A Banner Bold: The Diary of Rosa Aarons

My Australian Story #1

by Nadia Wheatley

In 1854, Rosa Aarons travelled with her family from London to the diggings on the Ballarat goldfield, where she met the Governor of the Colony, the leader of the diggers, Lady Macbeth, and a dog called Bonaparte.

This is how Rosa would sum up what she learned in her first year in Victoria:

* Ships - How to explore them.
* Horses - How to ride them.
* Parents - How to understand them.
* Latin - How to speak it.
* Gold - How to pan for it.
* Friends - How to get to know them.
* Secrets - How to keep them.
* School - How to tolerate it.
* Stars - How to wish on them.
* Snakes - How to avoid them.
* History - How to make it.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Diary, Historical

210 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Nadia Wheatley is an Australian author.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of the books in the My Australian Story series, which is an Australian version of Dear America, featuring the fictional diaries of young people during different events in Australian history.

In 1854, Rosa Aarons, a young British girl, leaves her home behind in London and travels with her family to the goldfields of Ballarat. Rosa begins her diary during the long sea voyage as a record for her best friend back home. Life in a rough mining town is very different from the life Rosa left behind in England. Rosa describes in her diary her family's experiences in the goldfields as well as the dramatic events of the Eureka Stockade, when the gold miners revolted against the supervisors who had been unfairly treating the miners by overcharging them for equipment and licenses.

Ever since I started reading the Dear America series as a young girl, I have enjoyed historical novels written in diary form, and this book was no exception. As an American, I particularly enjoyed reading about an exciting event from Australian history that I had never heard of before. I'd recommend this book to young readers who are interested in world history and enjoy books written in diary format.

[Debra Clewer]

This was an absorbing book. A very heartfelt and moving account of life on the Ballarat goldfields, as told through the diary entries of a young Jewish girl form Germany. While it is described as some fiction, the description of the daily struggles and obstacles gives a clear picture of what it must have been like. The account of the Eureka Stockade riot is particularly poignant. As I am writing my third junior fiction novel where my protagonist and her friend time-travel to Australian goldfields, I have some good background for my own writing. Well recommended for those interested in Australian history.

[Pidge ⋆ ⁺ ₊ ⋆ ☾ ⋆ ⁺ ₊ ⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book to get a better understanding of what it was like on the gold fields because I had a History assignment on the gold fields and I have to say this was perfect. Although it was fiction it was very much historically accurate and I could really immerse myself in it. It was quite a quick read cause it was under 200 pages but it was a good read. It had lots of facts about what it was like back then but it did it in an enjoyable way. Defiantly recommend if you want information about the gold fields or just want a nice story.

[Feistykel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my grade five class as a class text. The power of a good book is not to be underestimated. Tension was created so well that when I tried to stop reading right before the stockade my entire class began chanting "read the book, read the book, read the book!" Until I continued to read, at which point they all cheered madly. If you can reach 30 kids like that so powerfully, that's something very special.

[Dantryi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful Book, through the eyes of a child.. How she deals with it and with the way her parents try to hide so much, but hide very little.. The fright and love that happens around the Gold boom.

[Anna Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable diary about a young German girl living on the Ballarat goldfields. It's possible I would have enjoyed this more had I not just read a run of gold rush books. Very engaging and interesting though.

[Hunter Seabrook · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, picture this, your name is Jennychen and a friend of yours(Rosa) is writing a diary and posting it to you. WARNING: if you don't like 'dear diary ...', this book is NOT for you! It has a little bit of info about life in the goldrush – good if you want to learn about Australian history.
Personally, I found this book a little slow and too much, "Dear ..."

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Banner Bold the Diary of Rosa Aarons My Australian Story by Nadia Wheatley (2005)

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Eureka Stockade through the eyes of a young girl, I really enjoyed it.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learnt a lot about The Australian Gold Rush form this book. Definitely worth a read.

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

awsome book best to learn about gold rush

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got involved in this book, written in diary format by Rosa, a participant in the Eureka Stockade. Different perspectives contained in this book, easy to read and very enjoyable.

[Ille · Rating 4 out of 5]

'A Banner Bold: The Diary of Rosa Aarons, Ballarat Goldfields 1854' by Nadia Wheatley is another good book in the 'My Australian Story' series.
Like the other books in other countries' versions of the 'My Story' series, each book is written in diary format with the author pretending to be the main character.

In this book, Rosa and her parents travel to Melbourne, Australia by ship where they go to Ballarat for the goldrush.

[Judy Wollin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this diary format of telling history.
Anna lives in the gold fields and shares with her best friend, who is still in England, what life is like. The descriptions of life, the hardships, and how Anna fills her day all make for a detailed description of life in the gold fields.
Recommended for readers aged eight years and older.

[Jemma (Aussie BookWorm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our class text for the term - an informative and interesting easy read.

[Hei Di · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read with yr 6s. Boring, poorly planned and requires discussion around race, fat shaming and language. May not be appropriate with all groups. Also, is Vati the dad?