1. Art motifs
2. Art, Aboriginal Australian
3. Country
4. Culture
5. Family
6. Glossaries and vocabularies
7. Indigenous languages
8. Landscapes
9. Nature
10. Night
11. Parent and child
12. Poetry
13. Relationship to place
14. Sleep
15. Stories in rhyme
16. Sun

‘My Little Barlaagany Sunshine’ is a rhythmic lullaby featuring soothing and poetic bedtime word images. Here mother points out animals, waterholes and bush food to her youngster as they farewell the sun (Barlaagany) and welcome the moon (Giidany) in their travel through the day and into the night. The sleep-inducing words are reflected in the acrylic illustrations in softly coloured pastel abstract designs on canvas. The relaxing and mesmerising soft colours of yellow, pink, gold, blue and green blend together in abstract patterns devoid of humans, animals or distinct landscapes. Words in the Gumbaynggirr language feature alongside selected English words. From these words and abstract images emerges a sense of mother and child together, both mesmerised by their surroundings. At the back of the book the Gumbaynggirr translation appears on the left opposite the English language version for ‘My Little Sunshine’.

Melissa Greenwood was born on Gumbaynaggirr jagun country in Coffs Harbour. She was raised by people from the Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung Nations, both her ancestral homelands. On Melissa’s matriarchal side, she is a Gumbaynggirr custodian with strong ties to Bundjalung and Dunghutti. Her mother’s side has English and Welsh heritage.

1. HarperCollinsPublishers Australia ‘Discover Author Melissa Greenwood’ https://www.harpercollins.com.au/cr-160643/melissa-greenwood/
2. HarperCollins Children’s Books Facebook page features a Melissa Greenwood artwork in the background with Gumbaynggirr words and their English equivalent pictured and pronounced (27 seconds) https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1431668310969271
3. Books+Publishing review 21 Mar 2023 by Meyrnah Khodr of ‘My Little Barlaagany Sunshine’ https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2023/03/21/227350/my-little-barlaagany-sunshine-melissa-greenwood-abc-books/
4. Kids’ Book Review 23 May 2023 review by Shane Wardrop of ‘My Little Barlaagany Sunshine’ http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2023/05/review-my-little-barlaagany-sunshine.html
5. Reading Time 26 June 2023 review by Laura Holloway of ‘My Little Barlaagany Sunshine’ https://readingtime.com.au/my-little-barlaagany-sunshine/
6. Story Links 16 June 2023 review by Lara Cain Cray of ‘My Little Barlaagany Sunshine’ https://storylinks.booklinks.org.au/2023/06/16/my-little-barlaagany-sunshine/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-little-barlaagany-sunshine
7. ABC Mid North coast 5 Jan 2022 ‘Stolen Generation survivor and daughter find healing through art business’ https://amp.abc.net.au/article/100718998
8. Miimi and jiinda author’s website features Melissa Greenwood’s art https://miimiandjiinda.com/