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The Woolcots #1
Seven Little Australians
19th century Australia: Captain Woolcot, having lost his wife tragically young, remarried a much younger young woman to provide his six children with a new mother. Together, they had another child, making seven. The Captain felt it was necessary to run the family with army discipline, but his rules and regulations were no match for the fun loving children, led by the redoubtable Judy.
"But now it was morning, and she could disbelieve it no longer. Esther had come to her bedside and kissed her sorrowfully, her beautiful face troubled and tender. The kind-hearted stepmother had begged as she had never done before for a remission of poor Judy's sentence, but the Captain was adamant. To boarding school she must go!"
"But now it was morning, and she could disbelieve it no longer. Esther had come to her bedside and kissed her sorrowfully, her beautiful face troubled and tender. The kind-hearted stepmother had begged as she had never done before for a remission of poor Judy's sentence, but the Captain was adamant. To boarding school she must go!"
152 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1894
93 people are currently reading
2466 people want to read
About the author
Ethel Turner
59 books35 followersBorn in England in 1870, Ethel Turner came to Australia with her mother and sisters when she was 10 years old. She showed a great love of literature while at school and in her late teens launched a literary and social magazine in Sydney with her sister Lilian Turner. Ethel kept diaries for a remarkable 62 years, recording the details of her full and eventful life. In January 1893 she recorded in her diary, "Night started a new story that I shall call Seven Little Australians." Later that year, she finished the book, parcelled it up and sent it off to a publisher in Melbourne. Since then the book has sold over 2 million copies in the English language and has been reprinted over 50 times. It has been translated into at least 11 languages, performed as a stage play, and been made into a film, a BBC television series in 1953, and a 10-episode television series for the ABC in 1973. Ethel Turner went on to write over 40 books in her lifetime, including children's stories, short stories and poems, many of which appeared in the Town and Country journal and in the Sun Herald newspaper. Seven Little Australians has been read and loved by children all over the world, and it has been continuously in print for over 100 years. Ethel Turner died in 1958, leaving as her memorial a book that is now regarded as a classic in children's literature. Her granddaughter Philippa Poole has published a book about her grandmother entitled The Diaries of Ethel Turner.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 303 reviews
March 15, 2020
Essentially the Aussie version of Little Women, Turner's bitter sweet tale of a band of unruly young siblings in country NSW early last century is a heartening story of the bonds of family, youth and the hardships of the Australian pioneer life. Turner beautifully evokes both the glory and brutality of the Australian landscape, which forms a clever mirror to the joys and sorrows of the loveable but ruffian Woolcott children - "There is a lurking sparkle of joyousness and rebellion and mischief in nature here, and therefore in children..."
Well written descriptive passages elevate this novel from simple YA fiction - such as "run through the paddocks under cover of the kindly dusk" and "Such a sunset! Down at the foot of the grass hill there was a flame-coloured sky, with purple, soft clouds massed in banks high up where the dying glory met the paling blue. The belt of trees had grown black, and stretched sombre, motionless arms against the orange background. All the wind had died, and the air hung hot and still, freighted with the strange silence of the bush."
Ultimately this is a sad tale, and I wouldn't go on to read the novels that follow - similarly I stopped at Little Women and many other books that go on and on until they wear themselves out and we begin to even despise the original. Highly recommend for any nostalgic Aussie expats such as myself, as well as readers who want a quintessential Aussie bush story experience!
Well written descriptive passages elevate this novel from simple YA fiction - such as "run through the paddocks under cover of the kindly dusk" and "Such a sunset! Down at the foot of the grass hill there was a flame-coloured sky, with purple, soft clouds massed in banks high up where the dying glory met the paling blue. The belt of trees had grown black, and stretched sombre, motionless arms against the orange background. All the wind had died, and the air hung hot and still, freighted with the strange silence of the bush."
Ultimately this is a sad tale, and I wouldn't go on to read the novels that follow - similarly I stopped at Little Women and many other books that go on and on until they wear themselves out and we begin to even despise the original. Highly recommend for any nostalgic Aussie expats such as myself, as well as readers who want a quintessential Aussie bush story experience!
November 30, 2020
This is my second attempt at reading Seven Little Australians. The first time I gave up only a short way through, it was so sad and the parents really frustrated me. I purchased the book for a reading challenge. ‘A classic you’ve never read’.
I loved the different personalities of the children and I could easily imagine them running wild around the house, a free spirited bunch. I’m now interested in watching the series to see how Meg is portrayed. It seemed to me at sixteen she was very immature.
Seven Little Australians is a wonderfully descriptive story portraying Australian life during the late 1800’s. The story is quite sad however it still had some lighthearted moments and gave me a few laughs.
Even though the children bickered and fought their dedication and love for each other was evident throughout.
I loved the different personalities of the children and I could easily imagine them running wild around the house, a free spirited bunch. I’m now interested in watching the series to see how Meg is portrayed. It seemed to me at sixteen she was very immature.
Seven Little Australians is a wonderfully descriptive story portraying Australian life during the late 1800’s. The story is quite sad however it still had some lighthearted moments and gave me a few laughs.
Even though the children bickered and fought their dedication and love for each other was evident throughout.
July 17, 2016
This book has never been out of print since it was published in 1894. Undoubtedly the story holds a special place in the hearts of many generations of Australians. It is indeed a classic. Having said that, I must confess that I was a tad underwhelmed by it.
While written in 1894, this is a surprisingly modern book in many ways. Turner's prose is lively, fresh, immediate and direct. Some of the passages could have been written yesterday. How like a 21st century family are the Woolcots, with their many issues, such as brilliant, headstrong children, determined to follow their own hearts, lax supervision by distracted parents, disregard for education, and deliberate deceptions? Yet in many other ways it is absolutely a product of its time, including the social mores and class structure which underpinned the management of middle class families in the Victorian era.
There are some mixed values exposed in the story which rather perplexed me. There is a fine line being drawn between 'Aussie free-spirit', 'likeable rogue' and 'delinquent'. Are we supposed to like Bunty, when he is such an inveterate liar and thief, notwithstanding he is a little boy? Apart from the toddlers, all the children lie, all the time - which does not endear me to them, and makes me wonder about the messages going out to the Australian children who would read this book over the generations. The negative portrayal of the father, and the children’s obvious dislike and lack of respect for him appalled me, frankly. Yet, this is indeed a very modern matter, and is something frequently addressed by 21st century authors writing about dysfunctional families. Perhaps Turner was ahead of her time? I don't want this book to be all about 'happy families' either. But that whole aspect of the narrative, the relationship between the children and their father and step-mother seems underdone to me, could have been handled better.
