Kids books are a popular choice for birthday and Christmas presents for children. This year, support local and buy a book from a local author or illustrator for your child or grandchild’s book collection.
The Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter region is full of talented individuals who have written or illustrated a wonderful selection of children’s books suitable for all ages.
Lake Macquarie Libraries
Get inspired for your next Lake Mac adventure with a new book that local families will love. Lake Macquarie Adventures for Kids, launched last month by Lake Macquarie City Council’s Lifelong Learning team. This new children’s book encourages families to get out and explore the lake and what it has to offer. Each of the book’s double-page spreads features a different part of Lake Mac, from Rathmines Park to Swansea Channel, and from Redhead Beach to the Watagan Mountains. The book is available in hardcover ($30) and softcover ($20) from Lake Mac Libraries branches and the Museum of Art and Culture, yapang.
Liz Anelli
Liz Anelli is an artist and illustrator who uses collage and printmaking as well as paint, pencils and her computer to create the vivid images that populate her picture books.
Books include:
- The Biscuit Maker – In Mavin Road, there’s no time for hellos or chats until a lonely and mysterious biscuit maker’s magic brings everyone together.
- Maddie’s First Day – Award winners Penny Matthews and Liz Anelli team up to bring us this wonderful picture book about the excitement of going to “big” school for the first time.
- Desert Lake – The dry salt bed of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre shimmers in the desert heat. But far up north, the rains have come. Water is flooding into empty riverbeds and swirling down towards the lake. Soon everything will change.
- Dry to Dry – This Nature Storybook follow-up to the award-winning Desert Lake is a stunningly illustrated and extraordinary story of the yearly weather cycle and attendant changing wildlife of Kakadu National Park.
- Seed to Sky – In the oldest rainforest on Earth, on the oldest continent, a seed falls to the ground. Over hundreds of years, the seed will grow into a sapling reaching for the sunlight, to become a tree towering above the rainforest canopy.
- Ten Pound Pom – In the 1950s and 60s Australia welcomed thousands of British immigrants as part of the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme. Ten Pound Pom is the true story of award-winning author Carole Wilkinson’s immigration to Australia.
- One Photo – A poignant story about love, loss and legacy. One son, one family, one photo.
Sami Bayly
Sami Bayly is a natural history illustrator based in Newcastle, who loves all things weird and wonderful. She finds the beauty and importance of all animals regardless of their appearance, and hopes to share her appreciation with others.
Books include:
- The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals – Marvel as you enter the fascinating hidden world of ugly animals in this encyclopaedia of the animal kingdom’s most unusual and beauty-challenged species.
- The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals – Dangerous animals get a bad rap, but this beautifully illustrated encyclopaedia helps us appreciate the incredible features of some of our more hair-raising animal species.
- The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature – Discover 60 of the most peculiar pairs in nature and learn how plant and animal species rely on each other for their survival.
- A Curious Collection of Wild Companions – Award-winning author and illustrator Sami Bayly shows us a whole world of wild companions -many endangered- and reminds us that we’re all inseparable.
- A Curious Collection of Dangerous Creatures – Sharks, snakes, and spiders get all the attention, but many of the most terrifying animals on the planet are probably ones you didn’t know were so dangerous.
Jess Black
Jess Black is an award-winning author of over 47 children’s books. Jess has written the Tales of Mr Walker series about a dog who comes to live in the fanciest hotel in town. Jess has also written the Kitty is Not a Cat series, Little Paws series and the Keeper of the Crystals series; and is co-author of the hugely successful Bindi Wildlife Adventure series, the Kaboom Kid series and the Animal Tales series.
Books include:
- The Colourful World of Poppy Starr Olsen – A funny and fresh novel for young readers based on the life of Australian Olympic skateboarder and creative soul Poppy Starr Olsen.
- Pepper Creek Ponies – Welcome to Pepper Creek Pony Club where you’ll meet a delightful assortment of ponies.
- Kitty is Not a Cat – Kitty is Not a Cat is a warmly funny junior-fiction series about Kitty, a little girl who believes she can be anything she dreams – even a cat.
- Tales of Mr Walker Series – The Tales of Mr Walker contains four delightful stories inspired by the real-life Mr Walker, a Guide Dog Ambassador who now calls Park Hyatt Melbourne home.
- Keeper of the Crystals – Keeper of the Crystals is an adventure fantasy series full of secrets and mystery. Eve and Oscar, two unlikely friends, accidentally tap into the power of crystals.
