Suggested Titles for the Australian Curriculum 2012
Indigenous Themes
Coonardoo by Katharine Pritchard , Coonardoo is the moving story of a young Aboriginal woman trained from childhood to be the housekeeper at Wytaliba station and, as such, destined to look after its owner, Hugh Watt. Introduced by Drusilla Modjeska, this frank and daring novel set on the edge of the desert still raises difficult questions about the history of contact between black and white, and its representation in Australian writing. ISBN: 9780207198472 RRP $22.95
Wild Cat Falling by Mudrooroo
"Wild Cat Falling" is the story of an Australia Aboriginal youth who grows up on the ragged outskirts of a country town. He falls into petty crime, goes to gaol and comes out to do battle once more with the society that put him there.
ISBN: 9780207197321 RRP 22.95
Darby: One hundred years of life in a changing culture
By Liam Campbell
After assisting the war effort, he returned to his traditional country northwest of Alice Springs where he became a much loved community and ceremonial leader. He gained recognition as a successful artist and strong advocate for Aboriginal law and culture. ISBN: 9780733319259 RRP $35.00
The Tears of Strangers
Stan Grant was born in 1963 into the Wiradjuri people - a tribe of warriors who occupied the vast territory of central and southwestern New South Wales. For 100 years the Wiradjuri waged a war against European invasion and settlement. This war has largely been ignored by historians and politicians but will be burnt into the hearts and minds of the Wiradjuri forever.
ISBN: 9780732271527 RRP $25.99
Nanberry: Black Brother White By Jackie French
It’s 1789, and as the new colony in Sydney Cove is established, Surgeon John White defies convention and adopts Nanberry, an Aboriginal boy, to raise as his son. Nanberry is clever and uses his unique gifts as an interpreter to bridge the two worlds he lives in. With his white brother, Andrew, he witnesses the struggles of the colonists to keep their precarious grip on a hostile wilderness. And yet he is haunted by the memories of the Cadigal warriors who will one day come to claim him as one of their own
ISBN: 9780732290221 RRP $16.99 Teaching Notes Available
The Whalers Illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft
'The killers get real glad whenever they see the dark fellers killin' a whale.' This is the story of the orca, the largest of the dolphin family. Known as killer whales, the orcas' relationship with the Aboriginal whalers of Twofold
Bay has become legend.
The Whalers is told in the lyrical voice of Percy Mumbulla and comes directly from an oral storytelling tradition and was collected as part of a group of stories and poems by Roland Robinson. With beautiful illustrations by Bronwyn Bancroft, this book explores the special relationship between orca and whaler. ISBN: 9780732295318 RRP: $14.99 Teaching Notes Available
Minah illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft
Whenever I used to see one of those old fellers going off with a spear for murrung -- fish -- I'd watch him. I'd run after him. I was only a little feller but I had a sense to follow and learn how to do all those things." Not everyone has someone to look up to and learn from in their life. But for this little boy, Uncle Abraham is that special person. This is about Minah, Uncle Abraham, shows how the passing down of knowledge can help keep memory alive. A well-known poem by Percy Mumbulla, Uncle Abraham Whose Blackfeller's Name Was Minah is a heart-warming family story. Originally told to Roland Robinson, who was a great admirer of Percy's stories. Powerful and emotional, Bronwyn Bancroft's insight into Aboriginal family life gives the reader a fresh perspective on this well-known poem. ISBN: 9780732295325 RRP: $14.99 Teaching Notes Available
Dirrangun illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft
Dirrangun is well-known near Grafton and along the north coast of New South Wales. Both the Bunjalung and Githavul people speak of her and of her connection with local landmarks. She is a powerful woman Dirrangun contains two stories — one told by Ethan Williams and one by Lucy Daley. It forms part of the oral storytelling tradition and is faithful to each storyteller's voice. These narratives originally appeared in The Nearest The White Man Gets, a group of stories and poems collected by Roland Robinson. Powerful and emotional, Bronwyn's artistic insight into the past draws the reader into a better understanding of the Bunjalung and Githavul stories ISBN: 9780732295332 RRP: $14.99 Teaching Notes Available Rainbow Serpent by Dick Roughsey 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 color spectrum sometimes caused by sunlight hitting the water.Paintings of the Rainbow Serpent first appeared in Arnhem Land rock art more than 6000 years ago, and perhaps as early as 8000 years before the present, as the seas rose after the last Ice Age.
Today the Rainbow Serpent is associated with ceremonies about fertility and abundance, as well as the organisation of the community and the keeping of peace.
