A trip through primeval rain forest in Queensland, "my father knows a place we can only reach by boat." Gorgeous mixed-media collages are so life-like, each tangled creeper, nubby branch, hanging root, squiggly snake or vanished dinosaur seems real. (Picture book)

At Eucla we had sandy sandwiches near the ruins of the old telegraph station." Charming family road trip around Australia – snorkeling in Turquoise Bay, an underground river at Tunnel Creek, bushwalking in the Blue Mountains and more. A wonderful introduction to Australia, based on the author's childhood travels. (Picture book)

In the heart of Australia is Uluru (Ayers Rock). Excellent overview of Uluru, not only as a geological wonder (the world's biggest single rock), but as a sacred place of the Aboriginal people, connected to creation time stories, and a home to desert wildlife. (Chapter book, photographs)

Water is life in dry, dusty Australia, and everyone waits for the rain – an old man snoozes in the shade of the tree, dogs dig holes to keep cool, kids swim in the billabong, frogs lap up the smallest drops of water, and then … "there was rain." Colorful illustrations, like Aboriginal art. (Picture book)

Ernie goes to live in Arnhem Land, the biggest aboriginal reserve in Australia. Each season is something different for Ernie and the local kids – in monsoon they slide in the mud and spear barramundi, in cool weather, they find bark to paint or dig for yams, and at Christmas, Ernie dances to the didgeridoo. (Picture book)

Hunwick's Egg
Mem Fox, Pamela Lofts

At the edge of a dusty desert, a storm drops an egg into Hunwick's burrow. Hunwick, an adorable bandicoot, makes a home for the unusual egg, but the emu, echidna, and cockatoo wonder if the egg will hatch. A story to delight little ones, exquisitely illustrated! (Picture book)

And don't miss two other charming tales by Mem Fox: Possum Magic and Koala Lou.

Discover the fascinating animals of Australia in different habits – koalas, possums, echidnas in the forests, kangaroos, wombats and dingoes in the grasslands, lizards and bilbies in the deserts, penguins and sea lions in the ocean. Fun facts and a two-page close-up photograph for each animal. (Picture book)

Get up close to some of Australia’s unusual animals – sneaky “salties” (crocodiles), ferocious dingoes, the only egg laying mammals in the world, echidnas and platypuses, furry koalas, and crowds of fairy penguins. Action-packed animal illustrations. (Picture book)

Before you head out to the Great Barrier Reef, discover the fascinating world of the coral reef – angelfish, sharks, triggerfish, manta rays, moray eels, and parrot fish that eat coral! Beautiful watercolor illustrations. (Picture book)

Limpey, a hilarious warty cane toad, is looking for a better home for himself and his rellies (relatives). Accompanied by his sister Charm and cousin Goliath, Limpey searches for a national park where there are brilliant mud slides, fragrant swamps and every living thing is protected, even cane toads. A fun read. (Chapter book)

Don't miss Limpey's first adventure: Toad Rage

Dusty loves life on a remote cattle ranch, especially her Snow Pony, a wild mountain horse that she tamed and trained. Up on the high plains, when her dad is injured, it's up to Dusty and the Snow Pony to go for help. A good teen read. (Chapter book)

Take a trip to Broome on Australia's west coast, to look for dinosaur footprints, discover cave paintings, ride horses on the beach, search for huge crabs, and watch jackaroos rounding up cattle on a big outback station. Fun for beginning readers, super photographs. (Easy reader)

Wild adventures of Andrew and his cousin Judy in the Australian rain forest and desert. Shrunk to the size of bugs, the kids are nearly lunch for a carnivorous plant in the jungle. Meat eater ants in the desert think the kids are a snack, but they’re saved by a lumpy lizard. (Easy reader)

An Australian friend brought us a copy of One Wooley Wombat when our kids were toddlers, and it's still one of our favorites. A counting book, "One wooley wombat sunning by the sea … two cuddly koalas sipping gumnut tea…" (Picture book)