Australia's Wild Weird Wonderful Weather

Australia's Wild Weird Wonderful Weather
Author: Stephanie Owen Reeder
Publisher:
Total Pages: 67
Release: 2021-07
Genre: Australia
ISBN: 9780642279842

Age range 5+ Did you know that, in 2009, a massive dust storm inAustralia blew red dust and sand all the way to New Zealand, where it turnedthe glaciers pink? That, in 1899, Cyclone Mahina plucked dolphins out of theocean in Far North Queensland and deposited them on cliff tops? That it snowedat Uluru in 1997? In Australia's Wild Weird Wonderful Weather, readers are introduced tothe wide range of weather in Australia, with bite-size pieces of informationpresented alongside graphic illustrations to entice young readers. Olderreaders will enjoy the detailed explanations about everything weather, fromwhat causes certain phenomena to reading weather maps, exploring the climate ofthe past and preparing for the climate of the future. With sections aboutAustralia's extreme weather and the effects of climate change, Australia's Wild Weird Wonderful Weathergently introduces young readers to the challenges of a warming planet andencourages them to be mindful of impact their actions have on the environment. A resource section andglossary of weather words at the back of the book enable a parent, teacher or olderreader to satisfy the deeper interest in weather that the book is sure tostimulate. Link to Teachers' resources here

Fauna

Fauna
Author: Tania McCartney
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2019-11
Genre:
ISBN: 9780642279545

Age range 5+ Did you know that platypus have retractable webbing on their hind feetto enable an easy transition from swimming to digging? That kangaroos can'tsweat and that the cassowary has no tongue? In Fauna - Australia's MostCurious Creatures, readers are constantly introduced to facts that delight,amaze and induce sheer wonder at the clever design and adaptability of ourmuch-loved native fauna. The information on each individual species is presented in small 'bites'to hold the interest of younger readers, while the information taken in totalgives a comprehensive summary of each species, including breeding and feedinghabits, physical characteristics, habitat and other unique and quirky features. Fauna also has a strong conservation message with an 'extinction roll call'and a rating for the vulnerability of endangered species. The stylised illustrations in Faunaare lively, colourful and informative, highlighting facts that lend themselvesmore to pictures than words e.g. the actual size of crocodile teeth, or themechanics of the echidna's beak. There is also humour in the illustrations - isthat kangaroo with dark glasses actually from a different kind of mob? Readers young and old will be delighted and informed by Fauna.

The Australia Survival Guide

The Australia Survival Guide
Author: George Ivanoff
Publisher: Random House Australia
Total Pages: 178
Release: 2020-02
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0143796577

Oh no! You've been bitten by an inland taipan? Don't worry, The Australia Survival Guide has the first-aid advice you need! What's that? You're lost in the bush and need to know how to collect your own water? The Australia Survival Guide has got you covered. Our amazing country has its fair share of dangers: sharks, snakes, cyclones and crocodiles can be a serious threat to your life! But don't worry. This book will help you by providing the knowledge you need to survive in all kinds of Aussie conditions - in the bush, in the desert or even at the beach! So get out there and look around! Even if you think Australia is trying to kill you, The Australia Survival Guide can save your life!

Platypus Matters

Platypus Matters
Author: Jack Ashby
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 396
Release: 2022-08-04
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 022678925X

"Naturalist and Assistant Director of the Museum of Zoology at the University of Cambridge, Jack Ashby shares his love for the platypus and other Australian mammals, including wombats, echidnas, and kangaroos. Informed by stories of his experiences meeting living marsupials and egg-laying mammals on fieldwork in Tasmania and mainland Australia and his close contact with thousands of zoological specimens collected for museums over the last 200 years, Ashby's book explains historical mysteries and debunks myths about these mammals and especially the platypus-which lays eggs, feeds its young on milk, has venom spurs, and sports a bill that can detect electricity. In evaluating how humans have considered these special mammals, he makes clear that calling these animals "weird" or "primitive"- or incorrectly implying that Australia is an "evolutionary backwater"-has only added to the challenges for their conservation. One outcome of these descriptions is that Australia now has the worst mammal extinction rate of anywhere on Earth. Ashby argues that many of the ways that the world thinks about Australia's mammals can be traced back to the country's colonial history"--

Trouble in the Surf

Trouble in the Surf
Author: Stephanie Owen Reeder
Publisher:
Total Pages: 32
Release: 2019-10
Genre: Australian fiction
ISBN: 9780642279460

A picture book that tells the true story of how young Charles Kingsford Smith was rescued on Bondi Beach by early life savers. Includes information at the back about the formation of surf life saving clubs and Kingsford Smith's life.

