First Nations Women Authors

*CBCA 2022 Notable Book: Early childhood*

Age range 0 to 9

Summer is the season

for ripening wild cherries,

tatas,

wild currants,

canygong

The canygong fruits taste like salty strawberries.

In this delightful children’s picture book, Aunty Patsy Cameron generously shares the stories and traditions from her family’s seasonal island life in Tasmania. With evocative text and stunning illustrations, Sea Country lets the reader know when to pick ripe wild cherries, when the moon (mutton) birds fly home and how the nautilus shells smell like the deepest oceans.

Aunty Patsy Cameron, who is a descendant of the Pairebeenne Trawlwoolway clan in Tasmania, weaves a cultural homage to life on Flinder’s Island, with stories of collecting shells, fishing in wooden dinghies with long oars, and watching clouds snake their way down Mt Munro. Alongside this tender story, Lisa Kennedy reveals the love and connection to sea and Country through her intricate collages and delicate illustrations that sing country alive.

The Little Corroborree Frog is a wonderful children's story that gently introduces the serious plight of one of Australia's most endangered species. Jet the corroboree frog is happily taking care of the tadpole ponds when the water starts to dry up and his family's eggs are threatened. He goes to visit Grandmother Frog to find out why and she tells him all about the summers that are getting hotter every year and the careless humans who are leaving their rubbish around. When a boy and his father arrive to go fishing in the nearby river, Jet seizes the opportunity to show them how humans are threatening the very existence of his species.

Age range 4+

Another simple, universal story from Sally Morgan and Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr, this time, a beautifully illustrated celebration of rain. Thank you rain! is a joyful read, and is full of the plants and animals that welcome rain: raindrops in the treetops; birds singing in the rain; raindrops wetting the dry earth and filling creek beds; birds, frogs and kangaroos all enjoying the rain and finishing with Johnny dancing with happiness!

Sally Morgan’s beautiful words and Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr’s sensitive artwork combine to give this distinctive children’s picture book global appeal. Johnny infuses his illustrations with his fine-art aesthetic and traditional motifs to bring each page to vivid life.

Age range 0 to 3

Another simple, universal story from Sally Morgan — this time a beautifully illustrated celebration of the life of the river. The River takes the reader on a journey of what their eyes can see and their ears can hear. See geen ants crawling, hear frogs croaking, a goanna running, a fish splashing...

Sally Morgan’s beautiful words and Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr’s sensitive artwork combine to make this a unique, distinctive children’s picture book with global appeal. Johnny infuses his illustrations with his fine-art aesthetic and his traditional motifs to bring each page to vivid life.

Shortlisted for the ALS Gold Medal 2019

'A gentle whisper from the past
Visits me in my dreams
Or is it the future that I see ... '

From well-known poets John Kinsella and Charmaine Papertalk-Green comes a tête-à-tête that is powerful, thought provoking, and challenges what we think we know about our country, colonisation, and how we understand our land. Striking conversations surrounding childhood, life, love, mining, death, respect, and diversity; imbued by silken Yamatji sensibility and sublimely responded to by the son of a foreman from South Champion Mine.

This extraordinary publication weaves two differing points of view together as Papertalk-Green and Kinsella's words traverse this land and reflect back to us all, our many identities and quiet voices.

Age range 4+

‘Welcome home lost children
To land singing you back home
Listen to its language
Learn how to speak its song’

From the award-winning creator of Baby Business (2019) and Cooee Mittigar (2019) comes a stunning bilingual story of healing and belonging.

Told in English and Darug, Open Your Heart to Country is a moving account of reconnection to Country from a First Nations perspective. Sharing the nourishing power of returning home and being immersed in the language of Country, this picture book invites readers to reflect on the importance of place, not only for First Nations’ peoples but for everyone.

With exquisite illustrations and soft, lilting text, Open Your Heart to Country appeals to the very young, while sharing a deeper message for older readers. A book the whole family can enjoy.

Great-Grandpa Liman lives in a small house by the sea. There are no lights — just stars as far as the eye can see.

Brother Moon is a powerful story lovingly told by a great-grandfather to his great-grandson. Beneath the dark sky of the Northern Territory, Hippy-Boy is captivated when Great-Grandpa Liman tells him the mysterious story of his brother and how it guides his connection to Country.

Great-Grandpa is a masterful storyteller and, as the tale unfolds, he finally reveals his brother is the moon — a wonder of the universe. Hippy-Boy learns how his greatgrandfather uses the phases of the moon when he goes hunting and fishing, and why it is important for us all to have an understanding of the natural world.

Liman (Harry Morgan), the author's grandfather, was a respected Wadjigany man — a leader amongst his people and the community. Liman was born at Manjimamany in the Northern Territory in 1916. He was a canoe maker, hunter, community mediator, and a family man who lived off the land and travelled the seas. Liman spoke Batjamalh, his first language, and other languages from the Daly River area.

Teachers' notes available here

*Shortlisted for the 2021 ABIAs: Small Publishers' Children's Book of the Year*

Age range 3 to 9 

Family
Heart and home
Yarning old people
Endless sky

Family is a thoughtful contemplation for all to learn the different ways that family makes us whole. This beautifully illustrated children's picture book shows everyone that 'family' can be about heart and home; an endless sky; stories and songs. It  'learns' us how to be with each other and with Country. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and this remarkably simple story teaches us all, that family can be many things. 

*CBCA 2022 Notable Book: Early childhood*

Age range 3 to 6

When we share, there is plenty for all.

A tender, thoughtful story with a gentle reminder of all the ways sharing makes us stronger.

Sharing is book three in the award-winning Our Place series (Respect 2020, Family 2020) that introduces children to First Nations philosophies that are dear to Aunty Fay’s heart. Each book is a powerful educational tool, with exquisite illustrations.

Written with tenderness and clarity, Sharing is illustrated by award-winning creator Leanne Mulgo Watson (Cooee Mittigar 2019).

She Is the Earth is the luminous new verse novel from celebrated poet Ali Cobby Eckermann. It charts a journey through grief and celebrates the healing power of Country. We follow Eckermann’s soft footfalls in the open (but far from empty) spaces between earth and sky; from sandstone to wetlands, from plains to mountain ranges.

Eckermann’s writing soars in this meditative and transformative piece. Soaked in lightness and dark, history and dreaming, her words will move you, shake you, devastate you and uplift you. This book is full of unexpected beauty in slow, contemplative moments. Read it to see the ‘She’ in and around all of us.

