Tamarra: A story of termites on Gurindji Country (Violet Wadrill, Topsy Dodd Ngarnjal & Leah Leaman, Hardie Grant Explore)

Tamarra is a nonfiction picture book that explains the relationship between the Gurindji people and termites. With gorgeous illustrations, the text not only provides information about termites—explaining their life cycles and the way they gather food, build their mounds and more—but also their significance to Gurindji people and how termites and their mounds are collected and used in important rituals. The book includes a glossary of important words and a pronunciation guide, and has text written in Gurindji, Gurindji Kriol and English. This title also comes with a QR code that allows you to listen to the story spoken in Gurindji and Gurindji Kriol—a wonderful way to fully immerse yourself in the information and learn about the language alongside everything else. It’s clear Tamarra was a project of love, since the book was created as a collaboration between over 30 First Nations and non-Indigenous contributors, and the behind-the-scenes information really helps bring everything together. Once I finished absorbing everything I had just read in English, I was excited to return to the beginning to listen to the story in Gurindji and Gurindji Kriol while reading along. A fantastic source of information, I recommend this book for anyone who loves learning and believe it would be a fantastic addition to any library.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Anneliese Gates is a writer and works in a primary school library. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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