Sunny and Shadow (Helen Milroy, Fremantle)

Sunny and Shadow is a heartfelt junior fiction novel and intergenerational tale that follows Calla and her descendants, who all have the precious gift of talking with and caring for dingoes. The story begins with the Dreaming—‘a timeless and fluid space where past, present and future coexist’—before it introduces the dingoes, notably little Chichi, and then Calla as a young girl. Their bond is unbreakable, as Calla’s special role in life is to look out for the dingoes. When Calla’s family and the dingoes are forced from their Country, a courageous and secret adventure ensues to find each other again with the help of the Dreaming. The book’s vocabulary is simple and approachable for readers aged 7+, but the novel’s themes are complex. Mentions of the Stolen Generations, and colonisation more broadly, encourage further discussion with adults about historical and contemporary approaches to caring for Country in a colonised world. Milroy (Crow Baby), a descendant of the Palyku people, crafts this intergenerational story with compassion and wisdom. Sunny and Shadow invites young readers to reflect on responsibility, courage and connection to Country, presenting profound themes with gentle, thoughtful storytelling. Compared to Milroy’s previous works, Sunny and Shadow demonstrates greater emotional maturity, with a deeper focus on the relationships between people and Country. Its complexity makes it equally suitable for older readers, alongside books by authors such as Kirli Saunders, Tylissa Elisara and Sally Morgan.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Clare Millar is a writer, editor and children's bookseller. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews