Liar’s Test

Liar’s Test by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Text Publishing) RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781922790873

Reviewed by Melissa Wray

The Risen Kingdom needs a new queen, and Bell Silverleaf is one of the chosen to compete for the honour. But first she needs to work out who to trust and what she really wants.

Seven girls are selected to compete in a series of challenges that, if they survive, will narrow down who will rule across the Risen Kingdom for the next twenty-five years. Bell doesn’t really want rule. What she wants is revenge against those who hurt her people, the Treesingers. But if she takes this opportunity, she might just be able to have her revenge as well.

Kwaymullina has created an intricate fantasy world full of mystery, history, intrigue and action. The main character Bell has different shades of toughness, strength, kindness and vulnerability. A perfect combination! The journey created by Kwaymullina for Bell Silverleaf enables her to show these wonderful traits in her character. For that reason, the careful and detailed writing to craft this character mean that as the reader, you really hope Bell succeeds in all the challenges.

The storyline moved quickly between high stakes action, important details surrounding events, increased stakes and drawing all the threads of the storyline together to work out where it was going. It really keeps the reader guessing page after page.

Liar’s Test is book one in the Silverleaf chronicles. There is no release date for the next book as yet, but it will definitely be worth the wait! Inspired by strength and power of Aboriginal women, this story will keep the reader mesmerised by the fantasy world and every character in it.

Liar’s Test is suitable for a 12+ year-old readership. 

The Lost Girl

The Lost Girl by Ambelin Kwaymullina, illustrated by Leanne Tobin (Walker Books)

HC RRP $ 24.95

ISBN 9781921529634

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Multi-talented, author-illustrator Ambelin Kwaymullina follows her outstanding success of the young adult series The Tribe, with the creation of another fantastic children’s picture book. Leonie Tobin’s stunning illustrations in acrylic using earth and nature’s colours set the scenes for this story of a girl lost in the desert.

The girl has wandered away from her family and cannot find her way back. She falls asleep and waits to be found. There is bush food to eat and a waterhole to quench her thirst. The pictures show the child comfortable in her surroundings. She knows the earth and it knows her.

Rich depictions of the natural world, its flora and fauna, rugged rocks, and desert flowers surround her. Things that fly and crawl, striped and winged lizards, and wildflowers appear like painted canvases one after another. These keep the girl in her blue dress company for they are all part of her land.

Her beautiful face fills with concern as dusk falls and the crow flies overhead.  With the full moon above, she follows the crow to the smoke of the camp fires where a place by the fire awaits her.

The themes include nature and the Australian landscape, and missing/lost children. A splendid production with a strong Indigenous flavour, it reflects the importance of story, the unbreakable bond between the Indigenous people and their land, and family unity.

The Disappearance of Ember Crow

The Disappearance of Ember Crow (The Tribe: Book 2) by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Walker Books)
PB RRP $19.95
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

‘Ember is missing’ are the words that extract Ashala from the wolf pack she escaped to and draw her back to the Tribe. The rebellion continues in its attempt to overthrow the Citizenship Accords that make those born with ability an Illegal in a world after the cataclysmic Reckoning.  Ashala is focused on finding her best friend Ember after receiving a memory stone brought to her by a dog, containing Ember’s memories with a cryptic and unsatisfactory message. She seeks help from her spirit grandfather, the Serpent in the lake, and sets out with her love Connor to find Ember and answers.

Shattering revelations of an incredible magnitude shift the entire story. It is sent off in an unexpected direction when clues left in the previous book are picked up and expanded on. Explosive secrets withheld by Ember are exposed as her place in the Tribe is threatened, and the Balance severely tested. But friendship, faith, forgiveness and unity are strong weapons against acts of the past and threats to the Tribe’s future.

The second book in this spectacular series is even better than the first. The language retains the lyrical prose and stunning descriptions of the first book. Get settled in a comfortable chair or against pillows for there’ll be no breaks during this riveting read. Look out for Book 3: The Foretelling of Georgie Spider out soon, followed by Book 4: The Execution of Neville Rose. Ambelin is touring December 2013.

The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf

The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf (The Tribe: Book 1) by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Walker Books)
PB RRP $19.95
ISBN 9781921720086
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This stunning novel is a pass-the-parcel package. Each chapter unwraps and exposes a surprise. This keeps the reader in a page-turning frenzy. Ambelin Kwaymullina’s first novel is one of great imagination and creativity. It is set in a new world, the old having been destroyed by cataclysmic floods. This alternate society is governed by leaders that enforce Accords to maintain a balance between people and nature.

Ashala Wolf is a Sleepwalker; the wolf her spirit guardian. She is the leader of the Tribe, a group of Illegals that live in the Firstwood. She is captured by the Chief Administrator, who with a forbidden machine is determined to steal her secrets and thus destroy the Tribe.

The story is a thriller and simultaneously a love story. Its themes of power and manipulation, sense of place, belonging and identity are entwined in an expansive storyline about freedom and its necessity. Ambelin has used myths from her rich cultural Aboriginal ancestry, and employed the natural world and the vibrant earth as threads to bind everything together. Her poetic use of language and emotive descriptions build extraordinary scenes that incorporate unique characters with spirit guardians, fantastic abilities, mystery and adventure.  

This is the first in a series of four books. Ambelin has also produced four impressive picture books and is currently touring.

