Brother moon by Maree McCarthy Yoelu
Illus. by Samantha Fry. Magabala Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781925936827.
hbk., 32pp.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. This homage to the moon and all of its
forms throughout the month, is told by an older man telling his
great grandson of the environment in which they live. The story
teaches the boy not to be frightened of the night as the moon shines
enough light for him to see. Through his story he tells the boy how
the moon is connected to country, the land of his birth.
It is a powerful and enthralling story of connection, of what the
environment brings to the people, of how the moon's phases direct
the people to the best times to hunt and fish.
Maree is a Wadjigany woman from the Daly Rover region of the
Northern Territory, and the narrator of her story is her
grandfather, Limam (Harry Morgan) a well respected elder statesman
within his people, a storyteller and leader of his community. His
story of the importance of the environment will resonate with
younger people, alerted to the ravages our environment is subjected
to each year. They will absorb the underlying themes of caring about
and for the environment and in particular, look at the moon in all
of its variety.
Liman tells his great grandson that he never fears the night as his
brother is always there to guide him. When he looks in the mangroves
for periwinkles the light of the moon is reflected in the crocodile
eyes, warning him of danger, and even when the light is only half
what it was, it is enough to see a snake.
Samantha Fry, descended from the Dagiman people of Katherine in the
Northern Territory uses her skills with coloured pencils to create a
book of night time images, where, despite the hour, detail can be
seen using the light of the moon. Readers will love finding treasure
hidden on each page and marvel at the phases of the moon overhead,
learning as does the boy, not to fear the night but use the moon's
light to see. Themes: Environment, Aboriginal themes, Aboriginal
storytelling, Moon, Connection.
Fran Knight