Penny Matthews

Based on true events, this book is set at the turn of the twentieth century in a small, country town in South Australia. Sixteen year old Emmie wants to be a writer and is inspired by her favourite author, Emily Bronte. From a well-to-do family, Emmie is frustrated by the limitations placed on her until Bertha, a young, world-wise German girl, comes to work for Emmie's mother. Gradually, despite their vast differences, Emmie and Bertha become friends until a terrible tragedy occurs leaving show more the little township of Towitt reeling.

While the book is a bit slow in parts, it was still an enjoyable read. I particularly liked the literary quotes at the start of each chapter, especially those from 'What a Young Woman Ought to Know' by Mary Wood Allen. While there are some dark issues underlining this book including sexual abuse, mental illness and murder, the book is also tinged with humour. Emmie is a delightful character who, through Bertha, learns what it means to be a true friend. show less

Not bad but I feel like I have read this book before as there is only so much you can write about a 20 minute battle on the Ballarat goldfields.
Henry has to work his father's claim with his sister, after his mother and baby brother have died. He befriends an Irish boy called Frank who leads him to meet a strange character known as Happy Jack, much to the annoyance of his father who thinks his new friends are a bad influence.
It is a time of great unrest on the goldfields with corrupt police, show more a murder, riots and the burning of the Eureka hotel. The miners are angry with the exorbitant prices of mining licences that they see as a form of taxation with no representation of their rights. Despite his father's warnings to stay clear Henry soon finds himself with a gun and sleeping in the newly constructed Eureka Stockade, and then, in the dead of night, he hears gunshots...
Written for younger readers with maps, glossary and fact files. show less

Twelve-year-old Nellie O'Neill lost her entire family - mother, father, and three younger siblings - to the famine in Ireland. After that, she had to live in a horrible workhouse, but now she has the chance for a new life. Nellie has arrived in Australia with a group of other Irish orphan girls, who are to work as maidservants.

At first, Nellie is worried that she will not be chosen to work as a servant, or that if she is, her employer will be cruel to her. However, Nellie is lucky, because show more she is chosen to work for a kind woman who runs a boardinghouse. For the first time in her life Nellie has her own room, and unlike in Ireland, there is plenty of food. But can her good fortune last?

I enjoyed the books I read in the Our Australian Girl series last year so I was happy when I found out there would be two new sets of books released this year. This series is a lot like the American Girls series, but set in Australia. Each character lives during a different time and place in Australian history and her story is told in a four book series. Although this book was not my favorite from the series (my favorite books so far were the stories about Grace, a young convict girl in 1808), I enjoyed reading Nellie's story and look forward to reading the other three books about her, which will be published later this year. show less

Audrey and her family have just moved from Adelaide to a country town and she is having trouble adjusting to her new life. She is not the only one, as her mother and father seem to constantly argue over her Dad's new plan to grow grapes. One night Audrey sees a little white dog running across their farm. As dogs can be shot if not tied up she makes some enquiries but no-one seems to know anything about it. Her younger sister thinks she is seeing things. Then Audrey sees it again and follows show more it where it leads her to a boy called Finch who is living in a cave down by the creek. He was mistreated by his uncle and he is living off the land until he is fit enough to travel to be with the rest of his family in Sydney. Audrey promises to keep Finch a secret as he is afraid of his uncle, which she does until one night the heavens open and the creek begins to flood.
Nice book. I was able to guess who Finch actually was quite early in the piece - it will be interesting to see if the girls do too. show less