Picture Fiction

The Tomorrow Book

Written by: Jackie French
Illustrated by: Sue deGennaro
Angus & Robertson

A story of ideas and hope. When the little prince’s parents leave him in charge of the kingdom, he and his friends use the ideas in the palace library books to transform the world.

Picture Fiction

Last Tree in the City

Written and illustrated by: Peter Carnavas
New Frontier Publishing

Last Tree in the City (New Frontier) is a story about Edward, who lives in the city. Edward’s city is a place of concrete and cars, a world without colour. Every day, Edward takes himself to a part of the city that is not like the city at all – the last tree in the city. He is happy there, until one day, the tree is gone. Edward (and his duck) eventually figure out a unique way to make the city more beautiful than it ever was before.

Kangaroo and Crocodile: my big book of Australian animals

Written and illustrated by: Bronwyn Bancroft
Little Hare Books

From eagles to echidnas, from geckoes to crocodiles, animal icons of Australia are gorgeously integrated into glorious patterned landscapes. Bronwyn’s artwork, full of bright colors and bold lines, is perfect for teaching first concepts. The end of the book features an information page listing all the animals young readers will have encountered.

For All Creatures

Written by: Glenda Millard
Illustrated by: Rebecca Cool
Walker Books

For all creatures—the great and the small, the winged and the walking, the singing and the silent—we are thankful.

This second collaboration by the award-winning team of Glenda Millard and Rebecca Cool is a celebration of the beauty and mystery of life in its many forms.

Non-fiction

Poles Apart: life at the ends of the earth

Written by: Mark Norman
Black Dog Books

Polar bears and penguins will never meet in the wild. Find out about their icy homes at opposite ends of the earth, so similar and yet so different. This title is illustrated with beautiful colour photographs, and includes information about how global warming is affecting these two environments.

The Shark Book: Fish With Attitude

Written by: Mark Norman
Black Dog Books

Sharks have been around since before the dinosaurs. Today, there are more than 370 types of sharks in the world. Some are ferocious and others are just plain shy. From the huge whale shark to the smalleye pygmy shark, these amazing creatures come to life in The Shark Book: Fish With Attitude

Picture Fiction

One small island

Written by: Alison Lester
Illustrated by: Coral Tulloch
Viking

Macquarie Island lies in the Southern Ocean, between Antarctica and New Zealand. A speck of green in the vast, windswept sea, it is a haven for many creatures that live above and below the waves. In One Small Island, Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch bring us the story of this remote and precious World Heritage Site. Together they explore the island’s unique geological beginnings, discovery and degradation at the hands of humans, and the battle to restore it today. This beautifully presented book leaves us with an important question: can Macquarie Island and places like it be saved?

Hairy Nose Itchy Butt

Written by: Elizabeth Frankel
Illustrated by: Garry Duncan
Jane Curry Publishing

Through a comical rhyme the book introduces environmental issues to children by following the struggle of a wombat to perform the simple task of scratching his behind.

Picture Fiction

Frogs Sing Songs

Written by: Yvonne Winer
Illustrated by: Tony Oliver
Margaret Hamilton Books

Describes how, when, where, and why frogs sing songs. Includes frog identification guide.

Home

Written by: Narelle Oliver
Omnibus Books

Home is the story of a pair of peregrine falcons who leave their fire-ravaged bushland and find a new home atop an inner-city skyscraper. The male begins to hunt for food and faces many new sights and dangers, which are told through falcon eyes—a skyscraper is a ‘cliff’, and cars and trucks are ‘beasts chasing each other, whining and hissing and honking.’

The Rainbirds

Written by: David Metzenthen
Illustrated by: Sally Rippin
Lothian Books

A stunningly illustrated story about a city child's relationship with nature and the natural world, the trust that children can place in their parents, the responsibility adults have in looking after children and the environment they will inherit.
Features collage based illustrations which will appeal to children and adults alike.

Argonauta: octopus navigator

Written by: Jill Morris
Illustrated by: Lynne Muir
Greater Glider Productions

Lifecycle story about the tiny octopus whose parchment-like egg case becomes a Paper Nautilus, prized by beachcombers. Six species of Argonaut are found in the warm seas of the world. The story features Argonauta nodosus, Knobbed Argonaut. A truly international book for 5-12 year-olds, school libraries and families.

The Shy Mala

Written by: Liliana Stafford
Illustrated by: Sophia Zielinkski
Windy Hollow Books

The Shy Mala,based on a true story celebrates the survival of an Australian native animal and,with it, the traditions of the Warlpiri people.

When Elephants Lived in the Sea

Written by: Jane Godwin
Illustrated by: Vincent Agostino
Lothian Books

How and why did elephants learn to swim? Could it be that they were once marine creatures? This genuinely unique and fascinating book uses both print and full colour illustration to trace the evolution of the elephant from its prehistoric marine beginnings to the water-loving-land animal we know today. The story line is simple but poetic while the illustrations are scientifically informative yet highly imaginative. A beautiful book to read aloud to children or explore visually

The Super Parp-Buster!

Written by: Janeen Brian
Illustrated by: Greg Holfeld
Working Title Press

Slim Pickles and Jolly spend all day in their shed inventing knick-knacks and nobblers and thing-a-me-jigs; rabbity-flunkets and skippety wigs. But when the air grows thick with pollution they decide what the world really needs is a super parp-buster!

The Dream of the Thylacine

Written by: Margaret Wild
Illustrated by: Ron Brooks
Allen & Unwin

The Dream of the Thylacine is a lament for a lost species, and a celebration of the Australian landscape. It interposes arresting text and images of the last known thylacine in a concrete cage with sweeping colour paintings of the animal in its natural environment. Intense, poetic and beautiful, this book will haunt you.

