AustLit

'Join Lucy and her beloved companion, Daisy, on their heart-warming journey of love, courage, and friendship.

'Embark on a heart-warming journey with ‘Be Brave, Lucy,’ a delightful tale that captivates the bonds of courage and friendship. Join Lucy and her beloved teddy, Daisy, as they explore the wonderful world of kindergarten. Wrapped in Mummy’s comforting hugs and Daisy’s tender embrace, Lucy discovers the bravery within her heart. With enchanting illustrations, this charming children’s book resonates with parents, celebrating the timeless bond between a child, imagination, and unwavering love. ‘Be Brave, Lucy’ is a joyful celebration of courage and friendship, perfect for little adventurers and their families.' (Publication summary)

'One boy’s curious journey of learning to ride a bike through grit, determination and a sprinkling of bravery, one pedal at a time.

'One Pedal at a Time is a heartwarming story full of curiosity, a little self doubt and a sprinkling of bravery. Parker takes us along for the ride as he navigates through the emotions of overcoming the challenges of learning a new skill, showing that with grit and determination you really can achieve anything. Come on the journey with Parker to discover new found freedom and adventure one pedal at a time.' (Publication summary)

'A sweet tale about a greedy squirrel who discovers the joy of sharing cake with friends.

'Squirrel loves cake.
But Squirrel refuses to share cake with friends.
After realising he is too full to play,
Squirrel learns he has been greedy.
Will he make it up to his friends?' (Publication summary)

'A bilingual story about frogs that promotes positive values around immigration and multiculturalism.

'The Ribbit-Ribbit Pond tells the story of a group of Croac-Croac frogs and their arrival at the Ribbit-Ribbit Pond. Concerned about their “otherness,” one Ribbit-Ribbit frog describes how exotic the newcomers are. But after spending time with them, the main character realises that the Croac-Croac frogs and the Ribbit-Ribbit frogs are quite similar. The Ribbit-Ribbit Pond then becomes an intercultural place where all frogs can coexist, regardless of their physical and linguistic differences. The values of respect, openness, and curiosity and discovery are transmitted to children through this story, which are essential to the development of their intercultural communicative competence.' (Publication summary)

'Follow two children as they set off on an adventure to explore their neighborhood. Share their delight as they discover and connect with the natural environment. This book, with detailed digital gouache illustrations encourages children to explore nature, look closely to find the creatures and objects listed, and teaches them a variety of yoga poses.' (Publication summary)

'A bear thinks the animals admire his fancy clothes and accessories but doesn’t realise his underwear is showing.

'A debonair bear lazes atop his lair, as the other animals gather around. He thinks they are admiring his fancy clothes and accessories, but little does he know his underwear is showing! An amusing story in rhyming verse.' (Publication summary)

'Six animal friends decide to clean up their jungle home, make musical instruments from the junk, and start an orchestra.

'When six animal friends see their beautiful jungle home covered in trash, they are all shocked and dismayed. But Monkey has a plan to return their home to perfection! What if they collect all the trash, turn it into musical instruments, and start a "junkstrument" orchestra? In this amusing tale told in lyrical and rhyming language, with hilarious made-up words, children will learn the importance of working as a team, not dropping trash, and of reusing and recycling.' (Publication summary)

'A funny and engaging story featuring a brave and resourceful girl with a vivid imagination who sets out to trap a tiger, only to make a surprising and hilarious discovery.

'Matilda is an inquisitive girl with a vivid imagination. Convinced that a ferocious tiger has been lurking in her backyard at night, brave Matilda leaps into action to save her family from the beast. Matilda gets to work conducting research and creating a clever tiger-trap, before preparing for the suspense-filled wait. This hilarious tale of misunderstanding is an affectionate celebration of resourcefulness, inventiveness and the power of imagination. Children will be enthralled by the story – could there really be a tiger in Matilda’s backyard? – and will laugh out loud at the surprise conclusion. Vibrant, eye-catching cartoon-style illustrations bring the tale and the characters to life.' (Publication summary)

'Birdy, a creative thinker, has an idea to write a book with George, her quirky sidekick, which takes the pair on a fun-filled, and surprising adventure.

'Birdy’s Tale of a Story is a book that encourages children to write, conceptualise or illustrate a story. The book’s aim, with some assistance from our heroine 'Birdy' and her faithful Cavoodle 'George', is to help organise a child’s thoughts and ideas when structuring a narrative. This book focuses on the basic elements that comprise a good story: setting, characters, problem, climax, and resolution.'