- Little Paws Series – A fun, heartwarming chapter book series about the puppies that train to become Guide Dogs and the families who help raise them. Little Paws is published in association with Guide Dogs Australia.
- Bindi’s Wildlife Adventures – Come and join Bindi Irwin on her wildlife adventures! The books are fast paced adventures that travel to destinations such as Africa, Thailand, Madagascar and of course around Australia!
- Animal Tales – An adventure series based around helping animals big and small, fully endorsed by the RSPCA.
Jenny Blackford
Jenny Blackford is an award-winning Australian writer and poet. She writes poems and stories for people of all ages, often with a tinge of magic, science, or deep time.
- The Girl in the Mirror – Two girls who sleep in the same bedroom more than a hundred years apart discover that they can talk to one another through the mirror hanging on the wall. That’s lucky, because an evil spidery force is threatening 1890s girl Clarissa’s mother and thoroughly modern Maddie’s baby brother, and the only help they’re going to get is from one another – and the ghost of Clarissa’s dead brother Bertie.
Nicola Bolton
Nicola Bolton is a local painter, children’s book author and illustrator. She is passionate about depicting rural and coastal Australian landscapes. Much of the inspiration for her artwork has been drawn from her experiences of the landscape at her childhood home, a rural property near Goulburn NSW.
Books include:
- You Can’t Catch Me – This delightful, rhythmic story is full of fun and energy. Two dogs spend their day chasing the Blackbird while she darts from tree to tree collecting mulberries to feed her babies three.
- You Can’t Find Me – The dogs are back! This time they spend their day playing hide and seek with their new friends, the ten little frogs. This delightful, rhythmic story is full of counting, colours and fun.
Sharon Boyce
Sharon Boyce grew up surrounded by books and dreamed that one day she would be an author. Sharon believes in magic, that somewhere dragons are hiding, and that trees are the best of all growing things.
Books include:
- There’s a Shark in the Loo – Shark in the Loo is a laugh out loud story about a cheeky Shark who shows up unexpectedly in the bathroom on birthday party day.
- There’s a Shark at My School – My pet shark Seymour is bored in our backyard pool.He wants to come to school with me and I think that’s a brilliant idea! He promises to do everything I say, but I’m not so sure…
- Who is at the Zoo? – Who is at the Zoo is a book that is full of surprises. When a girl wakes up to discover that zoo animals have taken over her bathroom and kitchen, it leads her on a journey of surprising discoveries.
Outback Jess
An ex-tour guide, Outback Jess has created a series of books for kids to use in the car to stop boredom. Spotto Books help mums and dads drive in peace and they help reduce backseat bickering! Boredom disappears in the car as families work together to SPOT animals, vehicles, iconic locations and random things.
Spotto books increase the fun of holidays, and not just inside the car. Families are using Spotto Books at the campsite, beach and zoo. They also keep kids happy when eating out, talking about what they spotted that day and ticking the boxes. There are more than 15 books including Transport, Coastal, Camping and one for the Hunter region.
For more information, visit the Spotto Books website.
Valerie Gent
A local Paediatric Feeding Speech Pathologist, Valerie Gent has written a book for all parents who worry about their preschoolers and their food intake. (The gorgeous illustrations are by local illustrator Kirrili Lonergan).
- But I’m Not Hungry For Dinner! – Billy is a 3 year old boy who finds eating challenging. His parents continually worry about what he eats and how much he eats. They use all sorts of bribery and pressure tactics to make him eat. But their strategies don’t work. One day, his grandma has a good idea. The book is written for children aged 2-6 years and is it is perfect in helping parents and children navigate the preschool challenges of fussy/picky eating.
Jenni Goodman
Jenni Goodman is a local freelance illustrator. Her artworks are created with either a mix of watercolours and coloured pencils, or graphite pencils. She aims to capture simple beauty and timeless characters as she focuses her art on nature, people and animals. Most of Jenni’s illustrating hours are spent creating picture books – a dream come true! She also creates pet portraits, medical illustrations and other commissioned artworks.
Books include:
- Little Horses – An Australian conservation success story about seahorses, inspired by true events. Lyrical in style and featuring information pages about seahorses and the Seahorse Hotels Project.
- Have You Seen a Tree For Me? – Enzo the koala had grown into a big strong boy and he thought it was time to find a tree of his own. Like all koalas living in the wild, Enzo has to deal with lots of challenges in his search for a new home.