Moon Bear Rescue

Written by: Kim Dale
Illustrated by: Kim Dale
Lothian Books

Following her horrific discovery of bear farming in 1993, Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE, began tireless work within China to set up a Moon Bear Rescue Centre in Sichuan and to work towards the complete elimination of bear farming. Bears rehabilitating at the centre arrive in shocking condition bone thin, desperately ill and terrified. They are all in urgent need of veterinary attention, extensive surgery and huge amounts of tender loving care.

This is the true and incredibly moving story of such a bear, a Moon Bear cub named Sunshine, renamed Star in the story. As well, it is an inspirational example of the difference one person can make.

Spines in the Sand

Written by: Diane Lucas
Illustrated by: Colwyn Campbell
Omnibus Books

What’s that strange dark bundle rolling across the sand? Pedro and his mum rush to find out. Following animal tracks to see where an animal leads you is a wonderful journey with a child.

Fiction

The Last Whale

Written by: Chris Pash
Fremantle Press

This fair and balanced account portrays the raw adventure of going to sea, the perils of being a whaler and the ‘crazy, but somehow magical’ commitment that leads activists to throw themselves into the path of an explosive harpoon.

Picture / Preschool Fiction

The Last Dance

Written and illustrated by: Sally Morgan
Little Hare

Everyone needs a home, but some Australian creatures are losing theirs. From sandstone ridges to tropical beaches, from coastal woodlands to alpine streams, habitats are shrinking and changing. The animals in this book need help, and we are the only ones who can give it.

Judges' Comments: One of the judges in 2013, multi-award-winning children’s author Jackie French, described The Last Dance as “beautifully illustrated, this book is another in a long series of books about extinctions, and why they occur.”

Fiction

Tanglewood

Written by: Margaret Wild
Illustrated by: Vivienne Goodman
Omnibus Books

Tanglewood lives on an island far away, visited only by the wind. One day a bird shelters from the storm among its branches and a precious bond is formed. But Seagull belongs to the sky and, too soon, must leave. Will she ever return?

Judges' Comments: Jackie French described Tanglewood as “breathtaking in its beauty and simplicity, this book shows both the web of life, ecology and friendship. The understated analogy between the interdependence of a simple ecology as well as a social network is glorious in both concept and execution. This is an extraordinary book, joyous, transcendent and profound.”

Picture Fiction

Bizi the Musk Duck of Barren Box Swamp

Written by: Ann-Maree Thompson
Illustrated by: Jan Thompson
Dashing Print

Based on the true environmental success story of Barren Box Swamp. Bizi the Musk Duck cannot believe his beloved swamp is dying. How can he leave his beautiful home? How can it be saved?

Judges' Comments: Jackie French calls this book "a wonderful educational resource, a story of love then hope."

Our Nest is Best!

Written by: Penny O'Hara, Penny Olsen
NLA Publishing

Rocky and Ruby Robin have decided to build a nest. Before they start, they visit all their friends to see what sort of nest would be best. Each nest is different, but the robins don’t feel that any of them is quite right for them. Find out which nest is best with this delightfully illustrated story.

Judges' Comments: A magic little book, accurate and simple but still giving a profound insight into the complex role of niches in the environment.

Ten Tiny Things

Written by: Meg McKinlay
Illustrated by: Kyle Hughes-Odgers
Fremantle Press

This story is about slowing down, taking your time, and really seeing things. Tessa and Zachary have a machine that carries them from here to there and back again in cool calm comfort. It was smooth and swift and splendiferous. One day their machine breaks down and the children venture into the world beyond its metal walls—a place of secret somethings and hidden happenings. Getting from here to there may never be the same … And every day they looked for ten tiny things

Judges' Comments: Jackie French says "A stunning and original book, taking the every day and making it magical..."

Kangaroos Hop

Written by: Ros Moriarty
Illustrated by: Balarinji
Allen & Unwin

Kangaroos Hop helps children identify favourite Australian animals in the Australian landscape. The kangaroos hop, the butterflies fly, the echidnas shuffle across the land and down to the water’s edge where a sleepy crocodile lies…Shhhh! The lively illustrations and cumulative text help readers identify animals as well as verbs.

Judges' Comments: "Simple and delightful, its repetitiveness is fun for the very young, while showing them the beauty of indigenous art."

Picture Fiction

Welcome home

Written and illustrated by: Christina Booth
Ford Street Publishing

Welcome Home is the story of a young boy and a whale as she swims into the river harbour seeking safety and a resolution to the violent past relationship between whales and man. This prosaic journey, accompanied with soft sketchy watercolour images, reveals how the past can impact our future. Can the boy make amends for the past? Can the whale forgive and return to what was once her ancestors’ home? Whaling is an horrific image to portray in any literature yet this story offers its history and consequences to children in a gentle, safe way. This story does not avoid the facts but ends with hope and reconciliation, using history to show the consequences of our choices and actions.

Judges' Comments:

Comments from Ben Wood: This story could relate to a lot of animals. The supporting information at the back of the story resonates powerfully. A lovely story.

Comments from Michael Gerard Bauer: An engaging and emotive storyline drawn from a real incident, sensitively told and beautifully illustrated. This book has a strong environmental message that offers both an understanding of the past and a hope for the future. It will touch the heart and minds of young readers. Information pages at the end add a further depth of understanding and appreciation of the issue.

Fiction

Bush Baby Rescue: Juliet, Nearly a Vet, Book 4

Written by: Rebecca Johnson
Illustrated by: Kyla May
Penguin Group (Australia)

Hi! I’m Juliet. I’m ten years old. And I’m nearly a vet!

A terrible bushfire has struck and Mum’s vet clinic is in chaos. Every day more and more injured baby animals arrive. Chelsea and I have never been busier! There’s an adorable baby koala to feed by hand, a fat little wombat to bandage, and a funny blue-tongued lizard that Max is determined to make his pet.

