Homegrown tales are tops with Australian kids

Home-spun tales are tops with Aussie kids, exclusive* new book sales data reveals.

Australian authors dominate the roll call of most popular children’s fiction books, led by local luminaries* Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton, Aaron Blabey and Anh Do.

The Aussie fab four occupied 13 of the top 20 spots in 2022. They also appear 11 times in the top 20 so far this year, with Do’s books taking nine of those spots.

The Nielsen BookScan data shows Griffiths’ and Denton’s latest instalment* in the blockbuster Treehouse series – The 156-Storey Treehouse – topped the 2022 list.

The dynamic* duo knocked off US author Jeff Kinney, with his latest Wimpy Kid tale, Diper Överlöde, coming in at No. 2.

Blabey’s Open Wide and Say Arrrgh! – the fifth book in his The Bad Guys series – and Do’s Crash Course – the seventh story in his Wolf Girl series – made the top five.

Griffiths, who is working on his 13th and final Treehouse book, said there was nothing like reading a homegrown story.

“It’s always exciting to read about places that you know, whether that’s geographically* or in the sensibility* of the author,” he said.

“That makes them feel familiar and you get your own humour and interests reflected back at you through the book, which can be really powerful.

“It doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy books from other countries, of course we all do, but there’s something special about a book that’s made in your own backyard.”

While there were 13 Aussie books on the top 20 list last year, 20 years ago just eight made the cut, with British author J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series dominating the rankings.

Griffiths had four books in the top 20 that year, led by Zombie Bums from Uranus at sixth, and is the only Aussie author to appear in both the 2022 and 2003 top sellers lists.

The soaring popularity of Australian children’s fiction books has been revealed as Kids News launches its 2023 Short Story Competition.

Competition judge and renowned* children’s author Jackie French said Australian stories were important to “show us the big picture of this big land we live in” beyond our own lives.

“We’re a land of giant hopping roos, beaches that stretch to the horizon, the world’s most venomous snakes and possibly the most cuddly looking creatures, too, wombats and koalas,” she said.

“It’s probably impossible to meet all of that in one lifetime. But you can have it all in books, written by Australians, all with different lives and views and different stories – but all of them Australian.”

The Kids News Short Story Competition is free and open to students from Kindergarten to Year 9. Entries are open from May 1 to 26. Scroll down for the digital entry form.

GLOSSARY

• exclusive: provided to only one person, group of people or, in this case, media outlet
• luminaries: people who are famous and important in a particular area of activity
• instalment: one in a series
• dynamic: having a lot of ideas and enthusiasm
• geographically: to do with the geography or physical features of an area
• sensibility: a person’s ability to feel or be aware of something
• renowned: famous and well respected

EXTRA READING

Have you read these Aussie kids’ favourites?

Famous authors urge kids to get writing

Author’s golden rules of story planning

QUICK QUIZ

1. Which four Australian authors dominated the top 20 list of children’s fiction books in 2022?
2. How many spots in the top 20 did they occupy?
3. Which US author is in second place on the top 20 list in 2022?
4. Which Australian author had books on both the 2022 and 2003 top 20 lists?
5. Who is a judge in the Kids News Short Story Competition?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Favourite Aussie authors
Who is your favourite Aussie author? Write to tell us who they are, what type of books they write and what makes their stories so enjoyable to you.

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

2. Extension
Try writing a short story of your own, in the style of the author you chose as your favourite. Think about the type of characters and settings they feature and the personality they bring to their writing, and use this to inspire your piece.

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

VCOP ACTIVITY
Aussie book review
Have you read any books by the authors listed in the article? Or by another Aussie author?

If you haven’t, I suggest you race to the school library and borrow one as they are GREAT!

Pick your favourite book by an Aussie author and write a book review to inform others about the book: What’s it about? What age is it suitable for?

As well as what you thought of it, make sure to include what you would rate the book, why you rated it this way and why you picked it.

Re-read over your information and practice in a presentation voice as well. Make sure the information makes sense, and is engaging and correct.

Present it to someone in the grade to see if they agree with you or, even better, want to read the book now.

ENTER THE KIDS NEWS SHORT STORY COMPETITION HERE: