The Schoolmaster's Daughter

by Jackie French

Drawing on her own family history, this is a story from Jackie French about education in Colonial Australia - and how women once had to fight for their right to it.

January 1901

Sharks circle a stranded ship as a young girl and her family stagger from the waves ...

Rescued by a Pacific Islander boy named Jamie, Hannah's family begin a new life in Port Harris, which at first seems a paradise for the schoolmaster's daughter. But local fortunes are built on slavery and the whip.

As the new Federal Parliament passes the law that will force Pacific Islanders from their homes, Hannah and her mother risk everything to run a secret school, while Hannah and Jamie must fight for their rights to education and equality. Can friendship and love win against prejudice and power?

Inspired by real events, this powerful new novel brings to life the bravery and battles of the past, and gives us courage for the challenges of today.

Praise for Pirate Boy of Sydney Town

'... filled with swashbuckling action, tension and twists and turns ...'

Kids Book Review

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Childrens

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

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

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely read! This book was super easy to read I was flying through it 😂 I can so see this book as a movie, and it'll be one of my favourites for sure 💕

Loved the storyline, just wished we knew more about what happened in the end. Maybe an update of them grown up and if they ever did follow their passions. Realising that this story was based on true events (The authors' grand & great- grandmother) made me love it even more!

The writing was great, I'm interested now on what other books this author has!

The poems themselves were lovely to read and I especially loved Hannah's first poem she made for Jamie:

Under the moon they sailed away
Sailed away for three years and a day
Sailed away for adventure and pay
Never knowing they'd have to stay
Cutting the cane by the railway.

Under the sun they sweated and cried
Under the sun they found who had lied
Under the sun they sickened and died
Whipped till they fell by the wayside.

Under the earth we found their bones
Our memories will be their gravestones.

[Vi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved thjs book so much. A book I will most definitely reread. Loved the characters and J French’s style of writing.

Blackbirding era was such a sad time - people coerced, lied to and enslaved. I love Jamie’s courage throughout the book, the way he sneaked over to see Hannah literally got me in tears. The way Hannah loved him without saying. The way Mama stood for rights of women, her want to teach Jamie and the fact that she did not see “colour”. The entire book I loved!!!

I did find the ending a bit far fetched (finding the gold) but didn’t change my mind at all about how much I loved it.

I wish it went more into detail of Hannah and Jamie’s time together when they were studying/learning.

I would love to know what happens next with Jamie and his mother as well as Hannah. Does she become a poet? Does she find Jamie? Does Mama and Papa salvage their relationship? Does Jamie find his people? AHHH!

Great book! Love love LOVED it.

[Amber Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read a book from Jackie French since primary school, but I just absolutely adored this. I don’t have the words to describe it.. magnificent. Shines a lot on the struggles of segregation, racism, forbidden love.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from Jackie French. Story of a time in our history that is often overlooked or very tediously recounted, Federation and the surrounding debates lacked the excitement of revolution, but the realities of merging colonial governments and creating laws for all Australians was in fact a time of personal upheavals and questioning of long held beliefs. The plight of the Pacific Islanders brought to the cane fields is rarely remembered and certainly not fictionalised in much children’s literature, the fact that it has some basis in Jackie’s family story makes it all the more interesting.

[mishmash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this so much. Jackie French never disappoints.

[Tiarna Georghiou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review here! http://thebookmermaids.blogspot.com/2...

Jackie French has written another brilliant historical novel that will move you, horrify you, inspire you and make you smile. Although this is categorised as a children's novel, it is a book that all ages would love and be able to learn from. The story is beautiful and powerful; and I learnt many things while reading this enthralling novel. The characters were all brilliant, and very well-developed, I feel like I know them all! The setting was also fantastic, and I felt like I was there in Port Harris fighting for justice alongside the characters.

While reading this book, I was shocked and horrified by not only the disgusting entitlement the white people showed in their treatment of the Islander people, but the prejudice and inequality that women endured during the early 1900s. It is mind-blowing to think that only one-hundred and twenty years ago, women were not entitled to education, financial independence and voting - simple things that we all take for granted today. It is amazing to think how much progress our country Australia has made in such a short period of time. This novel shows a very ugly and lesser-known part of Australian history, and this book is a wonderful way for both young-adults and adults to learn about it.

Jackie French tells this story, in such a beautiful way. Her writing is absolutely magic, and will delight everyone who chooses to read this story. I was swept up in the drama, setting, and relationships from the very first page and I struggled a great deal to put the book down! I highly recommend this wonderful, historical novel!

[Denise Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah is a sympathetic character and we feel for her as she puzzles out the hard truths she is confronted with. It’s also interesting to compare and contrast the challenges facing young people in the past with those experienced by their modern counterparts. Another opportunity for learning through historical fiction. I particularly liked that the author drew on her own family history as inspiration for this novel – proof of my belief that every family has stories and characters worth knowing.

I loved this book and will tuck away my copy for when my grandkids (a boy and a girl) are old enough to read it.

https://denisenewtonwrites.com/?p=1661

The Schoolmaster's Daughter
Jackie French

[Soph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Australia 1901 this book By Jackie French has an amazing message. It was a wave of emotions as it took you through the journey of Hannah the schoolmasters daughter. This book follows her journey after they move from Sydney, Hannah’s mum is hoping that after a new century and a new parliament everything will be different but Hannah soon figures out that everything isn’t really fixed after all. Overall it was an amazing book that keeps you hanging on to every word. I was sad when it ended.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful historic novel for all ages. Set in Australia in the 1900s before women had the vote, islanders working the cane fields were treated as slaves and racism was rife. Interesting to read the Author’s note explaining many parts of her novel were loosely based on the lives of her grandmothers and great-grandparents.

[Moonlight53]

Such a good Book!
It has Such a good story line about a black boy and a white girl in about the 1900's wanting to have a learning environment where girls can learn what the boys learn and black people can learn like the white people instead of having to work in the farms.
*Not trying to be racist by saying black and white people*

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly incredible book, to which a sequel would be epic!
Such an important book - I never knew that Pacific Islanders were ever used as slaves in Australia, much like African people were used as slaves in America.
This book makes me glad that people of different skin colours and backgrounds are much more accepted in society today, however we still have plenty of work to do.

[Tina Towers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I'm a Jackie french fan . All her books so far I cannot put down I love the journey they take you on . And based in Australia makes it even more loveable. I didn't want this one to end and it's ended like there maybe a book 2. I mean what happened to the mum and kids did they leave what about Jamie and his mum .. I want to know more 😂

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this, another fantastic book from Jackie French. She has such a great way of teaching you about our silent ignored history. We had slaves ? We had workers from Kiribati ? And of course my students look in horror when I say women couldn’t vote or do as they wanted to .

[Ille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
It is teens historical fiction, based on what life was like in rural colonial Australia. It was very interesting, and I learned a lot about what life was like for some Aboriginal/Islander people, and for most women and children too.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jackie French’s novels. They speak of moments in history and build characters that are easy to engage and empathise with. This one is no different. Im always more than happy to buy these books for my daughter and then to read them myself.

[Leila S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all of Jackie French's books, this captures how life would have been like in 1901 and how unfair life was, full of racial- and gender- discrimination (The book does not include any other than how lif would have been)

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fascinating historical story.

[Andreea Croitoriu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wonderful!

[Jill Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jackie French’s books. Great read for 12 to 80 year olds. So many social situations and prejudices covered in thoughtful ways in this book.

[Edith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great historical story from Jackie French, really loved this one.

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and heartbreaking tale. Jackie French is not one to shy away from depicting the darker realities of history. I would recommend for older teens and above.