I also think there is a lack of balance in the narrative between events in Sydney and Yarrahappini, outback NSW. What happened on the station was a defining moment in the history of the Woolcot family. I think it deserved more in-depth treatment. It seems to be rushed, towards the end of the book, as if the author was in a hurry to get it finished. An example of that lack of balance: it seems to me many hundreds of words are devoted to the dialogues between Meg Woolcot and her world-wise friend Aldith about fashion and boys, while the major event at the rural property is dealt with in a few pages. And that is the rather abrupt end of the book. So, despite its status as a classic, I only gave this book 3 stars.
While written in 1894, this is a surprisingly modern book in many ways. Turner's prose is lively, fresh, immediate and direct. Some of the passages could have been written yesterday. How like a 21st century family are the Woolcots, with their many issues, such as brilliant, headstrong children, determined to follow their own hearts, lax supervision by distracted parents, disregard for education, and deliberate deceptions? Yet in many other ways it is absolutely a product of its time, including the social mores and class structure which underpinned the management of middle class families in the Victorian era.
There are some mixed values exposed in the story which rather perplexed me. There is a fine line being drawn between 'Aussie free-spirit', 'likeable rogue' and 'delinquent'. Are we supposed to like Bunty, when he is such an inveterate liar and thief, notwithstanding he is a little boy? Apart from the toddlers, all the children lie, all the time - which does not endear me to them, and makes me wonder about the messages going out to the Australian children who would read this book over the generations. The negative portrayal of the father, and the children’s obvious dislike and lack of respect for him appalled me, frankly. Yet, this is indeed a very modern matter, and is something frequently addressed by 21st century authors writing about dysfunctional families. Perhaps Turner was ahead of her time? I don't want this book to be all about 'happy families' either. But that whole aspect of the narrative, the relationship between the children and their father and step-mother seems underdone to me, could have been handled better.
I also think there is a lack of balance in the narrative between events in Sydney and Yarrahappini, outback NSW. What happened on the station was a defining moment in the history of the Woolcot family. I think it deserved more in-depth treatment. It seems to be rushed, towards the end of the book, as if the author was in a hurry to get it finished. An example of that lack of balance: it seems to me many hundreds of words are devoted to the dialogues between Meg Woolcot and her world-wise friend Aldith about fashion and boys, while the major event at the rural property is dealt with in a few pages. And that is the rather abrupt end of the book. So, despite its status as a classic, I only gave this book 3 stars.
March 30, 2021
The Captain (Father) of the most diverse children ever. A bit naughty with much laughter and a few heartfelt tugs.
I felt as if at times I was at play with my own sister and our constant teasing with a few antics thrown in for fun.
The Captain is too strict with his children and reprimands constantly causing more issues than what was necessary.
My favorite of the Seven is without a doubt the clever, outspoken and a bit daring Judy! and in the end I was very sadden as the fresh air and the sheep station did not help in the end.
Turner does a great job as the voice of the children.
"Oh, don't the days seem lank and long When all goes right and nothing goes wrong, And isn't your life extremely flat With nothing whatever to grumble at!"
I felt as if at times I was at play with my own sister and our constant teasing with a few antics thrown in for fun.
The Captain is too strict with his children and reprimands constantly causing more issues than what was necessary.
My favorite of the Seven is without a doubt the clever, outspoken and a bit daring Judy! and in the end I was very sadden as the fresh air and the sheep station did not help in the end.
Turner does a great job as the voice of the children.
"Oh, don't the days seem lank and long When all goes right and nothing goes wrong, And isn't your life extremely flat With nothing whatever to grumble at!"
February 19, 2015
The book begins.
Before you fairly start this story I should like to give you just a word of warning.
If you imagine you are going to read of model children, with perhaps, a naughtily inclined one to point a moral, you had better lay down the book immediately and betake yourself to 'Sandford and Merton' or similar standard juvenile works. Not one of the seven is really good, for the very excellent reason that Australian children never are.
Sigh. It's true, it's true.
November 5, 2018
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Seven Little Australians, penned by Ethel Turner in 1894, is my choice for the somewhat problematic category for Book Bingo 2018 (and one I admit to avoiding) ‘a forgotten classic’. I did find this square a touch hard to adequately fulfil, as it is difficult to decide what constitutes as a ‘forgotten classic’. It really is a personal choice, or a reflection on individual reading habits. Although I am a great fan of children’s books and Australian literature, I rarely delve into Australian classics. I decided to select my title, Seven Little Australians, based on the fact that I didn’t read this one as a child, or later as an adult. I have heard of the book, but despite that fact that Seven Little Australians has remained in reprint for over one hundred years after it was first published, this is my first experience of the title. I acquired my illustrated copy from a local op shop and this particular edition was published in 1991.
The front cover of my edition of Seven Little Australians introduces this book as ‘Ethel Turner’s Endearing Children’s Classic’. After reading this title tag, it made me feel much more confident that my selection for a ‘forgotten classic’ was valid. As I made my way through the opening ‘Publisher’s Note’, I was surprised to discover that the author of Seven Little Australians, first began writing this book on her 21st birthday! This little nugget of information really took me aback, I was amazed that a woman of this age could compose such an enduring classic.
My version of Seven Little Australians is divided into chapters with a contents page. Interspersed between the narrative are beautiful illustrations that compliment the unfolding story. Seven Little Australians is the story of a stern patriarch, a young stepmother and their gaggle of children that range in age from an infant, through to a young woman in the cusp of adulthood. Each child depicted in the book is given their own time in the spotlight. The approach Turner takes is almost like presenting the reader with an episode of each little Australian’s life. Readers will enjoy the various misadventures, debacles and sticky situations the characters in the book face at various points. Turner carefully balances light and humourous moments with tragic episodes. Seven Little Australians has the power to teach the reader, young and old, about lifelong learning, love, respect, growing up and self discovery.
