AustLit

This self-published picture book was published by an author who lost her family home in the Black Saturday bushfires: as well as working through the trauma for the younger members of the family, it also reinforces the consequences for parents managing loss of their home and trauma to themselves and their dependents.

This work does not have teaching resources, but an audio recording of the author reading the work is available via YouTube.

Emblematic of shifting approaches to bushfires in children's fiction and non-fiction, this information book is 'An accessible and reassuring picture book that teaches children what they need to know about bushfires so they can understand what's happening and be smart and prepared, not scared.'

This book has teaching resources available.

Claire Saxby's Koala was published before the Black Summer bushfires: although it is not exclusively focused on bushfires (see Sophie Cunningham's Tippy and Jellybean below), bushfires are one of the events that a wild koala is shown dealing with.

This book has teaching resources available.

Published shortly after Black Summer and with proceeds going to wildlife centres caring for injured animals, Tippy and Jellybean is more urgently and extensively engaged with bushfires as a threat to native wildlife.

This book has teaching resources available.

Although koalas became emblematic of the devastation of Black Summer, the image of the wombat sheltering other animals in its burrow was also a persistent one. The Fire Wombat is one of several picture books that touch on this image: see also Wilbert the Wombat Saves the Day, Wombat Underground : A Wildfire Survival Story (by an American author), and Brave-Bottomed Wombat.

This work has teaching resources available.

Written by an author who lost her parents, home, and pets in the Black Saturday bushfires, this is a book recommended for mid-to-late primary-school students (7-11 years old). It offers a very personal response to the traumas of Black Saturday.

This work has teaching resources available.

Unlike the previous books on this list, this picture book deals with an introduced species (horses) and their vulnerability. Like the previous works, this one is set in and around the Black Saturday bushfires, and draws from a true story.

Written in response to Black Summer, the book comes from a small press on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, which was devastated by fire in 2019-2020. The story has a strong focus on hope and community.

Beautifully illustrated by Grace Fielding, this educational and entertaining book from Magabala Books follows a young bilby who experiences his first bushfire and has to learn what his defences are.

Focusing on one of the last surviving Gilbert's Potoroos, this elegiac picture book emphasises not only the fear and isolation of animals in disasters, but also the role of conservationists.

This work has teaching resources available.

Written and illustrated by American creators, this book reflects the extent to which the world beyond Australia was watching Black Summer in horror.

Author Carmen Agra Deedy noted in media releases that she began the book in early 2020, and found that her own experiences as a child refugee became entwined with the story of the kindness of opening doors for people in trouble (source).

Another picture book by American creators, this book explores friendship in times of trouble.

This work has teaching resources available.

Bindi is a verse novel for upper primary students, which covers, among other themes, the threat of bushfires and their impact on people and communities. Author Kirli Saunders is a proud Gunai woman with ties to the Yuin, Gundungurra, Gadigal, and Biripi people, and the work is set on Gundungurra Country.

This work has teaching resources available.

Part of Palyku writer Helen Milroy's Bush Mob series, this book shows the animals of the Bush Mob working together to save the community from a bushfire.

This work has teaching resources available.

Part of the Good Times of Pelican Rise series, this focuses on children's experience of bushfires, but from the perspective of recovery, as Sunday and her friends at Club Koala knit pouches and raise awareness of injured wildlife in the wake of a terrible summer of bushfires.

Based on the Black Saturday bushfires, this story focuses on Zeelie; as the temperatures soar, she worries about the nearby bushfires and about her mother and brother, away from home in Melbourne.

This work has teaching resources available.

Through Felix and his grand-daughter Zelda, Morris Gleitzman combines the ongoing trauma of the Holocaust (which Felix, now aged 80, finds himself still unable to come to terms with) and the immediate trauma of bushfires threatening the town.

This work has teaching resources available.

Published by the National Museum of Australia, inspiration for this book is drawn from an item in the museum's collection: the burnt wheel and hub of a fire truck destroyed in the 2003 Canberra bushfires.

This work has teaching resources available.

Part of the My Australian Story series, this book is set during the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.

Part of the Natural Disaster Zones series, which covers catastrophes such as earthquakes, tusnamis, droughts, floods, and typhoons, Tyenna follows a young girl caught in bushfires in Trasmania's Central Highlands.

This work has teaching resources available.

Written by a resident of the Blue Mountains in aid of a fire-recovery charity, this story is told from the perspective of the animals in the bush.

The author provides free, downloadable classroom activities (such as crosswords and find-a-words) on his website.

A non-fiction book aimed at students in years 7 to 10, this book is a commonsense introduction to some of the core aspects of human-induced climate change.

This work has teaching resources available.

Set in the aftermath of a devastating bushfire, this novel has at its heart the bush-stone curlew, whose eerie call has featured in many Australian Gothic texts. Here, the arrival of a rare and endangered bird in a city park links three teenagers coming to terms with loss and trauma.

