‘Wake up, wake up, Debbie!’ Billy yells with delight as he runs into my bedroom. ‘Yippee, yippee, we don’t have school today, it’s the holidays!’
‘Yippee is Billy’s favourite word and I’m getting sick of hearing it.
‘Go away, Billy, it’s still dark outside. I want to sleep some more.’
Billy gets up so early on the holidays!
It’s the first day of the holidays and the world is looking rosy. The only thing that will make it better is a visit from Debbie and Billie’s grandfather. He organises tyre races and other fun things. But he’s also a storyteller, sharing stories of his childhood and of the stories he learned then. Through the stories and their time together, he teaches Debbie about the world around her and her part in it. He teaches her old truths and new truths.
Yippee! Summer Holidays is part of Fremantle Press series Yaarda, written by indigenous storytellers and sharing indigenous stories. Debbie and her younger can-be-annoying brother both enjoy their life, full of open air and free time. They also very much enjoy being part of an extended family, and sharing and learning with their grandfather. In this Yaarda title, the story mirrors that of the writers, a grandmother and granddaughter. ‘Yippee!’ combines a contemporary tale with traditional learning. Text is interspersed with black and white illustrations, making it perfect for newly independent readers.
Yippee! Summer Holidays, Tjalaminu Mia and Jessica Lister
Fremantle Press 2012
ISBN: 9781921888724
review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author