Eureka!: A story of the goldfields

Description

LONGLISTED FOR THE COLIN RODERICK AWARD 2021 Molly and her father have emigrated to Australia to try their luck as gold prospectors in Ballarat, Victoria. Life on the diggings is hard and Molly misses her mother, who died before they left England. A Chinese teenager, Chen, shows Molly and her Papa how to pan for gold and helps them when their food and money run out. Not everyone on the goldfields is friendly, however. Chen and other Chinese diggers are often bullied and the police lock up miners who haven't paid the exorbitant gold licence fee. Before long, Molly, Papa and Chen are caught up in a protest that will become known as the Eureka Rebellion - a legendary battle that will profoundly affect them all. From award-winning author and illustrator Mark Wilson, this powerful story is inspired by real people and historical events.

Acclaimed author/illustrator Mark Wilson's picture books include the war-themed series, MY MOTHER'S EYES: THE STORY OF A BOY SOLDIER (2009), ANGEL OF KOKODA (2010), VIETNAM DIARY (2013) and DIGGER, THE DOG WHO WENT TO WAR (2015). He has also written and illustrated MIGALOO, THE WHITE WHALE (2015), BETH: THE STORY OF A CHILD CONVICT (2016), NEVER LOSE HOPE: THE STORY OF AUSTRALIA'S FIRST SCHOOL (2018), EUREKA!: A STORY OF THE GOLDFIELDS (2019), RACHEL'S WAR: THE STORY OF AN AUSTRALIAN WWI NURSE (2020) and the art-themed books BEN & GRACIE'S ART ADVENTURE (2011) and INSIDE THE WORLD OF TOM ROBERTS (2012). His other titles include the Wilderness Society and Whitley Award-winning Extinction series I SAW NOTHING: THE EXTINCTION OF THE THYLACINE; I SAID NOTHING: THE EXTINCTION OF THE PARADISE PARROT and I DID NOTHING: THE EXTINCTION OF THE GASTRIC BROODING FROG and YELLOW-EYE (2002), which also won the Wilderness Society Award. EUREKA! A STORY OF THE GOLDFIELDS was the first children's picture book to be longlisted for the prestigious Colin Roderick Award. Mark lives in Frankston, Victoria.