Both Noah and Kenna are traumatised: Noah by the mental illness of his mother, Kenna by the death of hers in a bushfire, and both by the restrictions and secrets of the small town in which they live. This debut novel by Zach Jones was written and published in the wake of the Black Summer bushfires.

This work has teaching resources available.

Part of Jackie French's Matilda Saga, this novel is set in Gibber's Creek in 1978, in the days before and during the threat of bushfire.

This work has teaching resources available.

Ivan Southall's classic story of children trapped in a bushfire is closer to the 'adventure' end of the spectrum than some of the other works on this list, but Southall was (like Thiele and others) pioneering in the realism of his work for children; this work is available in Text Classics with an introduction by Maurice Saxby.

This work has teaching resources available.

'Inspired by the Queensland floods, Flood is a moving and sensitive story of a natural disaster as seen through the honest eyes of a cattle dog that has been separated from his family. The floodwater mercilessly rips through the towns, and finally recedes, leaving a devastating widespread path of destruction. But from the ruins, courage and kindness emerge. A tiny tugboat heroically guides a wayward boardwalk out to sea; rescuers pluck friends and strangers from the dangerous waters; communities gather, providing aid, shelter, comfort and – above all – hope.' (Publisher's blurb)

This book has teaching resources available.

'Matilda dreams of seeing new places and things, away from her ordinary life on the farm. But she never expected to see them by being washed away in a flood! Will she ever see the other cows again?

'Based on a true story of a cow’s journey down the Brisbane River, this is a book about finding courage and being brave.' (Publisher's blurb.)

This book is available in full text via the State Library of Queensland.

'When the rain comes pouring down Mrs Farmer has no choice but to let the farm animals inside with some funny results. She ends up with dogs in the kitchen, pigs in the laundry, cows in the dining room, sheep in the sitting room and hens lay eggs in all sorts of surprising places. When the water recedes she sends them all back outside...but not for long.' (Publisher's blurb.)

This book has teaching resources available.

'The river had burst its banks. The dam was overflowing. 'Don't go outside, Alex!' Mum shouted. But just then Rabbit hopped out the open window ...

'Chris McKimmie lives in Brisbane. This story grew out of his experiences during the floods of January 2011.' (Publisher's blurb.)

This book has teaching resources available.

'When the Flood Came to Cherbourg was inspired by Volunteering Queensland's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Natural Disaster Resilience Project workshops with the children of Cherbourg State School.

'The story not only teaches children what to do in the event of a flood, it also gives an insight into the community at Cherbourg. It tells of children who ride bikes, swim and play footy together, who love to learn about their culture and who support each other when times are tough.' (Publisher's blurb.)

'We’re back on Mum and Ted’s farm in another hilarious adventure.

'It’s been raining for a week, the river is rising and now the barn is beginning to leak. The animals need to get to higher ground – but will they get out in time?' (Publisher's blurb.)

'When the river rises and the city of Paris begins to disappear under water, Frederic decides to help those who can't help themselves. But as his heroic acts escalate, so does the danger. Frederic will have to battle an escaped zoo animal and fight off pickpockets and looters but, as the waters subside, can he find justice for his father and find out what courage really means?' (Publisher's blurb.)

This work has teaching resources available.

'On a fateful day in Hills End, a timber-milling town in the mountains of Victoria, seven children and their teacher set off to explore caves in the nearby mountains said to contain ancient Aboriginal rock art. While they are deep inside the mountain caves a storm of tremendous violence all but sweeps the town away and threatens to leave them stranded on the mountain.

'Tackling flooded creeks and washed out paths and fallen trees, the children make their way back to Hills End injured and exhausted, only to face a new battle to survive in the denuded town.' (Publisher's blurb.)

Originally published in 1962, this is available through Text Classics.

'Aaron lives with his single mother and his bookish older brother Connor in a small town at the edge of a rainforest, home of the legendary rainfish. Wanting to make an impression on an older, cool kid, Aaron reluctantly takes part in a burglary that he immediately regrets. When the theft is reported in the local newspaper, Connor decides to try out some amateur sleuthing and the police begin an investigation.

'Aaron tries to cover his tracks, but when torrential rains and a fast-flowing flood lead to tragedy, Aaron he feels desperate guilt. His attempts to make amends take him on a journey that’s unexpected, humorous and ultimately redemptive.' (Publisher's blurb.)

'For nine-year-old Jehan, life in Pakistan is just as it should be. He attends school, plays cricket with his little brother and fetches water for his family. But when the monsoon unleashes a catastrophic flood, Jehan is swept away from his village and becomes trapped in a tree. 

'Jehan stays alive by rescuing things from the floodwater, but as the days pass with no sign of help, Jehan starts to despair. Will he ever see his family again? 

'Then Jehan rescues a dog and he is no longer alone. But why does the dog keep swimming away? Where is she going? 

'Eventually, Jehan must follow the lost dog into the floodwater. But will the dog’s quest lead them to safety? Or to more danger?' (Publisher's blurb.)