The Two-Hearted Numbat

The Two-Hearted Numbat by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina (Fremantle Press)
PB RRP $16.95
ISBN 9-781-921-888-007
Reviewed by Neridah McMullin

What is a Numbat? It’s a small native Australian marsupial also known as the banded anteater or walpurti. Once they were widespread across southern Australia, and are now mainly found in Western Australia. Thankfully, these cute little guys are now protected by conservation programs.

Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina are from the Bailgu and Nyamal peoples of the Pilbara region of Western Australia and The Two-Hearted Numbat, is a story close to home, told in the style of a dreamtime story.

Numbat has two hearts—one is made of feathers, and the other is made of stone. When Numbat is wearing his feather heart, he’s soft, kind and likeable—but exhausted from helping others. When he wears his stone heart, he’s strong, hard working and clever, but not very likeable. Numbat is torn between choosing a heart of stone that promotes strength and self-confidence at the expense of caring about others, and a feather-heart that promotes compassion for others at the expense of caring about oneself.

Feeling conflicted, Numbat consults the wisest of the numbats and they encourage him to go on a journey to discover his true heart. Facing many challenges, Numbat realises he needs both strength and gentleness, and his two hearts merge into one. “I once thought I had to choose between being as strong as a stone, or as gentle as a feather. But now I know that no one is truly strong who does not also have the softness to care for others. And no one is truly caring of others who does not also have the strength to care for themselves.” Numbat gains wisdom, and becomes a great leader.

The style of the artwork is a contemporary blend of modern and traditional. The use of brightly coloured rainbows of hot pinks, deep blues and jungle greens are throughout the book. There are identifiable, key elements of indigenous art—spirals, magical auras around the numbats and aerial views of the landscape. The traditional methods of ‘x-ray’ painting is also used to show Numbat’s two hearts, clearly visible inside his body.

The Two-Hearted Numbat is a vibrant combination of beautiful visuals and narrative; it’s simple and profound and thought provoking. It is a delightful story with an important message and will appeal not only to pre-schoolers, but older readers too.

Neridah McMullin is the author of three books for children. Her next book is an Indigenous folklore story called 'Kick it to Me'. It’s an ‘aussie rules’ story that’s being endorsed by the Australian Football League. Neridah loves family, footy, and doing yoga with her cat Carlos (who also just happens to love footy). 

Caterpillar and Butterfly

Caterpillar and Butterfly by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Fremantle Press)

HB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9-781-863-683-036

Reviewed by Neridah McMullin

This story is about a caterpillar who is too frightened to do anything. She refuses to go with her friends to go the Waterhole in case she falls in, she can’t go to the Tree because she might fall off, or go to the Rock or even watch the Sunset. Everything is too scary and dangerous! And in a way, this is understandable, as Caterpillar is very small and vulnerable.

So Caterpillar hides herself away in her cocoon. This is a magical way for small children to learn about ‘metamorphosis’: how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. Even though Caterpillar feels safe she misses her friends. After a while, Caterpillar feels herself changing and growing and realises she’s not scared anymore. She has found an inner strength to live her life. With her fears dispelled, she spreads her wings and flies away triumphantly as a beautiful Butterfly to enjoy all the wonders of the world. Butterfly’s world changes dramatically with her newborn freedom, as she also discovers she’s not the only butterfly in the world.

The illustrations are bright and thoroughly engaging. They are contemporary in style, but still reflective of Ambelin Kwaymullina’s indigenous heritage. When looked upon closely you can see intricately drawn speech bubbles coming from Caterpillar/ and Butterfly’s mouth, reflecting her dialogue. Butterfly lives happily, travelling far and wide to help other caterpillars by passing on what she has learnt. 

“Everything around us may seem large and scary, but when we hide from the danger of the world we also hide from the wonder of it, for only when we conquer our fear of falling can we learn how to fly."

This is an enthralling and inspiring story that sends a beautiful and positive message about how important it is to be brave and to believe that we all have an ‘inner strength’ to draw upon in times of need. The realisation that you’re never alone is also an important lesson to be learnt.

A wonderful picture book for children aged 1 – 8 years.

Crow and The Waterhole

Crow and The Waterhole by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Fremantle Press)

HB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9-781-863-683-036

Reviewed by Neridah McMullin

Crow lived in a tree by a waterhole. She feels inadequate and unhappy with herself and every morning she stares into the water only to see another crow staring back at her. “She looks like a crow who could change the world. I wish I could be like her.”

Crow bravely flies off on an adventure seeking her destiny. She travels far and wide, helping others along the way and eventually, thanks to Kookaburra, she realises the crow staring back at her, is actually her reflection.

From then onward, Crow eagerly shares this knowledge with anyone she meets who is seeking their own destiny. “Your destiny lies within you. All you need to do is learn how to see it.”

This is a warm and enthralling story and although fable-like, it’s refreshing in its delivery and context of positive re-enforcement and the value of self-esteem. It’s an inspiring book and one for everybody’s book shelf.

There is also a little pink frog that follows Crow everywhere. She can be seen on every page of the book and this will delight young readers trying to find her.

The illustrations are bold and beautiful and bright. They are appealing and engaging and unique with a distinctly indigenous feel to them.

The author Ambelin Kwaymullina is from the Baligu and Nyamal peoples of the Pilbara region of Western Australia and this is her first picture book. She is the daughter of the famed author, Sally Morgan.

A wonderful picture book for children aged 1 – 8 years.