The Best Australian Children’s Books

by Adam Gamble

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Many of Australia’s most beloved regions are artfully celebrated in this board book designed to soothe children before bedtime while instilling an early appreciation for the continent’s natural and cultural wonders.

Good Night Australia explores Sydney Harbour, Great Ocean Road, the Australia Zoo, Mindil Beach, the Great Barrier Reef, Adelaide Oval, Uluru, Kings Park, Salamanca Market, wildlife, and more. Crikey, mates! Little Aussies get a spectacular tour of the wildlife and attractions "Down Under."

Recommended for ages 1-4

by Tania McCartney

Setting: AUSTRALIA

This vibrantly illustrated, 96-page picture book celebrates the flora, fauna, landmarks, and people of Australia. This book includes information specific to Australian states and territories, along with some that applies Australia-wide. This book is a gorgeous tribute to this multicultural country from koalas and kookaburras to skyscrapers and beaches, and football and sunshine.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Giselle Shardlow

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Curl up like a koala, hop like a kangaroo, and waddle like a wombat. Reading is good for the mind and the body with this book that will have your kids laughing and moving.

Recommended for ages 3-5

This book is free on Kindle with Kindle Unlimited

by Lisa Martello-Hart

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Twins Harry and Georgie live in Australia. Join them for a family camping trip through the Stirling Ranges to their favorite beach destination.

This charmingly illustrated tale is told in an easy-flowing rhyme for very young children.

Recommended for ages 3-5

This book is free on Kindle with Kindle Unlimited

by Hilary Bell

Setting: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

This gorgeously illustrated, rhyming picture book provides an introduction to the things that make Sydney great. The author and illustrator, both Sydney locals, introduce kids to the harbor city - from the bats and cicadas to the lawn bowls at the zoo.

Recommended for ages 3 and up

This book is pricey, but you and your kids can also enjoy watching the author and illustrator read it on YouTube!

by National Geographic Learner

Setting: AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

This picture book brings children to the dry and dusty reaches of the outback. On Sunday, Old Stephen, a white-bearded Aborigine, predicts rain, but it takes all week to arrive. With each day that passes, anticipation builds like the dark clouds on the horizon and everyone struggles to keep cool.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Aunty Joy Murphy

Setting: AUSTRALIA

An Aboriginal ceremony of Welcome to Country is depicted for the first time in a stunning picture book from two Indigenous Australians. Welcome to the lands of the Wurundjeri people. 

Aboriginal communities across Australia have boundaries that are defined by mountain ranges and waterways. Traditionally, to cross these boundaries, permission is required. Each community has its own way of greeting, but the practice shares a common name: a Welcome to Country.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Jeannie Baker

Setting: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA & MOROCCO, AFRICA

This two-in-one wordless picture book follows a parallel day in the lives of two families - one in Sydney, Australia and the other in a Moroccan village.

In Sydney, a boy and his family wake up and head out for a busy day of shopping. In Morocco, a boy and his family go through their own morning routine and head out to the bustling market.

The illustrations invite children to compare the activities and surroundings of children in two different cultures to discover how they are connected.

Recommended for ages 4-8

by Tania McCartney

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Meet Ned, Lily, Zoe, Kirra, and Matilda - five Australian children representing the multicultural blend of cultures in this beautiful country. This picture book is bursting with national pride and provides a snapshot of daily life for these children - at play, at school, at home, and enjoying Australia from the tropical north to the rugged west.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Tania McCartney

Setting: NEW ZEALAND

Charlie, Ruby, Oliver, Mason, and Kaia are five Kiwi children representing the multicultural blend of cultures in this beautiful country. This picture book is bursting with national pride and provides a snapshot of daily life - from celebrations to traditions and events - all the things that make childhood memorable.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Rosie Chenault

Setting: NEW ZEALAND

On an island with raging rivers, giant jagged mountains, and fjords below, the animals prepare for their annual talent show. Manu learns about the greatest talent of all - kindness.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Sarah Heiman

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Take an alphabetical exploration filled with detailed non-fiction information about the people, geography, animals, plants, history, and culture of Australia!

