Chief Great Raven & Living with Salties - Level 25-26

Blending a traditional tale with a contemporary report, this book includes the narrative Chief Great Raven and the factual text Living with Salties. In the story, Raven Boy is left behind when the villagers move, only to survive and thrive with the help of the ravens he once cared for. This tale uses traditional structure with moral themes of kindness, cooperation, and respect for nature. In Living with Salties, readers learn about saltwater crocodiles and how communities in northern Australia have adapted to live alongside them. This non-fiction text includes maps, fact boxes, and comparison charts to present information clearly. Together, these texts highlight relationships between humans and animals, cultural perspectives, and the importance of coexistence. The pairing strengthens comprehension, introduces key life science concepts, and provides a window into traditional and modern stories of nature.

Educational Benefits:

• Encourages comparison of narrative and factual structures and purposes.
• Develops understanding of animal behaviour and human impact on ecosystems.
• Promotes cultural appreciation through storytelling and traditional knowledge.
• Builds skills in summarising and identifying key information.

Classroom Ideas:

• Discuss the moral or message in Chief Great Raven and compare with real-life conservation needs.
• Create a classroom display on saltwater crocodile facts using information from the text.
• Role-play an interview between Raven Boy and a villager to explore perspective.
• Use the map and charts to create a classroom fact file about crocodiles in Australia.

Safety & Information:

• Suitable for ages 8-11
• Book dimensions: 207mm x 148mm
• All printed content; no small or hazardous parts
• Ideal for group reading, cultural units, and science themes