Review: DAY BREAK by Amy McQuire & Matt Chun
Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing / ISBN: 9781760508159 / $24.99
After decades of protest marches, media commentary, and endless debates around changing the date of a national celebration, perhaps it will be a simply told story by Amy McQuire (illustrated by Matt Chun) that will help our nation finally understand what January 26 represents for many of us. And why it is not a day to ‘celebrate’ anything other than our survival since the point of first contact and invasion.
In Day Break, Amy McQuire – freelance writer and journalist – uses the children’s genre to tell the story of a family making their way back to Country on January 26.
The author considers the ongoing teaching of colonial history, as well as the conversation around national statues, the painful realities of land theft and stolen children, and she ties the narrative together with respectful acknowledgement of Ancestors and Country. Amy McQuire’s skill and success with Day Break has been in taking such complex issues and themes and simplifying them for young readers in 24 pages and under 300 words. But she also simplifies them for older readers, so don’t think this title is just for children.
I hope to see this beautifully illustrated book in every school library in Australia and that this duo continue working together on writing / illustrating stories that speak to the heart of our nation in a way that is engaging as well as informative.
About the creators:
Amy McQuire is a Darumbal and South Sea Islander woman from Rockhampton in Central Queensland. Amy is a freelance writer and journalist, and is currently completing a PhD at the University of Queensland into media representations of violence against Aboriginal women. More here! Follow Amy on Twitter.
Matt Chun Matt Chun is an artist and writer, currently based on unceded Tsleil-Waututh land / Vancouver, Canada. Living, travelling and creating with his 9-year-old son, Matt’s work spans text, drawing, sculptural installation, children’s books and comics. More here! And you can follow Matt on Twitter.
Where to buy your copy of this deadly book:
Via Hardie Grant site
Add your local bookseller in the comments below and I’ll add them to this list too – of course we like to shop local and support our independent booksellers where we can!
