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There's a Prawn in Parliament House: The Kids' Guide to Australia's Amazing Democracy

By Annabel Crabb
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Brief Description
Hi! I'm Shawn the Prawn, a 350 million-year-old tiny coral fossil that lives in the floor of the grand Marble Foyer at Australia's Parliament House. Sharing a house with a democracy is awesome because Australia's democracy is unique and it totally rocks. Every three years, Australians... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Hi! I'm Shawn the Prawn, a 350 million-year-old tiny coral fossil that lives in the floor of the grand Marble Foyer at Australia's Parliament House. Sharing a house with a democracy is awesome because Australia's democracy is unique and it totally rocks.

Every three years, Australians come together on a Saturday to elect a government. We do this because having a government is the best way for large groups of people to live in peace and enjoy things like roads and airports and hospitals and delicious food without having to personally arrange all the boring stuff. But how do we elect a government? How does the government make decisions? And what is so special about our system of democracy?

Perfect for kids in year 5 and 6 studying how Australia's government works, political writer and commentator Annabel Crabb explores, explains and examines Australia's unique democracy from the smallest shrimp to the largest coathanger with help from Guardian Australia cartoonist First Dog on the Moon.

'Australian democracy comes alive for young readers in There's a Prawn in Parliament House. Every question about democracy, voting, government and more is answered ... This book is an essential book for young readers, helping them understand our wonderful democracy -- all delivered with Annabel Crabb's signature flair.' Good Reading [Five stars]

Includes:
- Up-to-date information about the 48th Parliament
- The ins and outs of Australia's Parliament House
- The road to Federation
- The nitty-gritty of the Australian Constitution
- Voting and how it works
- Ministers and departments
- The role of the Press
- How a Bill becomes Law

Perfect for:
- Independent readers 8+ interested in how Australia's government works
- Fans of Annabel Crabb and First Dog on the Moon
- Parents, teachers and librarians seeking up-to-date, humorous and accessible resources for Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) - History and Civics and Citizenship
- Anyone interested in what makes Australia's democracy amazing

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760637750

Publisher: A&U Children's

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 30 September 2025

Country: Australia

Imprint: A&U Children

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by First Dog on the Moon

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 302g

Pages: 240

Collections

Annabel Crabb Children's Books Children’s, Teenage and Educational Education & Reference Science & Nature

About the Author

Annabel Crabb is an ABC writer and presenter who has covered Australian politics for nearly 30 years as a news reporter, columnist and broadcaster. Known for her engaging approach to explaining Australian politics and history, Annabel created the long-running interview series Kitchen Cabinet, which has aired for eight seasons on ABC TV. She has written and presented two major documentary series on the life and history of the Australian Parliament: The House with Annabel Crabb and Ms Represented, which marked the centenary of the first woman's election to an Australian parliament. A third series in the trilogy is due out this year. Annabel has also hosted the ABC Australian history and food series Back in Time for Dinner, Further Back in Time for Dinner and Back in Time for the Corner Shop. She is a regular face on ABC TV's election night and Budget broadcasts and has a long history of appearances on ABC's Insiders program, including a stint as acting host in 2019. Annabel won a Walkley Award for her Quarterly Essay Stop at Nothing: The Life and Adventures of Malcolm Turnbull, and in 2024 was named columnist of the year for her political commentary at the ABC. In 2014, she wrote non-fiction bestseller The Wife Drought, about gender and work in Australia. She is a regular commentator across the ABC's radio network. With friend and ABC colleague Leigh Sales, Annabel hosts the podcast Chat 10 Looks 3, an independent podcast in which the pair discusses books, film, culture and cooking.

First Dog on the Moon is Australia's only Walkley award-winning marsupial-based cartoonist and has done all sorts of things including books, radio, stage shows and a lot of lying down. First Dog has been observing Australian politicians since primary school and was once the Museum of Australian Democracy's Cartoonist of the Year. First Dog's documentation of politicians' exploits and adventures can be found in newspapers such as Guardian Australia and on firstdogonthemoon.com.au

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