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These booklists have been compiled by the
members of the CM&Friends-ANZ email group and as such remain their
property. Feel free to use the booklists at your convenience but please
do not copy and paste elsewhere on the Internet without express
permission.
Australian Books we have enjoyed:
(in no particular order)
Life in a Rotten Log by Kathie Atkinson - Australian nature study
Sarli the Barrier Reef Turtle and any others by same author Leslie Rees
John of the Sirius and John of Sydney Cove by Doris Chadwick
My Place by Nadia Wheatley & Donna Rawlins
The Wonderland of Nature by Nuri Mass - Australian nature study
A Little Black Princess and We of the Never-Never by Mrs. Aeneas Gunn
Australian Legendary Tales by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
Trim by Matthew Flinders
The Children Came Too by Kathleen Moneypenny
Banksias and Bilbies- available from the Gould League.
Twin books Lucy Fitch Perkins & Daphne Rooke
Australian Twins Daphne Rooke
Chinese Twins Lucy Fitch Perkins
Belgian Twins Lucy Fitch Perkins
Dutch Twins Lucy Fitch Perkins
Swiss Twins Lucy Fitch Perkins
Scotch Twins Lucy Fitch Perkins
Lucy Fitch Perkins
wrote a series of seven “geographical” books for children
in the first seven grades of school. In addition to The Dutch Twins ,
she wrote The Eskimo Twins , The Japanese Twins , etc. She also wrote a
“historical” series of three books for grades four through
seven. Lucy illustrated all the books herself.
Australians In History Series -currently OOP
Bennelong written By Joan Phipson
The Golden Dream By Nancy Keesing
Jackey Jackey By Margaret Paice
Margaret Catchpole By Nance Donkin
Matthew Flinders : Explorer And Scientist illustrated By Victor Hatcher.
River Rivals By Ian Mudie
The Golden Dream Nancy Keesing
The Singing Wire Eve Pownall the above 3 are in the Australians in History series
Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson - British book
To Ride a Fine Horse and others by Mary Durack
Treasure from the Earth by Donald McLean
Riders to an Unknown Sea by George Farwell
Trail Blazers of the Air by Kylie Tennant.
By Gravel and Gum by Nancy Keesing
For core history books at times referred to as ‘spines’:
Australasia’s” Story by H.E. Marshall
The Australia Book by Eve Pownall for younger children
Seeing Australians by K. Adams
Our Sunburnt Country by Arthur Baillie for the middle years,
A Short History of Australia by Ernest Scott for the older ones.
Authors:
The story of Rosie Dock by Jeannie Baker
Examines the impact introduced species of plants and animals can have on the environment.
Where the forest meets the sea.
Set in the Daintree rainforest, this story can provide the stimulus for
reflecting upon the impact of settlement on the natural environment and
indigenous culture.
Window
This textless picture book examines Australia’s changing
landscape as a result of urbanisation and the effect this is having on
the environment.
The Little Bush Maid Series and others by Mary Grant Bruce
Eureka Stockade by Alan Boardman
The simple text and cartoon-like illustrations make this telling of the
events leading up to the Eureka Rebellion accessible to younger and
older children.
The crossing of the Blue Mountains.
The need for the colony in Sydney to extend beyond the Blue Mountains,
and the journey of Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson across the mountains
and through to the plains of New South Wales are simply told in this
book.
The First Fleet.
Federation: Changing Australia by Anna Ciddor
This book takes you back in time to show you Australia before and after
Federation. The easy-to-access information is presented in a
‘before’ and ‘after’ format.
Papa and the olden days by Ian Edwards
The text of Papa and the olden days, in conjunction with Rachel
Tonkin’s evocative illustrations, provide a look at life in
Thoona in country Victoria about 1910. All elements of family life are
touched upon - school, entertainment, local characters and events.
Burke and Wills by Roland Harvey
A simple description of Burke and Wills’ ill-fated journey into Australia’s interior.
The tram to Bondi Beach by Elizabeth Hathorn
A nostalgic slice of life in Sydney in the 1930’s.
An Uncommonly Fine Day by John Anthony King
The story of the ‘first’ Australia Day, chronicling the
arrival of the First Fleet at Botany Bay, Phillip’s further
exploration and eventual decision to establish a colony at Sydney Cove.
Too many Captain Cooks by Alan Tucker
Examines ‘the history of black/white relations across the
continent’, from the arrival of the first explorers to the
present day. The thought-provoking illustrations could provide the
stimulus for discussion and debates on relationship between white and
indigenous Australia.
Acacia Terrace by Barbara Kerr Wilson
This story traces the history of Acacia Terrace, from its beginnings in
the 1870’s and chronicles the lives of the families who lived
there against a backdrop of increasing urbanisation.
I wish I’d sailed with Captain Cook by Leonie Young
Simply written, this story describes a little of Cook’s early
life and his voyage to discover ‘Terra Australis’.
“The Young Captain Cook” by Frank Knight
This title is in the “Famous Childhoods” series A British
series, not to be confused with “Childhoods of Famous
Americans”by - published by Max Parrish.