ISBN: 9780207174339 RRP: $14.99 Teaching Notes Available A is for Aunty by Elaine Russell
More than just an alphabet book, this title uses the letters A-Z as a framework to tell us about growing up on a mission in northern New South Wales. It is a first alphabet book with an Aboriginal theme and describes daily routines and incidents in and around the mission - including billycart racing and yabby fishing. ISBN: 9780733308727 | ABC Kids | RRP: $14.99
Nyuntu Ninti: What you should know
This beautiful photographic book for young children, Bob Randall explains, in a simple but effective way, the Anangu people’s relationship to all that is around them, and why we must learn to care for the earth, its plants and its creatures.
Based on the award-winning documentary KANYINI, NYUNTU NINTI, meaning ′ what you should know, teaches us about the people who are at the heart of our country
ISBN: 9780733328503 RRP $14.99 Walking the Boundaries by Jackie French
In the gorge Martin meets Meg from almost a century ago and Wullamudulla from thousands of years in the past. Despite their differences they discover that they′re all on the same journey ... and that walking the boundaries means more than following lines on a map ISBN: 9780207200434 RRP $14.95
Beyond the Boundaries by Jackie French
In this sequel to Walking the Boundaries Martin finds the shifting boundaries take him further than he could have imagined deep into the future and further into the past.
ISBN: 9780207187469 RRP $14.95
Yirra and her Deadly Dog, Demon by Anita Heiss
Bursting with energy and madcap fun,Yirra and Her Deadly Dog, Demon gives young readers a contemporary view of urban Indigenous life in Sydney.
ISBN: 9780733320392 RRP $14.95
ASIA Pacific Theme & Intercultural Understanding
Primary
Onion Tears by Diana Kidd
Onion Tears tells the story of Nam-Huong, a young Vietnamese girl living in Australia who is attempting to come to terms with her memories of the war in her homeland. Nam-Huong cries lots of onion tears, and it′ s only when she learns to laugh, that her tears fall like drops of dew
ISBN: 9780207170287 RRP $12.95
The Goldseekers by Greg Bastian
In the mid-1850s, Australia is in the grips of Gold Fever. Muji and her older brother Dong-il, two Korean children, who have been abducted from their homeland, are working on the goldfields to save for a passage home. Sam and his father, Mister Bill, are also trying their luck on the goldfields in order to create a better life for their family. Both parties are eking out a living and then disaster strikes ...
ISBN: 9780207200847 RRP $15.95
The Bicycle by Colin Thompson
In 2008, Colin Thompson visited Cambodia with Save the Children. Struck by the way the humble bicycle was central to so many people lives, he was inspired to create THE BICYCLE, his second picture book for the charity. THE BICYCLE features separate illustrations from internationally acclaimed artists - including Quentin Blake, Shaun Tan, Tony Ross and Freya Blackwood - which celebrate the liberating joy of two wheels. Sprinkled throughout are delightful quotes from famous people, as well as quotes from Cambodian children such as 14-year-old Dany, who describes his bicycle as his best friend.
ISBN: 9780733329876 RRP 27.99
Day of the Elephant by Barbara Ker Wilson
As Mae Jabu approaches the village she appears restless and bellows loudly. Her keeper is concerned by her unusual behaviour, and as Mae Jabu is led to a grassy clearing the children become aware that something very odd is occurring down on the shoreline. Before they even know what is happening, Mae Jabu gently lifts a small group of children on to her back and then heads for higher ground with her keeper running anxiously beside her.
The wave rolls in but the children are saved by the extraordinary efforts of Mae Jabu, whose ‘sixth sense’ anticipated the disaster
ISBN: 9780207200595 RRP 14.99 Teaching Notes Available
Sarindi and the Lucky Bird by Janine M Fraser
'This story is about a boy named Sarindi and he lives in Indonesia with his mum, dad and his lucky bird. Sarindi thinks that luck is a mischievous monkey playing tricks on him. When his dad has an accident or loses his job as a becak driver, he tells his family to buy a new lucky bird. Then perhaps their luck might come back.'
ISBN: 9780207199141 RRP $11.95 Teaching Notes Available
Sarindi and the Lucky Budda by Janine M Fraser
Sarindi and the Lucky Bird introduced a little boy and his family, and their life together in Indonesia. Sarindi is certain he will never be unlucky again when he wins the lucky marble from Jaya. But luck is more mischievous than a monkey. When Sarindi’s mother becomes sick, Sarindi thinks that all the bad luck in the world has come to visit. He thinks there must be something he can do to help her get better.
