Who sewed the pouch on the Kangaroo
And placed her Joey in there, too?
Was it a Dreamtime spirit-man
Who made up creatures from a plan?
These lovely and lyrical words begin the very special children's book, Kangaroo Clues, by Margot Finke. The glorious illustrations were done by Mustafa Delioğlu. The book was published by Guardian Angel Publishing.
The book is told through Australian Aboriginal eyes and tells the story of the Dreamtime, where all things come from and where they go back to when their time on earth is finished.
Aboriginal spirits made all things,
Like kangaroos and birds with wings.
But I’ve a tale that’s just for you.
It tells the secret of Old Man Roo
.
The book conveys a tale of bravery on the kangaroo's part. Is it true, or is it fable? No matter. The story is what counts. The imagery. The mysticism. The beauty. And the dreamlike quality of of the allegory itself.
Perhaps spirits gave Kangaroo some smarts,
Allowing him to lose dogs in watery parts.
I’m told it’s true, so you have a choice—
To believe or not in the Dreamtime’s voice.
This joyous book contains explanatory notes on each page, so the reader is always informed on the text.
Margot Finke is a master story teller, and this time she has outdone herself in the sumptuous work that would be a gorgeous gift for adults as well as for children. And in Margot's Australian words, Well done, Mate!
You may get your hands on Kangaroo Clues and/or more of Margot's wonderful books at:
An Inuktitut and English children’s book, Uumajut, which received support from the Qikiqani Inuit Association’s community initiatives program, has won a nomination for a Silver Birch Express Award, the QIA announced Oct. 19.
The award is part of the “Forest of Reading Program,” an awards program in Ontario. A committee of educators and librarians from across that province nominate titles.
Its members assess all the nominated works based on their literary merit and their contribution to the enrichment of Ontario students. Nominated books are then distributed to every participating classroom in Ontario.
“We are proud to have partnered with the Nunavut Bilingual Education Society by funding Uumajut in our effort to promote and advance Inuktitut literature. Our Community Initiatives Program is making a positive difference for our region and the territory,” said QIA president Okalik Eegeesiak in a news release.
The Silver Birch nomination means that Uumajut will be read by more than 2,000 Grade Three students across Ontario and introduce these southern students to Inuit conservation values, traditional practices, and language.
“Without the combined efforts of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the Nunavut Bilingual Education Society, Inhabit Media Inc., and the GN Department of the Environment, this book could not have been such as success. This project involved working together with Inuit and non‐Inuit to ensure that northern perspectives are represented in Canadian literature,” said Louise Flaherty, who is vice-president of the Nunavut Bilingual Education Society, and a co-founder of Inhabit Media.
Uumajut, published by Inhabit Media Inc., has already been distributed free of charge to Nunavut schools. Inhabit Media is also sending dozens of “cold, creepy Canadian monsters” down south in time for Halloween, the publisher said in a recent news release.
Included in the 2011 “Canadian Monsters” promotion are three brand-new Inhabit titles: The Shadows the Rush Past: A Collection of Frightening Inuit Folktales, Ajiit: Dark Dreams of the Ancient Arctic, and The Legend of the Fog.
Top rabbis have endorsed a new children’s book teaching Orthodox Jewish kids about kidnapping and molestation - a historical first for this traditionally sheltered community. “Let’s Stay Safe” is backed by Torah Umesorah, a rabbinical authority, and ArtScroll, the maker of religious prayer books.
The glossy pages show a stranger sporting a yarmulke and a boy asking for help finding his mom - eerie reminders of the murder of Leiby Kletzky, 8, killed in July after being kidnapped in Borough Park.
“It is important for parents to understand that the Kletzky tragedy was an exception to the rule, and that the vast majority of predators are people the children know,” said Rabbi Yakov Horowitz, who oversaw the book’s creation.
Torah Umesorah started distributing the book last month to Jewish bookstores and its 700 affiliated schools across the country.
“As a result of the Kletzky case, there is a greater need for parents to be aware of safety issues,” said Rabbi Shmuel Klein, director of publications for Torah Umesorah.
Last month, Danese added two pages titled “What Should I Do If I Get Lost?”
Brooklyn Jewish bookstores now sell the new edition.
The Kletzky family knows of the book, a relative said. “It’s a sad time we live in,” said Malky Bodenstein, a Kletzky cousin, thumbing through books at Eichlers Bookstore in Borough Park. “I want to cry. It’s sad you have to tell your kids about these things.”
Who sewed the pouch on the Kangaroo
