Riverbend Standing Orders Blog has moved! For previous year’s titles you can access the old Wordpress Blog here.

Welcome to Riverbend Standing Orders for March 2025

Pauline and Trish are delighted to bring to you a great selection of titles each month!

Early Childhood

My Big Secret – Felice Arena (3+ themes of family, sporting culture, fan culture, personal choices, difference, identity, self-esteem and acceptance, respect, Teacher Notes)

The Construction Site Band – Jennifer Loakes; illus. Kelly Canby (3+ themes of music and machinery in everyday life, noisy read aloud, city life, construction, building, engineering, STEM, diggers, machinery, onomatopoeia)

The Inside Dog – Pip Harry; illus. Carolyn Davis (3+ themes of feelings and emotions, bravery, animals, courage, holidays, new experiences, Teacher Notes)

You Can’t Pat a Fish – Ruth Paul ( 3+ themes of humour, ryhming text, pets, Classroom Ideas)

Picture Books

Bigfoot vs Yeti: A Love Story – James Foley (6+ themes of altruism, conflict resolution, friendship, resilience and managing change, tolerance and intolerance., trusting in your beliefs, understanding the difference between fact and opinion, Teaching Notes)

Moxie vs Cat Memes – Andrew Dittmer; illus. Rebel Challenger (5+ themes of healthy screen time, prioritising relationships, reducing technology use, intrinsic value of individuals, care for pets, friendship, Teacher Notes)

The Big Backyard Plan – Kirsten Ealand; illus. Laura Stitzel (3+ themes of friendship, imagination, community, play, homes, backyards, sharing spaces, bringing down walls, Teacher Notes)

The Colours of Home – Sally Soweol Han (4+ themes of change, beauty, perspective, home, migration, open-mindedness, appreciating differences, Teacher’s Notes)

Primary Fiction

Moonboy – Anna Ciddor (9+ themes of timeslip, family, relationships, dementia, Moon landing, history, Reading Group Guide)

Our History: Bold Ben Hall (9+ themes of historical fiction, adventure, gold rush, bushrangers, robbery, differing perspectives, family, frienship and community, heroes and villains, personal responsibility, Teacher Notes)

The Extraordinary Misadventures of Lake and Birdy (and their remarkable fortitude) – Damien Leith (8+ themes of dark comedy, family unit, courage, tall tales, action, adventure)

Washpool – Lisa Fuller (9+ themes of diversity, problem solving, bullying, racisim and discrimination, friendship, cooperation and teamwork, Teachers Resources)

Middle School Fiction

How to Roller-Skate with One Leg – Ella Dove (11+ themes of celebrating friendship, family and overcoming adversity, automobile accident, prosthetics, courage, pain, humour)

Little Bones – Sandy Bigna (11+ themes of contemporary, verse novel, loss of a brother, confronting grief, absent mother, family struggles, housing commission living, non-binary minor character, diversity, friendships, quest, collecting bones of birds, magical realism, accepting death, navigating challenges, creating community, living with a grandparent, Teachers’ Notes)

Ride North – Maria De Jong (10+ themes of New Zealand setting, family, contemporary, grief and loss, running away, travelling alone on horseback, adventure, determination, resourcefulness, some violence and suspense, nature, growing up, accepting loss)

Spirit of the Crocodile – Aaron Fa’Aoso & Michelle Scott Tucker, with Lynn White (11+ themes of contemporary, set on Saibai Island, Torres Strait Islander culture, island life, school anxiety, family, community, friendships, risks and dares, consequences of actions, growing up, impacts of human induced climate change, rising waters, survival, suspense, connection with nature, Teachers’ Notes)

Secondary Fiction

How to Be Normal – Ange Crawford (15+ themes of psychological thriller, contemporary, family, coercive control, homeschooling, finishing Yr 12 at a school, romance, LGBTQIA+, secrets, leaving an abusive environment, trauma, music, suspense, some strong language and threat of violence, hopeful resolution, Teacher Notes)