Recommended for ages 5-8

by Holly Schroeder

Setting: NEW ZEALAND

Take an alphabetical exploration filled with detailed non-fiction information about the people, geography, animals, plants, history, and culture of New Zealand!

Recommended for ages 5-8

by Mem Fox

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Grandma Poss uses her best bush magic to make Hush invisible. But when Hush longs to be able to see herself again, the two possums must make their way across Australia to find the magic food that will make Hush visible once more.

Also check out Koala Lou by the same author.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Devin Scillian

Setting; AUSTRALIA

This illustrated alphabet picture book captures the spirit of this proud country and its many treasures, natural and man-made. Visit spectacular Sydney Harbor, try your hand as a jackaroo working a sheep station, or just sit back and enjoy a Vegemite sandwich. Australia's " down under " wonders shine brightly below the starry night glitter of the Southern Cross constellation

Recommended for ages 5-7

by Alison Lester

Setting: AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

When Ernie moves with his family to Arnhem Land in the Australian outback, where his parents will work in a hospital for a year, he promises to write to his friends back home.

He writes to each friend about a different season — Kudjewk, Bangekerreng, Yekke, Wurrkeng, Kurrung, or Kurnumeleng — explaining what that time of year brings and revealing the exciting things that he and his new friends are doing. Back home, his six old friends share what they have learned and try some of the activities of the Australian outback.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Alison Lester

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Join Grace and her family as they hitch up their pop-up camper and head out on a three month road trip around Australia, inspired by an actual journey undertaken by the author. This book features a cartoon-style layout that holds young readers' attention and includes lots of non-fiction information.

Recommended for ages 5-8

by Chloe Perkins

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Meet Ruby, a kid living in Australia - a country filled with awesome beaches, unique animals, and exciting cities!

Each book in the The Living In... series is filled with fresh, modern illustrations and loads of history, geography, and cultural details. Join kids from all over the world on a globe-trotting adventure.

Grade Level: K-2

by Miroslav Sasek

Setting: AUSTRALIA

First published in 1970, this classic children's book is filled with charming illustrations, but it also contains loads of information, making it great for children in early elementary school. Readers will visit Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, and Alice Springs in the outback through its pages.

While remaining true to the author's original vision, the facts on the "This is Australia Today" page have been updated for the 21st century.

Grade Level: 1-3

This book series provides environmental education through a blend of photography and illustration. The fictional story is supplemented with nonfiction information.

Grade Level: K-3

Adventures of Riley: Outback Odyssey
by Amanda Lumry
Setting: AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

Riley and his family visit the Australian outback, where they research the local koala population, which has scattered and declined due to increased drought, brush fires, and farming in the outback.
While staying at a working sheep station, they see kangaroos, a platypus, Ayers Rock, and much more. Riley helps save the sheep from a wild dingo, but can he find a way to save the koalas and the outback?

Adventures of Riley: Riddle on the Reef
by Amanda Lumry
Setting: GREAT BARRIER REEF

Journey to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef with Riley and his family as they see what’s up down under! Large areas of the coral reef are dying, and they need to find out why. Joined by world-renowned marine artist and conservationist, Wyland, the crew faces giant starfish, great white sharks, and even poachers in their search for answers.

These titles can be purchased used through Amazon for a better price. They also appear to be available through many libraries.

Setting: AUSTRALIA & OCEANIA

In this geography book for kids, they'll learn about the unique landscape and animal life throughout Australia and Oceania.

Grade Level 1-3

This book is free on Kindle with Kindle Unlimited

by Diane Lucas

Setting: KAKADU, AUSTRALIA

This is an illustrated guide through the unique environment of Kakadu in Australia's northern bush, encouraging children to observe the landscape, birds, plants, and animals as well as the six Aboriginal seasons and their characteristics.

Grade Level: 1-3

Setting: AUSTRALIA

This Australian wildlife book series is co-authored by Bindi Irwin, an international award-winning wildlife conservationist and the daughter of iconic wildlife expert Steve Irwin. Bindi's family owns the Australia Zoo in Queensland, one of the biggest wildlife conservation facilities in the world.

