February 2026 Featured Reviews
Novel Insight on 10th Feb 2026
February 2026 Featured Reviews
Check out some of our favourite new releases from our February Newsletter.
Welcome to our first free newsletter for 2026!
Below you will find short reviews on 12 new releases from February 2026. Our full membership includes full plot summaries and more detailed content reviews.
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Featured Reviews
Yes, No, Maybe
| Author: Ursula Dubosarsky (AU) | Publisher: Little Book Press | |
| Illustrator: Andrew Joyner | Release Date: 11 Nov 2025 | |
| ISBN: 9781923141308 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Novel Insight Short Review: A guinea pig has a lot of questions about a lot of different things, so while walking one day, Pig decides to go visit the tree that knows everything. Pig asks Tree if it can help with all these questions, and Tree promises to give it a go. A charming picture book filled with fun facts, perfect for an interactive read-aloud and ideal for ages 3 to 6.
Audrey Skips
| Author: Andrea Rowe (AU) | Publisher: MidnightSun Publishing | |
| Illustrator: Lisa Coutts | Release Date: 31 Jan 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781922858719 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Representations: Contains reference to and illustrations of homeless people and groups lining up at soup kitchens.
Novel Insight Short Review: On the rooftops of Melbourne, Audrey skips joyfully across the city in a ruffled red dress. But nothing is quite as it seems. A hopeful and uplifting story about a historical icon that’s ideal for ages 3 to 6. The art complements the message.
Casa Mia
| Author: Josie Montano (AU) | Publisher: IP Kidz | |
| Illustrator: Kristen Willis (AU) | Release Date: 3 Jan 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781923435001 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Representations: Carlo’s nonno is from Italy, living in Australia.
Novel Insight Short Review: Carlo visits his nonno, who is very sad. He can’t travel back to Italy and misses his home. Carlo brings a lot of Nonno’s possessions to his home and celebrates Italy with him. The art and design cleverly complement the text. This picture book is a sweet interaction between a child and a grandfather celebrating Italian history and is ideal for ages 3 to 6.
How Do You Hide a Hippo?
| Author: Rebecca Grant (AU) | Publisher: Little Book Press | |
| Illustrator: Jedda Robaard (AU) | Release Date: 10 Feb 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781923141384 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Novel Insight Short Review: A child tries to hide a hippo in some hilarious places, but a hippo is really hard to hide. This is a cute and funny story with a lovely end that will have kids laughing and enjoying the chaos of a hippo as a pet. Illustrations are beautiful and gentle. It’s ideal for ages 3 to 6.
The Great Orange Bake-Off
| Author: Coral Vass (AU) | Publisher: Wombat Books | |
| Illustrator: Heidi Cooper Smith (AU) | Release Date: 1 Feb 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781761112195 | Reading Age: 5 to 8 years |
Novel Insight Short Review: Amanda’s teacher has paired her with Eve for the Year Three Bake-Off Competition. Amanda and her best friends, Lucia and Mai, had been planning to work together. But how can Amanda tell her best friends that now she wants to work with Eve? A fun story about friendship that’s ideal for early readers.
Neeka and the Great Search
| Author: Tina Strachan (AU) | Publisher: HarperCollins AU | |
| Illustrator: Max Hamilton | Release Date: 28 Jan 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781460764572 | Reading Age: 5 to 8 years |
Novel Insight Short Review: Neeka has too much to do in her busy week at the zoo and drags Miranda around with her. But when a koala is hurt, they both want to help. An enjoyable story filled with animal care and facts, friendship challenges and the value of hard work to reach goals that’s ideal for junior fiction readers.
My Brother Otto
| Author: Ingrid Laguna (AU) | Publisher: Text Publishing | |
| ISBN: 9781923058729 | Release Date: 3 Feb 2026 | |
| Reading Age: 7 to 13 years |
Content Insight: Contains descriptions of grief after the death of an infant, caused by illness.
