Lucie Hill

Library Technician

Hello everyone,

As I write this, it is raining and looking gloomy outside. Just the perfect weather to be sitting down reading a good book. My favourite book would be too hard to choose, but my favourite Children’s book would have to be Time For Bed by Mem Fox, for all the special memories it holds for me. I would like to share with you, a list of the top 50 Australian Children’s books, as chosen by the Australian Booksellers Association. See how many you have read, or want to read.

What is your favourite book?

Happy Reading

Australia's 50 Favourite Childrens Books

1. Possum Magic — Mem Fox and Julie Vivas

Mem Fox’s best-selling first picture book about Grandma Poss, who uses her best bush magic to make baby Hush invisible.

2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone — J.K. Rowling

The first book in Rowling’s series sees the young Harry journey to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he hones his magical powers and confronts Lord Voldemort.

3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar — Eric Carle

First published in 1969, Carle’s collage-style illustrations follow a caterpillar as it eats its way through a variety of foods to emerge, at the end of the book, as a butterfly.

4. The Fault in Our Stars — John Green

Young adult novel that tells the story of a 16-year-old cancer patient, Hazel, who attends a support group where she meets and falls in love with a former basketballer and amputee.

5. Where is the Green Sheep? — Mem Fox and Judy Horacek

There are blue sheep, red sheep, a bath sheep and a bed sheep. But where is the green sheep.?

6. The 39-Storey Treehouse — Andy Griffiths

In Griffiths’ and illustrator Terry Denton’s tree house there’s a chocolate waterfall, a non-erupting active volcano, a baby dinosaur petting zoo and the Believe It Or Else museum.

7. The Magic Faraway Tree — Enid Blyton

In the Enchanted Wood fairy folk live on every branch of the Magic Faraway Tree, home to the Land of Spells, of Topsy-Turvy and Do-As-You-Please.

8. Where the Wild Things Are — Maurice Sendak

Max, sent to his room in his wolf suit, rages at the injustice. When his room transforms into a jungle, Max sails to an island where he fights the Wild Things.

9. Diary of a Wombat — Jackie French and Bruce Whatley

Traces the busy life of Mothball, a “wombat with attitude” who wrestles unknown creatures, runs her own digging business and even trains her humans.

10. The Gruffalo — Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

A mouse wards off predators intent on eating him by conjuring a fictional creature, half grizzly bear, half buffalo.

11. Matilda — Roald Dahl

The story of young girl gifted with magical powers but saddled with dimwitted parents.

12. The Book Thief — Markus Zusak

Nazi Germany, 1939: Liesel learns to read and shares the books she steals with the Jewish man hidden in their basement.

13. Tomorrow When The War Began — John Marsden

A group of teenage friends returns from a week-long camping trip to the bush to discover that all the people are missing and pets and livestock are dead or dying.

14. Anne Of Green Gables — L.M. Montgomery

Published in 1908 and set in Canada, tells the story of an orphan girl sent to live in a farming community in King Edward Island.

15. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory — Roald Dahl

Charlie Bucket realises his dream of entering the famous chocolate factory of Willy Wonka.

16. The Hobbit — J.R.R. Tolkien

Follows the quest of hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by the dragon Smaug.

17. The Secret Garden Frances — Hodgson Burnett

A spoilt, sickly child, Mary Lennox, becomes fascinated by a locked garden.

18. Wonder — R.J. Palacio

Born with a terrible facial deformity, 10-year-old Auggie longs to be normal. Now, for the first time, he is being sent to a “normal” school.

19. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows — J.K. Rowling

In the seventh and final novel in the series, Harry has turned 17, Dumbledore is dead and Lord Voldemort’s powers are increasing.

20. Are We There Yet? — Alison Lester

Much loved picture book by veteran Australian author and illustrator traces the around-Australia journey of eight year old Grace and her family.

21. The BFG — Roald Dahl

A 24-foot giant with superhuman hearing and the gift of speed collects dreams to distribute to children.

22. The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen takes her sister’s place in the “reaping”, an annual fight to death by teenagers chosen from each of the 12 districts of Panem.

23. We’re Going On A Bear Hunt — Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury

This story of a family “going to catch a big one” (“we’re not scared”) is still a favourite 25 years after publication.

24. Animalia — Graeme Base

Australian author and illustrator Graeme Base made his name with this lushly illustrated alphabet book. Readers are challenged to find objects and a picture of the author as a boy on each of its 26 pages.

