Lisa Fuller, Washpool, Lothian Children’s Books, February 2025, 275 pp., RRP $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780734420756
Sisters Cienna and Bella love to visit the local swimming spot, known as Washpool. But one weekend they dive deep into the pool, and surface in the strange new world of Muse.
In this colourful world, the sisters not only help magical creatures find a precious lost dragon egg, settle a long-standing feud between two ‘tribes’, but also discover hidden strengths within themselves. Bella, who has been struggling at school with bullying, discovers a way to deal with the bullies. Cienna learns that she doesn’t always have to be the strong one and that it’s okay to ask for help.
Muse may be a magical world, but it still has the same issues that the girls experience back home. Bullying, racism and discrimination are major themes in the novel. The girls are from an indigenous family and the story shows us how important family and country are to them and their family.
In the teachers’ resources, Lisa Fuller refers to her novel as ‘a work of fantasy that happens to be written by a First Nations woman, with the cultural perspective that entails’. What I loved about this book is you can read it as simply a fantastic fantasy book, set in Australia with references to Australian fauna and flora. But if you want, you can scratch the surface, and find so much depth and nuance. The author has skillfully woven indigenous knowledge into the novel, without being didactic.
Washpool would make an excellent book for class study, particularly in Years 5 and 6.
I loved this book. It’s original and unlike any other fantasy I have read. The girls’ indigenous heritage is an intrinsic element to the novel, making it a unique read.
Recommended for 9-12 year olds.
The publisher’s website provides extensive teaching resources.
Reviewed by Gaby Meares