This time, the song of the Lucky Bird won′t work, so he visits all the sacred places he knows. At each, Sarindi prays for the good health of his mother,because who knows which prayer will succeed
ISBN: 9780732287757 RRP 12.99 Teaching Notes Available
Sarindi's Dragon Kite by Janine M Fraser
It’s Sarindi’s birthday, and what he wants more than anything else is the multi-coloured Dragon Kite he sees in the market. He thinks he’s the luckiest boy when he wakes up and sees the kite, and he can’t wait to go to the beach fly it with his father. But later that day Sarindi wonders if luck has deserted them all. An earthquake has flattened the nearby town of Bantul, where Sarindi’s cousins live. Suddenly, it is no time to be going on a birthday picnic, or flying a dragon kite. Sarindi and his father must go by becak to Bantul to see if they can help. Have Sarindi’s cousins survived the earthquake? And will it ever be time again to fly his beautiful kite? ISBN: 9780732287764 RRP 12.99 Teaching Notes Available
Abdullah's Butterfly by Janine M Fraser
One boy’s love for his grandfather and the magical butterfly that eludes him.I was a visitor to Abdullah’s country, and didn′ t understand. Until he told me his story, this story, and taught me about things more magic even than jewel-winged butterflies. Things like the love of a boy for his grandfather, who was once the best weaver in all the village. Abdullah′ s story was as unexpected and magical as the moment I saw that emerald- winged butterfly
ISBN: 9780207190803 RRP 14.99 Teaching Notes Available
ASIA Pacific Theme & Intercultural Understanding
Secondary
Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera
In the tradition of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, this is the story of one boy′ s experience of the war against terror - behind the barbed wire A place where systematic humiliation, torture and brutality are part of the daily routine. A prison he is powerless to escape. A living hell called Guantanamo Bay.
ISBN: 9780732293093 RRP 16.99 Teaching Notes Available
The Glass Collector by Anna Perera
In Cairo, fifteen-year-old Aaron makes a living out of gathering garbage - as a member of the despised Zabbaleen, this is his fate. But Aaron has dreams. Every day he dreams of Rachel, who looks after the ponies who pull the carts piled high with garbage to and from the slum they call home. He dreams that they will make a life together, far from the smells, cruelty and squalor of their daily existence
ISBN: 9780732291532 RRP 16.99
Marrying Ameera by Rosanne Hawke
Seventeen-year-old Ameera has just finished school and her friendship with Tariq, her best friend’s older brother, is growing. But when her father hears of it he sends Ameera to stay with his family in Kashmir and attend her cousin Jamila’s wedding. Only when she gets there does she discover the devastating truth - the intended marriage is not Jamila’s but her own!
Will Ameera be trapped forever, or can she find strength beyond her years to escape from Pakistan and win back her freedom?
ISBN: 9780732291440 RRP 16.99
Boys without Names by Kashmira Sheth
Trapped. For eleven-year-old Gopal and his family, life in their rural Indian village is over: We stay, we starve, his baba has warned. They flee to the big city of Mumbai in hopes of finding work and a brighter future. Gopal is eager to help support his struggling family, so when a stranger approaches him with the promise of a factory job, he jumps at the offer Boys Without Names is not a heartbreaking story, even if there are moments that break the heart. Instead, it is a story about growing up, about
learning and relearning the meaning of family. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. — Jacqueline Woodson, author of the Newbery Honor book After Tupac and D Foster
ISBN: 9780061857621 RRP 14.99
ASIA Pacific Theme
Older Reader
First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers By Loung Ung
Loung Ung lived in Phnom Penh, one of seven children of an educated, high- ranking government official. When the Kymer Rouge stormed the city in 1975, the young girl and her family fled from village to village. Fighting to hide their identity, the Ungs eventually were forced to separate to survive. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans. As half her family died in labour camps by execution, starvation, and disease, Loung herself grew increasingly resilient and determined - armed with indomitable will, she miraculously managed to outlast the Khmer Rouge and survive the killing fields. First They Killed My Father is her astonishing story, a memorable human drama of courage and survival against all odds.
ISBN: 9780732265915 RRP $24.99 Teaching Notes Available
Maestro by Peter Goldsworthy
Against the backdrop of Darwin, that small, tropical hothouse of a port, half- outback, half-oriental, lying at the tip of northern Australia, a young and newly arrived southerner encounters the ′ maestro′ , a Viennese refugee with a shadowed past. The occasion is a piano lesson, the first of many...
