Badudu stories by May L. O'Brien
Fremantle Press, 2014. ISBN 9781922089823.
(Age: 6-10) Recommended. Chapter book, Aboriginal themes, Early
learning, Western Australia.
Four short stories, first published by May L. O'Brien in 1994 have
been collected together to contribute to the growing store of
literature about Aboriginal history. In these tales, O'Brien tells
short snappy stories of her time at the Mount Margaret Mission, near
Kalgoorlie where she received her European education. In some
schools it was forbidden to speak their native tongue, but not so
here. She was encouraged to learn English but the children were able
to speak their own languages outside school hours.
In these stories O'Brien tells stories which reflect the
difficulties in learning a new language and its idioms.
The first, Smartie pants, tells of a young boy eager to play
football for the school, but unable to do so until he can understand
more English and so take instructions on the field. He finally
achieves this but is taken aback when someone calls him smartie
pants. Fun is had when the teacher explains this phrase to the team.
Another, Which Jack? is similar in tone where a new boy
without any English at all, brings Jack the boy from his class,
instead of the implement for changing a car tyre.
Each of the four stories is funny, reflects difficulties in learning
a new language and the patience shown by the other children and
staff.
O'Brien attended this school, and so her stories are infused with
the atmosphere and feel of the school and its cohort. The
illustrations add more to the background of the school. The book has
a short biographical piece about O'Brien and the school she
attended, as well as a map, and several pages of the language spoken
and used in the text, Wongi. These are delightful stories stand on
their own, and most useful in a class where Aboriginal
understandings is being discussed.
Fran Knight