ABC Radio National top 100 Australian Books

ABC Radio National: Each year we focus on a different theme. In 2026, we're celebrating Australian writing in all its many forms. ... Our definition of Australian is deliberately broad. We want to celebrate books that reflect Australia and Australian life in all its richness. ... There are no genre restrictions.

As you would expect I am going to list the Children's Books that 'made' this list.  I predicted NONE of my choices would be listed but in fact ONE of mine is there! Nineteen children's books are in the top 100 so that is something to celebrate even though a few of were written many decades ago. And I have listed a few others that were later published as young reader or abridged editions. 

IBBY Australia Honour Book 2010; Shaun Tan IBBY Australia Hans Christian Andersen nominee; Shaun Tan winner of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) 2011. 

The Arrival is a title on the IBBY International Silent Books list (2013). 

Read this article by Shaun Tan about The Arrival

100. Round the Twist by Paul Jennings

99. The 13-Storey Tree house by Andy Griffiths

98. The Arrival by Shaun Tan*

91. Where the Forest meets the Sea by Jeannie Baker*

83. Wombat Stew by Marcia K Vaughan illustrated by Pamela Lofts

70. Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French* illustrated by Bruce Whatley*

62. Are we there yet? by Alison Lester*

55. The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay (1918)

48. Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox* illustrated by Judy Horacek

47. Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park (1980)

42. The Complete adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs (1918)

37. I can jump puddles by Alan Marshall (1955)

32. Animalia by Graeme Base

25. Seven Little Australian by Ethel Turner (1893)

19. Magic Beach by Alison Lester

17. Storm Boy by Colin Thiele (the best edition is the one illustrated by Robert Ingpen 1974)

13. Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta (1992)

11. Possum Magic by Mem Fox illustrated by Julie Vivas

6. Tomorrow when the War Began by John Marsden

* the labels on this post will take you to more books by these authors and illustrators.

Illustration by Robert Ingpen (IBBY Australia HCAA Nominee 1986)

Source: The Guardian

Other titles:

I also need to mention 59. The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku because there is a picture book edition and 60. The Man from Snowy River by AB Banjo Paterson which you can read in several picture books. There are abridged editions written for young readers of 21. My Place by Sally Morgan; 24. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay, 12. Dark Emu was published for young readers as Young Dark Emu and 50. Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin. I guess I should also have added 81. We of the Never Never by Jeanie Gunn published in 1907.

Illustrated by Freya Blackwood*

Cookbooks on the list:

22. The Birthday Cake Book (Australian Women's Weekly)

96. Recipe Tin Eats Dinner

56. The Cooks Companion Stephanie Alexander

I mentioned this book in my post about Countdown to Yesterday by Shirley Marr

You will also want to watch the Bluey Episode "Duck Cake" season 2 episode 43. 

Round the Twist was a television series based on several previous short stories found in collections by Paul Jennings such as Unreal. My own favourite Paul Jenning stories are One Shot Toothpaste and Smart Ice cream.

Read more here

If you are curious here are my votes:

Tiger Daugher; Fox; Picasso and the Greatest Show on earth; Then and Now; The Foal in the wire; Scar Town; The way of Dog; and Across the Risen Sea. My tenth book is My Strange Shrinking Parents by Zeno Sworder.

Perfect by Danny Parker illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Over the course of one day three children enjoy playing outside (no devices) using their imaginations and finding joy in small activities. By the end of the day, they all tumble into bed to enjoy a story. The premise is simple but these themes in our modern world are profound.

"Some sunshine and something to nibble. Some space with enough room to scribble. An apron and big bowls for mixing. Some glue and some things that need fixing."

I love to think about the text of a book arriving on one page ready for an illustrator to explore, imagine and create. I marvel at the imagination of a talented illustrator like Freya Blackwood. She creates a 'perfect' pace for her story especially with the inclusion of a wordless page.

My favourite illustration shows two cows - they are belted Galloways - my favourites.