'A whale who cannot sing and a lost butterfly search for her home and find the whale’s voice and self-confidence.

'Mafu the humpback whale travels through the turquoise seas of the South Pacific alone in search of other whales. But as he cannot sing, they cannot hear him, and as they cannot hear him, they cannot find him. The other sea creatures tease Mafu, and he is embarrassed and lonely, until one day when he meets Papahi, a lost butterfly swept away from her island home in a storm. This unlikely pair soon become fast friends as they share their stories and search for Papahi’s home, where Mafu finds that he can sing ― he only needed the courage to try. This gentle, beautifully illustrated story about friendship, courage, and self-confidence will delight readers encourage them to believe in themselves.' (Publication summary)

'Norman Blue badly wants to fit in, but he has a secret: he has no crest like the other cockatoos. He tries to do all the things cockatoos do: screeching when he'd rather sing, preening vainly, munching on houses, and even launching poo. But when he loses his fake crest one day, he meets a unique possum and realizes that he can have the courage to be who he is, too. In this charmingly illustrated story about difference and bravery, readers will learn the power of self-acceptance.' (Publication summary)

'Pann Panda is going to Australia, and his forest friends help him decide what to pack in this story about thoughtful preparation.

'One day, Pann the Panda is relaxing and eating his favourite bamboo when he hears some exciting news. He has been chosen to represent his animal kingdom on a visit to Australia to see their zoos. Pann is leaving the next day, so he must start packing! The other animals eagerly give him advice on what to pack, such as an umbrella to shield Pann from sunshine and rain, comfortable shoes, a beach chair, and more. What else should Pann bring with him? A story about thoughtfully preparing and packing for travel.' (Publication summary)

'An informative picture book where readers guess the animal the illustrated toes belong to.

'Featuring twelve animals and their toes, this picture book invites readers to guess which animal the toes belong to. Accompanied with many animal fun facts and detailed, lifelike illustrations, this title provides for an interactive reading experience. An enjoyable, educational resource for children, caregivers, and classrooms alike.' (Publication summary)

'A long-legged, dancing toucan discovers it’s hard to fit in when you’re born to stand out.

'Deep in the jungle, young Peggy the toucan grows unusually long, pink legs. She’s different to the others and spends her days trying – and failing – to fit in. Things change for Peggy when she discovers the wonderful world of cancan dancing and accepts that she was born to stand out. Through jaunty rhyme, quirky, freehand digital illustrations and unique characters, Leggy Peggy shows the power of resilience, the benefits of overcoming self-doubt, and the magic of being unique.' (Publication summary)

'Various familiar animals model the kind of household chores children can help with. 

'Familiar animals model various household chores of the kind that children can learn to do. With bright, appealing illustrations and simple rhyming language, this book encourages participation in jobs around the house and brings out the fun in everyday chores.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'A child explores her feelings, naming and describing them, showing it is okay to have a variety of feelings, and that feelings can change depending on the circumstances. With bold, colourful and simple mixed media illustrations, this book encourages self-awareness and self-acceptance.'

Source : publisher's blubr

'When a lonely moon, looking for a friend, accidentally falls to Earth, he finds the townspeople eager to help fix him and get him back to his home, the sky. A lyrical story in rhyming verse accompanied by unique, charming illustrations.'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'When his owner leaves him on a sheep ranch, Sandy the dog must learn how to adjust to country life, including driving sheep and deal with his new unfriendly coworker. This is a story about perseverance in the face of new and unexpected challenges and pride in one’s achievements set in the Australian Outback.'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'Who do you think would win a gold medal in basketball - a team of lions, giraffes or chimpanzees? Who would swim the fastest - a tiger, a beaver or a crocodile? Who do you think could lift the heaviest weight - an elephant, gorilla or grizzly bear? You decide who wins the bronze, silver and gold medals! Readers are given simple, informative descriptions for ten sporting events. The unique skills each creature would bring to these events are described in a fun yet factual way. Children are encouraged to apply critical thinking to predict who would win the gold, silver, and bronze medal in each event.'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'Dashing Ape has an eye for design, a knack with scissors, and a desire to transform the coiffure of everyone in the jungle. Thus, he opens Ape with a Cape, the salon of his dreams. From trendy buzz cuts to luscious mullets, retro beehives to a concealing combover, soon every animal is looking stylish. A humorous tale in jaunty rhyming verse and humorous illustrations.'

(Source: publisher's blurb)