Sam, Grace and the Shipwreck

Sam, Grace and the Shipwreck written by Michelle Gillespie with illustrations by Sonia Martinez (Fremantle Press)
HB RRP $24.95
ISBN 9-781-921-696-008
Reviewed by Neridah McMullin

Sam, Grace and the Shipwreck is an evocative and compelling true story about the daring rescue of the passengers and crew of the shipwrecked SS Georgette off the Western Australian coastline in 1876.
Stockman Sam Isaacs is out with his horse tracking stray cattle when he suddenly hears the cries of shipwrecked people in the wild sea off Calgardup Bay. Sam gallops back to the homestead to tell the Bussell family (whom he works for) what has happened, and their young daughter, Grace Bussell, races out and jumps on her horse. With ropes in hand, 16-year-old Grace Bussell returns with Sam to see what they can do to help. 


By this time, most of the lifeboats were breaking up in the rough sea. Urging her horse into boiling surf, beyond a line of roaring breakers, Grace and Sam reach the boats where the women and children are in great peril. With as many women and children clinging to Grace and the horse as possible, she makes for the shore, landing them safely. Sam and Grace do this over and over again until they’re exhausted. It took four hours to rescue 50 people.


Sam Isaacs and 16 year-old-Grace Bussell performed amazing acts of courage. They were awarded medals from the Royal Humane Society for their efforts and Grace's legend lives on through the name of the coastal hamlet of Gracetown, north of Margaret River in Western Australia, near the wheat belt town of Lake Grace. 


This picture book is fast paced and makes a great ‘read aloud’ book. “There is something about this morning—a quiet in the hills, a shiver in the air—something that prickles the nose of the stockman’s horse.”
It’s quite dark at times, and you can definitely feel the ‘intensity’ of the situation and the unpredictability of the rough sea. The illustrations are dramatic and unusual, involving mixed media collages, combining computer generated images with oil paintings. The images are powerful yet perfect for this amazing story.


Pitched at older primary-age children, this book should make an excellent resource for teachers and librarians trying to encourage young readers to learn more about Australia’s history. Sam, Grace and the Shipwreck has it all - adventure, bravery, history and horses! 


Neridah McMullin is the author of three books for children. Her next book is an Indigenous folklore story called 'Kick it to me!'. It’s an ‘aussie rules’ story that’s being endorsed by the Australian Football League. Neridah loves family, footy, and doing yoga with her cat Carlos (who also just happens to love footy). www.neridahmcmullin.com

Amazing Grace: An Adventure at Sea

Amazing Grace: An Adventure at Sea by Stephanie Owen Reader (National Library of Australia)
HB RRP $29.95
ISBN 9780642277435
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

This book is absolutely outstanding from the story created around the factual evidence to the presentation and production quality.

In December 1876, sixteen-year-old Grace Bussell (and others) risked their own lives to save passengers and crew from the shipwrecked Georgette. A fictionalised account of the rescue is interspersed with paintings, newspaper clippings, photographs, eyewitness accounts and other historical documents from the National Library of Australia's own collection. A true sense of pioneer life at the time is built up.

The author is a master storyteller, able to draw the reader into the thoughts of feelings of passengers, crew and rescuers. Grace is shown as a capable and affable, but not extraordinary country girl, who nonetheless does not hesitate when action is needed. Other rescuers such as the Aboriginal stockman Sam Isaacs, and James and William Dempster are given due credit for their bravery.

A list of characters, glossary, short chapters and plentiful illustrations and further information ensures that the story can be followed by competent younger readers as well as being enjoyed and appreciated by older readers and even adults.

I highly recommend Amazing Grace and it should find a place on all bookshelves.