The Prime Minister Problem

The Prime Minister Problem by Brenton Cullen (Riveted Press) PB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9781764256728

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

With crisp, clear writing and a gentle story, Brenton Cullen tells of ten-year-old Wren, a thoughtful, quiet boy who feels so alone in his school community that it’s almost as if he is invisible. Mum is juggling two jobs, his brother has his own life, and at school, Wren hides in the library reading books his grandmother taught him to love. Grandma is the only person who truly sees him — until she has two strokes and is moved to a nursing home. The home is in the city, two hours away, because there isn’t one locally. Wren asks himself, ‘Who will be my friend now Gran is gone?’

Lonelier than ever, Wren writes to the Prime Minister for help, convinced she will be helpful. When no reply comes, he decides to take matters into his own hands. He and a new girl – Tamara – who has befriended him, take up the idea of children ‘adopting’ local grandparents. Wren also launches a (very successful) crowdfunding campaign to renovate an abandoned house into a community centre and nursing home. Overnight, he becomes a media and social media star.

As his town rallies around him, Wren discovers he isn’t the only one who feels forgotten — and that real change doesn’t come from politicians, but from the people who call the town home. He also befriends a grumpy, lonely old man, ironically called Mr Bright, whose house is renovated for the centre.

Throughout the book, the author astutely explores Wren’s thoughts and emotions as he navigates problems in the boy's life. Cullen’s sentences are always polished: he masters simple language, and his characters are so three-dimensional that the reader relates to each of them.

At its heart, The Prime Minister Problem is a story about loneliness, intergenerational connection, and the quiet power of shy kids. It explores how one small voice can spark change and how communities can come together to make a difference. It’s touching and emotional, but also funny, hopeful, and uplifting.

Written for readers aged 8–12 years, it’s a book for kids and adults alike who love stories that linger in the heart and leave you with happy tears. A debut middle-grade novel, it is highly recommended.

 

The Disappearing Circus

The Disappearing Circus by Kate Gordon and Helen Edwards (Riveted Press) PB RRP $17.99 ISBN 9781763526099

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Ivy and Emme are runaways, both heading north from their respective villages. Both girls are running from sadness, broken families, and broken hearts. Initially unknown to each other, the pair find themselves captured inside a scarlet red circus tent in the Midmoors.

 

The pair soon discover that this circus is a far cry from any ordinary circus. The Disappearing Circus is ‘all about the past and the never-was’. It is a captivating blend of ghosts, myths, extinct creatures, and children of the ‘real and now’, thanks to Ivy and Emme’s arrival.

Ivy and Emme are soon tasked with the overwhelming challenge of showcasing their talents to save the circus. However, both girls believe they have no distinguishing talents to attract the large crowds required. The girls learn and grow together by sharing their stories, facing their past, and keeping memories alive.

The Disappearing Circus is an imaginative and multi-layered middle grade novel seamlessly co-authored by Kate Gordon and Helen Edwards. The multiple themes include family, friendship, belonging, grief, courage, self-belief, hope, magic, and possibility.

Anna’s War

Anna’s War by DJ Taylor (Riveted Press) PB RRP $17.99 ISBN 9781763526075

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

It’s southern Holland in the last eighteen months of World War 11 when 14-year-old Anna’s life changes. The Nazis in her German-occupied town are recruiting local men to work as slaves for their factories; thus, her father decides to hide. He has prepared a false door inside a cupboard in the family’s cellar. Anna is aware of this, but her three younger siblings have no idea, and Anna swears not to tell anyone, including her best friend, Josephine. Her father remains hidden for over a year, only coming out when Anna takes her siblings outdoors to play.

Then Anna meets Karl, a young German translator whose good looks and unexpected kindness leave her conflicted. Against her better judgement, she is drawn to him and begins to believe he can be trusted - especially when he keeps her father’s hiding place a secret from Horst, the ruthless Nazi officer he translates for. But as her feelings deepen, so do the risks. One misstep could unravel everything Anna and her family have fought to protect.

Anna’s War is a gripping, tension-filled and realistic depiction of wartime life. It cleverly shows the resilience, forbidden connection, family loyalties and the bravery of a young girl thrust into the deep shadows of war.

The upper middle-grade novel is based on the childhood experiences of the author’s mother-in-law who helped save her father when he hid in a secret cellar to avoid arrest.

 

Riveted Press acquires Cullen debut middle-grade

Riveted Press acquires Cullen debut middle-grade

Riveted Press has acquired world rights to The Prime Minister Problem, a debut middle-grade novel by Brenton Cullen.

The Prime Minister Problem is ‘a heartfelt and timely story about an anxious boy who ignites a viral campaign to bring the Prime Minister to his rural town in a bid to reunite with his grandmother,’ said the publisher. ‘The novel explores themes of intergenerational connection and the power one quiet child can have.’

Cullen has written for Writing Queensland, Magpies and Books+Publishing, and was the 2023 recipient of the Ian Wilson Memorial Fellowship.

