A Waltz for Matilda

‘Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,Under the shade of a coolibah tree.And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled,You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me …’In 1894, 12-year-old Matilda flees the city slums to find her unknown father and his farm. But drought grips the land and the shearers are on strike. Her father has turned swaggie and he’s wanted by the troopers. In front of his terrified daughter, he makes a stand against them, defiant to the last. ‘You’ll never catch me alive, said he …’Set against a backdrop of bushfire, flood, war and jubilation, this is the story of one girl’s journey towards independence. It is also the story of others who had no vote and very little but their dreams.Drawing on the well-known poem by A.B. ‘Banjo’ Paterson and from events rooted in actual history, this is the untold story behind Australia’s early years as an emerging nation.

'Jackie French has a passion for history and an enviable ability to weave the fascinating minutiae of everyday life into a good story.' -- Magpies Magazine
'This book is readable for all ages who want an amazing story which gives you a new perspective of everyone’s Australia ... ' -- The Guardian

Jackie French AM is an award-winning writer, wombat negotiator, the 2014–2015 Australian Children's Laureate and the 2015 Senior Australian of the Year. In 2016 Jackie became a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution to children's literature and her advocacy for youth literacy. She is regarded as one of Australia's most popular children's authors and writes across all genres — from picture books, history, fantasy, ecology and sci-fi to her much loved historical fiction for a variety of age groups. ‘A book can change a child's life. A book can change the world' was the primary philosophy behind Jackie's two-year term as Laureate. Edwina Wren is a Melbourne-based actress who has performed in theatre, film, television, radio drama and animation. Known for playing Eloise Chambers in Pine Gap (2018) and Michelle James in Hunters (2016), she also featured in Offspring in 2012 and Neighbours in 2005. Edwina has recorded many audiobooks for Bolinda audio including People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks, Sylvia by Bryce Courtenay and the Rondo series by Emily Rodda.

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