OUR AUSTRALIAN GIRL - POPPY

The full set of 4 books about Poppy, a Gold Rush girl who dreams of a better life.

by GABRIELLE WANG

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

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

About the author

Gabrielle Wang is an author and illustrator born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage. Her great grandfather came to Victoria during the Gold Rush. When she was in her twenties, Gabrielle went in search of her roots, living in both China and Taiwan where she studied Chinese language and painting. Her stories are a blend of Chinese and Western culture with a touch of fantasy. Gabrielle lives in Melbourne with her partner and their two children.

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: the Poppy books by Gabrielle Wang