Nanberry: Black Brother White

by Jackie French

The amazing story of Australia's first surgeon and the boy he adopted. Ages 12+ two brothers - one black, one white - and a colony at the end of the world It's 1789, and as the new colony in Sydney Cove is established, Surgeon John White defies convention and adopts Nanberry, an Aboriginal boy, to raise as his son. Nanberry is clever and uses his unique gifts as an interpreter to bridge the two worlds he lives in. With his white brother, Andrew, he witnesses the struggles of the colonists to keep their precarious grip on a hostile wilderness. And yet he is haunted by the memories of the Cadigal warriors who will one day come to claim him as one of their own.

This true story follows the brothers as they make their way in the world - one as a sailor, serving in the Royal Navy, the other a hero of the Battle of Waterloo. No less incredible is the enduring love between the gentleman surgeon and the convict girl who was saved from the death penalty and became a great lady in her own right.

Praise for A WALTZ FOR MATILDA: 'this blockbuster of a novel with its gripping narrative ... will appeal to readers of all ages' COURIER MAIL 'A wonderful, entertaining tale which ... will work just as well for adults as for the teen market' SUNDAY HERALD SUN

Genres: Historical Fiction, Australia, Young Adult, Historical, Fiction, School, Indigenous

309 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

Jackie is an award-winning writer, wombat negotiator and the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014-2015. She is regarded as one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, and writes across all genres - from picture books, history, fantasy, ecology and sci-fi to her much loved historical fiction. In her capacity as Australian Children’s Laureate, ‘Share a Story’ will be the primary philosophy behind Jackie’s two-year term.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The First Fleet had been settled in Sydney Cove for just over a year and Surgeon John White was despairing of a ship with supplies ever coming over the horizon. They were down to rationing – food, medicines, rum – the stocks were low. When trouble struck in 1789 it wasn’t to the colony though; the natives surrounding Sydney Cove were dying and it seemed it was an outbreak of smallpox. The settlers including Surgeon White went to the sites where the natives lay to see if there were any left alive – two young children plus an adult were brought back to their primitive hospital. Nanberry survived after suffering from the blisters and fever for some days but his grandfather passed. The young girl also lived…

When Surgeon White went against everything and adopted the native boy Nanberry, he had no idea of the closeness and affection he would feel for this intelligent Aboriginal boy. Nanberry learned quickly and soon was interpreting for Governor Philip. He was torn between his new English ways and the memories of his clan, the Cadigal people. They had mostly been wiped out by the fever; but Nanberry was happy - his adopted father was kind and generous and taught Nanberry much.

When Andrew was born, Nanberry delighted in teaching him all he knew. As the boys grew, Nanberry became a sailor, joining the boats first heading to Norfolk Island and then further afield. He relished the ocean, the waves and the majesty of the ships. Andrew left Australia and made his own way in the world, fighting and ultimately surviving the Battle of Waterloo.

Nanberry: Black Brother White is a fictional account based heavily on the facts Aussie author Jackie French was able to unearth. The majority of the people who inhabit this book are real – the end of the book has facts on each character; Surgeon John White, Nanberry, Andrew White and his mother Rachel Turner and many more – which are profoundly interesting. With the little that was recorded in the eighteen hundreds making it hard for any writer and historian to garner facts, the obviously meticulous research of this book kept me enthralled. Written in a way to keep the reader interested, the story of Nanberry is an excellent one. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this book, and will be looking for more by this author.

[Margot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this book for school. At first I was quite bored with the random, non plot effecting events and scenes. But as the book went on I eventually became used to little dialogs or memoires that were regularly thrown in. The characters were good role models and had commendable ideals. Jackie French's vocabulary seemed somewhat limited or restrained but her writing was good enough to keep the book, at some points, interesting.
The thing I hated was the ending If you want to kill off the main character at least show the scene of them heroically dying. Why would an author just briefly say 'this is my brother's grave'??? And then suddenly 2 minutes later he is casually chatting with someone else as if nothing happened. I didn't even like Nanberry that much but I think he deserved a more heroic and acknowledged death.

[Daniel Ahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the British people coming to australia. This embarkment brought diseases like smallpox. There was an aborigine called nanberry and he got adopted by a white family. Nanberry had to get used to his surroundings and adapt to the white family’s rules and eat what they eat. This book teaches us about survival and adaptation as having to live as an aborigine and suddenly adapt to white people’s surroundings represent adaptation. While this book was interesting, it was a bit boring as only a few chapters included interesting things.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was never a huge fan of this book but I decided to at least give it a try. I really wanted to like it as Australian and Aboriginal history is very fascinating but sadly I just couldn't get into the story. I haven't read any Jackie French stories before but I had heard she was a good author. Even though I didn't really like Nanberry I still think it was written well. The premise of this book sounded interesting and it was but I just felt it dragged along and nothing much seemed to happen. If enjoying this book a little more and didn't have many other books to read than I may have continued with it. But unfortunately I didn't and I am sad to say that I left this book about half way through. I still believe this could have been a good book and very enjoyable if it is something that interests you.

[Sheree · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was both a compelling and challenging read. It's the relatively unknown story of the small aboriginal boy, Nanberry, adopted by surgeon John White, chief surgeon of the first fleet sent to establish a convict settlement at Botany Bay. Spanning the years 1788 to 1823, French employs meticulous research of actual historical figures; old letters, court transcripts and journal entries to provide a thoroughly absorbing backdrop to true events.

Nanberry was one of only 3 survivors of the Cadigal tribe struck by the devastating smallpox outbreak which decimated the aboriginal population in the area. You can't help but love Nanberry, he's intelligent, protective, and inspiring, a lad caught between two cultures but determined to take his place in the white man's world while retaining his roots.

Surgeon White is an interesting combination of conventional old ethics and compassionate forward thinking. Rachel Turner, the convict girl who survived the death penalty and near death on the second fleet, captures Surgeon White's heart but convention prevents him from marrying a convict and returning with her to England. This is their story, John White, Nanberry White (black brother), Andrew, (Nanberry's white brother) and Rachel, Andrew's mother.

French captures the cruelty, famine, debauchery, horror, squalor, the corruption of the marine corp and most importantly the uniqueness of the Australian landscape and aboriginal culture with simple but evocative prose.

It's terrible to plead relative ignorance of events in your own country so what I loved about NANBERRY was the inspiration I gained to read further. I found the extensive author's notes really enjoyable reading too. Nanberry should be compulsory reading in our school curriculum, suitable for readers age 10 and up but nonetheless one I can't recommend highly enough for young and old alike.

[Christine Bongers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling read bringing to life historical characters from the time of white settlement of this country. Interesting choice for YR.It depicts the violence,squalor and appalling treatment of women in Sydney Cove, the decimation of indigenous clans due to small pox, the cruel mistreatment of convicts in the Second Fleet, and the endemic corruption of the marine corps. Yet despite the horrors contained within its pages, the book provides a fascinating insight into Aboriginal culture, and a sympathetic portrayal of black and white historical personalities, most notably Nanberry, the brilliant young Aboriginal boy who grew up to live successfully in both cultures, Surgeon White, his English foster father, and Rachel Turner, the convict who overcame the deprivations of her early life to become one of the colony's wealthiest and most-loved figures. A fascinating read for 11-13 year olds.

[Emmeline · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book just did not grab me. I love Jackie's writing style, and this book did not disappoint in that respect, but I must confess that for the majority of the read I was quite bored. The plot moved along too slowly for me, there wasn't even a real definable plot anyway.

But this is just my opinion, and if other people love it all I can say is that I wish I do too. I had such high hopes for this book and was so excited to read it. Then when I did get to it, I found it sadly lacking. Sigh.

[Cruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction based on real people during the settling of Sydney, 1788-1823. Doesn’t pull any punches. Not a “comfortable” read. But very, very good.

[Haz Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would've been better had I not had to do this for school.

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story. Spoilers below.....

Nanberry is a young aboriginal boy living happily with his family. When the white ‘ghosts’ arrive to Nanberry’s land – so does the smallpox – killing his entire family. On the edge of death, he is saved by Surgeon White, the doctor in the white mans’ camp.

During his recuperation, Surgeon White observes how quickly Nanberry learns the English language – and so he decides to train him as an interpreter between the natives and the English. Lonely in the camp, he also wants to raise him as a son.

This is the story of how the great city of Sydney began – a ramshackle bundle of huts - full of convicts, and lazy officers and a handful of those who wanted to make the best of a new life in the hostile land.

Throughout his life, Nanberry struggles with who he really is. Not accepted as English with his black skin – nor accepted by his own people with his new clothes and ‘ghost man’s’ words. But when his new white brother Andrew is born, Nanberry helps him be both English and a native to the land he was born in.

[Grace Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book I had to read for an English assignment, and I never once actually thought that I'd enjoy it as much as I did. It was not only written beautifully, but it reveals the hard truth about Australian history in a way that readers can relate to. It includes significant character development and embodies an essence of humanity. The main reason I loved this book so much was because it taught me the history of my country in a very different way than they do in schools. Jackie French tugs at your heart strings in order to get you to empathise with the characters, and really understand what life was like for both the convicts who have been shipped away from their beloved home and the Aboriginals whose home was invaded. It had me laughing and crying and I really meant it when I recommended it in my English assignment.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have read another fabulous Jackie French novel. This historical fiction called "Nanberry" is about a young aboriginal boy adopted by the First Fleet surgeon. Many themes such as racism, class divisions, cruelty, responsibility, friendship, and empathy are explored. As usual Jackie has thoroughly researched the topic and includes references to the real people on whom the story is based. She can really bring a story to life. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in early Australian history.

