Books for younger readers
BOOKS TO INSPIRE,
CONNECT AND CREATE WONDER
A Life Song
Author: Jane Godwin and Anna Walker
When you are born, you make up a song
It doesn't rhyme, and it isn't long
A song of everything you hold dear
It's your own tune, it's loud and clear
And your whole world is in it...
A musical journey from the time a child's life song first begins, through all its modulations, adding new verses and extra voices through the years, until it becomes their own unique composition - and one that is ultimately a part of the beautiful, grand and glistening score of the world.
For ages 5 to 7 years.
Australia: Country of Colour
Author: Jess Racklyeft
With its vivid red dirt, big blue skies, wild green bushland and golden sandy beaches, Australia is a country of extraordinary colour.
Here is a celebration of the stunning plants and animals of this colourful country, from vibrant pink Flame Peas to startling blue Fairy Wrens, electric yellow Billy Buttons, glossy black Tasmanian Devils, and many more.
Come and take a closer look at nature’s paintbox and the rainbow of life that lives in Australia.
For ages 3+ years.
Bee Detectives
Author: Vanessa Ryan-Rendall
Illustrator: Brenna Quinlan
When Olivia and Hamish see a smoky haze coming from their local park, they're ready to spring into action! But it's not a fire – it's a nest of Australian stingless bees that needs their help.
Join these budding Bee Detectives as they explore the wonders of Australia's native bees.
For ages 6 to 9 years.
Bright new world: Building a better planet
Authors: Cindy Forde and Bethany Lord
A lavishly illustrated glimpse into a future not too far from our own time a world in which today's children have grown up and tackled the world's most pressing social and environmental problems. In a series of lush, detailed scenes, readers will enter a world of solar-powered vehicles, regenerated rainforests, skyscraper farms, insect-based snacks, recovering coral reefs, wave-powered electricity, and much more.
Bright New World's vision may be bold and optimistic, but everything in the book is based on genuine science, including many projects which are currently being developed.
For ages 7+ years.
Can we really help the bees? YES WE CAN!
Author: Katie Daynes
Illustrator: Roisin Hahessy
A positive, creative, colourful and REALLY USEFUL introduction to protecting pollinators and biodiversity.
The bees are in danger. They find a sparky bunch of kids to share their troubles with, and explain why there's much more at stake than just honey. With entire food webs threatening to unravel, the kids begin to brainstorm... and come up with a brilliant PLAN. This delightful book weaves important information about pollination, biodiversity, conservation and SHARING OUR PLANET into an entertaining and empowering narrative.
For ages 5+ years.
Costa's Garden Flowers
Author: Costa Giorgiadis and Brenna Quinlan
Flowers are the part of a plant that smiles. Flowers make us smile too!
And there are so many different kinds of flowers – all the colours of the rainbow.
Join Australia's favourite garden gnome as he shares the awe and wonder of the natural world with young readers.
For ages 4+ years.
Creature Corridors
Author: Billie Rooney
Illustrator: Anke Noack
Discover how wildlife corridors can provide safe pathways for all sorts of creatures!
Creatures are on the move!
Wild animals often travel to find food, shelter or a place to breed. But this is becoming more difficult and dangerous, as construction and land clearing are affecting their habitat.
Creature Corridors follows kangaroos, koalas, birds, fish, crabs, cassowaries and lizards through wildlife corridors that exist across forests, rivers and seas. These corridors provide paths and spaces for them to move around safely. Discover how we can share our world with animals in this delightful and engaging story.
For ages 5 to 9 years.
One little dung beetle
Author: Rhiân Williams
Illustrators: Heather Potter, Mark Jackson
Follow along as One Little Dung Beetle counts all kinds of fascinating creepies and crawlies.
How many can you see?
For ages 3+ years.
Pollination: How does my garden grow?
Author: Christopher Cheng
Illustrator: Danny Snell
A child’s day in the garden with their Gran and Pa leads to a wonderful exploration of pollination - how it happens and the importance it has for our environment. Meet the animals involved in pollination and the plants that depend on pollination to produce our fruit, vegetables and our clothes!
For ages 5 to 9 years.
The Beehive
Author: Megan Daley
Illustrator: Max Hamilton
An amazing look into the native stingless bee, the heroes of pollination, from celebrated teacher librarian and author Megan Daley and CBCA Award-winning illustrator Max Hamilton.
It's finally hive day! Willow has been waiting all year for groundskeeper Tom to split the school's native stingless beehive in two so she can take home her very own hive. Everything needs to be just right to help so that the bees forage and thrive in their new home.
The dual text results in a charming story alongside an abundance of fascinating facts about Australia's native bees.
For ages 5 to 10 years.
The Bee Squad
Author: Judy Friedlander
Children around Australia are taking charge. Come and join the revolution!
From the coast of Western Australia to Sydney's suburbs, young people are discovering nature in their neighbourhoods and setting up nesting boxes for birds, cleaning up waterways, planting to attract bees and koalas, and building insect hotels. They're learning about amazing native species and finding ways to protect them.
The Bee Squad inspires you to take part in these exciting adventures and projects that support threatened species.
For ages 6 to 8 years.
The Book of Bees
Author: Poitr Socha
A big, beautifully illustrated book on one of the most amazing animals on earth: the humble bee.
- How do bees communicate?
- How long have they been around?
- What does a beekeeper actually do?
- Who survived being stung by 2,443 bees?
This encyclopaedic book answers all these questions and many more, imparting masses of information with a light, humorous touch, and in scores of vibrant illustrations. Piotr Socha tracks the history of bees from the age of the dinosaurs to their current plight, examining along the way the role bees have played in history and in the rest of the natural world.
For ages 7+ years.
The Forest in the Tree
How Fungi Shape the Earth
Authors: Ailsa Wild, Aviva Reed, Briony Barr, Gregory Crocetti
A little fungus meets a baby cacao tree and they learn to feed each other. They cooperate with a forest of plants and a metropolis of microbes in the soil. The fourth book in the Small Friends Books series, this science-adventure story explores the Earth-shaping partnerships between plants, fungi and bacteria.
For ages 8 to 12 years.
The Last Beekeeper
Author: Siya Turabi
This novel set in a climate-altered future features an endearing main character, Yoly Cicerón. Yoly has ambitions to escape farm life and become a doctor. But when the benefactors who promise to make her dreams come true reveal themselves as a threat to her family and their way of life, Yoly turns to her grandmother’s wisdom about the mythic bees. In a world where everyone is hyperconnected by technology, Yoly and her sister make it their mission to learn from the bees so they can save their family and community.
For ages 8+ years.
Tree Beings
We depend on trees for our survival, yet few of us understand just how fascinating these beings really are.
Author: Raymond Huber
Illustrator: Sandra Severgnini
With a foreword by the world-renowned anthropologist Jane Goodall, Tree Beings is an adventure through the secret world of trees. Challenging the perception that trees are just 'silent statues', it focuses on four big ideas:
- Trees give life to the planet.
- Trees can help save us from climate change.
- Trees are like beings.
- Trees need our help and protection.
For ages 7 to 12 years.
Wild Words
An illustrated dictionary of scientific terms.
Author: Meghan Lindsay
Explore and memorise important scientific terms, with etched illustrations, commentary and fascinating trivia about Australias biological and zoological wonders. An easy reference for nature-lovers or upper primary to tertiary students.
For ages 10+ years.