'To read She is the Earth is to hear the timeless voice of the living Earth herself.' — Gloria Steinem

Meet Zed, Zoro, Eliza and Boo, a spirited gang of monitor lizards who learn the meaning of cooperation and teamwork when they have to work together to escape a raging flood that is threatening their home.

Age range 5 to 9

Tales from the Bush Mob is a series of books about the Bush Mob, a group of animals that works together to solve problems. A rich landscape of characters and places populate this series and include Platypus, Koala, Emu, Wombat, Kookaburra, Echidna, Kangaroo and Gusto, the wind. Places include Willy Wagtail's Tree, Dingo's Den, Old Billabong, Bird Meeting Place, Cockatoo's Nesting Trees, Top Camp and Emu Race Track.

Willy-willy Wagtail is the first book in the series and goes back to before Bush Mob get together and nobody understands each other — and there are lots of fights. One day there is a terrible bush fire and Willy Wagtail, Gusto (the wind) and Crow get all the Bush Mob to work together to save the community. For the first time, everyone understands each other and Dingo takes charge and leads all the animals to safety. Dingo is now Boss Dog and is head of the Bush Council, with Willy Wagtail and Crow — the Bush Mob is formed. The next two titles are The Emu Who Ran through the Sky (July 2020) and The Sweetest Egg of All (October 2020).

Age range 3 to 6

Molly the Pirate  is a swashbuckling tale that will delight anyone who ever wanted to be a pirate. Young Molly’s imagination knows no bounds when she transforms her Australian backyard into an adventure playground on the high seas. Molly conjures up a pirate ship on her inland horizon and takes her loyal cat and dog along for the ride as she rows across the choppy ocean to the unsuspecting pirates. On board, she meets a feisty crew of salty buccaneers who look suspiciously like her own farmyard chickens. They are no match for Molly’s daring exploits as she walks the plank, dances jolly jigs, scrambles up the rigging (or is that a clothesline?) and steers the ship like a true seafaring adventurer.

Paul Seden’s witty illustrations pop off the page. His visual storytelling is a standout and children will love searching for objects from Molly’s real world that take on a hilarious new purpose in this jaunty pirate story.

Included on the Children's Book Council of Australia 2018 Notables list. 

For perhaps the first time in novel form, Benevolence presents an important era in Australia's history from an Aboriginal perspective. Benevolence is told from the perspective of Darug woman, Muraging (Mary James), born around 1813. Mary's was one of the earliest Darug generations to experience the impact of British colonisation. At an early age Muraging is given over to the Parramatta Native School by her Darug father. From here she embarks on a journey of discovery and a search for a safe place to make her home.

The novel spans the years 1816-35 and is set around the Hawkesbury River area, the home of the Darug people, Parramatta and Sydney. The author interweaves historical events and characters — she shatters stereotypes and puts a human face to this Aboriginal perspective.

*Longlisted for the 2021 ABIAs: Small Publishers' Adult Book of the Year*

You are on Indigenous lands,
swimming in Indigenous waters,
looking up at Indigenous skies. 

Living on Stolen Land is a prose-styled look at our colonial-settler 'present'. This book is the first of its kind to address and educate a broad audience about the colonial contextual history of Australia, in a highly original way. It pulls apart the myths at the heart of our nationhood, and challenges Australia to come to terms with its own past and its place within and on 'Indigenous Countries'. 

This title speaks to many First Nations' truths — stolen lands, sovereignties, time, decolonisation, First Nations perspectives, systemic bias and other constructs that inform our present discussions and ever-expanding understanding. This title is a timely, thought-provoking and accessible read.

Age range 6 to 9 

The emus couldn't fly, but did they sit around looking sad? No! They made sure everyone knew just how fast they could run. Except for poor Lofty...

Lofty, a young emu desperately wants to win a big emu race, but he is slow and clumsy — and his first race ends in disaster! But, Lofty realises there is another way to win the race. He enlists the help of his Bush Mob friends Eagle, Sugar Glider and Bat — who are all excellent fliers — to teach him to fly. But it is Bush Mob's inventor, Platypus, who designs the Feathery Paraglider that allows Lofty to win the day!

Tales from the Bush Mob is a series of books about the Bush Mob, a group of animals who work together to solve problems. The first in the series Willy-willy Wagtail, introduced Willy Wagtail and Gusto the Wind, who save the animals from a bushfire. Each book shares a rich landscape of characters and places, including Lofty the emu, Eagle, Sugar Glider, Bat, Platypus, Koala, Wombat, Kookaburra, Echidna, Kangaroo. These stories emphasise the value of respect for First Nations culture and country, as well as the importance of courage, perseverance and wisdom to bind communities together. The Emu Who Ran Through the Sky is the second book in the series.

Age range 3 to 9

Breanna wrote this story when she was 8 years old and wanted to fly.

Beautifully told and illustrated story of Breanna, who wants to be a superhero. She asks family and friends if she can become a superhero by wishing upon a shooting star. She tries but it doesn't work. Breanna is finally happy with the idea of working hard and becoming a superhero doctor, lawyer, engineer or vet. But she still wants to fly!

Age range 12 to 18

Through a pair of ornate wrought-iron gates was one of the oldest universities in the country. Our paths had just intersected. It was 1985 and I, little black duck, was about to embark on a law degree. 

Set within the explosive cultural shifts of the 1960s and 1980s, Becoming Kirrali Lewis chronicles the journey of a young Aboriginal teenager as she leaves her home town in rural Victoria to take on a law degree in Melbourne in 1985. Adopted at birth by a white family, Kirrali doesn't question her cultural roots until a series of life-changing events force her to face up to her true identify. Her decision to search for her biological parents sparks off a political awakening that no-one sees coming, least of all Kirrali herself as she discovers her mother is white and her father is a radical black activist. Narrative flashbacks to the 1960s, where Kirrali's biological mother, Cherie, is rebelling against her parent's strict conservatism sees her fall into a clandestine relationship with an Aboriginal man. Unmarried and pregnant, Cherie's traumatic story of an unforgiving Australian society give meaning to Kirrali's own rites of passage nearly twenty years later. The generational threads of human experience are the very things that will complete her. If only she can let go.

Read this lovely post on Alpha Reader

Reviewed in The Sydney morning Herald and Subversive Reader

Age range 3 to 6

In this quintessentially Australian title, Going to the Footy combines richly textured and striking illustrations of iconic Australian modes of transport, with some gentle humour.

This strikingly beautiful book for Early Childhood will captivate young children and older readers alike. The highly original artwork of Debbie Coombes in a vibrant Tiwi style, will showcase many different ways to get 'to the footy'.

Whether you go to the footy in a tinny, a troopy or on a barge, this book is unforgettable.

*Shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards 2020: Children's Literature*

*Shortlisted for the SPN Book of the Year Award 2020*

*Longlisted for the CBCA 2020 Eve Pownall Award for Information Books*

*Longlisted for the 2020 ABIA Small Publishers' Children's Book of the Year*

Age range 5 to 12

'Warami mittigar. Hello friend. 
We welcome you to Darug Country.'

Cooee Mittigar, meaning Come Here Friend, is an invitation to yana (walk), on Darug Country.  In this stunning picture book, Darug creators Jasmine Seymour and Leanne Mulgo Watson tell a story on Darug Songlines, introducing children and adults-alike to Darug Nura (Country) and language.

Greeted by Mulgo, the black swan, readers are welcomed to Nura. Journeying through the seasons, Mulgo describes the land, skyscape, birds, animals and totems. It is a gentle guide to how Darug people read the seasons, knowing when it is time to hunt and time to rest. It is also an appeal to remember, off ering new ways of seeing and reading the lands of the surrounding Sydney region.   

With Darug language interspersed with English and an extensive glossary throughout, Cooee Mittigar presents an important tool for learning, told as a tender story with exquisite illustrations. It is Jasmine and Leanne's wish that with this book, everyone will know that the Darug mob are still here and still strong. 

Cooee mittigar. Tread softly on our lands.
Know that this dreaming was here. Is still here.
Will be forever.

Teachers' Notes available here

Girls can do anything
Who says girls can't fly?
Stretch out your arms
Aim for your dreams 
Believe in your wings 
Breathe in the sky
Fly high

Who says girls can't fly? 

Girls Can Fly is an inspirational, young teen book from award-winning Aboriginal writer and artist Sally Morgan and her equally talented daughter Ambelin. Together they have written short, poignant sayings full of advice that comes from their life experiences. Mother and daughter have written a beautiful, thoughtful and inspiring book. An early draft of the manuscript was given to the participants of the Kimberley and Pilbara Girls program and their feedback and suggestions were taken in. An acknowledgement, information about and photographs of the girls are featured at the back of the book.

*Longlisted for the 2021 Indie Book Awards: Children's*

*Longlisted for the 2021 ABIAs: Children's Picture Book of the Year*

*A 2021 CBCA Notable Book: Early Childhood*

Age range 3 to 9

Our Way is old.
Older than the red earth.
Older than flickering stars.
Our way is respect.

A tender, thoughtful story reminding us to respect others and respect ourselves. Part of the Our Place series which welcomes children to culture. 

'Dream team Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson, who previously brought us the excellent Nganga: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander words and phrases, have collaborated with artist Lisa Kennedy to deliver this absolutely exquisite picture book.  In Respect, the first book in Magabala's Our Place series — the aim of which is to welcome children to Aboriginal culture — Muir and Lawson's sparse text is offset by Kennedy's luminous images, which come alive on the page.' — Hannah Gardiner, Books+Publishing

Teachers' notes available here

*Shortlisted for the 2022 Stella Prize*

*Shortlisted for the 2021 Queensland Literary Awards: Judith Wright Calanthe Award for a Poetry Collection*

Our grandmothers' stories teach us about Aboriginal women's ways of being in our many worlds. Some of the stories in this collection are held in spoken histories, others in archival material, recontextualised with living katitjin. Some are held in my imagination. They are fragments of the many stars in my grandmothers' constellations. I track my grandmothers' stars to find my bidi home.

Homecoming pieces together fragments of stories about four generations of Noongar women and explores how they navigated the changing landscapes of colonisation, protectionism, and assimilation to hold their families together.

This seminal collection of poetry, prose and historical colonial archives, tells First Nations truths of unending love for children — those that were present, those taken, those hidden and those that ultimately stood in the light.

Homecoming speaks to the intergenerational dialogue about Country, kin and culture. This elegant and extraordinary form of restorative story work amplifies Aboriginal women's voices, and enables four generations of women to speak for themselves. This sublime debut highlights the tenacity of family as well as First Nation's agency to resist, survive and renew.

'Like Alexis Wright’s Carpentaria, this is a landmark text in indigenous writing. It is a work of immense spirit, ingenuity and narrative confidence.' – Gail Jones

Every Secret Thing is a nothing-is-sacred misadventure that crackles with Marie Munkara’s famous acerbic humour.

Set in the early days of missionary activity in far northern Australia, Every Secret Thing follows the Bush Mob as they try to evade the Mission Mob, who, along with everyone else are trying to avoid having their souls saved by the Roman Catholic Missionaries. In these hilariously irreverent vignettes of mission life, everyone and everything is fair game.

Publisher Rachel Bin Salleh said: 'There is no other Australian author of fiction who writes with such acerbic and uncompromising wit about Australia’s mission and colonial history. For Aboriginal people, humour is essential to our survival, our resilience. Every Secret Thing unapologetically challenges stereotypes. While the writing makes you laugh out loud, it also opens you up to some hard truths. That, I think, is her mastery.'

Winner of the David Unaipon Award and first published in 2009 by UQP, Every Secret Thing was Marie Munkara’s debut novel.

'With the growing interest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in Australia, it is a great time to revisit and highlight some of the extraordinary works in the backlist. I think Australian readers are ready for Marie’s work now, than they were when it was first released. We’ve come a long way as a nation in that time.' – Rachel Bin Salleh

A new edition of this award-winning title, Every Secret Thing is filled with humour, joy and despair. It is an unflinching insight into the legacy of Australia’s mission era.

*Shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2021*

*Shortlisted for the ABIA 2020 Small Publishers' Adult Book of the Year*

This is the breaking,
the shattering,
the smattering
of every limit
ever accepted
or imposed…

Kindred, Kirli Saunders debut poetry collection, is a pleasure to lose yourself in. Kirli has a keen eye for observation, humour and big themes that surround Love/Connection/Loss in an engaging style, complemented by evocative and poignant imagery. It talks to identity, culture, community and the role of Earth as healer. Kindred has the ability to grab hold of the personal in the universal and reflect this back to the reader.

*Winner of CBCA 2020 Notable Book of the Year: Picture Book*

*Longlisted for the 2020 ABIA Small Publishers' Children's Book of the Year*

Age range 3 to 6

Baby Business tells the story of the baby smoking ceremony that welcomes baby to country. The smoke is a blessing — it will protect the baby and remind them that they belong. This beautiful ritual is recounted in a way young children will completely relate to.