ISBN: 9780732281489 RRP $19.99 Teaching Notes Available
Where the Sea Takes Us by Kim Huynh
In the 1970s and 1980s, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese families set out on perilous journeys in rickety boats to escape communist rule and seek out a better life. Kim Huynh’s family was one of them. In this unique memoir, Kim traces his parents’ precarious lives, from their poor villages in central and southern Vietnam, through relative affluence in Saigon, to their harrowing experiences after the American withdrawal and the fall of Saigon in 1975, which led them to a new life in Australia. As Kim explores his parent’s stories, he unveils the tragedy and inner strength of ordinary Vietnamese people struggling to survive in a country beset by colonisation and ravaged by war.
ISBN: 9780732285609 RRP $24.99
Lucky Child by Loung Ung
Loung is an accomplished activist and writer, vibrant and healthy despite having to come to terms with the physical ravages of war and the memories of her family whose honour she struggles to uphold. Lucky Child is a powerful reminder that wars don′ t end just because the guns have fallen silent.
ISBN: 9780732283483 RRP 24.99
The Thorn of Lion City: A Memoir by Lucy Lum
The Thorn of Lion City is a fascinating and honest account of wartime occupation and of a little girl's upbringing in a repressive Chinese family. At times harrowing, at others touching, it breaks the long silence of the Singaporean Chinese and speaks of hardship, family and the softly-spoken, redemptive relationship between a father and daughter
ISBN: 9780007200351 RRP $24.99
Ching Chong China Girl: From fruitshop to foreign correspondent by Helene Chung
Surviving the embarrassment of childhood, Helene discovered the thrill of the theatre fell into journalism and travelled the world. She became the first non-white reporter on Australian TV and the first female posted abroad by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. CHING CHONG CHINA GIRL is filled with honesty, humour, love and loss, and gives insight into life that traverses cultures East and West
ISBN: 9780733322914 RRP$32.99
Vietnam: The Australian War by Paul Ham
Drawing on hundreds of accounts by soldiers, politicians, aid workers, entertainers and the Vietnamese people, Paul Ham reconstructs for the first time the full history of our longest military campaign. From the commitment to engage, through the fight over conscription and the rise of the anti-war movement, to the tactics and horror of the battlefi eld, Ham exhumes the truth about this politicians′ war -- which sealed the fate of 50,000 Australian servicemen and women.
ISBN: 9780732282370 $55.00
Vietnam Illustrated By Paul Ham
This superbly produced illustrated edition of Paul Ham′ s award-winning Vietnam: The Australian War creates an equally powerful pictorial record of this epic story with some of the most memorable, shocking and rare images of the war
Will The Boat Sink The Water? by Guidi Chen, Chuntao Wu
In 2000, acclaimed investigative journalists Wu Chuntao and Chen Guidi set out to document the lives of China′ s silent majority - the country′ s 900 million strong peasant underclass. Their research revealed the other side of the Chinese "economic miracle", a feudal system in which petty dictators are free to tyrannise the rural poor. When the book was published in China it caused uproar.
ISBN: 9780732283056 RRP $24.99
Bamboo Palace by Christopher Kremmer
In the dying days of the Vietnam War, a royal family is rounded up and flown by helicopter to a remote prison camp. Behind the bamboo curtain erected by victorious communist guerillas, the tragic final days of an Asian king and his dynasty will play out. Christopher Kremmer takes readers on a gripping odyssey to Indochina′ s heart of darkness, the remote prison camp where the Kingdom of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol finally ends.
Part travelogue, part mystery, Bamboo Palace reveals the only known eye- witness account of the final solution carried out in the jungles of northern Laos.
ISBN: 9780732285579 RRP $24.99
Sustainability and Environmental Issues
Primary
The Cat on the Island by Gary Crew, Gillian Warden
The true story of David and his father, who came to Stephens Island - a remote and pristine island off Cook Strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand in 1894. There they built a lighthouse to protect ships entering the strait, chopping down the trees and demolishing the habitat of the birds.
The strikingly beautiful illustrations reinforce the tragedy of the obliteration of this tiny Eden, a timely metaphor for that other paradise known as Earth.
ISBN: 9780207200700 RRP 24.99
Leaf Litter by Rachel Tonkin
Leaves, twigs, branches and bark collect on the ground in forests all over the world. We call it leaf litter, but it isn′ t really rubbish at all. If you look closely at leaf litter you will discover a world of animals and plants living side by side, a busy secret world we hardly ever see.
In this exquisitely illustrated book, award-winning author/illustrator Rachel Tonkin explores a small patch of leaf litter beneath one tree, which contains a hidden world that changes day by day.
