Themed picks

Overview

Woollahra Libraries staff have created reading lists of eBooks, eAudiobooks, eFilms and hard copies, by genre or occasion, available to borrow from our eCollection or off the shelf.

Reconciliation Week & NAIDOC Reads

Adult Fiction

Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright

Praiseworthy.jpg

A sprawling mythic narrative of contemporary dysfunction and resistance. Set in a small town in northern Australia sometime in the 21st century, this novel tells the story, in a fabulist mode teeming with plotlines and ancestral presences, of an Indigenous family’s response to climate catastrophe and longstanding abuse and neglect by a colonial power.

Access this item here

Always Will Be by Mikaeyla Saunders

AlwaysWillBe.jpg

An outstanding and timely collection of speculative fiction imagining futures where Indigenous sovereignty is fully reasserted. In this stunningly inventive and thought-provoking collection, Mykaela Saunders poses the question- what might country, community and culture look like in the Tweed if Gooris reasserted their sovereignty? Each of the stories in Always Will Be is set in its own future version of the Tweed.

Access this item here

Heat & Light by Ellen van Neerven

HeatAndLight.png

In this classic award-winning work of fiction, Ellen van Neerven leads readers on a journey that is mythical, mystical and still real. Over three parts, van Neerven takes traditional storytelling and gives it a unique, contemporary twist. In 'Heat', we meet several generations of the Kresinger family and the legacy left by the mysterious Pearl. In 'Water', a futuristic world is imagined and the fate of a people threatened. In 'Light', familial ties are challenged and characters are caught between a desire for freedom and a sense of belonging.

Access this item here

Madukka the River Serpent by Julie Janson

Madukka.jpg

Aunty June is the proud owner of a TAFE certificate III in Investigative Services. It took her thirty hours to complete online. Now, she has set up her own private investigation service: Yanakirri Investigative Services - Confidentiality Guaranteed. When environmental activist, Thommo, suddenly goes missing and the police ignore the case Aunty June takes it upon herself to uncover the secrets surrounding her nephew, Thommo's, disappearance.

Access this item here

Adult Non Fiction

Black Duck: a year at Yumburra by Bruce Pascoe; with Lyn Harwood.

BlackDuck.jpg

From the bestselling author Bruce Pascoe comes a deeply personal story about the consequences and responsibility of disrupting Australia's history. Bruce Pascoe and Lyn Harwood invite us to imagine a different future for Australia, one where we can honour our relationship with nature and improve agriculture and forestry. Where we can develop a uniquely Australian cuisine that will reduce carbon emissions, preserve scarce water resources and rebuild our soil.

Access this item here

Returning by Kirli Saunders.

ReturningBook.png

Returning is a stunning work - a poetic and visual feast that takes you on Kirli's journey of rediscovering self, Country and Connection. Kirli's heartfelt experiences address large contemporary themes of decolonisation, self-determination, Identity, First Nations matriarchy, queerness, justice, love, liberation, and truth-telling. Each poem is accompanied by evocative and poignant artwork that was created in response to its poem and vitalises its meaning.

Access this item here

Gigorou: it's time to reclaim beauty. First Nations wisdom and womanhood by Sasha Kutabah Sarago.

Gigorou.png

In her 2020 TEDx talk, 'The (de)colonising of beauty', Sasha shares how she reclaimed her femininity by redefining beauty. Gigorou, meaning 'beautiful' in Jirrbal -- her grandmother's language -- is an extension of this conversation. In this intimately fierce, funny and reflective memoir, Sasha retraces her footsteps as a beauty assistant, model and magazine editor to where beauty began over 60,000 years ago. It is through the voices of her matriarchs, the creation stories of Oolana, The First Rainbow and Majal, and the spirit of Barangaroo, Truganini and Patyegarang that her healing begins and authenticity arrives. Gigorou invites us to explore the interconnectedness of Aboriginal culture to resolve our relationship with beauty.