'When eight-year-old Kelsey goes to Pakistan so her mum and dad can help flood victims, she's miserable. It means missing out on the fun she had planned with her friends – including her birthday party.

'To ease her homesickness, Kelsey talks to her nanna on Skype. Together they create a story about a porcelain doll that nanna sends from Australia. As Kelsey waits for the doll to arrive they imagine the doll's adventures across Pakistan.

'With her new friend Shakila, Kelsey learns more about her new country and the people who live there.

'But how will the doll's quest end? Will Kelsey ever receive her nanna's gift?' (Publisher's blurb.)

Left in the charge of their sixteen-year-old sister, Janni, Peter and Melanie Griffith survive the 1974 Brisbane flood, and solve a mystery.

Although this work is out of print, Brisbane readers in particular might be interested to compare the 1974 flood to books about the 2011 flood. An extract from the book is available via the State Library of Queensland.

'It's been raining for days and the farms and paddocks near our house are flooded. Luckily, Chelsea and I are all ready to help when Mum is called out to deal with some stranded alpacas – a vet has to be ready to go at a moment's notice! But there are many small animals that need rescuing. Can we convince Dad to take us out in the canoe before the water rises further?' (Publisher's blurb.)

Part of the Juliet, Nearly a Vet series.

Amy and her friends take another exciting adventure with the help of the rainbow necklace. After finding a map of South Australia marked with a mysterious location, the necklace takes them there. They find themselves in Wilpena Pound during the early 1900s, where they meet a girl named Jessie Hill, who lives there with her family. However, the girls' friendship is tested in challenging circumstances as they try and save the family from a devastating flood. With little time to escape from the Hills' homestead, they learn about courage, perseverance and the value of true friendship.' (Publisher's blurb).

This work has teaching notes available.

'From the moment Tom Downs was born backwards - the moment of his mother's death - time has held him the wrong way round, like he's caught inside a fractured story. But the thing about Tom's town flooding, and the thing that takes him by surprise is not what Old Mother Murray takes away, but who she brings back.' (Publisher's blurb.)

This work has teaching resources available.

'Tom survived a devastating flood that claimed the lives of her sister and parents. Now she lives with Bill in his old shed by the lake. But it’s time to move out—Tom is pregnant with Bill’s baby.

'Jonah lets her move in with him. Mrs Peck gives her the Fishmaster Super Series tackle box. Nana is full of gentle good advice and useful sayings.

'And in her longing for what is lost, Tom talks to fish: Oscar the carp in the pet shop, little Sarah catfish who might be her sister, an unhelpful turtle in a tank at the maternity ward. And the minnow.

'The Minnow is a moving and powerful coming-of-age story with a whimsical element that belies the heartbreaking truth of grief and loss.'

This work has teaching resources available.

'Harry Hodby lives in a sleepy town on the bend of a sluggish river in Australia. Harry spends most of his time swimming in Pearce Swamp, eating watermelon with his brother and dad, escaping schoolyard bullies, being in love with the secretary, and racing through butterflies in Cowpers Paddock. But life in this small river town isn't always easy. Harry's mother died when he was seven, and his friend Linda was swept away in a flood. Harry yearns to leave town even though he knows that people who get away never come back. His father has told him how to get out of town, but there's a mystery that he needs to solve before he can go...'

This work has teaching resources available.

'Every year on St. Walpurga's Eve, Caldella’s Witch Queen lures a boy back to her palace. An innocent life to be sacrificed on the full moon to keep the island city from sinking.

'Convinced her handsome brother is going to be taken this year, Lina Kirk enlists the help of the mysterious Thomas Lin, her secret crush, and the only boy to ever escape from the palace after winning the love of a queen. Working together they protect her brother but draw the queen's attention.

'Queen Eva cast away her heart when her sister died to save the boy she loved. Now as queen, she won't make the same mistake. With the tide rising higher than ever before and the islanders whispering that Eva's magic is failing, she's willing to sacrifice anyone if it means saving herself and her city.

'When Thomas is chosen as sacrifice, Lina takes his place and the two girls are forced to spend time together as they wait for the full moon. But Lina is not at all what Eva expected, and the queen is nothing like Lina envisioned. Against their will, the two girls find themselves falling for each other. As water floods Caldella’s streets and the dark tide demands its sacrifice, they must choose who to save: themselves, each other, or the island city relying on them both.'

'Kip, Annie, Grace, David, Ted. Five different people, one terrible night. There's a storm at Point Nepean, and the ocean has swept into the bay. Kip is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Annie is scared. David is looking. And Grace is gone. Enter Ted – with his vintage guitars and wild ideas, he's unlike anyone Kip has ever met. As each day passes and a search is mounted, Kip cannot help asking questions – of himself, of the people around him, of everything that happened on the night of the storm. But the biggest questions facing Kip are: Where is Grace? And who is Ted?'  (Publisher's blurb)

This work has teaching resources available.