Category: Ages 9–11

In The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin, Lily works to solve the mysteries surrounding her family in this three part book packed full of adventure, magic and a little bit of history. This Word Find activity sheet fosters and builds word recognition skills, visual cues, spelling and improves concentration. For more teaching activities, download the […]

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'Solve a mystery with Lily Griffin'

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In Alex and the Alpacas Ride Again by Kathryn Lefroy, Alex, Leeui and Grandpa Jacob work together to transcribe an ancient language and crack the code in order to save the day. This code breaker activity sheet is designed for kids to create their code and write a message to a loved one. For more […]

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'Code Breaker'

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Mel and Shell is about two best friends living in 1979. Swedish pop group ABBA rules the airwaves and roller skating is cool. Confiding in her pen pal from 1829, Shell discovers she has a lot to learn about loyalty and honesty. The Dear Pen Pal activity sheet encourages research into history and fosters imagination. […]

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'Mel and Shell Activity'

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To the Lighthouse is a children’s adventure novel about two children exploring Rottnest Island. Cristy Burne wrote this novel to inspire creativity, daring and resilience in her readers. The Design Your Own Holiday Adventure activity sheet encourages creative thinking, geography skills and visual learning. For more teaching activities, download the free teaching notes here.

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'To the Lighthouse Activity'

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The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin is the whopper doorstop of never-ending educational resources and inspiration for students ages 8–13. Here some activities for the classroom. Real-life issues/themes The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin is a supernatural fantasy of epic proportions, but wrapped up in all the haunting, high jinks and history lies an earnest and […]

Jayden Boundry has been hard at work behind the scenes recording an online pronunciation guide to support readers of Noongar Boodja Waangkan: First Noongar Words. Launched to coincide with the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages, the book was co-created by Jayden, a Wadjak Ballardong Noongar and Badimaya Yamatji man, and Tyrown Waigana, a […]

It’s 17 years since Dianne Wolfer and Brian Harrison-Lever’s award-winning and acclaimed picture book for older readers was released. And it’s 80 years since the Kokoda Track battles it depicts took place. Published on 30 July 2005 and set in 1942, Photographs in the Mud is told from the point of view of two soldiers, […]

My omnibus (best word ever), The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin grew out of my first middle reader novel Lily in the Mirror (CBCA Notable 2017 – just saying). Lily is a character that appeared one day and spoke to me, I felt like she was whispering in my ear. Don’t judge. Then she wrapped […]

Citizen science is about scientists and volunteers working together on real-life, hands-on research. You and your students can contribute to some amazing projects and discoveries, all from the comfort of your computer. The Australian Citizen Science Project Finder lists more than 500 projects to get involved with. Here are seven of my favourite: PlatypusSPOT Okay, […]

From the wacky and wonderful world of Cristy Burne, ‘Beneath the Trees‘ is a wilderness adventure story like no other. In this activity, kids can join Cam and Sophie on their quest for survival in Eungella National Park in Queensland. Cristy’s make your own mega-leech and paper bag platypus are sure to get the stories […]

Three Fremantle Press titles are in the running for major awards and another has been highly commended, plus the life’s work of a Fremantle Press writer has been remembered and recognised. Stellarphant is shortlisted for the 2022 Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Picture Book of the Year and the 2021 Aurealis Award for Best Children’s […]

The Light series by Dianne Wolfer and illustrated by Brian Simmonds includes The Last Light Horse, In the Lamplight, Light Horse Boy and Lighthouse Girl. These four books each look at some of the historical figures who played a part in World War I and are suitable for children to read as they learn about […]

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'The Light series activity sheets'

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In The Last Light Horse we meet Sandy, one of the 136,000 horses that was sent to fight during the First World War, and the only horse that came home. Learn about Sandy and his experiences in this activity sheet designed to test children’s research skills. For more teaching activities, download the free teaching notes […]

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'The Last Light Horse Activity'

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Written by Kathryn Lefroy, Alex and the Alpacas Save the World, has it all a magical prophecy, talking alpacas and evil spirits. Alex must use all her brains, brawn and bravery in order to survive and save her family and friends. The Create Your Own Prophecy Maker activity sheet is a fun way to predict […]

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'Alex and the Alpacas Activity'

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Chickensaurus is the fourth children’s graphic novel in the S.Tinker Inc. series. The series follows Sally Tinker and her brother as they navigate through all of Sally’s inventions. The Escape the Hedge Maze activity sheet is a great resource for improving cognitive skills, sharpening their memory, building focus and boosts their problem solving skills. For […]

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'Chickensaurus Maze Activity'

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In Beneath the Trees, Cam and Sophie are on an adventure to see a platypus in the wild. But what is a platypus? Author Cristy Burne is passionate about learning through doing and loves to inspire creativity, daring and resilience in her readers. This activity sheet incorporates biological science, English and visual art using research, […]

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'Beneath the Trees Activity'

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Goldfields Girl by Elaine Forrestal is a fictional account of the coming of age of fourteen-year-old Clara Saunders, a pioneer woman on the Coolgardie Goldfields in the 1890s. Elaine Forrestal wrote this book for children to learn about the history of the Western Australian gold rush from a younger person’s perspective. The Gold Search activity […]

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'Goldfields Girl Activity'

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Little Jiang is a children’s fiction novel inspired by Chinese folklore. Shirley Marr wrote this book to teach Chinese mythology and folklore and to encourage children to learn about other cultures. The Design Your Own Menu activity sheet encourages children to foster imagination, creativity and improve written and visual literacy. For more teaching activities, download […]

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'Little Jiang Activity'

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The Lost Stone of SkyCity by HM Waugh is a children’s fantasy adventure novel about a village girl who finds herself on a mythical and death-defying quest. The Conquer Dragon Mountain activity sheet incorporates mathematics, and written and visual literacy to foster active listening, counting, reading and receptive language skills. For more teaching activities, download […]

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'The Lost Stone of SkyCity Activity'

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The Lighthouse Girl is a children’s fiction novel about a young girl living in Australia during World War I. This book draws on fascinating archival material, and interweaves fact with fiction. The Morse Code activity sheet is designed to challenge young minds in an interactive way while also teaching them about communication skills and history. […]

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'Lighthouse Girl Activity'

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The Smuggler’s Curse is a children’s fiction adventure novel about Red Read who is sold to an infamous smuggler plying his trade off the north-west coast in the closing days of the 19th century. Catch the Smugglers activity sheet was designed to make geography and history fun and engaging. For more teaching activities, download the […]

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'The Smuggler's Curse Activity'

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Riddle Gully Secrets is a mystery and adventure fiction novel for young readers about a famed youth reporter Pollo di Nozi who stumbles upon two surprising secrets. This book is the first in the trilogy. This activity sheet is designed to test children’s history knowledge and memory. For more teaching activities, download the free teaching […]

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'Riddle Gully Runaway Activity'

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Dungzilla is a part of the children’s graphic novel series S.Tinker Inc. The series follows Sally Tinker and her brother as they navigate through all of Sally’s inventions – Dungzilla being a giant dung beetle. This activity sheet focuses on children’s research and design skills, and creative ability. For more teaching activities, download the free […]

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'Dungzilla Activity'

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Looking Up is a children’s fiction novel by Sally Murphy about a young boy, Pete, who is hoping for a telescope. There’s nothing he wants more for his birthday. But when a mysterious card arrives in the mail, what Pete wants is turned upside down. The Make Your Own Constellation Projector activity sheet was designed […]

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'Looking Up Activity'

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