This is a tale of family, foe and footy. Miriyan’s people have lived in this land for thousands of years. When Miriyan leaves her home in the heart of Australia she encounters both homesickness and racism. How will Miriyan overcome her fears? Can the answers lie in her grandfather’s stories? A thought-provoking tale of hope, forgiveness and reconciliation.
Liam Armstrong wrote Miriyan as a school project when he was just twelve-years old, ‘I am passionate about people being treated equally no matter the colour of their skin, their beliefs or where they come from. I wanted to write a story to show how damaging racism can be and a story that was positive, showing that people can change their attitudes and behaviour if they have an open mind.’ His story was chosen as the winning entry in the Redgum Young Writer’s Award – Short Story Category 2018. The judges believe Liam shows skill in his writing and sensitivity to the subject and issues which he selected. We believe his story to be empowering to all children who may suffer from racism.
Cheri Hughes was born in Japan and raised in both the U.S. and Japan. She studied design in Japan and specialises in illustration. Cheri has illustrated a number of gorgeous, soulful picture books including, No Baths Week by Katrina McKelvey (April 2019) The Forever Kid by Elizabeth Cummings (October 2018) and Ella Saw the Tree and Barnaby. She has also worked on theatre and TV set designs.