Maku by Meyne Wyatt

Our Stories is a new Australian chapter book series for early readers. Written by various authors and edited by Randa Abdel-Fattah, they set out to tell stories about diversity, anti-racism and inclusion. They are stories written and illustrated by diverse Australians about children living on First Nations lands, or as Abdel-Fattah herself says 'stories to help kids accept each other. And themselves'. Other titles include When Granny Came to Stay by Alice Pung and the yet to be published 29 Things You Didn't Know About Me by Solli Raphael. The series is characterised by large, spaced-out text with bold monochrome illustrations. 

This title, Maku, written by performer, writer and director Meyne Wyatt, tells the story of a young boy named Maku who loves watching movies and going bush with his nan and pop. His outback adventures with them are made even more special because he doesn't live with his family (it isn't explicit but the story implies he is living with a foster family). Told in the third person, we are told that Maku has moved around a lot and gone to lots of schools. When the kids at his new school tease him about his name (which means witchetty grub) and his teacher challenges him to come up with his own idea for a movie, he thinks of a way to create a superhero persona for himself, just like in his favourite movies. On his weekend in the bush with his nan and pop, who work as Park Rangers, he enjoys listening to the stories about their conservation work, as well as Dreaming stories. They also talk with him about being part of the Stolen Generation. Maku uses all of these understandings and conversations within his movie outline, which has a main theme of overcoming adversity, and shares it proudly with the class. 

Teacher's notes are available.

Themes: Family, Dreaming stories.

Nicole Nelson