In this interview, Clara Dackenberg, illustrator of the Carnegies-shortlisted The Playdate, gives us a glimpse into her creative process behind the scenes—creating characters, a favourite moment, her workspace essentials, and a message to young readers.

We are beyond excited to announce that we are partnering with Simon & Schuster Australia for the sales and distribution of our children’s books in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. This is a personal milestone for us—as you will see, ANZ is, in many ways, where the seeds of Lantana were sowed. For the curious souls, we’ve also included here a sneak peak to our 2026 ANZ booklist.

This February, Lantana and fellow independent publishers celebrate the many colours of love with a collaborative Indies booklist for the National Year of Reading. From throwing a henna party with family to reading to shelter puppies with friends, this joyful selection of children’s books shows how love blossoms in many beautiful ways.

Indie children’s publishers unite for the National Year of Reading 2026, launching monthly inclusive reading lists that celebrate diverse stories and communities.

Meet Shiko Nguru, author of the Intasimi Warriors series. Shiko shares with us her thoughts on the joy of reading, children’s fiction, and writing the Intasimi Warriors series.