Multilingual Children's Speech
The United Nations declared 2022-2032 the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.
The table below includes First Nations resources that can be used to support children's speech, language, communication, and literacy in many languages.
The aim of this list is to be as comprehensive as possible. Inclusion in the table does not indicate endorsement, or that there is evidence for its use, or that it is available. Some resources are free, and some are available for purchase.
| Indigenous language(s) | English | Country | Book title | Reference | Access/ purchasing Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adnyamathanha | English | Australia | Back on Country | Goodes, A., & Laign, E. (2022). Back on Country. Allen & Unwin. | |
Adnyamathanha | English | Australia | Ceremony: Welcome to our Country | Goodes, A., & Laign, E. (2022). Ceremony: Welcome to our Country. Allen & Unwin. | |
Anindilyakwa | English | Australia | Yirruwa yirrilikenuma-langwa: When we go walkabout | Lalara, R., & Lalara, A. (2014) Yirruwa yirrilikenuma-langwa: When we go walkabout. Allen & Unwin. | |
Bardi | English | Australia | Ask Aunty: Seasons. An introduction to First Nations seasons | Andrews, M. (2023). Ask Aunty: Seasons. An introduction to First Nations seasons. Hardie Grant Publishing. | |
Cammeraygal | English | Australia | Walk with us | Goodes, A., & Laign, E. (2023). Walk with us. Allen & Unwin. | |
Darug | English | Australia | Baby business | Seymour, J. (2019). Baby business. Magabala Books. | |
Gamilaraay | English | Australia | Silly birds | Dreise, G. (2014). Silly birds. Magabala Books. | |
Gamilaraay (Goomelroi) | English | Australia | Super snake | Dreise, G. (2024). Super snake. Magabala Books. | |
Gamilaraay and Yuwaalaraay | English | Australia | Cunning crow | Dreise, G. (2019). Cunning crow. Magabala Books. | |
Gundundurra | English | Australia | Our dreaming | Saunders, K., & Leffler, D. (2023). Our dreaming. Scholastic Press. | |
Kala Lagaw Ya | English | Australia | Our flag, our story: The Torres Strait Islander flag | Namok, Jnr., B., Mayo, T., & Mordey, T.-J. (2024). Our flag, our story: The Torres Strait Islander flag. Magabala Books. | |
Kriol | English | Australia | Tom Tom | Sullivan, R. & Huxley, D. (2008). Tom Tom. Harper Collins. | |
Kunggandji | English | Australia | Story doctors | Pryor, B. M. (2021). Story doctors. Allen & Unwin. | |
Luritja | English | Australia | Papunya school book of country and history | Papunya School. (2001) Papunya school book of country and history. Allen & Unwin. | |
Nyoongar | English | Australia | The mark of the Wagarl | Little, L. (2004). The mark of the Wagarl. Magabala Books. | |
Trouwerner | English | Australia | Sky country | Cameron, P. & Kennedy, L. (2024). Sky country. Magabala Books. | |
Warlpiri | English | Australia | The two wallabies: A dreaming narrative | Cook Jakamarra, H. & Nicholls, N. (2002). The two wallabies: A dreaming narrative. HarperCollins. | |
Wiradjuri | English | Australia | W is for Wiradjuri | Brandy, L. (2017). W is for Wiradjuri. Larry Brandy. | |
Wiradjuri | English | Australia | I can count to 10 in Wiradjuri | Brandy, L. (2020). I can count to 10 in Wiradjuri. Larry Brandy. | |
Wiradjuri | English | Australia | Wiradjuri Country | Brandy, L. (2021). Wiradjuri country. NLA Publishing. | |
Yanyuwa | English | Australia | Kangaroos hop | Moriarty, R. (2012). Kangaroos hop. Allen & Unwin. | |
Yanyuwa | English | Australia | Ten scared fish | Moriarty, R. (2012). Ten scared fish. Allen & Unwin. | |
Yanyuwa | English | Australia | Splosh for the billabong | Moriarty, R. (2015). Splosh for the billabong. Allen & Unwin. | |
Yanyuwa | English | Australia | Bush tracks | Moriarty, R. (2017). Bush tracks. Allen & Unwin. | |
Yanyuwa | English | Australia | Who saw turtle? | Moriarty, R. (2017). Who saw turtle? Allen & Unwin. | |
English | Australia | Colours of Australia | Bancroft, B. (2016). Colours of Australia. Hardie Grant Publishing. | ||
English | Australia | Remembering Lionsville | Bancroft, B. (2016). Remembering Lionsville. Allen & Unwin. | ||
