You may be familiar with this tagline: “For the best books, look for the bear.” This fall, the bear from down under is making its way to the U.S. market! Walker Books Australia, based in Sydney, has been home to beautiful, high-quality picture books, fiction, and nonfiction for more than thirty years. Part of the Walker Books Group, together with Walker Books UK and Candlewick Press, Walker Books Australia will be exclusively distributed in the North American market by Lerner Publisher Services. Read about their inaugural list here, which launches with three picture books, two middle grade novels, and one young adult novel!
Jelly-Boy
Author Nicole Godwin and illustrator Christopher Nielsen bring an inventive approach to tackling a conservation issue plaguing our world: too much plastic in the ocean. Jelly-girl falls in love with a plastic bag she mistakes for a jelly-boy. He is not like the other Jelly-Boys, not as wobbly and is very big and strong. But by the time Jelly-Girl discovers the dangerous truth about her new friend, it may be too late. Jelly-Boy is a great conversation starter for discussions around pollution and will inspire young readers to protect our oceans.
The Mailbox Tree
Following on the theme of conservation and climate change comes The Mailbox Tree, a dual-timeline middle grade novel told from the perspectives of two Australian girls. In the town of West Hobart, Tasmania, sea-levels are rising and the land is deforested, over-mined, and plagued by bushfires and drought. Nyx’s father wants them to move, but this town is all she’s ever known. Finding solace in the 80-foot single surviving pine tree near her home, she discovers Bea’s despairing note wedged into a hole in its trunk––and she writes back. Co-authored by Rebecca Lim and Kate Gordon, two of Australia’s most acclaimed writers, this hopeful coming-of-age story will appeal to readers who grappling with real-world problems. Kirkus Reviews calls The Mailbox Tree, “A vividly rendered, evocative story about the power of connection and maintaining hope through despair.”
The Big Flappy Ears: A Mini and Milo Book
Meet Mini and her best friend Milo! Mini’s ears are bigger than big and huger than huge, but she has a problem. They aren’t very good at listening. When Mini misses out on a class trip, she realizes that maybe her ears aren’t the problem after all. It’s not the size or shape of your ears that count, but how you use them! The first in a series of picture books that help children gain much-needed skills, The Big Flappy Ears explores the skill of listening. Written by family dispute specialist, mindset coach and mom, Ventia Dimos, and illustrated by Natashia Curtin, the Mini and Milo series explores the ebb and flow friendship, competitiveness, managing inner voices, and communicating effectively.
Inkflower
For readers aged 14 to 18, Suzy Zail’s Inkflower is an evocative novel about family secrets, hope, and healing. Lisa’s father has six months to live. And a story to tell about a boy sent to Auschwitz. A boy who lost everything and started again. A story he has kept hidden until now. Lisa doesn’t want to hear it because she also has secrets. No one at school knows she is Jewish or that her dad is sick. But that’s all about to change––and so is she. Based on a true story, Zail mines her family’s past and her life as the child of a holocaust survivor in this gritty young adult read, perfect for English and History classrooms. School Library Journal recently award Inkflower a star review, writing: “Equally heartbreaking and uplifting, this recommended book reminds readers that a forgotten past is irreplaceable, and the present is a gift.”
Color Makes the World Go Round
Could you imagine a rainbow without color, or flamingos, or red shoes? What about a zebra? Christopher Nielsen invites you to imagine a world with color and without in Color Makes the World Go Round! This layered exploration of color celebrates the variety and diversity that makes our world so special. Perfect for the 2025 Collaborative Summer Library Program’s theme, “Color Our World,” this whimsical picture book can spark conversations about difference and the richness it adds to life. Plus, readers are in for a fun surprise under the book jacket!
Saltwater Boy
What Kirkus calls, “A beautiful, moving debut for sophisticated readers,” Saltwater Boy is a heartfelt and captivating teen coming-of-age story. When Matthew’s dad gets in trouble, he makes trouble for everyone else too. But with Dad in jail, he and his mom finally have a chance to put their life back together. A summer down the coast offers a new perspective for Matthew as he forms a friendship with Bill, an old local who recognizes a fellow “Saltwater Boy.” Bill becomes the paternal figure he’s needed his whole life––but he’s not welcomed in town, and Matthew witnesses old rivalries and buried truths resurface. Then, Dad gets out on parole and his recklessness puts everything at risk. Written by Bradley Christmas, Saltwater Boy navigates fractured families, the lies that break, and the ties that bind.
There’s a little something for everyone in this list, so we invite you to check them out for yourselves. Happy reading!