OUR AUSTRALIAN GIRL

The full set of all 16 books in the first series: Grace, Letty, Poppy and Rose

by various well-known Australian authors

For more information about this series, click here

New softcover books. Published 2011, 132 pages in each book. Delightful illustrations by Lucia Masciullo. Reading age: 8 - 11 years.

* The Grace books, 1808 by Sofie Laguna

It's 1808 . . .
and young, orphaned Grace is living in London with her Uncle Ord. Families are starving on the streets, sanitation is poor and jails are overflowing. Uncle Ord is mean to Grace and they have no money. Grace, who is always lonely and hungry, has to work as a 'mudlark,' searching the muddy bed of the Thames River for objects to sell. After stealing apples, Grace is arrested and transported to Australia as punishment. On board the ship Grace makes a friend, Hannah.

Grace's story is an example of the way Australia could mean a new beginning and is told in four exciting instalments -

1. Meet Grace
2. A Friend for Grace
3. Grace and Glory
4. A Home for Grace

* The Letty books, 1841 by Alison Lloyd

It's 1841 . . .
and Letty is farewelling Lavinia, her older sister who is embarking on a long sea voyage to Australia. There's a mix-up and Letty stays on board and finds herself setting sail for NSW as well. Lavinia doesn't want her little sister on the ship and Letty's frightened - what will become of her?

During this period of history, Britain sent fewer convicts to Australia but also paid people like Lavinia to come as free settlers. In four years, from 1838 - 1841, 40,000 men, women and children emigrated to NSW. Letty's adventures, which unfold in four exciting instalments, is the imagined story of one of them.

1. Meet Letty
2. Letty and the Stranger's Lace
3. Letty on the Land
4. Letty's Christmas

* The Poppy books, 1864 by Gabrielle Wang

It's 1864 . . .
and Poppy lives at a mission near Echuca in Victoria. Of Indigenous and Chinese heritage, Poppy hates the mission, especially once her brother Gus runs away to pan for gold. Many indigenous children were taken from their parents and placed in missions where they were trained in household chores and as farm hands before being adopted by white families. During the 1850s and 60s, more than a third of the world's gold was found in Victoria and this attracted many people from all over the world.

Poppy runs away to look for Gus but how will she survive in the bush? And will she ever find Gus? Poppy's story, told in four gripping instalments, is a glimpse into life at that time.

1. Meet Poppy
2. Poppy at Summerhill
3. Poppy and the Thief
4. Poppy Comes Home

* The Rose books, 1900 by Sherryl Clark

It's 1900 . . .
and Rose lives with her family in a big house in Melbourne. She wants to play cricket and have adventures but Rose's ultra-conservative mother won't let her. Then young Aunt Alice, a feisty suffragette, moves in with them and everything changes.

In 1900, life was very restrictive for women. In most parts of Australia, women weren't allowed to vote, few got the chance to go to university and it was difficult for women to have careers of their own. Girls like Rose and women like Alice had to fight for the rights they felt entitled to. Rose's story, told in four exciting instalments, shows how rebelliousness and courage brought about change, making it possible for Australian girls today to have so many choices.

1. Meet Rose
2. Rose on Wheels
3. Rose's Challenge
4. Rose in Bloom

More about the Our Australian Girl series:

Our Australian Girl is a new series of historical novels for girls published by Puffin Books Australia. Each story in the series is set in a particular era of Australian history - the convict era, colonisation, the effects of the Irish famine, the goldrush, Federation, the Depression and the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. All written by highly acclaimed Australian authors, they feature strong plots, colourful and varied characters and genuine, likeable heroines.

The covers of the Our Australian Girl books are designed to appeal to pre-teen girls, with a logo of a locket and charm bracelet, enduring symbols of girlhood. Inside, an array of emotional experiences awaits readers with engaging descriptions of life as it once was and suspenseful plots about things such as family, friendship, betrayal, loneliness, standing up for what's right and surviving in a dangerous world. Our Australian Girl focuses on the fortunes of eleven likeable young girls: Grace, Letty, Poppy, Rose, Nellie, Alice, Ruby, Lina, Pearlie, Daisy and Marley. Each of their stories begins in a different era and each character has their own series of four books with a distinct voice and personality. It's their stories, their dramas, hopes and dreams that illuminate Australia's past, its rich diversity and the independent spirit that was fundamental to the building of a nation.

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Our Australian Girl Series: Grace, Letty, Poppy, Rose - full set of 16 new softcover books