The Giant Devil Dingo
Picture book retelling a Cape York dreamtime devil-dingo myth.
Dick Roughsey’s 1973 picture book *The Giant Devil Dingo* retells a dreamtime story from the lower Cape York Peninsula. In it, the mythical devil-dingo Gaiya is reborn and tamed, becoming a loyal companion to humans. The original artwork for the book is preserved in the collection of the National Museum of Australia.
The book received mixed critical attention. *Kirkus Reviews* noted that the appendix might have worked better as a preface, but found the chase and basic situation—comparable to a European witch and her familiar—easy to follow, with an authentic Australian flavour. The reviewer also observed that Roughsey’s flat, clay-toned paintings, dotted with green foliage, gain effectiveness from their amateur quality, especially where the large-tongued, red-eyed dingo confronts small, faceless human figures. *The Aboriginal Child at School* called the book “highly successful.” Other reviews appeared in *The Sydney Morning Herald* and *Reading Time*. *The Giant Devil Dingo* was selected for the 2010 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge and received a commendation in the 1974 Children’s Book Council of Australia awards for Picture Book of the Year.
- field
- Children's picture book
- known_for
- The Giant Devil Dingo (1973)
- nationality
- Australian
Quick Facts
- Author
- Dick Roughsey
- Country
- Australia
- Language
- English
- Subject
- Aboriginal Australians - Folklore. Legends - Queensland - Cape York Peninsula. Dingo - Folklore.
- Genre
- children, legends
- Publisher
- Collins, Sydney
- Release Date
- 1973
- Pages
- 34 (Hardback)
- Isbn
- 0-17-006470-0
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Giant Devil Dingo (1973) is a picture book for children by Dick Roughsey. It describes how the dreamtime devil-dingo, Gaiya, of lower Cape York Peninsula mythology was reborn and domesticated to become man's friend and helper. Artwork from the book is held by the National Museum of Australia.
Reception: Kirkus Reviews wrote 'The appendix might better have been a preface ... But the chase and basic situation (in Europe the hungry pursuers would be a witch and her familiar) are as easy to grasp as the peculiarly Australian flavor is authentic. And despite the sameness of the scenes—repetitive in scale, perspective and color—Roughsey's flat, clay colored paintings (with dabs of green for foliage) are the more effective for their amateur look—especially where that huge-tongued, red-eyed dingo opposes the small, faceless, dimly differentiated humans.' while The Aboriginal Child at School called it 'a highly successful book.' The Giant Devil Dingo has also been reviewed by The Sydney Morning Herald and Reading Time.
The book was selected for the 2010 NSW Premier's Reading Challenge, and was commended in the 1974 Children's Book Council of Australia awards for Children's Picture Book of the Year.
Reader's Guide
The Giant Devil Dingo (1973) is a picture book for children by Dick Roughsey. It describes how the dreamtime devil-dingo, Gaiya, of lower Cape York Peninsula mythology was reborn and domesticated to become man's friend and helper. Artwork from the book is held by the National Museum of Australia. The book was selected for the 2010 NSW Premier's Reading Challenge, and was commended in the 1974 Children's Book Council of Australia awards for Children's Picture Book of the Year. Its significance lies in its authentic Australian Aboriginal mythological content and its recognition in both educational and literary award contexts. The mixed critical reception—noting both the effective 'peculiarly Australian flavor' and the repetitive, amateur-looking artwork—highlights its place as a culturally important but stylistically debated work. The book continues to be referenced in reading programs and museum collections, ensuring its legacy as a notable children's picture book from the 1970s.
Did You Know?
- The book describes the dreamtime devil-dingo Gaiya of lower Cape York Peninsula mythology.
- Artwork from the book is held by the National Museum of Australia.
- The book was commended in the 1974 Children's Book Council of Australia awards for Children's Picture Book of the Year.
- It was selected for the 2010 NSW Premier's Reading Challenge.
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