March/April 2026 Featured Reviews
Novel Insight on 26th Mar 2026
March/April 2026 Featured Reviews
Check out some of our favourite new releases from our March/April Newsletter.
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Below you will find short reviews on 13 new releases for March and April of 2026. Our full membership includes full plot summaries and more detailed content reviews.
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Featured Reviews
The Counting Sheep
| Author/Illustrator: Natashia Curtin (AU) | Publisher: Wombat Books | |
| Release Date: 1 Mar 2026 | ||
| ISBN: 9781761113154 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Novel Insight Short Review: Four sheep, Curly, Barney, Betty and Bo decide it’s time to take their band to the big city to perform in front of an audience. They soon discover that their music puts everyone to sleep. A beautifully illustrated picture book about finding success in an unexpected way that’s ideal for ages 2 to 5.
Tiny
| Author/Illustrator: Laura Stitzel (AU) | Publisher: Walker Books Australia | |
| Release Date: 1 Mar 2026 | ||
| ISBN: 9781760658571 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Novel Insight Short Review: A beautiful picture book about a child who feels too small to know what’s going on. She imagines herself smaller and smaller, until she can engage with the animals, plants and the tiny life around her. Lovely concept that helps kids realise they are just the right size and is ideal for ages 3 to 6.
Calm Your Farm
| Author/Illustrator: Dale Baker (AU) | Publisher: Little Big Sky Books | |
| Release Date: 28 Jan 2026 | ||
| ISBN: 9781923514256 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Representations: This book represents farm life and living in the country. It also speaks about the importance of good nutrition for our animals.
Novel Insight Short Review: This book is a raucous romp that will delight many children. A farm is supposed to be peaceful and relaxed, but this one has pigs attempting to fly, cows driving tractors into trees, and sheep playing drums and tossing chicken eggs about. With colourful illustrations and rhyming prose, this is a humorous story that’s ideal for ages 3 to 6.
Belle & Bea’s Beautiful New Home
| Author: Kristin Martin (AU) | Publisher: Wakefield Press | |
| Illustrator: Bianca Richardson (AU) | Release Date: 31 Mar 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781923388444 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Novel Insight Short Review: Belle and Bea’s Beautiful New Home is a delightfully illustrated exploration of how we can support our endangered wildlife in Australia and how the native fauna and flora flourish when everything is put back into perfect balance. When Belle and Bea are given the opportunity to live in a predator-free home, they leap at the opportunity, but they need the help of some friends to make it actually feel like home. This is a sweet story about Australian flora and fauna and is ideal for ages 3 to 6.
Genie Snail
| Author: Bethany Loveridge (AU) | Publisher: Little Book Press | |
| Illustrator: Chris Kennett (AU) | Release Date: 24 Feb 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781923141445 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Content Insight: Contains magical elements.
Novel Insight Short Review: This gorgeous picture book is sparkly and fun. When the main character is told to play outside, he has no idea what to do until he rubs a snail and it grants him wishes. The tough bit is that all his wishes must rhyme with snail! A fun, wishing picture book that will make kids laugh and is ideal for ages 3 to 6.
The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef
| Author: Sophie Masson (AU) | Publisher: Little Hare | |
| Illustrator: Cheryl Orsini (AU) | Release Date: 25 Nov 2025 | |
| ISBN: 9781761211225 | Reading Age: 4 to 6 years |
Representations: French words are used with describing the pastries.
Novel Insight Short Review: Lucas loves visiting the fishmonger, Cyprien, and the pastry Chef, Violette. They look at each other sweetly and Lucas hatches a matchmaking plan inspired by the stories they have told him. A sweet look at romance from a child’s perspective filled with delicious pastries.
The Flower Garden: A Changi Secret
| Author: Claire Saxby (AU) | Publisher: Walker Books Australia | |
| Illustrator: Lucia Masciullo (AU) | Release Date: 1 Mar 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781760657352 | Reading Age: 5 to 8 years |
Content Insight: Contains illustrations of soldiers with guns.
Representations: Historical prisoners of war are represented.
Novel Insight Short Review: Beautiful illustrations and an insightful text explore the ability of the human spirit to find joy in a harsh environment. This tale is based on the true story at Changi POW camp where the girls made a gift for their teacher who inspired and encouraged them through tough times. This is a beautiful and uplifting story set in war time.
