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The Schoolmaster's Daughter by Jackie French

January 1901 

Sharks circle the stranded ship as Hannah and her family head to a new home in the newly formed nation of Australia. Hannah's father has a new post as the schoolmaster in a larger school in northern NSW, where the school's wealthy patron, a sugar planter called Mr Harris, will give the family a life of comfort and the best society.

But secrets lurk in this subtropical paradise. From the moment Hannah's mother rebels against her husband's refusal to let Jamie, the Pacific Islander boy who rescues them from their shipwreck, into his school, the facade crumbles. Mr Harris's fortune is built on slavery and the whip. And the new Federal government's first law demands that all Pacific islanders - even those born in Australia - be deported. If Mr Harris learns of the secret school that Hannah's mother is running, it will mean ruin, violence, and possibly even death.

Hannah and Jamie must fight for Jamie's right to stay in the land he loves, and for their rights to education and equality.

Can the friendship and love of two young people win against such prejudice and power?

Jackie French has written another brilliant historical novel that will move you, horrify you, inspire you and make you smile. Although this is categorised as a children's novel, it is a book that all ages would love and be able to learn from. The story is beautiful and powerful; and I learnt many things while reading this enthralling novel. The characters were all brilliant, and very well-developed, I feel like I know them all! The setting was also fantastic, and I felt like I was there in Port Harris fighting for justice alongside the characters. 

While reading this book, I was shocked and horrified by not only the disgusting entitlement the white people showed in their treatment of the Islander people, but the prejudice and inequality that women endured during the early 1900s. It is mind-blowing to think that only one-hundred and twenty years ago, women were not entitled to education, financial independence and voting - simple things that we all take for granted today. It is amazing to think how much progress our country Australia has made in such a short period of time. This novel shows a very ugly and lesser-known part of Australian history, and this book is a wonderful way for both young-adults and adults to learn about it. 

Jackie French tells this story, in such a beautiful way. Her writing is absolutely magic, and will delight everyone who chooses to read this story. I was swept up in the drama, setting, and relationships from the very first page and I struggled a great deal to put the book down! I highly recommend this wonderful, historical novel! 



 

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