Family and childhood is at the core of Ethel turner’s classic. These themes are carried over well and explored in detail. I enjoyed the commentary on childhood, play, perceptions of naughty behaviour, sibling rivalries, banter, teasing, politics and the general interactions between the family in this book. It also provides us with a good snapshot into early blended and non traditional families of the time. I felt the father figure typified the strong patriarchal image that defined this era, while casting a young stepmother as the female head of the family was an interesting touch. This is a true representation of a family unit and I admired the inherent love and care for one another the Woolcot’s displayed, through the good and bad times.
The best aspect of Seven Little Australians was the wonderful depiction of life in Sydney and NSW in the 1800s. It was nice to see this time and place through the eyes of not only an adult, but a child growing up at this point in time. It gives us a good understanding of the strict moral codes, rules, practices and ordered lives families such as the Woolcot’s inhabited at this point in our nation’s history. Although this book was published over a century ago, there are still areas that connect us together. The mischief and wonder of the Woolcots shows us that children and families have not changed greatly. Captain Woolcot struggled to keep his children under his direction, so do we as parents today!
It is imperative that from time to time, that we delve back into the literature of yesteryear. It gives us an appreciation for and a better understanding of where our writing first originated and how it has progressed. I am pleased that I had the opportunity to take a step back from reading continual new releases and launch back in time, to a period depicted with charm by the talented Ms Ethel Turner.
Seven Little Australians is book #131 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
Seven Little Australians, penned by Ethel Turner in 1894, is my choice for the somewhat problematic category for Book Bingo 2018 (and one I admit to avoiding) ‘a forgotten classic’. I did find this square a touch hard to adequately fulfil, as it is difficult to decide what constitutes as a ‘forgotten classic’. It really is a personal choice, or a reflection on individual reading habits. Although I am a great fan of children’s books and Australian literature, I rarely delve into Australian classics. I decided to select my title, Seven Little Australians, based on the fact that I didn’t read this one as a child, or later as an adult. I have heard of the book, but despite that fact that Seven Little Australians has remained in reprint for over one hundred years after it was first published, this is my first experience of the title. I acquired my illustrated copy from a local op shop and this particular edition was published in 1991.
The front cover of my edition of Seven Little Australians introduces this book as ‘Ethel Turner’s Endearing Children’s Classic’. After reading this title tag, it made me feel much more confident that my selection for a ‘forgotten classic’ was valid. As I made my way through the opening ‘Publisher’s Note’, I was surprised to discover that the author of Seven Little Australians, first began writing this book on her 21st birthday! This little nugget of information really took me aback, I was amazed that a woman of this age could compose such an enduring classic.
My version of Seven Little Australians is divided into chapters with a contents page. Interspersed between the narrative are beautiful illustrations that compliment the unfolding story. Seven Little Australians is the story of a stern patriarch, a young stepmother and their gaggle of children that range in age from an infant, through to a young woman in the cusp of adulthood. Each child depicted in the book is given their own time in the spotlight. The approach Turner takes is almost like presenting the reader with an episode of each little Australian’s life. Readers will enjoy the various misadventures, debacles and sticky situations the characters in the book face at various points. Turner carefully balances light and humourous moments with tragic episodes. Seven Little Australians has the power to teach the reader, young and old, about lifelong learning, love, respect, growing up and self discovery.
Family and childhood is at the core of Ethel turner’s classic. These themes are carried over well and explored in detail. I enjoyed the commentary on childhood, play, perceptions of naughty behaviour, sibling rivalries, banter, teasing, politics and the general interactions between the family in this book. It also provides us with a good snapshot into early blended and non traditional families of the time. I felt the father figure typified the strong patriarchal image that defined this era, while casting a young stepmother as the female head of the family was an interesting touch. This is a true representation of a family unit and I admired the inherent love and care for one another the Woolcot’s displayed, through the good and bad times.
The best aspect of Seven Little Australians was the wonderful depiction of life in Sydney and NSW in the 1800s. It was nice to see this time and place through the eyes of not only an adult, but a child growing up at this point in time. It gives us a good understanding of the strict moral codes, rules, practices and ordered lives families such as the Woolcot’s inhabited at this point in our nation’s history. Although this book was published over a century ago, there are still areas that connect us together. The mischief and wonder of the Woolcots shows us that children and families have not changed greatly. Captain Woolcot struggled to keep his children under his direction, so do we as parents today!
It is imperative that from time to time, that we delve back into the literature of yesteryear. It gives us an appreciation for and a better understanding of where our writing first originated and how it has progressed. I am pleased that I had the opportunity to take a step back from reading continual new releases and launch back in time, to a period depicted with charm by the talented Ms Ethel Turner.
Seven Little Australians is book #131 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
November 24, 2020
This book is an absolute classic Australian children's literature novel which was embraced heartily by the rest of the world. I am told it has never been out of print since the very young Ethel Turner published it in 1894. It was greatly beloved by many children here and overseas, it was translated into many other languages for many other countries. Somehow, I had never read it.
Like many other kid's books I loved as a child, it relates the lives and small adventures of the seven mischievous Woolcot children and since as a kid I always loved stories of large families, (mine being tiny) so I probably would have adored it if I had read it as a kid, though as an adult it is a 3* read. Set in 1880's Australia the Woolcot brood live in a house nicknames 'Misrule' with their stern, emotionally distant army father Captain Woolcot, and young stepmother Esther who is only a couple of years older than the oldest daughter.
It was a lot of fun, it was cute and at times innocent and at other times really, really out of step with the times. So many points about it would mean that this beloved classic would NEVER be touched by even the bravest of publishers today. The age difference between 'the father' Captain Woolcot and 'the stepmother' Esther, on it's own would probably strike it out. The adventures of the children, which entranced so many generations, are often quite horrific by modern standards, including both emotional and financial neglect by the father and outright dangerous behaviour as well and poor morals and values.
I am actually very glad I finally read it; I enjoyed the characters which were vivid and though naively written still believable and at times likable. The small childhood adventures and woes were fascinating in the historical sense and the while book has a cheerful lightheartedness to it, even in the bad times. So combine that with the nice descriptions of colonial Australia and the bush - good book.
It has been so extensively translated as well as being used in many other media; film, at least two television mini-series, various stage plays (and I think there was a musical) that it is definitely a classic.
Like many other kid's books I loved as a child, it relates the lives and small adventures of the seven mischievous Woolcot children and since as a kid I always loved stories of large families, (mine being tiny) so I probably would have adored it if I had read it as a kid, though as an adult it is a 3* read. Set in 1880's Australia the Woolcot brood live in a house nicknames 'Misrule' with their stern, emotionally distant army father Captain Woolcot, and young stepmother Esther who is only a couple of years older than the oldest daughter.
