The egg falls into a wallaby’s pouch, tumbles into a canoe and travels all the way back to where its journey first began as the clever crow chases it across the Australian bush.
Clever Crow is an engaging and humorous story, exploring Australian landscapes, native animals and local Indigenous culture.
It’s also a very special book because it’s presented in both English and Djambarrpuynu, one of the many Yolnu languages of the Indigenous people of North East Arnhem Land.
As you turn each page, the narrative is there in both languages, and at the back of the book, the text of the whole story sits in both languages side by side, providing a lovely and interesting way to compare them.
There is also an orthography section, which provides guidance on how to pronounce Djambarrpuynu words, and a glossary to help readers translate the meaning of individual words and phrases.
This is a brilliant book for both homes and schools. It provides kids an opportunity to learn the words of another language, as well as about how languages can differ not just in spelling, but also in pronunciation. You can also find great teachers notes on the Magabala Books website.
I highly, highly recommend checking out Clever Crow. The story, by Nina Lawrence, is fun and engaging for kids, and the illustrations, by Bronwyn Bancroft, are bright, bold and striking.
Simply stunning!
Author: Nina Lawrence
Illustrator: Bronwyn Bancroft
Publisher: Magabala Books, $24.99
Publication Date: November 2018
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922142610
For ages: 4 - 8
Type: Picture Book