Riveted Press managing editor Rowena Beresford said of the acquisition, ‘This is an incredibly poignant and inspiring book that explores one of the most important, yet often ignored, issues in our society. From the moment I read the manuscript, I knew we had to publish it.’

Cullen said, ‘This is a very special story that is very close to my heart, and I could not be more thrilled to have my book find a home with Riveted Press. I’d also like to thank Romi Sharp and the Just Write for Kids team, whose Pitch It contest put my manuscript in front of Rowena from Riveted Press.’

The Prime Minister Problem is scheduled for publication in May 2026.

Note: This article first appeared in Bookseller & Publisher.

Lexie Moon and the Word Burgling Bungle

Lexie Moon and the Word Burgling Bungle by Melissa Garside, illustrated by Lauren Mullinder (Riveted Press) PB RRP $14.95 ISBN9781763526037

Lexie Moon built her latest invention, The Vocabuliser, to help people learn to say tricky words like spaghetti and Worcestershire. She secretly tests it on her little sister with excellent results. But the device is stolen by infamous gadget thief Gizmo Light finger, who sees other people’s inventions as his ticket to glory. Out for revenge on the Inventors’ Guild after a lifetime ban, Gizmo goes on a gadget-stealing spree across town.

With Grandad’s help, Lexie devises a plan to catch the gadget thief and get her invention back. The pair uses her Nose-Knows sniffer tracker device to follow Gizmo’s trail, and along the way, they meet several more victims—all with something in common …The trail soon leads them to the thief, who has attached a stolen power booster to The Vocabuliser and renamed it The Word Grabber 9000!

An unknown glitch in Lexie’s original design has transformed it into a device that steals people’s words—all of them—the exact opposite of what Lexie intended! Determined to bring Gizmo to justice before he can cause anyone else to lose their speech—or claim her invention as his own—Lexie sets out with Grandad to stop the thief in his tracks. But when Grandad is zapped into silence, there is just one thing left to do! And when The Vocabuliser starts to creak and groan, Lexie knows her plan is well on track … although that little glitch might have one more surprise in store!

Esme in the Limelight

Esme in the Limelight by Kate Gordon (Riveted Press) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN 9780645869316

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Esme is a fifteen-year-old girl who is happiest when she is working in the local milk bar and listening to soundtracks from musicals. However, she constantly feels like she is ‘not enough’ and does not like herself. Esme does not live up to her parents’ high expectations and she is often made to feel worthless by their snide comments, their absence, or their constant praise of her perfect sister, Ro.

In the recent past, Esme’s self-loathing drew her to the positive and charismatic Amy, an older girl at school. Well-meaning Amy convinced Esme that she needed a drastic makeover and bombarded her with positive quotes and affirmations. However, while Esme craved Amy’s constant validation, deep down she knew she was wearing a mask and she never felt like herself.

To add to Esme’s despair, she learns that the owners of her beloved milk bar are going to sell it, and she becomes overwhelmed with sadness. She feels like the milk bar is all she has. Fortunately, new, and old friends are there to support her and help her realise that she is so much more than what she believes.

Esme in the Limelight is an emotive middle grade novel about finding yourself. It is highly recommended for mature readers aged 11 years and older. The novel’s themes include mental health, friendship, empathy, people-pleasing, shame, and hope. Gordon explores complex issues with great care including depression, body image, emotional abuse, toxic positivity, and eating disorders.

Esme in the Limelight is a companion novel to Aster’s Good Right Things, Xavier in the Meantime, and Indigo in the Storm.

The Rebels of Mount Buffalo

The Rebels of Mount Buffalo by Dr Helen Edwards (Riveted Press), RRP $16.95 Middle Grade ISBN 9-780645-218077

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

Have you ever wondered about the lives of the pioneers of our national parks? Finding your way through the bush or mountains may be simple enough today by following tracks and signs, but how was it for the early settlers of country Australia in the 19^th century who established these trails and had the foresight to preserve these areas? The Rebels of Mount Buffalo takes us back to 1893 and into the lives of the Mansfield family, whose daughter, Alice, was pivotal in the creation of the Mount Buffalo National Park in Victoria. Alice was a rebel of her time, ignoring the conventional expectations of women in the home and establishing herself as both a mountain guide and documenter of the nature of the region. With the help of the local indigenous people, her father, James, forged the route to the top of the mountain that is still used by travellers today.

The Rebels of Mount Buffalo is a story about a fictional character, 13-year-old Clara, who slips back in time from 1998 to 1893 where she encounters the imagined lives of the Mansfield family. In 1998, Clara and her parents are still reeling from the death of her twin brother two years earlier in a car accident. Lacking self-confidence and walking on eggshells between her parents who have since divorced, the trio are having an awkward family holiday at the Mount Buffalo Chalet for the centenary celebrations. When Clara, dressed as a maid in period costume, is alone exploring the display of Guide Alice’s photography, she is transported through time to 1893 via the lens of Alice’s camera. 

