First Nations Voices

Honour Book in the 2019 CBCAs for Book of the Year: Younger Readers

Shortlisted for the 2019 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards in the Eight to 10 Years category

Black Cockatoo is a vignette that follows Mia, a young Aboriginal girl as she explores the fragile connections of family and culture.

Mia is a 13-year-old girl from a remote community in the Kimberley. She is saddened by the loss of her brother as he distances himself from the family. She feels powerless to change the things she sees around her… until one day she rescues her totem animal, the  dirran black cockatoo, and soon discovers her own inner strength.

Black Cockatoo is a wonderful small tale on the power of standing up for yourself, culture and ever-present family ties.

Teachers' notes available here

Age range 12 to 18

Winner, 2013 Prime Minister’s Literary award, Young Adult Literature

Albert Cutts is a tree feller. A fella who cuts down trees. Fog is a fox cub raised by a dingo. He's called a dox because people are suspicious of foxes and Albert Cutts owns the dingo and now the dox. Albert is a bushman and lives a remote life surrounded by animals and birds. All goes well until Albert has an accident ... This is a story of courage, acceptance and respect. It is reminiscent of the gentle story-telling style of Australian author Alan Marshall (I can jump puddles). The dialogue is finely crafted and Indigenous cultural knowledge and awareness are seamlessly integrated into the story.

There are many names and stories associated with the Rainbow Serpent, all of which communicate its significance within Aboriginal traditions, most particularly as a symbol of fertility, peace and unity.

Dreamtime stories tell how the Rainbow Serpent came from beneath the ground and created huge ridges, mountains and gorges as it pushed upward. The name also reflects the snake-like meandering of water across a landscape and the colour spectrum sometimes seen when sunlight hits water at a certain angle.

Paintings of the Rainbow Serpent first appeared in Arnhem Land rock art more than 6000 years ago and have continued today as works on bark and on paper.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 ABIA 'BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR YOUNG CHILDREN'

An Aboriginal ceremony of Welcome to Country is depicted in a stunning board book from two Indigenous Australians.

Welcome to the lands of the Wurundjeri people. The people are part of the land, and the land is a part of them. Aboriginal communities across Australia have boundaries that are defined by mountain ranges and waterways. Traditionally, to cross these boundaries, permission is required. Each community has its own way of greeting, but the practice shares a common name: a Welcome to Country. Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin, the senior Aboriginal elder of the Wurundjeri people, channels her passion for storytelling into a remarkable and utterly unique picture book that invites readers to discover some of the history and traditions of her people. Indigenous artist Lisa Kennedy gives the Wurundjeri Welcome to Country form in beautiful paintings rich with blues and browns, as full of wonder and history as the tradition they depict.

*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 3 to 9

A charming morality tale that reminds us to be humble about our successes.

Way back, before once-upon-a-time time, there was the Dreamtime, and during this period lived a very confident emu called Dinewah. He was tall, fast and colourful. Most animals thought he was a show-off, but he was too busy talking about himself to take any notice…

Dinewah was determined to run and fly the furthest and the fastest. He even tried to fly to the Sun, but he never made it.

Today, he is still up there in Father Sky. If you look carefully on dark nights, when the Moon isn’t very bright, you can see the Awesome Emu. Many people know him as the Milky Way. We still know it as Djiraboo Dinewah — Awesome Emu.

This is the fourth book in Gregg Dreise’s award-winning children’s picture book series that includes Silly Birds and Kookoo Kookaburra. Filled with his well-loved colourful paintings and told with heart and humour, Awesome Emu will be a family favourite.

LONGLISTED, 2017 AUSTRALIAN BOOK INDUSTRY AWARDS, SMALL PUBLISHERS' CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR

WINNER, 2017 SPEECH PATHOLOGY AUSTRALIA BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS, INDIGENOUS CHILDREN'S CATEGORY

Age range 3 to 9

Mad Magpie is the third book in this successful series of morality tales from Gregg Dreise. Inspired by wise sayings and the knowledge of his Elders, Mad Magpie tells the story of Guluu, an angry magpie who is being teased by a gang of butcher birds. The more he is teased, the angrier he becomes. When Guluu seeks advice, his Elders tell him to stay calm like the river, ignore the butcher birds and to be strong on the inside. Guluu tries this, but the cheeky birds just laugh at him. One day, when Guluu is at the river looking for worms, the butcher birds arrive and steal his food. He remembers the words of his Elders and he tries again – and this time Guluu has a different outcome. He stands proudly at the riverbank and remembers how he used to sing when he was having a bad day. Guluu sings so loud he cannot hear the birds laughing at him and they eventually give up and fly away. From that time on, the animals learnt to use music to create a happy mood and they worked together to stop bullying.