But who knew that babies needed so much feeding! I may never sleep again!

Judges' Comments:

Comments from Michael Gerard Bauer: A lively story with likeable characters that presents an entertaining and informative account of the care and treatment of native animals. Simple, attractive illustrations add to the appeal.

The Smallest Carbon Footprint in the Land & other eco-tales

Written by: Anne Morgan
Illustrated by: Gay McKinnon
Interactive Publications

In this delightful collection of organically-grown eco-tales, a prince wants to marry the girl with the smallest carbon footprint in the land; Space Cadet Lox finds out why a planet is like a bowl of porridge; a girl in a little green hoodie tries to save an endangered wolf; and Chicken Licken warns the sea is rising.

Judges' Comments:

Comments by Ben Wood: A very fun book full of important messages. Worth a look!

Comments from Michael Gerard Bauer: This book covers a wide range of environmental issues with some clever updating and reworking of familiar fairy tales. The use of humour and the unexpected twists to well-known stories provide an interesting way to present serious environmental concerns to a young readership.

Picture Fiction

Rainforest Lullaby

Written by: Sally Odgers
Illustrated by: Lisa Stewart
Scholastic Press

In the drowsing tropic scene

Tree frog’s clinging green-on-green

Snuggled safe till the sun slips down

Ringtail Possum’s sleeping sound.

All the animals sleep soundly in the comfort of the rainforest. Rainforest Lullaby is perfect for every newborn.

Judges' Comments:

Comments from Ben Wood: A gentle story that makes the bush feel cozy and warm. I would like to sleep there!

Comments by Michael Gerard Bauer: A gentle journey through the rainforest accompanied by delicate, muted illustrations that beautifully reflect the mood of the words. This lovely picture book promotes a love of wildlife and the natural environment and would be a delight to read aloud to a young audience.

The Curious Explorer’s Illustrated Guide to Exotic Animals

Written and illustrated by: Marc Martin
Penguin Group (Australia)

From armadillo to zebras, chameleons to quetzals, these exotic animals will surprise and delight. No curious explorer should be without Marc Martin’s stunning celebration of strange and beautiful creatures from all over the world. Here is a book of wonder, a unique and breathtaking treasure from one of Australia’s most outstanding new talents.

Judges' comments:

Comments from Ben Wood: This introduction to Exotic animals a great book wonderful way to approach wild creatures!

Comments from Michael Gerard Bauer: This bold picture book has wonderfully unique and vibrant illustrations that highlight the diversity and beauty of the world’s exotic animals. A visual treat that also provides information that could lead to further research and investigation into these and other amazing inhabitants of the natural world.

The Twelve Days of Christmas Island

Written by: Teresa Lagrange

An Australian Christmas—and counting—book that celebrates the unique birdlife that inhabits this remote and wildly beautiful island

Judges' Comments:

Comments from Michael Gerard Bauer: A new twist on the popular Christmas song celebrating the birdlife on Christmas Island. The updated lyrics are fun and imaginative and will appeal to young readers, as will the very bold and colourful illustrations. A quality picture book that informs readers and encourages an appreciation of a unique and precious place

Kissed By The Moon

Written and illustrated by: Alison Lester
Penguin Group (Australia)

May you, my baby, sleep softly at night, and when dawn lights the world, may you wake up to birdsong.

Part poem, part lullaby, this gentle story celebrates a baby’s wonder at our beautiful world. From much-loved Australian Children’s Laureate Alison Lester comes a timeless book to share and to treasure.

Judges' Comments:

Comments from Ben Wood: A wonderful lullaby that explores the experience of discovering nature! Beautiful!

Comments by Michael Gerard Bauer: A really lovely, gentle picture book that promotes a joyful and positive engagement with, and a full appreciation of, the natural world in all its aspects. The simple but effective language and gorgeous illustrations blend perfectly together to make for a very appealing read. A really beautiful book.

Fiction

Girl v The World: Sophie Bennett Saves the Planet

Written by: Meredith Badger
Hardie Grant Egmont

Sophie is socially conscious—does that mean she’ll always stick out?

Sophie thinks about climate change and ethical food choices way more than the other kids at school. Doing the right thing is just really important to her. But sometimes it’s hard being the one who always speaks up. Will Sophie ever fit in, or is she better off standing out?

Judges' Comments:

Comments from Ben Wood: A great story! Brings up a lot of ideas about taking care of nature, and what responsibilities kids need to think about.

Comments from Michael Gerard Bauer: Older readers would certainly relate to these themes. The inclusion of a touch of romance would also appeal I’m sure! This is a well-written story with some depth to it. I like that the main character is at a stage where she is assessing the beliefs and life-style she has grown up with, and is willing to make a stand for what she believes is right. The book raises a number of issues that could get readers thinking and questioning they own views and actions.

Picture Fiction

Rivertime

Written and illustrated by: Trace Balla
Allen & Unwin

A tender and beautifully illustrated tale of a boy and his bird-watching uncle, on a paddling trip on Australia’s Glenelg River. A story about slowing down, growing up, and connecting with the land and its creatures.

Non-fiction

Our Class Tiger

Written by: Aleesah Darlison
Illustrated by: Antonia Stylianou
Oxford University Press

An informative and compelling narrative non-fiction story. Rose’s class ‘adopt’ a tiny, endangered Sumatran tiger. As the year progresses, the class watches in wonder as Berhaga grows and develops. Deals with important issues of environmentalism and endangered animals.

Emu

Written by: Claire Saxby
Illustrated by: Graham Byrne
Walker Books Australia

In the open forest, Emu gathers granite-green eggs under soft feathers. Emu will care for the eggs and protect the stripy chicks once they hatch. There are many hazards in the forest for this unusual family.

