Malu Kangaroo

“I will show you how to play with the ocean,” Said Malu-Kangaroo. He took some wood And he worked it, And he shaped it and rubbed it and smoothed it, And he floated it upon the water… Described by the author as a modern myth, Malu- Kangaroo is a poignant story which tells of how people first learnt to surf. Malu-Kangaroo, a kangaroo spirit, carves a piece of wood and takes it to some children playing on a beach. He floats it on the water and shows them how to use it. The children learn to balance and guide the board through the waves, “riding the high crests” and “flying before the crashing breakers”. With beautiful, evocative text and vibrant, intricate illustrations by acclaimed indigenous artist Bronwyn Bancroft, Malu-Kangaroo combines Dreamtime and contemporary imagery.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bronwyn Bancroft
Born in Tenterfield, northern New South Wales, Bronwyn Bancroft is a descendant of the Djanbun clan of the Bundjalung nation. Bronwyn is a leading Indigenous artist, illustrator and art administrator whose work is held at the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Australian Museum. Brownyn has illustrated several award-winning books for children and she has a long history of involvement in community activism.