Rotters and Squatters by Jackie French
I think I have now read all the books in this new series from Jackie French. I am convinced that they will do for Australian History what Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories have done for English history.
Australia, 1820, lots of convicts, some settlers and the colony is spreading out. Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia get a start. But I’ll bet you never knew some of the quirky bits of history that French has managed to uncover. Her way of writing up the boring bits makes reading this information book from cover to cover a fascinating experience. For example, ‘If Sydney was the colony at the end of the world, the colony of Hobart almost dropped off the edge of the planet.’
This book is a most entertaining way to find out about Australian history. The cartoons and illustrations keep the mood light and the information entertaining. Well done.
