Katie Taylor’s text for ‘Hill’ has a lyrical read aloud quality. The story traces the early days of a Canberra hill rich in plants, birds and animals, visited in the past by the Ngunnawal people seeking food, gathering ochre, meeting and talking. The illustrations, set on darkly coloured, slick paper, feature a land once rich. Then others came to the hill, named and featured in portraits featured along with their domestic animals—sheep, horses and cows. The text is solemn and wistful, capturing changes: ‘no more corroborees, only cows and sheep where once old songs had been’.
A city grew below the hill, indicated by a map of Canberra. As the city grew, people wanted a school for their children to learn. The hill was chosen and so Radford College (unnamed in the book) was built. Still ravens, magpies, snakes and fairy wrens have returned to the site. They feature alongside the Radford buildings where children go about learning.
This picture book reflects the artist’s interest in close observation and detail with each illustration compelling the viewer to look closely and ponder past and present. This is Amanda Andlee Poland’s first illustrated children’s book, which was created using Procreate App on the iPad with Photoshop and InDesign. Readers and viewers will close the book feeling somewhat saddened, and no doubt wistful for a landscape and way of life that is no more.
There are acknowledgements in the back that name consultants who advised on the presentation of culture, research, sensitivity and storytelling.
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
