Get me out of here! Foolish and fearless convict escapes by Pauline Deeves. Illus. by Brent Wilson

Australian History has been full of convict folklore and this latest release, Get Me Out of Here: Foolish and Fearless Convict Escapes, adds another dimension to this genre. Written by Pauline Deeves, this book includes seven stories about some foolish and fearless escapees, some of whom may be unfamiliar to the reader. Each story is wonderfully illustrated by Brent Wilson who uses bold colours and graphic-style images. The stories begin with a large portrait of the escapee followed by a brief fact file which includes date of birth, birthplace, occupation, description, crime, sentence, transported to, arrived in Australia, and escaped from. The easily accessible story, told at times in the first person, is presented over several pages with a final page about the outcome of the escape. This is then accompanied by a double page of fun facts related to each individual story. The story of William Buckley, who lived with the Wadawurrung People for many years, and was not trusted by either white settlers or the Wadawurrung People in the end, has been reviewed by the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. Mary Bryant’s escape story with her family is one of great determination, danger, and hardship. The final pages of the book give an overview of the Australia’s Convict Prisons, a glossary, index, answers to some questions posed throughout the book plus further research suggestions.

An excellent resource for school or public library.

Themes: Australian History, Convicts, Escapes, Humour.

Kathryn Beilby