It was a lot of fun, it was cute and at times innocent and at other times really, really out of step with the times. So many points about it would mean that this beloved classic would NEVER be touched by even the bravest of publishers today. The age difference between 'the father' Captain Woolcot and 'the stepmother' Esther, on it's own would probably strike it out. The adventures of the children, which entranced so many generations, are often quite horrific by modern standards, including both emotional and financial neglect by the father and outright dangerous behaviour as well and poor morals and values.
I am actually very glad I finally read it; I enjoyed the characters which were vivid and though naively written still believable and at times likable. The small childhood adventures and woes were fascinating in the historical sense and the while book has a cheerful lightheartedness to it, even in the bad times. So combine that with the nice descriptions of colonial Australia and the bush - good book.
It has been so extensively translated as well as being used in many other media; film, at least two television mini-series, various stage plays (and I think there was a musical) that it is definitely a classic.
July 29, 2009
I re-read this today for my children's literature course and was surprised by what a brute the Captain (their father) is - I never really noticed it when I read it as a child. He's awful. He makes it perfectly clear that he doesn't like or understand his children and considers spending any time at all with them on par with having teeth pulled. When Judy makes him look after the youngest alone for an hour he's so mad he sends her off to boarding school despite the protests and tears of the entire family, including his second wife, and refuses to let her come home even when she's clearly miserable. Only when she gets sick from walking for a week to get home does he grudgingly relent. Her death at the end is awful and heartbreaking and still makes me cry, but it totally serves him right. It says at the end that it makes him love his remaining children more, although he still can't bear to let any of them see it, oh no.
I suppose he is an accurate portrait of parents in those days, but STILL. Those poor kids.
I suppose he is an accurate portrait of parents in those days, but STILL. Those poor kids.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2013
I read this book aloud, a chapter a night, to my four and a half and six and a half year old daughters. When I began reading the first chapter, I thought that they might not choose the book again the following night. The language is obviously somewhat old-fashioned - the book was published in 1894 after all. But as Ethel Turner writes, she addresses the reader - she is telling the story to them. The book begins, 'Before you fairly start this story I should like to give you just a word of warning.' And she then proceeds to tell the reader that the tale she is about to unfold is one of very naughty children and that it is something about the Australian landscape - 'the sunny brilliancy of our atmosphere' - that contributes to their naughtiness.
There are a few things about this introduction that I think children find so appealing. The first is the idea that they are going to read about naughty children. What will these naughty children do? Just how naughty will they be? And what will happen to them when their naughtiness is discovered? I could well imagine that these thoughts were running through my daughters' minds as we read.
From there, the story traces all the mischief of the children - from Bunty laming his father's horse with a cricket ball, to Judy depositing the baby at her father's barracks so she can enjoy an afternoon of fun at the fair, to the children continually interrupting a dinner party in the hopes of taking plates of roast chicken up to the nursery, rather than bread and butter. It's all good, innocent fun and daring - apart from Bunty and the horse - but the consequence of it is that Judy is sent off to boarding school, a place she promptly runs away from, setting in train the tragic events at the end of the book.
My daughters didn't cry at the end - they left that job to me. So, if you have children aged around 6 or 7 and want to enjoy a piece of classic Australian literature with them, then I thoroughly recommend Seven Little Australians to you. Just remember to have a box of tissues on the couch beside you!
My full review is here: http://whilethekidsaresleeping.wordpr...
There are a few things about this introduction that I think children find so appealing. The first is the idea that they are going to read about naughty children. What will these naughty children do? Just how naughty will they be? And what will happen to them when their naughtiness is discovered? I could well imagine that these thoughts were running through my daughters' minds as we read.
From there, the story traces all the mischief of the children - from Bunty laming his father's horse with a cricket ball, to Judy depositing the baby at her father's barracks so she can enjoy an afternoon of fun at the fair, to the children continually interrupting a dinner party in the hopes of taking plates of roast chicken up to the nursery, rather than bread and butter. It's all good, innocent fun and daring - apart from Bunty and the horse - but the consequence of it is that Judy is sent off to boarding school, a place she promptly runs away from, setting in train the tragic events at the end of the book.
My daughters didn't cry at the end - they left that job to me. So, if you have children aged around 6 or 7 and want to enjoy a piece of classic Australian literature with them, then I thoroughly recommend Seven Little Australians to you. Just remember to have a box of tissues on the couch beside you!
My full review is here: http://whilethekidsaresleeping.wordpr...
July 26, 2016
Sparkling, Jolly, and Tender
If you're an American browsing through odd Kindle freebies, as I was, you might be surprised to discover that this book is a gem and a treat. Published in 1894, "Seven Little Australians" is considered a classic, if not the classic, of Australian children's novels. I understand that at least as of 1994 this book was the only novel by an Australian author to have been continuously in print for 100 years.
So, does it live up to that intro? Yes.
The story is simple enough. Captain Woolcot is a military man with no understanding of children, and with seven children. His young second wife is the mother of the seventh child, but is in way over her head with the other six. The seven children range down from romantic 16 year old Meg, through handsome Pip, lively Judy, beautiful Nell, fat and lazy Bunty, well-behaved Baby, and "The General", the actual baby. They all have individual devilish streaks and no instinct at all toward good behavior. Neither does the author, who dismisses good behavior out of hand, and dismisses moralizing as well.
These are stories of pranks gone wrong, havoc and dismay. They are also good-humored, cheerful, and full of sibling support and affection. Often, when authors try to portray quirky characters or misbehaving children or mischievous hijinks they just can't get the tone or the pitch right, and you end up with precocious twits or meanness and nastiness. This book survives and prospers because the tone is always just right. The more manic parts are balanced by some very calm, sly, deadpan lines and observations that make it clear that this author is in control of her material and her characters.
So, this is a wonderful find and a jolly read. Well done. (Spoiler Alert - very sad toward the end; be prepared.)
Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to the publisher of this book.
If you're an American browsing through odd Kindle freebies, as I was, you might be surprised to discover that this book is a gem and a treat. Published in 1894, "Seven Little Australians" is considered a classic, if not the classic, of Australian children's novels. I understand that at least as of 1994 this book was the only novel by an Australian author to have been continuously in print for 100 years.
