Gaolbird

Description

It's 23 October 1821 and convict William Swallow stands on the deck of the Malabar for muster. He is wearing a canary yellow convict uniform and his legs are chained. He's just completed the 121-day sea voyage from London to Hobart Town, but his wild and audacious adventures have barely begun. He'll soon ditch the convict uniform and the chains, take part in a mutiny, become a pirate captain and fool the world in what just might be the most outrageous and unbelievable true story in Australia's convict history.

Simon Barnard was born and grew up in Launceston. He spent a lot of time in the bush as a boy, which led to an interest in Tasmanian history. He is a writer, illustrator and collector of colonial artifacts. He won the Eve Pownall Award for Information Books in the 2015 Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year awards for his first book, A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land. His second book Convict Tattoos, was published by Text in August 2016. He lives in Melbourne.

'A big, beautiful, funny, fascinating thrill-ride of convict esoterica.' Nick Cave, on A-Z Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'A lively, detailed and richly illustrated account of the lives of convicts sent to Van Diemen's land.' Herald Sun, on A-Z Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'Barnard's impressive craftsmanship has produced a truly handsome book design that pays loving homage to its 19th century sources...School students often complain about the dullness of Australian history. Barnard's highly entertaining book is the perfect antidote to the usual sober textbook treatment of the convict era.' Reading Time, on A-Z Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'In a time when we, as descendants no longer wish to wash away the 'convict stain', this book is a wonderful history for as wide as possible an audience.' Tasmanian Times, on A-Z Convicts in Van Diemen's Land 'Simon Barnard's Hogarthian yarn of cunning and hapless convict pirates is no less absurd for being true: the kind of slapstick lunacy that so often passes for actual history. Wonderfully conceived, surprisingly original, terrifically entertaining. Three cheers for Gaolbird!' -- Shaun Tan 'A boisterous slice of Australian colonial history...the visual style will appeal to lovers of Horrible Histories or the ever-increasing range of graphic novels.' Books + Publishing