Christmas Press has acquired world rights to Leaf Letters, a junior fiction title by author-illustrator Lorena Carrington. Christmas Press publishing director Sophie Masson said, ‘Told in words and pictures, this is a story of friendship, the pleasures of the natural world, and the pleasures of mystery! Plus it’s an invitation for young readers to join…

Affirm Press has acquired world rights to a new five-book series by Amelia Mellor as well as the third novel in Mellor’s series that began with The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Set in a fantastical island world that is on the brink of ruin, the new series for readers 8–12 years follows a fiery young…

On the surface, children’s book sales in 2025 have surged in Australia, compared to the previous year. But a look at volume shows much of the increase in value comes from higher prices, with increases in volume more modest than increases in value. And drilling down into the categories shows that while YA surged (up…

Hachette has acquired world rights for two novels by Toni Jordan, in a deal struck between head of fiction Rebecca Saunders and Jane Novak of Jane Novak Literary Agency. The two novels are described as ‘family dramedies’, with the first novel titled Dinner with the Schnabels. Of Dinner with the Schnabels, Jordan said: ‘We all…

See what Australian publishers have been signing recently in children’s and YA. Animals Penguin Random House (PRH) Australia has acquired rights to Bindi Irwin’s debut picture book, titled You Are a Wildlife Warrior! Saving Animals & the Planet, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, for publication in February 2025. The picture book, which the publisher said is ‘written…

These are the Australian titles that have been making shortlists, longlists and winning awards – both in Australia and overseas. Darren Rix and Craig Cormick’s Warra Warra Wai (Scribner) won the Australian History Prize at the NSW History Awards, the ACT Book of the Year award, the First Nations History Award at the Canberra Critics’ Circle Awards…

Overall, the book market was down in Australia in 2023 by 2.1% in value and 1.7% in volume, according to figures from Nielsen BookData’s BookScan service. However, sales in 2023 were up both by value and volume when compared to 2021 figures, and were boosted by strong Christmas sales. Nielsen’s 2023 snapshot, covering 1 January to 30…

Penguin Random House (PRH) Australia has acquired world rights to the contemporary middle-grade graphic novel Oh, Brother by Adelaide author-illustrator Georgina Chadderton. Rights were acquired in a joint deal between PRH Australia, Random House Graphic (US), PRH Children’s (UK) and Tundra Books (Canada), via Annabel Barker at Annabel Barker Agency and Daniel Lazar at Writers House….