“What are the best Childrens books about Australia?” We looked at 228 of the top Australian Kids books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 15 titles, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Australian Kids” book lists, are ranked below by how many lists they appear on. The remaining 200+ titles, as well as the lists we used are in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
Lists It Appears On:
When Louie’s best friend Amy moves to the other side of the world, Louie must find a way to reconnect with her.
Lists It Appears On:
Aust’n. BOARD BOOK. Now even littler ones can enjoy Grug, that unforgettable hero of the Australian bush who began life as the nomadic, fallen top of the native Burrawang tree… Perfect in size (and perfectly chewable for little ones) this is a great way to introduce babies to one of Australia’s favourite characters.
Lists It Appears On:
Invites the reader to imagine what it would be like to live in various locations, such as a house, a jungle, and an icecap, and meet the animals that live there.
Lists It Appears On:
Rose’s dog John Brown, feels he can look after her without any help from the midnight cat, but Rose has different ideas.
Lists It Appears On:
A young koala, longing to hear her mother speak lovingly to her as she did before other children came along, plans to win her distracted parent’s attention.
Lists It Appears On:
In Sydney, Australia, and in Morocco, two boys and their families have a day of shopping. Readers are invited to compare illustrations in two wordless stories that are intended to be read one from left to right and the other from right to left.
Lists It Appears On:
On a rainy, cold day in the jungle, four animal friends hide in a cave to play, but unexpectedly meet a bear trying to nap.
Lists It Appears On:
For six months, Grace and her family travel around Australia, seeing sights and meeting people.
Lists It Appears On:
Filled with fun rhymes and make-believe stories, this wonderfully illustrated children’s tale offers an imaginative view of a beach that includes swimming, surfing, and splashing. From sand castles and rock pools to boats and fish, the realistic scenes evoke images of a summer day along the waterfront where anything can happen.
Lists It Appears On:
A story about many different sheep, and one that seems to be missing.
Lists It Appears On:
An alphabet book with fantastic and detailed pictures, bearing such labels as “Lazy lions lounging in the local library.”
Lists It Appears On:
Tired of his life as an emu, Edward decides to try being something else for a change. He tries swimming with the seals, he spends a day lounging with the lions, and even slithers with the snakes. But Edward soon discovers that being an emu may be the best thing after all.
Lists It Appears On:
When Grandma Poss’s magic turns Hush invisible, the two possums take a culinary tour of Australia to find the food that will make her visible once more.
Lists It Appears On:
A dingo intent on making wombat stew receives cooking suggestions from the other animals, unaware that they are protecting their fellow creature.
Lists It Appears On:
In his diary, a wombat describes his life of eating, sleeping, and getting to know some new human neighbors.
| # | Books | Authors | Lists |
| 16 | Big Rain Coming | Katrina Germein | Childhood 101 |
| – | – | – | Goodreads |
| 17 | Clever Crow | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 18 | Fox | Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks | Goodreads |
| – | – | – | The Conversation |
| 19 | Hello Sydney! | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 20 | Hello, Australia! | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 21 | Hello, Melbourne! | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 22 | If I Was Prime Minister | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 23 | Josephine Wants to Dance | Jackie French | Childhood 101 |
| – | – | – | Goodreads |
| 24 | Koalas Eat Gum Leaves | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 25 | Kung-fu Kangaroo | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 26 | Max | Bub Hub | |
| – | – | – | Readings |
| 27 | My Farm | Bub Hub | |
| – | – | – | Childhood 101 |
| 28 | My Place | Nadia Wheatley | Goodreads |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 29 | One Woolly Wombat | Rod Trinca | Goodreads |
