The Boy and the Crocodile

More about the book

The Boy and the Crocodile is the legend of East Timor, about how the island of Timor got its curious shape.It's also a parable about kindness, and now a children's book that is benefiting vulnerable kids.The book was illustrated by children from the Familia Hope Orphanage in East Timor, including many who lost their parents in the country's violent struggle for independence. ALL proceeds from sales go to the orphanage.We pre-sold the book in Australia to fund the production of a version in Tetum (the lingua franca of East Timor), and 4000 books are being distributed to kids throughout the country in a project called Myths & Murals.Teams from Arte Moris - a partner on the project, and an Art School in Dili dedicated to creating an East Timorese identity through art - are travelling to every district distributing books to schools, libraries and community faciliites and leading the children in creative workshops. In each place, they are also collaborating with older youth to produce large-scale murals on public walls depicting scenes from The Boy and the Crocodile - symbolically uniting the country.By buying the book, you can help raise funds for the orphanage and contribute to a brighter future for many more East Timorese kids.