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Top 10 Books for Indigenous Literacy Day 2021

Children and Schooling
Photograph of three children in school uniforms holding a book and smiling. Text reads Indigenous Literacy Day, 1 September 2021

In celebration of Indigenous Literacy Day 2021, we have put together a list of the Top 10 books-to-read for children and young adults.

In celebration of Indigenous Literacy Day, we are highlighting the Top 10 books-to-read for children and young adults that made the Children’s Book Council of Australia, Book of the Year shortlist as well as those who received notable mentions in the last two years.

 

Bindi

Written by proud Gunai woman Kirli Saunders, and illustrated by Dub Leffler, Bindi follows a young girl’s crazy year, complete with enormous bushfires and broken bones. Aimed at mid-upper primary students the novel tackles big issues like climate change.

 

Coming Home to Country

Coming Home to Country is both written and illustrated by Bundjalung artist Bronwyn Bancroft. The book is a visual and lyrical portrayal of returning to Country.

 

Respect

Part of the Magabala Books Our Place series, Respect aims to introduce young children to important culture systems within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures. Respect is written by Boonwurrung elder Aunty Fay Muir and co-authored by Sue Lawson, and illustrated by Lisa Kennedy.

 

Strangers on Country

Co-authored by educator David Hartley and author Kirsty Murray, and illustrated by Dub Leffler, Strangers on Country explores the experiences of several lost European settlers who were taken in by Indigenous communities.

 

Shirley Purdie: My Story, Ngaginybe Jarragbe

Shirley Purdie, proud Gija artist, wrote and illustrated this novel as a screenshot into her life as she grew up on Mabel Downs Station, and into her Gija culture, country and dreaming.

 

Little Bird’s Day

Written by Palyku author Sally Morgan and illustrated by Yolgnu man Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr, this story for early learners follows a little bird’s adventure-filled day and night.

 

Wilam: A Birrarung Story

Wilam, meaning home, tells the story of the beautiful Birraring, or Yarra River. The picture book, written by Elder Aunty Joy Murphy and Yarra River-keeper Andrew Kelly, is illustrated by Lisa Kennedy.

 

Young Dark Emu: A Truer History

Crowned the winner of the CBCA’s 2020 Eve Pownall Award, Young Dark Emu: A Truer History, comes as a youth-friendly rewrite of Bruce Pascoe’s critically acclaimed Dark Emu. Using research and first person accounts, Pascoe’s Young Dark Emu explores Australia pre-colonisation.

 

Cooee Mittigar: A Story on Darug Songlines

Cooee Mittigar, meaning ‘come here friend’ in Darug, introduces young readers to Darug Country and cultural practices in the Sydney region. Written in both English and Darug, author Jasmine Seymour and illustrator Leanne Mulgo Watson have aimed to encourage and remind readers to remember that the Darug mob are still here and strong.

 

Baby Business

Another book on Darug Country by Jasmine Seymour, Baby Business introduces readers to the traditional smoking ceremony performed by Darug peoples when a new baby enters the world.

Find out more

Indigenous Literacy Day is celebrated on the first Wednesday in September each year. Hosted by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, this event aims to encourage reading and learning for youth.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation is a not-for-profit charity that was developed in 2011 to improve literacy in remote Indigenous communities.

This year’s virtual program, Celebrating Stories and Languages, can be found at the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.