October 2011 Update
Over the years a large number of books have been published about the Indigenous peoples of Australia. Many of these now seem very outdated in their attitudes. This is a list of the personal recommendations of Mandy Clarke and Kate Shepherd; most are fairly recent and many of them are written by Indigenous Australians, giving us insights into their culture and thoughts not previously possible. We shall continually update the list, but contact us if you would like more suggestions in any particular areas. It is great to see that so many older books have now been reprinted. (Titles reviewed by Mandy are marked MC.)
The books listed are for primary and secondary levels. Please take the recommended age levels as a rough guide. Titles newly included in this list are marked •
Please Note All prices are in Australian dollars and include the 10% GST tax. However this GST does not apply to exports from Australia.
If you would like to order any of the books listed, send orders to Austral Ed by mail or fax or email austral@gleebooks.com.au Payment can be made by direct bank transfer or bank cheques in Australian dollars or by Credit card, especially for private purchases. Freight is sent by the most economical method within Australia or overseas, depending on urgency.
Recommended by Kate Shepherd and Mandy Clarke
Picture Books
Ian Abdulla
As I Grew Older pb 9781862911833 $16.99 (reprinted June 2011)
Through his own paintings and text, Ian Abdulla gives a vivid picture of an Aboriginal family living on the River Murray in the 1950s. Times were tough and the children got extra money by bringing home sheep’s heads from the slaughterhouse, but there was also a lot of fun shown when they went to a rodeo, caught Murray cod and other bush tucker. His naïve-style paintings capture the life of those times and also the beauty of the River Murray. (7 years up)
Jeanie Adams
Pigs and Honey pb 9781862910508 $10.99
When an Aboriginal family decides to go bush for a day or two, they hunt wild pigs and other bush food. At night they eat roast pig and listen to stories. The story is told and illustrated by Jeanie Adams, with the help of the Aurukun community in the far north of Australia on Cape York Peninsula. (6 - 9 years)
• Why I Love Australia by Bronwyn Bancroft hardback 9781921541780 $24.95
Indigenous author and artist Bronwyn Bancroft celebrates the wonderfully varied Australian landscape in her bold and distinctive style, accompanied by minimal poetic text. We travel from coral reefs to waves pounding beaches, the lights of the city to the star-filled desert sky, through plummeting gorges and craggy snowy mountains, over crusted salt pans and the roofs of suburban homes. On every page an Aboriginal Elder with a smoking coolamon (wooden bowl) is the host to each of the landscapes depicted. We learn about the smoking ceremony at the end of the book. (4 - 6 years). MC
Albert Barunga, transcription by Stephen Muecke, illustrations by Julie Dowling
About this little Devil and this little Fella pb 9781875641420 $14.95
This deliciously scary story was one of many stories told by Albert Barunga and recorded and transcribed by Stephen Muecke. The result is a wonderfully exuberant, rhythmic, traditional story which just has to be read aloud, with actions if possible. (6 – 8 years)
Joanne Crawford
A Home for Bilby illustrated by Grace Fielding pb 9781875641918 $18.95
This engaging story takes us through various habitats for animals in the Australian outback as Kangaroo, Wombat, Koala and Emu look for a new home for their new friend Bilby. Beautiful illustrations in a traditional Aboriginal style. (4 – 8 years)
Kylie Dunstan
Collecting Colour hardback 9780734410221 $28.99 pb 9780734411181 $16.99
This is a wonderfully vibrant book. Rose lives in the Top End in the Northern Territory. One day she goes with her best friend Olive, Olive’s mother, Karrang, and Olive’s aunty to collect pandanus leaves, stringy bark and colour for dyeing to make beautiful-coloured baskets, mats and bags from the leaves in the traditional way of the Indigenous peoples. It’s a day when the girls learn so much about the intricacies of collecting the right pandanus leaves and how to find the pink berries and the yellow roots for the colour. It is a complicated and skilled process, but there is so much sharing and warmth as they do their collecting, and this continues as they sit for days under the banyan tree making their colourful baskets and weavings. The illustrations are strongly influenced by Aboriginal art but they are also strikingly original, especially in the design of the colourful pages and the use of collage. The text is simple but also very informative. (6 – 13 years)
Gracie Greene
Tjarany/Roughtail (and Joe Tramacchi and Lucille Gill) pb 9781875641307 $22.95
Another beautiful and innovative book from the publisher Magabala in Broome, West Australia. Ostensibly it's a picture book, but it also combines traditional stories and stunning art in the traditional style with information on Aboriginal culture and language. Winner of numerous awards, it is a book for all ages.
