This is a non-fiction book that examines the symbolic meaning of both indigenous and non-indigenous animals found in Australia. Particular mention in made of animals sacred to the Australian Aboriginals and the traditional associations such animals hold. The book functions like a dictionary and divides animals into several categories—land-bound, winged, insects, aquatic and reptillian. In the larger categories (land-bound and winged) further distinction is made between animals that are indigenous and those that have been introduced.

One of the things that I loved about this book was the plethora of scientific information about the animals alongside the more symbolic information. It held some fascinating facts.

I only had a few small quibbles. Firstly, the book could have used a better editor, as I caught a few small typos and the expression was awkward in places. The other thing was that at the beginning of each entry was a few short words that were supposed to sum up the symbolistic properties of the animal. I found that this extremely brief summary didn’t always accurately reflect the content of the longer entry on the animal that followed and that these words could have been better chosen.

Still, it has proven to be an extremely interesting resource.