Access this item here

Sun & shadow: art of the Spinifex people edited by John Carty and Luke Scholes.

SunAndShadow.jpg

The Spinifex people have been living on their ancestral homelands in the Great Victoria Desert, Western Australia, since time immemorial. This continuous narrative was interrupted momentously by the Maralinga atomic testing in the mid-20th Century. After returning to their homelands, Spinifex people began to fight for greater recognition. Painting made their story visible. Over the past 25 years they have developed unique modes of painting to express their communal identity and history. Featuring stunning reproductions of significant paintings and insightful essays by experts and friends of the artists, this publication positions the Spinifex people as major figures in the Australian historical and artistic landscape.

Access this item here

Children and Youth

The first scientists by Corey Tutt; illustrations by Blak Douglas.

TheFirstScientists_1.jpg

Have you ever wondered what the stars can tell us? Did you know the seasons can be predicted just by looking at subtle changes in nature? Maybe you have wondered about the origins of glue or if forensic science is possible without a crime scene investigation. Australia's First peoples have the longest continuing culture on Earth and their innovation will amaze you as you leaf through the pages of this book, learning fascinating facts and discovering the answers to life's questions.

Access this item here

The broken rainbow by Tasma Walton & Samantha Campbell.

Nerra.jpg

When Nerra's great-grandmother passes away, she leaves a box of artefacts to Nerra. Nerra is drawn to the clapsticks which glow red hot, and when she picks them up, she is transported back in time. Dreaming is out of balance and a hero needs to help. Bineal and Pirnbial, husband and wife of the rainbow, have been split apart and captured by the evil Devour'ena. With the help of the Keeper of Clean Sand and Clear Water and the cleverman, Bobbinary, can Nerra reunite the rainbow and bring Dreaming back into balance?

Access the item here

Giinagay gaagal, Hello Ocean by Melissa Greenwood.

GiinagayGaagal.jpg

Gaagal (ocean) is our special place, we love to swim in the waves. We'll catch some Yamaarr (fish), eat, dance and play games. An ode to joyful days spent by the ocean, from Gumbaynggirr artist Melissa Greenwood, the creator of the heart-stirring picture books Miimi Marraal, Mother Earth and My Little Barlaagany.

Access this item here

Unlimited futures: speculative, visionary blak and black fiction edited by Rafeif Ismail & Ellen Van Neerven.

UnlimitedFutures.jpg

Unlimited Futures is an anthology of Own Voice speculative fiction from First Nations writers and Black writers, reflecting visionary pasts, hopeful futures and the invisible ties between First Nations people and People of Colour.

Access this item here

Trees and Gardens  

Gardens of the National Trust by Stephen Lacey

GardensofTheNationalTrust.jpg

In this book, Stephen Lacey paints a vivid picture of the individual gardens, and places each one in its context within British horticultural history.

Click here to access this item

The Plant Thieves by Prudence Gibson

ThePlantThieves.jpg

In The Plant Thieves, Prudence Gibson explores the secrets of the National Herbarium of New South Wales and unearths remarkable stories of plant naming wars, rediscovered lost species, First Nations agriculture, illegal drug labs and psychoactive plant knowledge.

Click here to access this item

Grow Bonsai by Peter Warren

GrowBonsai.png

Packed with practical, jargon-free know-how, this easy-to-use guide has everything you need to know to help your bonsai garden grow.

Click here to access this item

The Power of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

ThePowerofTrees.jpg

The Power of Trees is an illuminating manifesto on ancient forests from charismatic forester and bestselling author of The Hidden Life of Trees. In this follow up work, Wohlleben reveals how trees adapt to climate change by passing their wisdom through generations, and why our future lies in protecting them.

Click here to access this item

Naturescapes by Philip Withers and AB Bishop

Naturescapes.jpg

This is book shows how you can take inspiration from your favourite natural landscapes and create your own garden. With a detailed focus on plant selection, materials, habitats for wildlife, soil information, design and establishing environments, Naturescapes looks to inform and inspire those wanting to learn more about their local landscape.