So, does it live up to that intro? Yes.
The story is simple enough. Captain Woolcot is a military man with no understanding of children, and with seven children. His young second wife is the mother of the seventh child, but is in way over her head with the other six. The seven children range down from romantic 16 year old Meg, through handsome Pip, lively Judy, beautiful Nell, fat and lazy Bunty, well-behaved Baby, and "The General", the actual baby. They all have individual devilish streaks and no instinct at all toward good behavior. Neither does the author, who dismisses good behavior out of hand, and dismisses moralizing as well.
These are stories of pranks gone wrong, havoc and dismay. They are also good-humored, cheerful, and full of sibling support and affection. Often, when authors try to portray quirky characters or misbehaving children or mischievous hijinks they just can't get the tone or the pitch right, and you end up with precocious twits or meanness and nastiness. This book survives and prospers because the tone is always just right. The more manic parts are balanced by some very calm, sly, deadpan lines and observations that make it clear that this author is in control of her material and her characters.
So, this is a wonderful find and a jolly read. Well done. (Spoiler Alert - very sad toward the end; be prepared.)
Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to the publisher of this book.
February 22, 2019
3.5 stars
The first chapter of this book - titled “Chiefly Descriptive” - is such a joy. The narrator gives a little character sketch of each of the seven Woolcot children with this humorous preface: “Not one of the seven is really good, for the very excellent reason that Australian children never are.”
It may be that the miasmas of naughtiness develop best in the sunny brilliancy of our atmosphere. It may be that the land and the people are young-hearted together, and the children’s spirits not crushed and saddened by the shadow of long years’ sorrowful history.”
According to the Afterword, Seven Little Australians is considered to be the first proper ‘Australian’ children’s novel - and has never been out of print since first being published in 1894. Impressively, the author Ethel Turner was only 24 when she brought the Woolcot children of Misrule into being. I don’t know what her ‘models’ might have been (whether literary or real-life inspiration), but the characters do have loads of personality and definitely endear themselves to the reader. The novel still has such a fresh voice despite some Victorian anachronisms - mostly lots of whippings, and language, and attitudes.
I did find the ending unnecessarily (and upsettingly) melodramatic, and that affected my enjoyment (and rating) of the book. Overall, though, I’m so pleased that an Australian friend (Sandy of @bookendmylife) sent me a copy of this Australian classic.
The first chapter of this book - titled “Chiefly Descriptive” - is such a joy. The narrator gives a little character sketch of each of the seven Woolcot children with this humorous preface: “Not one of the seven is really good, for the very excellent reason that Australian children never are.”
It may be that the miasmas of naughtiness develop best in the sunny brilliancy of our atmosphere. It may be that the land and the people are young-hearted together, and the children’s spirits not crushed and saddened by the shadow of long years’ sorrowful history.”
According to the Afterword, Seven Little Australians is considered to be the first proper ‘Australian’ children’s novel - and has never been out of print since first being published in 1894. Impressively, the author Ethel Turner was only 24 when she brought the Woolcot children of Misrule into being. I don’t know what her ‘models’ might have been (whether literary or real-life inspiration), but the characters do have loads of personality and definitely endear themselves to the reader. The novel still has such a fresh voice despite some Victorian anachronisms - mostly lots of whippings, and language, and attitudes.
I did find the ending unnecessarily (and upsettingly) melodramatic, and that affected my enjoyment (and rating) of the book. Overall, though, I’m so pleased that an Australian friend (Sandy of @bookendmylife) sent me a copy of this Australian classic.
December 30, 2025
“But in Australia a model child is - I say it not without thankfulness - an unknown quantity. It may be that the miasmas of naughtiness develop best in the sunny brilliancy of our atmosphere. It may be that the land and the people are so young-hearted together, and the children's spirits are not crushed and saddened by the shadow of long years' sorrowful history. There is a lurking sparkle of joyousness and rebellion and mischief in nature here, and therefore in children.”
This is a classic children's book, the story of a family in Australia with seven rather difficult children.
You can't help but like this family, with real children who disobey their parents, act willfully, and speak back to their elder; with a real stepmom who tires easily from the work that goes along with trying to keep the children in line; with a real dad who is constantly forced to discipline the children. The children are willful, yes, but charming, too, and the dad is strict, but loving.
All isn't joy and happiness in this world; I don't want to say too much, but there are several very sad parts of the story.
One of the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up
This is a classic children's book, the story of a family in Australia with seven rather difficult children.
You can't help but like this family, with real children who disobey their parents, act willfully, and speak back to their elder; with a real stepmom who tires easily from the work that goes along with trying to keep the children in line; with a real dad who is constantly forced to discipline the children. The children are willful, yes, but charming, too, and the dad is strict, but loving.
All isn't joy and happiness in this world; I don't want to say too much, but there are several very sad parts of the story.
One of the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up
February 1, 2024
A clear, charming, and faithful exposition of the Australian character at the level of children. Easy to read, absorbing, and comic for anyone from teenage years and upwards. This is a boisterous account of kids having fun, shaping their own lives, and those of their siblings and parents around them.
The only really dated aspect is the stiff-upper-lip, rather child-bewildered captain as the father, but this adds historical interest. In all other respects, the life of children growing up in country Australia today is closely similar in form, psychology, and adventure (the details will differ since time, after all, does move on). At that time - late 1800s - Parramatta, where much of the novel is set, was very much a country town but is now a major urban hub of Sydney.
Ethel Turner was 23 when she wrote this novel - close enough I suppose from her own youth to write with exuberance, and draw on the characteristics of her many siblings to sketch with loving flair the personalities of her seven little Australians.
Read it - let your mind run free back to your own youth (if you're an adult) - and enjoy the ride.
The only really dated aspect is the stiff-upper-lip, rather child-bewildered captain as the father, but this adds historical interest. In all other respects, the life of children growing up in country Australia today is closely similar in form, psychology, and adventure (the details will differ since time, after all, does move on). At that time - late 1800s - Parramatta, where much of the novel is set, was very much a country town but is now a major urban hub of Sydney.
Ethel Turner was 23 when she wrote this novel - close enough I suppose from her own youth to write with exuberance, and draw on the characteristics of her many siblings to sketch with loving flair the personalities of her seven little Australians.
Read it - let your mind run free back to your own youth (if you're an adult) - and enjoy the ride.