The more you look, the more amazing things you will find
ISBN: 9780207198441 RRP 17.99 Teaching Notes Available Zoobots by Ben Whatley, Bruce Whatley
Zebo and her friends, Hyde and TC, live in Junk Jungle, which is a scrappy kind of place that is filled with things that look like - other things! Zebo likes her friends very much, but she longs for another friend - one who isn′ t as big as her best friend Hyde and one who isn′ t as small as her other best friend TC. One who is just right. But where can Zebo find such a new friend?
Making new friends can sometimes be hard to do - unless you live in Junk Jungle, which is filled with things that can be turned into other useful things - like a new friend!
ISBN: 9780732284824 RRP 24.99 The Tomorrow Book by Jackie French, Sue deGennaro
Lively, fun and positive, this book serves to give young people information about their world and shows them that a lot of environmental solutions are simple and relatively easy to put in place. Produced on recycled paper to reflect the message within, this is a beautiful book
ISBN: 9780732289409 RRP 14.99
Fancy Nancy: Every Day Is Earth Day by Jane O'Connor Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
Being green is important to Nancy—so important that she wants her family to take care of the Earth morning, noon, and night!
ISBN: 9780061873263 RRP $7.99
How to Guzzle Your Garden by Jackie French
Children will love guzzling their garden - and it′ s not too much work as this book will show them Jackie French is well-known as a gardening expert from her articles in many magazines and newspapers and her TV spot on Burke’s Backyard. In this book she will describe and show children how to easily and quickly set up a garden and be able to eat thing from it with little financial outlay and not too much work! They will be munching their garden in no time at all. This book will also be terrific for schools and other groups to use in teaching children all about growing edible plants.
ISBN: 9780207197932 RRP 14.95
Stamp, Stomp, Whomp by Jackie French
Stamp Stomp Womp is a companion book to How to Guzzle Your Garden. Popular author and Burke′ s Backyard presenter, Jackie French helps children discover ways of getting rid of garden pests. Children, parents, and teachers will all love this book and Jackie′ s amusing, but serious, stories of garden pests and what to do about them.
ISBN: 9780207197857 RRP 14.95
Why should I bother about the planet?
All about what's gone wrong with the planet, what needs to be done about it, and how to help. Answers questions such as: How can I save energy? What is a carbon footprint? What causes air pollution? Can science solve the problem? Written in a clear, factual style with bright, stylish illustrations and internet links to recommended websites to find out more.
ISBN: 9780746089170 RRP $9.99 Why should I recycle?
All about the difficulties of making too much waste, what needs to be done about it, and how to help. Answers questions such as: Why not bury rubbish? What do the recycling symbols mean? And where does recycling go? Written in a clear, factual style with bright, stylish illustrations and internet links to recommended websites to find out more.
ISBN: 9781409507338 RRP $9.99 Rubbish and recycling Usborne Beginners are colourful information books for children beginning to read on their own.
Vivid, full colour illustrations and photographs on every page, accompanied by short, informative text. Developed with reading experts at the University of Roehampton. Carefully selected Internet links to exciting websites to find out more. Great reading practice for children who prefer fact to fiction.
ISBN: 9780746074817 RRP $9.99
The story of rubbish Usborne Beginners are colourful information books for children beginning to read on their own
The story of rubbish told for children growing in reading confidence. From the recycling cavemen of prehistoric times to the landfill sites of today, find out how rubbish has been dealt with and disposed of throughout history.
ISBN: 9781409500841 RRP Planet Earth Usborne Beginners are colourful information books for children beginning to read on their own.
Vivid, full colour illustrations and photographs on every page, accompanied by short, informative text. Carefully selected internet links to exciting websites to find out more. Great reading practice for children who prefer fact to fiction.
ISBN: 9780746080368 RRP
See inside Planet Earth Usborne flap book that delves deep into the mysteries of the geography of the Earth.
Each page is covered with flaps that reveal and explain the Earth's structure, climate and environments, from desert to arctic tundra. Includes pages revealing the problems of climate change and ways to reduce global warming. With over 80 sturdy flaps, and internet links to websites to find out more.
ISBN: 9780746087541 See under the sea Usborne flap book with over 80 flaps to lift and extra pages to open up to explore life under the sea.
Shows coral reefs teeming with fish, the icy waters of the Arctic and the dizzying depths of ocean trenches, and shipwrecks and pirate booty too. Flaps reveal extra facts, information and surprises.