Bookseller blurb: On a perfect day, the hours stretch endlessly ahead. Scribbling with chalk, running with kites, digging for shells ... paddling, climbing, dreaming. Hour unfolds upon hour, with reassuring comfort and sleep beckoning at the end. CBCA shortlisted author, Danny Parker captures the simplicity, spontaneity and freedom of an idyllic childhood. Kate Greenaway and multiple CBCA winner Freya Blackwood’s paintings of three children roaming a rolling beachside idyll capture the light—and even the smell and feel—of a perfect summer day.

Parker’s gentle words and Blackwood’s reflective illustrations take the reader back to a free, idyllic childhood that is easy to recapture as the children indulge in simple pleasures like flying a kite, going to the beach or just staring through the window at a stormy sky and letting their imagination run wild. Enjoying it as much as the children is the cat who accompanies them everywhere keeping careful watch and making the most of opportunities to snatch a treat or a cuddle. The Bottom Shelf

I highly recommend Perfect for young readers to slow down, lose themselves in the illustrations and explore the nature of happiness. Reading Time

Children reading it will be impressed with the freedom of the children depicted: allowed to make something in the kitchen even though a bowl is broken, making and flying their kites, climbing the biggest trees and sliding down the large branches, walking along the top of an old stone wall, until at the end of the day they retire back to the house, where more sedentary occupations keep them happily amused until bed time. They read and play, the smaller child wrapping himself in a small blanket and lying on the floor, the older boy snuggling the cat while the girl writes and draws. Read Plus

I wanted to add this book to my own picture book collection because last year I was so lucky to purchase a small post card sized piece of art by Freya Blackwood. IBBY Australia held their second Mini Masterpiece art auction at the end of 2025.

I wrongly assumed this sweet figure came from the book Perfect. My mistake does not matter at all because I am very happy to own a copy of Perfect and I have enjoyed the discovery of some interesting extras in the illustrations. One tiny image that made me laugh was the picture on the wall of the house from another Freya Blackwood book - Maudie and Bear. 

Other books illustrated by Freya Blackwood:

Afloat

A song for the King

The boy and the elephant

Banjo and Ruby Red

The Treasure Box

A Song for the King by Katrina Nannestad illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Day Twelve 12 Christmas Donkeys

"Oh, how Netta loved to sing. 

From dawn to dusk. 

In villas and vineyards. 

In stables and streets. 

In taverns and tents. 

In markets and meadows. 

And from the top of the hill that overlooked the town."

Publisher blurb: Netta the donkey loves to sing with her friends, Esther the sheep and Uzi the camel. They frolic around town from dawn till dusk, braying, bleating and gurgling. But sadly, not everyone likes to listen. Netta falls silent until something so wondrous happens that her song bursts forth once more.

Reviews:

This is a heart-warming story that will gladden the hearts of those who read it or listen to it. I loved how the narrative vividly described what was happening with the animals and how enthusiastic they are about singing and how despondent they are when they are taken to market. Blackwood’s soft water colour illustrations complement the text. The three baby animals are the focus of the story and I loved their expressions, the enjoyment they had in singing and working together. The illustrations also brought the countryside, the people and the markets to life, while adding depth with tiny details like chickens flying and a gorgeous little cat curled up on the stable. Read Plus

A book filled with love and joy to share at any time of the year. Story Links

I have talked about nearly every book by Katrina Nannestad on this blog - click on the label for this post. Read more about Freya Blackwood (our IBBY Australia honour book recipient for Banjo and Ruby Red and her book features in the IBBY Silent Books collections). Freya generously donated a postcard sized art work for our recent IBBY Australia mini masterpiece art auction - and YES I am now the proud owner.

