Afloat

By Kirli Saunders & Freya Blackwood

Reviewed by Sandy Driessens

Here is a book, “to spin wisdom, to grow … to form bonds, to make ties …to thrive.”

By means of following a changing waterway and the ancient practice of weaving, Kirli Saunders and Freya Blackwood have intertwined a story of climate crisis with one of creating a tightly-woven community.

Award-winning, Gunai Woman, Kirli Saunders  has written a story to honour the teaching of First Nations wisdom, with a practice that is common to all of them. With minimal text, she has used homonyms e.g. yarn, bond, tie, meld and shape to create the metaphor of weaving a raft, to unite all people so that, together, they can brave the storm of our changing world through recognizing ancient knowledge.

Freya Blackwood, also award-winning, has illustrated exquisitely the unwritten text. With her instantly recognisable style of pencil, pastel and watercolour, she has created characters of all races being gently guided by an Elder. From a pristine Australian bush creek, through industrial waterways and finally rising into the light, Blackwood has incorporated colour and details that engage the viewer. The collecting of vines i.e. people of different origins, and weaving them together is masterfully achieved by also incorporating distinctive ethnic patterns into the final woven raft/whale.

The production of this books is superb with the word “AFLOAT” embossed on the cover and weave patterns on the endpapers.

This book encourages gentle co-operation to achieve a common goal (to stay afloat) and though recommended for 4 – 8 years old,  it would be a calming, hopeful influence on persons of every age and ethnic group.

Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing 2024   

Kirli Saunders

Freya Blackwood