Eureka!: A story of the goldfields

by Mark L. Wilson

A stirring story of the goldfields and the Eureka Rebellion, by award-winning author/illustrator Mark Wilson

Molly and her father have emigrated to Australia to try their luck as gold prospectors in Ballarat, Victoria. Life on the diggings is hard and Molly misses her mother, who died before they left England.

A Chinese teenager, Chen, shows Molly and her Papa how to pan for gold and helps them when their food and money run out. Not everyone on the goldfields is friendly, however. Chen and other Chinese diggers are often bullied and the police lock up miners who haven't paid the exorbitant gold licence fee. Before long, Molly, Papa and Chen are caught up in a protest that will become known as the Eureka Rebellion - a legendary battle that will profoundly affect them all.

From award-winning author and illustrator Mark Wilson, this powerful story is inspired by real people and historical events.

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 31, 2020

About the author

Australian Author/Illustrator

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful picture book. The art is quite stunning. The story is based on the Eureka Stockade which was a brutal incident which occurred on the goldfields near Ballarat. This is Molly's story, she and her Dad have travelled from England to the goldfields, her mother has died on the way and Molly is a sad girl. It is a struggle but they are helped by a kind Chinese boy called Chen who gives them some food, helps them understand how life works there but who is picked on because he is Chinese.

This is a lovely story, the terrible events of the battle on the goldfields are hard to read about, but this book tells it's story through wonderful illustrations as well as the text. It is a beautifully produced book with heft and weight, a really lovely book.

[Sonya Bright]

This is SUCH a beautifully illustrated book. I keep picking it up just to look through the pictures.

This is a more advanced picture book, with quite a lot of text and a more complicated story. It’s based on the true story of an English girl and a Chinese boy on the Australian goldfields, and the rebellion they lived through.

Highly recommended for the pictures and for the historical aspects.