A Concise Compendium of Wonder

A radical collection of reimagined fairytales from three incredible Australian authors, for readers of all ages.

In the middle of a great famine, two siblings are cast out into a forest that holds both danger and beauty. Perpetual winter descends upon a giant's garden after rowdy children are shut out by a massive wall. In the year 3099, humans find themselves stranded on the Moon and turn to their one remaining tree for wisdom.

At the centre of each of these stories is an urgent question about humanity's relationship with nature. But there is also a tiny seed of hope.

Based on the Brothers Grimm's Hansel and Gretel, Oscar Wilde's The Selfish Giant and Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl, this epic collection from award-winning authors Ceridwen Dovey, Ursula Dubosarsky and Jennifer Mills is destined to be a favourite for all generations.

A Concise Compendium of Wonder is published to coincide with the Slingsby theatre production of the same name, premiering at the Adelaide Festival in March 2026, and includes illustrations by Lorelei Medcalf.

Education notes available here