December 3, 2013
Seven Little Australians is an excellent children's novel that isn't just for children! I loved the characters because they were so real. The Woolcot family consists of Captain Woolcot, his six children from his first marriage (ages 4-16), his second wife (Esther, age 20), and their 1-year-old son. The step-mother's youthfulness added an interesting element to the family dynamic.
I might have given this book five stars, but the ending is unnecessarily tragic, and it seemed like the author didn't really know how to end the story. Seven Little Australians was Ethel Turner's first novel, and she was only 22 years old when it was published, so I was still very impressed.
Now that I've read the book, I really want to see the ABC mini-series from 1973, but the only good DVD of it seems to be out of print. I guess I'll have to be content with these video clips (http://aso.gov.au/titles/tv/seven-lit...).
Re-read August 2013
Watching the ABC series (thank you, YouTube!) made me want to read this again.
I might have given this book five stars, but the ending is unnecessarily tragic, and it seemed like the author didn't really know how to end the story. Seven Little Australians was Ethel Turner's first novel, and she was only 22 years old when it was published, so I was still very impressed.
Now that I've read the book, I really want to see the ABC mini-series from 1973, but the only good DVD of it seems to be out of print. I guess I'll have to be content with these video clips (http://aso.gov.au/titles/tv/seven-lit...).
Re-read August 2013
Watching the ABC series (thank you, YouTube!) made me want to read this again.
July 7, 2016
Broke my heart.
When I started reading this book, I had a sudden surge of nostalgia. It is very similar to books I used to read when I was a kid. This book focuses on family, sibling relationships and naughty children. (i.e. Naughtiest Girl, Nanny McPhee etc). And how the cleverest one among them "Judy" is considered to be the instigator of mischief (she usually is). All the kids have different personalities and different ways of dealing with things.
The 19 year old wife seems to love the kids and tries to be the bridge between the father and the children but she fails to do so.
The end though was kind of a shock and yet kind of predictable. Because nobody else would have had the presence of mind or the courage to save General.
The saddest part probably is the fact that though Judy's death while saving General (her youngest brother) brings the siblings closer it does nothing of the sort to their relationship with their father. He continues to be as aloof as he had always been.
Sad.
When I started reading this book, I had a sudden surge of nostalgia. It is very similar to books I used to read when I was a kid. This book focuses on family, sibling relationships and naughty children. (i.e. Naughtiest Girl, Nanny McPhee etc). And how the cleverest one among them "Judy" is considered to be the instigator of mischief (she usually is). All the kids have different personalities and different ways of dealing with things.
The 19 year old wife seems to love the kids and tries to be the bridge between the father and the children but she fails to do so.
The end though was kind of a shock and yet kind of predictable. Because nobody else would have had the presence of mind or the courage to save General.
The saddest part probably is the fact that though Judy's death while saving General (her youngest brother) brings the siblings closer it does nothing of the sort to their relationship with their father. He continues to be as aloof as he had always been.
Sad.
August 29, 2012
Seven Little Australians is the first of the Woolcot Family series by Australian novelist Ethel Turner. Set in the late 19th century, it details a few months in the lives of Captain John Woolcot, his young (20 years old) wife Esther and their family at their house, Misrule, up the Parramatta River. There were six children he had by his first, now dead, wife: Meg(Marguerite), 16, Pip (Phillip), 14, Judy (Helen), 13, Nellie, 10, Bunty, 6, and Baby, 4, and his and Esther’s baby, the General (Francis). The fact that these were not the children of a Minister, like those perfect March girls of Louisa Alcott’s, may well account for their mischievousness: they had a tendency to get into trouble, even if their hearts were essentially good. Nor was Captain Woolcot the perfect father. This novel has a very Aussie feel and is both funny and sad. Readers will look forward to the next instalment, The Family at Misrule.
May 14, 2019
A story of seven most charming and yet most naughty Australian siblings.
March 31, 2020
3.5 stars
Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner is considered an Australian classic. It's been made into a television series, a movie, a musical and has broken records for remaining in print longer than any other novel by an Australian author. In fact I believe it's still in print 126 years after its first publication in 1894. Despite all this I didn't really know the first thing about this book. I'll confess to getting off to a slow start with it. I listened to the Audio version and have to be honest, the narrator grated on me something shocking. In my opinion she detracted from the story and that's a real shame because by books end I found myself much more emotionally invested than I had expected.
This is the story of the Sydney based Woolcot family. Captain Woolcot had been widowed and remarried to provide a new mother for his six young children. When we meet them Esther, his second wife; is only twenty and she has already given birth to a son, the seventh sibling in this family. The story was filled with the mischievous antics of the children and provided wonderful insights into various aspects of living in Sydney, Australia in the 1880's. I was especially intrigued by the portrayal of the living conditions, the parenting styles, the restrictions upon and freedoms offered children in those days. I had a definite sense this was intended for a young audience so I was very interested to note the similarities and differences in attitudes between the these youngsters and teens of today.
Overall I enjoyed this one so perhaps I'll give it another go someday but next time round I'd definitely read it
Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner is considered an Australian classic. It's been made into a television series, a movie, a musical and has broken records for remaining in print longer than any other novel by an Australian author. In fact I believe it's still in print 126 years after its first publication in 1894. Despite all this I didn't really know the first thing about this book. I'll confess to getting off to a slow start with it. I listened to the Audio version and have to be honest, the narrator grated on me something shocking. In my opinion she detracted from the story and that's a real shame because by books end I found myself much more emotionally invested than I had expected.
This is the story of the Sydney based Woolcot family. Captain Woolcot had been widowed and remarried to provide a new mother for his six young children. When we meet them Esther, his second wife; is only twenty and she has already given birth to a son, the seventh sibling in this family. The story was filled with the mischievous antics of the children and provided wonderful insights into various aspects of living in Sydney, Australia in the 1880's. I was especially intrigued by the portrayal of the living conditions, the parenting styles, the restrictions upon and freedoms offered children in those days. I had a definite sense this was intended for a young audience so I was very interested to note the similarities and differences in attitudes between the these youngsters and teens of today.
Overall I enjoyed this one so perhaps I'll give it another go someday but next time round I'd definitely read it
August 16, 2022
I've read embarrassingly few Australian books, and have been slowly trying to rectify this, so I landed on this classic. And, to be honest, I really struggled with it. I initially couldn't keep track of who was who, having been introduced to all of the characters in one fell swoop (especially considering half of them had nicknames), and I struggled to get any kind of emotional connection to them.
