Animal Force

27 May, 2026 Editor-in-Chief Leave a comment

Written by Cerise Madsen and
illustrated by Sally Heinrich

Animal Force is a magical wildlife adventure packed with fun, danger and epic animal powers!

It was supposed to be the best birthday ever – camping on Ember Island with marshmallows under the stars and plenty of beach games. Instead twins Leo and Kelly have just found out they’re adopted. They’ve started having weird snowy dreams about icy forests. And a powerful magic begins to spark within them. This will be no ordinary birthday. Kelly wants answers. Leo wants everything to go back to normal. Too bad normal is gone.

Soon they’re knee-deep in mangrove mud, dodging danger, outsmarting bullies, and launching Continue reading Animal Force →

Author

Cerise Madsen

27 May, 2026 Editor-in-Chief Leave a comment

Cerise Madsen is a speech pathologist in Brisbane, where she runs her own practice supporting language development through speech, storytelling, and sign. Fluent in Norwegian, French, and the ever-evolving language of tweens and teens, Cerise has shared her love of communication by teaching English to international students, Norwegian to refugees, and now supporting children, teens and adults with disabilities.

Her writing is inspired by her passion for Continue reading Cerise Madsen →

Author

Lauren Mullinder

24 May, 2026 Editor-in-Chief Leave a comment

Lauren Mullinder is an illustrator, graphic designer, artist and educator. Based in her home studio in Adelaide, South Australia, Lauren spends her time drawing, exploring the natural world and developing workshops in art, drawing fundamentals and environment design. She has a passion for children’s literature and has illustrated seven children’s books.

She loves visiting schools and running illustration workshops, where children have a hands-on experience creating their own Continue reading Lauren Mullinder →

Title

Fearless Finn

24 May, 2026 Editor-in-Chief Leave a comment

Written by Kristin Martin and
illustrated by Lauren Mullinder

When a dragon causes havoc with her fiery breath, farm boy Finn sets out to defeat her. He follows her trail of destruction past swarms of hungry bees, up the glacier-covered mountain to the dragon’s cave. There, Finn discovers that Continue reading Fearless Finn →

Author

Kristin Martin

11 May, 2026 Editor-in-Chief

Kristin Martin is an author, poet and primary school teacher with a fondness for writing in rhyme. She draws inspiration from the natural world and from observing her young students’ imaginative play.

Her books include Where Shall We Travel Today?, Honey Possum’s Bush Café, Banjo Frog’s Concert Spectacular, To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme? and the Easter Bilby’s Friends series. Kristin lives in Adelaide, Continue reading Kristin Martin →

Author

Katrina Germein

23 April, 2026 Editor-in-Chief

Katrina Germein is a best-selling children’s author, published and translated internationally. Her popular titles include Bev and Kev, Fabulous Frogs, One Little Duck, and the My Dad Thinks He’s Funny series. Katrina’s work has been Highly Commended in the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and won a CBCA Honour, as well as CBCA short-listings and Notables. Katrina is a past winner of the Speech Pathology Book of the Year Award and the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. Her books have been recorded five times for the children’s television show, Continue reading →

Title

Girls Like

23 April, 2026 Editor-in-Chief

Written by Katrina Germein and illustrated by Deb Hudson

Dance feet
Dare feet
Fast feet
Bare feet

Vibrantly illustrated by Deb Hudson, award-winning author Katrina Germein’s gorgeous Girls Like is a joyous celebration of all the ways to be a girl. Continue reading Girls Like →

Teacher Notes

Teacher Notes – Girls Like

1 April, 2026 Editor-in-Chief

Teachers’ Notes for Girls Like (pdf, 935 kb)

Uncategorized

Picture Book Prize Winner!

31 March, 2026 Editor-in-Chief

We are absolutely thrilled to announce the winner of the inaugural MidnightSun Picture Book Prize. Choosing a winner from the terrific shortlist was difficult but ultimately we had to pick one and the winner is…

The Battle of the Beast by Penny O’Loughlin with a funny and sweet story of friendship and the power of consciously putting one’s mind to something and practising even when it’s hard. Through hilarious mishaps (and one odd goat), the main character discovers that sometimes the heaviest things lift us the most. Continue reading Picture Book Prize Winner! →

Teacher Notes

Teacher Notes – Audrey Skips

4 February, 2026 Editor-in-Chief

Teachers’ Notes for Audrey Skips (pdf, 511 kb)

Title

Audrey Skips

3 February, 2026 Editor-in-Chief

Written by Andrea Rowe and illustrated by 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 Continue reading Audrey Skips →

Author

Lisa Coutts

3 February, 2026 Editor-in-Chief

Lisa Coutts is an illustrator based in Naarm, Melbourne, Australia. Her work has features in over 20 of varying genres, and her greatest love is picture books. Lisa loves creating charming characters and placing them in quirky and whimsical worlds. She is the illustrator of The Great Book Swapping Machine by Emma Allen and she designed the cover art on Tim Winton’s Blueback, with more books in production. Lisa’s art practice incorporates mixed media techniques including coloured pencil, dry pastel, acrylic and watercolour paints, and Procreate.

Her work has been described as charming, delicious, quirky, whimsical and that it hurts people’s hearts in a GOOD way! When not in her studio, you’ll find Lisa Continue reading Lisa Coutts →

Author

Andrea Rowe

3 February, 2026 Editor-in-Chief

Andrea Rowe is a best-selling, award-winning picture book author. Her picture book, Jetty Jumping (illustrated by Hannah Sommerville), was awarded the 2022 CBCA Picture Book of the Year – Early Childhood and the 2023 Australian Speech Pathology Picture Book of the Year. In the Rockpool and Amid the Sand Dunes (Hardie Grant) were both awarded the 2024 and 2025 CBCA Notable Picture Books of the Year – Early Childhood.

Andrea loves to write stories where characters explore the great outdoors, ponder big Continue reading Andrea Rowe →

Uncategorized

MidnightSun Publishing Picture Book Prize

10 November, 2025 Editor-in-Chief

The Picture Book Prize competition has now closed.

Title

Dirt Trap

4 November, 2025 Editor-in-Chief

by Michael Burge

Journalist James Brandt lives in a brittle truce with his partner Dylan and his family, never talking about the homophobic attacks he exposed in his rural hometown, including the brutal death of a beloved cousin twenty years ago.

But this illusion of peace is ripped apart by the start of the state’s historical gay-hate crime inquiry, and the reappearance of Continue reading Dirt Trap →

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