| – | – | – | Kids Yoga Stories |
| 30 | Rose Meets Mr Wintergarten | Bob Graham | Bub Hub |
| – | – | – | Goodreads |
| 31 | Shake a Leg | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 32 | The Complete Adventures of Blinky Bill | Dorothy Wall | Book Worm |
| – | – | – | Victorian Opera |
| 33 | The Eleventh Hour | Graeme Base | Childhood 101 |
| – | – | – | Goodreads |
| 34 | The Little Refugee | Anh Do | Goodreads |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 35 | The Magic Pudding : The adventures of Bunyip Bluegum | Norman Lindsay | Goodreads |
| – | – | – | Victorian Opera |
| 36 | The Muddle-Headed Wombat | Ruth Park, illustrated by Noela Young | Goodreads |
| – | – | – | Victorian Opera |
| 37 | The Rainbow Serpent | Dick Roughsey | Readings 2 |
| – | – | – | Victorian Opera |
| 38 | The Silver Brumby | Elyne Mitchell | Book Worm |
| – | – | – | Goodreads |
| 39 | There’s a Sea in My Bedroom | Bub Hub | |
| – | – | – | Childhood 101 |
| 40 | Too Many Pears! | Jackie French | Childhood 101 |
| – | – | – | Goodreads |
| 41 | Under the Southern Cross | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 42 | Welcome To Country | Readings | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 43 | Why I Love Australia | Childhood 101 | |
| – | – | – | Readings 2 |
| 44 | Window | Jeannie Baker | Childhood 101 |
| – | – | – | Goodreads |
| 45 | Wombat Divine | Mem Fox | Childhood 101 |
| – | – | – | Goodreads |
| 46 | A Is for Australia | Readings 2 | |
| 47 | A is for Australian Animals | Readings 2 | |
| 48 | A Little Bush Maid | Mary Grant Bruce | Goodreads |
| 49 | A Particular Cow | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 50 | A Walk in the Bush | Readings | |
| 51 | Adorable Alice | Cassandra Webb | Goodreads |
| 52 | All the Way to W.A.: Our Search for Uncle Kev | Readings 2 | |
| 53 | Amazing Aussie Animal Stories | Book Worm | |
| 54 | An Aussie Year: Twelve Months in the Life of Australian Kids | Childhood 101 | |
| 55 | Animals of Australia, Book 1: Colour-In and Stickers | Book Worm | |
| 56 | At the Beach | Readings 2 | |
| 57 | Audrey of the Outback | Christine Harris | Goodreads |
| 58 | Australia’s Endangered Animals | Book Worm | |
| 59 | Banjo and Ruby Red | Childhood 101 | |
| 60 | Belinda | Pamela Allen | Goodreads |
| 61 | Benny Bungarra’s Big Bush Clean-Up | Readings 2 | |
| 62 | Blinky Bill | Dorothy Wall | Goodreads |
| 63 | Blue Gum Ark | Kids Yoga Stories | |
| 64 | Bobbie Dazzler | Margaret Wild | Goodreads |
| 65 | Boy Overboard | Morris Gleitzman | Goodreads |
| 66 | Bright Star | Gary Crew | Home Schooling Down Under |
| 67 | Bush Bash | Readings | |
| 68 | Callie’s Castle | Ruth Park | Goodreads |
| 69 | Chatterbox | Childhood 101 | |
| 70 | Circle | Readings 2 | |
| 71 | Colour Me | Readings | |
| 72 | Come Fly with Captain Kangaroo | Kids Yoga Stories | |
| 73 | D is For Down Under: An Australia Alphabet | The Barefoot Mommy | |
| 74 | Deltora Quest (Deltora Quest, #1-8) | Emily Rodda | Goodreads |
| 75 | Echo the Dolphin | Book Worm | |
| 76 | Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo | Alison Lester | Goodreads |
| 77 | Eureka Stockade | Alan Bordman | Home Schooling Down Under |
| 78 | Farmer Schulz’s Ducks | Colin Thiele | Home Schooling Down Under |
| 79 | Feathers and Fools | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 80 | Finders Keepers | Emily Rodda | Goodreads |
| 81 | Found in Melbourne (Simplified Chinese Edition) | Readings | |
| 82 | Grug Plays Cricket (Grug Series) | Ted Prior | Goodreads |
| 83 | Gus and the Driftwood Puppy: The Adventures of Gus the Galah | Book Worm | |
| 84 | Gus Meets Auntie Hazel: The Adventures of Gus the Galah | Book Worm | |
| 85 | Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy | Lynley Dodd | Goodreads |
| 86 | Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild! | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 87 | Hating Alison Ashley | Robin Klein | Goodreads |
| 88 | Hattie and the Fox | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 89 | Hello Baby! | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 90 | Hello, Mama Wallaroo | The Barefoot Mommy | |
| 91 | Home in the Rain | Readings 2 | |
| 92 | How the Birds Got their Colours: An Aboriginal Story | Book Worm | |
| 93 | How the Kangaroos Got Their Tails: An Aboriginal Story | Book Worm | |
