Dyslexia - SPELD FoundationLITERACY & CLINICAL
SERVICES
Australian Reading Spine
Classic books and high-quality literature to form the core of a read-aloud program from Kindergarten/Preschool to Year 6
About the Australian Reading Spine
The Australian Reading Spine is a list of classic books and high-quality literature. The Reading Spine is a Talk for Writing concept, and is intended to form the core of a primary school read-aloud program, which can then be supplemented with additional reading materials. The Australian Reading Spine has been developed by the DSF Talk for Writing training team, with input from Pie Corbett, and is based on Pie Corbett’s original Talk for
Writing Reading Spine, published by Scholastic in the UK.
This document is organised by academic year level, from Kindergarten (Preschool) to Year 6. Books are listed by author surname in alphabetic order. The listed order of books for each year level is not intended to suggest the order in which they should be read over the course of a school year; instead, the order of reading should be at the teacher’s discretion.
In addition to the core texts for the Australian Reading Spine, a list of ‘Honourable Mentions’ is provided for each year level. The Honourable Mentions include: books that appear on the original Reading Spine, but not on the Australian adaptation; books that were short-listed for the Australian Reading Spine; and books that may be interesting as further reading. These Honourable Mentions are intended to provide inspiration for teachers when selecting books to supplement the Australian Reading Spine.
It is expected that the books on the Australian Reading Spine will be read aloud to students by their teacher; however, students in older grades may also read these books independently, or as part of book study activities.
The Very Hungry CaterpillarEric Carle
Big Rain ComingKatrina Germein
Each Peach Pear PlumAllan and Janet Ahlberg
Jasper’s BeanstalkNick Butterworth & Mick Inkpen
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s DairyLynley Dodd
Where’s Spot?Eric Hill
Dear ZooRod Campbell
Where is the Green Sheep?Mem Fox
Magic BeachAlison Lester
Kindergarten (Preschool)
PICTURE BOOKS
2
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?Bill Martin Jnr and Eric Carle
We’re Going on a Bear HuntMichael Rosen
Come on Daisy!Jane Simmons
Kindergarten Honourable Mentions
HugJez Alborough
The Train RideJune Crebbin
Who Sank the Boat?Pamela Allen
You ChoosePippa Goodheart and Nick Sharratt
Kindergarten (Preschool)
PICTURE BOOKS
Mrs Armitage on WheelsQuentin Blake
The GruffaloJulia Donaldson
Rosie’s WalkPat Hutchins
Handa’s SurpriseEileen Browne
Possum MagicMem Fox
Six Dinner SidInga Moore
The Grumpy Lighthouse KeeperTerrizita Corpus
Diary of a WombatJackie French
On the Way HomeJill Murphy
Pre-Primary (Preparatory/ Reception/ Kindergarten)
PICTURE BOOKS
4
Wombat StewMarcia Vaughan
Farmer DuckMartin Waddell
Owl BabiesMartin Waddell
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the DarkJill Tomlinson
The WaterholeGraeme Base
Shhh!Sally Grindley
Whatever Next!Jill Murphy
Mr Gumpy’s OutingJohn Burningham
Noni the PonyAlison Lester
Goodnight MoonMargaret Wise Brown
Pre-Primary Honourable Mentions
Pre-Primary (Preparatory/ Reception/ Kindergarten)
PICTURE BOOKS
Edwina the EmuSheena Knowles
Mr Archimedes’ BathPamela Allen
DoggerShirley Hughes
Avocado BabyJohn Burningham
Peace at LastJill Murphy
Lost and FoundOliver Jeffers
BeeguAlexis Deacon
Where the Wild Things AreMaurice Sendak
The Tiger Who Came to TeaJudith Kerr
Year 1
PICTURE BOOKS
6
Can’t You Sleep Little Bear?Martin Waddell
John Brown, Rose and the Midnight CatJenny Wagner
