AustLit

'Tales from the Bush Mob is a series of books about the Bush Mob, a group of animals who work together to solve problems. Each book shares a rich landscape of characters and places, including Lofty the emu, Willy-willy Wagtail, Eagle, Sugar Glider, Bat, Platypus, Koala, Wombat, Kookaburra, Echidna, Kangaroo. These stories emphasise the value of respect for First Nations culture and country, as well as the importance of courage, perseverance and wisdom to bind communities together.

'The Sweetest Egg of All is the third book in the series, and follows Gecko, Thorny Devil and Scrubby Python, who admire Bungarra and want to find a special birthday present for their friend. When they hear from King George Brown (KGB) that Willy-Wagtail’s egg is the sweetest egg of all, they hatch a plan to steal an egg for Bungarra’s birthday. But KGB and King Toad have different plans for the sweetest egg of all and now Dingo and the Bush Mob go into action to save Willy Wagtail’s egg.

'Filled with gorgeous illustrations and exciting tales, this will be a popular book for the whole family.' (Publication summary)

'This is Me! by Sally Morgan is a beautiful board book about self-acceptance that all parents, carers, grandparents and families will love to read to their babies, toddlers, forever children (that have been chosen) and to all children full of personality and sass. This simple, elegant book about unconditional love is the perfect way to reinforce to all children that they are unique, important and special just the way they are. 

'Sally Morgan's colourful pastel palette and sensitive artwork shows love in all its forms. The gentle text echoes the deep beauty of loving another and each page is encouragement for a child to say something that they love about themselves. Full of unconditional affection that will stand the test of time, this book is the perfect gift for all families, in all their forms and will be an absolute joy to read over and over again.' (Publication summary)

'In the Aboriginal missions of far northern Australia, it was a battle between saving souls and saving traditional culture.

'Every Secret Thing is a rough, tough, hilarious portrayal of the Bush Mob and the Mission Mob, and the hapless clergy trying to convert them. In these tales, everyone is fair game.

'At once playful and sharp, Marie Munkara's wonderfully original stories cast a taunting new light on the mission era in Australia.' (From the publisher's website.)

'When we share, there is plenty for all.

'A tender, thoughtful story with a gentle reminder of all the ways sharing makes us stronger.

'Sharing is book three in the award-winning Our Place series (Respect 2020, Family 2020) that introduces children to First Nations philosophies that are dear to Aunty Fay’s heart. Each book is a powerful educational tool, with exquisite illustrations.

'Written with tenderness and clarity, Sharing is illustrated by award-winning creator Leanne Mulgo Watson (Cooee Mittigar 2019).'

'Kalyakoorl, ngalak warangka, (Forever, we sing), is a celebration of rare Noongar language, and the things we share as community. Over many years, Noongar language has been reduced to a whisper, there are currently less than 400 fluent speakers.

'The collection of songs in this book represent the first two albums Gina and Guy have released — Kalyakoorl (Forever) and Bindi Bindi (The Butterfly). And just like their music, this anthology is informed by the four principles of Koort (Heart), Moort (Family and Community), Boodja (Land) and Koorlangka (Children and Legacy).

'It is their hope that, through this collection of reduced scores and song sheets, Gina and Guy's music will continue to be seen in new and interesting ways, and shared through schools, choirs and community groups.'(Publication summary)

'Way back, before Once-upon-a-time time, there was the Dreamtime, and during this period lived a very confident emu called Dinewah. He was tall, fast and colourful. Most animals thought he was a show-off, but he was too busy talking about himself to take any notice…

'Dinewah was determined to run and fly the furthest and the fastest. He even tried to fly to the Sun, but he never made it.

'Today, he is still up there in Father Sky. If you look carefully on dark nights, when the Moon isn’t very bright, you can see the Awesome Emu. Many people know him as the Milky Way. We still know it as Djiraboo Dinewah – Awesome Emu.

'This is the fourth book in Gregg Dreise’s award-winning children’s picture book series that includes Silly Birds and Kookoo Kookaburra. Filled with his well-loved colourful paintings and told with heart and humour, Awesome Emu will be a family favourite.' (Publication summary)

'Award-winning artist Vincent Namatjira tells the life story of his great-grandfather, Albert Namatjira, one of Australia’s most iconic artists.

'Vincent’s witty and moving paintings are accompanied by evocative text, which records the pivotal moments in Albert’s life. In telling his great-grandfather’s story, Vincent builds a compelling picture of the times and conditions in which Albert lived and worked, capturing his triumphs and tragedy against a backdrop of social change and historical injustices.

'This poignant children’s book provides an important tool for discussion about Australia’s art history, and a launching pad for exploration of the key moments in Australia’s Aboriginal Rights movement.

'Albert Namatjira is a unique children’s picture book of both artistic beauty and historical importance, and will appeal to children, art collectors and those looking for a special gift.