[Vanessa Mozayani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was recommended to read this to my stage 2(grades 3/4) class. I did but with censorship as it contained themes that were above their age appropriateness. They understood what life was like for the Aboriginal people and convicts and early settlers. I did not read the class the whole book but enough for them to visualise what life was like in the late 1700s. I enjoyed the story and recommend this to young adults.

[Mave]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved how the writer took us into both cultures. I can't help but feel shame for the way we treat one another, but there is also the wonder of how we can share together. I felt this was well communicated.

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m always drawn to the unique writing style of Jackie French. The stories and narration She creates, are so vivid and are a wonderful journey.
This story is no exception. It is an amazing and informative read.

[Jo Pybus · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! A great way to look at history with a great storyline. I'm reading this to my grade 5/6 class presently and they adore it.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Book for a school and children

[Amaanah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good writing, boring story

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently I have read quite a few stories about the early days of European settlement in Sydney town. This one, Nanberry: Black Brother White by Jackie French, renowned Australian author, Jackie French. features Nanberry (Nanbaree), a young Aboriginal boy, orphaned by a smallpox epidemic which effectively wiped out almost the entire Cadigal tribe.

Rescued and nursed back to health by First Fleet Surgeon John White and his convict housekeeper, Rachel Turner, Nanberry is lovingly raised and educated in the ways of the English settlers. He is even given an English name - ironically with the surname “White” . Nanberry learns to dress as a white man, read English and act as an interpreter for Arthur Philip. He even becomes a sailor, travelling to Norfolk Island and later with Matthew Flinders Thus he proved to be strong and adventurous and he earned the respect of many. Not surprisingly though, he often finds himself conflicted and drawn back to the pleasures of his previous way of life and his Cadigal heritage.

The story is told at times from different perspectives including Surgeon White, Rachel and eventually Andrew. This is also a story of the extraordinary challenges, the failures and successes of the early days of the convict settlement, given that they were essentially forgotten by those on the other side of the world.

The key theme of the novel, though, is Nanberry’s confusion about his identity and his need to belong. Two key relationships with peers support him in his struggle for belonging - the ‘brotherhood’ of Andrew White and also that of his aboriginal playmate with whom as a youth he spent many hours fishing around Farm Cove.

Eventually though Nanberry recognises he is “stranded” between both cultures and not truly accepted by either the black or white communities. Indicative of this is the fact that despite experiencing racism he retained his English surname throughout his life. Yet at times his loyalty was sorely divided when he chose to warn fellow aboriginals of danger from the soldiers. Imagine his angst when Bennelong refused him permission to become a warrior

 Nanberry would never be allowed to carry spears, never be able to marry. Would he be a boy forever without the proper rites?

At one point, in despair he reflects…

“I am a ghost, he thought. I walk upon the world but I have no meaning” (p293)

Perhaps there is a sense that over time he becomes reconciled with his situation though. In her explanatory notes, Jackie French tells us that historical accounts suggest that after Nanberry returns to the colony from his seafaring adventures, he continues to interact with white settlers but increasingly spends more time with Bennelong and his aboriginal relatives along the Parramatta River.

Some critics have suggested that the story is paternalistic. However I did enjoy reading this version of Nanberry/Nanbaree’s story which allows young middle grade readers to empathise with his situation as he straddles life as an aboriginal boy raised in a colonising culture.

[Melodey Bun · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sophisticated historical fiction novel based on true events. Beginning in 1789, and during the establishment of the new colony in Sydney Cove, navy physician John White defies convention by adopting Nanberry, an Aboriginal kid, to nurture as his son after the boy's fellow Cadigal's die in a smallpx epidemic. Nanberry uses his extraordinary abilities as an interpreter to connect the two realms in which he lives, but he is haunted by the memories of the Cadigal warriors who would eventually claim him as one of their own. Together with his white brother, Andrew, he watches the colonists' shaky hold on a hostile environment. The story follows the brothers as they navigate their way through life, one as a Royal Navy sailor, the other as a hero of the Battle of Waterloo. Another thread of the plot is the enduring love between the gentleman surgeon and the prisoner girl who is rescued from the death penalty.

This novel did not captivate me. I adore Jackie's writing style, and this book did not disappoint, but I must admit that I was rather bored for the bulk of the read. For me, the plot went too slowly; in fact, there was no discernible plot at all.

