Here’s a look at some of the poetry, young adult (YA), and children’s books being released in the first half of 2025.
Poetry
Eclipse, Kirli Saunders (Allen & Unwin, February)
Kirli Saunders’ third poetry collection explores “reflections on Country” with a blend of boldness and depth, mixing Beyoncé references with quantum physics. The book also includes some of Saunders’ artwork.
We Speak of Flowers, Eileen Chong (UQP, February)
Eileen Chong’s latest release is a series of 101 interconnected poems, forming an elegy dedicated to her ancestors. The fragments can be read in any order.
Past & Parallel Lives, Kaya Ortiz (UWAP, March)
Winner of the 2024 Dorothy Hewett Award, Kaya Ortiz’s collection discusses migration, queer identity, and cultural challenges with courage and grace.
The Hum Hearers, Shey Marque (UWAP, March)
Shey Marque’s second collection tackles themes of intergenerational trauma and memoir, informed by her background in biomedical science.
Southsightedness, Gregory Day (Transit Lounge, April)
This collection celebrates the earth and sea, reflecting on regenerating ecologies and personal history, blending nature, family, and sport.
The Nightmare Sequence, Omar Sakr and Safdar Ahmed (UQP, April)
A timely collaboration responding to the violence in Gaza since October 2023. The book examines living in a society complicit in the destruction of Arabs and Muslims.
Joss, Grace Yee (Giramondo, June)
Following her award-winning debut, Grace Yee’s second poetry collection delves into the experiences of early Chinese settlers in Australia and New Zealand.
Young Adult Fiction
Cruel is the Light, Sophie Clark (Penguin, January)
Sophie Clark’s debut novel dives into a war between demons and exorcists in an alternate Europe, filled with sword fighting and Vatican conspiracies.
How To Be Normal, Ange Crawford (Walker, March)
Winner of the inaugural Walker Books Manuscript Prize, this debut novel addresses coercive control, coming-of-age struggles, and self-discovery.
Truth South, Gisela Ervin-Ward (MidnightSun, May)
Twelve-year-old Nell embarks on a treasure hunt and becomes entangled in a family feud after crashing her sailboat.
This Dream Will Devour Us, Emma Clancey (Allen & Unwin, May)
A YA novel mixing fantasy with social intrigue, as 18-year-old Nora Blake infiltrates a magical high society.
The Foal in the Wire, Robbie Coburn (Lothian, June)
A verse novel exploring the bond between humans and animals, featuring a troubled teen, his love for a girl, and a horse that brings them together.
The Pull of the Moon, Pip Smith (UWAP, May)
This novel follows 13-year-old Coralie as she witnesses a refugee boat crash off Christmas Island, inspired by the 2010 Janga/SIEV-221 tragedy.
Picture Books
The Big Backyard Plan, Kirsten Ealand and Laura Stizel (Affirm, March)
A picture book about sharing a large backyard among friends, emphasizing community and the removal of divisive boundaries.
All About the Gut, Liz Bannister and Beck Feiner (Berbay, April)
The third installment in Berbay’s ‘All About the Body’ series, this book covers the digestive process and how food becomes nutrients.
The Colt from Old Regret, Dianne Wolfer and Erica Wagner (NLA Publishing, April)
A picture book telling the story of Banjo Paterson’s ‘The Man from Snowy River’ from the perspective of the colt that bolted away.
The Two-nicorn, Jack Carty and Natasha Carty (Wheelers Books, April)
This story explores the uniqueness of being your authentic self, through a unicorn with two horns.
Tubowgule: A Sydney Opera House History, Melissa-Jane Fogarty and Dylan Finney (Lothian, April)
The first book in Lothian’s ‘Our Lands’ series, this title explores the Indigenous history of the Sydney Opera House site.
My Mum Is a Bird, Angie Cui and Evie Barrow (UQP, April)
A heartwarming book about a child who worries about her bird-like mother attending Parents’ and Carers’ Day at school.
