This first-time author has spent many years working as a primary teacher in the ‘top end’ of the Northern Territory, and is currently the teaching principal of a small school 200km south-west of Darwin. Her familiarity with, and deep affection for, the Aboriginal communities she has worked in and the children she has taught, positively shines from each page of this book, perfectly illustrated by Dee Huxley. The simple story follows a typical day in the life of a young boy, Tom Tom, who lives in a remote community surrounded by the different members of his immediate and extended family. And what an idyllic life it is-going to pre-school, eating lunch at Granny Annie’s house, swimming in the Lemonade Springs, staying the night with Granny May and Grandfather Joe-because together the words and illustrations show us so much more than just the written story, not least the importance of family and relationships in the lives of young children. This book will be a welcome addition to school libraries, particularly those schools participating in the Indigenous Literacy Project (and could be read in conjunction with You and Me: Our Place, Leonie Norrington, also illustrated by Huxley). It’s a lovely story to share with young readers, wherever they live.

Hilary Adams works in a specialist children’s bookshop in Sydney and is a freelance reviewer and writer

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2008, Thorpe-Bowker

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