'The artwork in this book is part of a body of work called ‘Albert’s Story’ that was acquired by QAGOMA - Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art.' (Publication summary)

'Another simple, universal story from Sally Morgan – this time a beautifully illustrated celebration of the life of the river. The River takes the reader on a journey of what their eyes can see and their ears can hear. See green ants crawling, hear frogs croaking, a goanna running, a fish splashing... Sally Morgan’s beautiful words and Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr’s sensitive artwork combine to make this a unique, distinctive children’s picture book with global appeal. Johnny infuses his illustrations with his fine-art aesthetic and his traditional motifs to bring each page to vivid life.' (Publication summary)

'In this delightful children’s picture book, Aunty Patsy Cameron generously shares the stories and traditions from her family’s seasonal island life in Tasmania. With evocative text and stunning illustrations, Sea Country lets the reader know when to pick ripe wild cherries, when the moon (mutton) birds fly home and how the nautilus shells smell like the deepest oceans.

'Aunty Patsy Cameron, who is a descendant of the Pairebeenne Trawlwoolway clan in Tasmania, weaves a cultural homage to life on Flinder’s Island, with stories of collecting shells, fishing in wooden dinghies with long oars, and watching clouds snake their way down Mt Munro. Alongside this tender story, Lisa Kennedy reveals the love and connection to sea and Country through her intricate collages and delicate illustrations that sing country alive.' (Publication summary)

'Kunyi June Anne McInerney was just four years old when she and of her siblings were taken from their family to the Oodnadatta Children’s Home in South Australia in the 1960s.

'Through an extraordinary collection of over 60 paintings, accompanied by stories, Kunyi presents a rare chronicle of what life was like for her and the other Children’s Home kids who became her family.

'Her paintings are a healing trove of memories that reveal the loneliness, fear and courage of the Stolen Generation children who were torn from family and loved ones. From bible lessons to sucking bone marrow and collecting bush fruits, the escapades, adventures and sorrows of the children are painted with warmth, humour and unflinching honesty.

'Kunyi’s story is one of healing and reconciliation. She is telling it so that the lives of the children at Oodnadatta Children’s Home will not be forgotten. This is a collection of tender and honest stories that will educate children on our nation’s history and remind adult readers of the real impact of the Stolen Generations.' (Publication summary)

'This extraordinary and heartfelt story chronicles the lives of the Rodriguez family of Debesa Station in the West Kimberley; their livelihood through difficult times, love of family, place and culture, and the challenges of day-to-day living on a small sheep station amid huge pastoral properties.

'Spanning four generations from the 1880s when the author’s maternal great-grandfather, Indian deckhand, Jimmy Casim, met and lived with Nigena woman, Lucy Muninga on Yeeda Station near Derby, Debesa centres on the unlikely partnership of Cindy’s parents: Frank Rodriguez, once a Benedictine novice monk from Spain, and Katie Fraser, who had been a novitiate in a very different sort of abbey – a convent for ‘black’ women at Beagle Bay Mission, 130 kilometres north of Broome.

'Together, Frank and Katie Rodriguez established Debesa, where Cindy and her three siblings grew up with the rich cultural heritage of their Spanish, Nigena and English ancestors.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Bill Dempsey is a humble achiever. He is known primarily as a champion footballer with West Perth and the Darwin Buffaloes. A premiership captain who played over 400 games in 20 seasons in Perth and the Northern Territory, and a member of the AFL’s Indigenous Team of the Century, his record and his achievements compare with the very best. He is revered as a true legend at West Perth.

'Bill has led a remarkable life. Born in the shadow of Japanese bombing raids in 1942. Forcibly removed from his mother after the death of his father and baby sister, he was a stolen child who never lost contact with his family and found a second family amongst his fellow inmates at the Retta Dixon Home. Brought to Perth at the age of seventeen as a ‘spare wheel’ to his mate Jim Anderson, he stayed on to become a football champion and a trailblazer as an Aboriginal entrepreneur throughout the 80s. In The Boy from Birdum, Bill tells his story frankly, courageously, and with the charismatic flair of a natural-born yarn spinner.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Tales from the Bush Mob is a series of books about the Bush Mob, a group of animals who work together to solve problems. The first in the series Willy-willy Wagtail, introduced Willy Wagtail and Gusto the Wind, who save the animals from a bushfire. Each book shares a rich landscape of characters and places, including Lofty the emu, Eagle, Sugar Glider, Bat, Platypus, Koala, Wombat, Kookaburra, Echidna, Kangaroo. These stories emphasise the value of respect for First Nations culture and country, as well as the importance of courage, perseverance and wisdom to bind communities together.'

The Emu Who Ran Through the Sky is the second book in the series. Lofty, a young emu desperately wants to win a big emu race, but he is slow and clumsy – and his first race ends in disaster! But, Lofty realises there is another way to win the race. He enlists the help of his Bush Mob friends Eagle, Sugar Glider and Bat – who are all excellent fliers – to teach him to fly. But it is Bush Mob’s inventor, Platypus, who designs the Feathery Paraglider that allows Lofty to win the day!  (Publication summary)

'Homecoming pieces together fragments of stories about four generations of Noongar women and explores how they navigated the changing landscapes of colonisation, protectionism, and assimilation to hold their families together.

'This seminal collection of poetry, prose and historical colonial archives, tells First Nations truths of unending love for children—those that were present, those taken, those hidden and those that ultimately stood in the light.

