'The ship was a towering fortress looming over the pier.
Anton stared enviously at the emigrants lining up in front of the wide gangplank.
Heading off on a voyage to a land of peace and plenty. Leaving the land of broken buildings and crushed hopes behind. Looking forward to sunshine and steaks.
How he wished that he was one of the lucky ones.'
Loosely based on Paul Jennings' journey to Australia as a 'ten pound Pom', the story of Anton, who escapes from an orphanage and successfully stows away on a boat headed for the land of 'sunshine and steaks' has a timeless reality of its own. It is a tale of loss, guilt, mistaken identity and taking risks but also surprisingly heartwarming and heartbreaking. Perfect for reluctant readers in upper primary and lower secondary, it speaks of loss, migration, reslience and courage. Beautifully illustrated by Geoff Kelly.
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Paul Jennings Biography
Paul Jennings has written over 100 stories and won every Australian children's choice book award. Since the publication of Unreal! in 1985, readers around the world have loved his books. The top-rating TV series Round the Twist and Driven Crazy were based
Despite some early discouragement, Geoff Kelly has been drawing funny pictures every day for the last 20 years. His work can be found on billboards and T-shirts, in supermarkets and magazines and in books for children. He is the creator of many successful children's books including Stuck with Baby, Very Very Odd, Power and Glory (written by Emily Rodda) and
More about Geoff Kelly
