Robbie the Red Rubber Boot – Teaching Kids to Care for Country

Robbie the Red Rubber Boot is a story for kids, but like all of Uncle Ken Jones’ work, it carries wisdom for all ages. With gentle humour, vivid imagery, and an eye for detail, the book introduces young readers to big ideas: caring for Country, paying attention to the world around them, and recognising that even small things have a place, a journey, and a story.

Written for early to mid-primary students, Robbie the Red Rubber Boot follows the journey of a bright red gumboot that becomes separated from its owner. What follows is a charming and insightful adventure as Robbie is carried across different parts of Boandik Country, from coastal cliffs to bushland and muddy flats. Along the way, Robbie encounters animals, wind, rain, salt, plants, and sun, each interaction revealing something about the land and the natural systems that sustain life.

But the story isn’t just about a lost boot. It’s about resilience, belonging, and observation. Robbie doesn’t just get carried through the landscape, he experiences it. He’s tossed by the wind, warmed by sunlight, splashed by the tide, and pressed into sand. Every detail matters, and every element of the land becomes a teacher.

For Uncle Ken, this story mirrors how he teaches in real life, not from a classroom podium, but by walking with students through forests, beaches, and wetlands. In the same way, Robbie invites young readers on a slower journey, one shaped by curiosity, attention, and a deepening respect for place.

The book is written in a rhythmic, child-friendly tone that’s ideal for reading aloud at home or in the classroom. Its themes of movement, connection, and adaptation also make it a useful teaching tool. Robbie the Red Rubber Boot can easily launch discussions about topics such as sustainability, the changing seasons, weather patterns, and the importance of looking after the places we live.

Teachers and parents will also appreciate how seamlessly the book ties into the Australian Curriculum. It supports learning areas such as Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Geography, and English, while embedding First Nations perspectives in a way that is authentic, engaging, and easy to understand.

Importantly, Robbie the Red Rubber Boot is part of a growing but still limited pool of children’s books written by Aboriginal Elders. Uncle Ken’s voice brings authority and cultural grounding to the story. His use of language, setting, and tone ensures that Boandik knowledge is not only preserved but made available to a new generation of readers, many of whom may never have set foot on the Limestone Coast.

Through books like Robbie, Uncle Ken continues his mission of keeping Country alive — not just in the land, but in the minds of the children who will one day inherit it.

Purchase or view the book here: Robbie the Red Rubber Boot – Network Educational Australia