Click here to access this item

The Writer’s Garden by Jackie Bennett

TheWritersGarden.jpg

This deeply insightful book sheds new light on some of literature's greatest works, offers rare glimpses into the lives of these brilliant minds, and showcases in stunning full colour the gardens in which these writers spent their time.

Click here to access this item

Chasing Plants by Chris Thorogood

ChasingPlants.jpg

From an acclaimed botanist and artist, Chasing Plants is a thrilling and beautifully illustrated expedition around the globe in search of the world's most extraordinary plants.

Click here to access this item

A Jungle in Your Living Room by Michael Holland & Philip Giordano

JungleinYourLivingRoom.jpg

Wherever you live and whatever type of place you call ‘home’, houseplants can transform it. Learn all about them, their benefits and possibilities…and soon you’ll have a jungle in YOUR living room! This title is perfect for primary school children.

Click here to access this item

Paul Bangay: a life in garden design by Paul Bangay

LifeinGardenDesign.jpg

This illustrated memoir explores the evolution of one of Australia's finest design minds. Through never-before-seen materials, the story behind Paul's vision is revealed - and we see the creative workings that come to fruition in meticulous and timeless gardens.

Click here to access this item

Zen in the Garden by Miki Sakamoto

ZenIntheGarden.jpg

From rising early to walk barefoot on the grass each morning, to afternoons and evenings spent sipping tea in her gazebo or watching fireflies as she recalls her childhood in Japan, in Zen in the Garden Sakamoto shares observations from a life spent in contemplation — and cultivation — of nature.

Click here to access this item

 

Small Business Month

The diary of a CEO: the 33 laws of business & life by Steven Bartlett

DiaryOfACEO.jpg

A galvanizing playbook for success from Steven Bartlett, one of the world’s most exciting entrepreneurs and the host of the No. 1 podcast The Diary of a CEO.

Access this item here

Smart moves: simple ways to take control of your life by Téa Angelos

SmartMoves.jpg

This practical playbook is packed full of more than 100 actionable tips for levelling up in your finances, your career, your wellbeing and your relationships from the founder and CEO of Smart Women Society.

Access this item here

The essential entrepreneur by Richard Turner

TheEssentialEntreupreneur.jpg

In The Essential Entrepreneur, celebrated entrepreneur and business strategist Richard Turner delivers a practical, step-by-step approach to starting and growing a thriving enterprise.

Access this item here

Vertical growth: how self-awareness transforms leaders and organisations by Michael Bunting

VerticalGrowth.jpg

Discover the secrets to self-awareness, life-changing growth and happy, high-performing teams, in this practical guide to modern leadership from the founder of WorkSmart Australia.

Access this item here

Inc. Magazine (eMagazine)

IncMagazine.jpg

Inc. Magazine is the only major business magazine written for the journey from startup to a fully managed company. Every issue of Inc. delivers real solutions for today's innovative company creators.

Access this item here

Entrepreneur (eMagazine)

EntrepreneurMagazine.jpg

Entrepreneur magazine is the trusted source for growing your business and offers sure fire strategies for success.

Access this item here 

The Voice to Parliament, Uluru Statement from the Heart, and Truth telling

The Voice to Parliament Handbook : all the detail you need by Thomas Mayo & Kerry O'Brien ; cartoons by Cathy Wilcox ; design and infographics by Jenna Lee

The Voice to Parliament

The Voice to Parliament Handbook is an easy-to-follow guide for the millions of Australians who have expressed support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, but want to better understand what a Voice to Parliament actually means. Indigenous leader Thomas Mayo and acclaimed journalist Kerry O'Brien have written this handbook to answer the most commonly asked questions about why the Voice should be enshrined in the Constitution, and how it might function to improve policies affecting Indigenous communities, and genuinely close the gap on inequalities at the most basic level of human dignity. If the 'yes' vote is successful this book will also become a keepsake of an important and emotional milestone in Australia's history.

