Tag: children

Activity Packs

Stay entertained and get crafty with our home-delivered activity packs!

Each child is entitled to one activity pack per month. They are full of popular colouring activities, word searches and educational fun, and can be tailored to your child’s interests. There are packs for all ages including babies, toddlers, preschoolers, early primary and primary aged children.

newborn
New Parents
0-6 months old
Toddlers
Toddlers
1-3 years old
preschool
Preschoolers
4-6 years old
Early Primary
Early Primary
6-8 years old
Primary age
Primary
9-12 years old
Portrait of cute kids reading books and drawing in natural environment together
School Holidays
1-12 years old

You can also request a 1000 Books Before School activity pack.
This pack contains record sheets so you can keep track of your child’s reading.

If you haven’t started the program, request your first record sheet to begin! You can start any time until your child begins school to reach the 1000 book milestone.

If you would like to find out more about the program, contact a librarian.

Fill out our form below to have an activity pack sent to you!

Stories Beyond Stereotypes

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A booklist featuring real and imaginary characters who follow their own path, unconstrained by gender stereotypes.
Stories and books are a powerful learning tool for our children and stories that depict children participating in a wide range of positive and diverse activities expands their horizons of what is possible. The booklist has been collated to complement other books and traditional stories already available for our members.
fairytales for feisty girls

Fairytales For Feisty Girls

Susannah McFarlane

just a girl

Just a Girl

Jackie French

Doll bones

Doll Bones

Holly Black

The wolf wilder

The Wolf Wilder

Katherine Rundell

The Girl Who Circumnavigated fairyland

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

Catherynne M Valente

Song of the dolphin boy

Song of the Dolphin Boy

Elizabeth Laird

George

George

Alex Gino

Squishy Taylor

Squishy Taylor

Alisa Wild

billie b brown

Billie B Brown

Sally Rippin

hey jac

Hey Jack

Sally Rippin

Girl Geeks

Girl Geeks

Alex Miles

polly and buster

Polly & Buster

Sally Rippin

rebel girls

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo

the good guys

The Good Guys - 50 Heroes Who Changed the World With Kindness

Rob Kemp & Paul Blow

stories for boys

Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different - True Tales of Amazing Boys Who Changed the World Without Killing Dragons

Ben Brooks

stories for kids

Stories for Kids Who Dare to Be Different - True Tales of Amazing People Who Stood Up and Stood Out

Ben Brooks

Download the Stories Beyond Stereotypes Poster here

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Reviews

Featured Staff Review

allegra in three parts

Allegra in Three Parts - Suzanne Daniel

I found this book looking for something new for my book club Around Words that runs on the first Wednesday of the month at Yarra Junction Library. Allegra is eleven and has three important people in her life. She lives with one grandmother, Matilde, who is from Hungary and with her own story to tell. Next door is Joy, her other grandmother. They both love Allegra but can't stand each other. Rick, her Dad lives at the end of Matilde's garden and is Joy's son. As Allegra says, Matilde's 'got a blind spot when it comes to Rick'. He is trying to be a good dad to 'Al Pal' but has his own issues and the absence of her mother affects all four of them. These relationships cause a great deal of tension in the child's life and culminate in a very dramatic conclusion. A gripping book with many life lessons for all of us. I loved the rich, full blooded characters of the grandmothers but also the secondary characters, the people Allegra comes in contact with, her friends and neighbors. What an exciting new novelist.

Maria M
4.5/5

Book | E-Book

Latest Staff Reviews

Book | Large Print
E-Book

Milkman - Anna Burns

Milkman is the type of book that you want to give your full attention to, to get the most out of it. You’ll want to spend hours at time reading on the couch absorbing each poetic sentence.
What I loved most about the Milkman is the lack of names and the ambiguity. The story follows ‘middle sister’ as she struggles to live her life on ‘this side of the road’ hiding her ‘maybe-boyfriend’ from her family, and her encounter with the Milkman from a town full of gossip and rumours.
I have never read anything like this book, and I doubt I ever will again. The writing is unique and beautiful. If you’re looking to mix up your summer reading list, I highly recommend it.

Tanisha T
5/5
Book

The Phoenix of Florence - Philip Kazan

This is a book of beautiful description and imagery, fierce battles and more than interesting characters. Orario Celavini, an ex soldier now law enforcer in 16th Century Florence needs to confront his troubled and traumatic past when he must solve two murders in Florence. A past feud between two wealth families in the area, which ended in the massacre of one of the families, is linked to the murders and Onorio's past. He must solve the murders, save a friend and confront his own past to find peace and harmony in his future.

