Foster a lifelong love of stories and storytelling in children of all ages with our family-friendly ebookshelf!
The Library has a huge range of free ebooks – 200,000 and counting! – which you can either read online or download for up to seven days.
To get started, browse our latest selection of ebooks suited to children aged 12 and under. You can also scan our monthly curated ebookshelf for some reading of your own, or browse for even more free ebooks !
For tips and advice, read our Get started guide or watch our video on using ebooks.
To access ebooks from home, you need to be a State Library member with a Victorian home address. (Terms and conditions of use apply.)
Night of the living Ted Barry Hutchison and Lee Cosgrove
Stripes Publishing, 2018
Reading age: 8-12 years
When Lisa Marie and her stepbrother Vernon pop into town to get their dad a birthday present, they discover the Create-a-Ted shop is offering free Halloween bears! Making two grisly bears for themselves and choosing an Elvis bear named Bearvis for Dad, they head home.
That night the shopkeeper brings the bears to life for nefarious purposes … but Vernon’s bear, Grizz, doesn’t want to be a slave to humans – he wants to rule the world! Converting the shopkeeper’s Stuff-U-Lator into a machine for turning living matter into stuffed bears, he begins to prowl the streets. Can the children and Bearvis save themselves – and the world – from being stuffed?
Pirates eat porridge Christopher Morgan and Neil Curtis
Allen & Unwin, 2006
Reading age: 5-9 years
‘Who is the captain of this here fish finger house?’ Billy was in his tree house when the treasure map blew in and then his sister, Heidi, called, ‘There’s a pirate at our door! And a pig.’
Well, the pirate stomped down the hallway and wanted to know what sort of a ship this was, and where the sails were, and which way to the galley. And then he sat in Dad’s chair, pulled a spoon from his pocket and said, ‘Where’s my porridge?’ So, hoist the sails! Man the poop deck! Come on a crazy pirate adventure and find out what pirates really do when they find treasure.
This little piggy went dancing This little piggy went dancing Margaret Wild and Deborah Niland
Allen & Unwin, 2013
This little piggy went dancing. This little piggy stayed home. This little piggy had porridge. This little piggy had none. And this little piggy went hop, hop, hop, all the way home.
The little pigs we know so well from the familiar nursery rhyme now do all sorts of unexpected things - and the ones who stay home or have none are not forlorn or missing out! Keep your eye on your favourite piggy as it tries out different activities throughout the book. And watch them hula, jump, skip, zoom and whiz until the last little piggy runs ‘wee wee wee all the way home’!
A song for Lorkie Jennifer Castles and Dean Bowen
Allen & Unwin, 2011
Reading age: 3-6 years
Lorkie was a Roofbird. His best friend was Brian, and they had been friends since they were eggs. They lived in the Valley of Roofs, where every bird had a song to sing except Lorkie. Lorkie couldn’t sing, until he found a new home in the middle of the Argy-Bargy roundabout.
Brilliant pictures from internationally acclaimed artist Dean Bowen harmonise perfectly with Jennifer Castles’ sweet and surprising text in this delightful book for children and parents to read aloud together.
There’s a goat in my coat There’s a goat in my coat Rosemary Milne and Andrew McLean
Allen & Unwin, 2010
Reading age: 5 years and under
‘Tickle Ted’s toes. Kiss his little nose. Pat him on the head. And tuck him into bed. Goodnight Ted!’ There’s a goat in my coat is a fun book for counting, hopping, running, rolling, wriggling, giggling and dancing.
Can you do the jelly belly shakes? Are you a tip top dancer? Rosemary Milne and Andrew McLean have captured the exuberance of childhood in this lively collection of rhymes - perfect for play and for developing children’s language.
Remarkably Rexy Craig Smith
Allen & Unwin, 2015
Reading age: 3–7 years
Everybody loves Rex. He is the most dazzling cat on Serengeti Street. The schoolkids who pass by are always impressed by his moves... until one day, an interloper threatens to take all the attention away.
‘You will not find a more charming, sympathetic or beautifully drawn examination of complete feline (and completely human) self-obsession.’ Shaun Tan
The unexpected crocodile Kim Kane
Allen & Unwin, 2012
Reading age: 3-5 years
Peggy’s family is hosting a barbecue for their neighbours, the Dawsons. Peggy isn’t too sure about those Dawson boys. But she’s delighted when an unexpected crocodile invites himself to tea with unexpected consequences!
Ten scared fish Ros Moriarty and Balarinji
Allen & Unwin, 2012
Reading age: 3 years and under
Ten scared fish is an animal counting book with a difference. Following the river to the sea, the reader meets and counts the animals until finally ten little fish meet a big scary shark!
Bold illustrations and a delightfully playful text help readers familiarise themselves with prepositions as well as animals and numbers.
