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 & 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.

‘Fearless and hopeful’ – The Saturday Paper

Based on Kaurna Meyunna Yerta, Adelaide Plains, Slingsby is a theatre company that creates and tours original immersive theatre for young people, families and theatregoers of all ages. Since its establishment in 2007, Slingsby has built an international reputation for being a distinctive creative voice with shows touring across every state in Australia alongside extensive international seasons in Singapore, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, the UK, Norway, the USA, Canada, China, India and Aotearoa.

Ceridwen Dovey is an Australian author, science writer and filmmaker based on Gadigal country in Sydney. Her books include Only the Astronauts, Blood Kin and Only the Animals.

Ursula Dubosarsky is the award-winning author of over sixty books for young people, and a past Australian Children’s Laureate. She lives on Gadigal country in Sydney.

Jennifer Mills is an author, editor and critic based on Kaurna Yarta (Adelaide). Her latest novel is Salvage.

If you enjoyed A Concise Compendium of Wonder, we suggest:

• Going down the rabbit hole of retold classics with Eros by Zoe Terakes and Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

• Straying into fantasy with The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke and The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin

• Exploring the climate crisis in fiction: The Minstrels by Eva Hornung, The Swan Book by Alexis Wright and Playing Nice Was Getting Me Nowhere by Alex Cothren

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