May 2026 Featured Reviews
Novel Insight on 19th May 2026
May 2026 Featured Reviews
Check out some of our favourite new releases from our May Newsletter.
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Below you will find short reviews on 11 new releases for May of 2026. Our full membership includes full plot summaries and more detailed content reviews.
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Featured Reviews
Fearless Finn
| Author: Kristin Martin | Publisher: MidnightSun Publishing | |
| Illustrator: Lauren Mullinder | Release Date: 1 May 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781922858733 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Language Rating: None
Content Insight: Contains dragons.
Representations: The dragon has a pollen allergy.
Novel Insight Short Review: After a dragon burns all the hay for Finn’s cow, he sets off to stop its rampage. When he find’s the dragon’s cave, he learns that the dragon doesn’t mean to burn anything, but suffers from hayfever. A rhyming adventure story about overcoming your fears with a charming ending. The illustrations are bright and compliment the story well. A recipe for Finn’s honey ice cream is included at the end.
My Ball Is Broken
| Author: Rob Graves-Morris | Publisher: Walker Books | |
| Illustrator: Rob Graves-Morris | Release Date: 1 Apr 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781761600272 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Language Rating: None
Novel Insight Short Review: A dog’s ball stays still, doesn’t bounce, and doesn’t move. He wonders what could make his ball start moving. A valuable and alternate story about worry and how creativity and play can resolve our anxieties.
Trickshot Harri the Cheetah World Beater
| Author: Adam Jackson & Adrian Lloyd | Publisher: Little Book Press | |
| Illustrator: Jake A Minton | Release Date: 28 Apr 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781923141612 | Reading Age: 3 to 6 years |
Language Rating: None
Novel Insight Short Review: Harri tries to prove he’s the best by using his best to score points in a soccer game against Safari Stars. But when he’s blocked from scoring, Harri learns that it’s important to play as larger team. A fun, simple story about teamwork with animal lovers and sports enthusiasts.
Pirate Problems
| Author: Ella Shine | Publisher: Puddle Dog Press | |
| Illustrator: Lisa Flanagan | Release Date: 1 Apr 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9780645521696 | Reading Age: 6 to 12 years |
Language Rating: None
Content Insight: Contains talking animals.
Novel Insight Short Review: Cassie and Lina are pet sitters and on this adventure they are tasked with pet-sitting a parrot and dressing up as pirates. They also have an interview to practice for, but things begin going slightly awry. A fun adventure full of dress ups, pirates and talking animals.
Freddie Jones: The Mystery of the Ghostly Garden
| Author: Kate Foster | Publisher: Walker Books | |
| Illustrator: N/A | Release Date: 1 May 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781760659943 | Reading Age: 7 to 11 years |
Language Rating: None
Content Insight: Contains reference to theft and threats.
Representations: Freddie is autistic and has a companion dog.
Novel Insight Short Review: Freddie, Grandma, and Hobnob are off to Kent, England, with Freddie’s parents to investigate thefts at a hotel. After arriving, Freddie sets out to learn if he is seeing ghosts and instead becomes involved in a hotel conspiracy. This is the second instalment in the Freddie Jones series. A fun detective story celebrating multigenerational relationships, empathy, and representing independence in neurodivergent individuals.
The Sunbird (Young Readers’ Edition)
| Author: Sara Haddad | Publisher: University of Queensland Press | |
| Illustrator: Baraa Awoor | Release Date: 3 Feb 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9780702271076 | Reading Age: 8 to 11 years |
Language Rating: None
Content Insight: Contains references to war and displacement.
Representations: Contains representations of Palestinian and Lebanese people.
Contains representations of refugees.
Contains different representations of religion.
Novel Insight Short Review: Nabila, an eighty-something-year-old woman, meets Zane and his family at the march for Palestine in Australia. She tells him the story of her childhood and the Nakba (catastrophe) that occurred when she was a young girl. A gently written story about war, displacement and a young girl’s dream of returning home. It’s ideal for junior fiction readers.
If I Could Eat the Stars
| Author: Sally Murphy & Rebecca Newman | Publisher: Fremantle Press | |
| Illustrator: Briony Stewart | Release Date: 28 Apr 2026 | |
| ISBN: 9781760996482 | Reading Age: 8 to 12 years |
Language Rating: Low
Novel Insight Short Review: A diverse collection of beautifully illustrated poems that has something for every reader. Shape poems, cinquain, free verse and haiku are among the poetic styles included. The beautiful illustrations accompany topics such as language, nature and the night sky, as well as computer code, scientists, sport and much more. A delightful read for those new to poetry due to the varied styles, topics and illustrations.
The Midlands
| Author: Kate Gordon | Publisher: Riveted Press | |
| Release Date: 14 Apr 2026 | ||
| ISBN: 9780645869378 | Reading Age: 9 to 13 years |
Language Rating: None
Content Insight: Contains mild violence, poisons and injuries.
Novel Insight Short Review: When Lark and her four sisters move to her grandparents’ property, they decide they’re going to run wild. Before leaving for the Great War, her father tells Lark that there’s adventure to be had, and she begins to look for secrets waiting to be uncovered. When a young, mysterious French governess arrives, the girls aren’t quite sure what to make of her, as she’s not all she seems. This is a beautifully written story, rich in language and detail. The vocabulary is expansive, with subtle literary references that offer more for the avid reader while remaining accessible to younger audiences.
One Day Soon
| Author: Cristy Burne | Publisher: Fremantle Press | |
| Release Date: 28 Apr 2026 | ||
| ISBN: 9781760995614 | Reading Age: 9 to 13 years |
Language Rating: None
Content Insight: Contains reference to voluntary assisted death.
Novel Insight Short Review: When Alex’s Uncle Rohan is diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, life becomes a challenge. Alex begins to worry about the possibility of others in the family also getting MND while he deals with his grief after Rohan’s death. The complicated scientific subject of the disease is conveyed simply. This is a powerful and cleverly written verse novel about a family clinging together in a tragedy. Alex faces relatable fears about death and disease but receives support from his parents and a counsellor. It’s ideal for middle fiction readers.
Betwixt
| Author: Kimberly Dunham | Publisher: Quill & Flame Publishing House | |
| Release Date: 23 Feb 2026 | ||
| ISBN: 9781964726472 | Reading Age: 14+ years |
Language Rating: None
Content Insight: Contains violence including execution.
Contains the loss of a parent.
Contains sexual references.
Novel Insight Short Review: After her mother is killed in a car accident, Wren Ashwood moves to Ketchikan, Alaska. Feeling drawn to the forest, she eventually discovers that her mother was from a secretive world called Síorghlas, where all residents each have different magic. But will this world accept her or try to destroy her? A fascinating and magical young adult story with Celtic roots.
My Wonderful Disgrace
| Author: Angourie Rice & Kate Rice | Publisher: Walker Books | |
| Release Date: 1 May 2026 | ||
| ISBN: 9781761600821 | Reading Age: 16+ years |
Language Rating: High
Content Insight: Contains a graphic description of a dying goat.
Contains a number of kissing scenes.
Contains sexual abuse.
Novel Insight Short Review: For the Year 12 Ball, Amy has finally been asked out by Leo. She knows the money she spent on her dress and make-up is totally worth it … until the night is ruined by thoughtless photography and a dead goat. Countless things go wrong, each detail revealed in a series of letters and interview transcripts. An engaging snapshot of teenage experiences, balancing serious themes with chaos and light-hearted humour. With a mix of complex character perspectives, readers are kept engaged through a series of journal entries, text messages, witness statements, police reports, and social media posts. It’s ideal for senior high readers.
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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