Even preschoolers can learn about continents and countries, especially if you have a globe to help convey the idea. One of the more popular countries to focus on at storytime is Australia, with its wealth of unusual animals. For a craft, you can make kangaroo or koala paperbag or stick puppets.
Fox, Mem. POSSUM MAGIC. Two Australian possums search for a magic formula to turn the invisible possum back to visible.
Fox, Mem. HATTIE AND THE FOX. Kids will call out each animals repeated comments in this funny farm story.
Fox, Mem. SHOES FROM GRANDPA. Cumulative story similar to “The House That Jack Built,” where a girl receives clothing as a birthday gift.
Fox, Mem. KOALA LOU. Oldest sibling wants her mother’s attention.
Kent, Jack. JOEY. A young kangaroo invites all his friends to play in his “room” which is his mother’s pouch.
Larranaga, Ana Martin. BIG WIDE-MOUTH FROG. The traditional, humorous tale of a frog trying to outwit a crocodile.
Morpurgo, Michael. WOMBAT GOES ON WALKABOUT. Wombat meets lots of animals while looking for his mother, and when a fire threatens, he saves everyone with his skill at digging.
Murphy, Stuart J. JUMP KANGAROO JUMP. Part of the MathStart series. Kangaroo and the other animals divide into groups for the camp sporting events.
Paterson, A. B. WALTZING MATILDA. Picture book version of the song.
Ungerer, Tomi. ADELAIDE. Adelaide is a kangaroo with wings who faces discrimination, but proves her wings are an asset when she saves people during a fire.
Vaughan, Marcia. WOMBAT STEW. A dingo is tricked by the other animals who are protecting the wombat.