Andy Griffiths (edited by)
• The Naked Boy and the Crocodile: Stories from remote Indigenous communities pb 9781742610573 $16.99
This book is the result of visits to remote communities by Andy Griffiths and other members of the Australian Book Industry supporting the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. These are stories written and illustrated by the students, describing their activities such as playing with friends, riding motorbikes, hunting for emu eggs and wild pigs, playing football, collecting berries, and a story about a crocodile with a preference for eating naked people. The books were produced in sessions of 90 minutes or less by students for whom English is often a second or third language. All proceeds go the Indigenous Literacy Fund, which was set up to help get desperately-needed books and literacy resources into remote Indigenous communities in Australia. (8 – 11 years)
Kerri Hashmi
You and Me, Murrawee illustrated by Felicity Marshall pb 9780140564990 $14.95
A beautifully illustrated picture book which shows a young white girl camping on the banks of the River Murray with her family and, through her eyes, the life of a young Aboriginal girl, Murrawee, two hundred years earlier, before the white settlers came.
Paul Ishiguchi
Yearning to Go Home illus by John Rotumah & Tracey Duroux hardback 9780646468044 $24.95
When Ahthun finds himself stranded in a place where he is a stranger, he is taken in by a tribal elder and, over time, learns the ways of the people. He becomes a storyteller of great wisdom, knowledge and foresight, speaking of the challenges to come and the rewards of accepting change. This opens the hearts and the minds of the people, giving them hope for a better future. The illustrations are excellent, the message positive and there is a list of questions to initiate discussion. (7-12 years) MC
Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
The Two-Hearted Numbat pb 9781921888007 $16.95 due Jan 2012
A numbat is a small native creature which unfortunately is now fairly rare. Numbat had two hearts; one that was like a feather, soft and kind-hearted, and the other like a stone, strong and tough, making Numbat feel very strong and brave. However Numbat was concerned that he didn’t know which heart was his true self. He seeks help from an Elder Numbat who tells him that both hearts are his true self; he is both kind-hearted and strong and brave. The illustrations are brilliantly coloured and strikingly beautiful. This is an original story told in a traditional way. (5 – 8 years)
Alison Lester
Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo pb 9780733621055 $16.99
A simple but vibrant introduction to Aboriginal life and the tropical seasons in the north of Australia. The book shows the activities that Ernie and his six Aboriginal friends like to do best during the very different seasons of the year. (5 – 10 years)
An Aboriginal Story series compiled by Pamela Lofts (was previously called Dreamtime series) pb $16.99 each A collection of picture books of very simply-told traditional Aboriginal stories illustrated and told by Aboriginal people. Very appealing for younger readers.
The Bat & the Crocodile 9781865046273
Dunbi the Owl 9781865046266
The Echidna & the Shade Tree 9781865046228
How the Kangaroos got their Tails 9781865046259
How the Birds got their Colours 9781865046242 Also
a Big Book 9781741699678 $39.99
The Kangaroo & the Porpoise 9781865046297
Warnayarra - The Rainbow Snake 9781865046235 Also a Big Book 9781741699685 $39.95
When the Snake bites the Sun 9781865046280
All in pb $16.99 each (5 - 9 years)
Pat Lowe
Jimmy and Pat Meet the Queen illustrated by Jimmy Pike pb 9781876332068 $12.95
A funny, satirical book which is a wonderful introduction to Land Rights and how it looks from an Aboriginal perspective. Jimmy is amazed when he is told that Walmajarri land is Vacant Crown Land and therefore really belongs to the Queen. The Queen accepts Jimmy’s and Pat’s invitation to visit so that she can show her ownership by pointing out all the waterholes, and she arrives with corgis in tow and dressed in jodhpurs for the hunt (though they hunt for pussy cats, not foxes). Just the right amount of tongue in cheek irreverence. (8 years up)
When I Was Little Like You by Mary Malbunka pb 9781741142563 $16.95
These are Mary Malbunka’s memories, in both word and illustration, of her life as a child at Papunya in Central Australia in the 1960s. The children went to school but it was when they went bush that they learnt about plants, animals, country and their Dreaming stories. (7 - 13 years)
Arone Raymond Meeks
Enora and the Black Crane pb 9781921248023 $22.95
Striking ochre and black-and-white illustrations in a traditional style vividly bring to life this dreaming story told and illustrated by Aboriginal artist Arone Raymond Meeks. Originally published in 1991, this edition was published in 2009. (5 - 10 years)
Neil Murray
• My Island Home pb 9780980564334 $19.95
This lovely picture book for all ages depicts the lyrics of the iconic Australian song written by Neil Murray and first recorded by The Warumpi Band. The artwork is a mix of vibrant paintings by kids from Papunya and Echo Island and landscapes by Peter Hudson. A percentage of the profits from the sale of this book will go to Ian Thorpe’s Fountain For Youth. (5+ years) MC
Leonie Norrington
Look See, Look at Me! illustrated by Dee Huxley hardback 9781741758832 $24.99
A very simple text describes the exuberance and pride of a three year old who describes all the things he can now do. Delightful free-flowing illustrations by Dee Huxley show families and life in northern indigenous communities.