Fiction

Rescue on Nim’s Island

Written by: Wendy Orr
Allen & Unwin

Nim lives on an island with her father, Jack, a marine iguana called Fred, a sea lion called Selkie, and their friend Alex Rover, the adventure writer. Nim’s island is the most beautiful place in the world, and she wouldn’t swap live anywhere else.

When Jack invites a group of scientists to visit, they bring their children as well. But two of the scientists have plans other than studying algae… By the time Nim discovers what they really want, and what they will do to get it, the children are in grave danger. And so is the island! Nim must choose between saving a natural treasure and saving someone’s life.

Picture Fiction

The Duck and the Darklings

Written by: Glenda Millard
Illustrated by: Stephen Michael King
Allen and Unwin

Grandpapa’s eyes shine when he remembers the beauty of the world, long-ago. Peterboy wants to find something wonderful to bring the light to Grandpapa’s eyes and keep it there. What he finds is a duck, wounded and broken, and Grandpapa mends her from top to tail; quack, waddle and wing!

The Duck and the Darklings is a triumphant story, for children and adults, about the coming of hope in dark days, the warmth of friendship and the splendour of a new dawn.

Zobi and the Zoox

Written by: Ailsa Wild, Briony Barr, Gregory Crocetti
Illustrated by: Aviva Reed
Scale Free Network

Zobi and the Zoox is an illustrated science-adventure story starring microbes, molecules and mucus—members of the tiny symbiotic society who live within a coral polyp named Darian. When their home is under threat Zobi (a brave Rhizobia bacterium), teams up with a family of slow but steady Zoox (zooxanthellae). The ocean gets too hot, the coral is gravely ill and the other bacteria go crazy… so Zobi and the Zoox have to work together to try and save the day.

Run Tree Run

Written by: Kelly Alsop
Illustrated by: Boris Silvestri
JoJo Publishing

A gentle and wise old tree helps the animals of its rainforest to escape with their lives before the miners come to tear down their home. The animals featured include a Sugar Glider looking for a new home, a Rhinoceros Beetle desperate to get away and a Cassowary, a loyal friend of the tree’s. Written as a protest against a proposed $1.2billion bauxite mine near the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve at Cape York Peninsula, this children’s book has eighteen vibrant illustrations of the rainforest and its animals.

Non-fiction

Found and Made: The Art of Upcycling

Written by: Lisa Hölzl
Walker Books Australia

Make a masterpiece from your rubbish! With eleven exciting projects to inspire you, Found and Made: The Art of Upcycling will help to turn your trash into treasure. A toilet roll holder and some papier-mâché can become a puppet king. A shoe box can transform into a treasure box. Ice-cream sticks, magazines, plastic bags, tin cans – are all waiting to be part of your art kit. Collect. Create. And upcycle!

Fiction

Those Eco-pirate Kids

Written and illustrated by: Jon Tucker
Storm Bay Books

Ten year old Fin has always been passionate about responsible fishing, so when he discovers an illegal net full of undersized fish in Sydney’s northern waterways, his first reaction is to set them free.

The subsequent events turn a joint Kiwi-Australian family holiday into a rather more complex experience which reinforces the importance of sustainability, as well as demonstrating that modern technology is not always invincible in the face of nature’s power.

The Vanishing Frogs of Cascade Creek

Written by: Emma Homes
Spark Street Communications pty ltd

The beautiful waterfall frogs have suddenly disappeared from their rainforest home, and Ruthie’s parents have been asked to solve the mystery. So now the whole family— two wildlife scientists, three kids, and a mischievous pet wombat, are off in their big green bus for a wildlife adventure in northern Australia.
Will Ruthie and her family find out why the frogs are vanishing, before it is too late?

Lulu Bell and the Sea Turtle

Written by: Belinda Murrell
Illustrated by: Serena Geddes
Random House Australia

Lulu Bell is off on the adventure of a lifetime!

Lulu and her family are setting off on an adventure a long way from home. Mum has been invited to visit an Aboriginal community to choose paintings for an art exhibition.

Lulu, Rosie and Gus are having lots of fun swimming and fishing with their new friends. But there is one thing Lulu would really like to see. Can wishing upon a star help her dream come true?

Picture fiction

Seagull

Written and illustrated by: Danny Snell
Working Title Press

“Seagull loves to fly. It makes her heart sing. But when she gets caught in a tangle of fishing line on the beach, Seagull can only watch as other birds fly effortlessly above. What can she do? Who will help her?

Written and illustrated by Danny Snell, Seagull is a gentle, positive story with a strong environmental message about caring for our land and our wildlife.”

Once I Heard a Little Wombat

Written and illustrated by: Renee Treml
Penguin Random House Australia

A beautiful Australian take on a classic nursery rhyme

'Once I heard a little wombat stomp stomp stomp...'

Read along and act out the movements as these baby Australian animals eat, play and settle down for nap time.

Non-fiction

Atmospheric

Written by: Carole Wilkinson
Black Dog Books

Talking about the weather used to be small talk, now it’s the hottest topic on Earth. We can’t survive without Earth’s atmosphere, yet most of the time we ignore it. We treat our atmosphere as a rubbish dump for our greenhouse gas emissions. Slowly but surely, what we are doing is changing Earth’s climate. Atmospheric cuts through the many voices raised around climate change to tell the story of our atmosphere, what is putting our climate at risk and what we can do about it. This could be the most important book you read in your life.

Fiction

The River and the Book

Written by: Alison Croggon
Walker Books Australia

Simbala is a Keeper, the latest in a long line of women who can read the Book to find answers to people’s questions. When developers begin to poison the River on which Simbala’s village relies, the Book predicts change. But this does not come in the form they expect; it is the sympathetic foreigner who comes to stay who inflicts the greatest damage of all.

Picture fiction

A River

Written and illustrated by: Marc Martin
Penguin Random House Australia

A River is a beautifully illustrated picture book that takes the reader on a journey. Synopsis: There is a river outside my window. Where will it take me? Each new landscape is explored through stunning illustrations and poetic text from this award-winning picture-book creator.