| 94 | How to Scratch a Wombat: Where to Find It . . . What to Feed It . . . Why It Sleeps All Day | Jackie French | Goodreads |
| 95 | Human Torpedo (Lockie Leonard, #1) | Tim Winton | Goodreads |
| 96 | Hunwick’s Egg | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 97 | I Can Jump Puddles | Alan Marshall | Goodreads |
| 98 | I Do It Myself! | Book Worm | |
| 99 | I Don’t Believe in Dragons | Childhood 101 | |
| 100 | I Said Nothing; The Extinction of the Paradise Parrot | Home Schooling Down Under | |
| 101 | I’m Australian Too | Readings 2 | |
| 102 | In the City I See | Readings | |
| 103 | Kangaroo and Crocodile | Childhood 101 | |
| 104 | Kangaroos Hop | Book Worm | |
| 105 | Kookaburras Love to Laugh. | Readings 2 | |
| 106 | Little Brown Bushrat | Kids Yoga Stories | |
| 107 | Little Dog and the Christmas Wish | Readings | |
| 108 | Little Dog and the Summer Holiday | Readings | |
| 109 | Looking for Alibrandi | Melina Marchetta | Goodreads |
| 110 | Luke’s A to Z of Australian Animals: A Kids Yoga Alphabet Coloring Book | Kids Yoga Stories | |
| 111 | Luke’s Beach Day | Kids Yoga Stories | |
| 112 | Majestica’s Dreaming | Book Worm | |
| 113 | Mamie | Readings 2 | |
| 114 | Marngrook: The long-ago story of aussie rules | Readings | |
| 115 | Meet Captain Cook | Childhood 101 | |
| 116 | Melbourne Word By Word | Readings 2 | |
| 117 | Millie, Jack and the Dancing Cat | Childhood 101 | |
| 118 | Miss Lily’s Fabulous Pink Feather Boa | Bub Hub | |
| 119 | Molly The Pig (Moli Det Bigibigi) | Readings | |
| 120 | Mr Archimedes’ Bath | Pamela Allen | Goodreads |
| 121 | Mr Huff | Readings | |
| 122 | Mulga Bill’s Bicycle | A.B. Paterson | Goodreads |
| 123 | My First Book of Australian Birds and Animals | Book Worm | |
| 124 | Nardika Learns to Make a Spear | Home Schooling Down Under | |
| 125 | New Zealand ABCs | The Barefoot Mommy | |
| 126 | Ngana Ngai? Who Am I? (Kaurna edition) | Readings | |
| 127 | Nighty Night! | Childhood 101 | |
| 128 | North Pole South Pole | The Barefoot Mommy | |
| 129 | Obernewtyn (The Obernewtyn Chronicles, #1) | Isobelle Carmody | Goodreads |
| 130 | Olga The Brolga | Readings 2 | |
| 131 | One Very Tired Wombat | Readings 2 | |
| 132 | Only a Donkey | Book Worm | |
| 133 | Parachute | Bub Hub | |
| 134 | Peggy | Bub Hub | |
| 135 | Pete the Sheep-Sheep | Jackie French | Goodreads |
| 136 | Pig the Pug | Childhood 101 | |
| 137 | Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas | Bub Hub | |
| 138 | Playing Beatie Bow | Ruth Park | Goodreads |
| 139 | Possum Goes to School | Kids Yoga Stories | |
| 140 | Possum in the House | Kiersten Jensen | Goodreads |
| 141 | Puggle | Catriona Hoy | Home Schooling Down Under |
| 142 | Rascal The Dragon (Rascal the Dragon, #1) | Paul Jennings | Goodreads |
| 143 | Robert Mumpkin Myer and the Wish Makers | Hayley Merelle | Goodreads |
| 144 | Rod Campbell’s Aussie Animals | Readings 2 | |
| 145 | Round the Twist | Paul Jennings | Goodreads |
| 146 | Rowan of Rin (Rowan of Rin, #1) | Emily Rodda | Goodreads |
| 147 | Rudie Nudie | Bub Hub | |
| 148 | Rules of Summer | Readings 2 | |
| 149 | Seven Little Australians (Woolcots, #1) | Ethel Turner | Goodreads |
| 150 | Silver Buttons | Childhood 101 | |
| 151 | Sleepy Bears | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 152 | Sophie Scott Goes South | The Barefoot Mommy | |
| 153 | Sorry Day | Readings 2 | |
| 154 | Stanley Paste | Aaron Blabey | The Conversation |
| 155 | Star | Natalie Jane Prior | Goodreads |
| 156 | Steve Parish Storybooks | Kids Yoga Stories | |
| 157 | Storm Boy Picture Book | Colin Thiele | Goodreads |
| 158 | Sunshine | Jan Ormerod | Goodreads |
| 159 | Tales from Outer Suburbia | Shaun Tan | Goodreads |
| 160 | Tashi (Tashi, #1) | Anna Fienberg | Goodreads |
| 161 | Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 162 | The 12th Dog | Readings | |
| 163 | The Arrival | Shaun Tan | Goodreads |
| 164 | The Australian Animal Atlas: An Illustrated Guide to Australia’s Wildlife and its Habitats | Book Worm | |
| 165 | The Barefoot Book of Animal Tales | The Barefoot Mommy | |
| 166 | The Bat and the Crocodile: An Aboriginal Story | Book Worm | |
| 167 | The Bunyip of Berkeley’s Creek | Jenny Wagner | Goodreads |
| 168 | The Children Who Loved Books | Childhood 101 | |
| 169 | The Coat | Julie Hunt | Goodreads |
