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.)
The young adult's guide to public speaking: tips, tricks & expert advice for delivering a great speech without being nervous The young adult's guide to public speaking: tips, tricks & expert advice for delivering a great speech without being nervous Atlantic Publishing Group Inc. 2016
Allen & Unwin, 2017
A well delivered speech is something that takes time, practice, and knowledge. This guide is teeming with resources, whether you are looking to get over your fear of speaking to a group of people or are running for student assembly and need an edge on your competition.
You will discover how to overcome stage fright by being prepared, rehearsed, and ready for a number of unforeseen circumstances. You will learn how to write a memorable speech and how to impact and persuade your audience. You'll learn how to gauge reactions and tailor the remainder of your presentation to have maximum appeal to your audience.
As fast as I can Penny Tangey
University of Queensland Press. 2020
One girl. One dream. A few hurdles. Ten-year-old Vivian is determined to win a medal at the Olympic Games one day. Problem is, she hasn't found a sport she's any good at yet. But everyone says if you work hard enough you can achieve anything, right? So when Vivian discovers she has a talent for cross country running, finally, her Olympic dream might actually come true. But then a family illness is uncovered and all of Vivian's plans begin to unravel. Can she keep her dream alive? Or will she be stopped in her tracks? A funny, heartfelt novel about resilience, acceptance and dreaming big.
When we go walkabout : Yirruwa Yirrilikenuma-Langwa When we go walkabout : Yirruwa Yirrilikenuma-Langwa Story by Rhoda Lalara, pictures by Alfred Lalara
Allen & Unwin, 2014
Yirruwa yirrilikenuma-langwa, amiyembena yirrirringka yirruwa? When we go walkabout, what do we see?
Up in a tree there is something flapping its wings at us. Duwedirra! Cockatoo!
Down in the river we see something staring at us. Dingarrbiya! Crocodile!
Back home there is someone waiting for us. Dungkwarrika! Grandma!
A beautiful story for the very young that brings to vivid life the unique world of Groote Eylandt. This book was produced through the Emerging Indigenous Picture Book Mentoring Project.
Diary of an AFL legend Shamini Flint
Allen & Unwin, 2017
Marcus is a maths whiz who is not good at sport. His dad is a self-help author who thinks Marcus can achieve anything he sets his mind to, with hilarious results. In illustrated diary format, Marcus's gentle, satiric humour and comic drawings will have readers laughing out loud while learning a surprising amount about sport.
The wonderful wizard of Oz The wonderful wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum
The Floating Press 2009 edition
The wonderful wizard of Oz chronicles the adventure of Dorothea in the land of Oz. A cyclone picks her up from her Kansas home, where she lives with her aunt and uncle and deposits her in the fantastical land. She begins a journey along the yellow brick road to seek help from the wizard of Oz. On her way she meets her fair share of witches (good and bad) and a scarecrow without a brain, a tinman without a heart and a cowardly lion. They travel together to the Emerald City to seek audience with the wizard.
Some kids just can't sit still! Some kids just can't sit still! Words by Sam Goldstein, illustrations by Allie DeSisto
Specialty Press, 2009
Written in a Seussian style, this delightful story explains why children suffering from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) react differently to simple situations in their daily lives. Explaining the symptoms of ADHD in an entertaining way, this tale helps children understand their differences, accept treatment, and retain positive self-esteem. Parents, teachers, and doctors will welcome this dialogue concerning how they can help children with ADHD.
Human-like robots Lola Schaefer
Lerner Publications, 2021
Imagine a robot greeting you at an office or taking your order at a restaurant. In the future, they just might! Kids will discover the robots learning to do human jobs, play sports, and more.
Clever crow = Wak Liya Djambat Clever crow = Wak Liya Djambat Bronwyen Bancroft and Nina Lawrence
Magabala Books, 2018
Clever crow is an endearing and witty tale that follows the exploits of a hungry and very clever crow. Crow searches in the bush for food but he can find none. It is only when he comes across people preparing for a ceremony that his luck changes. Crow spots a big turtle egg waiting to be cooked, and he cries out, ‘Yummy, food for me!’ But it is not an easy task stealing a turtle egg – even for a clever crow. Crow has to be more clever than he has ever been before!
Children will love Bronwyn Bancrofts’s distinctive illustrations, and how the Djambarrpuynu language translation – Yolnu language from North East Arnhem Land – is woven into the design.