Introduction

Let’s celebrate NAIDOC week 

With the beautiful writings about the Aboriginal culture, their lifestyle and particularly their Indigenous ideas and myths...

Australian authors and particularly some Indigenous author have penned on Aboriginal literature for young adults to create awareness and understanding. This annotated bibliography will focus on Young Adult Fiction covering Aboriginal life and people as central theme.

All novels depict social life, beliefs, culture and issues of Aboriginal people - mostly youth in modern and historic times.

All titles in this blog have been sourced from Novelist and Austlit Databases and other sources referenced.

Shauna's Great Expectations

Author: Kathleen Loughnan

Publisher: Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen and Unwin.  2019

Shauna's Great Expectations

A beautiful and engaging novel by an Aboriginal author, highlighting a strong female Aboriginal lead, Shauna who is studying in final year at a private school having great expectations from her life. Away from her family, experiences of dorm life, her own negativism, expectations and weight of cultural differences makes her choices limited and difficult. Beautifully written, engaging and thought provoking dialogues makes it a worth read.

For more information:

Goodreads
Allen & Unwin
Books + Publishing

Saving Spade: WW1 Has Ended But the Battle to Save a Horse Has Just Begun

Author: Dennis Ogden

Publisher: Coolum Beach, Queensland: Ogden Imprint, 2017

Saving Spade: WW1 Has Ended But the Battle to Save a Horse Has Just Begun

A story of an Aboriginal soldier, Lewis who crosses all perils in the desert to be with his loyal companion as World War I ends and soldiers are relieved from their duties but not the horses. He rejects the idea of leaving his beloved horse behind. Stuck in the Arabian desert with young A’isha, a mute Bedouin girl, he has to find a way back using his spiritual powers. In Saving Spade, narrated by Lewis himself, and A'isha, the author Dennis Ogden covers two different cultures, their beliefs and morals in a captivating way. 

What happens with them in the huge and unforgiving desert and if he is able to bring his beloved Spade back? A tale of hope, heartbreak, loyalty and empathy.. A must read…

For more Information:

Amazon
Goodreads
Dennis Ogden


 

The Rock

Author: Ted Stephens

Publisher: Gordon, New South Wales: Ted Stephens, 2015

The Rock

A unique time-travel story of three year 9 students Matt, Rick and Kim who find themselves on a big rock in the prehistoric time as an experiment goes wrong. They are trapped at prehistoric Aboriginal time where they need their wits for survival and finding their way back to present time. An extraordinary adventure from the pen of Poland born author, Ted Stephens takes young readers on a journey to ancient culture, tribal rituals and indigenous land.

For more Information:
Amazon


 

Kumakana: A Gronups Tale

Author: Kevin L. Price

Illustratrator: Judith Price

Publisher: Bullsbrook, Western Australia: Crotchet Quaver, 2017

Kumakana: A Gronups Tale

An unusual narrative, set in Western Australia takes you into the life of thirteen years old Lavender Jensen. Being headstrong and unwavering but daring and careless crosses a line that takes her into the spiritual wonderland of mysterious Kumakana forest. Along with her new Aboriginal friend Jerramunga, she confronts struggle for life, inner strength and hidden talents on the way. An amazing way of combining Western fairy tales and indigenous storytelling along with compelling illustrations of nature makes it a worth read for young adults.

For more Information:
Goodreads
Amazon
Kevin Price
 

Inheritance

Author: Carole Wilkinson

Publisher: Newtown, New South Wales: Walker Books Australia, 2018

Inheritance

A compelling and exciting time-travel novel takes readers along a historical journey that is but dark and shocking. A young girl, Nic is sent in the care of her maternal grandfather at the remote family home with thirty rooms, three dogs and no mobile signals. Living there, as she discovers an incredible inheritance she finds out the secret to time travel. A confronting novel, based on true events, written by award-winning author Carole Wilkinson deals with the massacre of the local Gulidjan people in 1839.

