Mentor Texts for Reading and Writing
Download the complete list of Oz Lit Teacher recommended mentor texts
- Over 100 picture story books
- Organised by genre and year level.
- Each with teaching recommendations for reading (comprehension strategies) and writing (6+1 traits)
Download the list of mentor texts with Indigenous perspectives
- Books for a range of year levels.
- All written by Indigenous Australian authors.
- Each with teaching recommendations for reading (comprehension strategies) and writing (6+1 traits).
Mentor texts with teaching suggestions
The mentor texts below are organised in alphabetical order by author surname.
(HOT TIP: To find a title quickly, press Ctrl + F on your keyboard and search for the name of your book.)
Click on the book covers below to download a free PDF of my teaching recommendations for each book. This printable 'bookplate' is designed to be stuck inside the front cover of the book in your school library.
For more information on mentor texts and how to use them, see these blog posts on the topic:
Latest mentor text Review
A Beginner's Guide to Choosing the Perfect Pet
By Ali Rutstein and Tommy Doyle
3-5 Narrative
A-B Authors
The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals
By Sami Bayly
3-8 Non-fiction
Mrs. White And The Red Desert
By Josie Boyle and Maggie Prewett
2-4 Narrative
Meet Nellie Melba
By Janeen Brian and Claire Murphy
5-6 Narrative non-fiction
Let's Save The Great Barrier Reef
By Catherine Barr and Jean Claude
4-6 Non-fiction / persuasive
Our Home, Our Heartbeat
By Adam Briggs (Illustrations by Kate Moon and Rachael Sarra)
1-7 Non-fiction
What Do You Do To Celebrate
By Ashleigh Barton and Martina Heiduczek
3-6 Poetry
C-D Authors
The Day The Crayons Quit
By Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
3-6 Narrative / persuasive
Grandma's Guide To Happiness
By Andrew Daddo and Stephen Michael King
2-6 Narrative
Everything You KNow About Sharks Is Wrong!
By Dr Nick Crumpton
4-6 Persuasive/Informative
Sea Country
By Aunty Patsy Cameron and Lisa Kennedy
2-6 Non-Fiction Narrative
E-F Authors
Dry To Dry
By Pamela Freeman and Liz Anelli
4-6 Dual narrative and non-fiction
10 Ideas to Overcome Racism
By Eleonora Fornasari and Clarissa Corradin
4-6 Hybrid (informative, persuasive and explanation)
G-J Authors
Somebody's Land
By Adam Goodes, Ellie Laing and David Hardy
F-6 Narrative non fiction
Meet...The Flying Doctors
By George Ivanoff and Ben Wood
3-6 Narrative non-fiction
Tea and Sugar Christmas
By Jane Jolly and Robert Ingpen
3-6 Historical Narrative
K-L Authors
Peregrines In The City
By Andrew Kelly, Sue Lawson and Dean Jones
4-10 Narrative non-fiction
Stories for South Asian Supergirls
By Raj Kaur Khaira
4-6 Non-Fiction biographies
M-O Authors
How To Make A Bird
By Meg McKinlay and Matt Ottley
5-8 Hybrid: Narrative / poetry
Hold On! Saving The Spotted Handfish
By Gina M Newton and Rachel Tribout
3-6 Narrative non-fiction
Our World Bardi- Jaawi: Life At Ardiyooloon
By One Arm Point Remote Community School
2-6 Multi genre
P-S Authors
The Boy Who Tried To Shrink His Name
By Sandhya Parappukkaran and Michelle Pereira
4-6 Narrative
Big Red Kangaroo
By Claire Saxby and Graham Byrne
3-6 Dual narrative and non-fiction
T-V Authors
Emmanuel's Dream
By Laurie Ann Thompson and Sean Qualls
3-8 Non-fiction narrative
Bin Chicken And The Christmas Turkey
By Kate and Joel Temple
3-6 Verse narrative
W-Z Authors
Why I Love Summer
By Michael Wagner and Tom Jellett
2-6 Narrative / persuasive
Meet... Banjo Paterson
By Kristin Weidenbach and James Gulliver Hancock
4-6 Narrative non-fiction
Matthew Flinders: Adventures On Leaky Ships
By Carole Wilkinson and Prue Pittock
4-7 Narrative non-fiction
Brothers in Hope
By Mary Williams and Gregory Christie
4-8 Non-Fiction narrative
