Helen Milroy, The Boab Tree, Freemantle Press, October 2024, 40 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760994631
This lyrical tale that follows the life cycle of a boab nut is a heart wrenching metaphor for the experiences of the stolen generation. That said, it is also an enjoyable tale for older picture book readers. Blossoming among a large family of boab trees, little Boab is excited to fall and join the landscape where generations of trees have taken root before him. But when he falls from the parent tree, he lands on an eagle’s back.
The eagle was so big he did not even notice he had a passenger. There was nothing little Boab could do but nestle into the warm feathers and enjoy the ride (p. 7).
This illustrated novella feels like a fable and has a satisfying narrative arc, concluding with the native animals working together to help Boab find a way back home.
Written and illustrated by Helen Milroy, a descendant of the Palyku people of Western Australia’s Pilbara, the book includes sumptuous artwork with vibrant colours, including dot painting. Milroy’s books have been shortlisted in the CBCA awards, Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards and the Readings Children’s Book Prize. She is a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and a board member of Beyond Blue. The book dedication reads ‘for all our stolen children’. Teaching notes are available on the publisher’s website.
Reviewed by Heather Gallagher
