Just So Stories

Hardie Grant Australia

September 2024

Imprint: Hardie Grant Explore

ISBN 9781741179088

$24.99

As I started on the Xmas countdown, going through the books I’d been saving, and having shared a pic of a Blak Santa somewhere else, I was thinking we need more First Nations themed Xmas books.

And we have one for this year! It’s terrific as well.

As others have done before, taking its cue from the original 12 Days of Christmas, this one presents them with a First Nations bush flavour. The cumulative days have a kookaburra, coolamons, boys dancing, girls weaving, emu eggs and finger limes, didgeridoos and dilly bags and more.

Your jarjums will love reading along with you on this one for sure. I love this fresh new Koori take on an old favourite with Megan Van Den Berg (Dja Dja Wurrung, Yorta Yorta and Boon Wurrung) making an astute choice of ‘countables’ and, it has to be said, simply stunning illustrations from Emma Bamblett (Wemba Wemba, Gunditjmara, Ngadjonji and Taungurung).

And, as we always know to expect from Hardie Grant, a sensational binding! This one is stylishly festive – love it! This one gets a deadly 5 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 rating!

Gaadha (Christmas)

And why not check out these great resources in Gamilaraay (GR), Yuwaalaraay (YR) and Yuwaalayaay (YR) – or all three (GYY)