Castle Hill Rebellion by Chrissie Michaels

My Australian Story. Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781742991863. pbk., 236 pgs.
(Age: 10+) Themes: Australian History, convicts, Castle Hill, Sydney. A little known Australian event comes to life in the latest My Australian Story series, Castle Hill Rebellion. It was a great history lesson for me because I had never heard of this uprising.
Castle Hill Rebellion is told through the eyes of young 12-year-old Jonathan Joseph Daley.
Castle Hill rebellion was a rebellion against colonial authority of New South Wales in the Castle Hill area, in Sydney. It is a story of the first and only convict uprising in 1804 which was suppressed under martial law. Oh those redcoats were nasty.
Joe tells us the story of his life as a convict in Australia through journal entries. Joe is a quiet shepherd boy and we learn of his harsh life, especially against some of the other boys. Along with his friend Pat and Kitt we learn of their hardships and how they unwillingly become embroiled in a plot to overthrow their captors and return to Ireland.
I can see how readers will be drawn into the adventures of Castle Hill. A great book on Australian history with connections to the Australian Curriculum. Historical notes can also be found towards the back of the book and resources from the National Museum Australia are available.
Maria Komninos