Brainstorm 172: International Reads Pt 3: Australia, New Zealand & Oceania

We're continuing our look at books set in countries and cultures around the world. This week the focus is Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania. I found this section of the world the most challenging to find books set in, especially ones that featured people who lived there and not tourists. (I had to resort to tourists/foreigners a few times. And because of the dearth of books, I also included the unnamed Pacific island locations section.) To see the full parameters I've set for the selection of books in this International Reads series, please visit International Reads Pt 1: Africa. And of course, that’s the place to visit for some books set in African countries too. If you’re looking for some books set in Asian countries, check out the last post International Reads Pt 2: Asia. I'm not including summaries or reviews today in the interest of space. Clicking on the title of the books will take you to either my review of the book or a general summary and other reviews.

AUSTRALIA

Australia Wide: the Journey by Ken Duncan
Genre: Photography, Travel, Adult Nonfiction

The Dolphins of Shark Bay (Scientists in the Field) by Pamela S. Turner, photos by Scott Tuason
Genre: Animal Stories, Science, Middle Grade/Young Adult Nonfiction

Living in…Australia by Chloe Perkins, ill. by Tom Woolley
Genre: Lowe Grade Nonfiction, Picture Book, Leveled Reader

My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch by Graeme Base
Genre: Fantasy Fiction, Animal Stories, Picture Book

The Mystery at the Coral Reef (Greetings from Somewhere, #8) by Harper Paris, ill. by Marcos Calo
Genre: Mystery Fiction, Lower Grade

Pinquo by Colin Thiele
Genre: Animal Stories, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade/Young Adult

FIJI 

Battle for Cannibal Island (Imagination Station, #8) by Marianne Hering & Wayne Thomas Batson, creative direction by Paul McCusker, ill. by David Hohn
Genre: Fantasy Fiction, Time Travel Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religious Fiction, Middle Grade

FRENCH POLYNESIA

The Octopus Scientist: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk by Sy Montgomery, photos by Keith Ellenbogen
Genre: Animal Stories, Science, Middle Grade/Young Adult Nonfiction

HAWAII

The Girl from Everywhere (The Girl from Everywhere, #1) by Heidi Heilig
Genre: Time Travel Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Historical Fiction, Young Adult
*Note: Some parts in modern NYC and ancient China

Honey Girl: the Hawaiian Monk Seal by Jeanne Walker Harvey, ill. by Shennen Bersani
Genre: Animal Stories, Science, Lower Grade Nonfiction

Kaiulani: the People’s Princess: Hawaii, 1889 (The Royal Diaries) by Ellen Emerson White
Genre: Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade

Soul Surfer: a True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton with Sheryl Berk and Rick Bundschuh
Genre: Autobiography, Sports, Religious Nonfiction, Young Adult Nonfiction

Tales of Tūtū Nēnē and Nele by Gale Bates, ill. by Yuko Green
Genre: Animal Stories, Picture Book

The Twelve Days of Hula: a Counting Book from Hawai’i by Beth Greenway, ill. by Kristi Petosa-Sigel
Genre: Counting Books, Songs, Foreign Language, Picture Book

MICRONESIA

The Children of Micronesia (World’s Children) by Jules Hermes
Genre: Social Studies, Lower Grade Nonfiction

MIDWAY ISLANDS

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
Genre: Survival Stories, Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult
*Note: Some parts in open sea/unidentified areas of the Pacific Ocean

NEW CALEDONIA

Crow Smarts: Inside the Brain of the World’s Brightest Bird (Scientists in the Field) by Pamela S. Turner, photos by Andy Comins, ill. by Guido de Felippo
Genre: Animal Stories, Science, Middle Grade/Young Adult Nonfiction

NEW ZEALAND

Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas by Lynne Cox, ill. by Brian Floca
Genre: Animal Stories, Lower Grade Nonfiction

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot by Sy Montgomery, photos by Nic Bishop
Genre: Animal Stories, Science, Middle Grade/Young Adult Nonfiction

Slinky Malinki, Open the Door (Hairy Maclary, #8) by Lynley Dodd
Genre: Animal Stories, Humorous Fiction, Picture Book

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: an Expedition to the Cloud Forest of Papua New Guinea by Sy Montgomery, photos by Nic Bishop
Genre: Animal Stories, Adventure, Travel, Science, Middle Grade/Young Adult Nonfiction

PITCAIRN

Mutiny on the Bounty by William Bligh, Sir John Barrow
Genre: Memoir, Sea Stories, Adult Nonfiction

POLYNESIA

Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry
Genre: Folklore, Sea Stories, Middle Grade

SOLOMON ISLANDS

Florence Young: Mission Accomplished (Christian Heroes: Then & Now, #23) by Janet & Geoff Benge
Genre: Biography, Religious, Middle Grade Nonfiction
*Note: some parts occur in New Zealand and China.

WESTERN SAMOA

Come to My Place: Meet My Island Family: Stories from the Pacific compiled by Esiteri Kamikamica, ill. by Ruth Lull
Genre: Short Stories, Middle Grade Fiction
*Note: some stories set in Fiji, Micronesia, and Papua New Guinea

VARIOUS ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC (UNIDENTIFIED ISLANDS)

The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne
Genre: Survival Stories, Sea Stories, Historical Classic Fiction, Young Adult

Every Storm by Lori Wick
Genre: Romantic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religious Fiction, Adult
*Note: some parts in Australia

Island series by Gordon Korman
Genre: Survival Stories, Suspense Fiction, Adventure Stories, Middle Grade

Lost in the Pacific, 1942: Not a Drop to Drink (Lost) by Tod Olson
Genre: Biography, Survival Stories, Sea Stories, History, Middle Grade Nonfiction