Internationalism in Children's Series


Book Description

Internationalism in Children's Series brings together international children's literature scholars who interpret 'internationalism' through various cultural, historical and theoretical lenses. From imperialism to transnationalism, from Tom Swift to Harry Potter, this book addresses the unique ability of series to introduce children to the world.




Becoming Billy Dare


Book Description

Paddy secretly boards a ship bound for Australia, only to be shipwrecked at the end of the voyage. Once rescued, he faces the big question: how is he to make his way in this strange new land? On the road with a travelling circus, on the run with a wild child, sleeping rough on the mean streets of Melbourne, Paddy finds help and friendship with Bridie, and learns to live by his wits. Each adventure brings him closer to discovering his true gift. Character, choice and destiny intertwine in this richly detailed historical novel. Meticulous research . . . Becoming Billy Dare is, above all, an entertaining book that invites readers and provides inspiration. Jill Swann, Teacher-Librarian. Starting in the 1840s and ending in present-day Australia, the Children of the Wind quartet tells the stories of four courageous young people, Bridie, Billy, Colm and Maeve, born fifty years apart. The central character from each book becomes a mentor to the child in the next. ending in present-day Australia, the Children of the Wild quartet tells the stories of four courageous young people, Bridie, Billy, Colm and Maeve, born fifty years apart. The central character from each book becomes a mentor to the child in the next.




Re-visioning Historical Fiction for Young Readers


Book Description

This study is concerned with how readers are positioned to interpret the past in historical fiction for children and young adults. Looking at literature published within the last thirty to forty years, Wilson identifies and explores a prevalent trend for re-visioning and rewriting the past according to modern social and political ideological assumptions. Fiction within this genre, while concerned with the past at the level of content, is additionally concerned with present views of that historical past because of the future to which it is moving. Specific areas of discussion include the identification of a new sub-genre: Living history fiction, stories of Joan of Arc, historical fiction featuring agentic females, the very popular Scholastic Press historical journal series, fictions of war, and historical fiction featuring multicultural discourses. Wilson observes specific traits in historical fiction written for children — most notably how the notion of positive progress into the future is nuanced differently in this literature in which the concept of progress from the past is inextricably linked to the protagonist’s potential for agency and the realization of subjectivity. The genre consistently manifests a concern with identity construction that in turn informs and influences how a metanarrative of positive progress is played out. This book engages in a discussion of the functionality of the past within the genre and offers an interpretative frame for the sifting out of the present from the past in historical fiction for young readers.




Becoming Billy Dare


Book Description

The second of four compelling, true-to-life adventures, 'Becoming Billy Dare' follows the life of a feisty Irish boy who runs away to Australia and finds his vocation as an actor in the colourful theatres of Melbourne, around the time of Federation.




Vulture's Gate


Book Description

One girl - could she be the last girl alive? One boy, pursued by reckless men who have kidnapped him from his fathers. Bo and Callum go in search of a safe haven, a place to call home. But where can they turn and who can they trust? When every stranger is a threat, does their only hope lie in reaching Vulture's Gate? Following a journey that takes them across barren deserts and lost valleys, Bo and Callum must discover how to survive alongside runaway boys and crazed religious terrorists, in a world with an uncertain future. And what is the disturbing secret at the ruined city's core?




Battle For Barrenwest


Book Description

In the merciless deserts of Barrenwest, a realm where the wild west meets the whimsy of high fantasy, we follow Tommy White, a reluctant drifter thrown into a world he had only dared to explore in books. For years, Tommy was confined to the northern town of Fruming, oblivious to the thrills and terrors beyond his sheltered life. But when circumstances propel him into the heart of Barrenwest, Tommy is thrust into a maelstrom of fate that could determine the destiny of the entire continent. In his journey, Tommy stumbles upon a diamond, an artifact of untold power that mysteriously resonates with him. Unbeknownst to Tommy, this gem is far more than a shiny trinket; it's the key to the looming war and harbinger of potential calamity. As he ventures deeper into the unforgiving desert, he uncovers the inexplicable allure of the diamond and its true nature. In his extraordinary journey, Tommy confronts cowboys armed with magical bullets, battles ghastly vampires, abnormal critters, and an array of mystical creatures unique to Barrenwest. Some of these beings are formidable foes, while others prove to be unexpected allies, aiding him in surviving the ruthless desert and facing his deepest fears. "Battle For Barrenwest – The Black Sun" offers a unique blend of classic Western and Fantasy genres. Its narrative delves into epic battles, explores profound perspectives on the dichotomy of good and evil, and blurs the lines between heroism and villainy. Behind the human conflicts and amidst the tangible terrors, a deeper, more sinister evil lurks in the shadows, threatening to pounce from the unknown.




The Simple Gift


Book Description

Weary of life with his alcoholic, abusive father, sixteen-year-old Billy packs a few belongings and hits the road, hoping for something better than what he left behind.




The Civilian


Book Description




The Year It All Ended


Book Description

On Tiney Flynn's seventeenth birthday, every church bell tolled as if heralding a new year, a new era. Tiney stood in the garden, purple jacaranda petals fluttering down around her. One by one, her sisters came outside to join her; first Nette, then Minna and lastly Thea. It was 11 November 1918. Armistice Day. For Tiney and her sisters, everything is about to change, but not in the way they might have imagined. Building peace is complicated; so is growing up. From tragedy to undreamt-of joy, from weddings to sÚances, from masked balls to riots in the streets, TineyÆs world will be transformed. At the end of the war and the dawn of the Jazz Age, Tiney Flynn must face her greatest fears and begin a journey that will change her destiny. æI loved this book for its emotional intensity, for the strong, believable characters and for its accurate portrayal of a period in history so often forgotten.Æ Maureen McCarthy




Complete Novels


Book Description

This edition includes: The Coral Island Snowflakes and Sunbeams (The Young Fur Traders) Ungava Martin Rattler The Dog Crusoe and his Master The World of Ice The Gorilla Hunters The Golden Dream The Red Eric Away in the Wilderness Fighting the Whales The Wild Man of the West Fast in the Ice Gascoyne The Lifeboat Chasing the Sun Freaks on the Fells The Lighthouse Fighting The Flames Silver Lake Deep Down Shifting Winds Hunting the Lions Over the Rocky Mountains Saved by the Lifeboat Erling the Bold The Battle and the Breeze The Cannibal Islands Lost in the Forest Digging for Gold Sunk at Sea The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands The Iron Horse The Norsemen in the West The Pioneers Black Ivory Life in the Red Brigade Fort Desolation The Pirate City The Story of the Rock Rivers of Ice Under the Waves The Settler and the Savage In the Track of the Troops Jarwin and Cuffy Philosopher Jack Post Haste The Lonely Island The Red Man's Revenge My Doggie and I The Giant of the North The Madman and the Pirate The Battery and the Boiler The Thorogood Family The Young Trawler Dusty Diamonds, Cut and Polished Twice Bought The Island Queen The Rover of the Andes The Prairie Chief The Lively Poll Red Rooney The Big Otter The Fugitives Blue Lights The Middy and the Moors The Eagle Cliff The Crew of the Water Wagtail Blown to Bits The Garret and the Garden Jeff Benson Charlie to the Rescue The Coxswain's Bride The Buffalo Runners The Hot Swamp Hunted and Harried The Walrus Hunters Wrecked but not Ruined Six Months at the Cape Memoirs: Personal Reminiscences in Book Making