Jasmine Seymour is a Darug woman and a descendant of Maria Lock, daughter of Yarramundi, the Boorooberongal Elder who had met Governor Phillip on the banks of the Hawkesbury in 1791. It is Jasmine's wish that through her books, everyone will know that the Darug mob are still here, still strong. Jasmine is a primary school teacher in the Hawkesbury area of NSW.

Teachers' notes available here

Age range 0 to 3

Counting our Country in Arnhem Land

Counting our Country is a bilingual counting book from Jill Daniels, an Indigenous artist who lives in SE Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. 

Jill's paintings of animals found on her country celebrate her distinctive style and playful use of colour. Children will love counting the animals from 1 to 10 as they turn the pages.

Each double-page spread features the name of the animal in Ritharrnu, Jill's Aboriginal language, and in English. A guide on 'How to pronounce the Ritharrnu animal names' appears at the back of the book and encourages readers and young children to see if they can say them.

Counting our Country recognises the value of developing cultural literary by introducing Indigenous language and art in the early years. 

Age range 12 to 18

Shortlisted for Most Underrated Book Award 2019 

Rob; (and his brother Pen) white Aussies. Rob is completing Year 12, going to schoolies, working as an apprentice in his dad's company and loves his dog, Nig. Rob believes real men take risks.

Pen; fifteen-years-old, storyteller, graffiti artiste extraordinaire with a penchant for male anatomy. Pen is liked by everyone. Pen and Benny Boy are mates.

Benny Boy; fifteen-years-old, Aboriginal, loves drawing, fishing and living with his awesome (white) foster Nan. Benny Boy doesn't trust Rob.

Jack; white, male, finishing Year 12, new to the area, from the bush and adopted into an Aboriginal family. Jack has met Pen and reckons he's a funny bugger. He has also just signed up as an apprentice working alongside Rob-the-knob.

Brontide is a coming of age story about four boys and their lot in life. Recounted through storytelling sessions at their school over a period of five days, these boys chronicle their lives. They are at times demanding, occasionally rude, always funny and unexpectedly profound. The boys like to challenge themselves and the rules, and soon realise that not everything goes to plan…

'These stories form part of our collective history, the way we speak of and live culture still today, and the importance of passing on such stories to younger generations.' — Dr. Anita Heiss, Ed.

Growing up Wiradjuri is a collection of personal stories by Wiradjuri Elders. The writers are Uncles and Aunties who came of age in New South Wales in the 1950s and 1960s.

In a strong collective voice, they share the difficulties of growing up under the rule of the welfare board. Some describe their experiences of evading capture by the welfare mob, or of being stolen and forced into state care away from their families. Some describe experiencing racism in school, the trials of poverty and family separation.

Alongside the difficulties of marginal life, backbreaking labour and family separation, they also detail their fond memories of their own Elders, Aunts and Uncles who cared for them and taught them culture. Contributors describe happy memories of family and community life on country, working the land, sitting around campfires, hunting, fishing, and playing games in the bush with their cousins, brothers and sisters. They talk about the values that were imparted to them by staunch parents and grandparents, about what it means to come from a family where everyone takes care of each other during hard times, and the work they have done to build stronger communities. Every contributor has important advice to share with the next generation.

Age range 9 to 12

During WWII after the Japanese invasion of Java, more than 1000 refugees from the Dutch East Indies, many in flying boats, passed through Broome, which was a major refuelling point and a significant Allied military base. On 3 March 1942 Broome was attacked by Japanese fighter planes, killing at least 88 civilians and Allied military personnel.

Charlie’s Swim is based on the true story of the author’s Uncle Charlie (Charles D’Antoine) who was working inside a flying boat when the attack began. In the midst of flying bullets, blazing fires and sharks, Charlie saw a woman and child desperately trying to keep afloat and without hesitation went to their rescue.

In 1944, Charlie was awarded a Certificate of Merit from the Royal Humane Society of Australasia in recognition of his efforts and he was awarded four medals for bravery from the Dutch government. It took a further 80 years for the Australian government and military to formally recognise this bravery.

'One morning Charlie was working inside a seaplane. He suddenly heard planes flying overhead, and they seemed incredibly low. Charlie went outside. When he looked up he saw enemy planes swooping towards the bay.’

The new novel by Alexis Wright, whose previous novel Carpentaria won the Miles Franklin Award and four other major prizes including the ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year Award. The Swan Book is set in the future, with Aboriginals still living under the Intervention in the north, in an environment fundamentally altered by climate change. It follows the life of a mute teenager called Oblivia, the victim of gang-rape by petrol-sniffing youths, from the displaced community where she lives in a hulk, in a swamp filled with rusting boats, and thousands of black swans driven from other parts of the country, to her marriage to Warren Finch, the first Aboriginal president of Australia, and her elevation to the position of First Lady, confined to a tower in a flooded and lawless southern city. The Swan Book has all the qualities which made Wright's previous novel, Carpentaria, a prize-winning best-seller. It offers an intimate awareness of the realities facing Aboriginal people; the wild energy and humour in her writing finds hope in the bleakest situations; and the remarkable combination of storytelling elements, drawn from myth and legend and fairy tale.

Age range 3 to 9

Clever Crow is an endearing and witty tale that follows the exploits of a hungry and very clever crow. Crow searches in the bush for food but he can find none. It is only when he comes across people preparing for a ceremony that his luck changes. Crow spots a big turtle egg waiting to be cooked, and he cries out, ‘Yummy, food for me!’ But it is not an easy task stealing a turtle egg – even for a clever crow. Crow has to be more clever than he has ever been before! Children will love Bronwyn Bancrofts’s distinctive illustrations, and how the Djambarrpuynu language translation – Yolnu language from North East Arnhem Land – is woven into the design.

Read the Teachers' Notes here

Age range 5 to 9

Maadjit Walken is the Sacred Rainbow Serpent. She is the mother spirit and creator of Nyoongar Country in the south-west of Western Australia. She formed the landscape and the waterways, and made her first child Maadjit Wagarl, the Sacred Water Snake, the guardian spirit of all the rivers and fresh waters. The Mark of the Wagarl is the story of a how a little boy dared to questioned the wisdom of his elders and why he received the Sacred Water Snake for his totem. Janice Lyndon's pastel illustrations resonate with the cultural power of the Maadjit Wagarl and the landscape of the south-west.

In this montage of memoir, art, silk paintings, and photographs, Sally Bin Demin remembers her childhood growing up in Broome during the 1940s and 50s. As one of the 'after the war kids', Sally's lifestyle was embedded in the many cultural traditions of the people who lived in the old pearling town. She had the world at her doorstep.

*Shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2021*

An ancient ocean roars under the red dirt. Hush. Be still for just a moment. Hear its thunder-ing waves crashing on unseen shores.

Spanning four generations, with a focus on the 1960s and 70s, an era of rapid social change and burgeoning Aboriginal rights, Where the Fruit Falls is a re-imagining of the epic Australian novel.

Brigid Devlin, a young Aboriginal woman, and her twin daughters navigate a troubled nation of First Peoples, settlers and refugees — all determined to shape a future on stolen land. Leaving the sanctuary of her family's apple orchard, Brigid sets off with no destination and a willy wagtail for company. As she moves through an everchanging landscape, Brigid unravels family secrets to recover what she'd lost — by facing the past, she finally accepts herself. Her twin daughters continue her journey with their own search for self-acceptance, truth and justice.

'In poetic and evocative storytelling, this writing celebrates the agency of Indigenous women to traverse ever-present landscapes of colonisation and intergenerational trauma. Country has an omniscient presence in their story lines, guiding the women across vivid desert and coastal landscapes. Where the Fruit Falls recognises both the open wounds of living histo-ries of colonisation and the healing power of belonging to Country.' — 2020 Dorothy Hewett Award judges

'This evocative family saga celebrates the strength and resilience of First Nation women, while touching on deeply traumatic aspects of Australian history. Threads of magic realism shimmer throughout the story, offering a deeper understanding of reality and challenging the reader to imagine a kinder, more just, more humane world.' — Sally Morgan

Age range 5+

Bubbay is lonely, with only the starts as friends. He lives in the outback tending his goats and sleeps under the stars. One night, Bubbay wishes for something he has never had — the stars hear him and, with the help of the magical Gubarlee and such as kangaroo, emu, crow and bower bird, Bubbay begins a quest to make his wish come true. A story full of magic, combined with richly textured illustrations. 

Age range 0 to 8 

'A simply lovely story about the sometimes-quirky memories we have of our mothers.' — Dub Leffler, award winning author/illustrator

Maureen Jipiyiliya Nampijinpa O'Keefe grew up in the remote community of Ali Curung in the NT. Her family lived a bush life. They didn't own much but her mother had a very special 'elephant'. It was her mother's most prized possession and she gave it tender loving care. When her mother's friends were around, they had real tea-parties with the elephant. Often her mother would sleep with it beside her bed.

Christina Booth's splendid illustrations of desert landscapes and bush life deepen the mystery of the elephant, only revealing subtle clues to its true identity. The reader is beguiled by the storytelling until the big surprise when the elephant is revealed. Maureen Jipiyiliya Nampijinpa O'Keefe is a natural storyteller and conveys warmth and humour in her writing. Mum's Elephant will intrigue children and remind adult readers of the simple things that held a special charm when they were young.

'Maureen Jipiyiliya Nampijinpa O'Keefe has spun a cherished childhood memory into a beguiling tale for children in this debut picture book...The joy and value of community lies at the centre of this story — the teapot, which comes out whenever friends visit, is valued for its ability to spark conversations and shared stories — and O'Keefe's gentle humour illuminates the creative and transformative power of a child's perspective on an adult world. Mum's Elephant is a welcome addition to the growing number of stories being shared by First Nations writers.' — Bronte Coates, Books+Publishing

Age range 16+ 

Kaya is completing her Higher School Certificate when she is woken in the middle of the night by her mother. They are to pack immediately and go to their holiday home in the Blue Mountains. Her father is 'not coming back'. He has been involved in a court case to give evidence against some dangerous criminals.

Months later, they are still in hiding and the mysteries are multiplying. Kaya is not sure who to trust: her mother's new friend, the policeman or her new friend, Eric, from the local store.

She is also recovering from memory loss caused by PTSD after a chilling encounter with the criminals. She is seeing a psychologist in an attempt to recall the evidence she might have to give in a forthcoming trial.

Her best friend, Jenna, has gone overseas and Kaya is trying to make sense of what is really happening.

Jannali Jones has crafted a thrilling story which stays on the edge right to the end.

Age range 9+

These are my stories from a dry remote place, where growing up was very different for what children know today.

Kunyi June Anne McInerney was just four years old when she and three of her siblings were taken from their family to the Oodnadatta Children’s Home in South Australia in the 1960s.

Through an extraordinary collection of over 60 paintings, accompanied by stories, Kunyi presents a rare chronicle of what life was like for her and the other Children’s Home kids who became her family.

Her paintings are a healing trove of memories that reveal the loneliness, fear and courage of the Stolen Generation children who were torn from family and loved ones. From bible lessons to sucking bone marrow and collecting bush fruits, the escapades, adventures and sorrows of the children are painted with warmth, humour and unflinching honesty.

Kunyi’s story is one of healing and reconciliation. She is telling it so that the lives of the children at Oodnadatta Children’s Home will not be forgotten. This is a collection of tender and honest stories that will educate children on our nation’s history and remind adult readers of the real impact of the Stolen Generations.

*Shortlisted for the WA Premier's Book Awards: Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer*

*Shortlisted for the 2021 Queensland Literary Awards: Queensland Premier’s Award for a Work of State Significance*

*Shortlisted for the 2021 Queensland Literary Awards: The Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award*

'These two children have been in our Home in Townsville for more than two years, and in view of their very dark colouring, have not been assimilated into the white race. Every effort has been made to place them in a foster home without success because of their colour.' Queensland State Children's Department correspondence, 21 June 1960.

The removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families remains a dark chapter in Australia's history. Pattie Lees was just ten-years-old when she and her four siblings were separated from their mother on the grounds of neglect and placed into State care. Believing she was being shipped and exiled to Africa, Pattie was ultimately fated to spend the rest of her childhood on the island once dubbed 'Australia's Alcatraz' –Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement, off the coast of Queensland.

A Question of Colour; my journey to belonging provides a first-hand account of Pattie's experiences as a 'fair-skinned Aboriginal' during Australia's assimilationist policy era and recounts her survival following a decade of sexual, physical and emotional abuse as a Ward of the State. A Question of Colour is a deeply moving and powerful testimony to the resilience of a young girl, her identity and her journey to belong.

*Winner of the Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award*

*Longlisted for the 2021 ABIAs: Small Publishers' Children's Book of the Year*

Age range 0-8

This gentle story set in the rugged Australian bush is about a small calf who becomes separated from his family. The little calf is alone and simply wants his mother, sisters and brothers. He can see other animals, and after running to the river, manages to ask some horses if they are his family. The calf's family have been taken away in the back of a noisy truck. So begins the little calf's journey to find his family.

