Aslan and Benny

Aslan is fearless! But when his cousins get a new dog, he doesn't feel so brave. A warm and relatable picture book for anyone who's ever felt stuck by their worries and needed help to do what matters most to them. With vivid and bright illustrations by First Nations artist Jade Goodwin, the acclaimed illustrator of Ash Barty's Little Ash series and picture book, My Dream for You.

Aslan has the heart and the name of a lion. He is fearless!
His favourite days are Sundays when the whole family gathers at his yenge's house for a barbecue and he can play with his cousins all day. But when they get a scary dog called Benny, it spoils everything. Will Aslan be able to manage his fears and play with his cousins again?

About the Authors

Jemima Shafei-Ongu is a Sydney-based writer committed to promoting inclusion and representation in children’s literature. Combining a professional background in psychology and teaching, Jemima explores themes of belonging, connection and wellbeing. Jemima is the author of two picture books, Aslan and Benny and A Lemon for Safiya, and she resides on unceded Dharug land with her husband, their mini schnauzer and their three daughters.

Jade Goodwin is a First Nations illustrator from Australia with curly brown hair and a big imagination. When she was a little girl, she loved spending time in her grandparents’ screen-printing studio, creating all sorts of fun things with the studio supplies. Since her first book was published in 2022, Jade has illustrated a bunch more, and now loves working from home, drawing almost every day alongside her three furry assistants - a.k.a cats. Her sweet and bright illustrations bring imagination to life, and she hopes to inspire both children and adults alike. Jade loves finding magic in everyday moments, dreaming up new worlds and drawing way past her bedtime.