All through his growing-up years, John Danalis's family had an Aboriginal skull on the mantelpiece; yet only as an adult after enrolling in an Indigenous Writing course did he ask his family where it came from and whether it should be restored to its rightful owners. This is the compelling story of how the skull of an Aboriginal man, found on the banks of the Murray River more than 40 years ago, came to be returned to his Wamba Wamba descendants. It is a story of awakening, atonement, forgiveness, and friendship. ""It is as if a whole window into Indigenous culture has blown open, not jus.
Black Cockatoo is a vignette that follows Mia, a young Aboriginal girl as she explores the fragile connections of family and culture. Mia is a 13-year-old girl from a remote community in the Kimberley. She is saddened by the loss of her brother as he distances himself from the family. She feels powerless to change the things she sees around her, until one day she rescues her totem animal, the dirran black cockatoo, and soon discovers her own inner strength. A wonderful small tale on the power of standing up for yourself, culture and ever-present family ties.
**Winner, 2019 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, Daisy Utemorrah Award** **Winner, 2021 Australia Books Industry Awards, Small Publishers' Children's Book of the Year** **Winner, 2021 Queensland Literary Awards, Children's Book Award** **Winner, 2021 Speech Pathology, Australia Books of the Year Awards, Eight to ten Years** **Shortlisted, 2022 NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature** **Shortlisted, 2022 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, Children's Literature Awards** **Shortlisted, 2022 Ena Noel Award, The IBBY Australia Encouragement Award for a Young Emerging Writer or Illustrator** **Shortlisted, 2021 Children's Book Council of Australia, Book of the Year Awards, Younger Readers** **Shortlisted, 2021 Australian Book Design Awards, Best Designed Children's Fiction Book** **Shortlisted, 2021 Readings Children's Book Prize** **Longlisted, 2021 Colin Roderick Literary Award** Age range 8 to 12 Meet 11-year-old Bindi. She's not really into maths but LOVES art class and playing hockey. Her absolute FAVOURITE thing is adventuring outside with friends or her horse, Nell. A new year starts like normal -- school, family, hockey, dancing. But this year hasn't gone to plan! There's a big art assignment, a drought, a broken wrist AND the biggest bushfires her town has ever seen! Bindi is a verse novel for mid-upper primary students. Written 'for those who plant trees', Bindi explores climate, bush fires, and healing. Written from the point of view of 11-year-old, Bindi and her friends on Gundungurra Country.
Maadjit Walken is the Sacred Rainbow Serpent. She is the mother spirit and creator of Nyoongar Country in the south-west of Western Australia. She formed the landscape and the waterways, and made her first child Maadjit Wagarl, the Sacred Water Snake, the guardian spirit of all the rivers and fresh waters. The Mark of the Wagarl is the story of a how a little boy dared to questioned the wisdom of his elders and why he received the Sacred Water Snake for his totem. Janice Lyndon's pastel illustrations resonate with the cultural power of the Maadjit Wagarl and the landscape of the south-west.
More of Paul Carter's hugely entertaining stories of his seriously crazy, sometimes terrifying, always hilarious adventures. Attempting 300 kph on an untested experimental motorcycle could be considered a perfect way to kill yourself, but Paul Carter is still, well, Paul Carter and danger at high speed is his second name. Whether discovering that being dyslexic means delivering your lines to camera back to front in the midst of filming a TV series, or starting a new business and travelling the world, or dealing with life's more sober moments like the birth of a son or the loss of a father, Paul Carter is still the funniest man in the bar and the nicest alpha male you'll ever meet as he risks all for the sake of a good story. So strap yourself in and brace yourself for his fourth book - we all remain hopeful that he will not be institutionalised before completing his fifth.
After bushfires devastated Kangaroo Island's koala population, Kailas Wild went to help. This is the inspiring and sometimes confronting story of what happened next. An arborist by trade and conservationist at heart, when Kai heard that some of the injured koalas could only be reached by a tree climber, he drove 1500 kilometres to volunteer. Seven weeks later, he had participated in the rescue of over 100 koalas, become an international social media sensation and formed a special bond with a baby koala – Joey Kai. In words and pictures, The 99th Koala shares Kai's experience and introduces us to some of the koalas of Kangaroo Island. Sometimes tragic, sometimes hopeful, above all Kai’s story commemorates our unique wildlife, and demonstrates the power of one person trying to make a difference. ‘At a time when many people have felt helpless to act against the immensity of the fires or the threat of climate change, Kai's daily descriptions and videos of saving helpless animals have been a welcome dose of personal courage and deep humanity.’ ABC 'In words and photos that are impossible to look away from, Kai introduces some of the koalas on Kangaroo Island, painting a powerful picture of Australia's unique wildlife ... a gripping reminder of a summer that feels like it's in our country's distant memory.' Mamamia 'Harrowing, touching and uplifting.' The Courier Mail 'The 99th Koala is a plea for wildlife, it's a tribute to the volunteers who strive to save animals and rehabilitate them. It's an emotional rollercoaster that shows the devastation and damage ... but it's a tale of love and dedication.' Good Reading
The Yakama Nation of present-day Washington State has responded to more than a century of historical trauma with a resurgence of grassroots activism and cultural revitalization. This pathbreaking ethnography shifts the conversation from one of victimhood to one of ongoing resistance and resilience as a means of healing the soul wounds of settler colonialism. Yakama Rising: Indigenous Cultural Revitalization, Activism, and Healing argues that Indigenous communities themselves have the answers to the persistent social problems they face. This book contributes to discourses of Indigenous social change by articulating a Yakama decolonizing praxis that advances the premise that grassroots activism and cultural revitalization are powerful examples of decolonization. Michelle M. Jacob employs ethnographic case studies to demonstrate the tension between reclaiming traditional cultural practices and adapting to change. Through interviewees’ narratives, she carefully tacks back and forth between the atrocities of colonization and the remarkable actions of individuals committed to sustaining Yakama heritage. Focusing on three domains of Indigenous revitalization—dance, language, and foods—Jacob carefully elucidates the philosophy underlying and unifying each domain while also illustrating the importance of these practices for Indigenous self-determination, healing, and survival. In the impassioned voice of a member of the Yakama Nation, Jacob presents a volume that is at once intimate and specific to her home community and that also advances theories of Indigenous decolonization, feminism, and cultural revitalization. Jacob’s theoretical and methodological contributions make this work valuable to a range of students, academics, tribal community members, and professionals, and an essential read for anyone interested in the ways that grassroots activism can transform individual lives, communities, and society.
An award-winning picture book with a difference from celebrated author and illustrator team, John and Stella Danalis. When the laces are tied, your shoes will be ready. For a world where nothing seems to last, here is a tale that will stay with you forever. Schumann the Shoeman is a story with soul. Lyrical, meaningful and stunningly beautiful, this picture book challenges readers to think about where things come from and the world of big business. Inspired by the author's struggle to find replacement parts for his electric tools, Schumann the Shoeman feels like a journey into another world, a fable for times and practices gone past.
