Neridah McMullen – July 15 2018

150 year anniversary of the first organised group of Australian sportspeople to travel overseas

Aboriginal cricket team’s tour of England, May-October 1868

Neridah is an award-winning writer whose love of history and nature are strongly reflected in her work. She is passionate about culturally significant stories, some little known, and some long forgotten. Neridah enjoys writing in rhyming verse and aspires to write stories that evoke an emotive response and make a positive connection with children and adults alike. Her other picture books include The Bushfire Miracle and Fabish: The horse that braved a bushfire, both illustrated by Andrew McLean; Kick it to Me!, illustrated by Peter Hudson; and, being a self-confessed football tragic, chapter books such as Side by Side: In the Beginning and Side by Side: Shoulder to Shoulder, both illustrated by Ainsley Walters and part of a series of historically based footy books written for the Collingwood Football Club.

Knockabout Cricket – Illustrated by Ainsley Walters
One Day Hill Publishers, 2014; ISBN 9780992439736
Picture book
In the 1860s at Pine Hills station, a tall Aboriginal boy, ‘Unaarramin’ or Johnny Mullagh, steps out from the phalaris grass and joins a game of cricket. Fifteen years before Test Cricket began, Johnny became a true sporting legend, his feats making him one of Australia’s first international cricket stars. But Johnny was also a man caught between two worlds, facing racism and discrimination his entire life. This is a fictional account supported by historical documents and newspaper clippings about Knockabout Cricket and Johnny’s life.

Ponkidoodle – Illustrated by Aaron Pocock
Little Steps Publishing, 2009; ISBN 9781921042881
Picture book
Dad’s story of the ubiquitous Ponkidoodle, making noises throughout the creaky house calms the protagonist until sleep comes. In meticulous rhyming verse, this charming picture book is based on the author’s own experience. The antics of Ponkidoodle are hilarious – on the roof, in the kitchen and on the loo! But he’s friendly so there’s no need to be scared.