Runt earned a slew of awards for younger readers and was turned into a movie. Ahead of the release of the sequel, a theatre adaptation is in the works.
The nine books our critics couldn't put down in August
In this month's best new releases, humans transform into trees, grief meets the supernatural in a haunted house and a volcanic eruption disrupts life in rural New Zealand.
Book explores 'ordinary' miner's evolution to outback astronomer
Trevor Barry had no idea his discoveries would lead him to scientific publications and international recognition when he built his own observatory in his outback backyard.
Epstein accuser Giuffre wrote a memoir. Months after her death, it's coming out
A posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked for sex to Prince Andrew by Jeffrey Epstein, will be published later this year.
Questions remain over Tantanoola tiger 130 years after it was shot dead
The search for what was killing sheep in South Australia's south-east caused a sensation across Australia. Questions remain about what type of animal it was.
Alarm sounded over domestic violence themes in books popular with teens
The growing influence of BookTok, BookTube and Bookstagram has a researcher concerned about the content young people are engaging with, and they are calling for an industry-wide book rating classification system.
'Pinch-yourself moment' for Darwin tradie who wins children's book award
Darren McCallum's daughter inspired him to write his first book for young children, The Wobbly Bike, which is among the winners of the 2025 CBCA Book of the Year awards.
Authors warn AI copyright exception a 'free pass' for Big Tech to steal work
The Productivity Commission's interim report on AI has triggered a fierce backlash from the literary community.
Dystopian George Orwell classic 1984 finds new audience on stage
A critically acclaimed Australian stage adaptation of George Orwell's novel 1984 attracts full houses as it tours across the nation.
Irish author John Boyne was abused as a child. He says writing helped him heal
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas author's latest work, The Elements, is a series of four linked stories examining child abuse from different perspectives.
Libraries in SA and Victoria among top 10 most beautiful in the world
Adelaide's premier library has been recognised by the 1000 Libraries Awards as second most beautiful in the world, while Victoria has snagged seventh spot.
Topic:Feel Good
Author inspired to write about adult friendships and how difficult it is to make new ones
Author Jessica Seaborn was inspired to write about friendships after mulling over how difficult it is to make friends in adulthood. Her new novel Isn't It Nice We Both Hate the Same Things is a story about best friends, losing friends and making new friends — if only it was so easy to find them.
Victoria's newest bookstore opens in century-old water tower
A new bookshop in a Wodonga water tower is the latest unique heritage building being transformed in Victoria.
'Rip-your-hair-out brilliant': July's best new books
This month's best new releases shine a light on growing up queer in a small town, the social inequity of the US college system, and dealing with the double whammy of an unfaithful husband and a cancer diagnosis.
Why fairytales still appeal to our imagination, even as adults
Fairytales written centuries ago continue to inspire readers, novelists and artists who dabble in "the imagination business".
The hidden beauty revealed from photographing mushrooms
In Ying Ang's collection of photography, Fruiting Bodies, mushrooms become a powerful metaphor for female beauty and women's hidden strengths.
Siang Lu's book languished in a drawer for years. Now it's won $60,000
Siang Lu has won the Miles Franklin Literary Award for his book Ghost Cities, about a Chinese translator who loses his job because he can't speak Mandarin.
Famous Aussie literary hoax inspires Melbourne author's debut novel
Dominic Amerena takes on the literary-industrial complex in his satirical debut offering set in Melbourne's western suburbs, I Want Everything.
Ex-footballer pens debut novel set in debauched AFL fringe
Brandon Jack draws on his time as a peripheral player in the AFL in his raucous new novel, Pissants.
Australians, especially men, are reading less than ever before
Across the board, Australians are reading less, with young men reading the least and older women reading the most.
Queer history-maker at peace with her dark past
A year after coming out, Kate Rowe was bashed and jailed for taking part in the first Mardi Gras. Today the 74-year-old shares her survival tips.