#1: Trouble at the Zoo
#2: Rescue!
#3: Bushfire
#4: Camouflage
#5: A Whale of a Time
#7: Croc Capers
#8: Surfing with Turtles

(Book #6, Roar!, is set in Asia)

Grade Level: 1-3

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Through the eight books of the recently published My Aussie Home series, young readers are introduced to a diverse group of children who all call Australia home.

#1: Meet Taj at the Lighthouse
#2: Meet Zoe and Zac at the Zoo
#3: Meet Eve in the Outback
#4: Meet Katie at the Beach
#5: Meet Mia by the Jetty
#6: Meet Sam at the Mangrove Creek
#7: Meet Matilda at the Festival
#8: Meet Dooley on the Farm

Grade Level: 2-4

by Kevin Davis

Setting: AUSTRALIA

This book describes many things that came from Australia, including inventions, sports, games, food, musical instruments, and more!

Grade Level: 2-3

This book is out of print, but used copies are available on Amazon and from online used book stores.

by Jeff Brown

Setting: AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

Stanley and his brother, Arthur, have just won a trip to Australia! They fly down under on a private jet and go diving in the Great Barrier Reef. But when Arthur launches him into the air for a game of boomerang, Stanley is accidentally sent spinning into an unforgettable adventure deep in the heart of the Australian outback!

Easy-to-read language and illustrations on most pages make this early chapter book series perfect for beginning readers.

Grade Level: 1-4

by Harper Paris

Setting: GREAT BARRIER REEF

Ethan and Ella are on the trail of an Australian coral thief in the eighth book of the Greetings from Somewhere series.

Ethan and Ella are in Australia, home to beautiful beaches and some of the most famous coral reefs in the world—plus tons of cool fish and other underwater creatures! And not only that, Australia is home to Ethan and Ella’s aunt, uncle, and cousin. The twins dive right into the water for some snorkeling at their cousin’s beach house, and while they’re exploring, they come across a watch that’s still ticking. Whose is it? Then they hear reports of fishermen illegally taking coral from the reefs nearby. Could Ethan and Ella be on the trail of a coral thief?

Grade Level: 1-4

Easy-to-read language and illustrations on most pages make this book series perfect for beginning readers.

Each chapter in this action-packed adventure series is bursting with totally true facts about wild and wonderful creatures, dangerous habitats, maps, and more!

Grade Level: 2-4

Race the Wild: Outback All Stars
by Kristin Earhart
Setting: AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

It's an all-star race through the Australian outback. But each team is a champion. So Sage knows the red team will have to be smarter and tougher than the competition if they want to win. If not, they'll be going down on their trip down under!

This title is out of print, but the Kindle version is a great deal!

Race the Wild: Great Reef Games
by Kristin Earhart
Setting: GREAT BARRIER REEF

Sage is used to being the fastest runner, the quickest climber, and the strongest swimmer around. And she's also used to taking charge. But when the second racecourse has the red team diving underwater to explore the Great Barrier Reef, it's trusting her teammates that matters most.

The Magic Tree House and Merlin Missions book series follow a young brother and sister, Jack and Annie, on their adventures around the world and throughout history. And the Magic Tree House Fact Tracker books provide additional factual information to help kids learn more about the topics they discovered in the Magic Tree House adventure books.

Magic Tree House books are recommended for readers in grades 1-4, and the Merlin Mission books and Fact Trackers are recommended for grades 2-5.

Magic Tree House #9:
by Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: GREAT BARRIER REEF

It's sink or swim for Jack and Annie when the Magic Tree House whisks them off to the middle of the ocean. Luckily, they find a mini-submarine on a coral reef. But, they are also about to meet a giant octopus and one very hungry shark!

