Congratulations to Kylie Gatjawarrawuy Mununggurr, whose children's picture book Raymaŋgirrbuy dhäwu When I was a little girl has been shortlisted for the 2025 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards in the Children's literature category.

This book is a beautiful story of Kylie’s life on her grandmother’s Country, Raymangirr, a remote Yolŋu homeland in North East Arnhem Land in the Top End of Australia.

This is a sweetly told story of the author’s experiences with her grandmother. From watching her grinding ochre and painting in the shade of a tree, to hunting for bush honey (guku) and painting cermonial guku designs on their bodies (special permission was given to Kylie to paint this) and doing the guku dance to full-moon night fishing and cooking up a fish feast on the beach.

Raymaŋgirrbuy dhäwu When I was a little girl developed through the author’s expressed interest in developing her skills in writing and illustrating. With the support of Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts Kylie developed the story with her mother and grandmother about the country, and cultural activities Gapuwiyak and in their Raymangirr homelands.

Winners will be announced on Monday 29 September 2025.

From the creator

“I learnt to draw at school. When I stayed out bush I sat with my grandmother and watched her paint. I used to get boxes and paint on them. She painted with ochres and glue. Later she showed me how to make the marawat (hair) brush to do the fine line work. Since then I have learnt how to use acrylics as well. Painting keeps me busy and relaxed. I like to paint all the animals and the country.”

Kylie was born in Darwin and moved to Gapuwiyak with her mother where she started school.  When a school opened on her grandmother’s country Raymaŋgirr Kylie went to school there. The language of Raymaŋgirr is Marraŋu but this story is told in Djambarrpuyŋu because everyone understands Djambarrpuyŋu in North-east Arnhem Land, although there are many other languages.