The Book Forest

The Book Forest A bookshop, yes. But we are acolytes of Wonder, too. You can find us within the courtyard space inside Niagara Park Shopping Centre (next to the train station).

Not only do we sell new and pre-read books, but magical hand made felt as well. We also have furniture and plants and other surprises. There are places to sit and chat, musical instruments to muck around with and not so bored games to play with a friend or two. We have story time, book readings for all ages and a variety of courses for all ages. Visit the past, the now and your community.

When Frances Hardinge won the Carnegie Medal Children's Award for the Lie Tree, it was the first YA book to do so since ...
14/02/2022

When Frances Hardinge won the Carnegie Medal Children's Award for the Lie Tree, it was the first YA book to do so since Philip Pulman's The Amber Spyglass, years before.

But then she cemented her place in children's literature history by winning, at the very same ceremony, The Carnegie Medal for the overall Book of the Year.

The Carnegie Medal is no small thing.

We first met the story telling originality of Frances Hardinge with her first book, Fly by Night. It was weird and original and endearing.
She's won many fantasy awards, but a lot of her books also walk the moon-shadowed avenues between fantasy and horror. As this one does.

The Lie Tree is set in Victorian England in the world of science and natural history, but takes place on a remoted and rugged island, after young Faith's father is exiled from society.

Which is why, by page 12, you are stepping from a ferry, in the rain, with the Sunderly family, onto the island of Vane...

🌳

The Lie Tree $17.50

Deep editing. What is it that draws words from your heart to a place deep in your reader? And how do you recognise it? T...
09/02/2022

Deep editing. What is it that draws words from your heart to a place deep in your reader? And how do you recognise it? Then polish it so it sings, somehow, in the world?

There are many ways, some technical, some poetic, some very human. It's what our writing workshops have been based on for nearly two decades.

Now we're offering to apply that hard-won wisdom to your writing project.

The editorial process doesn't usually draw on words like connection and grace, or point the writer toward their own shivering honesty. But we value the wild humanity of your true voice, and respect the right of your work to be alive in the world.

Yes, we look at grammar and sentence structure, too, yet even they have a tawny pelt that can hide and shift in the moonlight; that work like a village to bring your story to its true.

Rates will vary per project, but like with our books and our workshops, we aim for everything to be as accessible as possible, and to keep the prices as low as we can.

Just get in contact with us.

We want to see your work, and your voice, out there in the world.

💚

As a bookshop, we had to decide what we could possibly do to help in the biodiversity and climate emergency. Which is w...
01/02/2022

As a bookshop, we had to decide what we could possibly do to help in the biodiversity and climate emergency. Which is why we're turning the idea of a bookshop inside-out, stepping out into the community where the world, and the books that represent the world, live.

This bundle speaks to the emergency itself, and what we can do.

The Future We Choose, by authors in the guts of international climate negotiations at the UN, have a written a clear-eyed guide to what we can do. Each of us.

But this is a family pack. So Tapestries of Life takes us into nature and the miracles of support nature gives us.

Rounding it off is the rebellious teenager's guide, Challenge Everything.

We need them all.

🌳

Tapestries of Life (RRP $27.99)
The Book Forest $19.50

The Future We Choose (RRP $22.99)
The Book Forest $20.50

Challenge Everything (RRP $14.99)
The Book Forest $13.95

The Book Forest Bundle price - all 3 books for $50

For fans of The Binding (ie anyone who opened the first page), The Betrayals is here. Dark academia crossed with fantasy...
22/01/2022

For fans of The Binding (ie anyone who opened the first page), The Betrayals is here. Dark academia crossed with fantasy. Historical drama infused with magic. At the same time a very human story. Step inside and discover the art of The Grand Jeu.

And for fans of slowing down, here's one of the best exercises ever in the art of paying attention, and letting the magic healing of that bloom in and around you while you're not even noticing. For adults and kids, each of the fifty double-page illustrated ideas takes you out into nature to pay attention to something - something that demands it can't be rushed. Every single one is exciting slowing you down to start with on the page, then inviting you outside. Noticed how the moon waxes and wanes? Seen how a cloud forms, a spider weaves her web? How about a horse galloping through a meadow, a ladybug taking to the air. A tadpole, you know, becomes a frog. And right now they're in lots of puddles and outside buckets...

Been waiting for ages for this one to come in!