[Cate Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gleaning through letters and diaries a young boy's story comes to life. The Mitchell library such a great inspiration for young writers to emulate and discover the lives of others. The prologue pulled me in, descriptions intriguing, for example, emu berry blue, the description of Sydney harbour, led me on a curious search to find these berries science has named Podocarpus drouynianus, an edible fruit bush tucker that flower in Spring/Summer. Or in the D'harawal calendar Burran, a time Weetjellan is blooming (Acacia implexa), male kangaroos are aggressive and meat is forbidden. Nanberry, a young boy connects to his world through swimming and light "He loved this most of all: how in one instant you could change from air to sea" and from the diary date French gives us, the reader, we know change to traiditional way of life, living , seeing , spirituality and stories is about to change... This book was recommended for a literacy unit -close study for primary students to improve grammar and empathy- and this first page was a great start for thinking like a child, an Aboriginal boy and life changes.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating, complex work of historical fiction based upon true events. Beginning in 1789, and as the new colony in Sydney Cove is established, navy surgeon John White defies convention and adopts Nanberry, an Aboriginal boy, to raise as his son when the boy's fellow Cadigal's die in a smallpx epidemic. Nanberry uses his unique gifts as an interpreter to bridge the two worlds he lives in, but he is haunted by the memories of the Cadigal warriors who will one day come to claim him as one of their own. With his white brother, Andrew, he witnesses the struggles of the colonists to keep their precarious grip on a hostile wilderness. The story follows the brothers as they make their way in the world - one as a sailor, serving in the Royal Navy, the other a hero of the Battle of Waterloo. Yet anothert storyline is the enduring love between the gentleman surgeon and the convict girl who is saved from the death penalty. A lengthy afterword provides historical context to the characters and plot.

[Saralie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this a difficult book to rate. It is a young adult read, probably suitable for middle school students in years 6 to 8. Others have explained the general story and I will therefore not repeat it here.

Whilst this tale is informative in terms of life in the early days of the first colony in Sydney, it could probably be half the length and it would work well as a novella. Some of the chapters add very little to the story and to retain the interest of early teen readers it really needs to move along a little more quickly.

Interestingly, the author notes at the end of the book were probably more informative than the chapters of the story itself. I should add that the blurb on the back of the book is somewhat misleading: The black and white brothers don’t actually meet until well into the tale and much of what is mentioned happens in the last few chapters!

[George Newton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was good, if you are interested in the colonisation of Australia or the indigenous culture of Australia you would enjoy it. Learning about Nanberry and seeing his inner conflict develop between the idea of being English and his own culture and his growth in his decision was very enjoyable and sort of hard to read. The story starts with him as a child and you see him grow up into a man which was like growing up with him.

However, I do have a few problems with the book's story that did leave me unsatisfied by the ending. The book at times can feel quite slow and hard to follow because of the changing perspectives and the dates changing drastically between some of the chapters.

Overall, the book is good and worth reading if you are interested in the subject matter.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nanberry: Black Brother White is an incredible story if a boy and his family living in Sydney Cove in the 1780's when the First Fleet arrived. The boy then goes through a difficult time as his family dies from smallpox. Then, the surgeon Surgeon White found him dying from smallpox too but luckily survived and then became Surgeon White's son. After that, the book goes on how the convicts, surgeon white and Nanberry live in Australia. This book is an interest to me because of how it is written with such detail and what the story is. I firstly heard from my primary school teacher as we were reading it in class and then I came back to it as it was such an interesting book to read.

[Denise Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://denisenewtonwrites.com/?p=1046

Nanberry: Black Brother White is a terrific way for young people to see Australia’s history through story—the vibrant, tragic, astounding stories that make up the whole of this nation’s history since European colonisation.

Nanberry: Black Brother White
Jackie French

[Julie MacKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book and couldn't put it down. I kept on wanting to know what would happen next, even though it's not a mystery/suspense-type book. It was good to learn more about the early days of the colony in Australia and to see things from different perspectives - from the perspective of the English doctor, the perspective of his female helpers, the perspective of the young Aboriginal boy and so on. I would definitely encourage Australians to read this book to help them understand more of the country's past, and treatment of Aboriginal Australians.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating! Jackie French has done a great job here in telling the stories of a number of real people from the first settlement in Australia.

The intertwined and connected stories are well-written; I genuinely cared about the characters and their lives.

I also really enjoyed the Author's Notes section at the back. French clearly put a lot of work in this novel and it certainly paid off. It's made me very interested in the First Fleet and the colony, as well as the aboriginal people.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I chose this book for my class to study in English I didn’t know much about it other than the time it was set. I chose not to read ahead until this weekend when I read the last 7 chapters ahead of the class due to being away this weekend. But I really enjoyed the story, especially seeing it through the kids’ eyes. We all became invested in the characters and their lives and it was extremely interesting to read about how life was back when the book was set.

[Paquita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was transported back to early colonisation of Sydney and lived with the Doctors family then the Moore family. I loved that the story is from both perspectives, the 'natives' and the convicts & those who came with them. And the characters are a depiction of real people too. Such a good story for students - I read while my year 7 was reading for school.