We the Sea Turtles: A Collection of Island Stories by Michelle Kadarusman
Published by Pajama Press
Book review by Joy Lawn (Joy in Books) at PaperbarkWords blog
“Lately, our songs are filled with more sorrow than joy.
Human pollution is choking our oceans. Garbage and fishing nets are strangling us. Human activity is causing natural disasters that destroy our homes …
Despite the damage done to our waters, I see that humans love the seas and oceans… I see how your hearts lift as you watch the sun setting over the ocean’s watery horizon…
We the sea turtles belong to all the oceans. We embody all that you see when you gaze into their mysterious azure waters. We are beauty, we are freedom, we are adventure … We keep the waters of the world healthy, which is important not just for those of us who live in their depths, but for all living creatures.
We the sea turtles are ancient stewards of our planet. (We the Sea Turtles)
A sea turtle’s epic journey aptly frames Michelle Kadarusman’s short stories in We the Sea Turtles. Other sea turtles swim literally and metaphorically through her tales. Concerns of climate change and crisis, natural disasters, pollution and emissions, and how they are impacting our environment, suffuse the book like a slipstream.
The stories are all set on islands in Australia, Indonesia, elsewhere in Asia, North America and one in Northern Europe. Their young protagonists revel in the wonder of the natural world around them whilst grappling with the damage to the habitats they live in and love.
Well-written, as is always the case in books written by this author, there is a distinguishing, sensory description of each place and the key characters are established quickly and deeply (which is difficult to do but preferred in short fiction). Many of them show agency and grow and change. Reflecting many young people around the world, some experience eco-anxiety. This is addressed and tackled through the channel of storytelling that here overtly recognises the importance of communication. Cleanup volunteering and other activities are suggested within the stories to help young people play their part in protecting the environment.
Natural disasters occur in both the stories that are set in Australia. Flood causes devastation on Turtle Shell Island and its surrounds on Bundjalung country in the NSW Northern Rivers region. Mother and daughter, Anise, escape their caravan but become ‘refugees’ in the aftermath. In an interesting aside, Anise is reading the lovely junior novel Rainfish by Andrew Paterson (read our interview at Paperbark Words).
Fire threatens humans and livestock (and we know its horrific toll on native animals and vegetation) on Phillip Island in Victoria and a tsunami, the third natural disaster, takes place on Nias Island in Indonesia. ‘Kura Kura’ is a powerful, salutary tale.
The other story set in Indonesia is the gripping ‘Lost of Komodo Island’ where a son accompanies his tracker father to find a missing Swiss tourist. Drama derives from the covid setting, active volcanoes, and particularly the mighty, endangered Komodo dragons. Edi’s father turns away when his son dances but finally recognises that he is a ‘dancer with the heart of a dragon’. This tale also appears in a new reprint of the author’s outstanding novel, Music for Tigers.
The finest North American-based story in my view is ‘Fox Bones’, which is set in Georgia Bay, Ontario, Canada. Introvert Selma learns to share her pristine island with two grieving children. The tone of wistfulness is perfectly balanced with Selma’s increasing confidence as she demonstrates her role as an observer and caretaker of the natural world.
We the Sea Turtles is a quality hardback book with a dust jacket and will be an appreciated gift for discerning readers and for those with a particular interest in the natural world, the environment and climate action. It has great application for schools. Facts about Sea Turtles and Snapping Turtles and an interview with the author appear at the end of the book.
I would pair We the Sea Turtles with Chelonia Green Champion of Turtles by Christobel Mattingley and Turtle Moon by Hannah Gold, illustrated Levi Pinfold.
We the Sea Turtles at Pajama Press
Michelle Kadarusman at Paperbark Words blog
Interview with Andrew Paterson about Rainfish at Paperbark Words blog
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