Day Break
Day Break
Amy McQuire, illustrated by Matt Chun
'Day Break' is the story of a family making their way back to Country on January 26. We see the strength they draw from being together, and from sharing stories as they move through a shifting landscape.
The story refocuses the narratives around ‘Australia Day’ on Indigenous survival and resistance, and in doing so honours the past while looking to the future. Confronting yet truthful, painful yet full of hope, 'Day Break' is a crucial story that will open up a conversation on truth-telling for the next generation.
For ages five years and older
About the Author:
Amy McQuire is a Darumbal and South Sea Islander woman from Rockhampton in Central Queensland. Amy is a freelance writer and journalist, and is currently completing a PhD at the University of Queensland into media representations of violence against Aboriginal women. Amy began her career straight out of high school, completing a cadetship at the National Indigenous Times (NIT) newspaper. She later became editor of NIT, and for a short time political correspondent for NITV News. Amy has also worked at Tracker Magazine, New Matilda, Brisbane’s 98.9 FM – where she presented the ‘Lets Talk’ current affairs show – and more recently BuzzFeed News Australia.
Over the past four years, Amy has co-hosted the investigative podcast ‘Curtain’ with human rights lawyer Martin Hodgson. The podcast puts forth the case for innocence for Aboriginal man Kevin Henry, who was wrongfully convicted in 1992. Amy has a strong interest in writing about justice, culture and heritage and feminism.
About the Illustrator:
Matt Chun is an artist and writer, currently based on stolen Tsleil-Waututh land in the settler colonial state of Canada. He also divides his time between Naarm/Melbourne, Yuin land, and Taipei. His work spans drawing, text, comics and picture books. Matt is a current Research Fellow at the State Library of Victoria, working towards the decolonisation of children’s literature. He is also recipient of 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art’s Writers Program. His writing can be found in Overland Literary Journal, Meanjin Quarterly, Runway Journal and Liminal Magazine. He is currently writing for Art Monthly Australasia.
Matt is the author of picture books 'Australian Birds', 'Australian Sea Life' and 'Australian Mammals'.
Dimensions: H 22.5cm x W 27.5cm
ISBN: 9781760508159
Publisher: Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
Publication Date: 2021
Format: Hardback
Number of Pages: 24