The Little Bookroom Melbourne

 

The Little Bookroom opened its doors to the public on Friday the 13th October, 1960. Albert Ullin OAM, after studying literature and languages and working extensively in the booktrade in Australia and internationally, decided to focus his love for contemporary children’s literature and illustration into an Australian first: he would open a bookshop devoted solely to children’s books. Albert named his shop for a collection of whimsical short stories by Eleanor Farjeon who wrote on the occasion of the shop’s opening: “I am proud and happy to know you’ve chosen the title of my book for the title of your Bookshop in the City my Father first set foot in the 1850s when he emigrated to Australia as a boy of 16. The stories he told me of his arrival in Melbourne have always made it seem to be one of ‘my’ cities. Thankyou for giving me a home in it".  (Source)

On my last visit to Melbourne, I saw a social media post that books from the famous children's bookstore The Little Bookroom were heavily discounted. I couldn't take advantage of that because I had to catch my plane. Then I read that the store had closed but a new owner had been found. After some wonderful crowd funding the store is set to reopen soon. The new owner Michael Earp has asked some very famous Australian illustrators to reimagine the famous shop logo. Over twenty responded. I am sharing a selection here. The real logo will not change but I love this idea as a way to promote the store. People who have supported the crowd funding initiative will be sent one of these limited-edition cards - it is not too late.

Here is the new address: 

Little Bookroom
Woi-wurrung Country

8 Village Avenue, Brunswick East, VIC 3057

BIG NEWS

IBBY Australia are running their second Mini Masterpiece art auction later this year to raise funds so we can pay our IBBY.org international membership. 

Several of the wonderful illustrators you can see in this post who contributed to the project for The Little Bookroom have accepted our invitation too.  

You can read about our 2023 auction here. 

Our 2025 auction will run from 14 November to 28 November. 

Check out my Hans Christian Andersen post about Ann James

I am so lucky to own two pieces of art by Ann James - one from

It's Miroocool and the other from Bird and Bear

Take a look at this post to see more books by Anna Walker

Her new book is titled Between

Check out my post about The Truck Cat

IBBY Australian selected a book by Freya Blackwood for the

prestigious IBBY International Honour Book list in 2016 - Banjo and Ruby Red

and her fabulous book The Boy and the Elephant is now part of the 

very important Silent book collection which are books that are shared with

refugee children on the island of Lampedusa. 

Her book Afloat was a CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2025 Honour title.

Check out my post about South with the Seabirds which has links to 

other fabulous books illustrated by Jess McGeachin

Here is my 2022 Meet the Illustrator post featuring Tohby Riddle. 

He has a fun new book called Cynthia is a wild dog.

My favourite book is Nobody Owns the Moon

Here is my Meet the Illustrator post for Jess Racklyeft

Here is her web page.

Be Careful, Xiao Xin! by Sher Rill Ng was the winner of the  IBBY Ena Noel Award

Sara Acton is the illustrator who created the fabulous cover for the award winning book Runt.

I was lucky enough to submit the winning bid for the picture of Runt at our 2023 IBBY Mini Masterpiece

art auction. Here is my previous post Meet the Illustrator Sara Acton. 

Robert Ingpen won the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen award in 1986.

You can use the label 'Robert Ingpen' to see the books I have shared here on this blog. 

The most recent one is Who is the World for?

You can see books illustrated by Matt Shanks here.

Read more about Gabrielle Wang here.

A new and important book by Andrew Joyner written with Beth Ferry is

Roar for Reading

Meet the Illustrator Gabriel Evans

His newest book is Scotty and the Scotties

 

Illustrators who contributed to the Little Bookroom project: (Instagram link)

Allison Colpoys

Andrew Joyner @andypjoyner

Ann James @annjamesillustrator

Anna McGregor @annamcgregorau

Anna Walker @_annawalker_

Ben Wood @benwoodillustrator

Briony Stewart @briony_stewart

Daniel Gray-Barnett @dgraybarnett

Danny Snell @dannydsnell

Evie Barrow @evie_barrow

Freya Blackwood @freyablackwood

Gabriel Evans @gabrielevansart

Gabrielle Wang @gabriellewangbooks

Graeme Base @graemebase

Jess McGeachin @jessmcgeachin

Jess Racklyeft @jessesmess

Lucinda Gifford @lucindagifford

Matt Shanks @matt_shanks

Renée Treml @reneetreml

Robert Ingpen

Sara Acton @saraacton_illustration

Sher Rill Ng @sherrill.ng

Sophie Beer @sophiebeerdraws

Tohby Riddle @tohbyriddle

Afloat by Kirli Saunders illustrated by Freya Blackwood

This is another one of those picture books where I marvel at the way the illustrator, in this case Freya Blackwood, has interpreted the text which I imagine was sent to her on one typed page. There is no mention of walking along a riverbank but that perfectly sets the scene. Similarly, there is no mention in the text of people living in makeshift tents beside an industrial wasteland.  Then we see people who have gathered to weave yarn, and they are seen talking and sharing food. The people are weaving with yarn as you might expect when we see them collecting vines and rushes but this definition also shows the people have gathered to yarn together: Yarning or having an informal conversation that is culturally friendly and recognised by Aboriginal people as a way to talk about something, someone or provide information. Yarning builds on the oral tradition (genre) of handing down information.

