Penny Matthews

It's 1930 . . . and Ruby Quinlan lives in a big house in Adelaide with her parents and her fox terrier, Baxter. As she gets ready for her twelfth birthday party, Ruby has never been happier. But the world she knows is collapsing, and people everywhere are losing their jobs and their homes. Soon Ruby's comfortable life falls apart in ways she could never have imagined . . . Meet Ruby and join her adventure in the first of four stories about a happy-go-lucky girl in a time of great change.

Meet Ruby

Tom Jellett

A truly child-friendly book about water and saving the planet, written and illustrated with warmth and humour.

Something about Water

Do you dare . . . Join a rebellion? Stand up to a bully? Risk your life for a friend? It's an adventure in history. Do You Dare? Henry lives with his father and sister on the Victorian goldfields. Still mourning the loss of his mother and baby brother, Henry helps his father to mine their claim and hopes that one day they will strike it rich. But they can't afford a mining license and without a license they are at the mercy of the corrupt police. When Henry meets a new friend, Frank, he enters a world of politics, riots and rebellion that will lead him to Eureka Stockade, one of the defining moments in Australian history.

Do You Dare? Eureka Boys

Beth Norling

Tom's new pet ferret is perfect. He can run fast and loves playing hide-and-seek.

The Best Pet

Every month of the year there are jobs to do on a small Australian farm. Fruit ripens, lambs are born, hay is harvested. 'A Year on our Farm' shows the passing of the seasons through the eyes of the children for whom the farm and all its animals is home. This delightful picture book won the Children's Book Council of Australia award for Book of the Year: Early Childhood.

A Year on Our Farm

It's 1849 . . . and Nellie O'Neill is arriving in South Australia on a ship bringing orphan girls from Irish workhouses. Nellie and her best friend, Mary, have left the famine in Ireland far behind, and are full of hopes and dreams for the future. Nellie longs to learn to read, to be part of a family once more, and never to be hungry again. But with no job and no one to turn to, how will Nellie make her wishes come true? Meet Nellie and join her adventure in the first of four stories about an Irish girl with a big heart, in search of the freedom to be herself.

Meet Nellie

Our Australian Girl: Meet Nellie (Book 1)

Our Australian Girl: Meet Ruby (Book 1)

It's 1850 . . . and Nellie is returning to Adelaide after searching for the Thompson family at the Burra. She's keen to get back to her best friend, Mary, who is ill in hospital. But she is in for a terrible shock . . . Even Nellie begins to feel that all is lost and that she might never achieve her dreams. Will her spirit be crushed, or can she turn her fate around? Follow Nellie on her adventure in the final of four stories about an Irish girls with a big heart, in search of the freedom to be herself.

Nellie's Greatest Wish

Our Australian Girl: Nellie's Greatest Wish (Book 4)

It's 1850 and Nellie's best friend, Mary, is gravely ill. To provide Mary with the care she needs, Nellie must break a promise and go on a quest to find the Thompson family. But will they be able to help? And who will Nellie turn to when her own life is in danger? Follow Nellie on her adventure in the third of four exciting stories about an Irish girl with a big heart, in search of the freedom to be herself.

Nellie's Quest

Our Australian Girl: Nellie's Quest (Book 3)

It's 1849 . . . and Nellie is starting her new life as a kitchen maid in a grand Adelaide house with her best friend, Mary. But Nellie's desire to live out her dreams soon leads to a battle with the spiteful cook Bessie Rudge... Can Nellie keep her temper and avoid being thrown out to beg on the streets? And why is Mary acting so strangely? Follow Nellie on her adventure in the second of four exciting stories about an Irish girl with a big heart, in search of the freedom to be herself.

Nellie and Secret the Letter

Our Australian Girl: Nellie and Secret the Letter (Book 2)

It's 1931 . . .and Ruby is settling into life at her school in the country. But when a desperately poor family moves to the area, no one wants to be friends with them. Ruby will have to choose sides, and she has already made one enemy at school - Doris Spinks. Will Ruby do what she believes is right? And what does Doris know about Ruby's beloved dad? Follow Ruby on her adventure in the third of four exciting stories about a happy-go-lucky girl in a time of great change.

School Days for Ruby

It's 1930 . . . and Ruby Quinlan lives in a big house in Adelaide with her parents and her fox terrier, Baxter. As she prepares for her twelfth birthday party, Ruby has never been happier, but the world outside is experiencing harder times. Ruby knows that lots of people are losing their jobs, but her own family life seems comfortable and secure . . . until things start falling apart. Happy-go-lucky, compassionate and loving, Ruby is an unforgettable Australian Girl.

Our Australian Girl: The Ruby Stories

A magical story of friendship and fate in the exciting new Lightning Strikes series. Shy Stacey Bunn and outgoing Twyla Popovic are exact opposites but also the best of friends. On the day of Twyla's birthday, Stacey and Twyla are set go to the Royal Show. But their horoscopes tell them that their best friend is going to betray them! The events of the day prove the prediction to be spot on but with the help of a mysterious fortune teller, the girls manage to put things right.

Heart of Magic

It's 1849 . . . and Nellie O'Neill has arrived in South Australia on a ship bringing orphan girls from Irish workhouses. She has left the famine in Ireland far behind, and is full of hopes and dreams for the future. She wants to learn to read, to be part of a family once more and never to be hungry again. Can Nellie make her wishes come true? Join Nellie across all four stories about an Irish girl with a big heart in search of the freedom to be herself. Brave, adventurous, loyal, and clever, Nellie is a remarkable Australian Girl.

Our Australian Girl: The Nellie Stories

It's 1930 . . . and Ruby Quinlan lives in a big house in Adelaide with her parents and her fox terrier, Baxter. As she prepares for her twelfth birthday party, Ruby has never been happier, but the world outside is experiencing harder times. Ruby knows that lots of people are losing their jobs, but her own family life seems comfortable and secure ... until things start falling apart. Happy-go-lucky, compassionate and loving, Ruby is an unforgettable Australian Girl.

Penny Matthews

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