Meet Poppy, by Gabrielle Wang

Blossom’s eyes filled with tears.
‘Don’t cry, Bloss. I have a plan.’
Blossom looked at Poppy. ‘You do?’
‘I’m going to escape, and when I find Gus, we’ll come back to Bird Creek and rescue you … all of you.’

It is 1864 and Poppy is growing up at Bird Creek Mission, outside Echuca. She doesn’t like mission life, but it gets even worse after her brother Gus runs away to go panning for gold. Then Mother Hangtree arranges for her to go and live with a family of strangers, and she knows it’s time that she, too, ran away. It’s her only chance of being reunited with Gus.

Meet Poppy is the first of four stories about Poppy, an orphan of an Aboriginal mother and Chinese father, who must use her wits to survive. Part of the new Our Australian Girl series from Puffin Books, this first story will leave the reader keen to read the next three and find out what happens to Poppy.

Good stuff.

Meet Poppy (Our Australian Girl)

Meet Poppy (Our Australian Girl), by Gabrielle Wang
Puffin Books, 2011
ISBN 9780143305323

This book can be purchased in good bookstores, or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.