Wombat, Mudlark and other stories by Helen Milroy

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Fremantle Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781925815818.
(Age: 6-10) Recommended. Themes: Short Stories; Emotional intelligence; Natural world; Dreaming stories. The author, Helen Milroy, is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region in Western Australia; she is also a doctor in the field of Psychiatry and is a Professor at the University of Western Australia, in combination with other achievements. Her stories in this book are a wonderful infusion of the Aboriginal insights of wisdom about the natural world and the emotional intelligence that can be displayed by the young. Each story has a brief introduction to highlight the strengths and qualities displayed by the animals in response to difficulties and environmental issues. It is written in a naively simple and accessible style with overtones of traditional Aboriginal Dreaming stories and is illustrated by the author. It is a charming and gentle collection of stories that are worth sharing with the young. It would make a wonderful read-aloud collection for teachers and parents.
Carolyn Hull

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