22 October 2026: It’s a great day for reading and sport enthusiasts alike as the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) announces that Luna Roo: the Kangaroo Baller — written by Adam Jackson and Adrian Lloyd, and illustrated by Jake Minton — has been selected as the official book for National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) 2026.
On Wednesday 27 May 2026 at 12.00 pm AEST, millions of children, parents, teachers, and library lovers across Australia and beyond will come together to read Luna Roo at the same time — celebrating the joy of reading, storytelling and connection. Published by Little Book Press the story follows the spirited kangaroo Luna and her friends as they chase their football dreams across the outback, blending action, teamwork and fun to inspire young readers. Luna Roo was selected from 84 submissions from publishers around the country.
“We chose Luna Roo for NSS because it captures the spirit of rising to a challenge with heart and grit” said Kellie John, a member of the selection panel and ALIA’s Children and Youth Services Special Interest Group. “Navigating nerves, tricky opponents, and unexpected hurdles reflects the kind of determination kids face every day. It is a powerful celebration of courage, self-belief, and pushing through when things get tough.”
First-time authors Adam Jackson and Adrian Lloyd wanted to share their love of football and storytelling with young readers — combining decades of experience on and off the field. Between them, they bring more than 20 years in Australian football as coaches, players and industry professionals, and a further 20 years working across publishing, marketing and digital media.
“We wrote these books to share our love of sport with our children, and we’re thrilled that NSS will enable us to connect with millions of young readers across the country,” said Adam Jackson. “Plus, with the Matildas competing in the Women’s Asian Cup here in Australia in March and the Socceroos heading to the FIFA World Cup in June, football will be front of mind for families across the globe!”
“Luna Roo being recognised as the NSS 2026 book is humbling,” added Adrian Lloyd. “This is our first book in the series and gives us confidence that we are creating something worthwhile and entertaining for children and families.”
Illustrator Jake Minton said, “NSS is one of the biggest days on the kid lit calendar and I'm beyond excited to be directly involved and to share my work and love of visual storytelling with over two million people across the country. ALIA do so much around early literacy development and they’re true champions of Australian authors and illustrators – I’m just incredibly grateful to be involved.”
Now in its 26th year, NSS stands as one of Australia’s biggest collective reading events, with over 2.2 million participants joining from more than 16,600 locations last year.
“We are so proud of the role NSS plays in the Australian community, bringing millions of people together to celebrate the joys of reading and storytelling” said ALIA CEO Cathie Warburton. “With declining literacy rates and the known benefits of recreational reading - NSS is an event that is needed now more than ever.Registrations for NSS are now open — and participation is free for everyone.
Registrations for NSS are now open — and participation is free for everyone.