The Book Garden is proudly Australian owned and currently celebrating 30 years. We are part of the American Bookstore. We have a physical location in both Sydney and Brisbane.

Our Story

A momentous event took place in a Sydney garage on September 14th 1980.

Encouraged by our father (bookseller Maurice Zavelsky), we (Deborah and Carmel) began The Book Garden.

We started the business with a tiny budget, a small range of stock and two cars. We split Sydney into two sales areas and began visiting schools and childcare centres with boxes of books for sale.

After the death of Maurice in July 1981, Deb moved to Brisbane. It was here that The Book Garden put down roots inside American Bookstore.

Even to this day, Maurice's wife Bertha is the head (and heart) of the American Bookstore and Deb's brother Phillip is the General Manager. From these bookselling traditions, The Book Garden has grown from strength to strength.

Carmel manages The Book Garden in Sydney. Customers who receive our yearly paper catalogue hold in their hands the end result of Carmel's painstaking work. Carmel is also a partner in Pademelon Press with her husband, Rodney. Pademelon Press is Australia's only specialist publisher and distributor of early childhood teacher resource and reference books. The Book Garden now directly employs 6 people and continues to grow each year.

Throughout our years of business we have met many wonderful customers - a source of constant inspiration and innovation for us. Thank you for your feedback and support over the years. We welcome customers old and new alike to our website and hope that you will enjoy spending time with us. Our website adds a new chapter to The Book Garden story and it is one that we look forward to sharing with you.

From all of us at The Book Garden

Happy Reading!

The Book Garden

John

Brisbane

John has worked as a sales representative for The Book Garden since January 1994. His job involves a lot of travel as he journeys to schools visiting librarians with the latest and greatest in educational resources. John is a long serving member of the Children’s Book Council Australia. In his leisure time, John enjoys the performing arts and watching cricket. His favourite book is The Very Long Nose of Jonathan Jones.

Deb

Brisbane

Deb manages The Book Garden (Brisbane store) and has many years of experience as a specialist Early Childhood bookseller. Her interests include travelling, reading and she has a passion for teddy bear collecting which borders on obsession!

Douglas

Brisbane

Douglas has been a member of The Book Garden team since 2000. He is the Early Childhood sales representative who spends a lot of his time travelling all over the state. Well known for his distinctive voice, Douglas' favourite book is Princess Max. He enjoys spending time with his family and looking dapper.

Carmel

Sydney

Carmel manages The Book Garden Sydney store. She has a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and more than thirty years experience in the book business. Sometimes wearing two hats, as she is a partner in the publishing company Pademelon Press, can be extremely interesting and challenging. Attending conferences all over Australia and many involving travel overseas, makes life very busy and fulfilling. Other interests, when there is time, are reading, playing bridge, bushwalking, and travelling.

Judy

Sydney

Judy has a Certificate three in Early Childhood and has worked for a number of years in long day care. She has been with the Book Garden since February 2008 and is a ‘Jill of all trades’. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, gardening, cooking, movies and travel. Her favourite children’s book is ‘Diary of a Wombat’ by Jackie French.

Sue

Sydney

Sue has worked as office manager for Pademelon Press as well as helping out with The Book Garden in Sydney since July 2005. She has a Diploma in General Education and taught in NSW Public Schools for many years, then helped to manage a family business. Sue and Carmel work together to create The Book Garden catalogues twice a year. She enjoys spending time with her family including her three grandchildren.

MaryEllen

Sydney

MaryEllen started working for The Book Garden Sydney in 2002 as the NSW sales representative. She has a Bachelor of Teaching Early Childhood and is currently studying for her Bachelor of Education as well as lecturing part time at Miller TAFE. She attends conferences all over Australia as well as travelling far and wide in NSW. She enjoys spending any free time with her family and friends.

Tim

Sydney

Tim works for Pademelon Press and does all the packing and unpacking for The Book Garden as well as handling IT for the Sydney store. His previous career was as an electrical engineer and he works part time teaching guitar to children. He is enjoying the challenge of being a father to his daughter Medina, and considers himself extremely blessed to be developing as a parent with so many wise people in the field on hand.