Yarning Strong Crossing Country

Warning to First Nations Peoples: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that the contents in Yarning Strong may include names and images of people now deceased.

Lily and her older brother, Nate, look forward to playing their new computer game, Land Claim. They choose their roles as governor and doctor of a new town called Claimville, but don’t have a chance to start before their uncle comes to stay. When Uncle Neddy hears about the game, he tells them what ‘land claim’ means for their people and explains the term ‘native title’. After the history lesson, the children go to meet their friends, Jess and Lee, at the river to catch yabbies, but can’t find them. Lily and Nate think their friends are stranded on an island in the middle of the river. They wade across and become separated, but eventually find Jess and Lee. Because they’re on Jess’s country, she leads the way back. Lily and Nate decide they now know a lot more than Land Claim offers and decide to exchange it for another game.

Crossing Country is part of the Yarning Strong series, a vibrant and purposeful series of novels and anthologies by First Nations authors, created to inspire Years 3–6 students while supporting meaningful classroom learning. Rich in story, voice and perspective, each text offers teachers and students authentic opportunities to explore First Nations cultures and experiences through high‑quality literature.

Themes: Importance of knowledge and learning • Relationships to ancestral land