You and Me: Our Place illus by Dee Huxley pb 9781876288846 $14.95
Through stories told by Uncle Tobias, we get a sense of the “old days” when Aboriginal peoples hunted, fished and told stories in this northern part of Australia where the river and mangroves meet the sea. However, life is very different for the two young Aboriginal boys who are at ease in the old and new cultures.
May O’Brien
The Bawoo Stories illustrated by Angela Leaney and Sue Wyatt pb 9781921361159 $26.95
This new edition contains in one volume the four traditional Aboriginal stories, Barn-Barn Barlala, the Bush trickster, Kangaroos who wanted to be People, How Crows became Black and Why the Emu Can’t Fly. They were told so that some Aboriginal children would come to understand their land, their people and their beginnings. These are lively traditional tales of the Wongutha people of Western Australia. (7 – 10 years)
Boori Monty Pryor and Jan Ormerod
• Shake A Leg hardback 9781741758900 $24.99
Boori Monty Prior is a dancer and a storyteller and he has succeeded in sharing some of his lively enthusiasm when he performs with school groups in this vibrant picture book. When three young boys go into a pizza shop they are amazed that the man making the pizzas is an Aboriginal man who then proceeds to tell them about pizzas and also Aboriginal stories and song and dance. Jan Ormerod’s striking illustrations add life and colour to this joyous celebration of food, dance and cultural understanding. (6 – 12 years)
Bob Randal and Melanie Hogan
• Nyuntu Ninti (What you should know) hardback 9780733320491 $27.95 pb 9780733328503 $14.99 Bob Randall comes from the desert region of Central Australia around Uluru. In simple terms he describes the culture of his people and the absolute importance of the land and wildlife to his people. The spiritual significance of these words is given extra meaning through the use of black-and-white photos showing Aboriginal people hunting, playing and gathered together in the early 1900s, and also through modern-day coloured photographs showing the land at Uluru today. (7 – 14 years)
Elaine Russell
A is for Aunty pb 9780733308727 $14.99
Elaine Russell’s vibrant, colourful illustrations show us the life she remembers as a child living on a mission in northern New South Wales. With each letter in this alphabet book there is a short text which gives us vivid images of events such as racing Billycarts, of being chased by Emus or of picking Quandongs. (7 - 12 years)
Rosemary Sullivan
Tom Tom illustrated by Dee Huxley pb 9781921504105 $14.95
Tom Tom is a small Aboriginal boy living with his many brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles and aunts in the Top End of the Northern Territory. He goes to kindergarten and loves to swim in the waterhole with his cousins, brothers and sisters. The text is very simply written but, with the evocative illustrations, gives a vivid picture of his busy and happy life in his Aboriginal community. (4 – 6 years)
Papunya School Book of Country & History by Papunya School Publishing Committee pb 9781865085258 $16.95
This book shows the history of the Papunya region in the centre of Australia through the eyes of the staff and students. It is wonderfully refreshing to read an account from the Aboriginal viewpoint in such an innovative collage format, vibrant with drawings, paintings, maps and painted photographs. (9 years up)
• Noongar Mambara Bakitj, an old story retold by Kim Scott, Lomas Roberts and the Wirlomin Noongar Language and Stories Project with artwork by Geoffrey Woods and Anthony Roberts. pb 9781742582955 $24.95
The story involves a young man who follows a kangaroo track deep into the old peoples’ country. Along the way he meets some spirit people “mambara” and they fight with boomerangs until the young man realizes that he is a magic person and is able to defeat the “mambara”. The illustrations are striking, with black outlines against a bright, ochre-coloured desert background. However, it is the text which I found the most interesting. As well as the descriptive retelling of the story in English, it is also told in Old Noongar (the Aboriginal language from South-West Western Australia), and under each of these words is the literal English translation. It is fascinating to see how the sentences are structured, and the stark simplicity of the story in the Aboriginal version compared with the longer, more detailed and descriptive retelling in English. A CD retelling the story in both English and Noongar is available on the website: www.wirlomin.com.au Understanding how this story came to be retold and work-shopped in community meetings is also fascinating and is described in detail at the end of the book. There is also a Glossary of Noongar words and their meanings. (9 years up)
• The Snake and the Boy by Azmen Sebastian pb 9781921248245 $12.95
It is very surprising that the author was only 12 years old when he wrote the story and painted the illustrations for this strikingly unusual story. It describes a young boy swinging upside down on the bars in a playground when a green tree snake slides across and makes off with the apple he has left on the ground. The boy has no idea what has happened to his apple! The illustrations are bold in their composition and use of colour. (5 – 10 years)
Daisy Utemorrah
Do Not Go Around the Edges hardback 9780958810111 $16.95 Poetry, illustration and prose are interwoven in this picture book. Daisy Utemorrah gives us an insight into the story of her life, through simple prose, and her thoughts, through her poetry. Daisy comes from the Kimberley area in the north of Western Australia. This innovative book is suitable for all ages.