In Found we share the calf's point of view in an evocative story, accompanied by stunning illustrations.

'Found is a softened and cautiously optimistic version of a disgraceful history that must not be forgotten: the Stolen Generations. Charmaine Ledden-Lewis' rich illustrations in the deep, bold colours of the Australian desert never let us forget where we are and whose story this is...Using animals to analogise human stories is a tried and true way to make complex events and ideas accessible for young children, and this is no exception.' — Anica Boulanger-Mashberg, Books + Publishing, read here 

*A 2021 CBCA Notable Book: Eve Pownall Award for information books*

Age range 0 to 9

I am Shirley Purdie
This is my story
Ngayin-ga Birrmarriyan-nga
Berrembi jarragbe ngaginybe. 

My mother shows me how to get bushtucker and she shows me how to paint.
Now I'm a famous artist. 
My paintings are all over the world hanging in important places. Happy times. 

Told in English and Gija, this is the story of Shirley Purdie, famous Gija artist, as told through her paintings, as part of the Ngaalim-Ngalimboorro Ngagenybe exhibition created for the 2018 National Portrait Gallery exhibition So Fine: Contemporary women artists make Australian history. The exhibition will be rehung, in Gallery 1, to coincide with the launch of My Story, along with a series of cultural engagement activities based on My Story. 

This is the first book in the Kimberley Art Centre Series. The series focuses on developing the skills of Kimberley Aboriginal artists in children's picture book storytelling and illustration. 

Age range 6 to 9

Billie wants the blue bike and she asks her Mum to buy it for her — but her Mum has no money to spend on a bike. She asks Uncle Jack and he won't give her the money either, but he will help her save up to buy the bike herself. She can work for him for $10 per week for 10 weeks to save the $100 for the bike. But Billie is impatient, and she tries washing cars and even enters her dog Spike in a dog contest — neither of which works out. She eventually she goes back to Uncle Jack and saves the money in 10 weeks — and she is able to purchase the bike!

Billie and the Blue Bike is a fun and engaging way to introduce young children to financial literacy knowledge, and is written for Indigenous children in particular. This brightly illustrated and instructive picture book, written and illustrated by the award-winning Ambelin Kwaymullina, has been designed to include financial literacy learning relevant to students at a Year 2 level. 

Billie and the Blue Bike references the National Consumer Financial Literacy Framework, which sets out three dimensions of learning that underpin consumer and financial education: knowledge and understanding; competence; and responsibility and enterprise. Teachers and parents can use the book as a resource to help children understand core financial literacy matters through storytelling.

Age range 0 to 3

All our hearts shine with love for you. Welcome, child!

Birds sing songs of delight to greet you.
Flowers dance with joy to celebrate you.

Welcome, child! is Sally Morgan's beautiful and heartfelt celebration of the love we feel for a new child. Simple, elegant and adorable, this stunning board book is the perfect story to share as a family and the sweetest way to welcome a little one to the world. Sally Morgan's colourful and beautiful artwork depict love using a bright colour palette of happy birds, dancing stars and hearts that shine and the gentle lilt of her text echoes the deep joy of new life.

Full of unconditional affection that will stand the test of time, this book is the perfect gift for a newborn and an absolute joy to read over and over again.

'I listened to my family’s narratives and my ancestors began to emerge in an almost life-like way.' — Cindy Solonec

This extraordinary and heartfelt story chronicles the lives of the Rodriguez family of Debesa Station in the West Kimberley; their livelihood through difficult times, love of family, place and culture, and the challenges of day-to-day living on a small sheep station amid huge pastoral properties.

Spanning four generations from the 1880s when the author’s maternal great-grandfather, Indian deckhand, Jimmy Casim, met and lived with Nigena woman, Lucy Muninga on Yeeda Station near Derby, Debesa centres on the unlikely partnership of Cindy’s parents: Frank Rodriguez, once a Benedictine novice monk from Spain, and Katie Fraser, who had been a novitiate in a very different sort of abbey – a convent for ‘black’ women at Beagle Bay Mission, 130 kilometres north of Broome.

Together, Frank and Katie Rodriguez established Debesa, where Cindy and her three siblings grew up with the rich cultural heritage of their Spanish, Nigena and English ancestors.

Debesa is a sweeping social history of one family’s struggles and triumphs set against the backdrop of the beauty of the West Kimberley.

A revamped Magabala classic by Miles Franklin award‑winning author Alexis Wright.

First published in 1997, this vivid portrayal of how the Indigenous people of Tennant Creek worked together to achieve community-wide alcohol restrictions, is more relevant now than ever. A searing account of what transpired over 25 years ago, Grog War provides historical context and Indigenous-led solutions to the challenges still confronting communities and towns throughout Australia.

In the '90s, Wright was commissioned by the Julalikari Council of Tennant Creek to write Grog War, to document how Aboriginal Elders and leaders dealt with the invasion of grog on Warumungu land and the enormous struggle it took to introduce simple alcohol restrictions in the town. Grog War traces an Indigenous-led movement of self-determination that shifted the blame from Aboriginal people for public drunkenness to looking at the way grog is pushed and sold, in turn challenging the town and government to share responsibility.

Aboriginal Elders and community advisors in Tennant Creek fought for years to put alcohol restrictions in place and they are still fighting. Their courage and tenacity is an inspiration for other towns in Australia who are battling against the tide of alcohol abuse and resistance from licencees and the broader community.

Grog War is essential reading for all those working towards and interested in Indigenous self-determination, for community leaders, legislators, health workers, social workers — and for our young people — so that all Australian children might grow up with a better understanding of what Indigenous people have fought hard to achieve in this country.

Age range 0 to 9

The fourth release in the Young Art Board Book Series showcasing young Indigenous artists

In the bush is a playful ensemble of Australian creatures, and an exciting illustrative debut from teenage artist, Kiara Honeychurch. Hailing from Tasmania, Kiara is inspired by the bush creatures she encounters in her rural home out of Hobart.

With bold and sophisticated pops of colour, Kiara unleashes the beauty and character of each creature and reimagines its unpredictable tones in a changing light from sunrise to sunset.

Kiara's warm and creative understanding of the animals she sees is a lively showcase of her talent. This board book for Early Childhood will capture the hearts of young readers and readers young at heart.

Born Ellie Nellie on an Aboriginal reserve in Western Australia's south west, she was nicknamed Ing by her family. Removed from her loving parents under government policy at the age of five, Ing was placed in a mission and denied her heritage. Her name was changed to Helen, and she needed all her strength to survive. When Ing's parents died, she had the responsibility of her younger brother and sister. Returning to her community on a nearby reserve when the mission closed, Ing learnt what it meant to be Noongar after being brought up as a whitefella. Her family taught her culture and language. Ing has lived through many family tragedies. Her honest experiences reflect her indomitable spirit and give insight into the lives of Aboriginal people.