Statements from the soul: the moral case for the Uluru Statement from the Heart edited by Shireen Morris and Damien Freeman

Statements from the Soul

A collection of passionate essays from religious leaders arguing for a First Nations Voice to be enshrined in the Australian Constitution. In this ground breaking book, diverse religious leaders and thinkers come together to advocate for the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Everything you need to know about the Uluru Statement from the heart by Megan Davis & George Williams

Everything You Need to Know about the Uluru Statement from the Heart

Everything You Need to Know about the Uluru Statement from the Heart, written by Megan Davis and George Williams, two of Australia's best-known constitutional experts, is essential reading on how our Constitution was drafted, what the 1967 referendum achieved, and the lead-up and response to the Uluru Statement. Importantly, it explains how the Uluru Statement offers change that will benefit the whole nation.

Finding the heart of the nation: the journey of the Uluru Statement towards voice, treaty and truth by Thomas Mayo

Finding the Heart of the Nation

This is a book for all Australians, since the Uluru Statement from the Heart was formed in 2017, Thomas Mayo has travelled around the country to promote its vision of a better future for Indigenous Australian. Through the story of his own journey and interviews with 20 key people, Thomas taps into a deep sense of our shared humanity. The voices within these chapters make clear what the Uluru Statement is and why it is so important.

An Indigenous voice to Parliament: considering a constitutional bridge by Frank Brennan

An Indigenous Voice to Parliament 

Australians will soon be asked to vote in a referendum asking 'Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?' Frank Brennan has been an advocate for Indigenous rights for 40 years. Here he shows the difficult path travelled by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and their supporters to get to this question. This book fairly outlines both the 'Yes' case and the 'No' case, so that voters can make up their own minds before casting their vote in the referendum.

Mission: essays, speeches & ideas by Noel Pearson

Misson: Essays, Speeches & Ideas

Mission traces a life of politics, ideas and inspiring words. Mission selects the best of Noel Pearson's work to date. There are indelible portraits of political leaders seen close up -- Keating, Rudd, Whitlam, Turnbull and more. There is Pearson's brilliant exploration of a Voice to Parliament, which led eventually to the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The volume also contains a remarkable new extended title essay, in which Pearson reflects on his life and work so far.Missionis honest, provocative and utterly original.

Truth-telling: history, sovereignty and the Uluru Statement by Henry Reynolds

Truth-Telling

In Truth-Telling, influential historian Henry Reynolds pulls the rug from legal and historical assumptions, with his usual sharp eye and rigour, in a book that's about the present as much as the past. His work shows exactly why our national war memorial must acknowledge the frontier wars, why we must change the date of our national day, and why treaties are important. Most of all, it makes urgently clear that the Uluru Statement is no rhetorical flourish but carries the weight of history and law and gives us a map for the future.

Finding our heart: a story about the Uluru Statement for young Australians by Thomas Mayo

Finding our Heart

Author Thomas Mayor's journey around Australia with the Uluru Statement has been a moving experience. In particular, when he visited schools he was inspired by the children he spoke with. Thomas hopes that by talking to the guardians of future Australian generations, perhaps we can all accept what First Nations have proposed in the words of the Uluru Statement: 'When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.' With illustrations created by award-winning artist Blak Douglas, this is a timely children's book that complements Thomas's bestselling adult book Finding the Heart of the Nation.

Our Voices From The Heart: The authorised story of the community campaign that changed Australia by Professor Megan Davis and Patricia Anderson, AO

Our Voices from the Heart

A behind-the-scenes book about the Uluru Statement FromThe Heart, from the co-chairs of the Uluru Dialogue, Professor Megan Davis and Patricia Anderson, AO.Our Voices from the Heartis the official celebration of the grassroots campaign that guided us to this inspiring moment in Australia's history. Filled with powerful never-before-seen photography and helpful information to share with friends and family alike, this book charts the world's oldest living civilisation's ongoing fight for constitutional recognition and is destined to become a treasured keepsake for years to come.

