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Coorong captive
96 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 30, 2020
100 years, this November 2020, since the birth of renowned Australian Children's Author, Colin Thiele.
I remember devouring any book of his that I could get my hands on when I was in Primary School. His books informed me, like no other, of other Australian children's lives that were so different, yet as Australian as mine.
Coorong Captive was first published in 1968 and it's one that I'd never read before. Like his more popular Storm Boy, it is set in The Coorong, a lagoon ecosystem on the eastern edge of The Great Australian Bight and encompasses the mouth of the mighty Murray River. Bountiful schools of fish and flocks of birds inhabit the area and was a significant area for Indigenous people.
This adventure story starts out with a 14 year olds, Fitzie, boy's own adventure, setting off in a small sailboat to camp on the beaches of the lagoon. Fitzie makes a friend, Goondalee, and they fish and camp together until they discover some Wildlife Poachers and Fitzie is keen to foil their operation. It all goes west with Fitzie and his little boat being captured by the Poachers as Goondalee races to get help while they are caught in a storm.
Found the story to be a satisfying palate cleanser in amongst my other reading and I think I'll try to read some more of Colin Thiele's short YA novels & stories as a bit of a project for the next couple of months. His work really deserves to be well remembered.
I remember devouring any book of his that I could get my hands on when I was in Primary School. His books informed me, like no other, of other Australian children's lives that were so different, yet as Australian as mine.
Coorong Captive was first published in 1968 and it's one that I'd never read before. Like his more popular Storm Boy, it is set in The Coorong, a lagoon ecosystem on the eastern edge of The Great Australian Bight and encompasses the mouth of the mighty Murray River. Bountiful schools of fish and flocks of birds inhabit the area and was a significant area for Indigenous people.
This adventure story starts out with a 14 year olds, Fitzie, boy's own adventure, setting off in a small sailboat to camp on the beaches of the lagoon. Fitzie makes a friend, Goondalee, and they fish and camp together until they discover some Wildlife Poachers and Fitzie is keen to foil their operation. It all goes west with Fitzie and his little boat being captured by the Poachers as Goondalee races to get help while they are caught in a storm.
Found the story to be a satisfying palate cleanser in amongst my other reading and I think I'll try to read some more of Colin Thiele's short YA novels & stories as a bit of a project for the next couple of months. His work really deserves to be well remembered.
October 3, 2016
Whilst on holiday I picked up this title, sitting on the bookshelves of our vacation home. The book captures the essence of the area so well. The simple story has a quirky turn of phrase which appears oddly dated. The real appeal of the little book is the depiction of the landscape of South Australia's Coorong, the flora and fauna and the indigenous heritage and connection with the land.
June 24, 2018
I read this book as a child, but I wanted to reread it as I am planning a trip to the Cooron next year. The book is focused around a teenage boy Fitzie who is about to spend the spring school holidays boating around the Coorong. Before he sets out, his friend who is supposed to accompany him is called away. So he set out alone and meets up with an Aboriginal man who he befriends. Together they stop some bird poachers.
Although the book is essentially only a long short story, it was one of my favourites. Rereading the book reminded me of why Thiele was one of my favorited childhood authors. Even though it is now dated, I would still recommend it to readers of all ages.
Although the book is essentially only a long short story, it was one of my favourites. Rereading the book reminded me of why Thiele was one of my favorited childhood authors. Even though it is now dated, I would still recommend it to readers of all ages.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews