Wiradjuri author and broadcaster Jake Gablonski will release his debut children’s book, Brave Like Bunji, on 2 June 2026, with publication timed for the lead-in to National Reconciliation Week.
The book, published by Allen & Unwin and illustrated by Dagoman artist Samantha Campbell, explores identity, belonging and self-understanding through a story shaped by Gablonski’s experience growing up in Katherine in the Northern Territory.
Gablonski told the National Indigenous Times those early experiences shaped how he learned to navigate identity from a young age.
“As a kid, you start to notice what feels safe and what doesn’t. Sometimes one part of you might be welcome in a space, but another isn’t,” he said.
He said that, as a gay First Nations man, he sometimes felt he had to adjust how much of himself he brought into different spaces.
“I showed up as two different people depending on where I was,” he said. “Over time, you realise that comes at a cost.”
Gablonski said Brave Like Bunji began as the story he wished he had growing up, one that could reassure young readers who may not yet have the words for what they are feeling.
“I wanted to write something gentle,” he said. “Something that reassures young people they don’t have to do it alone, and they don’t have to rush figuring things out.”
According to Allen & Unwin, the picture book is aimed at children aged four to eight and follows Bunji, a young boy learning about identity, belonging and self-acceptance.
Gablonski’s public biography says he was raised in Katherine, is proud of his Wiradjuri heritage and works across media, speaking and authorship at the intersection of culture, conversation, connection and impact.
Brave Like Bunji will be available from 2 June 2026.
Discover more from I-News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
