"Found" By Bruce Pascoe, Charmaine Ledden-Lewis (Illustrator)
Set against the striking backdrop of the Australian bush, Found is a tender and evocative tale of a young calf who becomes separated from his family. Alone and longing for his mother, sisters, and brothers, the calf begins a journey filled with hope and heartache. Along the way, he encounters other animals—some helpful, some unfamiliar—but none are his family. After witnessing them taken away in the back of a noisy truck, he sets off to find them.
Told from the calf’s point of view, this beautifully illustrated story captures the emotional depth of being lost and the courage it takes to keep going. The powerful imagery and heartfelt narrative invite young readers into the calf’s world, where they experience his fear, hope, and ultimate resilience.
Awards:
Winner of the Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award
Reviews:
"Firstly, this is a beautiful book. It thoroughly deserved its win of the Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award. The landscapes are vivid and immersive, transporting us into the red heart of Australia. The animals are illustrated with remarkable care—their movement alive on the page, their emotions unmistakable. My children deeply connected with the lost calf, recognizing and empathizing with feelings of anxiety, sadness, fear, and eventually, joy and calm."
"Bruce Pascoe, widely published in adult and young adult literature, debuts his first children’s picture book with Found. This sweet and emotionally resonant story of a calf searching for his family is one children will instantly relate to. It subtly explores themes of resilience, decision-making, and facing fears, while celebrating the beauty of the Australian landscape. Highly recommended!" —Emma Gill
- ISBN: 9781925936483
- ISBN-10: 1925936481
- Audience: Children
- Format: Hardcover
- Language: English
- Pages: 40
- Published: 1st August 2020
- Publisher: Magabala Books
- Country of Publication: Australia
- Dimensions: 27.5 x 23 x 1.5 cm
- Weight: 0.48 kg
More About The Artist
More About The Artist


About Bruce Pascoe
About Bruce Pascoe
Bruce Pascoe is a highly acclaimed Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian author whose work has reshaped the landscape of Australian literature. Celebrated for both adult and young adult titles, Bruce brings history, culture and truth-telling to the forefront of his storytelling.
His groundbreaking book Dark Emu (Magabala Books, 2014) won the NSW Premier’s Book of the Year and sparked national conversation around Aboriginal agricultural history. Its young readers’ edition, Young Dark Emu, received the CBCA Eve Pownall Award in 2020. Bruce also received the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction for Fog a Dox (2012), and in 2018 was honoured with the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature.
A passionate advocate for truth-telling, Bruce draws from his diverse life experiences—teacher, farmer, language researcher, editor—to create works that challenge and inspire. He lives on his farm in Gippsland, Victoria, continuing to write stories that illuminate and empower.
Bruce Pascoe is a highly acclaimed Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian author whose work has reshaped the landscape of Australian literature. Celebrated for both adult and young adult titles, Bruce brings history, culture and truth-telling to the forefront of his storytelling.
His groundbreaking book Dark Emu (Magabala Books, 2014) won the NSW Premier’s Book of the Year and sparked national conversation around Aboriginal agricultural history. Its young readers’ edition, Young Dark Emu, received the CBCA Eve Pownall Award in 2020. Bruce also received the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction for Fog a Dox (2012), and in 2018 was honoured with the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature.
A passionate advocate for truth-telling, Bruce draws from his diverse life experiences—teacher, farmer, language researcher, editor—to create works that challenge and inspire. He lives on his farm in Gippsland, Victoria, continuing to write stories that illuminate and empower.