Viewed from above we see various hands weaving the threads and on the next page there are different pieces emerging from baskets to nets and even a pair of wings for a young child. The finished work beautifully matches the patterns on the end papers. 

The final words in this book are so powerful and make this book a perfect one to discuss with students aged 10+.

"Push out next to me. We are here to brave the storm. Here to rise above. To survive. Stand up next to me. We are here to fly, here to shape this world together. To thrive."

Here are a couple of quotes from the author and illustrator notes at the back of the book:

"Afloat was written for First Nations People across the globe - it's for my community, it's for the weavers, and for everyone who is with us on this journey. ... The story follows an Elder, teaching gathering and weaving practices to a child. As they continue, more people join them, until all are united in their efforts to move towards a promising future where this knowledge is deeply known and valued. At the heart of Afloat is a metaphor of weaving together, to form a raft, to brave a storm as one." Kirli Saunders

"I wanted a visual narrative to show the typical but alarming journeys of our waterways, and it begins, as the text suggests, roaming the water's edge. ... Gathering weaving reference from all over the globe, I noticed similar patters across different cultures ... " Freya Blackwood

Blurb from Freya Blackwood: From award-winning Gunai author Kirli Saunders and seven-time CBCA-winner Freya Blackwood comes Afloat, a story told in a time of climate crisis. Against a backdrop of a changed environment, an Elder leads a child along the waterways, sharing her People's knowledge and gathering community along the way.  Afloat is an uplifting and inspiring picture book that uses the practice of weaving as a powerful metaphor for the honouring and teaching of First Nations wisdom, and the coming together of all people to survive, thrive and create a more hopeful future.

I first saw this book in January, 2024 but I didn't take the time to read it slowly or think about it in depth. The CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) 2025 shortlists have been announced and Afloat is one of the six picture book titles. 

Here are two important reviews of Afloat:

Diverse community members work together to gather natural materials, process fiber, and weave vibrant textiles, and as the book reaches a heartwarming conclusion, their vision is at last realized. Though the complexities of Saunders’ metaphor may be lost on the youngest readers, all will feel empowered by her overarching message, summed up in her final words: “We are here to fly, here to shape this world together.” Kirkus

The spare and straightforward text describes yarning, which can refer both to fiber arts and to storytelling. “We are here to collect the vines. Here to find the rushes, to fuse the fibers…to soak and split. To roll between finger and thumb. To yarn…to knot and loop. Here to form bonds, to make ties…to unite.” Saunders’s understated prose alludes to traditional ecological knowledge passed down by women elders, to rising sea levels and cultural displacement produced by the climate crisis, and to the need to join together to effect change. Blackwood’s illustrations combine saturated details with soft-edged blending and warm, earthy tones with deep verdigris teals and sea-glass greens. Horn Book

I find it wonderful and curious that this book was sent to these two very major US reviewers. I made a similar discovery with the book Countdown to Yesterday by Shirley Marr (make sure you read this wonderful middle grade novel. In my view it should have been a 2025 CBCA winner!)

You can see inside this book here on the publisher page. This illustration is the one that moved me the most from Afloat:

Push out next to me. 

We are hear to brave the storm.

If you or your school are members of PETTA you will find the link to a unit of work using this book here. 

Companion book:

Post update - this is a new book just released in July 2025. It would also be a splendid book to read after you explore Adrift.

If you can find them these two Caldecott books also might be good comparison books:

This might be a bit of a stretch but Afloat made me think of this wonderful book about community and refugees and finding a new future: