120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Enjoy overnight NZ-wide delivery from our NZ-owned independent bookstore! πŸŽ‰

The Binna Binna Man

3.2 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 89 ratings, 29 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Binna Binna Man is a captivating children's book that follows a young Indigenous boy as he journeys back to his family and cultural roots in northern Australia. Accompanied by vivid imagery and storytelling, the book explores themes of identity, belonging, and the importance of understanding one's heritage. It poignantly captures the challenges and joys of reconciling modern life with traditional values.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$1999
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in stories that explore the richness of Aboriginal culture and youth identity. It follows a young boy reconnecting with his heritage and offers a heartfelt perspective on personal growth and family ties within a compelling, culturally rich narrative.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The powerful story of an Aboriginal teenage boy who is caught between the attractions of city life and the ways of his people. After a terrifying encounter with the Binna Binna man he knows what he must do in order to be true to himself.

Winner of Three prizes in the 2000 NSW Premier's Literary Awards:Winner - Ethel Turner Prize for young people's literature, Winner - Ethnic Affairs Commission AwardWinner - Book of the Year TDK Audio Book Award 2000 - winner author/na

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
Shanell says that the Binna Binna Man is a bogeyman the old people made up to scare the kids. Her cousin is not so sure. He has a spirit guide that keeps him strong when he's in danger, so he knows that there's more to the world that Madonna and McDonalds. But when he has to rescue Shanell by himself, at night, in the dark bush, he really hopes the Binna Binna Man is just a story. A stunning portrait of an Aboriginal family living in two worlds. The simple, direct text and haunting pictures illustrate that remembering where you're from is what keeps you going in the right direction.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Binna Binna Man is highly praised for its authentic depiction of Indigenous Australian culture and vivid storytelling. Readers appreciate the blend of oral tradition and contemporary issues, noting that it resonates with both young readers and adults. The book is commended for its emotional depth and ability to engage readers in the protagonist's journey of self-discovery.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781865080710

Publisher: A&U Children's

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 September 1999

Country: Australia

Imprint: A&U Children

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 195.0mm

Weight: 98g

Pages: 96

About the Author

Meme McDonald was a writer and photographer who created books for young people and adults.

Boori Pryor is from North Queensland. His mother's people are Kunggandji and his father is from the Birra-gubba Nation. Boori is a performer, storyteller and writer.

Meme and Boori co-wrote Maybe Tomorrow (Penguin, March 1998) with Margaret Dunkle as consulting editor. The Binna Binna Man (Allen + Unwin 1999) won Book of the Year at the NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2000. Meme and Boori also co-wrote two prize-winning books which have been adapted for theatre. My Girragundji (Allen + Unwin 1998) had two seasons touring nationally with The Bell Shakespeare Company, and Njunjul The Sun (Allen + Unwin 2002) - which received the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction - was adapted by Kooemba Djarra Theatre Company and produced with QPAC in Brisbane.

Boori Monty Pryor was Australia's Children's Laureate in 2012 and 2013.

Also by Boori Monty Pryor

View all
  • Njunjul the Sun
    BOORI MONTY PRYOR: AUSTRALIA'S CHILDREN'S LAUREATE 2012-13 'I'm heading out on m'own, down the highway to the big city. Going south. I lost my taste for knowing the old ways. I'm wanting what's new. What's exciting, what's out there on the other side of town. That's what got me on this bus. I gotta get out, see. This is my...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Maybe Tomorrow
    Boori Monty Pryor's career path has taken him from the Aboriginal fringe camps of his birth to the runway, the catwalk, the basketball court, the DJ console, and now to performance and storytelling around the country. Maybe Tomorrow recounts his journey and the challenge expressed by his brother: "You've got to try and play the whiteman's game and stay black...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • My Girragundji 20th Anniversary Edition
    Boori Monty Pryor: Australia's Children's Laureate 2012-13 'I wake with a start. The doorknob turns. It's him. The Hairyman.' There's a bad spirit in our house. He's as ugly as ugly gets and he stinks. You touch this kind of Hairyman and you lose your voice, or choke to death. It's hard to sleep when a hairy wrinkly old hand...
    Paperback
    $1799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Shake A Leg
    From pizza shop to bora ground, here is a joyous celebration of food, dance and cultural understanding. When three young boys go to a pizza parlour and meet an Aboriginal chef who can speak Italian and make a deadly pizza, they're in for a surprise! Shake A Leg by Jan Ormerod and Boori Monty Pryor captures the excitement and unexpected...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Story Doctors
    BOORI MONTY PRYOR: AUSTRALIA'S CHILDREN'S LAUREATE 2012-13This is a book for everybody. Welcome! Take a seat! And listen carefully, because this story has a heartbeat. Can you feel it, there in your chest?Legendary storyteller Boori Monty Pryor invites us to travel with him from the first footsteps through 80,000+ years of strength, sickness, and immense possibility.From the very first stories...
    Hardback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Also by Meme McDonald

