Emily Wurramara, & Sylvia Wurramarrba Tkac (text) and Dylan Mooney (illustrator), Marringa Lullaby, ABC Books AU, June 2024, 9 pp., RRP $19.99 (board), ISBN 9780733343551
Marringa means lullaby in the Anindilyakwa language. Comprising nine very solid board ‘pages’, the book contains the words of the lullaby which can be heard on ABC Kids television at appointed times. The two opening pages announce that night-time is here and it is time to go to sleep. Each subsequent page has an illustration of one animal, named in both Anindilyakwa and English – turtle, goanna, cockatoo and flying fox – most of which would be familiar to children living on Country.
Dylan Mooney is a Yuwi, Torres Strait and South Sea Islander artist. Legally blind, he works across various mediums: painting, printmaking, drawing, and digital illustration, a medium not traditionally associated with Aboriginal art. He is seen as one of Australia’s most prominent young Indigenous artists.
The simple, bright and large illustrations are intended to help children appreciate nature and Country, and to fill their dreams with friendly creatures. Perfect for very young children aged 0 to 2.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Douglas
