Spirit of the Crocodile

Host Mia Henderson and young reader Eva discuss Spirit of the Crocodile with authors Aaron Fa'Aoso, Michelle Scott Tucker and Lyn White.

Spirit of the Crocodile is Shortlisted for the 2026 CBCA Book of the Year Awards for Younger Readers.

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The crocodile's eyes were yellow, slit by a vertical pupil. The creature remained perfectly still, but it throbbed with life. Ezra felt goosebumps in spite of the afternoon heat, and took a few steps back.
'Is that thing looking at you?' asked Mason.
'Nah. How could it be?'

Twelve-year-old Ezra is an ordinary boy who lives on Saibai, an extraordinary Australian island. He loves a laugh, he loves his family, and – almost more than anything – he loves a dare.

But when one of his dares goes wrong, Ezra realises he needs to make some decisions about helping out and measuring up. He learns that there's more than one way to look at, well, nearly everything.

And as ever-increasing climate disasters threaten Saibai, Ezra and his best mate Mason must draw on their resilience and courage to help the community survive a massive out-of-season storm.

Set in today's Torres Strait, Spirit of the Crocodile is a captivating novel that explores the importance of culture, community and place to a carefree kid on the cusp of growing up.

Transcript

Speaker 2 0:14

Welcome to our very own Shadow Judging podcast, where we will celebrate young voices who are responding to one of the 2026 shortlisted books in the Young Reader category. Today we are talking to Aaron, Michelle, and Lyn, authors of The Spirit of the Crocodile. Set in today's Torres Strait, Spirit of the Crocodile is a captivating novel that explores the importance of culture, community, and a place for a carefree kid on the cusp of growing up. Our reader today is Eva from Queensland. Would you like to share your thoughts about the book, Eva?

Speaker 3 0:48

Yeah, so Spirit of the Crocodile is an engaging coming-of-age story that was interesting and easy to read. The story takes place in the Australian island of Saibai, creating a unique setting to the book and teaching kids all around the country about the risks that these islands are facing every day and inspiring action. It clearly tells the story of Ezra and his struggle with growing up and moving up to high school on Thursday Island before a huge storm comes and he learns to face his fears and how to be brave. One of my favourite things about the book are all the small details included, like traditional dishes and ceremonies that belong to the people and culture of Saibai. These touches made me feel like I was really there, and they helped bring the reader closer to not just Saibai, but the whole story as well. Along with the beautiful setting, Spirit of the Crocodile also uses relatable themes and characters that help you feel a connection. I'm sure many children like me can agree how all the possibilities and your responsibility of growing up can seem scary and impossible. Ezra's character explores that and brings us along for the journey of accepting that things change and that's okay.

Speaker 2 1:54

Authors, what are your thoughts on Eva's summary of the book?

Speaker 4 1:58

I'll I'll start. That's just humbling and I'm so pleased you enjoyed it and you've you've caught all the little things that we were hoping that a reader might enjoy along the way. Um Aaron, what what are your thoughts about what Eva said?

Speaker 2:13

Eva, when you were giving your uh insight, I was going she gets she gives a better insight than I do. But no, look, uh just like Michelle, it's really humbling to to hear your uh insights on the book and um and especially all the little things as well, because it's the little things that that that are really important. And again, it's you know it it I've got flashbacks now, or you know, in terms of going back into your space and going, oh yeah, look, it it it really is fascinating for for children to be able to uh I guess uh identify and really kind of resonate with all those little things, those those textures, those nuances that uh we're able to, I guess, um bring Saibai, the community, Ezra and and and uh his relationship with not only his family, but his his good mate Mason as well as the the rest of the community, just feel alive and and you know uh it's interesting that you know both uh Michelle and I never engaged in uh in writing children's in the in the children's space before. Uh so this was uh first we're novices when it comes to having a first hit out. And uh it's so humbling to to to know that uh it's it's resonated uh with the uh intended audience.

Speaker 4 3:43

Yeah, and and I'm glad you picked up on those little details because Aaron and I tried really hard to get them right. Sometimes I'd put some details in and then Aaron would read it and go, nah, no, that's not how it is at all. And I'd change entire plot points because they used a different sort of spear gun or because Auntie Leah would never say that sort of a thing. And I'd be like, you should have told me that before. So getting those details right was something we worked really hard on, and um, and so it's I'm really pleased that you pick up picked up on those. Thank you.

