Free resource · Australia
Homeschool reading list by age
Read-alouds, first chapter books and novels for ages 3 to 15+, mixing Australian favourites with classics children everywhere love. Ages are a guide only — read ahead of your child and skip anything that doesn't suit your family.
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Ages 3–5: picture books to read aloud
Read the same favourites again and again — repetition builds vocabulary and early phonics. Pause to let your child finish rhymes.
Possum Magic by Mem Fox
A journey around Australia, food by food.
Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox
Simple, funny and perfect for early readers to join in.
Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey
Rhyming fun about sharing.
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley Dodd
Rhythm and rhyme children memorise quickly.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Counting, days of the week and a life cycle.
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
Clever rhyme and a twist.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Big feelings, beautifully told.
Ages 5–7: early readers and longer read-alouds
Keep reading aloud even once your child can read — they can understand far harder stories than they can decode.
Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French
Short, funny entries that are great for shared reading.
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs
The gumnut babies of the Australian bush.
Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
Gentle chapters for brand-new readers.
Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
A classic read-aloud, one chapter at a time.
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
A different land at the top of the tree each chapter.
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
Funny, illustrated first chapter book.
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Rhyme and repetition that early readers can tackle themselves.
Ages 7–9: first chapter books
Let your child choose some books purely for fun. Series are great for building reading stamina.
The 13-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
Silly, illustrated and hugely popular with reluctant readers.
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay
An Australian classic full of wordplay.
Storm Boy by Colin Thiele
A boy and a pelican on the Coorong — a good read-aloud.
Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
Friendship, farm life and a lot to talk about.
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Inventive language children love to imitate.
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
A boy flattened by a falling board — and the start of many letter-writing projects.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
A classic fantasy read-aloud.
Ages 9–12: middle-grade novels
Ask your child to tell back a chapter in their own words, or keep a short reading journal — it's easy evidence of learning for your records.
Deltora Quest: The Forests of Silence by Emily Rodda
Fast fantasy adventure with puzzles to solve.
Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda
Courage and an unlikely hero.
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Friendship and a big, scruffy dog.
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Kindness, difference and point of view.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
A book about loving books.
Ages 12–15: novels for young teens
Read some of the same books as your teen and talk about them — it's one of the best parts of homeschooling older children.
Once by Morris Gleitzman
A boy in Nazi-occupied Poland. Deals with war and loss; best read together.
Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park
Time travel to the 1870s Rocks in Sydney.
Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden
Teenagers survive an invasion of rural Australia. Contains violence.
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
The classic quest — a great family read-aloud too.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
A seemingly perfect community with a dark secret.
Holes by Louis Sachar
A funny, twisty mystery set at a desert camp in Texas.
Ages 15+: older teens and senior years
Mix modern and classic books, and include some non-fiction. Check what any senior course or exam requires before you plan the year.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
A girl in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death. Deals with war and grief.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Justice and racism in 1930s Alabama.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
A short fable about power — good for discussion.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A witty classic for confident readers.
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
A small-town WA mystery about prejudice. Mature themes; preview first.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
A short, powerful novel about friendship and the Great Depression.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
A world where books are burned — great for discussing ideas and media.