The story behind Banjo Paterson's iconic Australian song. Ages 10-14 'Once a jolly swagman camped by a Billabong Under the shade of a Coolibah tree And he sang as he watched and waited till his Billy boiled You'll come a‐waltzing Matilda with me...' In 1894, twelve-year-old Matilda flees the city slums to find her unknown father and his farm. But drought grips the land, and the shearers are on strike. Her father has turned swaggie and he's wanted by the troopers. In front of his terrified daughter, he makes a stand against them, defiant to the last. 'You'll never catch me alive, said he...' Set against a backdrop of bushfire, flood, war and jubilation, this is the story of one girl's journey towards independence. It is also the story of others who had no vote and very little but their dreams. Drawing on the well-known poem by A.B. Paterson and from events rooted in actual history, this is the untold story behind Australia's early years as an emerging nation. 'Jackie French... Views: 43
Shattered: Book #9 of Psychic Visions Views: 42
Just because a person can see—doesn't mean they should look.Celina Wilton was technically blind, a state she wasn't very happy about. In her case, the alternative was worse. So she'd learn to adapt, one way or another.Stefan Kronos has wanted to get close to Celina for a long time, but she has walls that he's been forced to go around in some unusual ways. When a case he's been called to consult on puts her square in his radar, he has to watch his step...and hers.Unraveling the threads twisting between them and a killer like none Stefan had seen before, means Celina has to trust him enough to let him inside her barriers.That's when Stefan realizes he's not the only with eyes into her soul. Views: 42
This is the first book in the new paranormal fantasy series Glory. Genesis and her sisters are the last of her maternal line, the last of the stargazers – except she is a dropout in the energy worker talent department. Gentle, non-assuming Genesis Chandler is supposed to be protecting the woods, as is her nature – she's an energy worker – but since Granny's death and her sisters leaving town, she's lost sight of much in her life. While she was living with blinders on, someone else took advantage. Connor has been called in to investigate the sacred forest. Something odd is happening to the reserve, and it's affecting the town's energy source. That also means it's connected to the sacred pools. He's got energy problems himself and needs Genesis to get to the bottom of this problem. Genesis has no love for Connor. His fault. He loved her and left her, not realizing he'd left the best part of himself behind – his heart. Can they work... Views: 42
In the fall of 1999, psychologist Sophia Wilmot is compelled by the court to give testimony on behalf of a death row inmate that results in his sentence being overturned. It is an act that brings her unwanted media attention, a notoriety and reputation that given her past and its secrets, she can ill afford. Soon other prisoners’ families come seeking her assistance. There is one family in particular, the wife, children, and brother of Jarrett Capshaw, that is especially insistent. Forty-one days ago Jarrett’s request to die was granted by the State of Texas, and he became a dead man walking, a man they call a volunteer. Jarrett has his own secrets. Most notably, it is rumored he knows the whereabouts of the missing Mayan codex that lies at the heart of his crimes. The U.S. and South America are equally anxious to recover the priceless artifact that scholars believe holds the key to the Mayan-posed mystery of 2012. As pressure increases on Jarrett to give up the location of the ancient codex in exchange for his life, Sophia is drawn into a relationship with his wife and, in particular, with Jarrett’s oldest son, Thomas. There will be consequences, she knows. There will be a price to pay. But not even Sophia is prepared for it when the brutal truth is exposed, the unalloyed facts that, incredibly, deliver Jarrett’s fate straight into Sophia’s hands. The execution clock is ticking. She has the power to save him, if she chooses. If he will let her. And in the end, it could destroy her. Views: 42
Life couldn't be any worse...Caught in a web of Deanna's making Tessa struggles to find her role in this new reality.Cody can't believe how quickly his life has deteriorated. He believes in Tessa. Knew she had what it took and is desperate to do what he can to save her.Only there are secrets, and like poison, fester until they are released. Tessa and Cody have to find their way through the maze of lies and deceit to a safe haven on the other side.The whole gang is caught in life and death struggles as they near the end of this war. But how close are they and who will survive? Views: 40
What is the sailor's secret about the treasure of Australia's colony? The second book in a series that explores little-known history about Australia's fascinating past. Barney Bean is keen to make his fortune and he hears a secret; a sailor's secret about the treasure of the colony. But how can chasing whales make you rich? Is adventure at sea worth leaving everything he loves? Written by award-winning author Jackie French and superbly illustrated by Mark Wilson, this second book in The Secret Histories series explores how the early colony survived with the wealth from whaling, a little-known secret from Australia's past. Ages: 8+ Views: 40
Flynn’s Firecracker: Heroes for Hire, Book 5 Views: 40
A story of transportation and life in a new world.At the tender age of eight, chimney sweep Tom Appleby is convicted of stealing and sentenced to deportation to Botany Bay. As one of the members of the First Fleet, he arrives in a country that seemingly has little to offer - or little that the English are used to, anyway.Luckily, not long after Tom's arrival in the colony, the fair and kind Sergeant Stanley decides to take on Tom as a servant. Together Tom, Sergeant Stanley and his son, Rob, build a house, set up an orchard and a vegetable garden for themselves - and thrive, unlike many others in the new colony.Jackie French weaves Tom's story in with the story of the development of Australia. She tells of a colony that, despite its natural abundance, cannot offer what the colonists want - familiarity. While the people's health is better than it ever was in England, their morale is low as they wait for news from home.Ages 10+ Views: 39
Jackie French explores a distant and fascinating world, where the future is not always as it seems, and the king's displeasure means death. Ages 10 - 14 After Nikko and thetis are taken from their village, their amazing acrobatic skills save them from slavery and make them the focus of the Mycenaean court. the courtiers are in awe of them; the King is enchanted. But thetis may destroy them both when she tells the King a truth about his future that he doesn't want to hear. Nikko and the daring horse dancer Euridce must travel across Greece to find his sister again - and the extraordinary future that awaits them all - in Delphi. Can one young girl change history? Jackie French waves history, myth and fantasy together into one enthralling tale of horse dancers, earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as love and courage, from beyond recorded time. Ages 10-14 Views: 38
Anniversary edition of the first book Jackie French published with A & R. This is where a truly remarkable career began. 'Rain Stones' and the other stories in this collection reveal that the country is a magical place, that there is an extra dimension to be found by those whose minds and hearts are open to the possibility. Michael knows that the hills around Canberra are sleeping dinosaurs waiting for darkness to fall to begin their nightly dance. Jacob is blind, but he can show his friends things they never dreamt existed. And Helen is hoping that the rain stones will bring rain to the parched land where everything is dying. Powerful, imaginative and moving, this collection of short stories reveal the extraordinary early talent of this remarkable writer. Views: 38
Into the Abyss: Book #10 of Psychic Visions Views: 38
