Category: Age groups

Goldfields Girl by Elaine Forrestal is a historical novel for middle readers featuring real-life nineteenth-century teenager Clara Saunders. In this blog post, Elaine takes us into the exciting, dusty, fly-ridden world of a gold rush.

In 2015, I was well and truly sick of my book. The History of Mischief had been lingering with me since 2006, and progress was slow. It was often left for months, only for me to return to it, tinker a bit, and then abandon it for another lengthy period of time. I needed something to […]

I’m Elaine Forrestal and Goldfields Girl is my latest historical fiction for students, teachers and history buffs of any age. My fiction, in various genres, has been published since 1983. This is my third historical fiction novel. In this blog post I will share my top tips for using your local, state or national library […]

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of Australia’s first major military action, and is also a national day of remembrance that commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of Australia’s first major military action and is also a national day of remembrance that commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. Though we may only be able to celebrate the Dawn Service with a candle in our front yards, […]

Expand your knowledge with kids and grandkids by learning some fun facts about Australia’s native birds. 

Helen Milroy, and her friend Honey the brush tail possum, have a special message for everyone spending extra time at home this week. They say that the best way to enjoy your time is to read some books about native Australian animals.

Classes might be homeward bound, and book launches may be cancelled, but booksellers, publishers and writers will keep on keeping on. Here are eight happenings, or potential happenings, coming to a virtual world near you. If you know of any others you’d like us to share – please keep us informed!

Whether they are in the classroom, the virtual classroom or just hanging out at home, there are plenty of free and fun activities to keep the youngest members of our community engaged.

It’s Women’s History Month and we’re really excited to announce the publication of Goldfields Girl, a historical fiction novel about an extraordinary woman named Clara Saunders. Here, author Elaine Forrestal shares with us some of what she learned about this amazing pioneer of the Western Australian Goldfields.

Norman Jorgensen and Andy Griffiths have taken their places alongside Roald Dahl, Brian Jacques, Victor Kelleher, Paul Jennings, Duncan Ball and John Marsden in the West Australian Young Readers Book Awards (WAYRBA) Hall of Fame. Now in its fortieth year, the WAYRBA Hall of Fame is reserved for those authors who have won the award […]

A huge congratulations to Helen Milroy, author of Wombat, Mudlark and Other Stories, for being among the six books shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize worth $3,000.

A peripatetic childhood gave What Colour is the Sea? illustrator and author Katie Stewart the chance to see the world from many perspectives. Katie’s new book, her first with a traditional publisher, is about a koala who asks her Aussie animal mates what the true colour of the sea is. The answers vary, so when […]

If you ever needed an excuse to pet a koala, now you have one. Join Katie Stewart as she launches her picture book What Colour Is the Sea? alongside a (real!) koala. Hosted by the Shire of Northam Library Service, this free event takes place at 2 pm this Thursday 5 March.

In the last edition of Classroom Express we shared some inspiration form the library team at Bunbury Catholic College on how to create a book display project worthy of entry into our Creative Classrooms competition.

As it comes to the end of the school year, we know that teachers everywhere will be getting ready to enjoy the Christmas holidays after a busy year. To acknowledge you for all the hard work you do day in day out, we asked four Fremantle Press authors to share their stories of teachers who […]

In The Lost Stone of SkyCity, HM Waugh’s brave heroine Sunaya faces five Dragon Tests to prove she is a worthy guardian of the princess of the Ice-People. Here, Waugh explains how her own learning led her to create these tests from skills that all children need to succeed.

The poems of writer and environmental activist Nandi Chinna tease out and explore her own experiences of change, in her body and in the plants, animals and ecosystems around her. In The Future Keepers, Chinna invites us to consider our role as custodians of a precious planet – and how what we value, how we […]

Pages from Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina’s vibrant picture book We All Sleep have been chosen to be displayed as part of a new walking trail in the City of Hume, Victoria.

Fiona Burrows might have only recently released her debut picture book as both author and illustrator, Violet and Nothing, earlier this year, but she’s been writing and drawing since she was in school.

The snow and ice adventure in The Lost Stone of SkyCity was inspired by author HM Waugh’s own experiences hiking to Everest Base Camp in Nepal.

Holden Sheppard’s debut novel, Invisible Boys, deals with a number of mental health issues, as well as the difficulties that three young boys face in coming out gay in a country town.

Julia Lawrinson’s new novel, Maddie in the Middle, is the story of schoolgirl friendships, peer pressure and the notion of right and wrong. When Maddie makes friends with new girl Samara, she finds herself stealing chocolate to raise money to help Samara’s family. But when they get caught, Maddie ends up taking the blame. Did […]

Moira Court’s stunning new picture book Antarctica helps pre-primary and early primary school readers discover some of the amazing animals and birds that exist on this chilly continent.