English | Australia | Shapes of Australia | Bancroft, B. (2017). Shapes of Australia. Hardie Grant Publishing. | ||
English | Australia | My kind | Betts, E. (2018). My kind. Finsbury Green. | ||
English | Australia | My people | Betts, E. (2019). My people. Finsbury Green. | ||
English | Australia | A home for bilby | Crawford, J. (2004). A home for Bilby. Magabala Books. | ||
English | Australia | Bittangabee tribe | Cruse, B., Kirby, R., Stewart, L., & Thomas, S. (2009). Bittangabee tribe. Aboringinal Studies Press. | ||
English | Australia | Loongie the greedy crocodile | Dann, L., & Dann, K. (2008). Loongie the greedy crocodile. Magabala Books. | ||
English | Australia | Circles of life | Dreise, G. (2024). Circles of life. Penguin Random House. | ||
English | Australia | Tell 'em! | Germein, K. & Sullivan, R. (2020). Tell 'em! HarperCollins. | ||
English | Australia | Somebody's land: Welcome to our Country | Goodes, A., & Laign, E. (2021). Somebody's land: Welcome to our Country. Allen & Unwin. | ||
English | Australia | Karana: The story of the father emu | Kirk, J., Casey, G., & Harrold, S. (2014). Karana: The story of the father emu. Scholastic Australia. | ||
English | Australia | We all sleep | Kwaymullina, E. & Morgan, S. (2024). We all sleep. Freemantle Press. | ||
English | Australia | Once there was a boy | Leffler, D. (2011). Once there was a boy. Magabala Books. | ||
English | Australia | I is for Ibis | Leffley, J. A. (2023). I is for ibis: An A to Z of Australian birds. Bird Girl Creations. | ||
English | Australia | My deadly boots | Merrison, C. & Hustler, H. (2022) My deadly boots. Lothian. | ||
English | Australia | The sweetest egg of all | Milroy, H. (2022). The sweetest egg of all. Magabala Books. | ||
English | Australia | Always was always will be | Muir, F., & Lawson, S. (2024). Always was always will be. Magabala Books. | ||
English | Australia | Country | Muir, F., & Lawson, S. (2024). Country. Wild Dog. | ||
English | Australia | Songlines: First knowledges for younger readers | Neale, M., & Kelly, L. (2023). Songlines: First knowledges for younger readers. Thames & Hudson. | ||
English | Australia | You and me: Our place | Norrington, L. & Huxley, D. (2007). You and me: Our place. HarperCollins. | ||
English | Australia | Two mates | Prewett, M. (2012). Two mates. Magabala Books. | ||
English | Australia | A is for Aunty | Russell, E. (2000). A is for Aunty. ABC Books. | ||
English | Australia | The land recalls you | Saunders, K., Cragg, D., & Cragg, N. (2024). The land recalls you. Scholastic Australia. | ||
English | Australia | Kick with my left foot | Seden, P. & Briggs, K. (2018). Kick with my left foot. Allen & Unwin. | ||
English | Australia | Looking after Country with fire: Aboriginal burning knowledge with Uncle Kuu | Steffensen, V. (2022). Looking after Country with fire: Aboriginal burning knowledge with Uncle Kuu. Hardie Grant Publishing. | ||
English | Australia | The trees: Learning tree knowledge with Uncle Kuu | Steffenson, V. (2023).The trees: Learning tree knowledge with Uncle Kuu. Hardie Grant Publishing. | ||
English | Australia | Nali and friends: Bwindi The windy gorilla | Sultan, D., & Graham, R. (2023). Nali and friends: Bwindi The windy gorilla. Omnibus Books. | ||
English | Australia | Nali and friends: Nali | Sultan, D., & Graham, R. (2023). Nali and friends: Nali. Omnibus Books. | ||
English | Australia | Bangu the flying fox | Taylor, J. (2009). Bangu the flying fox. Aboriginal Studies Press. | ||
English | Australia | Noleen's Blak, loud & proud community story book | Wingaru Kids (2024). Noleen's Blak, loud & proud community story book. Wingaru Education. |
*Added by Ebony Hay, Orange Aboriginal Medical Service in collaboration with Sharynne McLeod, Emily-Jane Woodhead, Sarah Bartlett and Carolyn Gregoric from Charles Sturt University.
The following sites support the development of Indigenous resources:
Suggested citation
McLeod, S. (2024). First Nations resources. Charles Sturt University. https://www.csu.edu.au/research/multilingual-speech/first-nations-resources