Genealogy Resources For Young People

This list of resources will help young people begin their genealogy research. It is also a useful for parents, guardians and teachers to guide young people in their research. The list includes:

• online resources
• research guides
• fiction
• journal articles

Online resources

With over 35 million webpages about genealogy on the internet, it can be difficult to know where to begin. The resources listed below are a good starting point for young people who want to learn more about genealogy.

Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet

http://www.cyndislist.com/kids.htm
A directory of helpful websites, categorised for easy navigation. Includes links to research guides, mailing lists, lesson plans, publications and software.

Family Tree Kids!

http://kids.familytreemagazine.com
Games, projects and homework help to assist children to learn more about how to research their family tree.

Google Directory

http://directory.google.com/Top/Kids_and_Teens/People_and_Society/Genealogy/
This section of the Google directory lists more useful websites for young people who are researching their genealogy. Includes links to research guides, message boards, mailing lists and games.

National Genealogy Society (US)

http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/youth.cfm
Lesson plans, resources and bibliographies for teachers introducing their students to genealogy.

Research guides

Researching family history can be exciting and addictive. To be successful, you need to know what steps to take and what information is available. Research guides answer these questions.

Beller, Susan Provost 1997, Roots for kids: a genealogy guide for young people, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore.
View catalogue entry >

Bruzzone, Catherine 2005, My family tree book, Bsmall Publishing, Kew, United Kingdom.
View catalogue entry >

Frisch, Karen c2003, Creating junior genealogists: tips and activities for family history fun, Ancestry, Orem, Utah.
View catalogue entry >

Honey, Alison 1992, Investigating family history, The National Trust, London.
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Leavitt, Caroline 2005, The kids’ family tree book, Sterling Publishing, New York.
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Steel, DJ 1973, Family history in schools, Phillimore, London.
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Taylor, Bill c2005, The young family historian, CD-ROM, Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society, Oswaldtwistle, United Kingdom.
View catalogue entry >

Fiction

Researching family history is about uncovering clues, solving mysteries and imagining the past. These books illustrate just how fascinating discovering your genealogy can be.

Blake, Bronwyn 2001, Find me a river, Lothian, Port Melbourne, Victoria.
View catalogue entry >

Broome, Errol 1996, Splashback: a great greasy journey, Allen & Unwin, St. Leonards, NSW.
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Caswell, Brian 1989, Merryll of the stones, University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, Queensland.
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Clarke, Judith 2000, Wolf on the fold, Silverfish, Healesville, Victoria.
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Disher, Garry 2001, Moondyne Kate, Hodder Headline, Sydney.
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Edwards, Hazel 2002, Fake ID, Lothian Books, South Melbourne, Victoria.
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French, Simon 2002, Where in the world, Little Hare Books, Surry Hills, NSW.
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Gleeson, Libby 1998, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Puffin Books, Ringwood, Victoria.
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Hawke, Rosanne 2002, Zenna Dare, Lothian, South Melbourne, Victoria.
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Hayes, Rosemary 2001, Blood ties, Puffin, Ringwood, Victoria.
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Hill, Anthony 2002, Forbidden, Penguin, Ringwood, Victoria.
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Hutchins, Elizabeth 1998, Bring back the songs, Hyland House, South Melbourne.
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Ireland, Julie 1995, A kind of dreaming, Angus & Robertson, Pymble, NSW.
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Lisson, Deborah 2000, The devil’s own, Lothian, Port Melbourne.
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McCarthy, Maureen 2002, When you wake and find me gone, Penguin, Camberwell, Victoria.
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McKerral, Helen 1998, Homestrung, Hyland House, South Melbourne.
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Morgan, Sally 1987, My place, Fremantle Arts Centre Press, Fremantle, WA.
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Murray, Kirsty 2001, Market blues, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW.
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Murray, Kirsty 2003, Bridie’s fire, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW.
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Park, Ruth 1987, Playing Beatie Bow, Angus & Robertson, North Ryde, NSW.
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Porter, Dorothy 1991, Rookwood, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia, Queensland.
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Wheatley, Nadia 2001, The house that was Eureka, rev. ed., Penguin Books, Ringwood, Victoria.
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Wheatley, Nadia 1989, My place, Collins Dove, Melbourne.
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This list of novels is based on an article by South Australian writer Rosanne Hawke which was published in Australian Family Tree Connections, March 2006.
View catalogue entry >

Journal articles

These articles explore ways that parents and guardians can help young people develop an interest in family history.

Hawke, Rosanne 2006, ‘Getting young people interested in family history’, Australian Family Tree Connections, March, pp. 36-37. 
View catalogue entry >

Raistrick, Lynda 2003, ‘Working with young family historians’, Family History News & Digest, vol. 14, issue 1, April, pp. 17-19.
View catalogue entry >

Robertson, Beth 2002, ‘Encouraging children to appreciate their family heritage’, Australian Family Tree Connections, May, pp. 28-29.
View catalogue entry >

Williamson, Barry 2004, ‘From a name to life’, Family Tree Magazine, vol. 20, issue 3, January, pp. 25-27.
View catalogue entry >