- A Boy and A Dog – A chance meeting, a forever friendship, between A Boy and A Dog. Written in a poetic lyrical style, this is a classic story of a lonely boy and a lonely dog who find each other and discover true friendship.
- Storm Boy – Storm Boy is the timeless story of Mike “Storm Boy” Kingley who rescues three pelican chicks after their mother is shot. One of the birds, Mr Percival, forms a very special bond with the boy which brings into focus the conflict between his lifestyle in the remote Coorong of South Australia and the external pressures of society including his schooling.
- Snuffy – Snuffy is a little dog who just has to sniff EVERYTHING! Sometimes Snuffy’s sniffer gets her into trouble, but can her nose save a day at the beach from an unhappy ending?
Karen Hughes
Karen Hughes is a local author of the mystical adventure series Kalika Magic. The series started as a way of maintaining her sanity. She was practising as a commercial lawyer in Canberra at the time, and I had three small children. Life was pretty intense. Writing magical stories was her escape.
Books include:
- Emerald Child – A hidden island. A forgotten child. A kingdom ruled by fear … Far away on a hidden island, smoke rises from an ancient chest buried in the sand. When Indie sees a boy’s face in the smoke, she is sure he will answer her questions.
- The Shaman’s Secret – In the second book in the popular Kalika Magic series, Kai and Indie must leave the forest to find the missing king.
- The Sorrows of the Water – When Nima makes a wish on the seeds of the star fruit, she releases an evil that should never have been set free. Now, with Kai, Indie, and Jabar, she must travel to the City of Emperors to put things right again.
- The Howling Sands – One hundred years ago, the mysterious Veladin vanished into the earth. Now Kai, Indie, Nima and Jabar must find them or they’ll never see Shaman Yanti again.
Deborah Kelly
Deborah Kelly is a multi award winning, internationally published author of picture books, junior fiction and middle grade books. Three of her titles are CBCA notable books.
Books include:
- Little Horses – An Australian conservation success story about seahorses, inspired by true events. Lyrical in style and featuring information pages about seahorses and the Seahorse Hotels Project.
- The Thing About Oliver – Twelve-year-old Tilly dreams of becoming a marine scientist, but she doesn’t even own a swimsuit. She lives in a drought- stricken town with her mum and younger brother Oliver, who is autistic.
- Dugong Magic – A beautifully illustrated, lyrical and informative story about dugongs, one of our most unique endangered animals. Ideal for anyone with an interest in marine life and the environment, and an excellent teaching resource.
- Dinosaur Disco – Stomp your feet at the Dinosaur Disco! Everyone is dancing at the disco. But then …The music stops. The ground shakes. Is the intruder looking for a dance …or his dinner? Twist your hips, not your tongue!
- The Chalk Rainbow – The Chalk Rainbow explores difference and diversity through a family living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It’s also a story of unconditional love, of trust and of learning to look at the world through the eyes of others.
- Me and You – A delightful rhyming picture book that celebrates all the special relationships and fun-filled activities in a child’s life. Their special bonds with parents, grandparents, cousins, neighbours and pets, as well as all the wonderful fun-filled days they enjoy together.
- Ruby Wishfingers Series – Ruby Wishfingers is an ordinary girl … except for her extraordinary name. One day she wakes with a strange feeling in the tips of her fingers and discovers she has inherited a marvellous gift: the power to wish for whatever she wants.
Ali Larson
Ali Larson is an aspiring author aged 13, and loves writing with all her heart. She has self-published three books including the fantasy action adventure books Deep Water and Blue Flames.
Books include:
- Deep Water
- Blue Flames
Lynn Jenkins & Kirrili Lonergan
Lynn and Kirrili have written and illustrated Lessons of a Lac, a fantastic series of picture books to help kids. Written specifically by a clinical psychologist Lynn Jenkins, and illustrated by illustrator/art therapist Kirrili Lonergan, Lessons of a LAC provides children a very simple way to understand their anxious thoughts and feelings. Their books focus on kids anxiety, finding courage and developing mindfulness.
- Lessons of a Lac – Loppy the Lac has learned its whole life to look out for danger. Looking out for what can go wrong is all it knows – until Loppy meets Curly Calmster.
- Brave – Have you ever needed to do something that made you nervous; even thinking about doing? Kids do all the time. The much-loved characters of Loppy and Curly teach kids how to find their BRAVE.
- Perfect Petunias – The ‘perfect’ book for kids who find it hard to make mistakes! Perfect Petunias is a book especially for those little people who find it hard to make mistakes, designed to ‘shape’ perfectionistic tendencies towards being a little more self-accepting and flexible.