Non-fiction

Platypus

Written by: Sue Whiting
Illustrated by: Mark Jackson
Walker Books Australia

Platypus leaves his burrow in the riverbank and dives into the cool green pool. It is dusk and he is hungry. Platypus is always busy, always moving, looking for his next meal. Follow platypus as he plays, swims, dives and scurries around his riverbank home.

Phasmid: Saving the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect

Written by: Rohan Cleave
Illustrated by: Coral Tulloch
CSIRO Publishing

“Phasmid is the amazing true story of the Lord Howe Island Phasmid, or Stick Insect. Believed to be extinct for nearly 80 years, the phasmids were rediscovered on Balls Pyramid, a volcanic outcrop 23 kilometres off the coast of Lord Howe Island. This wonderful tale captures the life of one of the world’s most critically endangered invertebrates—it is a positive story about one species’ incredible survival in a time of worldwide species decline.”

Fiction

Thirst

Written by: Lizzie Wilcock
Scholastic

“It’s not my desert, but this is my escape. I’m doing it on my own. Karanda Hooke doesn’t need anybody or anything. On her way to her sixth foster home, a crash leaves her stranded in the outback with only a backpack, a bottle of water and a stained picture of the mother she hasn’t seen in years. This is her chance to escape her old life. There’s only one thing in her way... eight-year-old Solomon.”

Mister Cassowary

Written by: Samantha Wheeler
University of Queensland Press

“A thrilling adventure about Australia’s endangered cassowaries. When Flynn and Dad arrive at Grandad Barney’s banana farm, it’s clear that Flynn has a lot of investigating to do. Everything in the place is a mystery, especially his grandad who died almost a year ago, and the strange dinosaur-like birds called cassowaries that make his dad so scared. After Flynn meets local girl Abby and discovers two orphaned baby cassowaries, the mystery deepens. Can Flynn find out the truth about his grandad and the cassowaries before it’s too late?”

Picture fiction

Chooks in Dinner Suits

Written by: Diane Jackson Hill
Illustrated by: Craig Smith
Museums Victoria

A warmly funny account of one man’s quest to save a penguin colony, with two very unusual helpers. Chooks in Dinner Suits is based on the real events that took place in Middle Island, Victoria where predation was destroying a local penguin colony. A local farmer, in conjunction with the local council and other local environment organisations, developed a plan to protect the penguins using Maremma dogs.

Non-fiction

Welcome to Country

Written by: Aunty Joy Murphy
Illustrated by: Lisa Kennedy
Black Dog Books

Welcome to the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri People. We are part of this land and the land is part of us. This is where we come from. Wominjeka Wurundjeri balluk yearmenn koondee bik. Welcome to Country.

Fiction

Rainforest Camp: Juliet, Nearly a Vet

Written by: Rebecca Johnson
Penguin Random House Australia

Hi! I’m Juliet. I’m ten years old. And I’m nearly a vet! We’re off on a school camp to the rainforest. Chelsea, Maisy and I are excited about all the different animals we might spot on our nature walks and torchlight treks. Chelsea is NOT excited about the creepy crawlies we might find! I’ve brought my vet-kit along just in case we find any animals in need of help...

Picture Fiction

Echidnas Can’t Cuddle

Written by: Nieta Manser
Illustrated by: Lauren Merrick
Little Steps

Erik the echidna is feeling sad. His quills make it hard to cuddle his family and friends—nobody likes a spiky hug! But when a few things go astray, Erik finds that his prickly exterior can come in very handy...

The Cassowary’s Gift

Written by: Pam Skadins
Illustrated by: Kathryn Lovejoy
Little Steps

There’s a new sign in the rainforest…“Save the Cassowary – V.I.B. (Very Important Bird)”. So a group of forest animals begin a quest to find out why the Cassowary is so important. But the answer is rather elusive at first. Their persistence eventually rewards them with a positive outcome. It is through the Cassowary’s song “My Poo’s a Gift” that they learn about his important job in the rainforest.

Circle

Written by: Jeannie Baker
Walker Books

From the creator of the critically acclaimed Where the Forest Meets the Sea and Mirror, comes a poetic, eco-conscious picture book which explores the complex, interdependency of nature. This is the story of the little-known Bar-tailed Godwit who, following invisible pathways that have been used for thousands of years, undertakes the longest unbroken migration of any bird, a total of 11,000 kilometres, flying from their breeding grounds in Alaska across the Pacific Ocean to Australia or New Zealand. Facing hunger and treacherous conditions to reach their destination, their flight is one of bravery, tenacity and strength, and Jeannie s stunning mixed media collages, inspired first-hand by the spectacular landscapes of Alaska and China, will amaze readers, and take them on an extraordinary visual journey to the corners of our Earth.

Non-fiction

Amazing Animals of Australia’s National Parks

Written by: Gina M. Newton
NLA Publishing

This book brings together 55 national parks, selected across all Australian states and territories, and over 120 animals. It is divided into seven sections according to habitat (woodlands and grasslands; forests; rainforests; arid zones; mountains; wetlands and waterways; coasts, oceans and islands), each including a number of national parks and a selection of the fish, reptiles, frogs, birds and mammals that inhabit them. At the end of the book is a section on ‘little critters’—beetles, spiders, butterflies, grasshoppers, bugs and so on. Each habitat section opens with photographs of the featured national parks and a description of the habitat. Each animal has its own page, which has a stunning colour photograph of the species, a map of its distribution range, its conservation status and scientific information about the species. The information is divided into the following sections: ‘Fast Facts’ gives you all the vital statistics, such as size, lifespan and number of young; ‘Where Does It Live?’ tells you where in Australia you can find the species and provides details about its home; ‘What’s Its Life Like?’ tells you a bit about how the animal moves, behaves, eats and has young; and ‘Interesting Info’ has quirky and fascinating facts.

