Cathy ran barefoot every day
Across the great ancient land
As her people had done
For sixty thousand years before
And when she ran she could
hear the heartbeat of the land.

Yes, this is our Cathy, the great runner. She begins this beautifully presented book acknowledging the first Australians as the traditional custodians of the land. She pays her respects and thanks for their approval of her book, and also to those who have helped her.

And then we see Cathy, barefoot, running through our great ancient land. And as she runs, she can hear the sky and the mountains talking to her. They are crying. Cathy tries to tell the people how they could help, but they were too busy to listen. But little by little, some people begin to hear the cry of the land and feel inspired to help.

This is such an inspirational book that children will love. I hope it will make them feel that they can make a difference just as our Cathy is doing.

As our book says, ‘Environmental challenges are difficult and there is no one solution, but we can all help to play our part in healing our land.’

Reviewed by Merle Morcom
Age Guide 3+