25. Charlotte’s Web — E.B. White

A little pig called Wilbur becomes famous thanks to the help of wise grey spider Charlotte and a band of animal friends.

26. Divergent — Veronica Roth

A young adult novel set in a post-apocalyptic Chicago. Through its heroine, Beatrice, it explores themes of identity, adult authority and the transition from childhood to maturity.

27. The Flying Orchestra — Clare McFadden

Some days are so windy that even the angels are blown off their perch. It’s on days like these that the Flying Orchestra blows into town ...

28. The Magic Pudding — Norman Lindsay

Written and illustrated by the celebrated Australian artist Norman Lindsay and published in 1918, the pudding of the title magically replenishes itself after each bite. Bunyip Bluegum, Bill Barnacle and Sam Sawnoff must defend it from Pudding Thieves.

29. Dear Zoo — Rod Campbell

One for the under-5s: A child writes to the zoo for a pet. They send a series of unsuitable pets, all sent back for different reasons, except the last one, which is perfect!

30. Famous Five Series — Enid Blyton

First published in 1942, the series follows a very English band of friends who have fabulous adventures and drink lashings of ginger beer.

31. Guess How Much I Love You — Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram

Little Nut Brown Hare shows his daddy how much he loves him. And Big Nutbrown Hare loves him back just as much.

32. Hairy Maclary From Donaldson’s Dairy — Lynley Dodd

The first in New Zealander Dodd’s beloved series about “a terrier of indeterminate breed” and her band of canine friends including Bottomley Potts, Bitzer Maloney and Schnitzel von Krumm.

33. Looking for Alibrandi — Melina Marchetta

Josephine Alibrandi’s final year at school is also the year she falls in love, finds her father and the real truth about her family.

34. Clementine Rose and the Surprise Visitor — Jacqueline Harvey

By the author of the best-selling Alice Miranda series, tells the tale of a little girl who has a teacup pig called Lavender, and whose scary Aunt Violet is coming to stay.

35. Looking For Alaska — John Green

Young adult novel about Miles “Pudge” Halter, who, in search of excitement, opts to go to Culver Creek Boarding School where he meets the captivating Alaska Young.

36. Playing Beatie Bow — Ruth Park

Abigail is thrown back in time to Sydney 100 years ago after playing a scary game.

37. The Knife Of Never Letting Go — Patrick Ness

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in a town where everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts in a torrent of Noise. Then he stumbles upon a patch of silence.

38. The Witches — Roald Dahl

A young boy, raised on his grandmother’s stories of child-eating witches, stumbles upon a witches’ convention and is turned into a mouse.

39. Where’s Spot? — Eric Hill

First in the series of picture books featuring Spot the dog, where children must lift the flap to discover his hiding places.

40 Winnie the Pooh A.A. Milne

First published in 1926, this is the first book in the beloved series about Pooh Bear, whose love of honey gets him into all sorts of scrapes.

41. Stew A Cockatoo — Ruthie May and Leigh Hobbs

As much a history and humour book as it is a cookbook, includes recipes like Ave A Drink Ya Mug in beverages and Horse Doovers in party fare.

42. Edward The Emu — Sheena Knowles and Rod Clement

Edward the Emu was sick of the zoo, there was nowhere to go, there was nothing to do ...

43. Magic Beach — Alison Lester

Lester’s illustrations and text beautifully depict a quintessentially Australian family day at the beach.

44. Giraffes Can’t Dance — Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees

In a picture book that celebrates difference, Gerald the giraffe can’t compete with the other animals at the jungle dance.

45. Green Eggs And Ham — Dr Seuss

Since it was first published in 1960, the story of Sam-I-Am’s quest to persuade the book’s unnamed character to try green eggs and ham has become one of the best-selling children’s books in English.

46. Storm Boy — Colin Thiele

Thiele’s book about a boy and his pet pelican, Mr Percival, is set in SA’s Coorong and has become a children’s classic.

47. Ten Little Fingers And Ten Little Toes — Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury

Fox teams up with the renowned British illustrator in this celebration of babies’ fingers and toes.

48. The Cat In The Hat — Dr Seuss

With Thing One and Thing Two, the Cat in the Hat creates havoc in the house while mother is out.

49. The Lorax — Dr Seuss

The Lorax speaks for trees in this defence of nature against corporate greed.

50. The Messenger — Markus Zusak

A young adult novel about Ed, an underage taxi driver — hopelessly in love with his best friend Audrey — who accidentally foils a bank robbery.

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