Kick with my Left Foot

Paul Seden drew on his work with Indigenous children in Darwin and the Northern Territory to write this joyful picture book, and that authenticity shows. A young child gets ready to play Australian rules football in cheerful, rhythmic verse that bounces through left and right, getting dressed, and the sheer excitement of playing your favourite game. The book was shortlisted for the CBCA Crichton Award for New Illustrators in 2015, which is meaningful recognition for a debut. The real strength is the warm, specific cultural representation of Indigenous Australian childhood, which is genuinely underserved in picture books. The honest note is that the Australian rules football setting limits its resonance outside Australia, and the very brief text doesn't leave room for narrative depth. Within its intended community it's a gem.