The Things She's Seen

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses sexual violence and racism against Indigenous Australians.

Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina are the sister-brother team who wrote The Things She’s Seen (originally titled Catching Teller Crow). Before writing this young-adult novel, the pair collaborated on several children’s books, some of which were also co-authored by their mother, the popular Australian author Sally Morgan. The authors are members of the Aboriginal Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and many aspects of Palyku culture are prominently featured in their work. Because the authors’ grandmother, Gladys, grew up in the government-run Parkerville Children’s Home as part of the Australian government’s policy of separating Aboriginal children from their families, the Kwaymullina siblings are particularly dedicated to using their stories to explore this darker aspect of Australian history.

Ambelin Kwaymullina works at the University of Western Australia as an assistant professor of law. Her academic publications focus on public and Indigenous law, and she has also written a book called Living on Stolen Land, which traces the impact of colonialism in Australia. She is also the author of several poems and essays, as well as several young-adult science fiction and fantasy books collectively known as the Tribe series.