Suzanne Ingelbrecht, Tumblagooda, Dragonfly Publishing, July 2023, 190 pp., RRP $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780645595369
Tumblagooda is an ancient sandstone formation, spectacularly preserved in Kalbarri, Western Australia. It is also the name of a captivating new title set in this very region, by WA author-playwright, Suzanne Ingelbrecht. Inspired by childhood memories, and reinvigorated by recent travel to the area, the author has superbly crafted an inspired, meaningful adventure for readers ages 7+.
Georgina – George, to everyone but her father – loves adventure and has a knack for conjuring characters and heroic challenges from her very fertile imagination. When a mysterious creature called Tumblagooda breaks free from the sea cliffs in the aftermath of a cyclone, George and her best friend Mac must fight to keep the living fossil secret, far away from adults with unknown intentions.
A seasoned dramatist with an ear for dialogue, Ingelbrecht brings each of the story’s characters to life, from George and Mac, and her father, Seamus, to bully Jed and, of course, the creature. But it is landscape and setting that dominate, thanks to the author’s rich prose vividly painting both time and place. Set in the ‘70s, the story’s sleepy seaside town of Mirmouth (Kalbarri) has a quirky, nostalgic vibe – if I didn’t know better, I’d be certain I had lived there for a time.
Tumblagooda is the story of a strange lost thing, according to the book’s tagline. But it is so much more. It is a tale of small town life, belonging, Australia’s deep and troubled past colliding with the present, family and the bond between living things. The ending provides an ideal jumping off point for book 2 in the intended trilogy, which I believe the author is working on as I sign off on this review.
A highly original offering that opens the door to learning, discovery and wonder about ourselves and the world around us, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Reviewed by Maura Pierlot
Read an interview with the author, Suzanne Ingelbrecht here.
