The River and the Book
Age 12+
General Fiction
Combining magical realism and fable, this lyrical tale is the story of a landscape and community destroyed by Western greediness.
Simbala is a Keeper, the latest in a long line of women who can read the Book to find answers to people’s questions. When developers begin to poison the River on which Simbala’s village relies, the Book predicts change. But this does not come in the form they expect; it is the sympathetic foreigner who comes to stay who inflicts the greatest damage of all.
Creators
Alison Croggon is an award-winning poet whose work has been published extensively in anthologies and magazines internationally. She has written widely for theatre, and her plays and opera libretti have been produced all around Australia. Alison is also an editor and critic. She lives in Melbourne with her husband Daniel Keene, the playwright, and their three children.
Katie Harnett grew up in Sheffield, and graduated from an Illustration BA at the University of the West of England followed by an MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art in 2015. She received the Bologna Children’s Book Fair ARS IN FABULA Grant Award in 2015, and her work was selected to be exhibited twice at The Illustrators Exhibition at the Bologna Book Fair. Her illustrations are influenced by patterns in the natural world, as well as by vintage photographs, books and films sales.
Reviews
This is a lyrical and rewarding story that will appeal to a broad range of age groups from late primary upwards. It raises complex issues about the rights of Indigenous peoples, environmental degradation and the impact of Western society in ways that are engaging and thought-provoking.
Books+Publishing
As well as being an engaging and thought-provoking read, this novel will raise issues for discussion on environmental and cultural vandalism, and the clash of values between ruthless big business and the lives of unsophisticated, vulnerable peoples.
Magpies
… resonant, haunting story for young-adult readers… In a simply told and dreamlike tale whose disparate elements are individually recognisable yet seem lifted out of their time and place, Alison Croggon tackles huge questions about conservation, capitalism, colonialism and cultural appropriation.
The Age
A small book with a powerful message. 4/5
Alpha Reader
The River and the Book is an ideal book to stimulate discussions about human rights, modernity vs tradition, and the way that developed societies view and treat older indigenous cultures.
Lamont
A beautiful, meandering story endorsed by Amnesty International for its contribution to human rights awareness and values.
Creative Kids Tales
It’s a powerful little story, and touches on themes of conservation, indigenous custom and its rights, and not least, disempowerment. It’s well-written and well-crafted and keeps the reader keen to find out what follows. Simbala is a wonderfully-drawn central character, and other characters also leap off the page
Booksellers NZ
The story is spellbinding and the character of Simbala is a delight to heed and observe as she journeys on her determined path.
Read Plus
The powerful prose in this imaginative novel is scintillating. Strong underlying themes on Human Rights, destruction of the landscape through greed, and countless other current issues are woven into this magnificent piece of work. Alison Croggan as always is impressive and thought-provoking with another outstanding piece of work for young adult (and adult) readers that should not to be missed.
Buzz Words
At once philosophical and literal, Simbala’s story offers cultural and environmental truths that we ignore at our peril. This is a short novel, rich in imagery and language.
Aussie Reviews
I did enjoy the first page, very descriptive. I would recommend it for ages 11-14
The Examiner
The story is spellbinding and the character of Simbala is a delight to heed and observe as she journeys on her determined path.
Read Plus
The powerful prose in this imaginative novel is scintillating. Strong underlying themes on Human Rights, destruction of the landscape through greed, and countless other current issues are woven into this magnificent piece of work. Alison Croggan as always is impressive and thought-provoking with another outstanding piece of work for young adult (and adult) readers that should not to be missed.
Buzzwords