Nature Storybooks: Desert Lake

Written by: Pamela Freeman
Illustrated by: Liz Anelli
Walker Books Australia

The dry salt bed of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre shimmers in the desert heat. But far up north, the rains have come. Water is flooding into empty riverbeds and swirling down towards the lake. Soon everything will change.

Fiction

Squishy Taylor and the Tunnel of Doom

Written by: Ailsa Wild
Illustrated by: Ben Wood
Hardie Grant Egmont

Modern Family meets Harriet the Spy in this hilariously fun mystery series! Sita ‘Squishy’ Taylor is a cheeky, sneaky 11-year-old who lives with her dad and step-family in a very crowded apartment. Luckily for Squishy, their building is huge—and there’s always plenty of mysteries to investigate! Like… Why are tunnels be both exciting and scary? How do dogs always know who the bad guys are? Why are pinkie-swears so important? Who’s storing toxic waste under the park? A hilarious junior fiction book series from Australian author Ailsa Wild about solving mysteries, blending families and leaping to conclusions quicker than a ninja-gazelle! Australian superstar Squishy Taylor is a curious, likeable and instantly relatable hero for ALL kids aged 6 and up. She’s part of a blended family—a new kind of normal for so many kids, whether it’s a Modern Family or more of a Brady Bunch. Between nightly Skype-chats with her mum (who lives in Geneva), dealing with a noisy baby at home, sharing a room with her two new ‘bonus sisters’, and getting to know her new stepmum, there’s always a new challenge or exciting mystery to solve.

Red-Tail Recovery

Written by: Emma Homes
Spark Street Communications pty ltd

Ruthie’s wildlife scientist parents are taking on a new challenge—saving the endangered red-tailed black-cockatoo. For Ruthie this means a lot of exciting firsts: living in a house, and not a bus, starting at a ‘real’ school, and the chance to make some friends. As always, Ruthie will be helping her parents with their work, but will it be enough to make a difference for these rare and beautiful birds? And what will Ruthie and her family find themselves up against this time?

Picture Fiction

Florette

Written by: Anna Walker
Penguin Random House Australia

“When Mae has to move house from the country to the city, she feels lonely and sad—until she discovers a beautiful place full of green in the centre of Paris. What she finds there sparks something special and beautiful that will make her feel much more at home.”

Non-fiction

Rock Pool Secrets

Written by: Narelle Oliver
Walker Books Australia

“At first glance there’s nothing much to see. But the rock pools are full of secrets. Nestling in crevices … hiding in the seaweed … camouflaged against the rocks … What creatures will you find? Rock Pool Secrets features beautiful linocut artwork by award-winning author/illustrator Narelle Oliver and includes big, easy-to-use flaps and a glossary of rock pool creatures.”

Coral Sea Dreaming: The Picture Book

Written by: Kim Michelle Toft
Silkim Books

When daylight fades and the night shift clocks on ,the reef becomes the height of activity and wonder, extraordinary creatures all working together to create an underwater masterpiece. Toft has revisited the reef with this book 25 years after her first book One Less Fish and highlights the growing urgency for immediate action to conserve one of the natural wonders of the world. Written in classic rhyme and illustrated with stunning hand painted silk illustrations this book showcases coral reefs and all their beauty.

Fiction

Wombat Warriors

Written by: Samantha Wheeler
University of Queensland Press

“From the beloved author of Mister Cassowary, Smooch & Rose and Spud & Charli comes another thrilling adventure about Australia’s native animals.

Mouse by name, mouse by nature.

Mouse is not prepared for her last-minute stay at Aunt Evie’s. How will she cope at a new school without her parents around?

But before Mouse has even unpacked her suitcase, she makes a new friend—a wombat called Miss Pearl!

Suddenly, being in a strange cottage doesn’t seem so bad, especially when she can snuggle up with a wombat.

Mouse soon learns that not everyone in the area loves wombats, including Aunt Evie’s landlord, a sheep farmer who destroys them on sight.

Can Mouse find her voice in time to keep her furry friends safe?”

Picture Fiction

Fluke

Written by: Lesley Gibbes
Illustrated by: Michelle Dawson
Working Title Press

“In 2012 a Southern right whale gave birth to a calf in Sydney Harbour. The mother and calf stayed in the sheltered waters of the city’s inlets and bays for several months before heading south to the Antarctic waters. The people of Sydney were entranced by the presence of these whales so close to the city. Since then there have been numerous other sightings of whale calves in Sydney waters, including one which was found nestling next to a boat after being separated from its mother.

Lesley Gibbes’ text captures the excitement, joy and awe that the presence of these magnificent mammals create among the citizens of Sydney, while Michelle Dawson’s tender illustrations bring the character of Fluke and his rich underwater world to life.”

Tilly’s Reef Adventure

Written by: Rhonda N. Garward
Working Title Press

"This delightful lift-the-flap book is about a baby Green Turtle who, against the odds, makes it into the ocean and begins her journey in the Great Barrier Reef, meeting friends and foe along the way. After becoming entangled in a plastic bag, she is washed up on a beach, but is saved just in time by children who are cleaning up rubbish there.
After the story, there are extra fascinating facts about the reef and how to help it healthy."

Can You Find Me?

Written by: Gordon Winch
Illustrated by: Patrick Shirvington
New Frontier Publishing

Search for an echidna, a powerful owl, a frog and many more animals hidden on every page. Patrick Shirvington’s striking illustrations hide each one of the animals just enough for the guessing to begin.

