On the Road Books

04/12/2025

Another year nearly over, and - as always - we are proud of the work that On the Road Books does in ensuring that good books are saved from landfill and find new homes.

This year's highlight undoubtedly has to be the Clunes Booktown Festival, where we soaked up the bookish vibes, had some excellent chats with book nerds and sold a lot of books!

We'll be on break from Dec 13 - Jan 12, with the store shut for online orders. But then we'll be back on deck and ready to supply Australia with all the good reads.

Image description: image of a stack of books with text "In 2025, we saveed 1,525 books and gave them a second life; image of a rubbish dump with text "In 2025, we prevented 610kg of landfill; image of a delivery motorbike with text "In 2025, we delivered to 74 postcodes across Australia; image of a mobile bookstore with text "In 2025, we served 174 people at the Clunes Booktown Festival"; image with text "Thank you".

02/10/2025

New in the store this week:

Molly can cook up a storm, but can she accept a helping hand? 🧑‍🍳🍛 A Curry for Murray, Kate Hunter is a delightful and heartwarming picture book about young chef Molly, the delicious dishes she makes for her neighbours, and the lesson she learns about generosity when she needs kindness in return.

A perfect read for encouraging community and sharing! https://ontheroadbooks.com.au/product/a-curry-for-murray-kate-hunter/

02/10/2025

New in the store this week: Meet Ove: The grumpiest man you'll ever love! ❤️

At first sight, Ove is almost certainly the grumpiest man you will ever meet, but beneath that exterior is an utterly irresistible tale of love, community, and unswerving conviction. Fredrik Backman's international bestseller A Man Called Ove is guaranteed to leave you with a spring in your step.

Get your copy today and find out why everyone is falling for Ove! ➡️ https://ontheroadbooks.com.au/product/a-man-called-ove-fredrik-backman/

02/10/2025

New in the store this week:

Dive into the mind of a musical icon! 🎹 From the cult classic songs to the absurdities of life on the road, Ben Folds' memoir A Dream about Lightning Bugs is as nuanced, witty, and relatable as his music. This is his charming and wise chronicle of artistic coming of age, full of pure, hard-won wisdom.

Find out what inspired the music. Shop now: https://ontheroadbooks.com.au/product/a-dream-about-lightning-bugs-ben-folds/

02/10/2025

New in the store this week:

Survival is one thing. Love is another. 💔 When the Superflu wipes out most of the population, Jamie finds an injured stranger, Andrew. All That's Left in the World is a thrilling, heartfelt q***r romance about courage, hope, and humanity for fans of They Both Die at the End.

Don't miss this gripping YA read! Get yours online now: https://ontheroadbooks.com.au/product/all-thats-left-in-the-world-erik-j-brown/

22/03/2025

It’s day 2 of clunesbooktown and we’ve just set up for another day of perusing, discussing and buying books. Come down and say hi.

20/03/2025

We'll be up at this weekend, soaking up the bookish vibes.

If you're around, stop by our mobile bookstore and say hi. It's not like we don't love to talk about books. All the time.

More info: https://clunesbooktown.org.au/

02/02/2025

Exciting to see the posters up around Melbourne for the 2025 Clunes Booktown Festival! We'll be up here again this year, chatting about books, reading our own books and of course, selling books.

If you've never been, the festival is held over Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 March and takes over the entire delightful Victorian town of Clunes, with book stalls, author talks, film screenings and loads of literature-related activities.

See you there!

Image description: a fence hoarding with two identical posters advertising the 2025 Clunes Book Town Festival; an image of a book store within a large marquee, with several people browsing books and discussing them together; a wide open street with several tents and marquees and people wandering the street.

28/01/2025

are currently looking for three key staff to deliver the 2025 festival. Head over to their Insta to read the latest post for full details.

I’m on the board of this amazing org, and have had the pleasure of being shaped by my years working on it in my early 20s, and attending for many years. It has a special place in my heart and I want everyone to experience the joy of being a team member, panellist or audience member.

If you’re 35 or under, throw your hat in the ring to join the 2025 team. It will change your life.

Image: bring yellow text on a black background reads ‘want to be part of our 2025 festival team?’

17/12/2024

Give the gift of engaging books that will be fun to read with your little ones all year round. Stuck for ideas? Check out my ABC News piece for some of the great books released in 2024.

One special request from me… please head to your local bookstore if you’re going to purchase books! Without them our publishing industry wouldn’t survive.

From picture books that won't drive adults wild re-reading them endlessly, to the best graphic novels and young adult books, writer Lefa Singleton Norton has your summer of reading with young people covered.