- Grey Glasses-itis – When Loppy takes off his grey glasses, life doesn’t look so sad! A simple way to teach kids how thoughts influence mood. The fourth book in the popular ‘Lessons of a LAC’ series, Grey-glasses-itis helps children to understand the link between how they see things and how they feel.
- Tree – A gentle story of loss to help children learn how to say goodbye, process grief and commemorate a loved one’s life.
- Ollie’s Treasure – Ollie’s Treasure is tale of mindfulness for young, developing minds. Ollie’s grandma sends him a treasure map that promises to lead him to ‘something that will make him happy always’.
- What If – For Issy, and many more little worriers, ‘what if…’ are two small words that lead to uneasy feelings. But maybe they can be used for something a little more fun… In this colourful adventure, written by well know Australian child psychologist Lynn Jenkins, ‘what ifs’ become springboards for happiness and imagination.
Cherie Johnson
Cherie Johnson is a local Aboriginal arts and education consultant and this is her first children’s book.
- Guuluu Gimbairjar – is a children’s book penned by Gamilaroi and Weilwun woman Cherie Johnson, features local Worrimai language to introduce kids to Aboriginal culture and storytelling. The book incorporates Worrimai language throughout which is the language of Birray, Guringay and Warrimay people, and is a fantastic book for young learners.
Gwynneth Jones
Gwynneth Jones is an illustrator and artist from Newcastle. She has exhibited at cafes, galleries and in the corridors of John Hunter Hospital and Westmead Hospital. Gwynneth’s colourful illustrations fill the pages of many great picture books including Dance With Me, Don’t Think About Purple Elephants, Patch and Ruby, The Chalk Rainbow and The Great Sock Secret.
- Dance With Me – Dance with Me is a gorgeous picture book about treasured possessions and the memories they hold.
- Don’t Think About Purple Elephants – Sometimes Sophie worries – not during the day when she is busy with family and friends, but at night when everything is calm and quiet. Her family all try to help, but somehow they just make her worries worse.
- The Great Sock Secret – Sarah’s mother is tired of finding odd socks in the laundry basket. Where do all the missing socks go? Sarah’s mother is pretty sure the puppy is responsible but Sarah knows better.
Damon McDonald
A motorbike adventurer and former documentary filmmaker, Damon is the perfect guide for young readers who want to explore the world around them. His passion for stories and the power of myth and legend shapes the message of the book, which aims to inspire children to reach their full potential and create the life they dream of.
- Iam Awesome, Who are you? – is a book about becoming. Transforming from ordinary to extraordinary and the steps to take to make this happen. Iam Awesome is a dreamer and like his Artificial Intelligence comic book heroes, he wants to become a superhero and find out what is out there on the other side of infinity.
Katrina McKelvey
Katrina McKelvey is a children’s author, former primary school teacher, wife, and mother to two teenagers and a cocker spaniel. She’s written many children’s picture books and educational readers. She’s highly involved in CBCA, SCBWI, literary conferences and festivals, and loves visiting schools.
Books include:
- My Heart – A moving story about the bond between a mother and her child. This book depicts the many ways a mother’s heart can experience love and emotion while her baby journeys through the milestones of growing up.
- Chasing Rainbows – A summer shower brings the delight of a rainbow. Join Xavier and Sophie as they frolic in their backyard, creating rainbows and chaos with imaginative and experimental water play.
- Isla’s Family Tree – Isla isn’t happy that her family is changing, so her mother creates a clever family tree with Isla to teach her how to accept that families always grow. Isla’s Family Tree is the perfect book for any family needing to find a way to introduce new family members, or to show children how they belong in their own family.
- Up to Something – A beautiful exploration of the father-son relationship and the satisfaction to be gained from making things ourselves. One day, Dad invites Billy into his shed to build something, but Billy soon finds out that he is only allowed to watch.
- No Baths Week – Ben and his best friend, Bandit have decided it’s ‘NO BATHS’ week. Mum plays along but challenges them to find other ways to get clean. Will Ben and Bandit come up with a clever plan? And will they rediscover their love of having a bath?
- Dandelions – This heart-warming picture book explores the bond between a father and his daughter. One day, a little girl notices her father mowing the lawn — in the process destroying her favourite flowers: the dandelions. She rushes out to stop him, but she’s too late, they’re all gone.
Susan Whelan
Susanne is a local author of Don’t Think About Purple Elephants, Grace and Katie and The Great Sock Secret.