Also Moonglue illustrated by Susan Wyatt hardback $16.95 A traditional cautionary tale about what happened to children who disobeyed their parents.
Fiction
Jackie French
Walking the Boundaries pb 9780207200434 $14.95
Using a time-slip device, the novel tries to give an understanding of modern times and of the extraordinarily long history of Aboriginal culture in Australia. Characters from three different periods of time come to life, making an absorbing story. (8 - 15)
Phillip Gwynne
Deadly Unna? pb 9780141300498 $19.95
A perceptive and highly entertaining book describing the growing friendship between Blacky, a white teenager, and Dumby Red, an Aboriginal young man from out of town, and how it is affected by the narrowness and pervasive racism of a country town. Winner of the 1999 CBC Book of the Year Award. (13 years up)
Nukkin Ya pb 9780141309439 $19.95
An absorbing sequel. When Blacky falls for Dumby’s cousin it seems that the whole town has objections to them going out together. (13 years up)
Anthony Hill
The Burnt Stick illustrated by Mark Sofilas pb 9780140369298 $16.95
This is the fictional story of a boy, John Jagamarra, who was forcibly taken from his Aboriginal mother. This happened to many Aboriginal children of lighter skin colour earlier this century. (7 – 11 years)
Two Hands Together by Diana Kidd pb 9780141307480 $17.95
The growing friendship between Lily and Ella is marred by the disapproval of Lily’s father, much to Ella’s confusion. How could it be that her father doesn’t like this warm and friendly Aboriginal family? This is a well-told, sensitive story which is also a positive statement for reconciliation between two cultures. (7 – 10 years)
Pat Lowe and Jimmy Pike
Desert Dog pb 9781875641352 $16.95
A wonderful story which gives a very detailed look at life in the Great Sandy Desert. Spinifex is a dingo pup who is adopted by an Aboriginal family and becomes a prized hunter. The story is told from her perspective. Pat Lowe has taken Jimmy Pike’s memories of his own childhood in the Great Sandy Desert and woven them into an informative, leisurely and fascinating story. Vibrant illustrations by Jimmy Pike add to the distinctiveness of this book. (9 - 14 years)
Desert Cowboy pb 9781875641574 $16.95 tells how Yinti, the Aboriginal boy in Desert Dog, grows up and leaves his country to go and work on a cattle station. (9 – 14 years)
Meme McDonald and Boori Pryor
The Flytrap by Meme McDonald pb 9781865086088 $14.95
Nancy said she would bring a venus fly trap to school because she knew it would please her teacher, but now she is very worried because she doesn’t actually have one. Each day she becomes more worried as she puts off telling her teacher the truth. Through the stories of her mother and Aboriginal stepfather, she gains the courage to tell the truth and to share a special story with her class. (7 – 10 years)
My Girragundji pb 9781864488180 $14.95
A vivid story about a young Aboriginal boy growing up between two worlds. His fears of the bad spirits about the house at night and of the bullies at school are lessened when he finds a spirit friend in a little tree frog. Inspired by the childhood memories of Boori Pryor. (8 - 11 years)
The Binna Binna Man pb 9781865080710 $15.95
A sequel to My Girragundji, in which the narrator is now older. This very moving story captures the cadences of Aboriginal speech and at the same time reveals some of the deep problems facing Aboriginal people today as they struggle to gain the strength from their traditions to withstand the pressures of drugs, and to be strong in the face of losing so many of their young people. (9 - 14 years)
Njunjul the Sun pb 9781865086415 $16.95
The young boy is now sixteen years old and he leaves his close-knit Aboriginal family up north to stay with his uncle Garth and his white girlfriend in the big city of Sydney. He has been in some trouble with the police and this is a chance to sort himself out and to get rid of the feeling that he is no good. The book has some very funny and exhilarating moments. (13 years up)
Love Like Water by Meme McDonald pb 9781741756388 $19.95
This book gives an insight into the lives of two young people with very different backgrounds who meet up in Alice Springs, a town in the centre of Australia. Cathy comes from a white family living on an outback station, while J.J is a young Aboriginal DJ. They are very attracted to each other but at times the baggage that they bring to the relationship builds huge barriers to their friendship. Even more problematic are the pressures and racism of the society in Alice Springs, contributing huge complexities and difficulties. I found it a very moving portrayal; at times harrowing, heartbreaking, even offensive, but always engrossing. The characters are young people in their early twenties living very independent lives and so it is a book for Senior students. (16 years up)
James Moloney
Dougy pb 9780702237065 $19.95
The story examines racial tensions in a small country town in Queensland. It is an uncompromising but realistic story.
