Happy New Year to all our readers. I hope you had some
wonderful books among your Christmas goodies.
As Australia Day is at the end of the month, I thought I’d
look at some of the wonderful historical publications which we have,
celebrating our history. I have chosen to focus on early settlement, on books I
like, and have not checked whether they are currently in print, but if not many
will be accessible through your local library.
John Nicol’s sea adventures began in 1769 when he was aged
14 and included a trip to Australia on the Lady
Julian (or Juliana), one of the
Second Fleet convict ships, arriving in Sydney in 1890. This book includes some
of Nicol’s own prose, taken from his very readable Life and Times … first published in 1822.
Trim was Matthew Flinders’ loved cat who accompanied him on
some of his voyages. This is the remembered story of their adventures together
as well as Trim’s adventures after Flinders was imprisoned by the French.
Young George is transported to Van Diemen’s Land while his
sister stays in London working for the Dimples. Eventually this family decides
to emigrate to Tasmania and George and Hannah are re-united.
This is a novel of the first years of settlement of Sydney
when the influx of new settlers, free and convict, bring with them diseases
hitherto unknown to the Aborigines. The reader learns of the devastation they
cause. It is the story of Nanberry adopted by Australia’s first surgeon, John
White, and living with his white brother. Based on true stories.
The goat who sailed
the world by Jackie French
Among the animals and humans on board James Cook’s ship, Endeavour, was a well-travelled goat and
her young carer, Isaac Manley, who went on to bigger and better things. The goat
gave the crew milk for the whole of their three year voyage but had already sailed
around the world before she set off with cook.
A diarised fictional account of one young girl’s life in
Sydney during two months in 1790, a time when the colony was struggling to feed
itself.
Full of fascinating facts and detailed drawings, as
Nicholson’s books always are, The First
Fleet is a great introduction for young readers. Do you know how many tools
were taken, or how much food was allowed per person? Or how many children were
on the various ships of the fleet? (There were 32). This book answers those
questions.
Playing Beatie Bow
by Ruth Park
This historical paranormal story focuses on Abigail who
suddenly finds herself in the Sydney Rocks area of the 1870s, having to cope
with all the changes from her life of 100 years later. An Australian classic.
Meet Grace, Our
Australian Girl series by Sophie Laguna
The four books in this series tell the story of Grace after
she is sent to Australia as a convict. [Editor's note: Find out about other authors and titles in the Our Australian girl series]
This is a series of six titles each looking at a different
period in Australia’s past. They are full of facts and cartoon-style
illustrations. A great jumping off point for further explorations.
And I have just scratched the surface. We could go on to
later decades in Australia’s settlement: the bushrangers, the years of
exploring the continent, Federation and Australia’s involvement in war. But, for
this time, though, a focus on early settlement.
What Australian historical fiction do you enjoy?
Maureen Mann
