1. Ancestors
2. Animals
3. Bilingual books
4. Birds
5. Corroborees
6. Country
7. Creation
8. Culture
9. Dance
10. Ecology
11. Emotions
12. Environment
13. Families
14. Gumbaynggirr people (E7) (NSW SH56-11)
15. Indigenous knowledge
16. Nature
17. Plants
18. Respect
19. Rivers and creeks
20. Trees

‘Giinagat Juluum : Hello Mountains’ is the fifth picture book by Gumbaynggirr creator, Melissa Greenwood. Aunty invites the children Jinda, Miimi and Gami to join her on a walk noting nature’s intricate details and the creatures that live in the mountains. Like her previous books, Greenwood chooses a colour palate, here shades of green, apricot and wine, which add a distinctive look to each of her titles.

The children begin their walk through the bush at the base of the juluum (mountain). They pay their respects to Country as they walk and notice changes in the environment – the fresh green growth on the jaliigirrin (trees), the bindarray (river) rising and falling, the creatures that live at the base of the juluum and the animals that live in the bush. Smoke signals lead them to the meeting place where preparations are underway for a corroboree.

Greenwood’s book and her four previous similar ones invite viewers to awaken their senses as they explore Country, plants and animals in the Australian environment. Greenwood’s writing is full of imagery and her knowledgeable remarks add to the wisdom passed down from her Elders. Walking through nature and using the senses are ‘grounding techniques.’ Used with children, these techniques increase young people’s understanding of the environment and all living there.

Greenwood’s four previous picture books listed in the series description below all appear in this database and can be found by title or creator’s name. As with its predecessors, text and artwork for this title assist in telling the story. On a final page the full text appears in both English and Gumbaynggir, thus adding to existing resources for preserving and revitalising First Nations languages. 

Melissa Greenwood was born on Gumbaynggirr in Coffs Harbour. She was raised between Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung Nations, her ancestral homelands. She holds a BA degree with a major in Critical Criminology. She worked in Aboriginal affairs for over 11 years.

A series title is not stated, although the jacket cover refers to her books as a series. Her book titles with a similar approach and appearance include ‘Miimi Marraal, Mother Earth,’ ‘My Little Barlaagany,’ ‘Giinagay Gaagal, Hello Ocean’ and ‘Miimi and Buwaarr, Mother and Baby’ plus this latest title, ‘Giinagat Juluum : Hello Mountains.’ These four titles appear in this database under title and or creator’s name.

1. Books+Publishing 13 Aug 2024 review by Nadia Heisler of ‘Giinagay Juluum : Hello Mountains’ https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2024/08/13/255592/giinagay-juluum-hello-mountains-melissa-greenwood-abc-books/
2. ReadPlus 4 Oct 2024 review by Kathryn Beilby of ‘Giinagay Juluum : Hello Mountains’ https://www.readplus.com.au/reviews/giinagay-juluum-hello-mountains
3. The Bottom Shelf 2 Nov 2024 review by Barbara Braxton of ‘Giinagay Juluum : Hello Mountains’ https://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/2024/11/02/giinagay-juluum-hello-mountains/
4. Facebook How to pronounce words from Melissa Greenwood’s ‘Giinagay Juluum : Hello Mountains’ https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1486083005407123
5. Better reading 19 Mar 2024 ‘Discover Melissa Greenwood’s Picture Book Series https://www.betterreading.com.au/review/our-review/discover-melissa-greenwoods-picture-book-series/
6. Momo celebrating time to read 5 Mar 2024 ‘Meet the Illustrator Melissa Greenwood’ https://momotimetoread.blogspot.com/2024/03/meet-illustrator-melissa-greenwood.html