Anne Donaldson, illustrated by Matt Shanks (Little Hare)
Dropbear, Philip Bunting (Walker Books Australia), reviewed 22-3
Earthspeak, Sean McCann, illustrated by Jade Goodwin (Allen & Unwin)
The Emperor’s Egg, Rae Tan (Lothian Children’s Books)
Fly Mama, Fly!, Anna McGregor (Scribble)
Frogs Are Our Friends, Toni D’Alia, Madeline White (Bright Light)
Going Fishing with Nana, Frances Haji-Ali & Lindsay Haji-Ali, illustrated by Karen Briggs (Magabala Books)
How to Help When You Really Want to Help, Davina Bell, illustrated by Hilary Jean Tapper (Lothian Children’s Books)
Laugh in the Bath, Rory H. Mather, illustrated by Brent Wilson (Little Book Press)
Look, See, Find Me, Sandra Severgnini (CSIRO Publishing)
My Father’s Arms, Toni D’Alia, illustrated by Mimi Purnell (Little Hare)
My Nonno Loves, Adelle Frittitta, illustrated by Claudia Frittitta (Little Hare)
Now You Are a Chicken, Andrew McDonald, illustrated by Ben Wood (Little Hare)
Our Beautiful World, Sarah Speedie, illustrated by Margeaux Davis (New Frontier Publishing)
Potion Commotion, Rebecca Grant, illustrated by Niña Nill (Affirm Press)
Say Goodnight, Renae Hayward, illustrated by Rebecca Mills (Fremantle Press)
Sidney of Sydney, Sue Whiting, illustrated by Liz Anelli (Walker Books Australia)
The Thing About Christmas, Jo Dabrowski, illustrated by Briony Stewart (Little Book Press)
The Train at the End of My Street, Tom Jellett (Affirm Press)
What is a Dot?, Johanna Bell, illustrated by Amelia Luscombe (Thames and Hudson Australia)
Where the River Runs Free, Vikki Conley, illustrated by Jedda Robaard (Windy Hollow Books)
Picture Book of the Year
A is for… A Rabbit’s Tale, Lucinda Gifford, text by Jackie Hosking (Walker Books Australia)
Being Indy, Estee Sarsfield, text by Zoe Gaetjens (WestWords Children’s)
Between Anna Walker (Scribble), reviewed 26-3
Bigfoot vs Yeti, James Foley (Fremantle Press)
Bob and Dob, Sean E Avery (Walker Books Australia)
Bored, Felicita Sala (Little Hare)
Dawn, Marc Martin (Walker Books Australia)
Dear Broccoli, Cate James, text by Jo Dabrowski (Affirm Press)
Dropbear, Philip Bunting (Walker Books Australia), reviewed 22-3
The Frog’s First Song, Jason Phu, text by Jazz Money (University of Queensland Press)
Going for Pippies, Tori-Jay Mordey, text by Wilaaran Laurie (Magabala Books)
Gone, Michel Streich (Thames and Hudson Australia)
Hello Cocky, Antonia Pesenti, text by Hilary Bell (Scribble)
Here Come the Cousins, Sarah Zweck, text by Maggie Hutchings (Thames and Hudson Australia)
How My Family Says I Love You, Aurore McLeod, text by Yvonne Sewankambo (Walker Books Australia)
Jo and the No, Judy Watson, text by Kyle Mewburn (Dirt Lane Press)
My Mum is a Bird, Evie Barrow, text by Angie Cui (University of Queensland Press)
Neville’s Great Escape, Sean E Avery (Walker Books Australia)
Once I was a Giant, Zeno Sworder (Thames and Hudson Australia)
One Day, Michael Speechley, text by Shirley Marr (Walker Books Australia)
One Word and a Bird, Stephen Michael King (Scholastic Press)
Rain on the Rock, Valerie Brumby, text by Jodi Toering (Bright Light)
Some Days You’ll have Days Like These, Stephen Michael King, text by Josh Pyke (Scholastic Press)
The Thing About Christmas, Briony Stewart, text by Jo Dabrowski (Little Book Press)
Tiwi in Paris, Glen Farmer Illortaminni (Thames and Hudson Australia)
What a joy! -reviewing the CBCA 2026 Notables! Thank you to East Maitland Library staff for access to texts.
