The holiday season is just around the corner, and what better gift to give than a Blak book?
12 Blak Books of Christmas
October 2024
Written by
Skye Cusack
Skye is an emerging Dulgubarra-Yidinji creative and journalistic writer living in Naarm. But this doesn’t mean that she’s new to writing – in fact, she’s been a copywriter for over eleven years. She has written for platforms like ABC, Employment Hero, and Staunch. by Awesome Black. In February 2023 she founded her own copywriting and...
The holiday season is just around the corner, and what better gift to give than a Blak book? This year, let’s celebrate by sharing stories from First Nations authors. Our “12 Blak Books of Christmas” list is packed with amazing reads – from gripping novels to moving memoirs (and everything else in between!). These books are perfect for any kiddos, friends, or family on your gift list and are sure to bring joy, knowledge, and inspiration. Let’s dive in and find the perfect reads for the holidays!
the body country – Susie Anderson – Hachette Australia
A powerful collection of poetry from an award-winning poet and black&write! Fellowship winner, the body country is an evocative exploration of a world that too often marginalises, and a meditation of wandering and wondering on Country. Be invited to understand the complexities and changing forms of self and love.
Ceremony – Adam Goodes, Ellie Laing, David Hardy – Allen & Unwin
A joyful celebration of family and culture in a friendly board book format with rhyming text, Ceremony introduces First Nations culture and language to young children in a simple and accessible way. Includes a selection of words from the Adnyamathanha language group with a visual glossary and a QR code linked to a reading by 2014 Australian of the Year Adam Goodes.
if this is the end – Bebe Oliver – Magabala Books
In a state of post-pandemic recovery, Bebe Oliver (our Artistic Director & CEO!) travels back to his hometown and grapples with all that comes with it. His new work follows the thrills of relationship drama and serious queer romance, sees him working through his mental health issues, and writing a love letter to Narrm from the perspective of a Kimberley man.
Jilya – Tracy Westerman – UQP
In this ground-breaking memoir, Tracy draws on client stories of trauma, heartbreak, hope and connection from her years of practice, offering a no-holds-barred reflection on how the monocultural, one-size-fits-all approach to psychology is failing Aboriginal people and how she’s healing those wounds. Jilya is a story of drive and determination, of what it takes to create change when the odds are stacked against you.
Lethal Lizards – Gregg Dreise – Magabala Books
Lethal Lizards is the second book in Gregg Dreise’s ‘Scales and Tails’ series and is a captivating creation story about believing in yourself and standing up to bullies. In this colourful adventure, join sand and tree goannas, blue-tongue lizards, and frill-necked lizards as they learn to believe in themselves and overcome their fears thanks to the help of the great creator, Biamme.
Liar’s Test – Ambelin Kwaymullina – Text Publishing
Bell Silverleaf is a liar. It’s how she’s survived. It’s how all Treesingers have survived since they were invaded by the Risen and their fickle gods. But now Bell is in the Queen’s Test—she’s one of seven girls competing in deadly challenges to determine who will rule for the next twenty-five years. Liar’s Test is a fast-paced, intricately woven YA fantasy novel with an unforgettable heroine inspired by the strength and power of Aboriginal women.
Love Unleashed – Melanie Saward – Penguin Books Australia
A fresh friends-to-lovers Blak romcom. When Bigambul woman Brynn Wallace leaves Brisbane to pursue her dreams in the Big Apple, she imagines herself landing a fabulous career at a New York City publishing house and acquiring shelves of Louboutin shoes, not working in a doggy daycare with a boss from hell and a wardrobe from her nightmares. As Brynn’s NY ride begins to stall, the city shows her just how full of surprises it is.
Praiseworthy – Alexis Wright – Giramondo Publishing
Praiseworthy is an epic set in the north of Australia, told with the richness of language and scale of imagery for which Alexis Wright has become renowned. This is a novel which pushes allegory and language to its limits, a cry of outrage against oppression and disadvantage, and a fable for the end of days.
Refugia – Elfie Shiosaki – Magabala Books
Refugia is an unparalleled work of vision and political fury from Noongar and Yawuru poet and scholar Elfie Shiosaki. Inspired by the beeliar (Swan River) and the NASA James Webb Space Telescope’s first year of science, this collection draws on colonial archives to contest the occupation of Noongar Country. As the bicentennial year of the colony of Western Australia approaches, Shiosaki looks to the stars and back to the earth to make sense of memory and the afterlife of imperial violence.
The Rocks Remain – Karen Wyld, Dominic Guerrera – Wakefield Press
Through poetry and prose, twenty-five Aboriginal writers share narratives that embody: strength of family and community; love found and lost; enduring relationships with the Land and nonhuman others; honouring Elders and Ancestors; expressions of place and belonging; asserting sovereignty; talking back to the colony; and envisioning Blak futures. Voices of new and emerging writers are intertwined with writers of renown, with a strong representation of writers with connections to South Australia.
Shapeshifting: First Nations Lyric Nonfiction – Jeanine Leane, Ellen van Neerven – UQP
A ground-breaking essay collection that shifts the shape of what First Nations writing can be and do in Australia today. These lyric essays push the boundaries of nonfiction beyond the biographical or the academic, with pieces that experiment with form and embark on carefully crafting and re-crafting interventions that both challenge and expand existing genre structures.
Yarn Quest Trilogy – Brooke Scobie, Jade Goodwin – Penguin Books Australia
This is a trilogy, so technically this makes the list ‘The 14 Blak Books of Christmas’. But, we thought you wouldn’t mind! A breathtaking fantasy-adventure trilogy. Do you dare step into the Realm? A magical journey awaits . . . Long ago (or maybe it was yesterday?) in the depths of the cool dark bush, under fallen trees and lime green moss, lived an ancient magic; a magic that, despite what you might imagine, did not belong there at all. It especially didn’t belong at a 10-year-old’s house. For readers 8+.
These First Nations stories are not just great reads, but they also support and amplify Indigenous voices. We hope this list helps you find just the right book for everyone on your list, adding a touch of cultural richness to your holiday celebrations. Happy reading and happy holidays!