Ages 3 to 8 years

I remember is an exquisite tale of memory. Set in the Geraldton area of Western Australia, an elderly woman remembers the camping trips of her childhood. As her recollections fade in and out, she is drawn to think about the elusiveness of what she can remember from so long ago.

Age range 7 to 10

Free Diving is a poignant tribute to the Indigenous men and women who worked in the pearling industry as 'free divers' in the late nineteenth century in Western Australia.

In a practice known as 'blackbirding' (forced unpaid labour), European pearl lugger owners used Indigenous people to dive for pearl shell. With no protective suits, the divers faced threats such as decompression sickness (known as the 'bends'), shark attack, or of being swept away by huge tides. At sea for weeks at a time, there was also the risk of the luggers being shipwrecked in cyclones that formed off the coast.

The lyrical narrative is based on the celebrated song 'Free Diving' by singer–songwriter Lorrae Coffin. It sensitively reflects the emotional journey of a young man who leaves family and country to work on a lugger with Japanese and Malay divers by his side. Bronwyn Houston's illustrations are a deep-sea celebration that illuminate both the glory of the ocean and the extreme dangers encountered by the free divers.

Free Diving is a fictionalised story of a young man lost at sea. Watch the video below to learn more about Free Diving.

' This is my knowledge. It has been handed down to me from my grandmothers and grandfathers, my mothers and my fathers. I am sharing it with you because I want people to know about my life.'

Ninu Grandmothers' Law is a definitive account of a traditional lifestyle and way of thinking. Accompanied by exceptional archival photographs, it is an evocative, compelling chronicle and cultural philosophy of a time almost forgotten. Part biography, part customs manual and food guide, part traditional social history and women's customs and governance,  Ninu Grandmothers' Law is a rare testament to one woman's advocacy for her family, people and culture.

Ages 6 - 9 Long ago dinosaurs lived here, and their ancient footprints can still be found. Imagine if the dinosaurs came back to visit us! At high tide, they would cool down in Anastasias's Pool. Watch out for the big splash! They would play with the humpback whale calves off Cable Beach. Those little fellas have got a long journey ahead of them! A fun and dynamic look at what life would be like for dinosaurs if they were roaming the Broome coastline today! Reflecting the famous colours of north west Australia and its rugged environment, the textured collage layers of artwork capture the character and beauty of the dinosaurs, birds, and marine life.

I am the native cat, I dance everywhere. I hop, skip and jump. I jump on the flat stone and dance and wobble my bum and hold my hips And then I dance again. This remarkable book weaves together the story of Daisy Utemorrah's life with a collection of playful parables and poems. Exploring themes such as Creation, tradition, memories, family and most importantly, country, Do Not Go around the Edges imbues a simple autobiographical story with humour and depth, and will appeal to adults and children alike. Retold with love and honour, be transported to a place where time stands still...This book is beautifully illustrated by Broome-based Djugan artist Pat Torres.

Winner of the 2018 Stella Prize

A collective memoir of one of Aboriginal Australia's most charismatic leaders and an epic portrait of a period in the life of a country, reminiscent in its scale and intimacy of the work of Nobel Prize-winning Russian author Svetlana Alexievich.

Miles Franklin Award-winning novelist Alexis Wright returns to non-fiction in her new book, Tracker, a collective memoir of the charismatic Aboriginal leader, political thinker, and entrepreneur who died in Darwin in 2015. Taken from his family as a child and brought up in a mission on Croker Island, Tracker Tilmouth returned home to transform the world of Aboriginal politics. He worked tirelessly for Aboriginal self-determination, creating opportunities for land use and economic development in his many roles, including Director of the Central Land Council. He was a visionary and a projector of ideas, renowned for his irreverent humour and his anecdotes. His memoir has been composed by Wright from interviews with Tilmouth himself, as well as with his family, friends, and colleagues, weaving his and their stories together into a book that is as much a tribute to the role played by storytelling in contemporary Aboriginal life as it is to the legacy of a remarkable man.

'A magnificent work of collaborative storytelling…It paints a vision of action and possibility for this continent that makes it required reading for all Australians and all those interested in this land.'  — Sydney Morning Herald

'Wright builds, as much as anyone is able to in writing, a detailed portrait of a complex man, whose vision "to sculpt land, country and people into a brilliant future on a grand scale" is inevitably accompanied by an irrepressible humour and suspicion of authority.' — The Guardian

'Tilmouth was a man who worked through conversation and yarn more than with paper and pen, and this is a book about the place of the story in Indigenous culture and politics as much as it is about Tracker himself.' — The Monthly

'[Wright] enacts the complex relationship between self and community that a Western biography could not…There is a cumulative power in the repetitions, backtrackings and digressions the formula necessitates: a sinuous, elegant accommodation of selves. It is a book as epical in form and ambition as the life it describes.' — The Australian

'Wright's brace of ineffable, awkward, uncanny novels will be unravelled and enjoyed by readers when other contemporary fiction is forgotten. Tracker, a book performed by a folk ensemble rather than a solo virtuoso, adds to her enduring non-fiction oeuvre that captures the unique ground-level realpolitik of Aboriginal Australia.' — Australian Book Review

'Alexis Wright is one of the most important voices in our literary landscape…This is a landmark work – epic in its scope and empathy.' — Readings 

'Alexis Wright's Tracker offers rich and complex storytelling, a kaleidoscope of voices that illuminates the remarkable Aboriginal leader Tracker Tilmouth and advances a new model of life writing.' — Tom Griffths, Australian Book Review — Books of the Year 2018

Kalyakoorl, ngalak warangka, (Forever, we sing), is a celebration of rare Noongar language, and the things we share as community. Over many years, Noongar language has been reduced to a whisper, there are currently less than 400 fluent speakers.

The collection of songs in this book represent the first two albums Gina and Guy have released — Kalyakoorl (Forever) and Bindi Bindi (The Butterfly). And just like their music, this anthology is informed by the four principles of Koort (Heart), Moort (Family and Community), Boodja (Land) and Koorlangka (Children and Legacy).

It is their hope that, through this collection of reduced scores and song sheets, Gina and Guy’s music will continue to be seen in new and interesting ways, and shared through schools, choirs and community groups.

JONO: ‘Sometimes it feels like…’ [Pause]. ‘I don’t fit in at home! I’m tryin’ to juggle two worlds here and if you don’t tell me things, it gets easier and easier to keep my life at camp separate to my life at home.’