Knuffle BunnyMo Willems
Fantastic Mr. FoxRoald Dahl
CHAPTER BOOKS
Cops and RobbersAlan and Janet Ahlberg
Are We There Yet?Alison Lester
Edward the EmuSheena Knowles
ElmerDavid McKee
The Elephant and the Bad BabyElfrida Vipont and Raymond Briggs
Year 1Honourable Mentions
Year 1
PICTURE BOOKS
GorillaAnthony Browne
Miss Lily’s Fabulous Pink Feather BoaMargaret Wild
Emily Brown and the ThingCressida Cowell
The DeepTim Winton
FireJackie French
Meerkat MailEmily Gravett Traction Man is Here
Mini GreyOnce There Was a BoyDub Leffler
The FlowerJohn Light
Not Now BernardDavid McKee
TuesdayDavid Wiesner
Year 2
PICTURE BOOKS
8
The Giraffe, the Pelly and MeRoald Dahl
BungawittaEmily Rodda
Willa and Old Miss AnnieBerlie Doherty
Kumiko and the DragonBriony Stewart
Flat StanleyJeff Brown
The HodgehegDick King-Smith
NOVELS
Year 2 Honourable Mentions
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Book?Lauren Child
Pumpkin SoupHelen Cooper
TashiAnna and Barbara Fienberg
FloodJackie French
Amazing GraceMary Hoffman
Frog and Toad TogetherArnold Lobel
Dr Xargle’s Book
of EarthletsTony Ross
Year 2
The Tale of DespereauxKate DiCamillo
Rowan of RinEmily Rodda
The Sheep-Pig (Babe)Dick King-Smith
Ophelia and the Marvellous BoyKaren Foxlee
The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeCS Lewis
The Iron ManTed Hughes
Kensuke’s KingdomMichael Morpurgo
Year 3
NOVELS
10
The Day the Crayons QuitDrew Daywalt
FoxMargaret Wild
Year 3 Honourable Mentions
The Eleventh HourGraeme Base
The Little RefugeeAnh Do
The Battle of Bubble and SqueakPhilippa Pearce
Hansel and GretelAnthony Browne
Cat Tales: Ice CatLind Newberry
Pannikin & PintaColin Thiele
PICTURE BOOKS
Year 3
The Miraculous Journey of Edward TulaneKate DiCamillo
Why the Whales CameMichael Morpurgo
Charlotte’s WebEB White
Bill’s New FrockAnne Fine
The Firework-Maker’s DaughterPhillip Pullman
Perry Angel’s SuitcaseGlenda Millard
Storm BoyColin Thiele
Year 4
NOVELS
12
Voices in the ParkAnthony Browne
My PlaceNadia Wheatley
Year 4 Honourable Mentions
The Snow-Walker’s SonCatherine Fisher
The Naming of Tishkin SilkGlenda Millard
Ned Kelly and the Green SashMark Greenwood
PICTURE BOOKS
Year 4
CogheartPeter Bunzl
Wolf BrotherMichelle Paver
Varjak PawSF Said
The Night They Stormed EurekaJackie French
Tom’s Midnight GardenPhilippa Pearce
My GirragundjiMeme McDonald and Boori Monty Pryor
His Name was WalterEmily Rodda
Year 5
NOVELS
14
The WatertowerGary Crew
Stolen GirlTrina Saffioti and Norma MacDonald
Year 5 Honourable Mentions
The Wolves of Willoughby ChaseJoan Aiken
Street ChildBerlie Doherty
WavesDonna Rawlins
FArTHERGrahame Baker-Smith
Black CockatooCarl Merrison
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan CrowJessica Townsend
PICTURE BOOKS
Year 5
SkelligDavid Almond
ClockworkPhillip Pullman
BluebackTim Winton
Little BrotherAllan Baillie
HolesLouis Sachar
OnceMorris Gleitzman
The HobbitJ.R.R. Tolkien
Year 6
NOVELS
16
The RabbitsJohn Marsden and Shaun Tan
The ArrivalShaun Tan
Year 6 Honourable Mentions
River BoyTim Bowler
ThenMorris Gleitzman
Crow CountryKate Constable
SoonMorris Gleitzman
PICTURE BOOKS
Year 6
To enquire about Talk for Writing training, please contact:
T (08) 9217 2500 E [email protected]
www.dsf.net.au
Please contact the Talk for Writing training team at the Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation if you would like more information regarding:• Where the books on the Australian Reading Spine can
be purchased.
• The development process for the Australian Reading Spine.
• The Talk for Writing and Talk for Reading approaches.
• How to access Talk for Writing and Talk for Reading training in Australia.