ISBN: 9780746096383 Sustainability and Environmental Issues Older Readers
Green is Good: An Insider's Account of the Battle to Make Australia aGreen Nation By Jeff Angel
In GREEN IS GOOD Jeff Angel exposes the real face of environmental change: the twin pressures of politics and industry groups; the ongoing tensions between fundamentalism and pragmatism in the environment movement; and the ineffectiveness of many environmental
laws and government agencies. He takes us inside some of the most pivotal events in Australian political history, and predicts what will happen next in the fight to save the environment.
Candid, fascinating and thought-provoking, GREEN IS GOOD should be read by anyone who cares about ensuring that Australia becomes a green nation.
ISBN: 9780733323508 RRP $32.95
Ancient Civilizations Myths and Legends- Non Fiction
How do ancient things get buried? Who digs them up? And what do they find? Beginner readers can find answers to these questions and more in this colourful information book. Illustrated with stunning photographs and illustrations accompanied by short, informative text developed with reading experts. Includes carefully selected internet-links to exciting websites.
ISBN: 9781409514251 Greek Myths & Legends- Usborne Illustrated
Exciting stories of Greek gods, goddesses and heroes vividly retold for young readers.
Includes a "Who's who" guide to each character, including, Icarus and Daedalus, Zeus and Atlas and their role in Greek mythology. Contains an informative section on the ancient Greek
people and their beliefs. Dramatically illustrated by Rodney Matthews
ISBN: 9780746087190 Norse Myths and Legends- Usborne Illustrated
Exciting stories of Norse Gods and Goddesses vividly retold for who' guide to each character and their role in Norse mythology. Informative section on the Viking people and their beliefs. Dramatically illustrated by Rodney Matthews.
ISBN: 9780746081143
Illustrated stories from the Greek Myths
A wonderful collection of six classic Greek myths and legends, specially retold for younger readers. Includes the stories of ‘The Wooden Horse’, ‘The Minotaur’ and ‘The Odyssey’, as well as a guide to the Greek Gods. Beautifully bound in padded hardback, and packed with information, colour and culture, this makes a thrilling read for any child. With a pronunciation guide to Greek names on the Usborne Quicklinks website.
ISBN: 9781409531678
Stories from India
Enchantingly illustrated by Linda Edwards, this beautiful book retells sixteen traditional Indian tales that will engage and amuse young children. Featuring old stories of trickery and cunning, to inspiring stories of the battles and feats of different Hindu gods, this is a classic book that children will return to again and again. A perfect gift for young readers
ISBN: 9780746070437
Stories from around the world
A magical collection of traditional stories, filled with brave heroes and heroines, wonderful magic and strange creatures. Delightful to read aloud to small children, or for young readers to read themselves.
ISBN: 9781409508427 Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece
A fascinating and detailed guide to Ancient Greek civilisation from the Minoans to Alexander's empire. Includes detailed information on the key figures, battles and geography of the Ancient Greek Empire, as well gods and goddesses, the Olympic Games and the day-to-day life of its citizens. Stunning photographs and illustrations accompanied by detailed diagrams and maps create a vivid picture of life in ancient times. Comprehensive fact finder section includes a time chart, who’s who and glossary, making it perfect for reference use. Internet-linked to recommended websites to encourage further learning
ISBN: 9781409531418 Encyclopedia of the Roman World
Fascinating guide to the Roman World and its dramatic history, government, army, religion and everyday life. Stunning photographs and detailed reconstructions create a vivid picture of life in Ancient Rome. The comprehensive factfinder includes a time chart, who’s who and details of recent archaeological finds. Internet-links offer a fascinating selection of recommended websites, containing additional information for school projects and homework.
ISBN: 9781409520405
Ancient Civilizations Myths and Legends- Fiction
Pharaoh by Jackie French
Set in a time before the pyramids and based on real historical events, Pharaoh will sweep readers along on a fascinating journey through a part of the world we hear so much about today.
ISBN: 9780207200823 RRP $15.95
They Came On Viking Ships by Jackie French
This page-turning story is set against an historical backdrop and the book is both fascinating and historically informative. The book will also contain detailed black and white line illustrations throughout.
