1. Art motifs
2. Babies
3. Bilingual books
4. Culture
5. Education
6. Emotions
7. Endpapers
8. Environment
9. Family relationships
10. Gumbaynggirr people (E7) (NSW SH56-11)
11. Indigenous knowledge
12. Indigenous languages
13. Love
14. Moon
15. Oceans
16. Sun
17. Visual literacy

This is a lovely lyrical hymn from a mother to her newborn child about their Country and their language, Gumnayniggirr. The tone is gentle and loving as the Miimi (mother) shares stories with her Buwaarr (baby) about their Country, its environment, language and totems.

We learn that the land they live on is surrounded by freshwater creeks (yamaan), rivers (bindarray), oceans (gaagal) and misty mountains (juluum) and that the ocean, gaagal, is their peoples’ totem bringing healing and cleansing their spirit. The artwork was created with acrylics on canvas and each double page spread features a blend of muted tones of pink, orange, purple and green images that relate to the text. The endpapers continue the colour and art motif theme.

The mother’s greatest desire is for her buwaarr (baby) to walk proudly, calmly and confidently through life knowing who they are in their heart and soul.

At the rear of the book the text is printed side by side in both Gumbayniggirr and English.

‘Miimi and Buwaarr : Mother and Baby’ was shortlisted in the Wilderness Society’s 2025 Karajia Awards that showcase children’s literature by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island creators who honour connection to Country through stories that explore the land, community, Culture and language.

Melissa Greenwood is a Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Dunghutti woman from the mid-north coast of New South Wales. She creates deeply personal contemporary art though a cultural lens.

Series title: If applicable, add as the last item to your Annotation a Series title and series number if the book is part of a series.

The publisher refers to this author’s work as a series including ‘Miimi Marraal, Mother Earth’, ‘My Little Barlaagany’ (Sunshine) and ‘Giinagay Gaagal, Hello Ocean’.

1. ReadPlus 2 April 2022. Fran Knight reviews ‘Miimi and Buwaarr : Mother and Baby’ by Melissa Greenwood https://www.readplus.com.au/reviews/miimi-and-buwaarr-mother-and-baby
2. Reading Time 9 May 2024. Shelley Stephens reviews ‘Miimi and Buwaarr : Mother and Baby’ by Melissa Greenwood https://readingtime.com.au/miimi-and-buwaarr-mother-and-baby/
3. Story Links 25 May 2024. Mia Macrossan reviews ‘Miimi and Buwaaarr : Mother and Baby’ by Melissa Greenwood https://storylinks.booklinks.org.au/2024/05/25/miimi-and-buwaarr-mother-and-baby/
4. Momo Time to Read 5 March 2024. ‘Meet the illustrator Melissa Greenwood’ https://momotimetoread.blogspot.com/2024/03/meet-illustrator-melissa-greenwood.html
5. The Wilderness Society Facebook post ‘Miimi and Buwaarr: Mother and Baby’ by Melissa Greenwood. Shortlisted for the Wilderness Society Karajia Award for Indigenous Children’s Literature https://www.facebook.com/wilderness.society/videos/were-delighted-to-share-that-miimi-and-buwaar-mother-and-baby-written-and-illust/24279139288395681/