Non-fiction

Exploring Soils: A Hidden World Underground

Written by: Samantha Grover
Illustrated by: Camille Heisler
CSIRO Publishing

Take a journey with aspiring soil scientist James and discover the importance of soils in our world. Have you ever wondered what happens in the earth underneath us? James has, and he wants to learn more about soil. In Exploring Soils: A Hidden World Underground, James discovers that soil is not just dirt for digging in. He explores how plants and animals live in soil, how soils are formed, how they differ, and the ways that soil is essential in our lives.

A is for Australian Animals

Written by: Frane Lessac
Walker Books Australia

“Australia is full of the most amazing animals on the planet! What animal has six thumbs? What animal produces square poo? What animal is made up of 95 per cent water and is highly venomous? Discover the answers to these questions and more in this factastic tour of Australian animals.”

Fiction

Pippa’s Island 1: The Beach Shack Cafe

Written by: Belinda Murrell
Penguin Random House Australia

“Pippa has just arrived at a new school, in a new town, and even living on a gorgeous island isn’t cheering her up. Her arrival causes ripples at Kira Island Primary School – but Pippa soon starts to make friends with eco-warrior Meg, boho-chick Charlie, and fashionista and cupcake baker Cici.

Pippa’s mum plans to buy a rustic old boatshed and start a bookshop cafe, and Pippa worries they’ll lose all their money in this madcap venture – until her new friends come to the rescue to help get the grand opening back on track.

Will Kira Island ever feel like home?”

Ella Diaries #11 Going Green

Written by: Meredith Costain
Illustrated by: Danielle McDonald
Scholastic Australia

“Ella’s school is going green! And there’s going to be an election to choose a Planet Protector Captain. Being captain is Ella’s dream: she’ll be in charge of all the cool projects and get to wear a sparkly uniform! But sneaky Peach Parker wants to be Captain too, and will stop at nothing to GET MORE VOTES. Will Ella get the TOP JOB, or will Peach rule the school once again?”

Picture Fiction

The All New Must Have Orange 430

Written by: Michael Speechley
Penguin Random House Australia

A cheeky picture book for anyone who’s bought a thingy or whatsit... and doesn’t quite know why. In his debut picture book, Michael Speechley explores our obsession with stuff in a fun and edifying way.

Non-fiction

Bouncing Back: An Eastern Barred Bandicoot Story

Written by: Rohan Cleave
Illustrated by: Coral Tulloch
CSIRO Publishing

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot is one of Australia’s most threatened species. When their existence came under extreme threat from habitat loss, predators and human development, Eastern Barred Bandicoots found refuge in the most unlikely of places—a rubbish tip. This captivating true story details the plight these small, nocturnal marsupials faced, and the outstanding efforts that ensured their protection—even on the brink of extinction, there is hope for the survival of our most vulnerable species.

Fiction

Maxi the Lifeguard: The Stormy Protest

Written by: David Lawrence and Trent Maxwell
Illustrated by: Peter Baldwin
Affirm Press

When Maxi and his friends discover that someone has been dumping rubbish into the ocean near Bondi, they are furious. Who would do such a thing, and why won’t anyone take them seriously when they report it? Luckily, Maxi has a plan—but exposing the polluter will hurt someone he cares about. Can Maxi find a way out of this messy situation?

Get ready to hit the beach in this action-packed series from Bondi Rescue’s Lifeguard Maxi and Australian comedy writer David Lawrence.

Picture Fiction

More and More and More

Written by: Ian Mutch
Fremantle Press

Henry Harper loves collecting. One day, while out finding treasures, he discovers Kate. She loves to collect, too! Together Henry and Kate amass an amazing amount of stuff before discovering that the most valuable thing they’ve ever found is each other.

The Great Lizard Trek

Written by: Felicity Bradshaw
Illustrated by: Norma MacDonald
CSIRO Publishing

Rocky, an ornate dragon, lives on granite rocks in the south-west of Australia. But further north, where it is getting hotter and wetter, his desert relatives are having trouble with their eggs. As the lizards trek through country in search of a new home, Rocky shares local Indigenous and Western understanding of these changing environments and the animals that live in them.

When Water Lost Her Way

Written by: Meg Humphrys
Circles Publishing

Lost in her ever-changing forms, ‘Water’ questions who she is after an encounter with a creature in an underground cave. Water seeks all parts of her cycle for answers, which makes her feel overwhelmed and confused. However, an ‘old tree’ helps her to understand her place in the world and her many interconnections with all living and non-living things.

Non-fiction

My Australia

Written by: Julie Murphy
Illustrated by: Garry Fleming
National Library of Australia

My Australia is a poetic journey across the Australian landscape. Celebrating both the ancient and modern Australia, the book invites readers to travel across the delights of our continent—from dry deserts to lush rainforests, from high mountains to stormy seashores, from winding rivers to fertile swamplands—all the magical places that are my Australia. With colourful illustrations by Garry Fleming (creator of Bollygum), Julie Murphy’s story is beautifully simple, and sure to excite young readers, encouraging a greater awareness and appreciation of our precious and irreplaceable natural places. (The poem is followed by factual information about Australian natural environments, illustrated with stunning photographs).

Australian Birds

Written and illustrated by: Matt Chun
Hardie Grant Egmont

“It took millions of years of isolation and a diverse range of habitats for Australian birds to evolve the way they did. The result is many of the world’s most striking and beautiful birds, including some that are stranger than fiction. In Australian Birds, acclaimed artist Matt Chun showcases 16 remarkable species that have captured the imagination of the world. From the iconic cockatoo, to the endangered Cassowary, Australian Birds has been carefully curated to inform and entrance readers of all ages.”

Fiction

Off The Track

Written by: Cristy Burne
Fremantle Press

From the author of To the Lighthouse comes a new adventure for young readers about falling in love with the bush, and with hiking and being in the wild. It’s about disconnecting from technology. And discovering yourself.