Heart of Green Valley. By Meredith Resce
Set during the early days of the Australian colony, Meredith
Resce’s beautifully written historical fiction series follows the
adventures of young female pioneers.
“Emma Keppler” by Colin Thiele.
About a young girl growing up in the Barossa Valley, daughter of German immigrants.
Ages: 9-youth
‘Clipper Ship’ by Denys Burrows.
An adventure story of a ship- a tea -clipper The Dauntlessby on the
Australia-China run; and the men that sailed her. Captain Grey and his
crew experience many adventures: man overboard in the Pacific,
kidnapping in China, typhoon on the trip back from China, not to
mention the strange cargo in the hold...............
Boys love this sort of adventure! Ages: 11years and over.
‘Meet The Lees’ another ‘family book’ – Currently OOP
It is out of print but a treasure if you find it. Ages: 9yrs and over
‘River Murray Mary’ by Colin Thiele.
A story set in the 1920’s, about Mary Agnes Baker who lives with
her mum and dad at Gum Flat Farm on the banks of The Murray. The story
is filled with excitement, humour, drama encounter with a tiger snake
and poetic description of the River Murray and it’s surroundings!
It is a long picture book. Ages: 11yo and over
‘The Little Black Princess’ by Mrs Aneas Gunn Illustrated by Pam Harris.
Aboard The Endeavour;
Cook’s Voyage 1768-1771. by Bruce Stannard. This is the log that
Cook kept while aboard The Endeavour. This book has truly excited some
of the children to keep logs daily journals of their own!
‘The Voyage of the Endeavour’
by Wendy Macdonald. Is a beautifully laid out ‘story’ of
the voyage by most of others on board. The story is rich in personal
detail about the people, the cook, the carpenter, the sail maker and
Tahitian Priest who could whistle up a wind!! The ‘Blue’
etchings and blue water colour drawings capture the time, and spirit
and excitement!
“My Place”
by Sally Morgan has been divided into 3 separate books for young
children “Sally’s story” “Arthur
Corunna’s Story” and “Mother and Daughter”.
They tell the story of childhood
and these people coming to terms with and finding peace with their Aboriginal heritage.
“Peter the Whaler in Southern Seas” by Max Colwell.
It was a hit with the boys especially, but a great story over all.
The Way of The Whirlwind
by Mary and Elizabethby Durack. A great book for a
realistic look into aboriginal life. The story centres around Nungaree
and Jungaree and their little baby brother, so aboriginal life is seen
through the eyes of children........for children.
Possum Magic by Mem Fox
Gems From Ion Idriess. Currently OOP
Flynn of the Inland
Men Of The Jungle
Gold Dust and Ashes
Over The Rangers
These books represent Australia. Vividly and authentically written by Ion Idriess.
The Runaway Settlers by Elsie Locke
The Family that goes to Christchurch.
Journey Under Warning by Elsie Locke
Historical novels set in NZ
“Papa & the Olden Days” by Rachel Tonkin
“What was the war like Grandma”
Looks at life as a child growing up in Port Melbourne during World War
II. Changes to life in the family, school and community are described,
as well as ways in which children contributed to the war effort.
To the Goldfields!
A picture book story about a family going to the diggings in the 1850s, and the life they lived there.
When I Was a Kid
A picture book about life in the 1950s, done as a series of vignettes
drawn from childhood memories - neighbours, trips to the beach, notable
events, domestic routines, schoolboy pranks. Text and illustrations
have been meticulously researched to give a fascinating glimpse of the
period.
Percy Tresize is another author to look out for!
Memorial by Gary Crew
A Moreton Bay Fig tree, planted as a memorial to Australian soldiers
killed in World War I, looks set to be cut down by the local council. A
young boy tells the moving story of the tree, as related by his great
grandfather, grandfather and father, each of whom has participated in
wars over the years. Interweaving themes of war, memory and
conservation while bringing the legend of the Anzacs to a new
generation, with brilliantly original collage illustration. Ages: 7
upwards
Bright Star -
When John Tebbutt, an Australian astronomer who made several remarkable
discoveries during the 1800s, visits a school classroom, he realizes
one of the girls potential and invites her to visit his observatory.
Ages: 7 upwards
Seven Little Australians and the sequel, The Family at Misrule by Ethel Turner
Daughter of Two Worlds by Audrey Oldfield – A story of an Aborigine girl raised in a mission school.
Not Only in Stone by Phyllis Somerville - A story of the Cornish migrants to Adelaide and the Moonta copper mines.
Stowaway by Karen Hess
Light Horse to Damascus by Elyne Mitchell - about the Australian Light Horseman in WW1, fighting the Turks in the Middle East.
Good Luck to the Rider by
Joan Phipson - Barbara, a young girl who lives on a remote Australian
sheep station rescues a motherless brumby foal. Her confidence in
herself grows as she trains the horse to obey her commands.
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Many great men have put their beautiful
thoughts, not into books, or pictures, or buildings, but into musical
score, to be sung with the voice or played on instruments.
~Charlotte Mason
Let information hang upon a principle, be inspired by an idea.
~Charlotte Mason
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