Passed down from generation to generation by the Kandiwal Aboriginal community, this engaging story explains how the scaly-tailed possum got its scaly tail and how the echidna—one of Australia’s most unusual mammals—got its spikes. Vividly illustrated by Kandiwal children, this traditional tale is not only entertaining but also educational as it provides photographs and descriptions of these two iconic Australian animals.

This book is based on a story told by Mona Green, of the Jaru people, to Aboriginal children living in Halls Creek, Western Australia. The illustrations are adapted from the children's original paintings of the story. Mona Green said, "When my husband was a stockman, we used to go out to Nongra Lake to see if the cattle had enough water. I had heard the story about this giant lake, and I think that from the air it would look like a tree with roots stretching out."

Nobody has ever been able to catch The Great Googly Moogly - a giant and terrifying fish of legend. But Stella aims to do just that. Armed with fishing gear and differing baits, she sets out every day to realise her dream, whatever the weather. But what will she do if she succeeds? Courtney Dicmas's latest book features a strong and spirited character determined to achieve her goal, but it also reflects our responsibilities to other creatures, and our place in the natural world.

The Little Corroborree Frog is a wonderful children's story that gently introduces the serious plight of one of Australia's most endangered species. Jet the corroboree frog is happily taking care of the tadpole ponds when the water starts to dry up and his family's eggs are threatened. He goes to visit Grandmother Frog to find out why and she tells him all about the summers that are getting hotter every year and the careless humans who are leaving their rubbish around. When a boy and his father arrive to go fishing in the nearby river, Jet seizes the opportunity to show them how humans are threatening the very existence of his species.

Free Diving is a poignant tribute to the Indigenous men and women who worked in the pearling industry as 'free divers' in the late nineteenth century in Western Australia. In a practice known as 'blackbirding' (forced unpaid labour), European pearl lugger owners used Indigenous people to dive for pearl shell. With no protective suits, the divers faced threats such as decompression sickness (known as the 'bends'), shark attack, or of being swept away by huge tides. At sea for weeks at a time, there was also the risk of the luggers being shipwrecked in cyclones that formed off the coast. The lyrical narrative is based on the celebrated song 'Free Diving' by singer-songwriter Lorrae Coffin. It sensitively reflects the emotional journey of a young man who leaves family and country to work on a lugger with Japanese and Malay divers by his side. Bronwyn Houston's illustrations are a deep-sea celebration that illuminate both the glory of the ocean and the extreme dangers encountered by the free divers. Free Diving is a fictionalised story of a young man lost at sea. Age range 7 to 10

An environmental tale for Early Childhood and Lower Primary readers that shows how animals are affected by rubbish left in their habitat by humans. Ambelin Kwaymullina's illustrations are an explosion of colour and cleverly show the perils faced by our native animals. When the animals work as a team to come up with ways to look after the bush, they decide to ask the humans to REDUCE, RECYCLE and use RUBBISH BINS. But it is Benny Bungarra who has the bright idea of a BIG BUSH CLEAN-UP so the animals can also help look after the bush.

*Longlisted for the CBCA 2020 Eve Pownall Award for Information Books* *Winner of the Booksellers' Choice 2020 Children's Book of the Year Award* *Shortlisted for the 2020 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature* *Shortlisted for the ABIA Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7-12)* *Shortlisted for the Indie Book Awards 2020: Children's* Age range 10+. The highly-anticipated junior version of Bruce Pascoe’s multi award-winning book. Bruce Pascoe has collected a swathe of literary awards for Dark Emu and now he has brought together the research and compelling first person accounts in a book for younger readers. Using the accounts of early European explorers, colonists and farmers, Bruce Pascoe compellingly argues for a reconsideration of the hunter-gatherer label for pre-colonial Aboriginal Australians. He allows the reader to see Australia as it was before Europeans arrived — a land of cultivated farming areas, productive fisheries, permanent homes, and an understanding of the environment and its natural resources that supported thriving villages across the continent. Young Dark Emu — A Truer History asks young readers to consider a different version of Australia’s history pre-European colonisation. 'Adapted for a younger readership from Pascoe's best-selling Dark Emu, this exquisitely illustrated picture book will transform how we see Australian history. Bruce uses the diaries of early explorers and colonists to show us the Australia where Aboriginal people built houses, dams and wells and farmed the land.' — Fiona Stager, The Courier Mail

A fictionalised account of the now universally known story of the Stolen Generation and tells of an Aboriginal girl taken from her family and sent to a children's home.

Taxonomy of Australian Mammals utilises the latest morphometric and genetic research to develop the most up to date and comprehensive revision of the taxonomy of Australian mammals undertaken to date. It proposes significant changes to the higher ranks of a number of groups and recognises several genera and species that have only very recently been identified as distinct. This easy to use reference also includes a complete listing of all species, subspecies and synonyms for all of Australia’s mammals, both native and introduced as well as terrestrial and marine. This book lays a foundation for future taxonomic work and identifies areas where taxonomic studies should be targeted, not only at the species and subspecies level but also broader phylogenetic relationships. This work will be an essential reference for students, scientists, wildlife managers and those interested in the science of taxonomy.

Age range 3 to 6 Mad Magpie is the third book in this successful series of morality tales from Gregg Dreise. Inspired by wise sayings and the knowledge of his Elders, Mad Magpie tells the story of Guluu, an angry magpie who is being teased by a gang of butcher birds. The more he is teased, the angrier he becomes. When Guluu seeks advice, his Elders tell him to stay calm like the river, ignore the butcher birds and to be strong on the inside. Guluu tries this, but the cheeky birds just laugh at him. One day, when Guluu is at the river looking for worms, the butcher birds arrive and steal his food. He remembers the words of his Elders and he tries again – and this time Guluu has a different outcome. He stands proudly at the riverbank and remembers how he used to sing when he was having a bad day. Guluu sings so loud he cannot hear the birds laughing at him and they eventually give up and fly away. From that time on, the animals learnt to use music to create a happy mood and they worked together to stop bullying.