Days of Warmth

Days of Warmth written & illustrated by Gregg Dreise (Puffin) HB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9781761340567

This board book for children aged 0 to 5 years, has been created by a Kamilaroi and Euahlayi man so the illustrations are decorated with indigenous drawings and patterns. The book combines early learning concepts, such as days of the week,  animals and family using simple and rhythmic text. Australian animals such as a goanna, sugar glider and quoll are featured. All are young and all experience emotions and feelings but are comforted by members of their family from mum to Pop until ‘One Sunday, little fruit bat woke up feeling alone… but her family was together.

The book both entertains and educates young readers.

Circles of Life

Circles of Life by Gregg Dreise (Penguin Random House Australia) HB RRP$24.99 ISBN 9781761340550

Aboriginal creator Gregg Dreise explores his cultural tradition of painting in this picture book for readers aged 5 to 7 years. With ochre from Mother Earth, two young girls are guided by Uncle to paint each layer of the Thank Your Circles as a celebration of the different elements of our world. When the dots are placed together, they form circles of life.

Circles of Life explores themes such as First Nation traditions and storytelling, art, creativity, and the environment. The story encourages children to create their own artworks and reflect on the meaning behind each stroke and dot.

This book is a companion to Dreise’s previous picture books, Hello and Welcome and My Culture and Me.

A Footy Tail

A Footy Tail by Alex Johnson & Gregg Dreise (Allen & Unwin) PB HB RRP $24.99 97817611830316

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Alex Johnson is an NRL star who has played internationally for both Australia and Papua New Guinea. This story is inspired by the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team.

A fluffle of bunnies play footy but no matter how hard they try they never win. All the other teams are bigger and stronger. They decide to bring in some new players to the team to improve their chances.

The opening sentence creates wonderful visuals and sets up the story. A fluffle of Bunnies play down at the park. The text is written in rhyme and uses great action verbs. They sprint and they tackle from dawn until dark. The problem is introduced in the very first spread. The other teams are just bigger and stronger. It’s tough. So other teams are brought into the story and their strengths are highlighted.

I love how each team’s animal’s trait is their strength. There’s the Bulldogs so mean with their super loud barks. There are teams with sharp teeth – Tigers, Panthers, and Sharks. Children who love rugby league will love that NRL teams are included. One bunny bravely speaks up and then a Crow explains that there’s no rule that says all the players must be bunnies. This shows young readers that things can be discussed. The title is clever – A Footy Tail. It makes me smile as I think of bunny tails.

Gregg Dreise is a gifted artist, storyteller, and musician who is a published Aboriginal author/illustrator. For the cover he has chosen the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team colours of red and green. The vibrant endpapers are stunning Aboriginal artwork. Dreise has used a vibrant colour palette, and the bunnies are cartoon like. I love that Aboriginal artwork is woven into the illustrations along with the footy team mascots. The illustrations have a Dreamtime feel in certain parts of the story.

This is an Aboriginal picture book for children 4-8 years inspired by the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team. This book is sure to be popular with children who love footy. It’s a fun way to learn about the different teams in the NRL. The important themes of unity, togetherness, resilience, and teamwork feature strongly in this book.

Today's Sun

Today's Sun by Gregg Dreise, illustrations by Kamilaroi (Puffin Books) HB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9781760898335

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

The idea of board books for babies such as this, Puffin says, is to raise a reader. Illustrated in black and white, the story is a series of sentences which begin, ‘As today’s sun yawned/stretched/thawed’ and so on. It is told in first-person, but it is difficult to know who the ‘I’ is. For example, one double-page spread reads, ‘As today’s sun cooled, I played hide-and-see like a camouflaged tawny.’ It is accompanied with a stylised picture of a tawny frogmouth owl and two babies on a branch with a stylised border of Aboriginal prints and a sun.

All the twelve pages of this small book are illustrated in artwork that one recognises as Indigenous, a great way to introduce small children to Australian animals and illustrations. There are six sentences altogether, with some vocabulary alien to the youngest readers. This means, of course, the book will need to be read – and explained – to youngsters by adult readers.

With regards to the illustrator, it is interesting to note that the Kamilaroi were an Aboriginal group located in New South Wales along the Barwon, Bundarra, Balonne, and upper Hunter rivers and in the Liverpool plains. They are now nearly extinct and only a small number remain.

Hello and Welcome

Hello and Welcome by Gregg Dreise (Penguin Random House Australia) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781760898328

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Told from the point of view of an Indigenous child performing at a school assembly, the story of Hello and Welcome is one of awareness, appreciation and acceptance. The child begins by thanking the Elders who entrust their knowledge to subsequent generations, and then the young kids who learn about Country and will become Elders one day. They also acknowledge Mother Earth and ‘the ground on which we stand’. Finally, they express gratitude to the visitors ‘for respecting the Culture we share’.

A proud Kamilaroi author and illustrator, Gregg Dreise blends rhyming English text and traditional Gamilaraay language to unite all Australian children in fellowship. The simple words are packed with meaning, inviting Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers alike to understand the past and embrace a future where ‘Different colours, different people, [are] together in harmony’.

Each spread of the book is bursting with nature’s brilliant colours, from the golden yellow of the sun to the emerald green of the grass. Dynamic Indigenous dot patterns ripple across the pages, drawing the eye through the book. Although Gregg’s depictions of people are unrefined, the faces beam with hope and joy.

Aimed at kids aged four to eight, Hello and Welcome celebrates not only Australia’s Indigenous heritage but also the diversity of the nation today. It recognises that children are the key to creating an enduring society that values compassion and tolerance.