160,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ 

Late Night Thursday! Our Hobsonville Bookstore is open until 9pm tonight! ✨

Dirt by Sea

4.57 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 56 ratings, 12 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
Dirt by Sea is a whimsical children's story that takes its readers on an adventurous journey across Australia's coastline. The book features lovable characters who embark on a road trip to discover the beauty and wonders of the sea, meeting unique creatures and encountering engaging challenges along the way. The journey is filled with humour and discovery, making it a delightful read for young audiences.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$3000
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 children's book if you love adventure-filled stories packed with humour and heart. Perfect for young readers, it follows an exciting journey that combines fun, friendship, and exploration, capturing the spirit of discovery in a delightful way.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

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

Explore our wonderful coastline and the joy of a family road-trip with Dad and Daisy! Along the way, they will discover all about Australia and much, much more.

Daisy lives in inland Australia with her dad and her grandparents, loving the red dirt land around her. But when her dad realises she's never seen the beach, they set off on a trip you won't want to miss.

A once-in-a-lifetime father-daughter trip along the Australian coast that was inspired by the first holiday Daisy's dad took with her mum. With a journey map in the endpapers, you or your young ones could even start planning your own Aussie adventure.

For Little Adventurers - What They Will Learn:

  • An appreciation for the diverse Australian landscape
  • The value of quality family time
  • The joy of discovering new places
  • Emotional growth through a gentle exploration of loss

A Keepsake for All Seasons

Dive into a modern classic with this visually captivating picture book, featuring 40 pages of extraordinary comic-style illustrations. This visual feast perfectly complements the heartwarming, uniquely Australian narrative, engaging both kids and adults.

Ideal for young minds from early childhood to middle primary, it offers an emotionally rich story that nurtures growth. This picture book is a perfect keepsake, equally delightful under a Christmas tree or as a summer day companion, making it a treasured addition to any collection.

"Vibrant and engaging..." BOOKSELLER AND PUBLISHER

"Destined to become a classic." GLAMADELAIDE

"A most appealing graphic novel in picture book form..." PAPERBARK WORDS

"An entertaining story with thoughtfulness, depth, and lots of fun to be had." MAGPIES

"Engaging dialogues and witty illustrations..." INTERNATIONAL YOUTH LIBRARY

"A book that will bear repeated readings." READPLUS

"It's the new Possum Magic or Wombat Stew." ONE MORE PAGE

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?

Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner is a children's book that has been well received for its engaging storytelling and vivid illustrations. Readers have praised it for its humour, heart, and the delightful journey it takes young readers on, capturing their imagination and affections. The characters are endearing, with a narrative that provides both excitement and insightful themes suitable for its young audience.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760894061

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 20 September 2022

Country: Australia

Imprint: Penguin Random House Australia

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Width: 235.0mm

Height: 320.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 40

About the Author

Michael Wagner (Author) Michael Wagner is a children's author, speaker and storyteller. He writes for early childhood and for older children, and runs the publishing venture Billy Goat Books. Some of his most-loved picture books include Why I Love Footy, Why I love Summer and Dirt by Sea illustrated by Tom Jellett. Prior to becoming a children's author, Michael played in a band that almost became famous, spent ten years working as a radio broadcaster with the ABC, wrote and produced award-winning animation for television, and wrote and performed comedy. Tom Jellett (Illustrator) Tom Jellett is an Australian book and editorial illustrator based in Sydney. Some of his work includes the Sporty Kids and The Besties series written by Felice Arena, Grandpa's Big Adventure and Grandpa's Space Adventure written by Paul Newman, his picture books with Justine Clarke and Arthur Baysting, The Gobbledygook is Eating a Book and The Gobbledygook and the Scribbledynoodle, and his acclaimed picture books with Michael Wagner Why I Love Footy, Why I Love Summer and Dirt by Sea. His work can also be seen in a number of magazines and newspapers.

Also by Michael Wagner

View all
  • Bowled Over (Nice Garry, #1)
    Inspired by the talent and passion Australian Test cricketing great Nathan Lyon has for the game, this is the story of an ordinary kid with an extraordinary gift. Nice one, Garry! Ten-year-old Garry Keenan is about to discover he has a special cricketing ability, which is a dream come true, right? Well, it is, except that sometimes being first rate...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • In a Spin (Nice Garry, #2)
    Inspired by the talent and passion Australian Test cricketing great Nathan Lyon has for the game, this is the story of an ordinary kid with an extraordinary gift. In a Spin (Nice Garry, #2) follows Garry Keenan, the most exciting new cricketer to play for the Youngstown Under-16s in years. But can a talented ten-year-old off-spinner help his team take...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Best (Worst) Farmer Ever
    Pat Cummins presents a joyful picture book for ages 3+ about the loving relationship between a dad and his child, based on Pat's farm, where the animals are treated like pets. The cows have broken the fence!The sheep are acting funny!There's a boat that has to be put into a tree!And someone really must stop the birds from eating all...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Why I Love Christmas
    Do you know what the best time of the year is? I do. It's easy. CHRISTMAS! I love it so much. And here's why. From fake snow in the heat of summer to cute kids busking carols, from late night drives to see the lights to dogs wearing reindeer antlers - an Australian Christmas is unique. In this book Christmas...
    Hardback
    $2400
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Why I Love Summer
    There are four seasons in a year, and they're all awesome, but only one of them gets to be summer! An ode to a uniquely Australian experience and the joy of family and friends. Sunny days, weekends at the pool, games in the backyard, daylight until late and long, lovely holidays . . . that's summer, the best season ever....
    Hardback
    $2400
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Why I Love Footy
    A perfect picture book for families and footy fans of all colours. PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR NOTABLE TITLE, CBCA 2016 There are a bazillion reasons to love footy! These are just my biggest ones... There's the big tackles and amazing marks. There's wearing the scarf and singing the song. But whether your team wins or loses, from the opening...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Children's Books