| 170 | The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie | May Gibbs | Goodreads |
| 171 | The Croc and the Platypus | Readings 2 | |
| 172 | The Diary of a Wombat | The Barefoot Mommy | |
| 173 | The Dream of the Thylacine | Book Worm | |
| 174 | The Echidna and the Shade Tree: An Aboriginal Story told by Mona Green | Book Worm | |
| 175 | The Family Hour in Australia | Readings 2 | |
| 176 | The Flying Optometrist | Readings 2 | |
| 177 | The Forests of Silence (Deltora Quest #1) | Emily Rodda | Goodreads |
| 178 | The Great Expedition | Childhood 101 | |
| 179 | The Hero of Little Street | Gregory Rogers | The Conversation |
| 180 | The Kangaroo and the Porpoise: An Aboriginal Story | Book Worm | |
| 181 | The Legend of the Golden Snail | Graeme Base | Goodreads |
| 182 | The Lost Thing | Shaun Tan | Goodreads |
| 183 | The Magic Hat | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 184 | The Muddleheaded Wombat | Book Worm | |
| 185 | The Pipeline CY O’Conner Built | Home Schooling Down Under | |
| 186 | The Rabbits | John Marsden | Goodreads |
| 187 | The Red Tree | Shaun Tan | Goodreads |
| 188 | The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice, #1) | John Flanagan | Goodreads |
| 189 | The Runaway Hug | Childhood 101 | |
| 190 | The Secret of the Tower Room | Diana Kupke | Goodreads |
| 191 | The Singing Seal | Readings 2 | |
| 192 | The Tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie | May Gibbs | Victorian Opera |
| 193 | The Terrible Underpants | Kaz Cooke | Goodreads |
| 194 | The Water Hole | Graeme Base | Goodreads |
| 195 | The Wrong Book | Bub Hub | |
| 196 | Thelma the Unicorn | Childhood 101 | |
| 197 | Thunderstorm Dancing | Bub Hub | |
| 198 | Tiddalick The Frog Who Caused a Flood | Robert Roennfeldt | The Conversation |
| 199 | Time for Bed | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 200 | To the Goldfields! | Home Schooling Down Under | |
| 201 | Toad Heaven (Toad, #2) | Morris Gleitzman | Goodreads |
| 202 | Tomorrow, When the War Began (Tomorrow, #1) | John Marsden | Goodreads |
| 203 | Too Loud Lily | Bub Hub | |
| 204 | Tucking Mommy In | Morag Loh | Goodreads |
| 205 | Twinkle | Bub Hub | |
| 206 | Unbearable! | Paul Jennings | Goodreads |
| 207 | Unbelievable! | Paul Jennings | Goodreads |
| 208 | Uncanny! | Paul Jennings | Goodreads |
| 209 | Undone! | Paul Jennings | Goodreads |
| 210 | Unmentionable! | Paul Jennings | Goodreads |
| 211 | Uno’s Garden | Graeme Base | Goodreads |
| 212 | Unreal! | Paul Jennings | Goodreads |
| 213 | We Wish You a Ripper Christmas (with CD) | Book Worm | |
| 214 | What Do You Wish For? | Childhood 101 | |
| 215 | When I Was a Kid | Rachel Tonkin | Home Schooling Down Under |
| 216 | When I was Little, Like You | Home Schooling Down Under | |
| 217 | When the Forest Meets the Sea | Bub Hub | |
| 218 | When the Snake Bites the Sun: An Aboriginal Story | Book Worm | |
| 219 | When You Go To Melbourne | Readings 2 | |
| 220 | Where Does Thursday Go? | Childhood 101 | |
| 221 | Where is Galah? | Readings | |
| 222 | Where the Forest Meets the Sea | Jeannie Baker | Goodreads |
| 223 | Where the Giant Sleeps | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| 224 | White Crane (Samurai Kids, #1) | Sandy Fussell | Goodreads |
| 225 | Who Did That? | Book Worm | |
| 226 | Who Sank the Boat? | Pamela Allen | Goodreads |
| 227 | Why I Love Summer | Readings 2 | |
| 228 | Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge | Mem Fox | Goodreads |
| Source | Article |
| Book Worm | Australian Children’s Books – Australian Animal Books for Children |
| Bub Hub | 25 awesome Aussie picture books for children |
| Childhood 101 | 40 of the Best Australian Picture Books by Our Favourite Australian |
| Goodreads | Australian Children’s Literature (329 books) |
| Home Schooling Down Under | Australian Picture Books List |
| Kids Yoga Stories | 12 Children’s Books About Australia |
| Readings | Blog: Australian picture books for international friends |
| Readings 2 | Great Aussie picture books |
| The Barefoot Mommy | Global Passport: Children’s Books Set in Australia and Antarctica |
| The Conversation | Worth a thousand words: the top ten best Australian children’s picture |
| Victorian Opera | 10 classic Australian children’s books |
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