Great+books

__LITERARY TEXTS__
===• **Big Rain Coming** written by Katrina Germein illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft published by Puffin books 1999 Set in a remote community in Northern Australia Big Rain Coming paints a picture of daily life. Everyone is waiting for the rain. Even the dusty dogs and green frogs are hot. When will the rain come? CBC nominated book. See www.det.nt.gov.au/data/assets/pdf_file/0014/5261/big_rain.pdf Also www.katrinagermein.com/teachers/===

===• **Ernie dances to the didgerido**o by Alison Lester Ernie is going to live in Arnhem Land for a year. He flies above the desert for hours, travels over the floodplains, crosses the East Alligator River and arrives at his new home.... Here are Ernie's letters, describing the life he discovers with his new friends in their wild and beautiful land. Shortlisted for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award: Early Childhood, 2001 Published by Hachette Children’s Books 2000 Unit of work at: ernie_dances_didgeridoo.pdf===

===• **Tom Tom** by Rosemary Sullivan and Dee Huxley. Tom Tom is the story of a day in the life of a small Aboriginal boy in the imaginary Aboriginal community of Lemonade Springs, in the Northern Territory.It provides a vivid and authentic illustration of life in an Aboriginal community, and of the ambience of those long, free days of childhood, when Aboriginal children roam from place to place, visiting various relatives, climbing trees, chasing lizards, kicking footballs or playing in the mud. CBC nominated book. See www.lemonadesprings.com.au===

===• **Leaving** by Katrina Germein illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft published by Roland Harvey Books 2000 Set in the same Aboriginal Community as Big Rain Coming, Leaving considers how we say goodbye to people we love. There is sadness in going away but there is joy in the giving and receiving of special gifts. A book based on the author’s own experiences that stimulates discussion about friendships, cultures and moving. See www.katrinagermein.com/teachers/===

===• **My Place** by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins published by Walker Books 1985 Discover a 'time machine' which takes the reader back into the past. It depicts the history of one particular piece of land in Sydney from 1788 to 1988 through the stories of the various children who have lived there. CBC nominated book. See www.walkerbooks.com.au/statics/.../My-Place-Classroom-Ideas.pdf Also www.cap.nsw.edu.au/teachers/tech_based.../mi.../My_Place.doc===

===• **My Girragundji** by Meme McDonald and Boori Pryor published by Allen and Unwin 1998 The story of an Aboriginal boy whose house is invaded by a Hairyman - a spirit the old people call a Quinkin. When a little green tree frog lands on his windowsill, he knows she has been sent by the ancestors to help him face his fears. CBC Short listed book See ab-ed.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/7-10/pdhpe/my-girragundji/ (Unit of work) Also /www.blake.com.au/v/vspfiles/.../LT7_My_Girragundji.pdf (unit of work)===


 * ===**The Burnt Stick** by Anthony Hill, illustrated by Mark Sofilas.The Stolen Generations refers to a time in Australian History between 1910 and 1970. About one hundred thousand Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their families by police or welfare officers. Many of the children were under five years of age. The Burnt Stick is a story that sensitively deals with this regrettable tragedy. It is for all ages to share together and to appreciate the lasting impact of such actions. This story seeks to teach the importance of many peace-building elements. See a unit of work atwww.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/.../culture_prog.doc  ===

===• **The Two Hearted Numba**t by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina Numbat has two hearts, one of stone and one of feather. His stone heart makes him strong and powerful while his feather heart makes him soft and gentle. When having more than one heart becomes troublesome, Numbat must choose which one to keep… See resources available from TWO HEARTED NUMBAT TEACHING NOTES WEB.pdf www.fremantlepress.com.au/.../TWO%20HEARTED%20NUMBAT%20TEACHING%20NOTES%20WEB...===

===• Going for Oysters written and illustrated by Jeanie Adams published by Omnibus books 1991 The members of an Aboriginal family living at Aurukun on Cape York Peninsula spend an enjoyable day and a night collecting oysters from their favourite fishing area. The colourful pictures of a large Aboriginal community will appeal to children everywhere. What comes through in the simply-told story is the caring, sharing attitude of the people, the extended family relationships, from babies to grandparents, and also the stories and beliefs that permeate their lives. This provides an excellent introduction to the lifestyles of Aboriginal groups living in different parts of Australia. See : k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/linkages/IntegratedUnits/aboriginal/myplace_learn02.html===

===• Pigs and Hone**y** written and illustrated by Jeanie Adams published by Omnibus books CBC short listed book Set in the Cape York Peninsula in North Queensland, Pigs and Honey is a delightful tale about an Aboriginal hunting and picnic party in the bush. In very natural and matter-of-fact language, a young boy describes the fun weekend enjoyed by his extended family.The story is authentic and deals with transition in the Aboriginal culture. Beautifully illustrated and disarmingly truthful, this excellent story makes delightful reading for all ages.===

===• **Sams Bush Journey** written by Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft published by Little Hare books 2009 This cleverly written story, a collaboration between Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, and illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft, carries a couple of telling messages for young people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike. The concrete jungle and world of digital technology shelters and screens us, young people in particular, from the natural environment. The consequence of our sheltered existence is a lack of appreciation and understanding about the bush, its plants and animals, and for Indigenous Australians a lack of cultural knowledge, and the diminishing of their oral narrative tradition. Sam is one such kid, reliant on the mod-cons to get him by. A visit to his Nanna who lives in the bush is painful for him--too many mosquitoes and spiky bushes. Sick of Sam’s complaints his Nanna schools him with cultural knowledge about bush tucker and survival without Google maps. His negativity causes something strange to happen, transported from his bed one night, Sam awakes to find himself in the bush. Forced to use his newly acquired knowledge, Sam gradually starts to appreciate the inherent value of the natural environment. This is a great book, suitable for lower to middle primary school students.===

