Black Cockatoo Common Questions and Answers

February 8, 2022

Google search tells us that lots of you are looking for the same kinds of answers about Black Cockatoo authors and the book.

CARL MERRISON

What is Carl Merrison’s culture background? Carl Merrison is a Jaru/Kija man from Halls Creek in the Kimberley Western Australia.
How old is Carl Merrison? Carl Merrison was born in early 1980s.
Where does Carl Merrison live? Carl Merrison spends time living between the Kimberley WA and Northern Rivers NSW.

HAKEA HUSTLER

Is Hakea Hustler Aboriginal? Hakea Hustler’s heritage is European. Hakea was born in Australia to an English mother and early settler history on her father’s side.
Where does Hakea Hustler live? Hakea Hustler spends time living between Kimberley WA and Northern Rivers NSW. She has also spent time around Perth WA, Geelong VIC.
How old is Hakea Hustler? Hakea Hustler was born in the mid 1980s.

BLACK COCKATOO

Where was Black Cockatoo set? While the location isn’t actually shared the characters speak Jaru which is around Halls Creek in the Kimberley- you can see the map here.
Are the characters real? This text is purely fiction- although some parts of the text were based on real life events but then written using our imagination.
What awards has Black Cockatoo won? Their first collaboration, Black Cockatoo, was published with Magabala Books in 2018 and was Honour Book CBCA Young Reader category as well as shortlisted in Readings Children’s Book of the Year, Queensland Literary Award, ABiA Small Publisher Children Book, Australian Speech Therapists Book Award. It was selected as a feature text for the 2018 Summer Reading Challenge and included in the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge 2019. It has been studied in schools around Australia.
Is Black Cockatoo the only book the authors have written? Hakea Hustler and Carl Merrison have written many books now. Tracks of the Missing, was shortlisted for the Premiers Literary Award – Daisy Utemorrah Award 2019 and will be published with Magabala in 2022. Dirran (the Black Cockatoo sequel) won the 2021 Daisy Utemorrah Award and will be published in 2023. Carl and Hakea have Beautiful Night (Lothian/Hachette 2023), Loved You Then (Lothian/Hachette 2023), My Deadly Boots (Lothian/Hachette 2022) coming out soon as well. Carl was awarded the Black&Write! Fellowship for his picture book series Backyard Sports.