Books include:
- Don’t Think About Purple Elephants – Sometimes Sophie worries – not during the day when she is busy with family and friends, but at night when everything is calm and quiet. Her family all try to help, but somehow they just make her worries worse.
- The Great Sock Secret – Sarah’s mother is tired of finding odd socks in the laundry basket. Where do all the missing socks go? Sarah’s mother is pretty sure the puppy is responsible but Sarah knows better.
Leila Rudge
An author and illustrator based in Newcastle, Leila Rudge brings to life unique characters.
Books include:
- Gary – This is the story of Gary, a grounded racing pigeon, and his big adventure. It is a story of perseverance and being comfortable in your own skin, perfect for anyone who has ever felt like the odd one out.
- Ted – Ted is a smart dog, with his own jumper. But he has lived at the pet store for as long as he can remember and nobody seems to notice him. Will Ted ever find the perfect place to live?
- Winston and the Indoor Cat – Two very different cats: Winston, a free-spirited explorer; and The Indoor Cat, lover of leisure; form a friendship and show each other how different their lives could be.
Paul Russell
Paul Russell has always been passionate about stories, even before he could read. Determined never to grow up and lose his imagination, he is a teacher, playwright, father, artist and author but maybe not always in that order. He is passionate about children’s literacy and in building an appetite within children for the written word.
- The Incredibly Busy Mind Of Bowen Bartholomew Crisp – This book follows the life of Bowen through school and beyond. At every stage, he finds that he doesn’t fit in with his peers, but this eventually becomes his greatest strength. Through thinking differently, he is able to solve problems that no one else could.
- The Incurable Imagination – Audrey has the worst case of ‘imaginitis’ her teachers have ever seen! While other children paint their families, Audrey paints the ogre who lives under her bed drinking tea.
- My Storee – An inspiring picture book that provides hope and encouragement to dyslexic kids, and shows the power of good teachers.
- Grandma Forgets – It’s a heartwarming story of a family bound by love as they cope with their grandma’s dementia. This is a warm, hopeful story about a family who sometimes needs to remind their grandmother a little more often than they used to about how much they care.
Emily S. Smith
From a very young age, Emily S. Smith was always making up stories. This love of drama and storytelling continued on as she excelled in high school in Drama and English, where she loved being able to create stories that engaged and entertained. She relishes sharing her love of reading, writing and creating, connecting with children who are the heart of everything she does.
- Garbage Guts – In the North Pacific Ocean lives a monster made of trash — a hungry, greedy meanie with a handlebar moustache. This action-packed story explores the impact of our waste on the environment, and ways we can help save our planet.
- Kora Kerplunk’s Travelling Tongue – Kora Kerplunk is a real wild child who likes to lick disgusting stuff. One day, her poor tongue gets fed up and runs away. It travels all around the world, tasting delicious cuisines and trying brand new flavours, while Kora struggles with her new tongue-free life.
- How To Hug a Cactus – A young girl explores the possibilities of hugging her most favourite plant, a cactus. With a little help from her family members and a gardening guru, she tries a number of solutions to help solve her prickly problem, all with varying degrees of success.
Odette Tonkin
Odette Tonkin is a local author who is passionate about nature and conservation.
- The Tiny Forest is the heartwarming story of one child’s love of the natural world, and how community and courage can make a difference to our changing environment. Inspired by the work of The Groundswell Collective.
Lillian Webb
Lillian Webb is a local author and illustrator who specialises in book design and illustration.
- Turkish Charlie Ryan: Canakkale’s Anzac Hero – This book written by John Gillam and Yvonne Fletcher and illustrated by local illustrator Lillian Webb is a book worth getting. The story of Charlie Ryan was discovered through interactions between students at Thornton Public School and students at the Turkish school TED Mersin College. The Turkish students asked the Australian students if they knew about Charlie Ryan, an Australian medic from country Victoria. This inspired local authors and historians John Gillam and Yvonne Fletcher to research the remarkable story of Charlie Ryan.
- Alfie Happy to be Himself – Lillian is the author and illustrator of Alfie Happy to be Himself“, a book with a strong message about self-esteem and the environment for kids aged 4 to 8.
You might also like:
55 Best Baby Books for New Mums & Dads – Great Baby Shower Gift!
25 Best Easter Books for Kids and Families
35 Best Anzac Day Books for Children & Teens
50 Best Books to Educate Kids & Teens About Race, Racism and Diversity