Materials from Australia
This playful, rhyming picture book offers a fresh and fun new take on the song “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.” In Claire Saxby’s telling, a white-bearded, big-bellied sailor sets things in motion by swallowing a krill. He then goes on to swallow progressively larger sea creatures, each meant to catch the preceding one.
Water Witcher brings to life the experience of a family in drought-stricken rural Australia during the Depression era. Through the eyes of Dougie, the optimism of childhood shines through despite the tough work and harsh conditions. Jan Omerod’s stunning, evocative illustrations make this a rich and resonating book.
A man fills the Australian wilderness with singing, but because he is old, one day he forgets to sing, so the animals help him remember.
Humorous illustrations depict fourteen Australian animals, introduced in rhyme, along with the numbers from one to fourteen.
Angus and Lucy love books. They have hundreds of them. Then one day, all the books are taken away, and Angus and Lucy discover they need books more than they ever imagined. A warm and moving celebration of books and the way in which they bring us all together.
Three magic Doors are the only way in and out of the walled city of Weld. The golden Door is grand and majestic — a Door for heroes. The silver Door hints at mystery and knowledge — a door for schemers. But the plain wooden Door has always held the most appeal for Rye and his friend Sonia. And now, at last, they have the chance to open it.
The city of Weld is under attack by skimmers, flying beasts that terrorize the night. If Rye and Sonia can’t discover the enemy sending the skimmers in time, Weld has no hope. Twice before, Rye and Sonia left Weld on a quest to save it. Twice before, they failed.
Now there’s just one Door left — one last chance to save the people of Weld. Rye and Sonia know everything depends on them. But nothing can prepare them for the horror that waits behind the wooden Door.
As her irritating family prepares to celebrate her grandfather’s eightieth birthday, sixteen-year-old Lily yearns for just one whole perfect day together.
Sixteen-year-old Lucy, living in the shadow of her violent father, experiences a night of tenderness, danger, and revelation as she and Jake, her fifteen-year-old neighbor, search for a legendary wolf in the Australian outback.
At 9:59 on a Thursday morning, Jodie draws a duck. As her pen hovers in the air, ready to add a silver button to the duck’s boot, her little brother Jonathan pushes to his feet, sways, and takes his first step. At the exact same moment, their mom plays a pennywhistle in the kitchen, a man buys fresh bread at the bakery, a baby is born, a soldier says good-bye to his mom, a granddad and granddaughter play with leaves in the park, a blackbird finds a worm.
Sophie Scott is only nine years old, but she’s going to Antarctica on an icebreaker with her dad, the ship’s captain. During the voyage to Mawson Station and back, Sophie keeps a diary. She sees icebergs, penguins, seals and whales. She makes new friends, wonders at the southern lights and even becomes stranded in a blizzard!