The Voice, Your Choice: Essays in Persuasion for Yes, No and Undecided Voters by Tor Hundloe

The Voice, Your Choice

Read this book before you vote in The Voice to Parliament referendum. Whether a No or a Yes voter, it may transform the way you think and influence your reasons. Tor Hundloe draws widely on evolutionary psychology, pre-history, history, anthropology, geography, economics, biology and environmental science to provide an informed context for considering the consequences, good and bad, of the collision of ancient and modern cultures.

Voice of reason: on recognition and renewal Quarterly Essay 90 by Megan Davis

Megan Davis on Recognition and Renewal

This essential Quarterly Essay seeks to do two things- to make the strongest, clearest possible case for the Voice to Parliament and to draw out the significance and the promise of this reform. Megan Davis presents the Voice as an Australian solution to an Australian problem. For the First Nations, it is a practical response to "the torment of our powerlessness." Megan Davis shows we have arrived at a constitutional moment that brings with it a new vision of Country and community.

World Pride 2023 - Fiction

The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr

The Prophets

The Halifax plantation is known as Empty by the slaves who work it under the pitiless gaze of its overseers and its owner, Massa Paul. Two young enslaved men, Samuel and Isaiah dwell among the animals they keep in the barn, helping out in the fields when their day is done. The barn is their haven, a space of radiance and love where they can be alone together. The Prophets is a novel about the forbidden union between two enslaved young men on a Deep South plantation, the refuge they find in each other, and a betrayal that threatens their existence.

Less is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer

Less is Lost

For Arthur Less, life is surprisingly good: he is a moderately accomplished novelist in a steady relationship with his partner, Freddy Pelu. But nothing lasts as the death of an old lover and a sudden financial crisis has Arthur running away from his problems yet again as he accepts a series of literary gigs that send him on a crisscrossing adventure across the US. With all of the irrepressible wit and musicality that made Less a bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Less Is Lost is a profound and joyous novel about the enigma of life in America, the riddle of love, and the stories we tell along the way.

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Detransition Baby

A whip smart debut about three women—transgender and cisgender—whose lives collide after an unexpected pregnancy forces them to confront their deepest desires around gender, motherhood, and sex. Torrey Peters brilliantly and fearlessly navigates the most dangerous taboos around gender, sex, and relationships, gifting us a thrillingly original, witty, and deeply moving novel.

Son of Sin by Omar Sakr

Son of Sin

An estranged father. An abused and abusive mother. An army of relatives. A tapestry of violence, woven across generations and geographies, from Turkey to Lebanon to Western Sydney. This is the legacy left to Jamal Smith, a young queer Muslim trying to escape a past in which memory and rumour trace ugly shapes in the dark. Torn between faith and fear, gossip and gospel, family and friendship, Jamal must find and test the limits of love.

28 Questions by Indyana Schneider

28 Questions

When first-year music student Amalia stumbles into her Oxford college bar, she has no idea that everything is about to change. Seated across from her is Alex, a velvety-voiced fellow Australian with eyes the colour of her native sky. They strike up a friendship that is immediate - its intensity both thrilling and terrifying. Dare they risk a romantic entanglement if it threatens this most perfect of friendships? 28 Questions is a passionate and unforgettable first novel about love in all its guises, growing up, and figuring out who you are along the way.

World Pride 2023 - Non-Fiction

Sissy: A Coming-of-gender story by Jacob Tobia

sissy

From the moment a doctor in Raleigh, North Carolina, put male on Jacob Tobia's birth certificate, everything went wrong. Naturally sensitive, playful, creative, and glitter-obsessed, as a child Jacob was given the label sissy. In the two decades that followed, sissy joined forces with gay, trans, nonbinary, and too-queer-to-function to become a source of pride and, today, a rallying cry for a much-needed gender revolution. Writing with the fierce honesty, wildly irreverent humour, and wrenching vulnerability that have made them a media sensation, Jacob shatters the long-held notion that people are easily sortable into men and women.

