Crow baby by Helen Milroy

Best selling Indigenous writer Helen Milroy has created a new tale about a girl with a gift that at first does not seem all that important.

Traditional and European stories come together in this evocative story of a baby girl born with both human and crow characteristics. The two spirits, crow and human, give her the ability to live between both worlds. And this she does, raised in a human family with Arrk, her crow guardian. Revelling in the daisy bushes around her, she is named Daisy Crow. She has special qualities: courage, wisdom and kindness, but is told she should not attempt to fly. She is however able to fly in her sleep and heal people. But one day a crisis occurs which drives her to make a decision about the worlds she inhabits. A bushfire threatens her human family and if she flies like her crow spirit, she would be able to warn them. She take this leap and so can never return to human form.

So today the crow remains a close companion of humans, cackling and cawing to them as they walk together. Children will have seen many crows and how they seem attracted to people as companions and this story gives a reason for this, while extolling the virtues of courage, wisdom and kindness, while showing that making life decisions can be a hard choice.

Luminous illustrations frame every page as the story of Daisy Crow unfolds, incorporating Indigenous motifs to ground the story in its Aboriginal themes.

Helen Milroy is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Helen has always had a passionate interest in health and wellbeing, especially for children. Helen studied medicine at the University of Western Australia. She is currently a professor at UWA, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Board Member with Beyond Blue and the AFL’s first Indigenous Commissioner. She brings all of this to her work writing stories that reflect both Aboriginal and European traditions, extolling virtues which embellish mental well being and healing.

Themes: Aboriginal storytelling, Aboriginal themes, Aboriginal art, Kindness, Courage, Fire, Crows.

Fran Knight