Brennan,
Net. Child
Convicts. Candlewick Press 2015 29p $16.99 ISBN 978-0-7636-7326-0 ms/hs Nonfiction
VG
This brief book is full of interesting
information regarding the transport of 18th-century British convicts to Australia, then
called New Holland, to work in penal colonies to develop the land. Due to poverty and
disease in 18th-century Britain, many were forced into a life of crime for survival. Many of these
criminals were children who were orphaned or living in such poverty that crime was a
matter of survival. Many were convicted
for minor offenses such as petty theft or pregnancy out of wedlock. The Brits had the idea that “transporting” these “criminals” would solve the
problem of overcrowded prisons in Britain and would provide labor that would develop the new-found land of Australia. Additionally, it was
so far away from Britain, the population
was assured that if these criminals were to escape,
they would not be returning to Britain.
This well-written book is full of fascinating
information, which is presented in chronological order, and each chapter discusses an aspect of the
transport process. It also includes
excerpts about some of the criminals, along with their crimes, sentences, and outcomes. It is astonishing how many of the convicts were children, sentenced
to very hard lives for petty crimes that
were committed merely for survival.
In addition to the well-written text, there is the visual
appeal of the book. Each double-page spread addresses a different aspect
of the process and includes full-color illustrations and maps that enhance the text. Near the end of the
book, which is organized in
chronological order and covers a period lasting until the mid-19th
century, there are also black-and-white photographs, as the camera had already been invented.
Readers will find the
writing fascinating and the graphics engaging. A timeline is included, and the
book concludes with a glossary, list of references, image credits and an index.
Summary: The book describes the transport of 18th-century British convicts to Australia, then called New Holland, to work in penal colonies to develop the land. They were being punished for minor crimes to which they were sentenced, and many of them were children.
Convicts-History, Australia-History --Virginia McGarvey
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