🌳
The Betrayals
(RRP $22.99)
The Book Forest $16.99

Slow Down (hardcover)
(RRP $39.99)
The Book Forest $29.99

New beginnings are coming for The Book Forest! And we're actually pretty excited. The physical shop in Niagara Park may ...
17/01/2022

New beginnings are coming for The Book Forest! And we're actually pretty excited. The physical shop in Niagara Park may be closed - it's official (it's a covid thing), but we've been working on a new concept in bookshops.

In the meantime keep doing what you have been! Calling us, messaging us, texting us, asking for a particular book, asking for suggestions. And we'll keep delivering them (or posting them), and saying hi.

And we'll keep popping up the latest books and ideas we're excited about here, of course.

Stay posted!

[Art by Jeremiah Morelli. Used by permission]

This is the sort of book that would have really fed my imagination when I was young. It has that perfect light brush of ...
10/01/2022

This is the sort of book that would have really fed my imagination when I was young. It has that perfect light brush of whimsical wonder and education, the sort of creative thing that young minds crave, I think. That really feeds the roots of early wonder, that always echoes a little in future creativity.

🌳

The Big Book of Blue, by Yuval Zimmer
(RRP $29.99)
The Book Forest $26.99

One for the artists.Each double page spread is an artistic rendering of one of our planet's national parks and their ama...
08/01/2022

One for the artists.
Each double page spread is an artistic rendering of one of our planet's national parks and their amazing biodiversity.

RRP $34.99
The Book Forest $24.99
(1 only. Slight cover damage)

Australia's most famous nature poet, and one of America's.Give yourself the gift of time to breathe. Nature poetry does ...
16/12/2021

Australia's most famous nature poet, and one of America's.

Give yourself the gift of time to breathe. Nature poetry does that.

🌳
How to Fly, Barbara Kingsolver (hardback) RRP $29.99
The Book Forest $23.50

Jam Tree Gully, John Kinsella (paperback) RRP $29.99
The Book Forest $21.50

Here's the suggestion for you or someone you know: each day open to a new page and find out about a bird somewhere on th...
16/12/2021

Here's the suggestion for you or someone you know: each day open to a new page and find out about a bird somewhere on the planet. Every page is a beautifully illustrated, informative piece on a bird species. There are watercolours, natural history illustrations, photos, old postage stamps. Spend a bit of time finding out more about them.

Then,
go outside and find your bird of the day, right where you live. (And the more you see the same bird of the day at your place the more you'll get to understand them! And you'll be surprised, too, who comes to visit.)

Understand an aspect of the world, and then ground that learning where you live. Maybe homeschooling, maybe just a thirst to learn and experience the world with beauty and exploration.

Because books are a living thing.

(Have a relaxing Christmas!)

🌳
A Bird a Day (RRP $39.99)
The Book Forest $29.99

We deliver!

Let's Eat W**ds!We've been using Adam Grubb's W**d Forager's Handbook to learn about the natural salads we have growing ...
10/12/2021

Let's Eat W**ds!

We've been using Adam Grubb's W**d Forager's Handbook to learn about the natural salads we have growing around. We've even made w**d greens omelettes! (Review: yum)

Now Adam's got together with artist Annie Raser-Rowland to produce a book that, we have to say, is even better.

Let's Eat W**ds: A Kid's Guide to Foraging, has many of the field guide bits (with beautiful drawings) written in an easy conversational style, but also recipes, education and projects. It's pretty cool.

🌳

Let's Eat W**ds (RRP $24.99)
The Book Forest $22.50

Also available, The W**d Forager's Handbook (pocket sized)

Also arrived on the HMS Floaty Snail...New nature books!"Consolations" has become a slow burning classic, compared, ofte...
26/10/2021

Also arrived on the HMS Floaty Snail...

New nature books!

"Consolations" has become a slow burning classic, compared, often, to Walden. It reminds me of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek which is, I think, higher praise. One of the standouts is the utter originality of Sylvain Tesson's voice. Beautiful and funny and thoughtful.

Edgelands. How long have we hung out for this one? Staring into the creek below the bridge behind Ourimbah Station, thinking on the power of nature to keep hold and thrive in places we deem unimportant? The wild resistance. The places many of us grew up exploring, meditating with the birds and the tiny fish. And wondering: when will that damn book get here, so we can see their deep exploration and thoughts on all this?

Jungle. Well, it's the forest inside our hearts and our DNA, yes? Can't wait to climb the primal thick vines inside the pages.

"Red Hill" was a finalist for the Wainwright Prize. On the order list because the writing spoke of compassion and a slow, beautiful pace.

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Address

Central Coast NSW And Beyond
Niagara Park, NSW

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 2pm
Thursday 10am - 2pm
Friday 10am - 2pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm

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