1. Celebrations
2. Food
3. Pumpkins
4. Torres Strait Islands (Qld TSI SC54, SC55-05)
5. Waiben / Thursday Island (Qld TSI SC54-11)

It was the day of the great birthday party and everyone would be arriving with food for the big feast. Aka was busy making sop-sop when she realised there was no pumpkin. In a state of panic Betty and Bala buy the perfect pumpkin but it proves to be a most elusive object as they chase the pumpkin on a journey around Thursday Island.

This unique picture book celebrates the way of life and culture of people living on Thursday Island. Everyone is eager to be involved in the great birthday party and will be arriving with food for the feast. Aka is very busy trying to make sop-sop but there is no pumpkin available. She and Betty go out to buy a perfect pumpkin but it gets away and they have to chase it around the island. It is an amusing and appealing picture of life in a place that few people would be familiar with.

Lorraine Berolah was born on Thursday Island but now resides in Cairns. Lilyjane Collins was born and lives on Thursday Island. Illustrator Noel Cristaudo is of Italian descent and lives in Innisfail in North Queesland

1. SLQ MyLanguage Conference August 2012 'Stories Under Tagai: Traditional Stories from the Torres Strait' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kU4EvV9yI8
2. Sop-sop A traditional Islander dish found across the Torres Strait at most family celebrations includes recipe https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/drive/recipe-sop-sop-mabu-mabu-nornie-bero/11271250
3. Promoting, exploring and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures https://www.ecrh.edu.au/docs/default-source/resources/snaicc-fact-sheets/snaicc_training_factsheet_1.pdf