'Homecoming speaks to the intergenerational dialogue about Country, kin and culture. This elegant and extraordinary form of restorative story work amplifies Aboriginal women’s voices, and enables four generations of women to speak for themselves. This sublime debut highlights the tenacity of family as well as First Nation’s agency to resist, survive and renew.

'Elfie Shiosaki has restored humanity and power to her family in this beautifully articulated collection and has given voice to those silenced by our brutal past.' (Publication summary)

''I stood at the school gates with nothing but the clothes on my back. I had no money, no family, no home - nothing to show for the past 16 years except my cheap cardboard suitcase and a reasonable grasp of reading, writing and arithmetic ... I didn't know what I was going to do next, but I knew that whatever it would be, it would be on my own terms.' - Prologue, Two Cultures, One Story

'Dr Robert Francis Isaacs AM, OAM, PhD (Hon) has spent his life bridging the divide between white and black Australia. Taken from his mother as a baby, Robert was raised in institutions not knowing he had a family and not knowing he was Aboriginal.

'Enduring severe hardship, discipline and abuse at the hands of the Christian Brothers, Robert went out into the world at the age of 16 determined to make a life for himself and a family of his own.

'A chance encounter with a member of his extended family would help shape the rest of his life. Determined to both embrace his culture and build on his faith and education, Robert immersed himself in the world of Aboriginal health and housing, proving to be a straight-talking, deft political negotiator who can achieve real outcomes for Aboriginal people. Over the decades, Robert brings his considerable interpersonal skills to bear in the areas of alcohol and drug abuse, employment, relations with the police, the justice system and education.

'Told with grace and strength, this memoir shares the inside story of a respected Elder and his drive to break down cultural barriers and improve the lives of his people.' (Publication summary)

'In this unique and highly entertaining autobiography, Alf Taylor chronicles his life growing up in the infamous New Norcia Mission, north of Perth in the fifties and sixties. 

'At once darkly humorous and achingly tragic, God, The Devil and Me tells of the life and desperation of the young children forced into the care of the Spanish Nuns and Brothers who ran the Mission. Their lives made up of varying degrees of cruelty and punishments, these children were the 'little black devils' that God and religion forgot. Written with an acerbic and brutal wit, Alf intersperses dark childhood memories with a Monty Pythonesque retelling of the Bible, in which Peter is an alcoholic and Judas is a good guy.

'As a child, underfed, poorly clothed and missing his family, Alf sought refuge in the library in the company of Shakespeare and Michelangelo. He writes with joy about the camaraderie of the boys, their love of sport and their own company, but also notes that many descended into despair upon leaving. Most died early. Alf Taylor is one of the 'lucky ones'.

''At once horrific and hilarious, this "little black devil" has created a work unique not just in Aboriginal writing, but in Australian literature altogether.' — Dennis Haskell, Australian poet, critic and academic'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Billie wants the blue bike and she asks her Mum to buy it for her - but her Mum has no money to spend on a bike. She asks Uncle Jack and he won't give her the money either, but he will help her save up to buy the bike herself. She can work for him for $10 per week for 10 weeks to save the $100 for the bike. But Billie is impatient, and she tries washing cars and even enters her dog Spike in a dog contest - neither of which works out. She eventually she goes back to Uncle Jack and saves the money in 10 weeks - and she is able to purchase the bike!

'Billie and the Blue Bike is a fun and engaging way to introduce young children to financial literacy knowledge, and is written for Indigenous children in particular. This brightly illustrated and instructive picture book, written and illustrated by the award-winning Ambelin Kwaymullina, has been designed to include financial literacy learning relevant to students at a Year 2 level. 

'Billie and the Blue Bike references the National Consumer Financial Literacy Framework, which sets out three dimensions of learning that underpin consumer and financial education: knowledge and understanding; competence; and responsibility and enterprise. Teachers and parents can use the book as a resource to help children understand core financial literacy matters through storytelling.'

Source : publication summary

'This stunning book is a biography and a generous sharing of Yorna’s Culture and traditional beliefs. Explore the meaning of Country, Lalai (‘Creation’), Wandjina, Woongudd (the ‘Snake’), in the author’s Country in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Full of extraordinary images of the landscape, rock art, stone arrangements and the artist’s paintings, Yornadaiyn Woolagoodja is a feast for anyone interested in this rich Cultural heritage. Special feature boxes on Joonba (‘Corroborree’), Native Title, Permisson and Respect, Sugarbag, Ancestors’ Bones, Collecting Turtle and many more.' (Publication summary)

'Told in English and Gija, this is the story of Shirley Purdie, famous Gija artist, as told through her paintings, as part of the Ngaalim-Ngalimboorro Ngagenybe exhibition created for the 2018 National Portrait Gallery exhibition So Fine: Contemporary women artists make Australian history. The exhibition will be rehung, in Gallery 1, to coincide with the launch of My Story, along with a series of cultural engagement activities based on My Story.

'This is the first book in the Kimberley Art Centre Series. The series focuses on developing the skills of Kimberley Aboriginal artists in children’s picture book storytelling and illustration.' (Publication summary)