What I did really enjoy, was seeing the bond between the siblings, and their obvious love for each other. However it just wasn't enough to save the book for me.
What I did really enjoy, was seeing the bond between the siblings, and their obvious love for each other. However it just wasn't enough to save the book for me.
December 15, 2015
An Australian classic which is enjoyable despite the harsh father who is like Captain von Trapp without the charm.
February 5, 2020
WHY-
WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO US, ETHEL TURNER??
-
So I read this as a quick read that I could get done at my desk during downtime (shhh), and was completely charmed by it. It reads like a parallel Sound of Music -one stressed father, one young stepmother, and seven wayward children.
Unforgivably (joking, it's completely forgivable because the drama necessitates it) the book draws you right into the heart of the family and then strikes you with tragedy. You know that bit in Bridge to Terabithia where you suddenly felt like all the breath had been punched out of you? Yeah. There's that.
Judy, the spunky girl with dark curly hair (I'm a sucker for those... wonder why) is killed protecting her baby brother from a falling tree. Her dying is beautifully, hauntingly written and elevates the book from quaint to magnificent:
If you aren't a total mess you are NOT HUMAN.
WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO US, ETHEL TURNER??
-
So I read this as a quick read that I could get done at my desk during downtime (shhh), and was completely charmed by it. It reads like a parallel Sound of Music -one stressed father, one young stepmother, and seven wayward children.
Unforgivably (joking, it's completely forgivable because the drama necessitates it) the book draws you right into the heart of the family and then strikes you with tragedy. You know that bit in Bridge to Terabithia where you suddenly felt like all the breath had been punched out of you? Yeah. There's that.
Judy, the spunky girl with dark curly hair (I'm a sucker for those... wonder why) is killed protecting her baby brother from a falling tree. Her dying is beautifully, hauntingly written and elevates the book from quaint to magnificent:
A curlew's note broke the silence, wild, mournful, unearthly. Meg shivered, and sat up straight. Judy's brow, grew damp, her eyes dilated, her lips trembled.
"Meg!" she said, in a whisper that cut the air. "Oh, Meg, I'm frightened! MEG, I'm so frightened!"
"God!" said Meg's heart.
"Meg, say something. Meg, help me! Look at the dark, Meg. MEG, I can't die! Oh, why don't they be quick?"
Nellie flew to the fence again; then to say, "Make her better, God—oh, please, God!"
"Meg, I can't think of anything to say. Can't you say something, Meg? Aren't there any prayers about the dying in the Prayer Book?—I forget. Say something, Meg!"
Meg's lips moved, but her tongue uttered no word.
"Meg, I'm so frightened! I can't think of anything but `For what we are about to receive,' and that's grace, isn't it? And there's nothing in Our Father that would do either. Meg, I wish we'd gone to Sunday-school and learnt things. Look at the dark, Meg! Oh, Meg, hold my hands!"
"Heaven won't—be—dark," Meg's lips said. Even when speech came, it was only a halting, stereotyped phrase that fell from them.
"If it's all gold and diamonds, I don't want to go!" The child was crying now. "Oh, Meg, I want to be alive! How'd you like to die, Meg, when you're only thirteen? Think how lonely I'll be without you all. Oh, Meg! Oh, Pip, Pip! Oh, Baby! Nell!"
[...]
"...Judy, dear, we are forgetting; there's Mother, Judy, dear—you won't be lonely! Can't you remember Mother's eyes, little Judy?"
Judy grew quiet, and still more quiet. She shut her eyes so she could not see the gathering shadows. Meg's arms were round her, Meg's cheek was on her brow, Nell was holding her hands, Baby her feet, Bunty's lips were on her hair. Like that they went with her right to the Great Valley, where there are no lights even for stumbling, childish feet.
If you aren't a total mess you are NOT HUMAN.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2021
This reminded me a bit of Edith Nesbit in the beginning but it grew up quickly as the Seven Little Australians were of a greater range of ages and the older children have more grown-up issues to contend with. Also, the end was unexpectedly sad.
I particularly loved the eldest of the family, Meg and her growth throughout the book. There is a beautiful lesson she learns from Mr. Gillet about how to be a loving influence towards those who fall from the path of righteousness. "The world has a beautiful frown of it's own and an endless vocabulary of cold words - wouldn't it do if the little sisters left it the monopoly of them?"
I particularly loved the eldest of the family, Meg and her growth throughout the book. There is a beautiful lesson she learns from Mr. Gillet about how to be a loving influence towards those who fall from the path of righteousness. "The world has a beautiful frown of it's own and an endless vocabulary of cold words - wouldn't it do if the little sisters left it the monopoly of them?"
January 18, 2020
The first time I read this Australian children’s classic I was a young adult and I wrote for my study that I thought the plot was busy and many of the words/expressions were so outdated, and a little bit odd (even to an Australian). Upon re-reading it I found that I had forgotten a lot of the plot even to the point of getting it wrong for one of the characters. It clearly did not leave much of an impression on me the first time around. The second reading of it has left me wondering if I would have enjoyed it more if I had a read it for the first time when I was a child.
July 30, 2021
A nostalgia trip for me. Last read this age about ten.
January 13, 2020
An awesome, very Australian story that will appeal to many readers. It made me laugh and it made me cry - truly enchanting!
March 7, 2017
No 2 in my attempt to get through some Australian kids' literature. This was an attempt to be highly realistic and was a bit tragic. No romanticization. Some lovely descriptions of both suburban and rural life in early 20th century.
August 22, 2015
I always get a feeling of injustice when I sense one author has piggybacked on the success of another. I’m not sure Turner is so much Alcott’s “successor” as her plunderer. Seven Little Australians was like a mishmash of Little Women and Alcott’s lesser known classic, Eight Cousins, with Australian names like Krangi-Bahtoo and Yarrahappini thrown in to maintain a semblance of Australian national identity.
My thoughts on the characters:
Captain Woolcot – I desperately wanted to see him resolve his issues with Judy. One moment would have sufficed for him to communicate to her that he actually loved her and wanted the best for her. The book is a bit ambiguous on this point, but reading between the lines you can see that he is a military man who has a hard time showing his feelings and obviously is not suited to raising children.