Harry’s perfect life was straying way off-track. He looked pleadingly at Mum. Surely she could see? Spending an entire weekend tramping around stinking-hot, snake-filled scrub was a horrible mistake. But doing it without a phone? That was just brutal.

Those Sugar-Barge Kids

Written by: Jon Tucker
Storm Bay Books

When three Tasmanian children meet a pair of alternative lifestyle kids who live on an old barge hidden in a mangrove swamp, they soon find themselves heavily involved in a conflict with one of the local oyster-farmers over the release of plastic into the local inlet.

The outcome is a triumph of contemporary lateral thinking, and a signal to youngsters everywhere that it is possible for children to bring about positive environmental change in the world.

Picture Fiction

One Careless Night

Written by: Christina Booth
Walker Books Australia

Where the mist swallows mountains and winds whisper through ancient trees, a mother and her pup run wild and free. They hunt, but they are also hunted. Carted away. Sold for bounty. And then, one careless night… The last thylacine is gone.

The beautiful but heartbreaking story of Australia’s last thylacine (Tasmanian tiger), which died in captivity.

Non-fiction

Explore Your World: Weird, Wild, Amazing!

Written by: Tim Flannery
Illustrated by: Sam Caldwell
Hardie Grant Egmont

Get ready for a whole new look at the world around you.
You’re about to meet the weirdest, wildest and most amazing animals on the planet.

Are zombie jellyfish real?
Do frogs like opera?
Which animals eat poop? (And more importantly, WHY?!)
What’s it like to wrestle a python?

Buckle up—you’re about to find out!

Bursting with bizarre facts, packed with vibrant illustrations and guided by one of the world’s greatest living scientists, Professor Tim Flannery, this deep-dive into the natural world will enthral and enlighten readers. It will also make them laugh out loud… and squirm in disgust.

Fiction

Super Sidekicks 2: Ocean’s Revenge

Written by: Gavin Aung Than
Penguin Random House Australia

The Mother of the Seas is sick of humans using the oceans as a junkyard, so she decides to give the land dwellers a taste of their own medicine. Prepare for an unbelievable underwater menace that threatens to destroy the entire world!

Picture Fiction

Wilam

Written by: Andrew Kelly and Auntie Joy Murphy
Illustrated by: Lisa Kennedy
Walker Books Australia

As ngua rises, Bunjil soars over mountain ash, flying higher and higher as the wind warms. Below, Birrarung begins its long winding path down to palem warreen. Wilam—home.

Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly joins award-winning picture book duo Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy to tell the Indigenous and geographical story of Melbourne’s beautiful Yarra river, from its source to its mouth; from its pre-history to the present day.

The Fate Of Fausto

Written by: Oliver Jeffers
Harper Collins Publishers

A stunningly presented modern-day fable from world-renowned talent Oliver Jeffers.

There was once a man who believed he owned everything and set out to survey what was his.

“You are mine,” Fausto said to the flower, the sheep and the mountain, and they bowed before him. But they were not enough for Fausto, so he conquered a boat and set out to sea…

Working for the first time in traditional lithography, world-renowned talent, Oliver Jeffers, combines spectacular art with powerful prose, hand set using traditional lead type, to create a poignant modern-day fable to touch the hearts of adults and children alike.

One Tree

Written by: Christopher Cheng
Illustrated by: Bruce Whatley
Penguin Random House Australia

One tall tree on the mountain once marked Grandfather’s farm. Now there is a busy city and Grandfather lives with us in our apartment.

Once he told stories but now he stays silent. Until one day, in the city market, I find something precious... something that brings Grandfather’s memories alive again.

Non-fiction

A Hollow is a Home

Written by: Abbie Mitchell
Illustrated by: Astred Hicks
CSIRO Publishing

Take a peek into the world of tree hollows and the animals that call them home. To you and me, a tree hollow is just a hole or tunnel in a tree or branch. But to an animal, that hollow may be a bedroom, a hiding place, nursery or shelter. It is the ultimate tree house! Find out how hollows are created, why they are threatened, and meet scientists who spend their time hollow-hunting.

Fauna: Australia’s Most Curious Creatures

Written by: Tania McCartney
National Library of Australia

Did you know that platypus have retractable webbing on their hind feet to enable an easy transition from swimming to digging?

In “Fauna: Australia’s Most Curious Creatures”, readers are constantly introduced to facts that delight, amaze and induce sheer wonder at the clever design and adaptability of our much-loved native fauna.

The information on each individual species is presented in small ‘bites’ to hold the interest of younger readers, while the information taken in total gives a comprehensive summary of each species, including breeding and feeding habits, physical characteristics, habitat and other unique and quirky features.

“Fauna” also has a strong conservation message with an ‘extinction roll call’ and a rating for the vulnerability of endangered species.

You Can Change the World

Written by: Abbie Mitchell
Illustrated by: Astred Hicks
Designed by: Elysia Clapin
Pantera Press

Kids are on a mission to make our Earth a better, safer, happier place, and you can join in!

Every day, we see problems we would like to fix. A piece of rubbish in a green, grassy park.

Plastic water bottles buried in the sand at the beach. A garbage bin overflowing onto the

street. A skinny, stray dog. A homeless person on a cold day.

Fiction

Eco Rangers: Microbat Mayhem

Written by: Candice Lemon-Scott
Illustrated by: Aska
New Frontier Publishing

The Eco Rangers, Ebony and Jay, are having so much fun at the local adventure park. But when they find two abandoned baby bats, they rescue them right away. Then they discover more microbats inside an old rollercoaster ride. Can the Eco Rangers save the animals in time before the ride is destroyed.

Eco Rangers is an action-packed series centred around two best friends, who rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured wildlife through their conservation centre. Ebony and Jay love helping others and looking after the environment. In each story, they meet new animal friends, solve mysteries and learn more about nature. Meet the Eco Rangers and dive into their brand new adventures!