Our inaugural Reviewer’s Choice Award shortlist is here!
This award is to spotlight books that were rated highly by our team of reviewers. The books released between September 2024 and August 2025* and submitted by the publisher or author for the award.
Winners in the categories will be announced on our social network in March.
Entries welcome for the 2026 award now.
We look forward to highlighting more books this year!
Lower Primary:
Zoom
Dannika Patterson and Ross Morgan
Ford Street Publishing
9781922696434
A beautifully illustrated and sensitively written exploration of a difficult day at school. 'When I control the zoom, I control the view' is a powerful sentence that many children reading this book will want to own. A poignant story with clever visual metaphors about reframing your perspective.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/zoom
Hugs Still Feel the Same
Kiralee Strong and Jenni Barnard
EK Books
9781922539960
When the floodwaters rise, a little girl finds her whole world is about to change. But no matter what happens, hugs with her parents still feel the same. A sweet book reflecting on the love of family in the midst of stressful situations.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Hugs_Still_Feel_the_Same
Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra
Cassy Polimeni and Hykie Breeze
UWA Publishing
9781760802899
This book is both engaging and relatable, and is the perfect early chapter book to get kids off devices and exploring nature in their own backyards. It’s a heartwarming story about a displaced girl creating a new frog habitat.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Ella_and_the_Amazing_Frog_Orchestra
Ella and the Sleepover Safari
Cassy Polimeni and Hykie Breeze
UWA Publishing
9781760803018
A sweet early reader and a lovely story of making new friends. Explores relatable themes such as new beginnings and the nuances of friendship, all while introducing junior readers to important environmental issues from frog facts to nighttime wildlife encounters.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Ella_and_the_Sleepover_Safari
PD McPem's Agency for Mysterious Mysteries: The Wild Whodunnit
Anna Battese and Ruth-Mary Smith
Riveted Press
9781763526006
An intriguing adventure in a family zoo perfect for animal lovers. This is the fourth book in the PD McPem series and can stand alone.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Case_Four_The_Wild_Whodunnit
What's That? Australian Birds
Myke Mollard
Woodslane Press
9781922800626
A colourful non-fiction book filled with interesting facts about Australian birds in the What's That series.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/what-s-that-australian-birds/
Rosie's Garden
Olivia Coates and Samantha McLelland
EK Books
9781921497056
An engaging story about a little girl who faces business corporate giants in her quest to keep a bit of greenery and dirt in her inner city life.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Rosie_s_Garden
Where Shall We Travel Today?
Kristin Martin and Nicky Johnston
Midnight Sun Publishing
9781922858542
A lovely story full of imagination and play. The illustrations draw you in and complement the text beautifully.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Where_Shall_We_Travel_Today
Older Primary:
The Secret Detectives Club: Haunting of Hindmarsh Hall
Kate Gordon
Riveted Press
9780645869385
An warm-hearted middle-school mystery with a clever weaving of bullying themes in the story as well as sibling affection and what it is to be ‘cool’.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/The_Haunting_of_Hindmarsh_Hall
Escape from Cuttlefish Cove
Rachel Jackson
Riveted Press
9780645869392
A swashbuckling Solve-It-Your-Way story featuring puzzles, challenges and multiple endings sure to appeal to middle-grade readers. There’s hours of reading with different story paths.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/escape-from-cuttlefish-cove
Trapped!
Julia Lawrinson
Fremantle Press
9781760994990
A captivating true story about an Italian miner stuck underground for nine days after a flood. Based on a lesser-known part of Australian history, Trapped! sheds light on migrant life in the early 1900s, the harsh conditions of mining work, the relationship between a father and son, and the power of community, rendered beautifully in confident verse.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Trapped
The Deadly Diamond
Mark Greenwood
Fremantle Press
9781760995058
A well-researched narrative non-fiction that skilfully explores myth vs fact and is suitable for young readers. It covers the historical story of a cursed diamond—the blue Hope Diamond—and everyone who possessed it.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/The_Deadly_Diamond
Escape from Marigold Manor
Rachel Jackson
Riveted Press
9781763526068
This complex mystery is filled with clues that vary between reasonably easy to tricky for even an adult to decipher. Throughout the book, there are various word, number, visual and logic puzzles that help you make the correct choices to prove your capabilities and solve the mystery.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Escape_from_Marigold_Manor
Secondary:
Anna’s War
DJ Taylor
Riveted Press
9781763526075
Well-written World War II story from the perspective of a 14-year-old girl whose family is part of the resistance against German occupation in Holland. Lots of surprising twists and heartbreaking in places.
novelinsightreviews.com/Annas_War
Snow in the Sky
Gina Inverarity
Wakefield Press
9781923042797
This was a beautifully written fairytale, following on with the journey of Snow White and her huntsman. Scenery and characters are described sensitively and effectively. Themes of adventure, betrayal, hope and survival run their way through the story—with a main character that shows strength and vulnerability.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Snow_in_the_Sky
White Noise
Raelke Grimmer
UWA Publishing
9781760802851
Set in Australia, this story follows a young girl and her dad getting over the loss of her mother as well as an autism diagnosis. Fascinating first person perspective of Emma as she navigates her father’s grief, a new boyfriend, missing her mum, understanding her diagnosis and when to know something is wrong.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/White_Noise
Legend of Lighthouse Moon
Helen Edwards
Riveted Press
9781763526013
Set in the ’70s on an Australian island with some British history references, this is an enchanting middle-grade novel that seamlessly blends history, legends and heart-warming family dynamics.
https://novelinsightreviews.com/Legend_of_the_Lighthouse_Moon
Reviewer's Choice Award 2026
Entries welcome for the 2026 award now. We received a good number of entries in our first year, but we look forward to honouring more books in 2026!
*Schools members will find all books reviewed in our database should you wish to consider purchase in line with your collection policies.