Maku and his family have moved around a lot, so he has been to a few schools, which makes settling in and making friends rather difficult. He is in Year Three in his new school and children in the playground whisper about him because he doesn't live with his mum and dad. Maku is shy but never stops trying to make new friends. His teacher encourages all the children to think about what they want to do when they are grown up. Maku has no hesitation – he wants to make a movie with superheroes in it and that becomes his weekend homework. When his Nan and Pop arrive to take him camping, Maku is inspired by the native wildlife, Nan’s stories about the Rainbow Serpent, the night skies and his Pop’s stories about ceremony and totem, to plan the script for his movie. His story is well received by the teacher and his classmates and leads to a hopeful ending.
With large print, plenty of lively illustrations, suitable white spaces, enlarged bolded text for good emphasis and short chapters, this book has been well designed for emerging independent readers or as an engaging read aloud. It is a narrative that uses simple vocabulary which adds to its accessibility to children as young as six. The story reflects diversity and inclusiveness and has embedded in it respect for grandparents. Throughout the story, the emphasis is on the importance of First Nations’ family, Culture, and land.
This title is winner of the inaugural 2024 DANZ (Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand) Children’s Book Award. It is the first title in the series ‘Our Stories,’ an early reader chapter book series that is explicitly about diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism.
Meyne Wyatt is an award-winning Wongutha-Yamatji performer, writer, and director. Meyne's film and television credits include The Sapphires, The Turning, Strangerland, Redfern Now (for which he was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama and a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer), Neighbours, Black Comedy, The Leftovers and Mystery Road.
He was named Best Newcomer at the Sydney Theatre Awards for his performance in Silent Disco. His debut play City of Gold, in which he also starred, was critically acclaimed, and established him as a writer with a powerful and distinctive voice.
In 2020, Meyne became the first Indigenous artist to win the Archibald Packing Room Prize.
Series title: Our Stories
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Resource