Teachers' notes available here

When many voices are joined together, with courage, change can happen.
 
In 1966, more than two hundred courageous Aboriginal people walked off the Wave Hill Cattle Station in the Northern Territory. Led by Vincent Lingiari, these stockmen and their families were walking together to fight for equal pay and land rights. 

Exquisitely illustrated and designed, this non-fiction picture book brings a landmark historical event to a new generation. Many people have seen the iconic photograph of Gough Whitlam pouring a handful of red soil into the hands of Vincent Lingiari – a symbol of the legal transfer of Gurindji land back to the Gurindji people – and recognise this as a key moment in the ongoing land rights movement. Freedom Day delves into the events that led up to this moment, and makes a rallying cry for the things that still need to change in its wake. Thomas Mayor co-authors this book with Rosie, Vincent Lingiari’s granddaughter, to bring this vital story to life. The story has been written in close consultation with the Lingiari family.

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.

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.

Age range 6+

Can Black Boss Cocky and White Boss Cocky stop fighting long enough to notice the Bush Mob’s ancient forest is in danger of going up in flames?

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 Dingo, Willy-willy Wagtail, Eagle, Platypus, Koala, Wombat, Kookaburra, Echidna and 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.

In this fourth book in the series, you will meet the cockatoo clans who are too busy fighting to notice when a huge fire breaks out. Luckily two mother cockatoos and their sons seek help from the Bush Mob Council. Everyone works together to save the ancient forest and finally there is peace among the cockatoos.

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

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. 

WINNER, 2016 AUSTRALIAN BOOK INDUSTRY AWARDS, READER'S CHOICE AWARD

SHORTLISTED, 2016 AUSTRALIAN BOOK INDUSTRY AWARDS, SMALL PUBLISHERS’ CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR

SHORTLISTED, 2016 SPEECH PATHOLOGY AUSTRALIA BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS, INDIGENOUS CHILDREN'S CATEGORY

Age range 3 to 9

Kindness is like a boomerang — if you throw it often, it comes back often.

Kookoo the Kookaburra is the second heartwarming morality tale - set within the cultural context of the Dreamtime — by Queensland teacher Gregg Dreise. In the same vein as his first book Silly Birds (Magabala Books 2014) Dreise tells the story of Kookoo, a kind and well-loved kookaburra who is famous for entertaining the other bush creatures with his funny stories. Everyone knows Kookoo has a special gift because he can tell funny stories about the other animals without hurting their feelings. However, when Kookoo runs out of kind stories he turns to teasing and making fun of his friends' differences. Refusing to listen to the sage advice of his uncle, Kookoo gradually alienates all his friends until he finds himself alone and ignored by the other animals. When he finally listens to the sounds of his own laughter echoing around the bush and realises it has become an unhappy sound, Kookoo is forced to remember his uncle's words and change his ways — kindness is like a boomerang — if you throw it often, it comes back often.

Teachers' notes available here

*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).

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. 

This delightful story follows Alfie on a journey in search for his destiny. He leaves home, travels high and low and, after his long adventure, realises he belongs back at home with his family.

Two Mates is the true story of the special mateship between two young boys who have grown up together in the coastal town of Broome in Australia's north-west. Jack is Indigenous and Raf is a non-Indigenous boy who has spina bifida. Jack and Raf take the reader on a journey of their daily life growing up in Broome. Together they search for hermit crabs, go hunting for barni, fish for salmon, explore the markets, eat satays and dress up as superheros. The fact that Raf is in a wheelchair is only revealed at the end of the story.

Age range 6+

Welcome to Wiradjuri Country.

The Wiradjuri are the people of the three bila (rivers) and their nguram-bang (Country) is the second largest in Australia. Come with Uncle Larry Brandy on an enlightening journey through his Country’s rivers, woodlands, grasslands and rocky outcrops, as well as the murri-yang (sky world).

Along the way, young readers will encounter animals such as bila-durang (platypus), and maliyan (wedge-tailed eagle), plants like the maybal (grass tree) and yirany (yam daisy), and discover stories like that of Tiddalik the giant frog. They will learn how Wiradjuri people lived on their Country, using the flower spikes of the grass tree as spears, soaking its flowers in water to make a sweet drink and weaving its leaves into baskets.

This is a unique book combining language, culture, Indigenous history and storytelling, written by a Wiradjuri author. It features colour photographs of animals, plants and habitats, as well as illustrations by Indigenous artists Kristie Peters and Scott ‘Sauce’ Towney.

*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

Age range 5 to 12

Remember — beauty comes from within...

Way back, before once-upon-a-time, there was the Dreamtime when all the birds were white. One of those white birds was a crow called Waan.

