November 2006

This is a list of suggestions for nonfiction about Australia for elementary and secondary school. Books on Australian Animals and Australian Aborigines have not been included because I have compiled separate lists on these subjects. See the website www.australed.iinet.net.au   Please take the age suggestions as a rough guide.

All prices are in Australian dollars and include 10% GST tax. However this GST does not apply to exports from Australia.

Titles newly included are marked with •

If you would like to order any of the books on the list, send the orders to Austral Ed by post, fax or by email.  Payment can be made by direct bank transfer or bank cheques in Australian dollars or by Credit card especially for private purchases.   Freight is sent by the most economical method within Australia or overseas, depending on urgency.

Recommended by Kate Shepherd

The Arts in Australia series   by Nicolas Brasch  hardback $29.95

A fascinating and detailed well illustrated account of the arts in Australia.  Contains profiles of key arts figures and details of relevant websites for further research. 

Dance                                                   Televison

Film                                                      Theatre

Music                                                    Visual Arts

• Australia Focus  by Robyn Hodge  hardback $29.95

Aboriginal Australia                           Australia’s Ecosystems

Federal State and Local Government   Capital Cities

Land Use                                             Natural Resources

People and Population                       Weather and Climate

A new series covering a range of topics.  Includes information on additional internet sites and also many up to date graphs, tables and maps.   (10 - 13 years)

Australian Library Series hardback $29.95 each title
This series contains a range of titles on core topics of importance about Australia. Each book is well documented and described, with comprehnsive use of maps, photos and digrams.
Ancient Australia   

Australia in Song

Australia’s Commemorative days                           

Australia’s Currency

Australia’s Critically Endangered Animals              

Australia’s Dinosaurs

Australia’s Deadly and Dangerous Animals              

Australia’s Government

Australia’s Inventions and Innovations                           

Australia’s Landforms                               

Australia's Most Notorious Bushrangers

Australia’s Worst Disasters

Landmarks of Australia
Legends of Australia

Prime Ministers of Australia                             

Settlement and Exploration
Symbols of Australia        (8 - 11 years)

Australia's Industries hardback $29.95 each
Fashion                                               Film and television
Forestry                                              Gold
Iron and Steel                                    Music
Precious Stones and Metals              Tourism
Wool
This series provides an overview of each of the industries as they operate in the Australian context. It also discusses the history and possible future of the industry in Australia as well as environmental issues and sustainable management. (10 - 13 years)

Australia's Outstanding Sports Stars series hardback $29.95 each
A series which tells the stories behind some of the Australian sporting legends.
Cathy Freeman                                                Louise Sauvage
Glenn McGrath & Adam Gilchrist                    Ian Thorpe
Karrie Webb                                                     Lleyton Hewitt
Mark Viduka & Harry Kewell                          Teams (11- 14 years)

Black Snake: The Daring of Ned Kelly by Carole Wilkinson pb $16.95
Ned Kelly was a bushranger in Australia in the 1870s. He robbed banks, stole horses and cattle but is regarded by many as a folk hero a bit like Robyn Hood. To others he was a murderer who deserved his sentence of death by hanging for his crimes. Here Ned Kelly's life is described factually but is interspersed by short fictional personal accounts by various people who knew Ned Kelly or who were there at the scene of his crimes. (8 - 12 years)

J Beck, D Blacklock and K Allan
Crash! The Search for the Stinson pb $20.00
An absorbing account of a very famous air crash in 1937. A yong bushman found the wreckage after making his way thorugh almost impenetrable mountain bushland. How the survivors were brought down from the mountains makes fascinating reading. The story is presented in detail, chronoligcally, with many quotations from the rescuer and survivors, as well as colour and black and white photos, illustrations and newspaper extracts. An extraordinary story of courage and physical endurance which will appeal especially to those boys who prefer to read true accounts. (9 - 14 years) 

Discover & Learn about series by Pat Slater pb $14.95
Discover & Learn about Australian Forests and Woodlands
This book contains a large amount of information on the different types of animal and plant life in Australia's forest and woodlands. The presentation is inviting and there are many excellent photos and maps. Contains an index and glossary. (8 - 13 years)

• Explorers of Australia: In their own Words  series    by Nicholas Brasch  hardback $29.95 each

Bass and Flinders                        

Burke and Wills

Cook and the Endeavour             

Leichhardt and Stuart

Opening up the South                 

Searching for an Inland Sea

The Early Ocean Explorers             

The Mountain Explorers

Provides information about many of the most famous explorers of Australia.  Makes use of primary source material, many maps and gives a biography of the main explorers.  There is time-line in each book.  (10 - 14 years)

Mem Fox
Memories: An Autobiography pb $7.80
A simply written autobiography in which Mem describes her childhood, how she started writing and her family. Illustrated with many photos. (7 - 9 years)

• Gogo Fish! The Story of the Western Australian State Fossil Emblem  by John Long        hardback  $24.95   pb $14.95

