The books your kids should be reading

Forget the mad frenzy that comes with the book parade dress-up day, Book Week is all about encouraging kids to read. Here’s a list of some of the best Aussie books your kids should be reading.

Book Week might send a chill down the spines of harried parents wondering if they can get away with Harry Potter for a second year at the school parade (or if footy gear even qualifies?).

But the annual book week is really a chance to celebrate all things books, from parades to author visits, debates about the best books and more.

It also puts the spotlight on the importance of developing a love of reading and coincides with the announcement of the Children’s Book Council of Australia awards for Aussie books.

CBCA national chair Professor Margot Hillel said it was never too soon to start reading to children.

Although Cicada by Shaun Tan is a picture book, it explores adult themes and is aimed at teen and adult readers.

“Many people have fond memories of sitting with a parent or grandparent and reading,” Professor Hillel, of the Australian Catholic University, said.

“It is a special shared moment and it is interesting to see the way that pre-reading children learn that those little black marks on the page become a word.”

In addition to developing readers and writers, Prof Hillel said reading helped children to develop empathy and understand difference.

“When you think of how children respond with fear of Peter Rabbit being chased by Mr McGregor,” she said.

“Or in Captain Johnno where children see people being horrible to Johnno because he is deaf.”

She said award-winning children’s author James Moloney recently spoke of the strong memories of teachers in grades four and five reading to students, and how important it was to him in developing his interest in writing.

She said at times kids were overloaded and might not be reading a lot but the key was finding the right book for them.

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Professor Hillel said that books could be nonfiction and there was still strong interest in publishing of information books.

She said she often saw young adults at public libraries reading.

“I think it has had a bit of a renaissance. Children’s publishing is very big. I don’t despair,” she said.

The Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation has teamed with Amazon Australia to donate books worth more than $20,000 to 40 Australian schools.

Children’s laureate and celebrated Aussie author Morris Gleitzman has hand-picked the books which by authors such as Bruce Pascoe, Libby Hathorn, Alison Lester, Anh Do and Shaun Tan.

EARLY CHILDHOOD TO 7 YEARS

Reading from birth is one of the best things parents can do to bond with their children. Among the award winners this year was Alison Lester for her Tricky’s Bad Day. Lester’s Are We There Yet? based on the family’s adventure around Australia is a very popular nonfiction title.

• Grandma Z by Daniel Gray-Barnett

• Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester

• Here Comes Stinkbug! by Tohby Riddle

• Heads and Tails: Insects by John Canty

• The Dress-Up Box by Patrick Guest and Nathaniel Eckstrom

• Rainbow Bear by Stephen-Michael King

• Noni the Pony Rescues a Joey by Alison Lester

• Rodney Loses It! by Michael-Gerard Bauer and Chrissie Krebs

• The Very Noisy Baby by Alison Lester

• Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee! by Lisa Shanahan and Binny

• Go Home, Cheeky Animals! by Johanna Bell and Dion Beasley

• Nannie Loves by Kylie Dunstan

• Gary by Leila Rudge

• Mr Huff by Anna Walker

• Perfect by Danny Parker and Freya Blackwood

• The Cow Tripped Over The Moon by Tony Wilson and Laura Wood

• Chip by Kylie Howarth

Sisters Harlow, 7, and Starla, 5, show off their Book Week costumes. File image: Tim Carrafa

• Grandpa and Thomas Go to The Beach by Pamela Allen

• Too Many Elephants in the House by Ursula Dubosarsky and Andrew Joyner

• That’s Not a Daffodil! by Elizabeth Honey

• The Swap by Jan Ormerod and Andrew Joyner

• The Terrible Suitcase by Emma Allen and Freya Blackwood

• The Pros and Cons of Being a Frog by Sue deGennaro

• How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham

• Go To Sleep, Jessie! by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood

• Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas by Aaron Blabey

• Ollie and the Wind by Ronojoy Ghosh

• Perfect by Danny Parker and Freya Blackwood

• I’m a Dirty Dinosaur by Janeen Brian and Ann James

• Granny Grommet and Me by Diane Wolfer and Karen Blair

• Baby Bedtime by Mem Fox and Emma Quay

• Bear & Chook by the Sea by Lisa Shanahan and Emma Quay

• Kip by Christina Booth

• A is for Australian Animals by Frane Lessac

• Miss Franklin by Libby Hathorn and Phil Lesnie

YOUNGER READERS 8-12 YEARS

• The Feather by Freya Blackwood and Margaret Wild

• His Name Was Walter by Emily Rodda

• Black Cockatoo by Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler

• The Peacock Detectives by Carly Nugent

• The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars by Jacklyn Moriarty

• Brindabella by Ursula Dubosarsky and Andrew Joyner

• Leave Taking by Lorraine Marwood

• How To Bee by Bren MacDibble

• Marsh and Me by Martine Murray

• The All New Must Have Orange 430 by Michael Speechley

• Ninja Kid by Anh Do

• Hitler’s Daughter by Jackie French

• When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr

• Young Dark Emu, A Truer History by Bruce Pascoe

• Henrietta and the Perfect Night by Martine Murray

• Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr

• Rockhopping by Trace Balla

Book Week isn’t just about costumes — it’s about reading too. File image: Tony Gough

• Captain Jimmy Cook Discovers Third Grade by Kate and Jol Temple and Jon Foye

• Soon by Morris Gleitzman

• Sister Heart by Sally Morgan

• Shadows of the Master by Emily Rodda

• The Simple Things by Bill Condon

• Two Wolves by Tristan Bancks

• Figgy in the World by Tamsin Janu

• City of Orphans: A Very Unusual Pursuit by Catherine Jinks

• The Red Wind by Isobelle Carmody

• Dragon Moon by Carole Wilkinson

• Other Brother by Simon French

• Run, Pip, Run by JC Jones

• The Cleo Stories: A Friend and a Pet by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood

• Violet Mackerel’s Possible Friend by Anna Branford and Sarah Davis

• Song for a Scarlet Runner by Julie Hunt

• My Life as an Alphabet by Barry Jonsberg

• Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool by Odo Hirsch

TEENS 13+

Many hours are spent squirrelled away in their bedrooms connecting with friends on various social media platforms and reading can fall by the wayside.

But experts suggest that reading at the end of the day, instead of screen time, is the perfect way for kids to wind down for sleep.

Often Year 7 marks the first time that children have their own mobile phone and their own laptop or similar device for high school.

Here are some books that are winning praise, including Clare Atkins’ Between Us which won the older readers’ category in this year’s Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards.

Between Us tells the story of Iranian asylum seeker Anahita who is allowed to be a “regular Australian girl’ during the school day, only to return to a detention centre at night. It touches on issues of detention, young love, family breakdown and trust.

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At the higher end of the age group, Shaun Tan’s Cicada won the picture book of the year. It

It tells the story of the Cicada who has toiled at work for 17 years and feels unloved and unappreciated. Many of these young adult titles explore characters, themes and stories that teens can relate to.

• Between Us by Clare Atkins

• Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein

• Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee

• Changing Gear by Scot Gardner

• The Bogan Mondrian by Steven Herrick

• The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot

• Take Three Girls by Simmone Howell, Fiona Wood and Cath Crowley

• In The Dark Spaces by Cally Black

• One Would Think The Deep by Claire Zorn

• This Is My Song by Roger Yacksley

• These Things That Will Not Stand by Michael Gerard Bauer

• The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

Stephen, 8, in full Hogwarts regalia ahead of Book Week. Picture: Jason Edwards

• Forgetting Foster by Dianne Touchell

• Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

• Cloudwish by Fiona Wood

• A Single Stone by Meg McKinlay

• Inbetween Days by Vikki Wakefield

• Wildlife by Fiona Wood

• The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett

• The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner

• Jarvis 24 by David Metzenthen

• The Ink Bridge by Neil Grant

• Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan

• Nona & Me by Claire Atkins

• The Pause by John Larkin

• The Flywheel by Erin Gough

• Freedom Ride by Sue Lawson

• The Incredible Here and Now by Felicity Castagna

• Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil

• Fairytales for Wilde Girls by Allyse Near

• The Winds of Heaven by Judith Clarke

• A Small Free Kiss in the Dark by Glenda Millard

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