Novel Insight Short Review: Eleven-year-old Quinn is annoyed at the fuss that her mum and stepfather are making about the arrival of baby Otto. Quinn misses the attention that she would normally receive from her mum. But when Quinn’s mum is rushed to hospital, Otto is born three months early. A well-told but very sad story, especially as the readers’ hopes are raised that Otto will come home. Neither the book cover nor the blurb prepares the reader for the depth of grief and loss in this story. A well-told but very sad story about family and grief that’s for junior fiction readers.
A Light on the Rocks
| Author: Helen Edwards (AU) | Publisher: Riveted Press | |
| ISBN: 9781764007191 | Release Date: 28 Jan 2026 | |
| Reading Age: 11 to 13 years |
Content Insight: Contains deaths and violence. Contains ghosts.
Novel Insight Short Review: In 1959, Max and Rosemary stay at the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse with their father, who keeps the lighthouse running. In 1859, Daisy and Marigold boarded the SS Abella with their parents. The boat accident occurs quickly, and much of this story follows Daisy and the others onboard trying to survive. In Max and Rosemary’s timeline, their dad and the assistant keeper are both injured in a fall. Historical details of the wreck are included in the author’s notes. A powerful story of adventure and tragedy, combined with history that’s ideal for junior high readers.
Romeo v Juliet
| Author: R.A. Spratt | Publisher: Puffin | |
| ISBN: 9781761349744 | Release Date: 3 Feb 2026 | |
| Reading Age: 12 to 16 years |
Content Insight: Contains Shakespearean themes of violence, murder, and suicide.
Novel Insight Short Review: This is an enjoyable follow-up to Hamlet is Not OK by R.A. Spratt. Selby is given Romeo and Juliet to read in school but she is worried that as soon as she reads anything, she will be transported into the story like she was with Hamlet. When she has to play the Juliet, she ends up straight back meeting Romeo. A fun adventure that takes the reader through contemporary school and Shakespeare stories. It’s ideal for junior high readers.
The Donor
| Author: Jennifer Dyer | Publisher: Quill and Flame | |
| ISBN: 9781964726595 | Release Date: 3 Feb 2026 | |
| Reading Age: 13+ years |
Content Insight: Contains violence and danger.
Contains unethical medical experiments and descriptions of body horror and gore.
Novel Insight Short Review: Cameron Foster is the son of Nigel Foster, founder of Foster Medical Corporation. Cameron’s heart condition has made him the poster boy for his father’s organisation, but he just wants to live like any other young adult. Tasha believes Nigel Foster killed her stepfather, and believes that things about FMC just don’t add up. A speculative thriller about the value of human life and what happens when it’s disregarded in the name of medical science. It’s ideal for junior high readers who love a fast-paced story that leaves you on the edge of your seat.
Gaslit
| Author: Megan Davidhizar | Publisher: HarperCollins GB | |
| ISBN: 9780008617035 | Release Date: 30 Dec 2025 | |
| Reading Age: 14+ years |
Content Insight: Contains murder. Contains threats, deception and fraud.
Novel Insight Short Review: An exciting mystery as Ella, a girl who rescues her cousins from a gas leak, wants to find out if the leak was accidental or part of a more elaborate plot. An engaging, easy-to-read young adult story with a good amount of intrigue to keep you wondering what happened. Another great suspense novel from Megan Davidhizar that’s ideal for senior high readers.
Day of Now
| Author: Miranda Reason | Publisher: Bloomsbury | |
| ISBN: 9781526684325 | Release Date: 3 Feb 2026 | |
| Reading Age: 14+ years |
Language Rating: High
Content Insight: Contains violence and imprisonment. Contains death. Contains monsters.
Novel Insight Short Review: Dayna and Pax live with their father, convinced there is no one left in the whole world. When Dayna finds an old-fashioned radio, they hear a message saying to join the Hummingbird people. Despite their father’s warning, they set out to find them. Along the way, they witness the horrors of this dystopian world and are left to question their own morality in what they do to survive. An exciting and engaging post-apocalyptic survival story exploring themes and change and the consequences of your choices. It’s ideal for senior high readers.
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We hope you enjoyed these insights into some special new releases from November.
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