Beware the Argula! by Kirsty Burgu

Renowned artist Kirsty Burgu has drawn on memories of a story told by her Uncle and which she had loved as a child. It is the story of Argula, a warning tale about the Bush Devil, who will get you if you are too greedy. When two boys go fishing, they are so intent on catching fish that they do not notice Argula, hiding behind a bush and eating their catch. When they finally turn around to look at their fish, all they find are skeletons. One of the boys yells, 'Who is eating all our fish?' And the Argula roars 'I have!' and grabs the boys and swallows them in one gulp. After a while Wadoo their uncle comes back from his hunting trip and sees that the boys have been taken. He follows the tracks of the Argula and finally rescues them. Once home, they promise not to be greedy again.

The narrative flow smoothly, building up tension as the reader can see the danger that the two boys are in. It would be perfect read aloud and a fabulous choice when a scary story is what children would like to hear. The illustrations are outstanding, featuring all the beautiful browns, reds and yellows of the Kimberley region. The two boys and their uncle are outlined in white and each page has interesting minute details like ants, snakes and tufts of grass. The front cover grips the reader’s attention with a hairy arm and orange hand with blue claws, while the end papers, showing sun rise and sunset are very beguiling.

Beware the Argula! has a moral about sustainability and treating the land’s resources with respect. If you are too greedy, the Argula, the bush devil, believed to live in the rugged Kimberly area and shown in rock art, will be attracted to you. Do not take more fish than you need.

Extensive teacher’s notes are available from the publisher and would be a boon in a classroom. This is the second title in the Kimberley Art Centre Series, following My story =: Ngaginybe jarragbe by Shirley Purdie (Eve Pownall Book of the Year Award Notable Books 2021, New Illustrator Award Shortlist 2021). Both are highly recommended.

Themes: First Nations Peoples, Cultural Beliefs (Kimberley region of Western Australia), Storytelling, Sustainability, Responsibility, Greed, Consequences.

Pat Pledger