ISBN: 9780207200113 RRP 15.95
Macbeth and Son by Jackie French Why did Shakespeare lie about who Macbeth really was? When is it okay to lie and when should you tell the truth? Similarly to Hitler′ s Daughter, Macbeth and Son challenges the reader to consider the actions of people, both in the past and present, and from a seemingly simple storyline, Macbeth and Son arrives at the morally complex question of ′ What is Truth? And how important is it
ISBN: 9780207200342 RRP $15. 95 Circles of Stone by Pamela Rushby
Two girls - one the daughter of a great Celtic chieftain, the other the daughter of a hippy chick from northern New South Wales. Both reluctant possessors of a mysterious power that leaves them ostracised by those around them. Two thousand years and half a world away, their lives have been linked by two identical circles of stone. ISBN: 9780207199080 RRP $16.95
Frankenstein by Margrete Lamond, Drahos Zak
In this modern retelling of the Mary Shelley classic, Margrete Lamond brings a fresh voice and contemporary interpretation to the Gothic tale of scientist Victor Frankenstein. Drahos Zak′ s stunning illustrations evocatively bring to life this timeless story.
ISBN: 9780207199233 RRP $35.00
100 Characters from Classical Mythology
By Malcolm Day
Mind-expanding and entertaining, this intriguing book charts 100 of the most important characters from Greco-Roman mythology, from the primordial deities to the great gods of Olympus and the shadowy inhabitants of Hades. Addressing universal themes such as love, jealousy, anger, ambition, deceit, and beauty, their stories are as relevant today as they were in ancient times.
ISBN: 9780733319204 RRP $32.95
Australian Historical Fiction Primary
AUSTRALIAN Children’s Classic The Man from Snowy River by A B Paterson One of the most famous poems in Australian literature, The Man from Snowy River was first published in The Bulletin, on 26 April 1890. The poem tells the story of a chase to recapture a valuable colt. ′ The Man′ - who is not identified by name - rides down a suicidally steep slope to rescue the horse, collect the reward money and become a local hero. ISBN: 9780207157080 RRP $14.99
AUSTRALIAN Children’s Classic Waltzing Matilda by A B Paterson Beautifully illustrated children′ s paperback by much loved Australian Poet A.B Paterson . Through a light lyrical verse, comes to life the story of a swagman who steals a sheep or ′ jumbuck′ , and his ensuing police chase. Desmond Digby′ s painterly style of illustration with rustic colours, and a rugged looking swagman encapsulate the poet′ s Australian bush perfectly ISBN: 9780207170980 RRP $14.99
AUSTRALIAN Children’s Classic Mulga Bill's Bicycle by Deborah Niland, Kilmeny Niland Mulga Bill′ s Bicycle′ was written by Banjo Paterson in 1896. It was written at a time when cycling was a relatively new and popular social activity. Cycles were ridden everywhere, including in the outback by shearers and other workers who needed to travel cheaply ISBN: 9780207172847 RRP $14.99
The Tram to Bondi Beach by Libby Hathorn, Julie Vivas
A story of a young boy′ s adventures working as a paperboy on the busy trams, travelling to Bondi Beach. It was Kieran′ s dream to be a paperboy and when he finally gets the chance finds it′ s not as easy as he thought it would be but with his friend Saxon teaching him the ropes he eventually gets the opportunity to work at his favourite place...the beach, and the tram rides are the best part of the job to Kieran.
ISBN: 9780207176197 RRP $14.95;
A Waltz for Matilda by Jackie French
Set against a backdrop of bushfire, flood, war and jubilation, this is the story of one girl’s journey towards independence. It is also the story of others who had no vote and very little but their dreams. Drawing on the well-known poem by A.B. Paterson and from events rooted in actual history, this is the untold story behind Australia′ s early years as an emerging nation.
ISBN: 9780732290214 RRP $19.99 Picture Book A Day to Remember by Jackie French, Mark Wilson
Anzac Day is the day when we remember and honour ANZAC traditions down the ages, from the first faltering march of wounded veterans in 1916 to the ever- increasing numbers of their descendants who march today. Containing reference to the many places the ANZACs have fought, and the various ways in which they keep the peace and support the civilians in war-torn parts of the world today, this is a picture book that looks not only at traditions, but also the effects of war.
ISBN: 9780732293604 RRP $24.99
The Donkey Who Carried the Wounded by Jackie French
This is the story of a small unassuming donkey. It′ s also the story of Gallipoli, of Jack Simpson, and New Zealander stretcher-bearer Richard Henderson, who literally took up the reins after Simpson′ s death. Exhaustively researched, it gives a new depth to our understanding of this story of Anzac heroism
ISBN: 9780732288396 RRP $14.99
The Horse Who Bit a Bushranger by Jackie French
Young Billy Marks is a pickpocket, transported to the penal colony of New South Wales. He and his mate reckon they′ ll become bushrangers- but that′ s before Billy′ s had a chance to see the bush up close. And when he buys the big white brumby stallion, covered with scars but refusing to bend to any man′ s will, he knows he made the right choice
ISBN: 9780732289287 RRP ; $14.99
The Camel Who Crossed Australia by Jackie French
The humans called him ′ Bell Sing′ , but to the other camels he is known as ′ He Who Spits Further Than the Wind′ .
