John of Sydney Cove

by Doris Chadwick

This is the story of a new country-of the days when Captain Arthur Phillip was made first Governor of New South Wales and began to build the town of Sydney, It is a sequel to 'John of the Sirius', wherein John traveled with his family to Botany Bay.John plays his part in founding the new he explores the backwoods with Governor Phillip to find fresh water, and helps to build a home for Mamma and Papa and a 'cubby' for his sister Sue. He and Sue, too, help Mamma to sow seeds in the garden so that later they shall have fresh fruit and vegetables. He catches a baby 'hopping animal', makes friends with the First Australians, and finds again his friend with the cheeky grin.Many of the incidents in this story really did happen-the others might well have happened to a boy like John.

218 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

Reviews

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doris Chadwick's "John of the Sirius" series ("John of Sydney Cove" is the second in the series) is absolutely wonderful. Readers get a real sense of what it would have been like to travel to Australia as part of the first fleet. Unlike most children's stories based on this topic, the story is not told from the point of view of a convict. Instead, the main character is the son of a high ranking marine. For this reason, he can be placed at the centre of all the action so the reader can come to know and understand the events surrounding the creation of the colony. Of course, the story is a product of its time and might not be as culturally sensitive as modern books, however this series far better written than the modern books being produced for children. It's certainly the best I've read over my years as an educator.

[Mariah H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. Lots of adventure. Highly recommend for children.