Incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in the classroom
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are the oldest living cultures in the world. They have existed in Australia for over 50,000 years.
To help your students learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture, the Department of Education and Training has put together a list of books by Aboriginal authors.
These books are suitable for students from Prep to Year 10 and can be read as part of the Premiers' Reading Challenge.
All of the selected books are part of the 28,000 resources available to schools through the Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC). Your school's library may have copies of these, or you can click on the headings below to order them through the LMERC.
For further recommendations visit the Literature for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives resource list
For guidance on incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in the classroom, refer to the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc.'s Protocols for Koorie Education in Victorian Primary and Secondary Schools
Primary school
Prep to Grade 2
Nina Lawrence and Bronwyn Bancroft(2018)
Aunty Joy Murphy and Andrew Kelly – illustrated by Lisa Kennedy (2019)
See teacher notes for more information.
Gregg Dreise (2021)
Grades 3 to 4
Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler (2018)
See teacher notes for more information.
Anita Heiss, Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin (2016)
See teacher notes for more information.
Grades 5 to 6
Young dark emu: a truer history
Bruce Pascoe (2019)
See teacher notes and Reading Australia for more information.
Edited by Sally Morgan (2014)
See teacher notes(opens in a new window) for more information.
Nganga (age 9+)
Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson (2018)
See teacher notes for more information.
Secondary school
Years 7 to 8
Tell me why: for young adults – for ages 12 to 16
Archie Roach AM (2021)
Ubby's Underdogs: The Legend of the Phoenix Dragon
Brenton E. McKenna (2011)
See Reading Australia for more information.
David Spillman and Lisa Wilyuka (2006)
Years 9 to 10
Bruce Pascoe (2014)
See teacher notes for more information.
Jane Harrison (2015)
Background reading for teachers
The Little Red Yellow Black Book: an introduction to Indigenous Australia (3rd edition)
Bruce Pascoe (2012)
Visit The Little Red Yellow Black website for an online version and bonus material.
Young dark emu: a truer history
Bruce Pascoe (2019)
See teacher notes and Reading Australia for more information.
The LMERC
LMERC offers contactless pick-up and online ordering with free postage to government school teachers outside the metropolitan Melbourne area.
Membership is free to teachers across all school sectors, pre-service teachers and lecturers (English as an Additional Language (EAL) and languages), homework clubs and community language schools.
Find out more on the LMERC web page.
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