Speaker 2 4:16

Yeah. Thank you for your insights, authors. Eva, what are your questions that you have planned for these wonderful authors?

Speaker 3 4:26

So um I was wondering, what was your inspiration for the book? What made you decide to like write it about what it is about? If that makes sense, you might jump in.

Speaker 1 4:38

Is that okay if I jump in um Michelle on this one? Just because it's a bit confusing having three so-called authors. We've really only got two, Michelle and Aaron, are the authors. And I had a like a consultant, editor, all sorts of kind of person. I've had many different hats that help bring this story about. And I think the beginning of the story where it first began was my trip to Thursday Island some years ago when I was doing research for another book set in the Torres Strait called The Pearl Shell Diver. But it was a historical novel based on the Pearl Shell industry. And I really enjoyed my time on TI and really connected with the people and the culture there and realized that really not many young Australians, let alone adults, know about this very unique part of Australia. And so I determined that it would be great if we could have a story set on the set in the Torres Strait that could really um bring that culture and those people and those traditions and history into children's books. And so with my agent Jacinta de Marseille, I approached Jaron and Michelle and said, Would you like to write a children's book set in the Torres Strait? Because I realised that they would be just perfect for this assignment, and they were.

Speaker 6:24

And then Michelle kind of asked if I'd be interested. And I was like, Of course I'd be interested. But it was kind of like, well, I'm not one for stories. I've got 65,000 years of stories. So you know what I mean? It's like which story were we gonna tap into. But I think for me, turning uh um becoming a a new like the grandfather for the first time, and also I think something that was also inspired through uh the memoirs on my own book experience, and and it's something that I've just advocated for so long as a you know in the in the film and television industry and in the so across the social justice landscape uh in in advocacy for uh Torres Strait Island. We're amplifying Torres Strait Island uh on the voices um and inclusion because I think we always get kind of because we we're a minority, we're the minority within the minority, and and sometimes our voices can get lost in between. So, you know, there was a combination of you know the response I saw, you know, from the memoirs, but also how important kids like yourselves are. Uh you're effectively the next generation, you're the next cohort of leadership. Uh, you will have at some stage uh influence across landscapes of your chosen career paths. Some of you will go on to make uh become lawyers, radio journalists, but also some of you may become policymakers. So, in the very same way that I was captivated by my favorite authors as a kid and got swept away with my own imagination, I wanted to be able to, you know, with along with Michelle, create a contemporary story, a story that's happening now, but but but uh but a story that was not from a position of deficit. It was a story about empowerment, about enrichment, about you know, a normal family, mother, father, you know, living in the Torres Straits. But what sets us apart is is is our cultural differences and nuances. But these kids are going, whether they have the same fears, no different to yourselves, either, or um, you know, the the normal kids, and you know, they have questions about their own bravery, they have questions about their own responsibilities, their obligate obligations. How they interact with their brother or sister is no different to anyone on the sunshine coasts in Queensland, or you know, a kid in growing up in Country Victoria. So it was important that, you know, um because of the lack of uh the the lack of uh I I guess awareness of the Torres Rate region, I think through the kids' book narrative, well the landscape was uh was a perfect uh way to be able to get our story in amongst, you know, wonderful Aussie kids like yourselves and be able to permeate, you know, through the through the literary landscape and you know, bring some insight and highlight the voices of the Torres Strait.

Speaker 2 9:43

Wow, thank you so much, authors. Seeing this podcast is for the younger readers, have all of you always wanted to be an author?

Speaker 9:52

Go on, Michelle, that's yours.

Speaker 4 9:56

Yes, the answer for me, that's Michelle here, yes, I have always wanted to be an author and put it off for a long time until I had something to say. And working with Aaron and the Torres Strait has really given me lots to say about place and the culture and people and how they're treated, and this book is part of that, but also always, above all, wanting to tell an absolute cracker of a story. The what kids learn from it is secondary to wanting to have them turn the page and find some new friends in the in those characters on the page. Aaron's a reluctant author, I think, and and I'm very happy to work with him on that and and to um he and I work together really well and enjoy doing it. But in terms of you know wanting to grow up to be an author, that's been my dream for a long time.

Speaker 1 10:44

Living? No, I never dreamt to be an author actually. But always dreamt to be in the publishing industry and as a teacher librarian for many years, really felt that um I would love to enter the world of publishing and get the kind of books out there that were missing, the kind of books that I've been creating for the last 13 years that really show life and experience through the eyes of a child and just bring really good storytelling into into kids' lives and and just give them that hope and that that thrill and that yeah, just really widen their world. And so the role I have is more than enough. So I leave the right the actual writing to guys like you and Michelle.

