RaymaNGgirrbuy dhawu, When I was a little girl

SHORTLISTED, 2025 CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS, NEW ILLUSTRATOR AWARD

A beautiful story of Kylie s life on her grandmother s Country, Raymangirr, a remote Yol?u homeland in North East Arnhem Land in the Top End of Australia.

This is a sweetly told story of the author s experiences with her grandmother. From watching her grinding ochre and painting in the shade of a tree, to hunting for bush honey (guku) and painting cermonial guku designs on their bodies (special permission was given to Kylie to paint this) and doing the guku dance to full-moon night fishing and cooking up a fish feast on the beach.

Rayma?girrbuy dhawu When I was a little girl developed through the author s expressed interest in developing her skills in writing and illustrating. With the support of Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts Kylie developed the story with her mother and grandmother about the country, and cultural activities Gapuwiyak and in their Raymangirr homelands.

Praise for Rayma?girrbuy dhawu When I was a little girl

...illustrations in acrylics mix European modernist approaches with the local indigenous style learned from her grandmother s bark painting. Each image of her community is joyous and expressive. Kevin Brophy, CBCA Reading Time

...a fine example of an educational resource created in the bilingual form that is rare to find. Koori Mail

Her stories and accompanying illustrations are lively, joyful and peopled...Rayma?girrbuy dhawu When I Was a Little Girl is a generous act of sharing and will enlighten young readers aged 4+ about life in Arnhem Land. Angela Meyer, Books+Publishing