Moon Story shines bright to win major literature award
The Moon Story written by Marshia Cook, and illustrated by Marshia and her son Tamua Nuggett, has won the Wilderness Society’s 2025 Karajia Award for Children’s Literature, in the picture fiction category.
The Karajia Award, launched in 2022, honours First Nations storytellers sharing stories about connections to Country, culture, and Community.
“The Moon Story is about a camping spot we use to go every winter time when we were small with our families. It’s a nice camping place near that old gum tree telling stories watching the moon rising,” Ms C took who lives in Fitzroy Crossing in WA, said.
“My message to the children all over everywhere is keep writing stories, keep your language strong, keep your culture strong while you got your Elders still around. That’s really important to know who you are, where you come from. To be a future role model.”
The Moon Story is the perfect bedtime story and a stunningly illustrated book, written in English and Kriol. The story follows a family from Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia, as they go camping under the moon and stars.
Samantha Mansell, one of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation’s Publishing Project Editors said the ILF’s Community Publishing program was all about platforming and celebrating the amazing work of First Nations’ peoples living in remote Communities.
“Seeing The Moon Story, a bilingual book in both Kriol and English, winning this award is an incredible achievement that highlights the strength of First Nations’ cultures, languages and storytelling,” Ms Mansell said.
The Moon Story was one of three books published by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation that were shortlisted for the Karajia Award this year.
The other books were:
- Ngayawanj bagan-nggul, ngayawanj barra barra-nggul: we belong to the land, we belong to the sea written and illustrated by Vincentia High School with Kirli Saunders and Jaz Corr.
- Bbagan, barra barra, mirriwarr: The Boys Who Found Their Way written by Tyran Uddin and Kayden Wellington with Kirli Saunders and Jaz Corr and illustrated by Vincentia High School.
Ben Bowen, Indigenous Literacy Foundation CEO, said the awards recognised the value of First Nation’s people’s stories, and the kinds of stories they wish to tell – stories that speak of Country and connection to Country.
“Country isn’t just a piece of land; it is everything – language, culture, mob and more. These books reflect just that.”
Since 1994, the Wilderness Society has been recognising the talents of authors and illustrators whose creativity is inspiring the next generation, through their annual Environment Award for Children’s Literature.
In 2022, the Wilderness Society launched the Karajia Award for Children’s Literature. This new award celebrates this continent’s First Nations authors and/or illustrators.
- The Moon Story by Marshia Cook, Hardback, rrp: $24.99, 24 pages, Picture storybook. Ages 3-8. ISBN: 9781922592552 Language: Kriol (Kimberley) and English. Published by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Available online at https://shop.ilf.org.au/ and where all good books are sold.
