Our Australian Girl is a new Historical Fiction series - with wonderfully written titles that I just couldn't put down. Each character has four titles in the 16 book series telling their own story, in their own voice at that time. The stories are fast-paced, compelling and engaging with each girl enduring hardships and disappointments to become strong memorable characters that will want to be read again and again.
Through the 16 book series (with titles released throughout the year - currently the third title for each character is available) we are able peer into the lives of four very different Australian girls in very different time periods in Australia's recent history. Grace is from 1808 (the convict era), Letty 1841 (colonisation), Poppy 1864 (the gold rush) and Rose 1900 (federation). And very importantly the historical research is great.
There is also the supporting Our Australian Girl website (http://ouraustraliangirl.com.au) that contains character information, funs tuff, and notes.
beginning with:
Meet Grace, Sofie Laguna
As a mudlark Grace's job is to find things in the mud of the Thames River to sell. But muddy and with nothing to sell, Grace (who is living with her Uncle in London and giving him the money from the things she sells) stands wanting to mind a horse for the gentlemen of on Fleet street. Hungry, she spies a man selling apple from a barrow and ... soon winds up on a convict ship - bound for Australia.Meet Letty, Alison Lloyd
In 1841 Letty's big sister is going by boat all the way to Australia. Letty and her Papa are there to see her off but when the big sister suddenly has to attend to business on shore, Letty is left under orders from her father to stand right by her sister's chest. And within moments, the chest is hauled onto the boat deck, which Letty has to follow, the gang plank is removed and the boat is getting ready to sail - with Letty on board.
Meet Poppy, Gabrielle Wang
Poppy is a young Chinese Aboriginal girl living on a Christian mission near Echuca. She hates life here and when she is cleaning the matron’s desk and discovers that her brother Augustus is to be sent to another mission she tells him the news and he runs away in search of gold. Alone, Poppy decides that the only thing left for her to do is to also escape and find Gus.
Meet Rose, Sherryl Clark
It's 1900 and playing cricket with her brother in the early morning hours in Melbourne - even on your birthday - is not the correct thing for Rose to be doing. Rose wants to play cricket, climb trees and be an adventurer! But Rose's mother has other ideas, and only wants Rose to be a proper young lady, wear frilly dresses and learn how to sew, which to Rose was a punishment. And then her favourite Aunt arrives and things really start to change!
See all of the available titles and lots more information at the Our Australian Girl website. These really are wonderful reads.