Gracey pb 9780702237072 $19.95
The story is continued, however the emphasis here is on Gracie, Dougy's sister, who is a talented athlete and moves to a school in the city. Life is not easy for her as she strives to come to terms with her Aboriginality. (11 – 17 years)
The last in the series is Angela pb 9780702237089 $18.95 who was Gracie’s closest friend in school.
Leonie Norrington
• Crocodile Jack illustrated by Terry Denton pb 9780143305958 $12.95 (one of the very popular Aussie Bites)
Jack’s big brother Tom has asked him to go fishing! But Jack knows that you should never go fishing when there might be crocs around, but then again he doesn’t want to miss this chance of pleasing his big brother. Jack is given the job of lookout for crocodiles while Tom and his friend do the fishing. We learn lots about the habits of crocodiles in the Top End, and also about fishing, Nana Clare’s knowledge of the bush and crocs, as well as her sympathetic understanding of her very close family. The story has excitement but also gives us insight in to Jack’s family and living with crocs in the Top End. (8 – 10 years)
The Barrumbi Kids pb 9781862914964 $17.99
Dale and Tomias are best mates. One boy is Aboriginal and the other is white but they were both brought up in the same outback country in the Northern Territory. This book has many adventures and it also explores the cultures of both boys and their love for their country. (9 - 13 years)
The Spirit of Barrumbi pb 9781862915527 $17.99
This is the sequel to the Barrumbi Kids and although it still has lots of fun and adventure, there is also a much more serious side as Norrington touches on the importance of the Law and of Country and of Aboriginal spiritual beliefs. It is a very enjoyable story which succeeds in giving the reader an idea of some of the complexities of Aboriginal law and culture. (9 – 14 years)
Leaving Barrumbi pb 9781862916272 $17.99 When Dale and Tomias leave Barrumbi and go to Leichhardt Secondary School, Dale has problems while Tomias takes everything in his stride. (10 – 14 years)
Gabrielle Wang
• Meet Poppy (Book 1) illustrated by Lucia Masciullo pb 9780143305323 $14.95
Set in 1864, Poppy is an Aboriginal girl living on a Mission near Echuca. However, Poppy hates the mission and the school, especially when her brother runs away to find their fortune on the goldfields. Poppy decides to run away, disguised as a boy, to join her brother. Three other books in the series complete Poppy’s adventures. The books are easy to read and contain interesting historical information.
Poppy at Summerhill Book 2 9780143305330
Poppy and the Thief Book 3 9780143305347
Poppy Comes Home Book 4 9780143305354 (9 – 11 years)
Collections
Stories from the Billabong retold by James Vance Marshall illus by Francis Firebrace hardback 9781845077044 $34.95 pb 9781847801241 $19.95
These stories have been retold by James Vance Marshall but both he and Francis Firebrace, an Aboriginal storyteller as well as an illustrator, acknowledge the storytellers from the Yorta-Yorta people as the sources for these ten traditional stories. These are very appealing stories and most of them involve animals. We learn what made the frog croak, why the kangaroo has a pouch, why the platypus is so unusual and how the crocodile got it scales. At the end of each story there is a short description of the animals in the story. There is also a Glossary and two pages illustrating Aboriginal symbols and their meanings. This is an excellent collection of stories, well-told and strikingly illustrated. The additional information makes it a very useful book. ((7 – 13 years)
Sally Morgan
• Flying Emu pb 9781921720642 $19.95
This is a new version of Sally Morgan’s first published children’s book. It contains twenty entertaining and witty stories about animals and birds, spirits, the sun and the moon. The stories are not traditional stories – they are Sally’s own stories, but they do have a folk-tale feel about them. The illustrations are brightly coloured and striking. (7 – 11 years)
Oodgeroo
Stradbroke Dreamtime illus by Bronwyn Bancroft hardback 9780207198656 $29.95
This is a beautifully illustrated collection of tales combining stories from Oodgeroo's childhood on Stradbroke Island in Queensland with traditional dreamtime stories. (9 years up)
• Yarning Strong is a new indigenous education series. It consists of twelve 64-page novels, four 48-page graphic novels, and four anthologies comprising many text types: Poems, plays, photographs, historical extracts and interviews. There is also a Behind the Stories DVD , a Professional Support CD-Rom and a 160-page Professional Support Manual. This is an impressive new series. It provides a huge amount of information about Indigenous families and life and culture today, and also gives historical information. This information is provided through four anthologies: Identity Anthology, Law Anthology, Land Anthology and also Family Anthology. These anthologies provide invaluable background information for the four novels containing stories illustrating these themes. The series aims to show what it is like to be a young Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander today and gives a very positive picture. It is aimed at upper primary and lower secondary students. If I have any criticism it is that some of the novels seem to be writing to illustrate a theme rather than just telling a story. Most of the stories reflect life in cities or country towns, rather than in remote communities.
