Toodle-oo

Picture Book by Cat Ciraulo

Editor’s Note

First Stories is a two-year storytelling and story-listening project by Centre for Stories in partnership with First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse communities across Western Australia with the aim to build lasting relationships, connection, and healing. This project aims to increase the confidence and wellbeing of both storytellers and story-listeners by creating safe spaces for sharing to take place.

Cat Ciraulo created Toodle-oo while participating in the First Stories workshops in partnership with Carers WA’s Gwabba Koort Yarning group. During these workshops, participants were encouraged to explore their own memoir stories, which they later developed into picture books featuring their own illustrations.

Cat is a proud Ballardong and Yamatji woman with Italian heritage, raised within a close-knit family where storytelling and culture were always part of her life. She is a mother to two daughters and has an amazing husband who is supportive of her passions. Her story was written in honour of her Nana Maureen.