Your Next Read Series
I’m a proud contributor to Your Next Read: a junior fiction series of stand-alone, start-anywhere books for newly independent readers. They're crafted to precise literacy standards by trusted Australian creators and educational experts.
The series is the brainchild of Your Kid’s Next Read, Australia’s largest online children’s book community, where parents, guardians and teachers seek advice for helping children stick to reading. There’s no shortage of kids’ books out there, but it can be tough to work out what a young reader will like and to select high-quality choices that support their learning. This series helps to make those decisions easier — and one of the ways it does that is by giving kids the tools to decide for themselves!
Young readers can identify the story elements they love through the inclusion of simple icons. The pathway through the Your Next Read series teaches them the skills they need to self-select the next book that’s likely to appeal to their interests. The Silver Series is ideal for ages 5-8 while the Gold Series offers an increased challenge for readers who are ready for it at ages 7-9.
The series is also designed to prepare newly independent readers with the tools to navigate the shelves beyond Your Next Read. They can go on to explore their favourite genres or track down other works by authors they enjoyed.
Fellow junior millennials might remember the Aussie Bites, Nibbles and Chomps from primary school. Your Next Read fills a similar niche — and in fact, was masterminded by some of the same people, which was a bit surreal for both them and me!
My contribution to Your Next Read is The Guinea Fowl Mystery — a story from the Gold Series about animals, mystery and family, charmingly (and hilariously!) illustrated by Jess Racklyeft.
Hazel and Ava love all the animals on their family’s farm … until the guinea fowl arrive. They’re noisy, messy and always causing trouble. Then one day, they disappear! Can these sisters solve the guinea fowl mystery?
I knew I wouldn’t have the space for an epic fantasy adventure in just 6,000 words, so for this story, I took inspiration from my childhood in the bush and my visits to my sister’s family on a cattle farm in regional Victoria. And it features smart kids and quirky animals, just like the rest of my books!