For more information:
Walker books Australia and New Zealand
Goodreads

Follow after Me

Author: Allison Marlow Paterson

Publisher: Newport, New South Wales: Big Sky Publishing, 2018

Follow after Me

An engrossing and moving story set in World War I and modern times. Story of two young women, separated by a century but mysteriously connected by a tiny key that helps them find their identity and listen to their hearts. 

Lizzie, a perfect daughter, student and sister in 2018 throws away her life for a risky relationship with a charismatic but traitorous and narcissistic football player, Brandon who hides his predatory intention.

In the parallel narrative, her great grand-mother, Evie in 1914 finds her dreams shattered as her beloved Tom Windridge, leaves the family’s farm to serve in the World War I. A key connects them during this horrendous time. Combining factual information and historical details with human emotions, the writer has created a masterpiece for not only young adults but adults too.

For more information:
Goodreads
Booktopia
Allison Marlow Paterson

Calypso Summer

Author: Jared Thomas 

Publisher: Australia, Magabala Books. 2014

Calypso Summer

Story told by Calypso, a young Nukunu man who after failing to find his dream job in sports retail seeks work in Health Food shop. The boss knowing his Aboriginal background pressurizes him to bring his secret natural remedies for selling in the shop. As he tries to follow that he finds himself connected to his extended family and his indigenous land. With the support of a lively, smart and high-spirited, young Ngadjuri girl, Calypso reconsiders his Rastafarian facade and understand how to take charge of his future.

For more information:
Goodreads
Amazon
Jared Thomas

 

Njunjul the Sun

Author: Meme McDonald and Boori Monty Pryor

Publisher: St. Leonards, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin 2002.

Series: My Girragundji (3rd in the sequel)

Njunjul the Sun

This is a third sequel to My Girragundji and Binna-Binna Man written by Meme McDonald's and Boori Pryor mapping the journey of self-discovery of a sixteen year old Aboriginal boy as he learns to draw strength from his traditional heritage and to find a way of living in contemporary Australia. When he moved to Sydney, he discovers a whole new world that is completely different from what he has already seen. With good company, sports, yoga and traditional dances, he finally discovers inner peace and strength to gather his two worlds. The story is illustrated with small black and white photographs that enliven the characters.

For more Information:
Allen & Unwin
booktopia

Catching Teller Crow

Authors: Ambelin Kwaymullina, Ezekiel Kwaymullina

Publisher: Allen & Unwin. 2018

Catching Teller Crow

Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina are a brother-sister team of Aboriginal writers who come from the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. They've worked together on a number of short novels and picture books. Catching Teller Crow is their first joint young adult novel. They believe in the power of storytelling to create a more just world.

It’s the story of two young Aboriginal women; the first one is Beth Teller who died in a tragic accident. But she communicates with her detective father to solve some of his mysterious cases. The second voice is of another Aboriginal woman Isobel Catching, whose story unfolds the mystery of interconnected crimes that are revealed as story proceeds. Catching Teller Crow, a gripping novel, told in two voices, gathering the themes of grief, colonial history, dark Aboriginal tragedy, violence, love and family. Being the first joint venture of Siblings Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, Aboriginal writers who come from the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

For more information:
Allen &Unwin
booktopia

Requiem for a Beast : a work for image, word and music

Author: Ottley, Matthew

Publisher: Sydney : Hachette Livre Australia, 2007

Requiem for a Beast : a work for image, word and music

A beautiful creation by blending genre elements of the graphic novel with a CD recording. Set in Far North Queensland, a unique combination of words, illustrations, comic-like sequence, hand-written script, as well as typed-script. Ottley wrote, drew and composed a masterpiece that centralizes around the life of a young Australian stockman who attempts to reunite his family and his nation’s disgraceful history of violence against Aboriginal Australians. The book contains a CD of orchestral music, composed by Matt Ottley, and Bundjalung Aboriginal songs.


For more information:
Goodreads
booktopia