When I was Little Like You
Mary Malbunka

Allen & Unwin 2003
48p., hbk., $27.95
1865089036

The picture book that I have just read is called When I Was Little, Like You which was written and illustrated by Mary Malbunka.

This book tells the story of Mary’s childhood and about the place where she grew up – the Papunya settlement which is located in central Australia. This book is different to others I have read because it is written in English but it also has the Luritja words also written for some of the words in the book. (These are written in italics). I found these a bit confusing at first but once it was explained to me I didn’t have any more problems with it.

The book begins by explaining the Papunya mission setup and there is a map of the settlement so you can see where Mary lived.

I really thought that the illustrations in the book were excellent and I like the style in which they were drawn. The colours that were used were really good and made me feel like I was in the outback. I also liked the dot paintings that were in the book. I liked the way the book taught me about traditional aboriginal culture and lifestyle – like the hunting, tracking, exploring and playing that went on. I liked the way they learned things from the stories their families told them. I think it also gives you an idea of how the Aboriginal people’s lifestyle has been affected by the white man’s world.

I think this is a book for all ages, although I think that you need to be 8 years or older to really like this book because there is a lot of writing on some pages which some people might not like. I really enjoyed reading this book, even though it is not the usual type of book I read.

Alice, aged 11 years, Adelaide