Staff recommend Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander voices
Our staff share their favourite books by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors, including prize-winning fiction, biography, essays, non-fiction, memoir and books for kids of all ages, from babies through to teens.
Today is Indigenous Literacy Day and Readings will be donating 10% of our book sales to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF), on top of our ongoing support. The ILF does amazing work to foster literacy in remote communities around Australia and close the gap on literacy and numeracy. You can also donate directly to ILF by clicking here.
FICTION READS
“Claire G. Coleman’s The Old Lie forces us to bear witness to the truth of how Indigenous peoples in Australia have been treated across the Stolen Generations, how Indigenous Australians have been erased from Australian war history and mythology, and to the little-known histories of nuclear testing sites on this continent.” – Clare Millar
“ The Yield is Tara June Winch’s inspired second novel and for all its sorrow, here is a big hearted, hopeful book. More hopeful, maybe, than we deserve.” – Miles Allinson
“The overwhelming thought one has while reading award-winning author Tony Birch’s The White Girl is that there will be so many of these stories that have never been told; never heard. The novel’s major strength lies in its ability to cause the reader to not just pause and reflect, but to listen.” – Georgia Brough
“With Too Much Lip, Melissa Lucashenko shares a blistering account of one family’s ability to survive intergenerational trauma. She tells this story with deft humour and compassion: her straight-talking, no-bullshit hero had me laughing out loud, and by the end, I was sobbing big, splotchy tears.” – Jackie Tang
TRUE STORIES
“Interweaving essays and stories from across many journals, lectures, story collections and other works, Salt lays before the reader the vastness and complexity of Bruce Pascoe’s thoughts and experiences of a continent grappling with itself.” – Marie Matteson
“Told with heart-wrenching honesty and humour, Jack Charles’s story is a history of necessary change. Born-again Blakfella is a book we all need to read.” – Chris Gordon
“Tyson Yunkaporta’s Sand Talk is an extraordinary reading experience. It’s both philosophical and practical, and underpinned by a compassionate yet realistic humanity.” – Elke Power
“For its 40th issue, the staff of The Lifted Brow handed over every aspect of magazine production, commissioning, editing and content creating to a collective of Indigenous editors. The result of this is Blak Brow, an issue full of excellently diverse artworks and writing from First Nations artists. This is an exciting, hopeful publication, and a must-read for all Australians.” – Ellen Cregan
PICKS FOR KIDS & TEENS
“ Shauna’s Great Expectations delves into some meaty issues of social justice, racism and private-school snobbery whilst also being a cracking good read. For ages 14+.” – Angela Crocombe
“Helen Milroy is well-known as Australia’s first Indigenous doctor and as a child psychiatrist who uses her stories and artworks extensively with children. So it is no wonder that her debut, Wombat, Mudlark and Other Stories, demonstrates huge amounts of emotional intelligence. For ages 5+.” – Leanne Hall
“ Young Dark Emu will give your child a thirst for our Indigenous cultures and I cannot think of a better reason to buy a book. For ages 9+.” Dani Solomon
“ My Father’s Shadow is a nail-biting young adult thriller that kept me turning the pages late into the night. Jannali Jones is an exciting and talented new voice on the YA scene. For ages 13+.” – Angela Crocombe
“ Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia is a much needed addition to every Australian bookshelf, and will challenge and impress every reader who opens it. For ages 13+.” – George Delaney
PICTURE BOOKS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
“ Little Bird’s Day brings together the truly beautiful artwork of Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr, the inaugural Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award winner, with the lyrical prose of renowned author Sally Morgan come together. Perfect for all lovers of contemporary Indigenous art.” – Leanne Hall
“ Wilam: A Birrarung Story is an absolutely stunning picture book that explores the teeming wildlife that exists along Birrarung. This book is a must-have for every school, library and home in Victoria.” – Angela Crocombe
“In Baby Business Jasmine Seymour presents a traditional baby smoking ceremony, attended by women and children, that welcomes a new baby to country. The illustrations are truly lovely and I appreciate the inclusion of Indigenous language.” – Bronte Coates
“The stunningly illustrated I Saw, We Saw is written by the Yolŋu students who live near Nhulunbuy, a small town in north-east Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, where life revolves around the sea, whether it be hunting, fishing or playing.” – Mark Rubbo
