Media Bites Dec 23 and Jan 24

OCTOBER 2022 – NON-FICTION JANUARY 2023 –

JANUARY 2023 – CHILDREN’S & YA Lani and the Universe

Muster Dogs From Pups to Pros When Muster Dogs first hit screens in 2022, viewers were enchanted. Five lively kelpie pups adopted into farming homes across Australia and put on an intensive training program and became instant stars. Could they learn to herd and muster within a year? Could they prove that working with natural ability was an optimum way to farm? With the help of expert breeders and trainers, these dogs and their new trainers showcased not only what the puppies were capable of but how using dogs contributed to better stock, farm management and environment. Among those who lost their hearts to these amazing puppies was narrator Lisa Millar. Muster Dogs quite literally changed her life. In this book Lisa tells us about her journey over two seasons, bringing us up to date with the characters of series 1 - human and canine - and introducing us to five new collie pups, trainers and the hurdles of season 2. Many questions have been asked about Muster Dogs. How did it start? Why did it resonate with audiences? Lisa addresses the show’s impact, brings us stories from behind the scenes, and takes us deep into country life, all the while examining the powerful relationship between human and dog. With tips from trainers and experts, this is a book that will immerse you in affection, resilience, and loyalty, all set against the wide brown (and green) land that is our productive heartland. LISA MILLAR

Time Travelling with a Tortoise

VICTORIA CARLESS

ROSS WELFORD

Lani Scrub has a plan: study hard and become a world-renowned scientist like her hero, Kit Galway, who wrote The Meaning of the Universe. The plan is ruined when Lani’s mum decides to ‘find herself’ by joining a nature-loving community called Passing Waters. Lani should have known things were up when they got backyard chickens. At Passing Waters Lani fails every test thrown her way - despite coaching from nine-year-old nature kid Lentil and a chef/ astronomer named Meadow. Turns out failing is hard, and what’s worse is their tree change is making her question the meaning of the universe ... And when the community’s future is threatened, will Lani Scrub pitch in to save the day?

Al Chaudhury travelled back in time to save his father’s life. And it worked - Al’s dad is alive again and life is back to the way it should be. At least, that’s what Al thinks. But when an accident robs Al’s beloved Grandpa Byron of his world-beating memory, Al is forced back in time again, this time leaving someone behind, trapped in a prehistoric dimension. Al is forced into a rescue mission to recover his friend from the past - and to make sure that there will be a future waiting for them all. It turns out time travel is far more complicated than Al thought.

Released: 17/01/24 TPB | 320pp AU $34.99 NZ $39.99 Imprint: ABC Books

Released: 03/01/24 BPB| 368pp AU $16.99 NZ $18.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 03/01/24 BPB | 336 pp AU $17.99 NZ $19.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Finding Bear HANNAH GOLD The unmissable follow-up to the phenomenal bestselling and award-winning The Last Bear.

April Wood has returned home from her adventure on Bear Island. But, over a year later, she can’t stop thinking about Bear. When April hears that a polar bear has been shot and injured in Svalbard, she’s convinced it’s her friend and persuades her dad to travel with her to the northernmost reaches of the Arctic. So begins an unforgettable journey across frozen tundra and icy glaciers.

But along the way, she discovers much more than she bargained for - a tiny polar bear cub, desperately in need of her help. In freezing temperatures, April must navigate the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest fears if she’s to save him. Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, Finding Bear is a stunning story of survival and a heartwarming tale of love that shows us how hope is born from the smallest of beginnings.

Released: 03/01/2024 NSH| 352pp AU $19.99 NZ $21.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

CHILDREN’S

NON-FICTION