Reviewed by Dianne Bates
Here are two chapter books in
the Tommy Bell series where readers can enjoy fast-paced fictional adventures
with real bushrangers. In Shoot-Out
at the Rock, Tommy is sent to
Grandpa’s farm after getting into trouble at school near Uralla. There Grandpa
gives him a horse called Combo to use. Together, horse and riding explore a
cave: it is here that Tommy finds a bushranger’s cabbage-tree’ hat. Grandpa tells Tommy about a
bushranger called Captain Thunderbolt who roamed around Uralla in the 1860s on
his horse also called Combo. Thereafter Tommy is transported back in time to
find himself involved with Fred Ward who bails up a coach. This turns out to be
Captain Thunderbolt himself.
In the rest of the story,
author Jane Smith interweaves Tommy’s journey with his family and Combo to a
dressage event, with unpredictable ventures in 1850s Victorian goldfields. At the conclusion of this adventure
story, there is an historical note about Thunderbolt as well as a question and
answer section.
In The Horse Thief, Tommy again
finds himself in trouble at school with a new friend. It transpires that
Francis is less trouble than the bushranger Tommy meets while wearing his
bushranger’s hat which once again takes him back to the gold rush days.
Continuing his time-travel adventures, Tommy finds himself involved in a horse
robbery, a police chase and a prison escape. This time he is involved, too,
with another bushranger -- Francis Christie, a skilled horse rider whose alias
is familiar to Australian history buffs – Frank Gardiner.
For readers who like
historical facts, there are footnotes again in this book which tell more about
Gardiner and his life. The writing in both books is clear and fast-paced while
the illustrations that highlight aspects of the narration are stark and simple,
with thick black lines reminiscent of wood-cut prints.
These books would suit
readers, particularly boys, aged 9 to 12 years.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Buzz Words Books would love to hear what you think.