View all
  • Njunjul the Sun
    BOORI MONTY PRYOR: AUSTRALIA'S CHILDREN'S LAUREATE 2012-13 'I'm heading out on m'own, down the highway to the big city. Going south. I lost my taste for knowing the old ways. I'm wanting what's new. What's exciting, what's out there on the other side of town. That's what got me on this bus. I gotta get out, see. This is my...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Maybe Tomorrow
    Boori Monty Pryor's career path has taken him from the Aboriginal fringe camps of his birth to the runway, the catwalk, the basketball court, the DJ console, and now to performance and storytelling around the country. Maybe Tomorrow recounts his journey and the challenge expressed by his brother: "You've got to try and play the whiteman's game and stay black...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • My Girragundji 20th Anniversary Edition
    Boori Monty Pryor: Australia's Children's Laureate 2012-13 'I wake with a start. The doorknob turns. It's him. The Hairyman.' There's a bad spirit in our house. He's as ugly as ugly gets and he stinks. You touch this kind of Hairyman and you lose your voice, or choke to death. It's hard to sleep when a hairy wrinkly old hand...
    Paperback
    $1799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Children's Books

View all
  • New Release
    The Neverfear
    A world of richly-imagined wonder Cressida Cowell It’s the Midsummer Feast on the Islet of Glimt and on this magical moonlit evening, the word on everyone’s lips is bandits. Reports of masked men burning villages are spreading throughout the Archipelago, but worse is still to come: Christopher and Anya are ambushed and one of the people they love most is...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Matihe! Achoo! Matihe! Achoo!
    New Release
    Matihe! Achoo!
    What happens when a grumpy tupua has to sneeze? Matihe! Achoo! is a bilingual story about the tupua Mataoho and his connection to the volcanoes of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. It comes with an action song to engage young readers! He pūrākau e pā ana ki a Mataoho me ngā puia o Takamaki Makaurau. He tupua pukukino a Mataoho e noho...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Pocket Observology
    New Release
    Pocket Observology
    Pocket Observology is a practical field guide designed for those who love to explore and understand the natural world around them. Slip this guide out of your pocket to identify, measure, compare, or find clues to the things you encounter every day in nature. This pocket guide is a useful tool and a fun reminder of how to engage with...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Minecraft Annual 2027
    Pre-order
    New Release
    Minecraft Annual 2027
    The official Minecraft Annual 2027, full of updates, builds, activities, and more! Discover all there is to know about the past year of Minecraft in this exciting annual. Stuffed to the brim with updates, activities, step-by-step builds, and tips and tricks for the game, this book is a must-have for any minecrafter. This year’s annual includes: Mob guides on happy...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Giant Heart
    Meet Jonah Lomu, one of the greatest All Blacks of all time. His speed and strength on the rugby field made him famous around the world, and his fun and generous personality made him beloved, but all the while he faced a big battle with his health. β€œ[David Hill’s] stories are wonderful, full of action and are always teaching the...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Protector of Beyond 1
    New Release
    Protector of Beyond 1
    Experience fierce magical creatures, perilous trials, and a heroine to root for in this 1st instalment in a new blockbuster fantasy series. The moment you enter the Arbiter, your fate is sealed. If you spark, you fight! And 12-year-old Elder Triss produces a spark like no other. Transported to the mysterious Beyond, Elder has no choice but to train for...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Animalia 40th Anniversary Edition
    A beautiful, foiled collector's edition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Graeme Base's classic and bestselling Australian picture book, Animalia. Embark on a fantastical alphabetic adventure where each turn of the page unveils a rich tapestry of intricate illustrations tied to a unique letter of the alphabet. More than 5 million copies sold worldwide Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA)...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Little Kiwi Builder
    New Release
    The Little Kiwi Builder
    Oh no, the little kiwi builder's house is falling down! His screws have all come loose - what can he do? When the brickie, the plumber, the roofer, the sparky and the painter all come to help, it's looking good! Until, that night ... uh-oh! Perfect for: Anyone who likes fun and silly rhyming stories Reading aloud with little ones...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Elsewhere:
    $2199
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • You Choose Party Time You Choose Party Time
    New Release
    You Choose Party Time
    It's time to celebrate - Party Time is a brand new You Choose adventure! It's Party Time and you choose what happens! What kind of party will it be? Who will you invite? Which cake would you like to eat? Will you dance to a steel pan band or bagpipes? The possibilities are endless in this magical storytelling toolkit which...
    Hardback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $3400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    When Nature Calls (Duck #2)
    New in 2026, the latest story from Duck, the quirky new children's series by million-copy bestselling author Matt Stanton. Do you ever wonder what animals think about humans? Do they feel they could do a better job running things? Would they ever try and take over? Duck, Mouse and Dog are alarmed that the adults in Redhill are being brainwashed...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Case of the Viral Video: Violet and the Velvets 3
    Violet and the Velvets can hardly believe they've come so far in the BandChamps competition with only hard work, a smidge of talent, and a whole lot of thinking outside the box. This time, they get to record their new song in a proper recording studio and star in their very own music video! But Violet is letting her perfectionism...
    Paperback
    $1600
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Royalslinger
    K Pop Demon Hunters fans will love this! Graci Kim is back with the second book in her exciting and fantastical Slinger series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life. Praise forΒ Dreamslinger: β€œA mind-blowingly original fantasy adventureβ€”Graci Kim has done it again!”—Rick Riordan,Β New York TimesΒ #1...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.