Magic Tree House #20: DIngoes at Dinnertime
by Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

Wildfire! That's what Jack and Annie are up against when they are whisked away to the land of Australia. And they're not alone! Jack and Annie must help a baby kangaroo and a koala escape from a fire-filled forest.

by Simon Chapman

Setting: DARWIN, AUSTRALIA

Simon is in Darwin, Australia, preparing to travel through the unique mix of tropical forest, savannah and desert that make up the Australian Outback. But he's already worrying if his 4x4 is up to the job, and about the dangers posedby crocodiles, spiders and snakes - and road trains!

Grade Level: 2-4

by Barbara A. Somervill

Setting: AUSTRALIA & OCEANIA

Part of Scholastic's The Seven Continents series, this book will help readers get to know all about the geography, history, wildlife of Australia and the surrounding oceans, as well as learning about the people that live there today.

This book is filled with curriculum-relevant subjects and includes resource sections that encourage kids to learn more.

by Nadia Wheatley

Setting: AUSTRALIA

This book covers 200 years of history told through the experiences of Australian children all living on the same quarter acre of land. Traveling backward through time, we visit the same spot every ten years to see how it has changed and learn about the lives of the children living there at that time.

Grade Level: 3-4

by Tania McCartney

Setting: AUSTRALIA

This book is filled with detailed information, illustrations, and diagrams to teach kids about some of Australia's most interesting animals.

Grade Level: 2-4

by Nico Medina

Setting: AUSTRALIA

The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia, is the world's largest coral reef system. Stretching more than 1,400 miles, it provides a home to a wide diversity of creatures. Designated a World Heritage Site, the reef is suffering from the effects of climate change. This fascinating book shows a spectacular part of our planet.

Grade Levels 3-7

by Dina Anastasio

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Steve Irwin was born in Melbourne, Australia, and was raised on the wildlife park his parents owned. He cared for the animals and especially loved reptiles. He became a crocodile trapper after graduating high school, catching the creatures before dangerous poachers could. Steve became the star of a well-known series, The Crocodile Hunter.

Grade Level: 3-7

by Simon Chapman

"Explorers Wanted" is an exciting new non-fiction series. Each book in the series presents the reader with an exciting expedition to tackle, and is crammed with fascinating information, gruesome details and cool facts.

Grade Level: 4-7

Explorers Wanted: In the Outback
Setting: AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to journey to the other side of the world, to brave a land of desert and desolation - the Australian Outback. The last great land mass to be discovered by Europeans, the Aboriginal tribes settled here thousands of years earlier, establishing a rich and colourful culture. What secrets does this strange land hold? And which rare animals will you encounter? It's not just cuddly koalas you should prepare to meet...Will you survive?

Explorers Wanted: On the South Sea Islands
Setting: SOUTH PACIFIC

Journey to the remote islands of the South Pacific and see if you can survive the dangers that await.

by Lonely Planet Kids

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Lonely Planet's "Not For Parents" series is packed with fascinating facts that will help tweens get to know the real inside story. This is not a travel guidebook - instead, it's filled with tales of toothy sharks, giant rocks and snappy crocs, bushranger baddies, and explorers galore. Check out cool stories about a famous coat-hanger, underground hotels, a super-fast horse, and a very rough race. You'll even find flying doctors and flying fruit flies, flesh-eating spiders and thieving convicts.

Grade Level: 4-7

This book series is out of print, but you'll find lots of used copies on Amazon.

by James Patterson

Setting: AUSTRALIA

In this 9th book in the bestselling "Middle School" series Rafe won a school-wide art contest and the prize is a trip to Australia! But, Rafe finds that living in the Land Down Under is harder than he could have imagined. His host-siblings are not very welcoming, the temperatures are unbearable, and there are poisonous critters at every step.

Grade Level: 4-7

by Shannon Gilligan

Setting: AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK

Take a thrilling adventure through the Australian outback as you search for the mythical city of Satyrion, fly a small plane through a lightning storm, discover gold, and escape a band of crooks.

This is an interactive book where you decide what happens next!

Grade Level: 4-7

by Robert Elmer

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Twelve-year-old Patrick McWaid’s world is turned upside down when his father is framed for a crime and sent on the last prison ship to Australia in 1867. Desperate to keep his family together, the McWaids decide to find passage on another ship headed “down under.”

