Once again, my vow to not buy any books has been a dismal failure. Behold my list of Books I Shouldn’t Have Bought But Did from the past month. Thanks to Cindy from Cindy’s Love of Books for this book meme.

The Very Worried Sparrow by Meryl Doney – I bough this sweet little book to read with my daughter, who worries far too much.

The Betrayal of Bindy MacKenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty – I have recently read Moriarty’s latest release Finding Amelia, which I really enjoyed. I’ve seen this book recommended elsewhere. It’s part of a series, so I guess if I enjoy this one you’ll be seeing Feeling Sorry for Celia and Finding Cassie Crazy on my Books Bought lists in the future.

The Garden of Empress Cassia by Gabrielle Wang – I recently reviewed Gabrielle Wang’s latest novel Little Paradise (at Suite101 and Reading Upside Down) and enjoyed a wonderful hour chatting with Gabrielle as well. Gabrielle mentioned this novel during our chat and I picked up a copy to read with my daughter.

Indigo Blue by Cathy Cassidy – I loved Cassidy’s book Angel Cake and have been picking up other titles by this tween author as I find them ready for my daughter to read in a year or two. I spoke with Cathy Cassidy when she was in Australia last year and I loved her philosophy on writing books for 9 – 13 year old girls.

Rainbow Magic: Destiny the Pop Star Fairy – This is for my daughter’s birthday and features three stories in one book, a fluttering fairy bookmark and a page of fairy tattoos. It doesn’t get any better than that, right?

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome – I read Three Men on the Bummel many years ago and thought it was wonderful. I noticed this book on a recent visit to Suz’s Space second-hand bookshop online and couldn’t resist (obviously).

Coles Funny Picture Book No. 2 – Just one look at the cover takes me back to my childhood. How can you not love a book that has the following statement on the cover: ‘The happiness of mankind, the real salvation of the world must come about by every person in existence being taught to Read and induced to Think’. I was disappointed that this edition wasn’t quite the book I remembered, but it is lovely nonetheless and has become all the more interesting thanks to a book about the author I received to review - E W Cole: Chasing the Rainbow by Lisa Lang. I’m now on the lookout for Cole’s Funny Picture Book No. 1 and No. 3.

Cole’s Happy Puzzles – this collection of ‘Cole’s happiest puzzles and pictures… and picture-puzzles madly and happily edited by Cole Turnley and Merron Cullum has more of the optical illusions, word puzzles and hidden picture illustrations that I remember from the Coles Funny Picture Books.

My Story: Who Am I? – The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937 by Anita Heiss – I recently chatted with Anita Heiss about her latest release Manhattan Dreaming (reviews at Suite101 and Reading Upside Down) and she mentioned this YA title, which deals with the Indigenous Australian ‘Stolen Generation’. I’ve included it on my book list for the April 2010 Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-a-thon.

My Place by Nadia Wheatley & Donna Rawlins – I received a review copy of Making My Place by Nadia Wheatley about the process of filming the My Place television series and realised that I had never read the classic Australian picture book that is the basis for the series. It’s a wonderful book and I’m really pleased that I now have it for my children to read.