Cirrus@Austlit

'In the late 18th century, ragtag groups of Europeans started to arrive in Australia. Most were convicts, some were soldiers, a few had just run out of choices. They blundered onto an ancient land that had been peopled for 60,000 years. They wanted to make it just like home. They cleared the land, they fenced it, they paved it and they put buildings on it. All the while, the country's first peoples watched on, bewildered by these clumsy immigrants and their mysterious ways...

'M is for Mutiny! History by Alphabet is a taste of the intriguing history of Australia and the many entry points for children to explore further. Why did Sir Joseph Banks hate bananas? Did anyone like William Bligh?? Where is Yemmerrawanne?' (Publication summary)

'...This extraordinary story about the friendship between Captain Arthur Phillip and the Aboriginal, Bennelong, is one of Australia's most important and intriguing stories, yet remains largely unknown. The background of first settlement in Australia (when the first fleet arrived) heightens the polarity between the two worlds of these two people - traditional Aboriginal culture and values versus European culture and values...' (Source: TROVE website)

'Do you have a story? Everyone has a story to tell. Sometimes many stories. What's Your Story? is a beautiful book about freindship. The backdrop is the First Settlement and it describes the friendship of a little orphan boy from England, Leonard and his friendship with a little Aboriginal girl called Milba. Leonard is intrigued by Australia's fauna as it is completely different to anything Leonard had previously seen, and it is with this, the story develops. What's Your Story? uses ceramic artwork created from the renowned and celebrated Australian artist Bern Emmerichs and written by Melbourne writer Rose Giannone. ' (Publication summary)