Speaker 2 11:27

Eva, have you maybe one more question for Aaron, Michelle, and Lyn?

Speaker 3 11:32

Uh yeah. So I was wondering, you're all like obviously very different, but so what was it like working together to write the book?

Speaker 11:41

I think um the wonderful thing uh that that we all had that we share in common is that that that respect for collaboration that you know I I think whilst I I may have had the narrative or the the expertise from a from a cultural authority perspective, um to be to actually really be able to ground the nuances and the texture of of the landscape and all those wonderful kind of relationships that make all of these characters different. Michelle, what she brings to the table is is her her ability to be able to be a cracker of a writer. And it's something that is it's a skill that one has to, you know, put time and effort into crafting, you know, like like anything, you've got to put in 10,000 hours to be to master your craft. Unfortunately, I'm gonna do 10,000 different things with those 10,000 different hours. So and that's probably because of my ADHD. You know, I think the secret to the relationship and and and and the collaboration, I think it was one that we we we shared a common purpose. You know, I think for me, I'm I'm such a team player as well. I I thrive in the team environment. And um, if you want to get somewhere really quickly, you do something uh by yourself or you're on your own. But if you want something that you know uh leaves a legacy and sustain sustainable success, you roll with the team. And and and that's you know, that it's it's evident, not not one person is responsible for the success of Spirit of the Crocodile. Yes, you know, it comes from the Torres Strait, yes. I had, you know, cultural authority and so forth, but everyone played their part, and I'd have to say everyone played their part equally as well. So I think that's the secret in terms of what was brought together, but what it eventually got to the page. And, you know, what's also you know intrigued as you read it, readers, and I think it it it's the epitome or the or one of the greatest examples of of reconciliation.

Speaker 3 13:54

How did you come up with the characters? Like were some harder to develop than others?

Speaker 4 13:59

They weren't hard to develop because often um they're based on Aaron. Aaron and I worked together for years on his memoir, not all the stories got into it, particularly some of the stories of his childhood. So some of them went into this book, for instance, the scene in church with the snot, that was Aaron. And he got into a lot more trouble than Mason did.

Speaker 14:24

So so a lot of yes, a lot of what eventually spilled into the spirit of the crocodile was inspired on, you know, my upbringing and the you know the larrikan and mischievous kid that I was, and along with my cousins and and and and my good mates, because of because Michelle knew so much about me, we we had all that to to draw upon and pull upon, and and and we were able to do it in a way where um I think you know, again, we were you know we that this was our first hit out in the in the in the children's space, but um look, it's fair to I think it's fair to say from the reaction, uh well, I think it I think it m it we landed it, didn't we?

Speaker 4 15:10

Yeah, and and the characters are drawn from my relationship with Aaron. He's funny, he's just funny, and so working with him is a blast. And so making the characters funny wasn't hard. The incident with the spear gun when um Ezra gets in trouble for not using a spear gun properly, again, that was Aaron, again, he got in much more trouble than Ezra did. Um and the dad in the story is partly Aaron as well, because he's a dad and a grandfather now. And other people in the story are drawn from other members of Aaron's family who I've had the privilege to meet and to talk to. Um, Uncle Rex and Aaron is basically Francis. So because of the work we'd already done together and because of the people I've met and the people that Aaron knows, pulling the characters together was was just kind of fun. No one's based on one single person, they're all made-up people, but we drew from different people's different strengths to bring them all together. And it was a lot of fun doing that.

Speaker 16:03

And I guess that that that was the fun bit in terms of that these were um fictional characters, so we could really kind of stretch them. We weren't, you know, we could be really creatives that that you know it wasn't about, oh no, no, I should be inspired on this person, or that's oh yeah, no, no, this person's in this this Uncle Rex's spot. It's like no, we wouldn't take the bit bits and bobs and you know throw it all in the pot and mix it all up and out comes, you know, uh a a character. Um and really to to really the each character uh uh i is about driving the story uh the story, you know, forward. Um and really kind of that pushes you know the two central characters, which are you know Ezra and Mason.

Speaker 2 16:54

Yeah. Thank you so much for such a wonderful and meaningful book, Aaron Michelle and Lyn. And thank you for your questions, Eva.