‘Djinang Bonar: Seeing Seasons’ presents the six seasons of the Noongar calendar with Noongar words presented naturally to herald the seasonal changes. First Nations talents, Ebony Froome and Leanne Zilm, are both new creators. They give readers and viewers striking insights through both words and illustrations. Noongar language is presented in a natural way through the story and illustrations, although the glossary of 21 Noongar words features on the back endpaper. There is a QR code available opposite the title page which provides the story read aloud by the author with the striking illustrations in the background. The experience offered by this story is mesmerising.
The text gently guides the viewers to consider the animals, the plants and the sky as each season is different.
Mesmerising artwork fills each double page features strong colours, texture and details to savour. The landscapes in the background fill the double page spreads while the eye searches for details mentioned in the text. The text has a strong read aloud quality that snares both the reader and listener. Front and back endpapers feature landscapes with the back endpapers including a glossary of 21 Noongar words appearing in the text. The glossary is a useful reference, but the story of animals, landscape and seasons is easily understood.
Author Ebony Froome was born and raised on Wardandi boodja in Busselton, Western Australia. She lives in Perth but remains connected with her birthplace. Illustrator Leanne Zilm is a descendant of the Wudjari and Goreng Noongar tribal groups. She works with acrylics. The backgrounds for her paintings are created using an acrylic pour technique. She is inspired by the natural environment and the native flora and fauna in the Fitzgerald River National Park and Bremar Bay region in the South-West of Western Australia.
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
