The publisher describes this as "a highly designed, colourful picture book aimed at celebrating traditional names of well-known Australian places such as Gadigal (Sydney) and Lunawuni (Bruny Island), from a popular breakthrough Indigenous artist" but it is so much more and has the potential to be an amazing asset to any teaching program as little ones, particularly, not only learn the basic geography of Australia and the place names but learn that they were known to First Nations people by traditional names long before European settlers put their stamp on them. At the same time, older students who already know the country's landscapes and landshapes can use their knowledge as well as the visual clues and cues in the illustrations to work out what place is being featured. Where might the glossy black-tailed cockatoo soar above floodplains looking for a dunnart? Or where might you tread softly along the river bank looking north to "Gubbi Gubbi Country through the clouds of bogong"?
There are some clues on the map on the title page which identifies the fifteen places visited, but not all are the major cities or places that tourists would expect. But, interestingly, Canberra is given its modern name despite local history saying it is an evolution of Kamberri, meaning "meeting place" and the traditional lands of the Ngambri people.
As well as becoming aware that familiar places such as have a history and significance connected to the land and its creatures that stretch far back in time, students might also want to investigate their own region and then, using Dank's distinctive style, create an additional page for the book. And just as Dank learned life lessons on her journey -I learned to watch, I learned joy, I learned to walk soft - they might also reflect on how their connection to their environment has shaped them as they, too, learn Country...
This review can also be found here.
32 pages 9781460765517 Ages 5-9
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
See more of her recommendations:
500 Hats http://500hats.edublogs.org/
The Bottom Shelf http://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/
