1. Adventure stories
2. Beaches
3. Boonwurrung people (S35)
4. Country
5. Culture
6. Diving
7. Dreaming
8. Endpapers
9. Fishing
10. Friendship
11. Glossaries and vocabularies
12. Hunting and gathering
13. Indigenous languages
14. Kindness
15. Mothers
16. Oceans
17. Shells

Naynay is a young Boonwurrung girl, who accompanies the women in her clan as they dive for wurrdin (abalone). Before her mother begins her dive, she encourages Naynay to stay on the beach and tells her how she may see the flash of a mermaid’s tail on the surface of the water if she is lucky. These female water spirits are a part of Boonwurrung Dreaming, hiding amongst the kelp strands to keep the water healthy and safe for the women as they dive. Naynay doesn’t have to wait long until she meets Korri, a real-life mermaid who invites Naynay on a yawa (journey) to her underwater home, where she learns more about the female water spirits and forges a lasting land-sea friendship.

‘Naynay and the Mermaid’ is set on Bunurong country, located on the coastal lands of South-Eastern Victoria. It is inspired by sacred Women’s Lore passed down through generations of Boonwurrung women. The story expertly interweaves Boonwurrung language, with sentences constructed in a way that English readers can infer the meaning of most of the Boonwurrung words used from the surrounding context. Every time a Boonwurrung word is used, it is highlighted in bold, with a definition

of the word contained in a glossary at the end of the book. The story utilises captivating language to draw the reader into Naynay’s journey, making it the perfect read-aloud for younger children.

The author, Tasma Walton, is of Boonwurrung decent through her mother’s side. The inspiration for ‘Naynay and the Mermaid’ can be traced to her maternal grandmother, who would tell her women’s Dreaming stories of mermaids, giant whales, and mystical rainbows. Tasma is well known for her acting career across television, film, and theatre, with her role as Constable Dash McKinley in ‘Blue Heelers’ winning her a Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent.

Illustrator Charmaine Ledden-Lewis is a descendant of the Bundjalung people. She captures the beauty of the Boonwurrung Sea Country within her illustrations. As Naynay and Korri swim deeper and deeper, the world around them transforms into beautiful shades of dark aquamarine. White flecks are used to add a magical element to the illustrations, such as creating a symbolic mermaid tail for Naynay as she returns back to the land. The book’s cover incorporates shimmering embellishments on Korri’s tail, making this visually enticing for younger readers.

1. The Book Muse 1 Oct 2025. Review by Ashleigh Meikle of ‘Naynay and the Mermaid’ by Tasma Walton, illustrated by Charmaine Ledden-Lewis’ https://ashleighmeikle.com.au/2025/10/01/naynay-and-the-mermaid-by-tasma-walton-illustrated-by-charmaine-ledden-lewis/
2. Boonwurrung Culture, Our Story https://biikbundjil.com/
3. Tasma Walton https://scholastic.com.au/booksellers/authors-and-illustrators/authors-and-illustrators-u-z/tasma-walton/
4. Charmaine Ledden-Lewis https://www.magabala.com/collections/charmaine-ledden-lewis
5. Books+Publishing, 19 Aug 2025. Review by A Kirk ‘Naynay and the Mermaid’ by Tasma Walton, illus by Charmaine Ledden-Lewis https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2025/08/19/311219/naynay-and-the-mermaid-tasma-walton-illus-charmaine-ledden-lewis-scholastic/