Acclaimed Kimberley authors Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler publish three books in one month
The three upcoming titles — Krstel Kicks To Win, Ngurra Home and How Big Is Love? — are being released through major publishers HarperCollins, Magabala and Hachette and feature work from prominent First Nations illustrators.
'It's not something authors usually do, you are a lucky author if you even get one book a year! But three in six weeks is almost unheard of,' Mr Merrison said.
Released last week, Krstel Kicks to Win is based on AFLW player Krstel Petrevski. The middle reader novella is the second book in the Kimberley Kicker series that tells the story of AFL players from the Kimberley. It follows Jy Farrar's Jy Goes For Gold, which was named a notable book by the Children's Book Council..
Out on August 12, Ngurra Home is the final in the multi-award winning Black Cockatoo series set on Jaru country that has so far been read by over 88,000 people.
How Big Is Love? — out August 26 — is a gentle and playful picture book set in the Kimberley that follows a girl as she seeks comfort from her grandmother.
'I remember being that kid who didn't want to read books about princesses and chariots,' Mr Merrison said.
'I loved biographies about sports players and real-life things, and I've seen kids who aren't motivated to learn to read because they don't see themselves in books.
'I want Aboriginal kids in the Kimberley to see themselves mirrored in books, to see doors they can open themselves, and to see paths to achieve their dreams.'
Mr Merrison and Ms Hustler published their debut novella Black Cockatoo in 2018 and have gone on to publish a swathe of award-winning books including My Deadly Boots, Backyard Footy, Backyard Tennis, Dirrarn and Tracks of the Missing.
Ms Hustler said publishing three books in quick succession had been an exciting challenge.
'It's been a busy whirlwind of edits, and preparation to get the books ready for bookshops and libraries around Australia,' she said.
'We've been working with three top Australian publishing houses, Magabala Books, HarperCollins and Hachette Lothian and three amazingly talented First Nations illustrators, Dub Leffler, Samantha Campbell and Jade Goodwin.
'It's a chance for us to make sure readers from all age groups get a new, deadly outback First Nations book this year and we know readers will love them.'
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