Riley and the Grumpy Wombat

Riley and the Grumpy Wombat
Author: Tania McCartney
Publisher: Ford Street Publishing
Total Pages: 30
Release: 2011
Genre: Children's stories
ISBN: 9781921665493

Riley has discovered a wombat in his nanny's garden. But why is this furry creature so grumpy? Join Riley and his friends as they zoom around the stunning sights of Melbourne in search of a wombat that simply needs a place to call home.

Strange But True!

Strange But True!
Author: DK
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2015-09-08
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1465449078

The bizarre beasts, incredible places, and peculiar phenomenons featured in this mind-blowing compendium are not just really weird - they're really real! With more than 125,000 copies sold worldwide, this wacky encyclopedia explores our world's most exciting oddities. Did you know there's a plant that eats mice? Or that you can dip your toe in a rainbow-colored river? From fiery tornadoes flying across the sky to huge sinkholes eating up the earth, each example is illustrated with jaw-dropping images and handy fast facts that provide the explanations behind the stories. Whether it's geography, people, places, animals, plants, or weather, Strange But True! is the ideal book for curious young minds who are fascinated by our weird and wonderful world.

Children’s Literature in the Classroom

Children’s Literature in the Classroom
Author: Matthew D. Zbaracki
Publisher: SAGE Publications Limited
Total Pages: 301
Release: 2023-12-06
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1529786762

Children′s literature is a powerful resource that can inspire a young reader’s lifetime love of reading, but how can you ensure that your literacy teaching uses this rich creative world to its fullest? This book gives pre-service primary teachers an in-depth guide to each major type of children′s book, examining the form, structure and approach of each. From fairy tales and non-fiction to picture books and digital texts, learn what qualities underpin outstanding children′s literature and how you can use this to inspire rewarding learning experiences in your classroom. Key features: Each chapter is full of key book recommendations to help you select excellent age-appropriate texts for your learners An international focus across English-language publishing, covering key books from Australian, US and UK authors A special focus on Australian indigenous children′s literature Busting popular myths about children′s literature to give you a deeper understanding of the form Evaluation criteria for every genre, helping you to recognise the qualities of high quality books This is essential reading for anyone training to teach in primary schools and qualified teachers looking to improve their professional knowledge. Matthew Zbaracki is State Head of Victoria in the National School of Education at ACU, Melbourne.

Lennie the Legend

Lennie the Legend
Author: Stephanie Owen Reeder
Publisher: National Library of Australia
Total Pages: 118
Release: 2015-02-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0642278652

This is the inspiring true story of nine-year-old Lennie Gwyther who, at the height of the Great Depression in 1932, rode his pony from his home town of Leongatha in rural Victoria to Sydney to witness the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Lennie’s 1,000-kilometre solo journey captured the imagination of the nation, and his determination and courage provided hope to many at a difficult time in Australia’s history. Lennie the Legend begins with a terrible accident on the family farm, when Lennie, remarkably at such a young age, takes on the responsibility for the ploughing. Lennie is obsessed with the marvel of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and, as a reward for saving the farm from missing the planting season, his parents grant him his wish to ride on his own to Sydney for the opening of the bridge. Lennie has all sorts of adventures along the way—a thief lurking in the bush in the dead of night, a raging bushfire, surprise appearances, celebrations in his honour, being the star of a newsreel, and meeting the Prime Minister. At the end of each chapter, a double-page spread provides information on topics relating to the chapter, such as The Great War (the personal effects of war; Captain Leo Tennyson Gwyther); Living on the Land (farming life; growing up on a farm); The Great Depression (economic turmoil; surviving the depression); Australia’s Capital City (building Canberra; Parliament House); City Living (Australian cities in the 1930s; Melbourne–Sydney rivalry); The Sydney Harbour Bridge (constructing the bridge; opening the bridge). The story and the information spreads have black-and-white and colour illustrations, including photographs of Lennie at the time. Also provided at the end of the book is a glossary, background reading and an index.

Plume: World Explorer

Plume: World Explorer
Author: Tania McCartney
Publisher: Hardie Grant Publishing
Total Pages: 53
Release: 2022-05-04
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1743588895

Hitch a ride on the Albatross Express and travel the globe with Plume: World Explorer. This exciting new picture book series for little ones celebrates culture, diversity and the natural wonders of our world. Plume is not your typical Antarctic penguin. Sporting a bright yellow plume on the top of his head, Plume is bored of black and white, of shuffling around and snoozing on icebergs. He much prefers to cook, read, knit and sky dive. He craves colour, adventure, excitement! He wants to seize the world he’s discovered in the books of his fantastical, glacier library (the largest in the Southern Hemisphere). Plume's great hope is to grow the hearts and minds of his penguin friends. Through his travels, children will engage with themes such as friendship, acceptance, understanding and the wellbeing of our planet. Plume is truly a book series for our times.