The fascinating story of how palaeontologist, John Long discovered a new type of fossil fish while studying Gogo fish fossils in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.  This fish later became the State emblem of Western Australia when a primary school class put forward a proposal that it would make a good emblem.  There is discussion of why we study fossils and excellent support material is included through illustrations, photographs, maps, glossary and index.    (8 - 11 years)

Gold in Australia series  by Melanie Guile  hardback $29.95 each

The Gold Rushes              

Famous People of the Gold Rush Era

Life on the Gold Fields           

How Gold Shaped Australia

Fascinating description of the various gold rushes in Australia.  Makes use of historical illustrations and photographs, maps extracts from letters and diaries and newspaper articles.   Resource lists for further Internet research.  (10 - 13 years)

Great Aussie Sports series hardback $29.95 each
Athletics                                       
Basketball     

Cricket

Cycling

Martial Arts
Netball                                          

Rugby

Skateboarding
Surfing and water Sports             

Swimming
There is an overall view of each sport which includes some of the rules and also particular emphasis of the history of the sport in Australia up to modern times. There are also short profiles of some of the major Australian stars in each sport.   (9 - 13 years)

Great Australian Stories series        hardback $29.95 each
This interesting series looks at a number of important events throughout Australia's history. Many photos and maps illustrate the events in this series. (11 - 14 years)
The Kokoda Trail                   
Smithy and the Southern Cross                 

The Rum Rebellion
The Voyages of Captain Cook

• Hoosh! Camels in  Australia  by Janeen Brian  hardback $29.95

A fascinating story documenting the role played by camels and their handlers in the opening up of the Australian outback.  They were used extensively for exploration, and for settlement in both farming areas and the goldfields.  There is also detailed information on the characteristics which make camels such remarkable creatures.  Illustrated with a wealth of both historical and recent photographs.  (11 - 16 years)  

• A Land of Diversity series        hardback $29.95 each
Australia's Deserts
Australia's Mountains and Rock Formations
Australia's Rainforests
Australia's Waterways
A look at the diversity of landforms in the Australian continent. The book describes how the various landforms were formed, the plants and animals living in the various regions, how people use and change them and the environmental problems. Well supportd withmaps, photos, fact files and glossry and index. (9 - 13 years)

John Nicholson
The following titles are by John Nicholson. He has won a number of the Australian Children's Book of the year Awards for nonfiction and all his books are very highly regarded for their accessibility, excellent illustrations and informative text which is always interesting and inviting. He writes the text and also illustrates the book.

• Australia Locked Up hardback $29.95

Stories of Australia’s prisons from convict times to recent refugees.  (11 - 14 years)

A Home Among the Gum Trees  pb $14.95

Fascinating description of homes in Australia from Aboriginal times to modern architecture.   (10 - 14 years)

Building the Sydney Harbour Bridge  pb $14.95

Fascinating story of how the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built.  Wonderfully detailed illustrations.     (10 - 15 years)
Gold pb $14.95
A detailed account of the discoveries of gold in Australia and the hardships and difficulties encountered. (9 - 14 years)
The Mighty Murray hardback $29.95  pb $15.95
An in depth description of Australia's most important river. This is a description from an environmental as well as a historical view point. The River Murray system is heavily irrigated and is now in severe danger. (12 up)

• Scarecrow Army: The ANZACS at Gallipoli by Leon Davidson  pb $16.95

This is a detailed account of role played by the ANZACS, soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, during the military campaign at Galipolli.  It also describes the conflict from the point of view of the Turkish soldiers who were defending their country.  (12 - 14 years)   

• Secret World  of Wombats  by Jackie French illustrated by Bruce Whatley  pb $14.95

This is Jackie French’s personal account of her experiences of studying and living with wombats for over thirty years.  An intriguing book which contains much fascinating factual information about the habits of wombats and many amusing stories about the many wild wombats she has got to know at her farm.  ((9 - 14 years)   

• States and Territories of Australia series hardback $29.95 each
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
These titles give a detailed account of each state or territory's history and the differences in the way they were settled. They describe the development of each state or territory and also give an overview of topics such as government, industry, geography, education, and culture today. (10 - 14 years)

• Let’s Look at Australia’s States and Territories series by Christine Stamenitis  hardback $29.95 each

Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

Covers similar information as the previous series but is directed at a younger age range.   ( 8 - 10 years) 

World Heritage in Australia series hardback $ 29.95 each
What is World Heritage?
Great Barrier Reef
Kakadu
Uluru-Kata Tjuta
In the first title the concept of World Heritage is discussed. In the next titles there is a desscription of the importance of these sites and why they have been listed as world heritage. (11 - 14 years)

Upside Down World Maps pb $10.95 Laminated $24.95
Drawn from the perspective of those living in the southern hemisphere, the Upside Down World Map is centred round the Pacific Ocean and of course Australia. It promotes some interesting dsicussion about cartography and give students a different geographical perspective.

If you would like to order any of the books listed above, send orders to Austral Ed by fax, post or email. All prices are in Australian dollars.

For additional lists of recommended books and newsletters from Austral Ed, visit our website www.australed.iinet.net.au

© Kate Shepherd 2008.