Spirit of the crocodile by Aaron Fa'Aoso & Michelle Scott Tucker with Lyn White
12 year old Ezra is on the verge of leaving childhood behind with the big move to high school on Thursday Island imminent. He is leaving the comfort and security of his home in the small Torres Strait Island community on Sabai Island. The cultural threads of his life are strong, but his own anxiety in the face of change is bubbling up and unsettling him. His good mate Mason will be joining him at high school and their friendship is strong (they have a culture of daring one another to complete boyish tasks), but leaving family behind is hard. Ezra must grow up. Mistakes made, that disappointed his parents, are also weighing heavily on him. The eye of the crocodile is looking right at him. A fierce storm, a high tide and the impacts of climate change all coincide and collide to create a disastrous impact on the small community and put Ezra and Mason’s dad’s lives at risk, and their families in desperate circumstances. Will Ezra demonstrate that he has grown up or is everything too hard to face?
The setting of this story within the Torres Strait community on Sabai Island is an absolute delight! We are welcomed into the warmth of their families and feel their heartache as climate change impacts become a burden for their future. This is a wonderful journey into a coming-of-age story in a different cultural setting that is imbued with real heart. The adventure through disaster is stirring, but it is the cultural differences and practices that are endearing. Everyone on the Island works hard to support one another and in their tiny community we see real power, but a future that may well be hampered as sea levels rise and climate impacts threaten. This is for readers aged 10-14, who will enjoy the boys-own experience facing insecurity and danger, with a bit of friendly fun, and an eye on environmental issues.
Themes: Family, Saibai Island, Torres Strait Islands and culture, Storms, Climate change, Coming of age, fear and insecurity.
Carolyn Hull