The Moon Story written by author Marshia Cook, and illustrated by Marshia and her son Tamua Nuggett, has won the Wilderness Society's 2025 Karajia Award for Children's Literature, in the picture fiction category.
The Karajia Award, launched in 2022, honours First Nations storytellers sharing stories about connections to Country, culture, and Community. The 2025 winners were announced at the launch of Nature Book Week on 11 October at Harry Hartogs in Mosman, Sydney.
Author and illustrator Marshia Cook said: " The Moon Story is about a camping spot we use to go every winter time when we were small with our families. It's a nice camping place near that old gum tree telling stories watching the moon rising."
"My message to the children all over everywhere is keep writing stories, keep your language strong, keep your culture strong while you got your Elders still around. That's really important to know who you are, where you come from. To be a future role model."
The Moon Story is the perfect bedtime story and a stunningly illustrated book, written in English and Kriol. The story follows a family from Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia, as they go camping under the moon and stars.
Samantha Mansell, one of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation's Publishing Project Editors said: "ILF's Community Publishing program is all about platforming and celebrating the amazing work of First Nations' peoples living in remote Communities. Seeing The Moon Story, a bilingual book in both Kriol and English, winning this award is an incredible achievement that highlights the strength of First Nations' cultures, languages and storytelling."
The Moon Story was one of three books published by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation that were shortlisted for the Karajia Award this year.
The other books were; ngayawanj bagan-nggul, ngayawanj barra barra-nggul: we belong to the land, we belong to the sea written and illustrated by Vincentia High School with Kirli Saunders and Jaz Corr and bagan, barra barra, mirriwarr: The Boys Who Found Their Way written by Tyran Uddin and Kayden Wellington with Kirli Saunders and Jaz Corr and illustrated by Vincentia High School
Ben Bowen, Indigenous Literacy Foundation CEO said: "These awards recognise the value of First Nation's people's stories, and the kinds of stories they wish to tell - stories that speak of Country and connection to Country.
"Country isn't just a piece of land; it is everything - language, culture, mob and more. These books reflect just that."
History of the Awards Since 1994, the Wilderness Society has been recognising the talents of authors and illustrators whose creativity is inspiring the next generation, through their annual Environment Award for Children's Literature.
In 2022, the Wilderness Society launched the Karajia Award for Children's Literature. This new award celebrates this continent's First Nations authors and/or illustrators.
About the author and illustrator Marshia Cook lives in Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia with her family. The Moon Story is her second book. Her first book, Jarrampa, was published by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation in 2021. Tamua Nuggett is one of Marshia's children.
The Moon Story by Marshia Cook, Hardback, rrp: $24.99, 24 pages, Picture storybook. Ages 3-8. ISBN: 9781922592552 Language: Kriol (Kimberley) and English. Published by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Available online at https://shop.ilf.org.au/ and where all good books are sold.
About us:
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) is a national charity working with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities across Australia. They are Community-led, responding to requests from remote Communities for culturally relevant books, including early learning board books, resources, and programs to support Communities to create and publish their stories in languages of their choice.
In 2024 the ILF won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, given annually to a person or organisation for their outstanding contribution to children's or young adult literature.
