Caring for Country: First Knowledges for younger readers

Bruce Pascoe and Bill Gammage. Adapted by Jasmin McGaughey with illustrations by Savi Ross.

Reviewed by Helen Gearing

Since Bruce Pascoe’s Dark Emu hit the shelves in 2014, the groundbreaking re-examination of the colonial account of Aboriginal people as hunter-gatherers has been adapted into a stage production, a picture book for younger readers, and a feature-length documentary film.

This most recent adaptation, Caring for Country, is the latest offering in Thames & Hudson’s ‘First Knowledges for younger readers’ series (which includes the CBCA shortlisted Design & Building on Country) and recounts the ways First Nations people cared for land for tens of thousands of years – and how today’s readers can also look after the Australian environment through First Nation’s principles of sustainability and respect for nature.

‘When driving alongside forests have you ever seen marks spraypainted onto trees?’ ‘Do you know what a lerp is?’ ‘How might we use Aboriginal fire farming today?’

Jasmin McGaughey keeps the tone both conversational and educative throughout, with each chapter including an explanation of key ideas, connections between deep history and today’s environment, and reflective questions and activities to help readers embed knowledge into day-to-day practice. A glossary and extensive index will also support students using this work in their own scholarship.

With appealing, colourful digital illustrations by Savi Ross and highly engaging design by Sancia Ridgeway (which I hope wins much critical recognition) Caring for Country is a text which, once opened, readers eight years and older won’t want to leave any time soon.

Thames & Hudson 2025

Savi Ross