===• **Tucker’s Mo**b by Christobel Mattingley and Jeanie Adams published by Omnibus Books 1992 Delightful illustrations provide a snapshot of life in a remote Aboriginal community. The story of Tucker, who does not really know that he is a cat, and Sam who writes his first book about Tucker will appeal to children everywhere.===

===• **Corroboree** by Angus Wallam and Suzanne Kelly, paintings by Norma McDonald published by Cygnet books 2004 This book uses language from the Nyungar people of Western Australia ABORIGINAL Elder, Angus Wallam, highly respected in the Wagin district, is the joint winner of a literary award for the book Corroboree. Now in his late 70s, Corroboree is the story of Angus' childhood memories. The importance to him is passing the Aboriginal history down to future generations. "The idea has been on the go for a long time. We'd get together and I'd start talking. "Things would come into my head, spur of the moment, when I was asleep. "It's marvellous how it has all come together," said Angus. 'It is springtime, Wirrin's favourite time of the year. He will go hunting with his father, collect ochre with his grandfather, dig wild sweet potatoes with his mother and gather wattle seeds for the best damper with his grandmother. Best of all, people are coming from far and wide for the big corroboree and Wirrin will see his cousins and dance until only Yoowintj, the barn owl, is still awake.' "Wirrin was my grandfather, back in the early days we had corroborees. This is where the stories come from. "I thought I had better do something about it before it all dies out," said Angus. As Angus never learnt to read and write he recounted the tales to Suzanne Kelly, a Nyungar woman with traditional ties to the south-west. "I got to know Angus Wallam some time ago and have been working with him writing down his life story, as well as the Nyungar stores and tradition he can remember. "We got to thinking there are hardly any Nyungar history books, especially not for children. So we decided to write this book about a boy and his family preparing for a corroboree, back around the time when Angus was a boy," said Mrs Kelly. The book is beautifully illustrated by Norma MacDonald, whose Aboriginal heritage comes from her mother who was from the Gascoyne, and her father who is Nyungar from Wagin.===

===• A is for Aunty by Elaine Russell published by ABC books 2001 This book was inspired by aboriginal artist Elaine Russell's childhood memories of her family and their life on the mission at Murrin Bridge. Each letter of the alphabet takes the reader on a different journey through the daily events of Elaine's childhood - being chased by emus, billycart racing, looking after her pet possum, picking quandongs.===

===• Two Hands Together by Diana Kidd, illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft. Published by Puffin books 2000. When the Rileys move in next door, Lily and Ella become the best of friends. But Lily can't understand why her Dad doesn't like the Rileys. Why doesn't he want them to go over there? Why is he being so horrible and mean? Does something big have to happen to change his mind? See: Two hands together. Diana Kidd. www.sac.sa.edu.au/Library/Library/Primary/.../two_hands.doc - Similar===

===• Fat and Juicy Place by Diana Kidd At the back of Jack′s school there′s a special place. Not even his Mum or Gran or Splinter or Fleabag or his little sister, Pest Susie, know about all the things that happen there. His Mate, Lizard, is the only he can tell. When Jack meets the mysterious Birdman, he finds out secrets about the past. There′s one secret that he can′t tell anyone - not even Lizard. What happened at the Fat and Juicy Place? Why does Jack need to go there? Only that old fella Birdman has the answers. ∗Shortlisted, Children′s Book Council Book of the Year Awards, 1993===

===Tjarany Roughtail by Gracie Greene, Joe Tramacchi and Lucille Gill published by Magabala Books 1993 The Dreaming of the Roughtail Lizard and other stories told by the Kukatja Tjarany Roughtail contains eight dreamtime stories, all significant to the history of the Kukatja people of Western Australia’s remote Kimberley Region. Each story is complemented by beautiful artworks painted by Aboriginal artist Lucille Gill that visually explain each story using traditional dot paintings. Told in English and Kukatja, the book includes magnificent paintings, maps, kinship diagrams, exercises and language notes.===

__FACTUAL TEXT__
===• Maralinga The Anangu Story written by Yalata and Oak Vellay Comunities with Christobel Mattingley (nominated for CBC book award 2010) Notes for teachers (PDF) - Maralinga: The Anangu Story www.allenandunwin.com/_uploads/BookPdf/.../9781741756210.pdf===

• Significant People in Australia’s History Series by Rees Barrett. Published by Macmillan Link to description of the series: www.macmillan.com.au/primary/newsite/.../Significant_People.pdf -
===• Australia’s Indigenous Peoples by Marji Hill Published by Heinemann 2008 A series of 5 books including Peoples of the East, People’s of the North, People’s of the West, People’s of the South and People’s of the Centre===

• Wiradjuri of the Rivers and Plains by Iris Clayton and Alex Barlow published by Heinemann 1997
===• Papunya School Book of Country and History written text by Nadia Wheatley published by Allen and Unwin 2001 The Papunya School Book of Country and History is a unique and fascinating account of the history of Western Desert communities from an Indigenous perspective. This multi-award-winning book tells the story of how Anangu from five different language groups came to live together at Papunya. From the time of first contacts with explorers, missionaries and pastoralists, through to the Papunya art movement and the Warumpi Band, this multi-layered text finally leads us to the development of the unique educational environment that is Papunya School. As an example of two way learning, it is a profound metaphor for reconciliation. Papunya School Book of Country and History won the 2002 NSW Premier's Young People's History Prize, the 2002 Awards for Excellence in Educational Publishing & the 2002 CBC Eve Pownall Award. See PDF unit of work at www.allenandunwin.com/_uploads/BookPdf/.../9781865085258.pdf===