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babyleo's review against another edition
5.0
This is a remarkable book as it celebrates the momentous speech by Kevin Rudd in 2008 but it also shows the past and the horrors indigenous people had to endure. Vass uses Rudd’s real words and she weaves it into this young girl’s story, not quite understanding the impact, but we see it through her mum and the adults around her.
As one story unfolds about that wonderful February day, it is shadowed by the realities of the history those words represent. The contrast from page to page is a stark reminder and a beautifully heartbreaking juxtaposition about the two eras, and what the importance of the speech means. In the present a young girl loses the hand of her mother and is lost momentarily in the crowd, in the past, young children lose their parents forever.
I loved that each page threw up into a different time in history. From the lawns of Canberra, to the creeks where children hide in terror, then back to watching the speech. It is such a powerful move to bring the voices of the past into the present.
Leffler uses colour to show the differences between eras, colours for the present, with sepia depicting the past. The images are vivid and emotive and coupled with Vass’ words and my own understanding of history, it is incredibly clever to see these two moments side by side.
More people need to remember this speech, remember the impact it had, but also remember why it needed to be said in the first place and wonder just why it took so long to be said. This is the ideal book to tell the story in an impactful yet gentle way and it is certainly one that can spark great discussions.
A longer version of this review was published on my blog Lost in a Good Book
As one story unfolds about that wonderful February day, it is shadowed by the realities of the history those words represent. The contrast from page to page is a stark reminder and a beautifully heartbreaking juxtaposition about the two eras, and what the importance of the speech means. In the present a young girl loses the hand of her mother and is lost momentarily in the crowd, in the past, young children lose their parents forever.
I loved that each page threw up into a different time in history. From the lawns of Canberra, to the creeks where children hide in terror, then back to watching the speech. It is such a powerful move to bring the voices of the past into the present.
Leffler uses colour to show the differences between eras, colours for the present, with sepia depicting the past. The images are vivid and emotive and coupled with Vass’ words and my own understanding of history, it is incredibly clever to see these two moments side by side.
More people need to remember this speech, remember the impact it had, but also remember why it needed to be said in the first place and wonder just why it took so long to be said. This is the ideal book to tell the story in an impactful yet gentle way and it is certainly one that can spark great discussions.
A longer version of this review was published on my blog Lost in a Good Book
lowercasenospaces's review against another edition
4.5
The key word at the end is hope - there's still such a long way to go to actual reconciliation.
jessiquie's review against another edition
5.0
Sorry Day by Coral Vass and Illustrated by Dub Leffler is a remarkable book for a number of reasons. Vass and Leffler have created the perfect book that illustrates the then Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd's historic 2008 speech where he apologised for the government's policy towards Aboriginals which resulted in the stolen generation.
Within the book, this speech shows a contemporary community watching and reacting to the 2008 speech, with the focus on a young child positioned in the crowd. As Rudd's speech is presented in the 'present' time, Vass and Leffler juxtapose this against the historic reactions of the stolen generation on every second double-page spread. In both representations, we see small children, fearful and traumatised as they are separated from their parents. For the historic representation, this is done using force; the present-day representation the small child has wandered off in the sea of legs and is unable to find Mum.
Sorry Day is a poignant reminder of the need to educate all Australians about the harm that has transpired, and the need for the government to apologise. The picture book serves as a constant reminder, educational tool and perhaps most importantly, a comparison for today and future generations to understand a small percentage of the fear and nightmares the Indigenous community lived for years on end.
UPDATE: Sorry Day by Coral Vass and illustrated by Dub Leffler was awarded the winner of the 2019 CBCA Eve Pownall Award.
This review was originally posted at The Never Ending Bookshelf and can be found here: https://wp.me/p3yY1u-1RE
Within the book, this speech shows a contemporary community watching and reacting to the 2008 speech, with the focus on a young child positioned in the crowd. As Rudd's speech is presented in the 'present' time, Vass and Leffler juxtapose this against the historic reactions of the stolen generation on every second double-page spread. In both representations, we see small children, fearful and traumatised as they are separated from their parents. For the historic representation, this is done using force; the present-day representation the small child has wandered off in the sea of legs and is unable to find Mum.
Sorry Day is a poignant reminder of the need to educate all Australians about the harm that has transpired, and the need for the government to apologise. The picture book serves as a constant reminder, educational tool and perhaps most importantly, a comparison for today and future generations to understand a small percentage of the fear and nightmares the Indigenous community lived for years on end.
UPDATE: Sorry Day by Coral Vass and illustrated by Dub Leffler was awarded the winner of the 2019 CBCA Eve Pownall Award.
This review was originally posted at The Never Ending Bookshelf and can be found here: https://wp.me/p3yY1u-1RE
brona's review
5.0
Sorry Day (2018) by Coral Vass and illustrated by Dub Leffler tells two stories told side by side - a modern story set on the lawns of Parliament House on the day that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised for the Stolen Generation.
The older story provides a window into what it felt like to be stolen.
"Hide. HIDE!!"
"White men
The children trembled."
I have read sections of the Stolen Generation report and feel that I am open to seeing things from a perspective other than my own, but it is still confronting to realise that Aboriginal children today, and of old, automatically viewed all white men as people who they should fear.
Dub Lefller is from the Bigambul and Mandandanji people of SW Queensland. His illustrations include a sepia style for the historic story, while the modern story is in full colour. A double page spread opens up at the end to combine the two styles. A timeline with the relevant facts and figures about the Stolen Generation and the events leading up to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology are provided at the end.
The book includes a foreward by Lee Joachim, Chair of Rumbalara Aboriginal Coop and Director of Research & Development for Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation.
Full review here- http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/07/indigenous-picture-books-for-children.html
The older story provides a window into what it felt like to be stolen.
"Hide. HIDE!!"
"White men
The children trembled."
I have read sections of the Stolen Generation report and feel that I am open to seeing things from a perspective other than my own, but it is still confronting to realise that Aboriginal children today, and of old, automatically viewed all white men as people who they should fear.
Dub Lefller is from the Bigambul and Mandandanji people of SW Queensland. His illustrations include a sepia style for the historic story, while the modern story is in full colour. A double page spread opens up at the end to combine the two styles. A timeline with the relevant facts and figures about the Stolen Generation and the events leading up to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology are provided at the end.
The book includes a foreward by Lee Joachim, Chair of Rumbalara Aboriginal Coop and Director of Research & Development for Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation.
Full review here- http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/07/indigenous-picture-books-for-children.html
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