This sweeping historical novel for young adults documents the adventures of Bridie, an orphaned Irish teenager who escapes the potato famine that claimed the lives of her parents and baby brother. Independent and stubborn, Bridie makes a new life for herself in the rough-and-tumble world of Austr...
A humorous and silly behind-the-scenes look at a traveling circus, this imaginative tale follows one young boy’s adventures under the big top. When Gus finds himself caught up in a world of magicians, stilt-walkers, and tattooed tent hands, he begins to wonder Why is everyone secretive about my f...
Papa and Mama had gone to the station to collect Cousin Paul, and Tiney wondered if it was because of Paul that no one spoke all afternoon. In 1914, Paul had been sent to Torrens Island, along with four hundred other German South Australians, and then to Holdsworthy in NSW where he and thousands ...
The rain had stopped and the quay was alive with activity. As Paddy drew closer to where the great ocean-going ships were moored, the noise of the docks intensified. Iron steamships with anchors twice the size of a man were being loaded with cargo while crowds of small barefoot children played al...
He didn’t understand her. He’d always imagined that girls must have been sickly, unreliable creatures that spent a lot of time screaming and crying. But Callum hadn’t seen Bo cry once and he couldn’t help but trust her. Now, as he pushed at the coals with a stick, he felt something kindling deep ...
One Sunday morning, Colm woke to hear Tin Annie revving loudly in the yard. Colm had seen Bill and Nugget come in late the night before, reeking of beer, so he couldn’t believe that they were heading out again so early. Later in the morning, Rosie and Colm sat in the shade...
Tilly and Valentine found me there. ‘This air, it’s so sticky, don’t you think?’ said Tilly. She lifted her petticoats and flapped them into the wind. ‘Tilly!’ I cried. ‘You’ve got no knickers on!’ ‘It’s delicious,’ she said. But Valentine shook her head. ‘You won’t like it when we’re ashore. You...