This story is told by 12-year-old Mirra, who has just moved to Djaara Country, Western Victoria. Wingo is Mirra’s neighbour and she loves to be with him and his extended family as they have a menagerie of wildlife that they care for.

Wingo has placed some loose boards from the fence between their houses up in the big tree. It’s the perfect place to watch the sunrise and wait for everyone to get up. They name the place Leaf-Light.

One day the Ranger arrives at Wingo’s house with an orphaned emu egg. He asks Wingo’s family to care for it until it hatches. They will need to keep it warm. They keep it for quite a while safe and sound until one day they all huddle round to watch the chick slowly, slowly chip its way out of its shell.

There is much to read and see in between this main tale. Slowly the fence palings between the two houses are taken down and repurposed. We learn about cultural practices and Djarra language. We can learn the names of flora and fauna while we see the family caring for each other and the land around them.

This graphic novel is in a picture book format so there is lots to look at. But it is easy to read and as you linger, even for a moment, on the pages the story springs to life. The pitch-perfect illustrations and words are so cleverly put together that from the moment I opened this book I was absorbed by Mirra’s world.

Leaf-Light is a companion book to Landing with Wings, but also stands very well on its own. It’s wonderful. Spellbinding. Worth every moment.

Reviewed by Rowena Morcom
Age Guide 8+

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trace lives on Djaara Country, South Eastern Australia. Her ancestors come from Hungary, England and France – from them she has inherited a love of dance and artistic creativity. Trace loves to rise at dawn, especially in late winter when it’s frosty, and walk up hills above the fog line to marvel at the dawn light and early spring flowers. She creates graphic novels and children’s books about connecting with Country and community. A self-described ‘story catcher,’ she finds inspiration in nature and incorporates local plant and animal species into her detailed, cartoon-style drawings.

Visit Trace Balla’s website