One day a big storm came through and a magnificent rainbow appeared. When the birds passed through the rainbow, one by one, their feathers took on its beautiful colours.

Waan flew through the rainbow too and his feathers became a beautiful red and orange. But Waan was jealous of the other birds. He wanted to be more beautifully coloured than anyone. So Waan hatched a cunning plan. 

But things did not go the way Waan wanted…

*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 10+

The long-awaited, final book in the Ubby's Underdogs trilogy.

It is the late 1940s and Broome, a small pearling town in the heart of an ancient land, is still recovering from WWII. Ubby, a smart, street-wise Aboriginal girl, is the leader of a small rag-tag gang known as the 'Underdogs.' Ubby's Underdogs: Return of the Dragons is storytelling on a remarkable scale. It continues with established characters that have links to other worlds amidst an intricate backdrop of Aboriginal and Chinese mythology.

Ubby and her gang of Underdogs cross into the Forbidden Zone on the Broome, Western Australia, coastline in a desperate bid to locate their missing friend Sai Fong who has disappeared without a trace. What they encounter is worse than anything they could ever have imagined — leaving them and the mercenaries who hunt them, trembling in terror. To survive, the Underdogs must call upon the local gangs to unite, solve the mystery of the Dragon Summoner, and make contact with the mysterious Phoenix Dragon to fight the battle of all battles against an evil and unearthly enemy. What is at stake is the future of humanity itself.

Age range 4 to 8 Frances and Lindsay Haji-Ali take us counting backwards from FIFTEEN to ONE on this spectactular journey in the far north of WA. When Frances and Lindsay lived with their family in Broome, they often set out to visit Nana in the tiny outback town of Wyndham over 1,000km north. These road trips took them across the magnificent Kimberley landscape and inspired this counting story. On the way to Nana's is a standout counting book. Counting backwards from 'fifteen to one' is a challenging concept for children to grasp. Each double-page spread includes numbers and words and will enthrall readers, parents and educators as they find and count the objects on each page. From bulbous boabs and wild brumbies to weary travellers, flying magpie geese and flowing waterfalls, David Hardy's striking illustrations capture the awe and excitement of this special family adventure.

Age range 3 to 8

 Untangle the crab pots, and zoom up the creek — we're going mud crabbing in the boat with Dad.

Crabbing with Dad is a beautiful children's picture book debut from Darwin-based author and illustrator, Paul Seden. Aimed at a younger audience, children will love reading about the adventures of two small children as they go out in the boat with Dad to set crab pots in their secret spot.

Sunscreen and life jackets on, they zoom off into the creek, passing other boats and people fishing along the way. It's a good tide to be on the water and they even come across Cousin Dan throwing his net as far as he can. Crab pots set, they all wait patiently and play games as they guess what fish could be swimming under their boat. When it's finally time to check the crab pots, the adventure begins as they pull up a big, angry crab! Dad teaches the children how to handle the crabs very carefully so they don't get nipped!

Age range 3 to 8

Join our yarning circle and listen to our stories.

Our Mob proudly celebrates our Aboriginal culture.

Our Mob explores Aboriginal culture and how it is practised within families today through the perspective of a preschool child.

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.’

Winner of the Speech Pathology Australia Indigenous Book of the Year Award for 2015

Age range 3 to 9

In this humble, charming and humorous morality tale, Maliyan is a proud eagle who always looks, listens and sees things from a long way away. One day he meets the turkey Wagun, who is a silly bird, and together these two new friends begin to do silly-bird things. The Elders and Maliyan's parents become very disappointed and soon the local billabong becomes a mess. The silly birds do not care for anyone and seem to have eaten all the food. Maliyan begins to see the error of his ways and tries to talk to Wagun and the other birds about their actions. No one listens. So Maliyan flies away and begins the journey of listening again. Maliyan soon becomes a proud leader and all the silly birds begin to follow his example. They all help clean up the messes they have made. All except one … In this quintessential Australian fable, Silly Birds combines richly textured and striking illustrations of Australian animals with the gentle humour of an Aussie truism that it is hard to soar like an eagle when you are, in fact, surrounded by turkeys.

Dingoes, bats, red-eyed green tree frogs ...an ABC of amazing Australian creatures At last ...a unique Australian ABC book. Featuring the artwork of celebrated Queensland artist Warren Brim, ABC Dreaming introduces young children to their alphabet and the beauty of Indigenous art in a bright and fun way. With well-thought out design and an array of amazing creatures that can be found in the rainforest, both parents and teachers will love this book when introducing young children to the letters of the alphabet. ABC Dreaming has been produced in consultation with Early Childhood specialists.

