Shirley Purdie: My Story, Ngaginybe Jarragbe is the perfect way to celebrate Book Week with the young reader in your life.
October 17 – 23 marks the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book Week — a yearly celebration of Australian children’s authors and illustrators. Shirley Purdie: My Story, Ngaginybe Jarragbe [Magabala] is the beautifully rendered life story of the world-renowned indigenous artist and is the perfect way to share the joy of reading with a youngster.
Shirley Purdie has been painting for more than two decades and continues to garner recognition for her combination of formidable skill and cultural knowledge. Her book engages young readers through a unique visual and verbal narrative.
Shirley Purdie: My Story, Ngaginybe Jarragbe is the first volume in the Kimberly Arts Series, which will bring children a range of stories that shine a light on the talent of Aboriginal artists from the Kimberly region.
The book chronicles the life of Purdie in Gija — an Indigenous language of the East Kimberley region in Western Australia — as well as English. The history and Dreaming of Purdie, the customs of the Gija people and her ongoing connection to Country is evocatively told through the written word and a series of stunning ochre paintings.
The spirit of Purdie’s generosity is summed up in the following: “I’m still painting, sharing corroboree, hunting for bushtucker and teaching the young people. Happy times.”
Shirley Purdie: My Story, Ngaginybe Jarragbe creates a captivating world for young reading enthusiasts and an ideal introduction to the diversity and exceptional talents of Kimberley Aboriginal visual artists.
Shirley Purdie: My Story, Ngaginybe Jarragbe is out now via Magabala Books.