Then Patrick learns his grandfather was sent to Australia thirty years earlier. No one has heard from him in years, but perhaps the senior McWaid might help them—if only they can find him.

#1: Escape to Murray River
#2: Captive at Kangaroo Springs
#3: Rescue at Boomerang Bend
#4: Dingo Creek Challenge
#5: Race to Wallaby Bay
#6: Firestorm at Kookaburra Station
#7: Koala Beach Outbreak
#8: Panic at Emu Flat

Grade Level: 3-7

The books in this series are free on Kindle with Kindle Unlimited

These magical fairy tales are filled with morals and environmental values. The books prove to kids that you don’t have to stick to the status quo to save the day if you stand up for what is right.

Grade Level: 3-6

#1: The Adventures of Lola

by Jade Harley

Setting: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

To thirteen-year-old Lola, the world is not a very magical place. As a result, she often gets in trouble, whether it's with her parents, who find her rich imagination a bit tiresome, or at school, where the teachers see her as being far too dramatic.
But when Lola and her friends realize that something disastrous is about to strike their town, they gather their strengths and are determined to solve the mystery.

#2: The Adventures of Lola and the Ocean Monster

by Jade Harley

Setting: BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA

A year after finding out she has magical powers beyond her imagination, Lola finds herself on the beautiful East Coast of Australia in Byron Bay, where she has been accepted into Protector Fairy Training Camp. She and her best friends Allie and Jet enjoy learning to surf and working closely with the Queen of the Water Fairies.

However, her new home is threatened when a dark force wreaks havoc in the ocean, striking numerous sea animals with a mysterious illness. Lola is determined to uncover the truth.

These books are free on Kindle with Kindle Unlimited

by Colin Thiele

Setting: SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Set along the rugged beauty of the South Australian coast, Storm Boy cares for an injured pelican and finds a friend that shows him the power of loyalty and love.

This book also contains five other short stories by the same author, each capturing the unique landscape of Australia: The Water Trolley; The Lock-Out; Dad Ran a Fowl Run; The Shell; and The Fish Scales.

Grade Level: 4-8

This book was made into a 2019 movie by the same title, which is available through Prime Video.

by Tony Bradman

Setting: AUSTRALIA

Inspired by a true story, Anzac Boys follows the Barker brothers as they are shipped off from a London orphanage - with one brother sent to Australia and the other to New Zealand. They are promised a better life, but that's not what they find - especially when WWI breaks out.

Grade Level: 4-7

This book is published by Barrington Stokes, who specializes in books for dyslexic children and reluctant readers.

by Kate De Goldi

Setting: NEW ZEALAND

Twelve-year-old Frankie lives in New Zealand with his mom. Aside from being a nervous hypochondriac, he considers his life is pretty normal. He and his friends spend their days playing cricket, swimming, and making up their own language. But when a new girl - Sydney - moves to town, she shakes up his world. Sydney has moved around a lot, she asks a lot of questions, and she doesn't care what anyone thinks of her. As he gets to know her, Frankie learns that Sydney's home life is very complicated, which leads him to examine the oddities of his own home life - like the fact that his mom hasn't left the house in nine years.

Reviewers say this book is a bit slow in the beginning, so it may not be ideal for reluctant readers. But it's an interesting and thoughtful coming-of-age story.

Grade Level: 6-8

by Ethel Turner

Setting: AUSTRALIA

This is a classic of Australian children's literature that has never been out of print since it was first published in 1894. Despite being written 130 years ago, this book is surprisingly modern in many ways.

A captain who has lost his wife remarries a much younger woman to provide his six children with a new mother. Together, the couple had another child, making seven. The captain tries to run the family with stern discipline, but he is no match for the fun-loving children who are a bit naughty but will bring lots of laughter.

Grade Level: 5 and up

The old fashioned language may make this book difficult for younger readers to read this book on their own, but it makes a great family read-aloud as well.