Nessa Stevens (text) and Paul Seden (illustrator), The First Sunrise, Magabala Books, February 2025, 32 pp., RRP $27.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922777553
Published by Magabala books, this picture book is a recounting of the stories the author was told by her elders as a child from Mbabaram country. It is the story of the first sunrise.
It starts before time, when kangaroo and emu roamed the sky. Mulungh, the great creator, speaks to Kangaroo and Emu, inviting them to participate in an important job. They are to find a stick, which will become the first boomerang. They are taught to throw the boomerang, and after practice they hit the right spot. At first they think they have broken something, but it is the sun appearing on the horizon. Kangaroo and Emu learn about how the sun gives directions, produces shadows and sets, creating a new phenomenon: tomorrow.
Through the pages of this story, readers are also supplied with some non-fiction information and diagrams related to the sun. This melding of story and science reminded me of Megan Daley’s recent picture book The Beehive. I think it’s a trend in picture books that could catch on.
I think we’re used to books of first nations stories having images that have a style derived from typical indigenous artwork. This book deviates from what we might expect. Though we still see the colours of the Australian outback – deep browns, eucalyptus greens and vibrant blue skies.
The publication of a creation story is not something the big publishing houses ever really release. Magabala books should be applauded for continuing to actively promote the stories and voices of first nations authors. They provide a platform for the continuation of the oral storytelling traditions of the oldest cultures, which enriches us all.
Reviewed by Cherie Bell