Lucy I
4/5
Book

In the Footsteps of Zen - Dr Lim Meng Sing

I thoroughly enjoyed reading In the Footsteps of Zen, written by local author Dr Lim Meng Sing (Peter). He explains what “Zen” is and how it can be used to create a more happy and peaceful life in our modern, chaotic world. He speaks about silence, mindfulness, having purpose and using Zen as therapy through difficult times.
The beauty of this book is in its simplicity. Written by someone who has for many years travelled the Zen path, it is clear and uncluttered. It includes poetry and quotations from authors, teachers, philosophers and scientists.
Peter’s own 150 brief reflections (which make up the second half of the book) are also simple, but very thoughtful.
This book is small in size, but big in content.

Heather M
5/5
Book

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart - Holly Ringland

This is Holly Ringland’s debut novel, she grew up barefoot and wild in her mother’s tropical garden on the East coast of Australia. Her interest in cultures and stories was sparked by a two-year journey her family took in North America when she was nine years old, living in a camper van and travelling from one national park to another. In her twenties, Holly worked for four years in a remote Indigenous community in the central Australian desert.
In the novel Alice suffers a tragedy at 9 years old when a fire destroys her home and she loses her parents. She is taken in by her estranged grandmother, a flower farmer who raises Alice on the language of flowers, but Alice also learns that there are secrets about her past that her grandmother is reluctant to speak about. An unexpected betrayal sees Alice leave the farm and she ends up in the central Australian desert where she learns the culture of the people and their relation to their plants.

Maria B
4/5
Would you like to see your review featured? Send any items reviews to [email protected] or get in touch through our social media pages!

Beyond Sparkles and Superheroes

Beyond Sparkles & Superheroes
Children receive messages about gender everyday through behaviours, images, written and spoken words at home, at school and in other settings. 
These picture books present child characters in a way that challenges gender stereotypes. They are just a sample of books available on the theme of gender equality or gender equity and have been chosen because they are both enjoyable stories to read with your child and because they represent a range of approaches to the topic of gender equity.
We hope you enjoy them.

Some Girls

Written by Nelly Thomas

Illustrated by Sarah Dunk

One Busy Day

Written by Lola M. Schaefer

Illustrated by Jessica Meserve

Some Boys

Written by Nelly Thomas

Illustrated by Sarah Dunk

Be Who You Are!

Written by Todd Parr

Illustrated by Todd Parr

Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too)

Written by Keith Negley

Illustrated by Keith Negley

Rosie Revere, Engineer

Written by Andrea Beaty

Illustrated by David Roberts

Two Mates

Written by Melanie Prewett

Illustrated by Maggie Prewett

Made By Raffi

Written by Craig Pomranz

Illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain

Pearl Fairweather Pirate Captain

Written by Jayneen Sanders

Illustrated by Lesley Danson

Bold Australian Girl

Written by Jess Black

Illustrated by Fern Martins

Ada Twist, Scientist

Written by Andrea Beaty

Illustrated by David Roberts

No Difference Between Us

Written by Jayneen Sanders

Illustrated by Amanda Gulliver

I Could Be, You Could Be

Written by Karen Owen

Illustrated by Barroux

Who Am I? I Am Me!

Written by Jayneen Sanders

Illustrated by Diane Ewen

How to be a Lion

Written by Ed Vere

Illustrated by Ed Vere

Girls Can Do Anything

Written by Caryl Hart

Illustrated by Ali Pye

Pink is for Boys

Written by Robb Pearlman

Illustrated by Eda Kaban

Tricky's Bad Day

Written by Alison Lester

Illustrated by Alison Lester

Boys will be...

Written by Susann Hoffmann

Illustrated by Susann Hoffmann

Girls are pretty...

Written by Susann Hoffmann

Illustrated by Susann Hoffmann

Download the Beyond Sparkles And Superheroes Poster here

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Storytimes

Physical and Online Storytimes will be returning soon.

Kids

Featured For Kids

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Activity Packs
Stay entertained and get crafty with our home-delivered activity packs! They are full of popular colouring activities, word searches and educational fun, and can be tailored to your child’s interests.

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Online Storytimes
Be sure to follow our Facebook page here to access live storytimes! Times will be posted to let you know exactly when we will be live.

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Reading to Child

No more fines!
GOOD NEWS!!
We’re making all fines vanish at ERL! That’s right, from 1 March, they’re gone for good. Watch your fines disappear here.

Kanopy-Kids
Kanopy Kids
Kanopy Kids highlights films and TV series that inspire and inform, helping children develop empathy, mindfulness, and self-esteem through entertaining and educational videos. Stream now!