Growing Up Queer in Australia edited by Benjamin Law

Growing Up Queer in Australia

Compiled by celebrated author and journalist Benjamin Law, Growing up Queer in Australia assembles voices from across the spectrum of LGBTIQA+ identity. Spanning diverse places, eras, genders, ethnicities and experiences, these are the stories of growing up queer in Australia. With contributions from David Marr, Fiona Wright, Nayuka Gorrie, Steve Dow, Holly Throsby, Sally Rugg, Tony Ayres, Nic Holas, Rebecca Shaw, Kerryn Phelps and many more.

Caught In The Act: a memoir by Shane Jenek aka Courtney Act

Caught in the act

An intensely personal account of Jenek's experience growing into a proud, passionate, politically active, genderfluid, queer Australian icon. Meet Shane Jenek. Raised in the Brisbane suburbs by loving parents, Shane realises from a young age that he's not like all the other boys. He finds his tribe at a performing arts agency, where he discovers his passion for song, dance and performance. Shane makes a promise to himself- to find a bigger stage. Meet Courtney Act. Born in Sydney around the turn of the millennium, Courtney makes her name in the gay bars of Oxford Street and then on Australian Idol. Told with Courtney's trademark candour and wit, Caught in the Act is about our journey towards understanding gender, sexuality and identity.

I Was Better Last Night: a memoir by Harvey Fierstein

I Was Better Last Night

A revealing, poignant, and hilarious memoir from the cultural icon, gay rights activist, and four-time Tony Award winner. Harvey Fierstein's stellar career has taken him from Broadway to Hollywood and back. While he is widely known as one of today's most peerless performers, Harvey has never shared his own story until now.

Legendary Children: The First Decade of RuPaul's Drag Race and the Last Century of Queer Life by Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez

Legendary Children

Legendary Children centres itself around the idea that not only is RuPaul’s Drag Race the queerest show in the history of television, but that RuPaul and company devised a show that serves as an actual museum of queer cultural and social history, drawing on queer traditions and the work of legendary figures going back nearly a century. In doing so, Drag Race became not only a repository of queer history and culture, but also an examination and illustration of queer life in the modern age.

World Pride 2023 - Teens

Dancing Barefoot by Alice Boyle

Dancing Barefoot

Evie Vanhoutte is a teachers' pet, a basketball star and the most beautiful girl in the year level. Patch is out of place at Mountford College: she wears the wrong clothes, she's not sporty or popular, and lives in a small flat above her dad's record shop a world away from the leafy suburb where she goes to school. And she has a secret long-term crush on basketball star Evie Vanhoutte. This is a feel good romance about growing up queer, figuring out your place in the world, staying true to yourself and your friends, finding love, and learning to embrace the obstacles life throws in your path.

The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough

The Boy From the Mish

It's a hot summer, and life's going all right for Jackson and his family on the Mish. Every year, Jackson's Aunty and annoying little cousins visit from the city , but this time a mysterious boy with a troubled past comes with them. As their friendship evolves, Jackson must confront the changing shapes of his relationships with his friends, family and community. He must also face his darkest secret, a secret he thought he'd locked away for good. Compelling, honest and beautifully written, The Boy from the Mish is about first love, identity, and the superpower of self-belief.

The Comedienne's Guide to Pride by Hayli Thomson

Comediennes Guide to Pride

When Taylor Parker is accepted as a finalist for a diverse writers' internship at Saturday Night Live, it turns her life upside down. And if Taylor wants a shot at winning, she'll have to come out about both of her secrets: she wants to be a comedian and she's a lesbian. The only thing keeping Taylor from self-combusting is her pining for Salem's most bewitching actress - out and proud classmate, Charlotte Grey. So when Taylor finds herself sitting opposite Charlotte to discuss a school project, Taylor's simmering need to tell everyone exactly who she is and what she wants burns hotter than ever.

Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden

Anything But Fine

Luca is ready to audition for the Australian Ballet School. All it takes to crush his dreams is one missed step... and a broken foot. Jordan is the gorgeous rowing star and school captain of Luca's new school. Everyone says he's straight, but Luca's not so sure. As their unlikely bond grows stronger, Luca starts to wonder - who is he without ballet? And is he setting himself up for another heartbreak?

Queer: The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide For Teens by Kathy Belge and Marke Bieschke; illustrated by Christian Robinson

Queer ultimate Teen Guide

Teen life is hard enough with all of the pressures kids face, but for teens who are LGBTQ it's even harder. Queer is a humorous, engaging, and honest guide that helps LGBTQ teens come out to friends and family, navigate their new LGBTQ social life, figure out if a crush is also queer, and rise up against bigotry and homophobia. Queer also includes personal stories from the authors and sidebars on queer history. This updated and revised edition is a must-read for any teen who thinks they might be queer - or knows someone who is.

World Pride 2023 - Younger Readers

ABC Pride by Dr Elly Barnes MBE and Louie Stowell; illustrations by Amy Phelps

ABC Pride

ABC Pride introduces little readers to the alphabet through the colourful world of Pride. Children can discover letters and words while also learning more about the LGBTQIA+ community and how to be inclusive.

Love Makes A Family by Sophie Beer

Love makes a family

Whether you have two mums, two dads, one parent, or one of each, there's one thing that makes a family a family….and that's love. Each page showcases bright illustrations of diverse families doing special activities together, from baking a cake to finding a lost shoe. Your little one will love looking through the pages to see their own family reflected, and of course feel the love your family shares together.

My Shadow is Purple by Scott Stuart

My Shadow is Purple

My Dad has a shadow that's blue as a berry, and my Mum's is as pink as a blossoming cherry. There's only those choices, a 2 or a 1. But mine is quite different, it's both and it's none. My Shadow is Purple is a heart-warming and inspiring book about being true to yourself. This story considers gender beyond binary in a vibrant spectrum of colour.

Rainbow Revolutionaries: 50 LGBTQ+ People Who Made History by Sarah Prager; illustrated by Sarah Papworth

Rainbow Revolutionaries

Rainbow Revolutionaries brings to life the vibrant histories of fifty pioneering LGBTQ+ people from around the world. This book is a celebration of the many ways these heroes have made a difference and will inspire young readers to make a difference, too.

Summer Reads for Kids 2022

Magic Beach by Alison Lester

Magic Beach

Visit a perfect beach where you can swim, surf, splash through the waves, build sandcastles, beachcomb, explore rock-pools, muck about in boats, fish from the jetty, and build a bonfire under the stars.

Noodle the Doodle by Jonathan Meres; illustrations by Katy Halford

Noodle The Doodle

Noodle the Doodle, an adorable rescue pup, is joining class and he even gets to come on the school trip! But while Noodle's settled into being a class helper, and really loves being around all the pupils, taking on a school trip to the beach is a whole different ball game... Can Noodle stay on his best behaviour or is this school trip about to take a turn for the chaotic?

100 Things to Know About Oceans by Jerome Martin; illustrated by Dominique Byron (and four others)

100thingstoknowaboutoceans.jpg

Do fish wear pyjamas? What's the sound of an iceberg melting? How many sheep did it take to launch a Viking longship? Which is faster - a tsunami or a bullet train? Find the answers to these and many more questions in a book that explores the history, science, environment and art of our planet's seas and oceans.

Beneath The Waves: Celebrating the Ocean Through Pictures, Poems, and Stories by Stephanie Warren Drimmer

Beneath The Waves

Through stunning photography, whimsical poems and folktales, awesome animal profiles, fun facts, and more, this charming book brings you some of the ocean's most extraordinary inhabitants and landscapes.

Summer Reads for Adults 2022

The Beach by Sarah Linley

The Beach

It was supposed to be the perfect trip. Four friends, fresh out of university, backpacking around Thailand. But among the sun, sea and sand, something went horribly wrong…

In the years since, Holly has tried hard to push memories of that terrible summer from her mind .Holly starts receiving anonymous messages showing photos which Holly was sure she destroyed years ago. Someone clearly knows the truth about what really happened. The only question is, how far will they go to get revenge?

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising

Malibu in 1983 is the day of Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone who's anyone wants an invite to catch a glimpse of the famous Riva siblings: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But ahead of that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family will all come bubbling to the surface.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Beach Read

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. They're polar opposites. In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighbouring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block. Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. As the summer stretches on, January discovers a gaping plot hole in the story she's been telling herself about her own life, and begins to wonder what other things she might have gotten wrong, including her ideas about the man next door.

Sunshine Kitchen: Delicious Creole Recipes from the Heart of the Caribbean by Vanessa Bolosier; photographer Clare Winfield

Sunshine Kitchen

This sunshine-filled book is a celebration of the fresh and vibrant colours and tastes of the Caribbean with recipes for Saltfish Fritters, Lobster Fricasse, Plantain Gratin and treats such as Mont Blanc Coconut Cake and Passion Fruit Rum Punch. The recipes are both delicious and easy to make, filled with exotic flavours which transport you to the beachside paradise of the French Caribbean. This is a cookbook for anyone with a sense of adventure who longs for sunshine flavours.

Places We Swim Sydney: A City Guide for Water-loving People by Caroline Clements, Dillon Seitchik-Reardon; foreword by Marlee Silva

Places We Swim

From lap pools to ocean pools, harbour pools to waterfalls, Sydney is arguably the best major city in Australia for swimming, if not the world! Places We Swim in Sydney covers the very best of the city's famous and hidden swimming spots. With destinations ranging from neighbourhood city pools to gorges that feel like the outback, Places We Swim in Sydney is a celebration of not just these magnificent swimming locations, but of the diverse landscapes and water-loving communities that make up Sydney.

Small Business Month 2022

Chill and Prosper : The New Way to Grow Your Business, Make Millions, and Change the World by Denise Duffield-Thomas (eAudiobook)

Chill And Prosper

Want to make twice as much money with half the work? It's time to shift your mindset, recognize your worth, and become a successful entrepreneur on your own terms! With her trademark humour and down-to-earth wisdom, money mindset coach Denise Duffield-Thomas shares the invaluable business and counterintuitive millionaire mindset lessons that will set you on the path of abundance.

Entrepreneur (eMagazine)

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneur is the trusted source for growing your business and offers reliable strategies for success. Whether you are just thinking of starting a business, have taken the first steps, or already own a business, Entrepreneur offers the best advice on running your own company.

Getting Started In Small Business For Dummies by Veechi Curtis

Getting Started in Small Business

Do you need advice about business structures, marketing, hiring employees, keeping the books or modelling financial scenarios? You can do it all, with Getting Started in Small Business For Dummies. Turn your bright idea into a real-world success and have fun while you're at it!

Passion. Purpose. Profit. : Sidestep The #hustle And Build A Business You Love by Fiona Killackey

Passionpurposeprofit.jpg

The must-have book for anyone starting a business or looking to fall in love with their business again. It's one thing to have a business idea, or even to start a creative business. It's quite another to scale it sustainably without increasing your financial and emotional stress. In this practical guide, experienced business coach and creative consultant Fiona Killackey shows you how to scale the business without scaling the stress.

Experimentation Works: The Surprising Power of Business Experiments by Stefan H. Thomke (eBook)

Experimentation Works

When it comes to improving customer experiences, trying out new business models, or developing new products, even the most experienced managers often get it wrong.

By combining the power of software and the rigor of controlled experiments, today's managers can make better decisions, create magical customer experiences, and generate big financial returns. Experimentation Works is your guidebook to a truly new way of thinking and innovating.