The Mighty Pipsqueak
| Author: Deborah Kelly (AU) | Publisher: Wombat Books | |
| Illustrator: Amie Sabadin (AU) | Release Date: 4 Mar 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781761112768 | Reading Age: 6 to 8 years |
Content Insight: Contains a snake that threatens Poppy and the dog.
Representations: Main character has a hearing aid and glasses from her premature birth.
Novel Insight Short Review: A delightful early reader featuring a little girl and her love for the tiny pup that was born too small. As Pipsqueak grows he shows he has more strength in his tiny body than expected, just like Poppy. A sweet story of growth featuring farm life.
Ella and the Mystery of the Missing Frogs
| Author: Casey Polemini (AU) | Publisher: UWA | |
| Illustrator: Hykie Breeze (AU) | Release Date: 24 Feb 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781760803193 | Reading Age: 6 to 8 years |
Content Insight: Contains reference to being cursed.
Novel Insight Short Review: In the third instalment of the Ella and the Frogs series, Ella has a new problem. The frogs know something is wrong and when everything for Ella goes wrong Ella worries things will get worse. With a handy frog book from school, Ella begins to learn more about frogs, until the book falls in the pond. A good third book for a fun series with lots of education about frogs.
The Missing Pencil Case
| Author: Jasmin McGaughey (AU) | Publisher: Affirm Press | |
| Illustrator: Jade Goodwin (AU) | Release Date: 24 Feb 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781923419315 | Reading Age: 6 to 8 years |
Novel Insight Short Review: Lea has lost her pencil case, which contains money from her Year Two classroom fundraiser. She asks her family for help to find it before school the next day. An enjoyable, relatable story suitable for newly independent readers.
The Feathers of Farwood and the Gripps’ Curse
| Author: Jayne McIntyre (AU) | Publisher: Riveted Press | |
| Illustrator: N/A | Release Date: 24 Feb 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781764256704 | Reading Age: 8 to 11 years |
Content Insight: Contains threats of violence.
Contains magical transformations.
Novel Insight Short Review: Eva Feathers and her family arrive in a small town called Farwood, immediately standing out from the locals. As Eva navigates friendships, school tensions and growing danger in the community, she searches for answers about a mysterious curse connected to her family and the town’s history. An exciting and wholesome fantasy tale about friends and family that’s ideal for junior fiction readers.
Dugongs of the Sky
| Author: Emily Larkin (AU) | Publisher: Wombat Books | |
| Illustrator: Tamlyn Teow (AU) | Release Date: 1 Apr 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781761113277 | Reading Age: 9 to 12 years |
Content Insight: Contains mild descriptive violence, including to animals.
Contains references to magic.
Representations: Characters with magic are kept separate from those without because of superstition and fear.
Novel Insight Short Review: It’s a Starstruck Strait’s tradition for poachers to shoot dugongs for their skin and blubber. Captain Scree of the Whitetider hopes to dismantle this custom by creating a kinder tradition instead. To do this, she records the dugongs’ drastically reduced numbers, hoping it will motivate the Wavebearers’ Council to make dugong hunting illegal. However, Scree isn’t a very social captain and her need to remain impartial sometimes has a detrimental effect on her crew. The Whitetider crew members have many differences, but they must learn how to work together in their quest to make dugong hunting illegal. Despite initial conflicts, the crew bands together. A charming fantasy story about protecting nature and building new traditions, encouraging cooperation and inclusion. It’s ideal for middle-grade readers.
What We Did to Survive
| Author: Megan Lally (US) | Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire | |
| Illustrator: N/A | Release Date: 31 Mar 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781728270173 | Reading Age: 13 to 16 years |
Language Rating: High
Content Insight: Contains murder and assault.
Contains survival themes.
Novel Insight Short Review: It’s the last day of Hannah and Emmy’s holiday. Hannah still can’t believe Jackson, Emmy’s older brother, is there, and her crush on him isn’t going away. Emmy makes friends with Ben, a romantic, handsome tourist. The four of them agree to go out on a boat for their last day, despite an approaching storm. All goes well until Keith, the only captain willing to take them out on the boat, falls overboard during a fight with Ben. Now they’re stuck in the water with very few sailing skills and no one trusts Ben. As the storm worsens things get worse. An engaging read with a mix of crime and survival, where the protagonist is constantly unsure of what to believe. It’s an exciting read for teens.
Thank you for supporting us, these authors, and the publishers by reading this newsletter.
We hope you enjoyed these insights into some special new releases from November.
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