Australia

Materials from Australia

The Thingamajig

When Little Elephant’s parent loses an object whose name they can’t quite recall, Little Elephant embarks on a mission to find it. Along the way, they discover that other animals in the neighborhood have also misplaced their belongings—a snail’s hoo-pull-dee-pewp, a squirrel’s shis-moo, and even the ladybugs’ ha-bee ja-bee. As Little Elephant delves deeper into the mystery, they encounter a series of amusing scenarios and quirky characters. Is there a mischievous thief behind the disappearances, or is there a simpler explanation for the missing items?

With playful language and charming illustrations, “The Thingamajig” is filled with humor and creativity. It also offers an educational and entertaining experience for children and adults alike.

Tiger Daughter

Equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful, Tiger Daughter is an award-winning novel about finding your voice amidst the pressures of growing up in an immigrant home told from the perspective of a remarkable young Chinese girl.Wen Zhou is a first generation daughter of Chinese migrant parents. She has high expectations from her parents to succeed in school, especially her father whose strict rules leave her feeling trapped. She dreams of creating a future for herself more satisfying than the one her parents expect her to lead. Then she befriends a boy named Henry who is also a first generation immigrant. He is the smartest boy at school despite struggling with his English and understands her in a way nobody has lately. Both of them dream of escaping and together they come up with a plan to take an entrance exam for a selective school far from home. But when tragedy strikes, it will take all of Wen’s resilience and tiger strength to get herself and Henry through the storm that follows.

The Quiet And The Loud

George’s life is loud. On the water, though, with everything hushed above and below, she is steady, silent. Then her estranged dad says he needs to talk, and George’s past begins to wake up, looping around her ankles, trying to drag her under. But there’s no time to sink. George’s best friend, Tess, is about to become, officially, a teen mom, her friend Laz is in despair about the climate crisis, her gramps would literally misplace his teeth if not for her, and her moms fill the house with fuss and chatter. Before long, heat and smoke join the noise as distant wildfires begin to burn. George tries to stay steady. When her father tells her his news and the painful memories roar back to life, George turns to Calliope, the girl who has just cartwheeled into her world and shot it through with colors. And it’s here George would stay quiet and safe, if she could. But then Tess has her baby, and the earth burns hotter, and the past just will not stay put. A novel about the contours of friendship, family, forgiveness, trauma, and love, and about our hopeless, hopeful world, Helena Fox’s gorgeous follow up to How It Feels to Float explores the stories we suppress and the stories we speak and the healing that comes when we voice the things we’ve kept quiet for so long.

Fly On The Wall

Twelve year old Henry Khoo embarks on a forbidden journey from Australia to Singapore to prove his independence to his overprotective family, while working out some problems with friends. Told in comics and prose.

Wombat

From wombat to squarebat to roundbat, and longbat, no bat is left out in this silly and sweet marsupial love story. Quirky, playful text paired with simple, humorous illustrations makes for a hilarious repeat read that both kids and parents can enjoy.

The Boy Who Tried To Shrink His Name

When Zimdalamashkermishkada starts a new school, he decides to shrink his name to the shorter, simpler Zim, but when his new friend Elly sees him for who he truly is, Zimdalamashkermishkada finds the confidence to step proudly into his long name.

The Isles Of The Gods

Selly’s plans to follow her father to the north seas are dashed when a handsome stranger with tell-tale magician’s marks on his arm boards her ship and presents her with a dangerous mission–to sail to the Isles of the Gods so he can complete a mysterious ritual.