Identity Anthology 9780195572551 $12.95
Four supporting novels:
Jindah Murray Wind Dancer 9780195572513 $12.95, Jali Boy 9780195572520 $12.95, The Chainsaw File 9780195572537 $12.95, and Just the Skin you’re Livin’ in 9780195572544 $12.95
Family Anthology 9780195571226 $12.95
Four Supporting Novels
His Father’s Eyes 9780195571189 $12.95, Kin Island 9780195571196 $12.95, Ngalga Mathematics 9780195571202 $12.95, We are Family, We Are Deadly 9780195571219 $12.95
Law Anthology 9780195572506 $12.95
Four Supporting Novels
Caught and Court 9780195572469 $12.95, Crossroads 9780195572483 $12.95, Milly’s Secret 9780195572476 $12.95, I Made it I Own It 9780195572490 $12.95
Land Anthology 9780195572605 $12.95
Four Supporting Novels
Common Ground 9780195572575 $12.95, Dallas Davis, the Scientist and the City Kids 9780195572582 $12.95, Demon Guards the School Yard 9780195572568 $12.95 More than Just a Piece of Land 9780195572599 $12.95
These books are supported by a Professional Support Teaching Guide which contains a Professional Support Manual, a Professional CD-Rom and a Behind the Stories DVD. 9780195572612 $350.00
Poetry
Jill McDougall
Anna the Goanna and other Poems illus by Jenny Taylor pb 9780855756161 $19.95
A vibrant collection of poems which have been inspired by the author’s experiences teaching in remote Aboriginal communities. As well as lively poems that children will enjoy, the book and its often humorous illustrations offer an insight into the everyday life of children who live in remote Aboriginal communities. (8 - 15 years)
Pat Torres
Jalygurr pb 9780731616220 $9.95
These very simple and rhythmic animal rhymes are written in English and Yawaru. They have been adapted from Kimberley Aboriginal folk stories and children find them great fun. (6 - 9 years)
Plays
Jack Davis
Honey Spot pb 9780868191638 $14.95
This is an engaging play about Peggy, the daughter of a forestry ranger, and her friendship with Tim, an Aboriginal boy. However, Peggy’s father objects to the friendship and to Tim and his family helping Peggy work on a dance for her ballet exam. Jack Davis is Australia’s best known Indigenous dramatist and this play contains some warm, funny, touching scenes and has some memorable characters. (9 – 11 years)
Autobiography and Biography
Sally Dingo
Dingo pb 9781740511025 $19.95
Ernie Dingo is a very well-known and popular Aboriginal actor and entertainer. This enjoyable account of his family background and his childhood is written by his wife, Sally. An intriguing story illustrated with some wonderful old black-and-white photos. (12 up)
Cathy Freeman
Born to Run pb 9780143302384 $17.95
This is the engaging story of Cathy Freeman’s childhood and how she had a dream that she would win Olympic Gold and how that dream came true at the Sydney 2000 Olympic games in the 400 metres. Cathy writes in a chatty way about her family and the things she loved to do but also about the discipline and very hard work that was necessary to become a champion. Many photographs are included. (8 - 13 years)
Sally Morgan
My Place hardback 9781921361227 $35.00 pb 9780949206312 $24.95
This is a moving account of the author's quest to discover her Aboriginal background, which was kept hidden for many years. The book has been extremely popular since its publication in 1987. (15 years up)
Also My Place for Younger Readers is available in a three part adaptation:
Sally's Story pb 9780949206787
Arthur Corunna's Story pb 9780949206770
Mother and Daughter pb 9780949206794
$14.95 each. (9 – 12 years)
Doris Pilkington/Nugi Garimara
Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence pb 9780702233555 $19.95
Set in 1931, this is the moving story of three Aboriginal girls who were taken from their mothers as part of government policy of the time. They escaped from the Moore River Settlement and walked over 1,600 kilometres through desert country, following the rabbit-proof fence to return to their families. The story has been made into a highly acclaimed film, also called Rabbit-Proof Fence. (12 years up)
Boori (Monty) Pryor with Meme McDonald
