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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
'Blue Laurence has escaped the prison of her aunt's mansion to join The Magnifico Family Circus, a travelling troupe that brings glamour and laughter to country towns gripped by the Depression. Blue hides her crippled legs and scars behind the sparkle of a mermaid's costume; but she's not the only member of the circus hiding a dark secret. The unquenchable Madame Zlosky creates as well as foresees futures. The bearded lady is a young man with laughing eyes. A headless skeleton dangles in the House of Horrors. And somewhere a murderer is waiting ... to strike again. This third book in the Waltz for Matilda saga is set in 1932, at the height of the Depression. Miss Matilda is still running Drinkwater Station, but has put aside her own tragedy to help those suffering in tough economic times and Joey, from The Girl from Snowy River, uses his new medical skills to solve a mystery.'
— Publisher's blurb
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Other Formats
- Sound recording.
- Large print.
Works about this Work
-
History, The Holocaust and Children’s Historical Fiction
2015
single work
criticism
— Appears in: TEXT Special Issue Website Series , April no. 28 2015; 'In 2013, the NSW Premier’s Young People’s History Prize was won by Australian novelist Jackie French’s historical novel Pennies for Hitler. French’s young adult novel, Dingo: The dog who conquered a continent, was also one of the three works shortlisted for the prize. No history/literary wars broke out over these historical novels. This article considers why children’s historical fiction is considered ‘good’ (or ‘good enough’) history when so many adult historical novels are not. Beginning with a brief overview of the competing claims about the ‘fictiveness’ of history, this article then uses French’s Pennies for Hitler as well as her novel Hitler’s daughter (1999) as case studies to test what Australian children – French’s main readership – would actually learn about Nazi Germany, the Holocaust and the Second World War from historical fiction. It concludes with a reflection about why the pleasures of childhood reading are denied adults, who are perhaps encouraged to treat history like work instead.' (Publication summary) -
The Road to Gundagai by Jackie French
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: Viewpoint : On Books for Young Adults , Autumn vol. 22 no. 1 2014; (p. 16)
— Review of The Road to Gundagai 2013 single work children's fiction -
Review : The Road to Gundagai
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: Good Reading , March 2014; (p. 65)
— Review of The Road to Gundagai 2013 single work children's fiction -
[Review] The Road to Gundagai
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , March vol. 29 no. 1 2014; (p. 36)
— Review of The Road to Gundagai 2013 single work children's fiction -
[Review] The Road to Gundagai
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 18 January 2014; (p. 22)
— Review of The Road to Gundagai 2013 single work children's fiction
-
[Review] The Road to Gundagai
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 18 January 2014; (p. 22)
— Review of The Road to Gundagai 2013 single work children's fiction -
[Review] The Road to Gundagai
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: Magpies : Talking About Books for Children , March vol. 29 no. 1 2014; (p. 36)
— Review of The Road to Gundagai 2013 single work children's fiction -
Review : The Road to Gundagai
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: Good Reading , March 2014; (p. 65)
— Review of The Road to Gundagai 2013 single work children's fiction -
The Road to Gundagai by Jackie French
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: Viewpoint : On Books for Young Adults , Autumn vol. 22 no. 1 2014; (p. 16)
— Review of The Road to Gundagai 2013 single work children's fiction -
History, The Holocaust and Children’s Historical Fiction
2015
single work
criticism
— Appears in: TEXT Special Issue Website Series , April no. 28 2015; 'In 2013, the NSW Premier’s Young People’s History Prize was won by Australian novelist Jackie French’s historical novel Pennies for Hitler. French’s young adult novel, Dingo: The dog who conquered a continent, was also one of the three works shortlisted for the prize. No history/literary wars broke out over these historical novels. This article considers why children’s historical fiction is considered ‘good’ (or ‘good enough’) history when so many adult historical novels are not. Beginning with a brief overview of the competing claims about the ‘fictiveness’ of history, this article then uses French’s Pennies for Hitler as well as her novel Hitler’s daughter (1999) as case studies to test what Australian children – French’s main readership – would actually learn about Nazi Germany, the Holocaust and the Second World War from historical fiction. It concludes with a reflection about why the pleasures of childhood reading are denied adults, who are perhaps encouraged to treat history like work instead.' (Publication summary)
Awards
- 1932