Adapted by Jasmin McGaughy with illustrations by Savi Ross.
2026 CBCA NOTABLE BOOK FOR EVE POWNALL AWARD
2026 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS FINALIST
Thames & Hudson
September 2025
ISBN: 9781760763572
RRP: $26.99
I am quite sure you have already got this one in your collection, given its recent accolade in the annual CBCA awards, but it had somehow slipped out of my parcel deliveries until recently. But it’s another fabulous addition in this series for younger readers providing real insight into the traditional First Nations culture and life. In this case, it is centred on guardianship of Country, what that means, how it was done, what is being done now and what young readers can also do to help.
Uncle Bruce Pascoe’s knowledge is a byword and the impact Dark Emu had on me, along with many others over a decade ago, still remains. In partnership with Bill Gammage new insights and information are empowering young readers to take up that custodial attitude towards our country and outlining the traditional methods of protective practices such as fire management, hunting, farming and general landcare. And this, in turn, could turn around the constant destruction and damage being done to our environment.
Like others in this series, the text is well broken up into easily digestible chunks and the illustrations from Savi Ross make it even more accessible. Fact boxes, sidebars and snapshots of information or anecdotes provide quick-to-read interest as well. Reading about the return of the magpie geese to a wetlands area, growing native bush tucker such as native raspberries or the kurrajong which is multipurpose and some great ideas such as eating more native food e.g. kangaroo. [I was only commenting a week ago that I hadn’t seen much roo in the supermarkets lately but happily found some this week in one.]
The book outlines some useful resources for finding out more about native foods and practices such as fishing. There is also an emphasis on the lower numbers of certain animals such as bandicoots and dunnarts, both from feral predators and habitat destruction. All in all, it makes for a superb companion text for cross-cultural learning, environmental studies, HASS/geography and science. It is easy to see why it is a notable in this year’s award list and also a finalist in the Heritage awards. Now, if we can only persuade more people to take up some of the practices and support the actions suggested. The Kid and I are certainly keen to include bush foods in our little food garden – and she is a keen picker of Warrigal greens whenever she sees them. Why not have a go yourself or get the kiddos into it? Lots of schools have gardens so maybe grow some bush foods as they are doing at #2’s school after securing a grant to do so.
All in all, there’s a lot of food for thought here (sorry, not sorry!) so if you haven’t read it or if you didn’t pick it up for your collection yet, I would certainly advocate strongly that you do so. It’s a 5 🌱🦘🔥🪃🌳rating for readers from around mid-primary upwards.
Bruce Pascoe and Bill Gammage on Caring for Country
Bill Gammage and Bruce Pascoe: Indigenous care for country could rescue us all
Just So Stories 
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