Just So Stories

Magabala Books

May 2025

978-1-922777-66-9

RRP. $22.99

What an absolutely sensational book this is! Easy to see why it won the Daisy Utemorrah Award! And I’m going to say right now, this is one you not only need for your collection, but need to actively promote to your staff, especially those of you looking to establish a RAP at your school, and provide pathways for walking forward together.

There’s not that many MG/YA novels set in Central Australia, and I can’t really bring to mind one that blends the now with the then of post colonialism, but this does it beautifully.

Set in Alice Springs, Millie lives with her artistic mum in town. Leni is a white woman, Millie is Aboriginal. She has lots of cousins and mob both around town and out bush, but on the whole she doesn’t know too much about her Dad or his family history. In fact, she doesn’t care for history much at all, though she is a voracious reader. Her mother always teasingly says Millie gets lost in her books.

And the day she picks up one called Desert Tracks from the school library, despite it being history, that ‘getting lost in the book’ becomes fact. As Millie reads about Spike, Sonny and, later, Beryl living 100 years in the past, in what was to become Alice Springs, a strange willy-willy whisks her into that time, where she not only meets these new friends but witnesses the cruel injustices, intolerance and murder of Aboriginal people.

It is a shocking revelation to her and seeing it for herself and how it is for Sonny and Beryl, the Aboriginal friends, even more so. Spike, as the daughter of a white station owner, is exempt from these persecutions, but is nonetheless as appalled by them as Millie.

With the help of her Aunty Gem in her own time and space, Millie begins to piece together her family history, as well as the history of her home town and is also able to bring her friends into the present day, so they can see for themselves the ‘progress’ made – which, sadly, is not as much as anyone would like. Altogether, this is a terrific read and a compelling one.

Mother and daughter authors, Linda and Marley are reflected in Millie and Leni, and it is easy to see why they want to share this history with young people today. We still have too many Australians nay-saying truth-telling. I’ve known educators (generally older ones) who are completely disbelieving to find out about such atrocities as poisoned water holes and rations, collecting ears, chained prisoners, raped girls and women, the trade of human remains as ‘curiosities’ – or when I point out they’re living on the site of a terrible massacre…and on it goes.

If you have mature and astute upper primary readers this will be quite suitable for them because while the cruelty and murder is there, it’s not painted in graphic detail. I can easily envisage the passionate discussions this will engender whether as a serial read or independent reading.

I loved it, it is well-conceived and well-written. I particularly like the talisman and the willy-willy that produces the time travel – a really nice touch there! I’m giving it a 5 🌪️🌪️🌪️🌪️🌪️ rating for readers from around upper primary upwards.