A Different Sort of Real: The Diary of Charlotte McKenzie, Melbourne 1918-1919


Kerry Greenwood - 2001
    It is the end of WW1 and as she assists the doctor next door, she finds herself experiencing close at hand the devastating effects of the influenza pandemic, that killed more people than in WW1 itself.

Transported: The Diary of Elizabeth Harvey, Australia, 1790


Goldie Alexander - 2002
    My story transported the diary of Elizabeth Australia 1970.

Who Am I? The Diary Of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937


Anita Heiss - 2001
    Set in Sydney, 1937, this is the fictional diary of a young Aboriginal girl, a member of the Stolen Generation.She is given the diary by the Sister in charge of Bomaderry Aboriginal Children's Home and through its pages she describes her life - from her arrival there, aged five, through her struggle to understand why she was taken from her real mother, to her adoption at ten years of age by a white Catholic family in St.Ives.Mary Talence, birth name Amy Charles, is increasingly confused - and then ashamed - as she is taught that white skinned is good, black skinned is bad. She longs to understand why this is so but finds that logical questions - almost any questions - provoke anger and accusations of ingratitude from her white family. Her music - her beautiful voice and her ability to make up songs - is her greatest source of comfort.This is an honest, thought-provoking book that acknowledges the terrible wrong done to aboriginal children taken from their families whilst also recognising the combination of ignorance, genuinely good intentions and political convenience that brought about this dreadful policy. Very appropriate for integration with HSIE and highly recommended for general reading as a clear introduction to the reality of the Stolen Generations to primary students.

The Bombing of Darwin: The Diary of Tom Taylor, Darwin, 1942


Alan Tucker - 2002
    It was a moment that Tom would always remember - that morning of 19 February 1942, when everything changed......changed from peace to war.When fourteen-year-old Tom Taylor moves to Darwin with his family, he hardly guesses that tragedy will soon change his life forever. Although Tom helps to dig slit trenches, and though the Japanese edge closer through Malaysia and Singapore, the war seems so far away.

D-Day: Lieutenant Andy Pope, Normandy, 1944


Bryan Perrett - 2004
    Ordered to cut off the Germans' line of retreat, Andy's company comes under sustained attack until, as the only unwounded officer left, Andy finds himself in command and fighting for survival...

Pyramid of Secrets


Jim Eldridge - 2010
    He is also making plans for what will become one of the most famous and iconic monuments in history - the Sphinx. But Khafra has enemies and division in his workforce. Among the labourers in his employ is one 13-year old boy Menes. Menes has his own reasons for hating the pyramid and wanting to rebel. But his rebellion could have drastic consquences for those closest to him...

Viking Blood: A Viking Warrior, 1008 AD


Andrew Donkin - 2008
    But then he discovers the sagas of his ancesors; glorious, bloody battles, ancient heroes, powerful gods ... and realizes that all might not be lost after all... Full description

The Fall of the Blade: A Girl's French Revolution Diary 1792-1794


Sue Reid - 2010
    Isabelle, daughter of an aristocrat, lives in a chateau just outside Paris. But France is in the grip of the Revolution, and as terror takes hold of the city, Isabelle's family decides that they must flee to the countryside. But will they be safe there? Will they escape the guillotine's falling blade...?

No Way Back


Valerie Wilding - 2012
    Raised in the slums of eighteenth century London, Mary is sentenced to death for a petty theft at the age of just eleven. While she is shut up in Newgate prison awaiting execution, her sentence is commuted to transportation to an Australian penal colony. So Mary sets sail aboard a prison ship to the other side of the world. Australia brings the promise of a new life, but it is also harsh and wild. Does Mary have what it takes to survive in this land of danger and opportunity?

Berlin Olympics


Vince Cross - 2012
    She and her best friend, Sarah, are determined to compete in the national swimming team for the 1936 Olympics. Their dream comes true when both are selected. But the host city is Hitler's Berlin, and Sarah is Jewish. Eleanor witnesses the Nazi's hostility to Jews and hears the distant murmurings that will erupt into World War II.

The Crystal Palace: The Diary of Lily Hicks, London, 1850-1851


Frances Mary Hendry - 2001
    Read her diary and find out about life above and below the stairs, and all about the Great Exhibition of 1851

Behind the Masks: The Diary of Angeline Reddy, Bodie, California, 1880


Susan Patron - 2012
    When her father, Bodie's greatest lawyer, is declared murdered, Angie knows deep in her heart that he isn't dead and decides it is up to her to solve the mystery of what happened to him. But when her mother takes ill and a mysterious ghost appears, putting together the puzzle pieces seems impossible. Not to mention, a gang of vigilantes, the 601, is raging out of control, running folks out of town, and nobody seems safe.Will Angie, with the help of her friends Ellie and Ling Loi, and the mysterious and tragically handsome Antoine, be able to uncover the secret of her father's disappearance?

All the Stars in the Sky: The Santa Fe Trail Diary of Florrie Mack Ryder


Megan McDonald - 2003
    As they cross the Great Plains of the midwestern prairie, fording rivers and climbing mountains, the Ryders encounter endless hardship as they undertake this great adventure.

Battle of Britain: Harry Woods, England, 1939-1941


Chris Priestley - 2002
    When his friend Lenny loses his leg in a dogfight with the Luftwaffe, Harry is determined to fight on. That is, until his plane is hit and he finds himself tumbling through the air high above the English Channel.

Seeds of Hope: The Gold Rush Diary of Susanna Fairchild


Kristiana Gregory - 2001
    But tragedy strikes when Susanna's mother is lost to the sea. Hearing stories of great wealth, Susanna's physician father decides he wants to join the hordes of men rushing to California to mine for gold.