Carly Mills Pioneer Girl: A New World

Carly Mills Pioneer Girl: A New World by Jane Smith (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $12.50 ISBN: 9781922265074

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

How would you react if you blinked your eyes to find yourself transported 200 years into the past? Carly Mills responds to this unexpected turn of events by making the most of a chance meeting with Australian historical legend Caroline Chisholm. A journey of discovery follows, as Mrs Chisholm introduces Carly to the harsh reality of life for the poor in 19th century Sydney.

Carly demonstrates determination, curiosity, and resilience in the face of her uncertainties. Alongside the time-travelling adventure narrative, Carly navigates a nascent modern-world friendship with Dora, her bubbly guide-turned-sidekick. The rendering of Caroline Chisholm is approachable, if slightly one-dimensional.

The story requires a degree of suspension of disbelief, as the two primary-school graduates are permitted to roam modern Sydney alone, and their acquaintances in the 1840s accept their comings-and-goings without query. But given the target audience and length of the book, it provides an engaging and emotive window into history without any hint of didacticism.

Each chapter includes a simple line-drawing, aiding comprehension of some of the unfamiliar features of the historical world, such as corsets. The book concludes with a useful historical note and an entertaining ‘Q&A with Caroline Chisholm’. The first in an anticipated series, readers will look forward to their next adventure with Carly.

This book will appeal to 7 to 12-year olds, particularly girls, who will enjoy coming on a time-travelling journey with the protagonists and find inspiration in the achievements of Caroline Chisholm.  It will also be an asset to upper-primary teachers covering Australian colonial history. Teaching materials are available.

The Masked Man: Tommy Bell Bushranger

The Masked Man: Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy Number 8 by Jane Smith (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $12.50 ISBN 9781922265425 

Reviewed by Claire Stuckey

Tommy and Martin have secret special items give them the power to time travel. Going on a business trip with Tommy’s father to country Victoria gives the boys an opportunity to visit a gold rush town. Tommy can’t wait to experience the past so places his special hat on he finds himself witnessing a bank robbery. His friend Martin joins him the next day by slipping on the time travel boots. They arrive in a slightly later time period finding that the young bank manager Tommy freed is now charged with being an accomplice.

Tommy the only witness to the robbery makes a heroic plunge down a well to reveal the weapon used by the bushranger and clear the innocent young man accused.

This book number eight in these entertaining Australian chapter book series bring alive a small snapshot of history in a readable format with illustrations complementing the theme. The adventures are short and include relevant information without burdening the story. Great for all young readers of chapter books age range 7-10 years.

Tommy Bell, Bushranger Book: Shoot-Out at the Rock & The Horse Thief

Tommy Bell, Bushranger Book: Shoot-Out at the Rock & The Horse Thief by Jane Smith, illustrated by Pat Kan (Big Sky Publishing)   PB RRP $14.99                                                                                                                              ISBN 9781925275940 & 9781925520064

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Here are two chapter books in the Tommy Bell series where readers can enjoy fast-paced fictional adventures with real bushrangers. In Shoot-Out at the Rock, Tommy is sent to Grandpa’s farm after getting into trouble at school near Uralla. There Grandpa gives him a horse called Combo to use. Together, horse and riding explore a cave: it is here that Tommy finds a bushranger’s cabbage-tree’ hat. Grandpa tells Tommy about a bushranger called Captain Thunderbolt who roamed around Uralla in the 1860s on his horse also called Combo. Thereafter Tommy is transported back in time to find himself involved with Fred Ward who bails up a coach. This turns out to be Captain Thunderbolt himself.

In the rest of the story, author Jane Smith interweaves Tommy’s journey with his family and Combo to a dressage event, with unpredictable ventures in 1850s Victorian goldfields. At the conclusion of this adventure story, there is an historical note about Thunderbolt as well as a question and answer section.

In The Horse Thief, Tommy again finds himself in trouble at school with a new friend. It transpires that Francis is less trouble than the bushranger Tommy meets while wearing his bushranger’s hat which once again takes him back to the gold rush days. Continuing his time-travel adventures, Tommy finds himself involved in a horse robbery, a police chase and a prison escape. This time he is involved, too, with another bushranger -- Francis Christie, a skilled horse rider whose alias is familiar to Australian history buffs – Frank Gardiner.

For readers who like historical facts, there are footnotes again in this book which tell more about Gardiner and his life. The writing in both books is clear and fast-paced while the illustrations that highlight aspects of the narration are stark and simple, with thick black lines reminiscent of wood-cut prints.

These books would suit readers, particularly boys, aged 9 to 12 years.

Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy - Shoot-out at the Rock

Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy - Shoot-out at the Rock by Jane Smith, illustrated by Pat Kan (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 978-1-925275-94-0

Reviewed by Anita Howard

This is an enjoyable story about the history of Australian bushrangers that will spark the interest of children aged 7 years and up.

The story begins with a disengaged Tommy who has failed his history test; he is kept in over lunch to read a boring history book, and misses his chance to buy a special donut. When Tommy notices a boy eating his desired donut, he kicks him and steals the donut, then he runs away from school. His distressed parents announce he will spend the whole of his upcoming school holidays working on his grandparents’ farm. This is not how Tommy had planned on spending his holidays.

Farm life is not as tough as he expects and he is provided with Combo, a horse, for the duration of his stay. The discovery of a cave and an old bushranger’s hat during one of his rides is the pivotal event that sends Tommy from the contemporary farm life into the life and times of Captain Thunderbolt, an Australian bushranger.

This section is fast-paced, as Tommy appears at moments such as a shooting between police and the bushrangers.Tommy’s first-hand experiences in Captain Thunderbolt’s world soon changes his attitude to stealing, violence; and history.

This is the first of a series of books, where Tommy, with the help of the old hat, travels back to the world of the Australian bushrangers.

Sprinkled with bold illustrations, and concluded with historic notes about Captain Thunderbolt, the story is followed by a fictional interview with Captain Thunderbolt.

Ben Hall

Ben Hall by Jane Smith (Big Sky Publishing)       PB RRP $14.99                                                     ISBN 9781922132697

Reviewed by J Wishart

This straightforward and informative non-fiction book is part of the Australian Bushrangers series produced by Big Sky Publishing. The information is historically accurate and is written by librarian and researcher, Jane Smith, for readers aged around 7 to 12 years. Smith says historical research can be like solving a mystery; in this book she has unearthed many facts and articles that document the life and times of Ben Hall, born in 1837.

Hall’s story starts out well. He worked as a stockman and later partnered with his brother-in-law to lease a cattle station in New South Wales. Later circumstances, however, including his wife leaving, made him unhappy and vulnerable. It was at this time he befriended Frank Gardiner, the charismatic cattle thief, who introduced Hall to a life of crime.

Hall’s escalating exploits are described, as is the support he and his gang received from a general public who initially admired the bushranger’s daring. In time this support turned to anger, leading to Hall’s eventual betrayal. Smith describes the life of a bushranger as one of ‘discomfort, violence and constant danger’. To add interest and bring this to life, the book includes ephemera such as maps, police reports and photos – including one of Hall’s revolver, which is now held in the National Library of Australia and has his initials clearly carved into the butt.

Smith has also incorporated stories within stories, such as that of Sir Frederick Pottinger, a policeman with troubles of his own, who became fixated on Hall and initiated some questionable actions against his family. These side stories effectively break up longer sections into smaller, more manageable blocks, as well as linking to the other books in the series. 

Packed in this way, with curious and ‘collectable’ facts, Ben Hall explores themes such as dissatisfaction, perception and the allure of notoriety, and offers an insight into Australian colonial history for young readers.

Frank Gardiner

Frank Gardiner by Jane Smith (Big Sky Publishing)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 9781922132673

Reviewed by J Wishart

This non-fiction story is aimed at readers aged around 7 to 12 years and is part of the Australian Bushranger series produced by Big Sky Publishing. Written by historical researcher, Jane Smith, it offers an insight into the exploits of Frank Gardiner during the mid 1800s.

Born in Scotland, Gardiner (then Frank Christie) immigrated to Australia with his family at the age of five. The year was 1834. Fortunate to receive an early education, Gardiner nonetheless had to grow up fast and was working as a stockman by his teenage years. Lack of employment, and a life dependent on horses, eventually tempted him into stock theft. From there he progressed to highway robbery, and eventually became famous for holding up the coach that escorted gold from the mines to Bathurst. 

Despite his crimes, Gardiner had such a talent for influencing people that the term ‘Gardinerism’ was used to refer to his artful strategies. He managed to appeal his sentences with the help of friends and family and even won the support of local citizens, some of whom were victims of his crimes.

As well as touching on themes of human nature and the pursuit of wealth, the book contains a range of historically accurate information. In addition to the main narrative it includes photographs and copies of official documents and news stories to add interest and authenticity. The story covers Gardiner’s main period of activity during colonial history, his various arrests and escapes, and leads up to his eventual exile in 1874.

The text is presented in small, easy-to-read chunks. Breakout boxes offer straightforward facts and figures and help to show the reader what life was like at the time, including difficulties practically unknown today due to modern transport and communications technology. Character is added through the inclusion of brief biographies of the various characters who worked with Gardiner, as well as those who tried to bring him to justice.