Retro read: 'I am not Esther' by Fleur Beale

Kirby leads a comfortable life with her mother, even though at times it feels as though she is the parent.  They don't have a lot of m... Read more »

Retro read: 'Queen Kat, Carmel & St Jude get a life' by Maureen McCarthy

Queen Kat, Carmel & St Jude get a life by Maureen McCarthy. Set in Melbourne, in the early 1990s, what drew me to this book was the ... Read more »

Retro read: 'Singer' by Jean Thesman

Singer by Jean Thesman Gwenore’s mother is a witch – the evil and powerful Rhiamon. Her whole life has been lived in fear of her mother’s... Read more »

Retro read: 'The tricksters' by Margaret Mahy

The tricksters by Margaret Mahy A retro-read, perfect for mid-year, dreaming of summer... Margaret Mahy has written many a fascinating r... Read more »

Retro read: 'Stanley's aquarium' by Barry Faville

Stanley’s aquarium by Barry Faville This little-known New Zealand book is worth hunting down. Robbie takes on a weekend job mowing lawn... Read more »

Retro read: 'Briar Rose' by Jane Yolen

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen Regular readers of this blog probably won’t be surprised if I admit a taste for books based on fairy tales, an... Read more »

Retro read: 'The blue sword' by Robin McKinley.

The blue sword by Robin McKinley I’ll be honest with you – I adore this book (and pretty much anything written by Robin McKinley - that i... Read more »

Retro read: 'Winter of fire' by Sherryl Jordan

Winter of fire by Sherryl Jordan Elsha lives in our future, a world where the sky is dark and the cold is unforgiving. In her world ... Read more »