Clara awakes to hustle and bustle in the original hotel of the Mansfield family at the foot of the mountain. She passes herself off as newly arrived help, faking her way under the guidance of Alice through the daily laborious duties of cleaning, washing, and cooking without the aid of modern appliances. Worried about how she can return to 1998 and her parents, she confides in Alice that she has travelled through time and naturally Alice doesn’t believe her. But when Clara and Alice get mixed up in a gunfight higher up the mountain between some questionable characters from depression-ravaged Melbourne, Clara puts her resuscitation skills into action. Alice, amazed by Clara’s ability to bring Alice’s brother back to life, comes around to believing Clara’s time travel story and Clara’s confidence grows because of Alice’s admiration. They become close friends and Clara puts her trusts in Guide Alice to find her way home.

The acts of travelling through time via the lens of the camera are symbolic in this story, yet a little too convenient for the plot line. However, this can be overlooked as the prose transports the reader into visualising the beauty of the virgin wilderness of Mount Buffalo and surrounds. It has made me want to visit the area and has certainly sparked my curiosity in Guide Alice.

Indigo in the Storm

Indigo in the Storm by Kate Gordon (Riveted Press) Middle Grade / Young Adult RRP $19.99 ISBN 9 780645 218039

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

I’ve been looking forward to reading Indigo in the Storm – Kate Gordon’s latest companion novel to the 2021 CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers, Aster’s Good Right Things, and the recently announced 2023 CBCA Notable, Xavier in the Meantime.  My daughter and I both agreed – Indigo in the Storm is equally as enjoyable as Gordon’s earlier books.

Indigo is first introduced in Aster’s Good Right Things as an intriguing character who you want to know more about, and in Indigo in the Storm, Kate Gordon has treated us to a private viewing of what makes Indigo tick. It can be read and fully appreciated without having read the first two books because important elements of Indigo’s and the other main character’s backstories have been included.

Twelve-year-old Indigo is a wild loner at a fancy, hippy school in Tasmania. The things she says to others are not particularly nice, she often feigns disinterest, and she only believes that Aster and Xavier are her friends because they have to be. There is constantly a storm brewing inside Indigo, but she’s taking her medication every day and that takes the edge off the intensity of her emotions. And she knows from Aster’s Aunt Noni, who is currently fostering Indigo, that the medication won’t stop her being herself.  That’s a good thing because she wants the storm inside her to erupt. She wants to make a statement as large as the sky. She wants her mother to see it and come back.

Despite years of mistreatment and neglect by her much-gossiped-about mother with dubious habits, Indigo still loves her and believes she’s been left behind because she’s not worth being cared about. Reluctantly – because she isn’t the type of person who needs friends – she allows a new boy at school, Liam, to befriend her.  Like Indigo, Liam has a natural talent for art, and Liam also knows how to attract attention.  Indigo wants to learn from him how she can do something so bold and revolutionary that her mother will see it from afar and return for her. But when she lets down her wall to allow Liam in, he betrays her trust and, like a hurricane, Indigo spirals out of control.

When Indigo is at her most broken, Noni tells her something which could really cut her to the core. As the reader, I wondered why Noni would choose this vulnerable moment. Perhaps she did so because she knew Indigo had those who truly loved her close by her side. This event allows the story to be drawn to a satisfying conclusion, while still leaving the reader wanting to know more about some of the side characters like Sam and Liam in future books.

This book deals with strong feelings and mental health issues and is appropriate for readers aged 10 to 12 years. It would also appeal to YA readers.

Whalesong

Whalesong by Kate Gordon (Riveted Press) PB RRP $16.95 ISBN: 9780645218022

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

If you loved Playing Beattie Bow and enjoy a mix of historical fiction, magic and timeslip adventure, you’re going to love Kate Gordon’s Whalesong.

Aberdeen Knopwood lives in modern-day Hobart, a city full of history where her family have lived for generations. Passionate about the environment, Aberdeen wants to make a difference in the world but, being shy and having just lost her best friend, is struggling to find her place and her voice. She despairs of her ability to make change, after all, change comes from action not from thinking or wanting.

Then, her father gives her a special gift – an antique chronometer. Aberdeen is confused. It’s a beautiful instrument but why would she need an old timepiece used to help sailors navigate by the stars?

Soon after receiving the gift, however, Aberdeen gets a sense there is something more mystical and powerful about the chronometer. A mysterious girl starts appearing and seems to be beckoning Aberdeen to follow her. When she finally does, Aberdeen finds herself in a place familiar, yet not. It’s Hobart but newer. And, amidst the tall ships in the harbour, there are men with harpoons and the song of whales.

Before long, Aberdeen finds herself on a mission to change history and, in the process, to perhaps even find herself, her voice and her place in the world.

Kate Gordon grew up in Tasmania, in a small town by the sea and has drawn beautifully on her love of this part of the country and its history to bring readers this tale of hope for our future and the message that, yes, one person can make a difference.

An ideal junior fiction story for readers aged 9 to 12, who are on the cusp of finding their voice and make their mark, the character of Aberdeen will resonate with readers of all ages. Whether you’re after some history, a touch of magic, a powerful story about the environment or just a beautifully crafted tale, Whalesong will have something for you.