Maybe Tomorrow pb 9781742372440 $24.99
This is an updated revised version (2010) of Boori’s autobiography, first published in 1998. It is an absorbing story of Boori Pryor’s life from the Aboriginal fringe camps of his birth, to the basketball court, to the DJ console and now to performance and storytelling at schools and other venues around Australia. Told with humour and compassion. Very moving. (14 years up)
Herb Wharton
Yumba Days pb 9780702231131 $19.95
This story of Herb Wharton’s life has been adapted for young people from his first book Unbranded (this adult version is available pb 9780702224447 $24.95) Yumba Days gives a marvellous insight into a warm and very close Aboriginal family who lived on the fringe of a small outback country town. Herb is a natural storyteller and tells wonderful stories of his many years as a stockman. At times very funny but also revealing of the relations between white and black in country Queensland in the 1930s. (9 - 15 years)
• Playground: Listening to Stories from Country and Inside the Heart compiled by Nadia Wheatley hardback 9781742370972 $39.99 Illustration and design by Ken Searle
This is an exceptional book, innovative in both its design and its concept. It contains stories from many Elders, both past and present, who tell their life stories and also their reminiscences of getting bush tucker, going fishing, taking part in ceremony, playing games and just having fun. There are also contemporary stories from twenty secondary-school students. The title is taken from the words of one of the Torres Strait people who says, “We use the bush as our school and as our playground.” It is an anthology of true stories about childhood compiled from a wide range of memoirs and oral histories. Nadia Wheatley worked with Dr Jackie Huggins, who acted as Indigenous Consultant to the book. In his design of the book, Ken Searle has incorporated old and new photographs, maps, paintings and his own beautiful illustrations of Aboriginal life and of the natural world. There are short notes of the life of the Contributors and also a bibliography, glossary and index. (11 years up)
Non-fiction
Trish Albert
First Australians: Plenty Stories hardback $24.95 each
This series was published in collaboration with the National Museum of Australia in 2009. The series provides a very up-to-date and interesting account of what is happening in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia today. Certain books also describe aspects of their history and culture as well as give information about outstanding Aboriginal Australians. Well set out and designed with many engaging photos and illustrations. A glossary and index. Middle Primary level.
Following are the titles available.
Celebrating Survival Day 9781442509061
Discovering Aboriginal Australia 9781442509023
Fighting for Rights 9781442509030
Indigenous Sporting Greats 9781442509078
Kaisiana’s Journey to Torres Strait 9781442509047
Keeping Strong through Art 9781442509092
Special Objects 9781442509108
Travelling Yamani 9781442509054 (8 – 10 years)
The following titles are available at Upper Primary level
First Australians: Plenty Stories hardback $29.95 each
Caring for Country 9781442519626
It’s More Than Art 9781442519657
Kaurareg Mob 9781442519640
Life at Mulga Bore 9781442519602
Making a Difference 9781442519664
Remembering Coniston 9781442519589
Stories through Art 9781442519619
Unsung Hero 9781442519633
Welcome to Mer Island 9781442519596 (10 – 12 years)
Stan Breedon
Growing Up at Uluru pb 9781740210478 $14.95
Stunning photographs and very simple text bring to life the lives of four young children who live at Uluru in the red desert country of Central Australia. (5 – 8 years)
Sharing Culture Uluru pb 9781876282707 $19.95
Covers similar material but in more detail. There are descriptions and also photographs of the how food is gathered by the women and how the men track and hunt animals. A number of traditional stories and a number of children’s games are described. Excellent photographs bring to life the country, animals and plant life of the desert and its people.