View all
  • New Release
    Gruffalo Granny
    The brand new Gruffalo picture book from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The Gruffalo said to his daughter one day, "Your Gruffalo Granny is coming to stay." Return to the deep dark wood with the first new Gruffalo story in over 20 years, and meet Gruffalo Granny as she visits the Gruffalo family. This fresh and exciting new Gruffalo adventure...
    Hardback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Sprinkle in Time: A Graphic Novel (Dog Man #15)
    New Release
    A Sprinkle in Time: A Graphic Novel (Dog Man #15)
    In the newest saga, our anti-hero, Grandpa, alters the fabric of time and space. Is his evil the necessary soil for Dog Man and friends to grow and bloom? Can we all step up to be the change? It's the saga of the centuryβ€”Dog Man: A Sprinkle in Time!
    Hardback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Fight or Flight: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (21)
    When the going gets tough, what’s a wimpy kid to do? InΒ Fight or Flight, Greg Heffley faces his biggest challenge yet as he becomes a target for the school bully. Luckily for Greg, his best friend, Rowley Jefferson, takes karate, so at least Greg’s got someone in his corner. But an unexpected twist makes Greg realize he’s facing an uphill...
    Paperback
    $1699
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Detective Beans Colouring Club
    New Release
    Detective Beans Colouring Club
    Help Detective Beans solve the case of the missing colours! Join the Colouring Club now! Join the Detective Beans Colouring Club! Inside you'll find 40 removable colouring pages featuring scenes from all over Cat Town. Filled with all the characters you know and love from the Detective Beans graphic novels like Biscuits, Beans' mum, Mr Brickle, Bear, Detective Baby Bird...
    By Li Chen
    Paperback
    $1799
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Sixth Faction
    Beatrice Prior stands on the brink of a decision every person in her world must make: five factions, five futures, five lives. She has a plan: she's going to make the bravest choice, and leave Abnegation behind to join Dauntless, even though it means leaving her family behind. But when tragedy strikes at her Choosing Ceremony, everything changesβ€”her world, her...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3499
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Naturals: Dangerous Impulses Book 5
    The Naturals are BACK! No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers the highly anticipated new installment in her beloved Naturals Series. Cassie Hobbes joined the FBI's Naturals program at seventeen because she had an incredible ability to read people. Since then, Cassie, fellow profiler Dean, emotion‐reader Michael, lie‐detector Lia, and statistical genius Sloane have caught serial...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    All of Us
    A new heart-wrenching, well-researched historical novel for middle-grade readers. 'The weirdest thing,' continues Tove, 'is that I don't feel any different to the rest of you.' 'That's because you're not!' snaps Birgitte. 'You're Danish.' 'So why do the Nazis hate me and not you?' When twelve-year-old Viggo and his friends Finn, Tove, Birgitte and Konrad start writing rude letters to...
    Hardback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Star Path
    New Release
    The Star Path
    A young whale searches for the whale rider's heir and a teenager takes an epic voyage to Antarctica with a fleet of waka hourua to claim his lost inheritance, in this breathtaking return to the world of global hit The Whale Rider, over thirty years on. From the internationally acclaimed author of The Whale Rider comes a novel about the...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Wahine
    New Release
    Wahine
    From a majestic mermaid to a clay woman, the creator of glaciers to the mother of gardening, discover powerful wahine and how their stories shaped the world around us. Wahine introduces readers to twelve purakau of brave, bold, and inspiring women of Aotearoa. A beautifully illustrated collection that will delight the whole whanau, from award-winning illustrator Isobel Joy Te Aho-White....
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Lottie Brooks’s Twelve Disasters of Christmas
    From hilarious MEGA bestselling author, Katie Kirby, comes a new story collection from the world of Lottie Brooks! But this time... it's not about Lottie! From hilarious MEGA bestselling author, Katie Kirby, comes a new story collection from the world of Lottie Brooks! And it's CHRISTMAS! In The Completely Chaotic Christmas of Lottie Brooks we spent the holiday season with...
    Paperback
    $1799
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • 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 tomorrow
  • The Sweet As Looky Book
    New Release
    The Sweet As Looky Book
    Can you find all the chocolate fish? Is it possible for kiwi to fly? Can you spot the difference? See Aotearoa New Zealand through the eyes of award-winning artist Donovan Bixley in The Sweet As Looky Book. Use your finest skills to seek out pirates in the Bay of Islands and birds in Rakiura Stewart Island. Get in a car...
    Hardback
    $2299
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

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 160,000 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.