Growing up Aboriginal in Australia

Anita Heiss, editor

Wiradjuri woman Anita Heiss, is a poet, editor, author and social commentator who champions Indigenous writing and literacy. In this work, she has

Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo

Alison Lester

'Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo' is a part of the 'Clive Eats Alligators' series of picture books. This one is about Ernie, who moves to Arnhem Lan

Come Count With Me

Marika Wilson

The two main characters are chickens: Chicky and Nana. Chicky wants to demonstrate the ability to count up to five. S/he gets to three and Nana int

An Australian 1, 2, 3 of Animals

Bronwyn Bancroft

The earliest picture books for children were created with the sole intent to instruct. Bronwyn Bancroft updates the tradition with a satisfying and

Kwork Kwork the Green Frog and Other Tales from the Spirit Time

'Kwork Kwork' is a collection of fifteen short Dreaming stories from various storytellers from Queensland and the Northern Territory. The stories a

Colours of Australia

Bronwyn Bancroft

In poetic written text and brightly-coloured illustrations, Bronwyn Bancroft explores the Australian landscape in a picture book which speaks to he

Nintirringanyi Ngurra Ku : Learning on Country in Luritja

Annette Robinson

Written in Luritja and English, 'Nintirringanyi Ngurra Ku' describes the kinds of activities undertaken by children when they are out bush with the

Going Bush

Nadia Wheatley

'Our story begins with ngurra, the land. That's what we have in common. No matter where our families come from, this is the place that we call home

Sam's Bush Journey

Sally Morgan

Sam loves visiting and staying with his nanna, but the bush that surrounds her house makes him anxious. ‘I don’t like the bush,’ Sam tells hi

How Frogmouth Found Her Home

Ambelin Kwaymullina

This is the retelling of a Dreaming story about how Frogmouth, who yearns to do more than just live in the trees like other birds, ultimately finds

When I Was Little, Like You

Mary Malbunka

In this autobiographical picture book set in the 1960s, Luritja woman Mary Malbunka recounts her childhood in the remote government settlement of P

Savannah Dreams

Lolla Stewart

Each day of the week Savannah’s family found food. On Sunday they went fishing in the creek. 'Her father caught five mottled rock cod. Her mother

Going for Kalta : Hunting for Sleepy Lizards at Yalata

Yvonne Edwards

Yvonne and the children are going to hunt for kalta, lizards, in the bush. They follow tracks until they find them and catch a few to cook. After p

Big Rain Coming

Katrina Germein

Old Stephen predicts “Big rain coming,” on Sunday, when he sees storm clouds rolling in from the south. But over the course of the week the rai

In the Bush I See

Kiara Honeychurch

In this board book for babies and toddlers, eight Australian animals are depicted in vividly-hued gouache and digitally-rendered illustrations set

Little Koala Lost

Blaze Kwaymullina

This appealing counting story centres on a little lost koala who asks several bushland friends if he can live with them. Each animal has a reason w

Campfire Dreaming

Leesa Smith

'Campfire Dreaming' is a rather literal expression of the Dreaming and the transmission of elder knowledge to the next generation. Young Henry sits

Aussie Toddlers Can...

Magabala Books

This simple photographic board book shows the cultural diversity of Broome, Western Australia, as seven energetic toddlers go about their busy days

The Little Corroboree Frog

Tracey Holton-Ramirez

This picture book tells the story of Jet the corroboree frog, who has woken up from his winter hibernation and hopped down to the riverbank to find

The Cowboy Frog = Kawupayi Walak

Hylton Laurel

Kawupayi Walak, The Cowboy Frog, is pictured as a human figure in a green suit complete with tall hat and pointy-toed boots. The Cowboy Frog sets o

Going Bush with Grandpa

Sally Morgan

Pete sets off with his Grandpa Pete for a gold prospecting adventure in the bush and Grandpa takes his super metal detector and his dog Ace. Grandp

Bush Bash

Sally Morgan

A dingo dashes through the pages of this colourful picture book, building up a sense of anticipation as we wonder where he is going. The repetition

Frog Finds a Place

Sally Morgan

In this tale, Frog has always wanted to live with Moon and the stars. In a dream he does visit Moon and becomes determined to turn his dream into r

Bush Secrets

Tjalaminu Mia

This compact chapter book depicts what is special about the Australian bush, and how important it is to look after it. The theme of the importance

Bush and Beyond : Stories from Country

Tjalaminu Mia

Perfect for newly independent readers or for reading aloud in a home or primary school setting, this collection of four short stories celebrates th

And a Kangaroo Too

National Gallery of Australia

'And a Kangaroo Too' is a bilingual children's book featuring several Aboriginal languages. The illustrations of Australian wildlife by various Abo

Djugurba : Tales from the Spirit Time

Ralph Gumudul

These Australian Aboriginal stories are very exciting and unusually told. Simply told and brilliantly illustrated by different artists, each with a

Alkngarrileme =​ Warnings

Lorrayne Gorey

Senior and emerging Arrernte educators collaborate in this picture book to teach children about the rhythms and patterns of country. ‘We know we�

Bush Tracks

Ros Moriarty

‘Bush Tracks’ takes its young readers on a meandering journey along the creek, through the mangroves, past the windswept dunes by the salty sea

Let's Go Hunting in Alekarenge

This baby board book names various bush foods in Wakirti Walpiri, Alyawarr, Kaytetye, and English languages, alongside bright coloured illustration

Amama, Apapa, Ajaja =​ Mummy, Daddy, Baby a Song for Tiwi Babies and their Families

Teresita Puruntatameri

The jacket cover of this board book for the very young features an attentive baby peering intently at the viewer. Typically for this series of book

Nanapu nuli marrtji diltjiyi = We Go Out to the Bush

The Yolŋu people are the sunrise people. Their country is in the far east of Arnhem Land and they are the first to see, and feel the sun’s rays

Big Fella Rain

Beryl Webber

In northern Australia everything seems to hold their breath in the build-up to the big rains of the wet season. When the rains come with “lightni

An Australian ABC of Animals

Bronwyn Bancroft

This beautifully illustrated alphabet board book by Aboriginal illustrator Bronwyn Bancroft is a delightful way to introduce young children to both

Karu Kayina Gurrangka Ng-Ng = Welcome Home Baby

Elliott community

The story opens with a big welcome - ‘Baby’s first day home hooray!’ and a mirror to say hello to baby and family together. Each double page

Bilby and the Bushfire

Joanne Crawford

In this timeless picture book sequel to 'A Home for Bilby', Bilby and his bush animal friends face the fear of an approaching bushfire. Some animal

My Home in Kakadu

Jane Christophersen

In this nonfiction picture book, Tarrah, a young Aboriginal girl of around seven years of age, recounts her life in Kakadu National Park in the Nor

Collecting Colour

Kylie Dunstan

‘Collecting Colour’ is a wonderfully colourful and joyous celebration of family and the beautiful creative work done by the fibre artists in Ab

Birds in the Bush : Colour in the Birds

Aunty Fay Stewart-Muir

‘Birds in the Bush’ is the perfect small-sized book for little fingers. Each page invites very young readers to be active participants. From pa

Tell 'em!

Katrina Germein

Remember that experience of excitement and pride in your life? ‘Tell ‘em!’ invites us to experience these emotions through the enticing lifes

The Heartbeat of the Land

Cathy Freeman, Coral Vass

Cathy Freeman is a proud Kuku Yalanji woman. She is also an Australian Indigenous Olympic champion. In ‘The Heartbeat of the Land’, this much-a