Transported from the mountains and deserts of the ′ Northwest Frontier′ (present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan), Bell Sing accompanies explorers Burke and Wills as they try to cross Australia from south to north
ISBN: 9780732285432 RRP $14.99
A Rose for the Anzac Boys by Jackie French
Desperate to do their bit - Midge and her friends Ethel and Anne start a canteen in France, caring for the endless flow of wounded soldiers returning from the front. Midge, recruited by the over-stretched ambulance service, is thrust into carnage and scenes of courage she could never have imagined. And when the war is over, all three girls - and their Anzac boys as well - discover that even going ′ home′ can be both strange and wonderful.
ISBN: 9780732285401 RRP $15.99 Teaching Notes Available The Night They Stormed Eureka by Jackie French
It’s 1854, and the Ballarat goldfields are a place of dreams and rebellion as Sam, a homeless teenager, is called back to the past to join the Puddlehams, who run ‘the best little cook shop on the diggings’.
ISBN: 9780732285418 RRP $15.99
Tom Appleby, Convict Boy by Jackie French
Jackie French weaves Tom′ s story in with the story of the development of Australia. She tells of a colony that, despite its natural abundance, cannot offer what the colonists want - familiarity. While the people′ s health is better than it ever was in England, their morale is low as they wait for news from home.
Hitler's Daughter by Jackie French
As Anna′s story unfolds, Mark is haunted by the image of Hitler′s daughter. He wonders what he would have done in her place if he had known his father was an evil man leading the world into a war that was destroying millions of lives. And if Mark had known, would he have had the power and determination to stop him? The intriguing novel poses powerful questions about a frightening period in history and will force readers to examine moral issues in a fresh, compelling light.
ISBN: 9780207198014 RRP 15.95 Teaching Notes Available
Historical Fiction – Secondary & Older Readers
The Secret Fate of Mary Watson by Judy Johnson Drawing on the little-known history of lawless Far North Queensland and based on the true story of a remarkable woman and her intriguing diary, THE SECRET FATE OF MARY WATSON is a thrilling tale of peril and intrigue, infused with a heady combination of beauty and foreboding. By the winner of a Victorian Premier′ s Literary Award, 2007 ISBN: 9780732292508 RRP $32.99
Act of Faith by Kelly Gardiner
England, 1640. Sixteen-year-old Isabella is forced to flee her home when her father′ s radical ideas lead him into a suicidal stand against Oliver Cromwell′ s army. Taking refuge in Amsterdam and desperate to find a means to survive, Isabella finds work with an elderly printer, Master de Aquila, and his enigmatic young assistant, Willem.
ISBN: 9780732292805 RRP 19.99 Teaching Notes Available
The Art of the Engine Driver by Steven Carroll
On a hot summer′ s night in the 1950s, the old and the new, diesel and steam, town and country all collide -- and nobody will be left unaffected. As a passenger train leaves Spencer Street Station on its haul to Sydney, a family of three -- Vic, Rita and their son Michael -- are off to a party. George Bedser has invited the whole neighbourhood to celebrate the engagement of his daughter.
ISBN: 9780732288983 RRP 24.99
Empire Day by Diane Armstrong
Empire Day, 1948. A back street in Bondi is transformed as the fireworks of Cracker Night cast a magical glow over its humble cottages. But Australia as a whole is being transformed in this postwar era and the people of Wattle Street know that life will never be the same again. The ′ reffos′ have moved in, and their strange ways are threatening the comfortable world of salt-of-the-earth locals like Pop Wilson, deserted mum Kath and sharp-tongued Maude McNulty
Watercolours by Adrienne Ferreira
Eleven-year-old Novi just wants to blend in -- not easy when you′ re named after a silkworm and have the most eccentric family in town. A descendent of the first Italian silk growers in northern New South Wales, he is an obsessive artist with a habit of drawing the stories of the people around him, and a secret conviction that the river murdered his grandfather.
ISBN: 9780732292164 RRP $29.99
The Ballad of Les Darcy by Peter FitzSimons
Torn between the duty he felt he owed his family, and the duty many felt he owed his country, Les made his choice ... and faced the consequences.
And so unfolds a ballad of love, war, betrayal, mystery, patriotism and heroism; a ballad of a champion whose story still has the power to move the stoniest heart.
ISBN: 9780732289515 RRP $19.99