A Tale of the Australian Bush

Welcome to day one of the Homeschool Review Crew 5 Days of Homeschool Blog Hop 2018.  As an imigrant and lover of the Charlotte Mason approach of using living books to teach I have been searching for books that cover Australian history and geography.  This week I would like to share with you some of the treasures that have made there way onto my shelf.  Some of these treasures have been discovered on friends shelves and others I have discovered via Jeanne blog Oh Peaceful Day.  I deeply appreciate every single friend who has generously shared titles with me and helped me grow my collection.

Today I would like to start the week of books with a duology written by Eleanor Spence. (Please note that the links to Book Depository are Affiliate links)

The Switherby Pilgrim : A Tale of the Australian Bush

• Author: Eleanor Spence
• For ages 12-17 
• Living History Library
• Format Paperback | 195 pages
• Dimensions 134.6 x 215.9 x 17.8mm | 204.12g
• Publication date 14 Apr 2009
• Publisher BETHLEHEM BOOKS
• Publication City/Country United States
• Language English
• ISBN10 188393799X
• ISBN13 9781883937997

This series is set in the early 1820's and begins in Switherby where Miss Arabella Braithewaite is caring for ten orphans.  She is acutely aware that there is no future for this mix of children and needs to find a solution to giving them a better future.  Her plan is seen as outrageous but she never the less pushes through to take the children to Australia and take up a land grant in New South Wales. Once they arrive the true challenges begin in this wide open land. As the days unfold they orphens need to overcome some serious threats which in turn becomes a life-giving adventure for each one.

Eleanor Spence (1928-2008) is an Australian author and writes with personal insight and brings life in the new land of Australia with quiet dignity and determination.

Jamberoo Road 

{Sequel to The Switherby Pilgrims}

• For ages 12-17
• Format Paperback | 184 pages
• Living History Library
• Dimensions 139.7 x 210.82 x 17.78mm | 272.15g
• Publication date 01 May 2007
• Publisher BETHLEHEM BOOKS
• Publication City/Country United States
• Language English
• ISBN10 1932350179
• ISBN13 9781932350173 

It's been five years since Miss Arabella Braithewaite and her ten orphans took up their land grant in New South Wales in Australia.  They have now settled and are living in a home built with the help of a convict and a young Aborinignal boy.  Miss Arabella is determined to find a way to provide for the future of each and everyone of her ten wards.

I can not do justice to these beautiful books suffice to quote the back:

"Eleanor Spence ably handles her large cast of characters, showing their unique qualities while deftly interweaving the threads of their lives amidst the beautiful and untamed landscape of the Austalian bush."

Living History Library

The Living History Library is a collection of works for children published by Bethlehem books, comprising quality reprints of historyical fiction and non-fiction, including biography. These books are all chosen for their craftmanship and for the intelligent insight they provide into the present, in light of events and personalities of the past.

Looking ahead on the host blog:

Day 1 - Keeping the Read aloud Revival Alive

Day 2 - Fostering Independence

Day 3 - Encouraging Reading

Day 4 - When College Isn't the Next Step

Day 5 - homeschooling with the Brain in Mind

**Please note these links will not be live until after 12 pm USA EST.