Media

'Each book, which has a different picture of a pretty charm bracelet on the cover, making it eminently collectable, is the first in a quartet, finishing on a cliffhanger. But while they may all be published to the same template, there's nothing formulaic about the stories or the writing in these books. As with Penguin's Aussie Bites series, the publisher has commissioned well-credentialed authors, one for each character, and the writing is vivid and smart. Sofie Laguna writes about Grace, an orphaned mudlark in London's Thames, who is transported to Australia in 1808 after stealing apples to feed a cabbie's horse. Alison Lloyd has Letty as an accidental emigrant, travelling with her more adventurous sister in 1841. Gabrielle Wang's Poppy, daughter of a Chinese father and an Aboriginal mother, escapes a mission in the goldrush of 1864. And in 1900, Rose dreams of an "unladylike" life in Sherryl Clark's contribution. So many commercially published series for primary school children are more about the packaging than the content. These books are a most welcome exception.'
The Saturday Age

'Penguin has just released Our Australian Girl, a great new series aimed at girls and set in four different periods of Australian history. There will be 16 books with the next four titles due in May. The series is well-written with strong female characters and based on excellent historical research.'
Illawarra Mercury

''Meet Grace' is the first in a lovely new series of 16 books for young girls in which a story is told about an Australian girl from different eras. Aimed at ages 8-11 the books capture the spirit of Australian girls through the ages. In Meet Grace, we are introduced to a poor young London girl who steals an apple on an impulse and is then convicted and sentenced to life in the colony at Sydney Cove. Set mainly in prison in England, the story represents an important angle of white Australian history and is presented in a very compelling style by children's author Sofie Laguna.'
Sunday Mail Brisbane

'The writing is of such quality, the plots fast-paced, the themes well handled and the girls so engaging that the package works. This is a great series with which to introduce Australian history to readers aged eight to 12 who aren't quite ready for Scholastic's 'My Australian Story' series.'
Bookseller & Publisher