A young Aboriginal girl is taken from the north of Australia and sent to an institution in the distant south. There, she slowly makes a new life for herself and, in the face of tragedy, finds strength in new friendships. Poignantly told from the child’s perspective, Sister Heart affirms the power of family and kinship.
Oceania
Materials from Oceania
Pictures Telling Stories
A collection of Robert Ingpen’s illustrations throughout his career.
Crow Country
A gripping time-slip adventure, in the tradition of Ruth Park’s PLAYING BEATTIE BOW. ‘Beginning and ending, always the same, always now. The game, the story, the riddle, hiding and seeking. Crow comes from this place; this place comes from Crow. And Crow has work for you.’ Sadie isn’t thrilled when her mother drags her from the city to live in the country town of Boort. But soon she starts making connections – connections with the country, with the past, with two boys, Lachie and Walter, and, most surprisingly, with the ever-present crows. When Sadie is tumbled back in time to view a terrible crime, she is pulled into a strange mystery. Can Sadie, Walter and Lachie figure out a way to right old wrongs, or will they be condemned to repeat them?
That’s Not A Hippopotamus!
A class trip to the zoo descends into a chaotic hunt for the missing hippopotamus. Teacher, zookeeper and all the children join the search. The noise and drama reaches a pitch, and no one thinks to listen to quiet Liam, who really might know where the hippo is hiding.That’s Not a Hippopotamus is a deft and delightful tale, packed with word play and madcap energy—and with a whole different story to enjoy in the illustrations.
Hop Up! Wriggle Over!
Illustrations and simple, onomatopoeic text capture a busy day in the life of a large and diverse family of Australian animals.
Muddle & Mo
Muddle (a duck) and Mo (a goat) are best friends, but Muddle is a bit confused about what type of animals they both are. Fortunately, during the course of their walk together, long-suffering Mo helps Muddle get his duck identity sorted out in this warm and funny tale of friendship, differences, and acceptance.
This and That
In this delightful tale, two mice set off on a storytelling adventure that takes them through cavernous caves, atop crazy giraffes, and over palace walls until they return safely home to the comfort of their beds. A sweet, rhyming story, This and That is perfect for helping children develop their sequencing skills!
A River
A small boat with a single white sail floats down the river and takes her from factories to farmlands, freeways to forests, out to the stormy and teeming depths of the ocean, and finally back to the comforts and inspirations of home.
The Treasure Box
When the enemy bombs the library, everything burns, and only one book survives. As war rages around them, Peter and his father, alongside so many refugees, flee their home, taking with them a treasure box that holds something rarer than rubies and more precious than gold.
Max
Max, the young son of superheroes, is a late bloomer when it comes to flying, until he is inspired by the plight of a falling baby bird.