FIFO – Fit In or F**k Off! explores the challenges fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers and their families face, including the disconnect to family and friends, feelings of displacement, isolation, and the ever-present drug culture. The play follows two families, Jono, Mary and Janey, whose lives have been impacted by mining. Playwright Melody Dia weaves a confronting and visceral story as problems escalate, hit a turning point and explode – with secrets coming out.

FIFO – Fit In or F**k Off! is filled with wry humour, turbulent emotions and unflinching truths. This powerhouse of a play will leave the reader on the edge of their seat asking, ‘is it worth it?’

Age range 6+

A beautiful story about conservation, working together and hope.

Owl and Night Parrot are nocturnal. They have a lovely big tree well away from all the noisy birds … until one day they are woken up by the birds fighting over space in their tree. Owl is very angry, until they discover the poor birds’ trees have been cut down. After a meeting, Night Parrot suggests they look for a seed to grow a tree big enough for everyone. Crow comes back with the biggest gumnut and they plant it, water it and sit around it waiting for it to grow. Meanwhile Night Parrot meets lonely Goanna who is guarding the last red berry bush. When Night Parrot tells Goanna their story, Goanna cries silver tears. It is these silver tears that Goanna leaves for Night Parrot to take back to water the gumnut. Magically, the gumnut grows overnight into a magnificent tree with room for everyone – and the leaves on top of the tree are silver – like a beacon for all other birds who need refuge.

A beautiful story about conservation, working together and hope.

Age range 5 to 9

Every week, Rosie and her mother drive down the bumpy dirt road and across the rocky riverbed to visit the 'Shop Train’.

The Shop Train was inspired by the Tea and Sugar train that began operating in 1917 to provide supplies and services for railworkers and people living in remote communities between Port Augusta in South Australia and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

The Shop Train is a heartwarming story about Rosie and her mum, and the rickety journey in their old car to pick up stores from the shop train. The train carried everything they needed, and was an exciting time for all who lived near its tracks. Rosie and her mum slowly wind their way through Wonghi country, on its dusty tracks and never-ending horizon, until they reach the train, brimming with activity and treasures from other places.

Paul Seden’s evocative illustrations effortlessly capture a bygone era, rendering the past with a deep sense of nostalgia, whilst capturing its uncluttered beauty. The Shop Train was inspired by similar journeys author Josie Wowolla Boyle took as a young girl. It was these journeys that left unforgettable memories on Josie, no matter how young or old she may have been.

‘It has been over 100 years since our father was born, 80 years since Father enlisted in the AIF, and over 60 years since he died. How do we go beyond what we knew from our Mother’s stories of him? The past, present and future need to be spoken about and shared.’ — Jackie Huggins

Born an only child in North Queensland, Jack Huggins had an idyllic childhood in Ayr, where his family somehow escaped the harsh Queensland government treatment of First Nations’ peoples. His father was in the army in World War I and Jack followed in his footsteps into World War II. He was captured by the Japanese in Singapore and spent much of the war on the notorious Burma-Thailand railway.

The narrative and personal reflections give insight into love, loss and the need to understand one man’s journey, as seen through the eyes of his children seeking to learn more. It is an affectionate portrait and a moving account of courage in wartime which helps a reader understand the sacrifices made by our soldiers.

Age range 6+

Gecko, Thorny Devil and Scrubby Python admire Bungarra and hatch a plan to surprise him with this very special birthday gift ... but their plan goes horribly wrong.

Tales from the Bush Mob is a series of books about the Bush Mob, a group of animals who work together to solve problems. Each book shares a rich landscape of characters and places, including Lofty the emu, Willy-willy Wagtail, Eagle, Sugar Glider, Bat, Platypus, Koala, Wombat, Kookaburra, Echidna, Kangaroo. These stories emphasise the value of respect for First Nations culture and country, as well as the importance of courage, perseverance and wisdom to bind communities together.

The Sweetest Egg of All is the third book in the series, and follows Gecko, Thorny Devil and Scrubby Python, who admire Bungarra and want to find a special birthday present for their friend. When they hear from King George Brown (KGB) that Willy-Wagtail’s egg is the sweetest egg of all, they hatch a plan to steal an egg for Bungarra’s birthday. But KGB and King Toad have different plans for the sweetest egg of all and now Dingo and the Bush Mob go into action to save Willy Wagtail’s egg.

Filled with gorgeous illustrations and exciting tales, this will be a popular book for the whole family.

Age range 0 to 5

This is me!

I was born to be everything I can be!

This is Me! by Sally Morgan is a beautiful board book about self acceptance that all parents, carers, grandparents and families will love to read to their babies, toddlers, forever children (that have been chosen) and to all children full of personality and sass. This simple, elegant book about unconditional love is the perfect way to reinforce to all children that they are unique, important and special just the way they are.

Sally Morgan’s colourful pastel palette and sensitive artwork shows love in all its forms. The gentle text echoes the deep beauty of loving another and each page is encouragement for a child to say something that they love about themselves. Full of unconditional affection that will stand the test of time, this book is the perfect gift for all families, in all their forms and will be an absolute joy to read over and over again.

Age range 5 to 7

Hidden in the sand dunes bordering a dusty, 1960s pearling town is a very special tree. Every day, Ella and Mia's grandpa comes home from work with a treat from the tree - the best-tasting toast in the world.

Every night, grandpa tells the girls another fantastical tale about the toast tree, with its bright green leaves and orange trunk, that only grows in the dunes. Ella and Mia search high and low for the tree, laden with squares of golden-brown toast, but they can never find it. Based on a true story, The Toast Tree is about family, and the search for magic through the power of a child's imagination, as well as the ability to believe in the impossible. The book's beautiful illustrations evocatively capture both the mystical quality of Grandpa's stories and the fondly-remembered simple life of a bygone era.

The Toast Tree will especially appeal to every child that has ever dreamed of having a special tree bearing their favourite food!

There once lived a sad lady whose only friends were the flowers in her garden. By chance she discovers a mysterious plant growing by her house and decides to water it. So begins the magical and unexpected adventure of a plant that changes the very essence of people's lives. Starting with a spotty dotty flower, to a spotty dotty kettle, to spotty dotty walls and the journey down the footpath, the sad lady begins to paint her way to happiness and is soon joined by many new friends. A children's tale full of charm and gentleness paired with stunning watercolour illustrations, The Spotty Dotty Lady offers a glimpse of how the natural and emotional worlds can connect in making the ordinary extraordinary.