Your Term 2 Watch List Starts Here!

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15 Apr 2026

Coming soon from StoryBox ... new stories, new storytellers, and a WHOLE LOT of new fun!

We’re heading into Term 2 with another amazing bunch of upcoming releases that you’ll definitely want to add to your watch list! And with new additions from some of our favourite, award-winning storytellers, plus fabulous books from the CBCA shortlist, and the National Simultaneous Storytime title, Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller – our Term 2 story list is shaping up to be one of our biggest ever!

Here are the new titles for your TBR list in April, May and June. And watch this space or make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter for more Term 2 updates, news and special events coming very soon!

22nd April - Castle Crashing

Author & Storyteller: Andrea Rowe

Illustrator: Hannah Sommerville

Bonnie knows how to build sandcastles best, but her friends insist on building their own castles every way but Bonnie's way. They sift and sculpt and burrow in the soft, white sand, happily playing by their own rules. No-one listens to Bonnie. Soon, her anger boils over and she storms off across the dunes.

Bonnie’s friends are patient and understanding; they will wait for her to navigate her feelings. But can Bonnie show herself the same kindness?

In Castle Crashing, award-winning duo Andrea Rowe and Hannah Sommerville return to the sun-kissed world of Jetty Jumping and Sunday Skating with a new story celebrating friendship and self-discovery.

29th April - Your Kids Next Read: The Lonely Lunch Club

Author: Maddy Mara

Illustrator: Laura Stitzel

Storyteller: Tamala Shelton

Do you like FRIENDS, SCHOOL and FUNNY STORIES?

Then this book is YOUR NEXT READ.

One lunchtime, Benji goes to the worst bench in the whole school instead of playing footy. There he meets a girl named Alice and a spider named Mabel. And Mabel needs their help! But can Benji and Alice do it alone?

From the creators of Your Kid's Next Read – the largest online children's book community in Australia – comes a new chapter in children’s fiction.

6th May - Sea Country

Author & Storyteller: Aunty Patsy Cameron

Illustrator: Lisa Kennedy

Aunty Patsy Cameron generously shares the stories and traditions from her family’s seasonal island life in Tasmania. With evocative text and stunning illustrations, Sea Country lets the reader know when to pick ripe wild cherries, when the moon (mutton) birds fly home and how the nautilus shells smell like the deepest oceans.

Aunty Patsy Cameron, who is a descendant of the Pairebeenne Trawlwoolway clan in Tasmania, weaves a cultural homage to life on Flinders Island, with stories of collecting shells, fishing in wooden dinghies with long oars, and watching clouds snake their way down Mt Munro. Alongside this tender story, Lisa Kennedy reveals the love and connection to sea and Country through her intricate collages and delicate illustrations that sing country alive.

13th May - Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller

Author: Adam Jackson & Adrian Lloyd

Illustrator: Jake A. Minton

Storyteller: Elise Kellond-Knight

Chosen for National Simultaneous Storytime 2026, Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller delivers a high-energy story that will have you cheering like you’re in the stands

Luna leaves nothing on the pitch as she steps up to lead FC Outback in a thrilling face-off against Bush United, learning to silence her doubts, believe in her skills and trust her teammates.

Book one in the Animal World Cup series, Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller is an inspiring underdog tale of courage, perseverance and determination.

20th May - Audrey Skips

Author & Storyteller: Andrea Rowe

Illustrator: Lisa Coutts

Bright and shiny Audrey loves to skip a jump rope rhyme, right off her rooftop and through the sleeping streets of a city. Skittering across the skyline and peering in windows, Audrey spies folks struggling with hard times as her own light dims. With a little help from city friends, Audrey’s light and her hopeful spirit shine again, brighter than ever.

Andrea Rowe and Lisa Coutts come together to create a story about community and kindness, legacy and conservation. Audrey Skips is a tribute to The Skipping Girl, Melbourne’s first neon sign and a timeless treasured landmark.

27th May - Beyond the Shore

Author: Kirli Saunders

Illustrator & Storyteller: Mark Chester Harding

It's safer on the edge, where we can walk with our feet on the floor ... but beyond the shore is a world that inspires awe. Will you dive in?

Written by award-winning Gunai author Kirli Saunders (OAM), with art by debut picture book illustrator Mark Chester Harding, Beyond the Shore gently encourages young ones to step beyond fear into curiosity.

3rd June - The Frog’s First Song

Author & Storyteller: Jazz Money

Illustrator: Jason Phu

A playful picture book about the joys of belonging and community from award-winning Wiradjuri poet Jazz Money and four-time Archibald Prize finalist Jason Phu.

First, the world is all dark. A little bit muddled and confused.

The only sounds dripping water and small bubbles gurgling.

In that darkness and quiet, everyone is alone.

This is the world in the well.

And so begins the tale of how frogs came to croak in chorus at night-time. Inspired by Chinese parables and First Nations Creation stories, this debut picture book is a unique and melodic ode to taking chances, using your voice and coming together in song and dance.