Coinciding with National Reconciliation Week, a Wiradjuri man has added a new chapter to his story as an Indigenous author bringing a gap in the market to life.

Jake Gablonski grew up learning which parts of himself he felt safe to show depending on the environment around him.

Rather than leaving that experience behind, he turned it into Brave Like Bunji, a children's book that didn't exist when he needed it.

Releasing on Jun 2, the children's book explores identity, belonging and self-understanding, drawing directly from Mr Gablonski's experience growing up navigating spaces where different parts of his identity were not always equally accepted.

Raised in Katherine, Mr Gablonski said early experiences shaped how he learned to navigate identity from a young age.

"As a kid, you start to notice what feels safe and what doesn't," he said.

"Sometimes one part of you might be welcome in a space, but another isn't."

As a gay First Nations man, that awareness followed him into adulthood, where he found himself adjusting how much of his persona he brought to different environments, from school through to later roles in the community and on radio.

"I showed up as two different people depending on where I was," Mr Gablonski said.

"Over time, you realise that comes at a cost."

At age 10, Mr Gablonski experienced a serious head injury that left him hospitalised, an event that would later shape how he understood connection, identity and wellbeing.

"It wasn't the accident itself that stayed with me... it was everything that came after," he said.

In the years following the injury — which included navigating PTSD during his teens — he became more aware of the environments and relationships that allowed him to feel safe, supported and grounded, a shift that would later inspire his writing.

The story behind the book

Originally written as a personal reflection, Brave Like Bunji began as the story Mr Gablonski wished he had growing up, one that spoke to children who may not yet have the words for what they were feeling.

"I wanted to write something gentle," he said.

"Something that reassures young people they don't have to do it alone, and they don't have to rush figuring things out."

The book follows Bunji, a young boy navigating uncertainty, grounded by the people and environment around him. Drawing on the landscapes of Katherine and incorporating language used with community approval, the story reflected both personal experience and a broader sense of shared understanding.

"What became clear quite quickly was that the story wasn't just mine," Mr Gablonski said.

"People saw themselves in it in different ways."

A timely release

Set for release during National Reconciliation Week, Brave Like Bunji arrives as conversations around identity, representation and belonging continue to evolve across schools, families and communities.

Mr Gablonski hoped the book could help young people feel seen earlier, and more confidently, in their own experiences.

"Seeing yourself reflected can make a real difference," he says.

"It can reduce self-doubt before it has a chance to take hold."

Brave Like Bunji can be pre-ordered select retailers or online.