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 10+

It is the late 1940s and Broome, a small pearling town in the heart of an ancient land, is still recovering from WWII. Ubby, a smart, street-wise Aboriginal girl, is the leader of a small rag-tag gang known as the 'Underdogs.' Ubby's Underdogs: Heroes Beginnings (Book 2) is storytelling on a remarkable scale. It continues with established characters that have links to other worlds amidst an intricate backdrop of Aboriginal and Chinese mythology. In this second graphic novel of the Ubby's Trilogy, efforts to locate Sai Fong, the Dragon Summoner, by Ubby and her gang have been halted by the ambitious Pearling Master, Paul Donappleton. Yupman, the guardian of Sai Fong, is pushed to breaking point as his past reaches out to strike and his greatest fear now sits upon the horizon.

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.

Ardiyooloon is home to the Bardi-Jaawi people and sits at the end of a red dirt road at the top of the Dampier Peninsula, 200km north of Broome in the north-west of Western Australia. Our World: Bardi-Jaawi life at Ardiyooloon takes readers inside the lives of the children of a remote Indigenous community - lives very different to those experienced by most Australians. The children take readers camping and fishing, share traditional stories and dances, show them how to find a waterhole, track, cook and eat bush tucker and animals such as turtles, crabs, oysters and clams, and make spears, boomerangs, bough shelters and bush brooms. Created by the children themselves, it is full of colourful illustrations and amazing photographs of the students experiencing their world and keeping alive the age-old traditions of their people. Our World chosen by the CBCA Book of the Year Judges as an HONOUR BOOK CBCA BOOK OF THE YEAR: EVE POWNALL AWARD FOR INFORMATION BOOKS Voted the inaugural Best Book for Language & Literacy Development - Indigenous Children (8 - 12 years) in the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards 2011

Funny, straight-talking Ruby lives on a cattle station and goes to the 'silver bullet' school. When she questions Mr Duncan, her well-meaning teacher, on why their cultures are so at odds with each other, she unintentionally triggers her own awakening. The more Ruby learns, the harder the journey becomes as she is drawn back to country to uncover the secrets of her past.

Us Mob Walawurru follows the life of Ruby, a young Luritja girl growing up in Central Australia in the 1960s. Living on a cattle station, Ruby is faced with many situations and dilemmas resulting from cultural difference – education, language, family obligation, relationship to country and environment, and ideas of ownership. Us Mob Walawurru is a work of historical fiction and inter-cultural exploration. Some of the events are based on stories told by the Luritja people of Titjikala in the Central Australia. Some historical events are also included. 

Aboriginal Australia; Australia; Desert people; Aboriginals; desert story; Aboriginal stories about the desert; First Nations' stories about culture, desert; First Nations culture desert; Indigenous Australians YA Young Adult fiction; Indigenous Australians YA Young Adult fiction Oceania; Aboriginal Australians YA Young Adult fiction Oceania; YA Books by Indigenous Authors; Central Desert; Central Australia; 

Age range 3 to 6

The Butterfly Garden is an entertaining introduction to the life cycle of a butterfly — played out by a fat caterpillar, a hungry kookaburra and a supporting cast of beautiful butterflies.

Spare and simple, The Butterfly Garden also weaves in the idea of how the kookaburra may have got his laugh. Fern Martins illustrations are a mix of strong colour and transulcent beauty. Her stained-glass interpretations of the cocoon at its various stages show its ephemeral quality in a joyful and fluid way.

This feel-good board book for Early Childhood will bring a smile to all readers.

Age range 9 — 12

Gradually, Yinti and Wara grew accustomed to station life. They no longer ran and hid when they saw a motorcar coming along the road towards them.

The third book in the Yinti series of three books.

Desert Cowboy is the story of Yinti's return to the cattle station and of his life as a stockman. Over these years Yinti experiences joy, excitement, loss and tragedy, but never loses his sense of fun and inclination to mischief. All of the stories are based on actual people and events as told to Pat Lowe by Jimmy Pike and other members of his family.

Age range 9 - 12

The second book in the Yinti series.

Yinti and the hunting dingo, Spinifex, walk out of the desert together and Yinti sees a white man for the first time: 'Look at that kartiya,' whispered Yinti, giggling. 'You can see the blood through his skin!'

When the dingo, Spinifex, is taken  from her mother, she expects to be killed. Instead she is adopted and becomes a prized hunting dog. She eventually accompanies her human family, including Yinti, on their journey through the Great Sandy Desert. When Yinti leaves the desert, Spinifex goes with him.

Based on stories, told to Pat Lowe by Jimmy Pike, about a dog who lived with his family in the desert during the 1940s and early 1950s

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