Our Infinite Fates – Laura Steven (15+ themes of fantasy, Immortals, reincarnation, romance, family, sacrifices, secrets, flashbacks, sexual reference, some strong language, death & dying, siblings, overcoming evil)

The Rose Bargain – Sasha Peyton Smith (15+ themes of historical, fantasy, magic, faeries, romance, love triangle, family, sisters, loss of social standing, privilege, loyalty, friendships, royalty, rivalry, multiple narrators, first book in a series, cliff-hanging end, flashbacks, some sexual references, violence and death, suspense)

Unhallowed Halls – Lili Wilkinson (15+ themes of fantasy, set in Scotland, demons, dark academia, magic, witches, romantasy, romance, boarding school, mystery, found families, friendship, mild swearing, LGBTQI relationships, Greek philosophy, twists and turns, unreliable, some violence and death, Teachers’ Tips)

Adult Fiction

One Hundred Years of Betty – Debra Oswald

The Whisperer’s War – Jackie French

Primary Fiction (Boys Only Pack)

Getting Dusty – Jared Thomas (9+ themes of sequel, role models; mentorship, respect, forgiveness, Creation Stories; Spirituality, resilience, identity, First Nations Peoples: Cultural Knowledge, Teacher Notes)

Moonboy – Anna Ciddor (9+ themes of timeslip, family, relationships, dementia, Moon landing, history, Reading Group Guide)

Our History: Bold Ben Hall (9+ themes of historical fiction, adventure, gold rush, bushrangers, robbery, differing perspectives, family, frienship and community, heroes and villains, personal responsibility, Teacher Notes)

The Extraordinary Misadventures of Lake and Birdy (and their remarkable fortitude) – Damien Leith (8+ themes of dark comedy, family unit, courage, tall tales, action, adventure)

Middle School Fiction (Boys Only Pack)

Popcorn – Rob Harrell (11+ themes of worrying and anxiety, managing stress, art as emotional expression, creativity, Alzheimer’s disease, relationship with grandparents, resilience, determination, perseverance, school photo day, humour, Educational Resource Pack)

Raz Beri – Matt Stephens (11+ themes of disability, diversity, wheelchairs, family, friendships, bullying, soccer, humour, celebrities, protests, bravery, growing up, secrets, positive representations, social justice issues, building empathy, showing kindness, set in the UK)

Spirit of the Crocodile – Aaron Fa’Aoso & Michelle Scott Tucker, with Lynn White (11+ themes of contemporary, set on Saibai Island, Torres Strait Islander culture, island life, school anxiety, family, community, friendships, risks and dares, consequences of actions, growing up, impacts of human induced climate change, rising waters, survival, suspense, connection with nature, Teachers’ Notes)

The Bletchley Riddle – Ruta Sepetys (11+ themes of historical, World War II, codes and puzzles, mystery, siblings, suspense, secrets, missing parent, dual narrative, code-breaking, adventure, some violence, courage and bravery, trust and loyalty)

Secondary School Fiction (Boys Only Pack)

Bear – Kiri Lightfoot (15+ themes of contemporary, set in New Zealand, fractured family, step-parent, anger, anxiety, negative thoughts, improving self-esteem, some violence and strong language, humour, confronting fears, Overcoming challenges, friendships, Art and artists, nightmares, finding help, coming-of-age, Teaching Notes)

Darkest Night, Lightest Star – Barry Jonsberg (15+ themes of contemporary, emotionally manipulative father, toxic masculinity, absent mother, parental expectations, homophobia, strong sexual references denigrating women, LGBTQIA+ characters, violence, friendships, siblings, gardens and gardening, strong language, dementia, suicide ideation, social issues affecting young people, hopeful resolution)

Sunny at the End of the World – Steph Bowe (15+ themes of Post-Pandemic, Post-Apocalyptic, set in the near future, found family, survival, suspense, friendships, quest, road trip, death & dying, violence, strong language, humour, multiple narrators, mystery, twisty, secrets, surprising resolution, found manuscript posthumous author)