Books ideal for readers aged 7 - 11

Looking for a compelling, gentle narrative to grab middle readers? Award winning Steven Herrick achieves that beautifully in Pookie Aleera, a story about every day children living in a country town. Pookie Aleera had us from the very beginning.

The vastness, the isolation and the uniquenss of Australia's landscape lends itself to many practical problems to be solved - not least how people managed to get their mail, arm chairs, and petrol supplies into their homes! Tom the Outback Mailman provides a glimpse into the not so distant past, telling the story of one particular man who solved that problem for countless people, including how he approached a particular soggy problem!

This is the first picture book I've come across which is set firmly in the Torres Strait Islands, and boy is it a good one! Bakir and Bi is an intriguing story from publishers Magabala Books. Immersed in the Torres Strait Islands, it has much to offer its older readers in terms of language, knowledge, culture and a fascinating story.

Finding Serendipity is a fantastic adventure story brimming with imagination, a love of books, a respect for words and a big dash of magic. Looking for an adventure novel for 7-12? Finding Serendipity is the one. Enter here, for your chance to win your own copy in our latest competition.

The Perplexing Pineapple is the result of the meeting of two creative minds from the world of children's literature - Ursula Dubosarsky and Terry Denton. This is a great little chapter book, and I can see it being wafted under the noses of reluctant readers. Why? The Perplexing Pineapple has charm, wit and a number of intriguing activities tucked inside. This is going to be just right for those who are more 'hands on' learners.

The Fair Dinkum War from the talented David Cox captures the experience of Word War II from the eyes of a young child.

Enter our latest competition for your chance to win one of four copies of Evan's Gallipoli, just click here. As the title would suggest, Evan's Gallipoli is set against the background of the now infamous campaign during World War I. Australian and New Zealand forces played an integral role, making this novel just to perfect to delve into as ANZAC Day approaches.

Oh my, this is the most touching story. ANZAC Biscuits is one of those picture books that should be read by the young and old - it has much to offer.

The Little Eskimo is the gorgeous new release (February 2013), from the highly talented Davide Cali. Wilkins Farago's latest offering does not disappoint as they present a tale of human desire, accompanied by Maurizio Quarello's rich illustrations.

** WIN ~ Meet Ruby AND Meet Lina in our latest competition, click here for details ** The Our Australian Girl collection of chapter books are proving so incredibly popular - and for all the right reasons. Each story in the series focuses on a particular era in Australia's history, and centres on one character. There are a total of four books for each character. They may all be linked by a common theme - four books based on the same Australian girl - but each has been penned by a different author, the end result being that each one is as individual as the girl it portrays.