Warren Brim and Anna Eglitis
Creatures of the Rainforest: Two artists explore Djabugay Country hardback 9781875641994 $22.95
This unusual book describes a wide range of wildlife creatures living in the rainforest country of the Djabugay people in far north Queensland. The creatures are listed alphabetically and their names are also given in the Djagubay language. The main interest of the book is the contrast of illustration styles between the softer, hand-coloured lino prints of Anna Eglitis and the more striking traditional style acrylic paintings and lino prints of Aboriginal artist Warren Brim. (9 – 14 years)
Pat Lowe with Jimmy Pike
You call it desert - we used to live there pb 9781921248115 $39.95
In a marvellous collaboration, Pat Lowe's photographs interact with Jimmy Pike's striking paintings to make us see the desert landscape with new insight. Pat Lowe describes with great simplicity what Jimmy Pike has told her about the way his family and community used to live in the Great Sandy Desert. The book has just been reprinted – it used to be called Jilji. (10 years up)
John Nicholson
Songlines and Stone Axes: Transport, Trade and Travel in Australia hardback 9781741750027 $29.95 John Nicholson describes the amazing network of trade and ceremonial exchange between Aboriginal peoples that existed long before Europeans came to Australia. Items of particular value that were carried sometimes over thousand of kilometres and exchanged were pearl shell from the Kimberley in WA, greenstone axeheads, belts made of human hair, outriggers for canoes, songs and dances, ochre, feathers and cloaks made of possum skin. The illustrations are beautifully detailed and extremely informative. (11 – 15 years)
• Our World: Bardi Jaawi: Life at Ardiyooloon by One Arm Point Remote Community School hardback 978192124823 $29.95
Ardiyooloon (One Arm Point) is a remote coastal community in Western Australia, north of Broome, and is home to the Bardi Jaawi people, who have lived in the area for thousands of years. The children of One Arm Point Remote Community School have made this book about their lives and culture, and it is a fascinating mix of traditional stories, cultural history, knowledge about fishing and bush tucker, and practical advice on how to make such things as boomerangs and bough shelters and how to treat snake bite. The book abounds with photos and artwork, and Bardi words with their English meanings are sprinkled around the borders of each page. A pronunciation guide appears at the beginning of the book, along with an acknowledgement of the important role the Elders have played in keeping the traditional culture and language alive. (9-12 years). MC
Howard Peterson and Banjo Woorunmurra
Jandamarra and the Bunubu Resistance pb 9781875641604 $24.95
The remarkable story of the resistance of Jandamarra and the Bunubu people to the invasion of their lands by white settlers in the north west of Western Australia. Written in conjunction with the Aboriginal custodian of the story. Well illustrated with photos of the region. (14 years up)
Liz Thompson
Sharing Our Stories series
This series gives us an insight into the importance of story and of country to Indigenous communities in various regions of Australia. In each book, the community has chosen a traditional story to be told and various members, both children and adults, describe what the story means to them and to their idea of country. The traditional story is illustrated by children’s drawings and is also told in the Aboriginal language. The many photographs showing us the people in the community, and also the country in which they live, add considerably to the interest of each book. This is a very interesting and insightful series..
Titles are:
Woonyoomboo: A Story from the Jarlmadangah 9781442526020
The Mermaid and the Serpent: A Story from the Wugularr 9781442526037
The Frog and the Brolga: A Story from the Purnulu Community 9781442526044
The Devil-Devil from Warlock: A Story from the Jilkminggan Community 9781442526075
The Sunbird: A Story from the Warburton Community 9781442526051
Turtle Dreaming: A Story from the Maningrida Community 9781442526068 (8 – 11 years) hardback $24.95 each
Art
Christine Nicholls
Art – History - Place pb 9781876288433 $14.95
A simply written introduction to Aboriginal art today, which explores the traditions and history which have shaped its development. Some of the icons used in indigenous paintings are explained and the book is illustrated with many paintings and other forms of art by Aboriginal artists in Australia.
Art - Land - Story pb 9781876288419 $14.95 is written in a similar format. It looks at how the traditions of the Dreaming stories and of the Land have influenced Aboriginal Art. (10 years up)
Deidre Stokes
Desert Dreamings hardback 9781740702249 $29.95
An excellent introduction for younger students to Aboriginal desert art. Looks at the various types of art, the stories that are told, some of the artists, the influence of modern methods and how the artists work today. (9 - 14)
Arts and Crafts of Indigenous Australia hardback 9781420269505 $45.00
This book contains revised editions of the following four titles now combined in the one volume: Ceremonial Art, Painting, Sculpture and Weaving. Contains many examples of arts and crafts by Torres Strait Islanders and Aborigines all around Australia, and describes how they are made. (9 – 15 years)
Sylvia Kleinert and Margo Neale ed
The Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture hardback 9780195506495 $99.95
A comprehensive study at adult level of Aboriginal art and culture.
If you would like to order any of these books, please send orders to Austral Ed by fax, post or email. All prices are in Australian dollars.For additional lists of recommended books and newsletters from Austral Ed, visit our website www.australed.iinet.net.au
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