Esther - She’s only 20 and being a step-mother to 6 rambunctious children and then having a baby of your own must be tough, but come on, make an effort at being their mother instead of their friend!
Meg – It was like Meg from Little Women had an alternate life Down Under. She was that similar.
Judy – Spirited, reckless, and passionate. Judy is the rightful heroine of the novel. I wanted to see Judy mature. The doctor predicts, “she’ll make a fine woman some day – ay, a grand woman” and reading about that process would have been fun. Did she do something great in the end? Yes, but it would have been a lot more interesting to let her live, as she was the only unique and truly compelling character in the novel.
Pip - He was well-characterized, though I would have liked to see him stand up to his father.
Nell – the angelic one. Think Turner borrowed that name and distinction from Dickens’ little Nell?
Bunty - Of course, there’s always one greedy little fat boy. I would have liked to see him learn a real lesson from his lying, rather than just get whipped and then feel sorry for himself. Though, apparently death of a loved one is a great reformer of cowardly and habitually lying six-year-olds.
Baby – too little to garner much enthusiasm.
General – not interesting in the least, but cute.
This is the first book I’ve read by Ethel Turner and I am interested to read more of her work to see if she eventually came into her own as a writer. The story was really cute in that wholesome, moralistic, Victorian way. Perhaps, as Turner grew as a writer, she developed more of her own voice and was able, like Alcott, to simultaneously moralize and enchant. I’m not a big fan of sad endings, though I wouldn’t think less of this book purely on the basis of disliking sadness. However, the conclusion seemed manufactured to me. It was as though Turner felt compelled to subdue this lively troupe of children and tragedy was the quickest route to the story’s moralistic destiny.
My thoughts on the characters:
Captain Woolcot – I desperately wanted to see him resolve his issues with Judy. One moment would have sufficed for him to communicate to her that he actually loved her and wanted the best for her. The book is a bit ambiguous on this point, but reading between the lines you can see that he is a military man who has a hard time showing his feelings and obviously is not suited to raising children.
Esther - She’s only 20 and being a step-mother to 6 rambunctious children and then having a baby of your own must be tough, but come on, make an effort at being their mother instead of their friend!
Meg – It was like Meg from Little Women had an alternate life Down Under. She was that similar.
Judy – Spirited, reckless, and passionate. Judy is the rightful heroine of the novel. I wanted to see Judy mature. The doctor predicts, “she’ll make a fine woman some day – ay, a grand woman” and reading about that process would have been fun. Did she do something great in the end? Yes, but it would have been a lot more interesting to let her live, as she was the only unique and truly compelling character in the novel.
Pip - He was well-characterized, though I would have liked to see him stand up to his father.
Nell – the angelic one. Think Turner borrowed that name and distinction from Dickens’ little Nell?
Bunty - Of course, there’s always one greedy little fat boy. I would have liked to see him learn a real lesson from his lying, rather than just get whipped and then feel sorry for himself. Though, apparently death of a loved one is a great reformer of cowardly and habitually lying six-year-olds.
Baby – too little to garner much enthusiasm.
General – not interesting in the least, but cute.
This is the first book I’ve read by Ethel Turner and I am interested to read more of her work to see if she eventually came into her own as a writer. The story was really cute in that wholesome, moralistic, Victorian way. Perhaps, as Turner grew as a writer, she developed more of her own voice and was able, like Alcott, to simultaneously moralize and enchant. I’m not a big fan of sad endings, though I wouldn’t think less of this book purely on the basis of disliking sadness. However, the conclusion seemed manufactured to me. It was as though Turner felt compelled to subdue this lively troupe of children and tragedy was the quickest route to the story’s moralistic destiny.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2017
A Victorian-era Australian classic, Seven Little Australians charts the trials, tribulations and other miscellaneous adventures of a group of siblings growing up in 1880s Sydney. This was another one that didn’t quite live up to my childhood memories. I loved the historical setting and the idea of the big, rowdy family of uncontrollable but loveable brats. In reality however the book isn’t long enough to do justice to all of the characters, and most of the little Australians are two-dimensional and have only filler roles. We hear a lot about the escapades of Judy, Meg and Bunty, but I found these fairly predictable and boring. This was probably added to by the fact that the author’s conception of “naughty behaviour” is of its time, and most of the things the kids did actually seemed fairly normal and understandable to me.
The main thing that rankled me about this book was the clear messages about gender roles, which again are admittedly of the book’s time, but still annoying. The father of the family is a complete tyrant and bully and I find it kind of disturbing that I didn’t realise or remember this from when I read the book as a child. All the children live in terror of him, and he even takes it out on his poor teenage bride while she’s slaving away caring for his six children. The interactions between Meg and the young alcoholic station hand at the cattle property also don’t sit right. The moral appears to be that it’s unattractive for women to react with anger to men’s bad behaviour/broken promises and that you’ll get further by pitying and fawning on him instead. ….Um, no.
Overall this was a light and mildly entertaining read but it’s very dated and I certainly won’t be going in for round three in another 20 years’ time.
The main thing that rankled me about this book was the clear messages about gender roles, which again are admittedly of the book’s time, but still annoying. The father of the family is a complete tyrant and bully and I find it kind of disturbing that I didn’t realise or remember this from when I read the book as a child. All the children live in terror of him, and he even takes it out on his poor teenage bride while she’s slaving away caring for his six children. The interactions between Meg and the young alcoholic station hand at the cattle property also don’t sit right. The moral appears to be that it’s unattractive for women to react with anger to men’s bad behaviour/broken promises and that you’ll get further by pitying and fawning on him instead. ….Um, no.
Overall this was a light and mildly entertaining read but it’s very dated and I certainly won’t be going in for round three in another 20 years’ time.
July 3, 2024
I've just finished reading Ethel Turner's Seven Little Australians for an online book club that I'm in with three Australian friends. The story and the writing left me speechless. Turner's prose is rich, clever, and utterly captivating, smoothly transitioning from wit and humour to intense drama and profound tragedy. I seriously had not seen that ending coming. Although the writing remains seamless throughout, I could not have knowingly read this book to my son when he was a child. Thirty years later, he still has not forgiven me for some of the more sorrowful book endings that I had unintentionally read to him.
What also struck me about Seven Little Australians is its deep connection to other novels that our book club has recently read—especially Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. All three narratives are deeply rooted in family dynamics. They each feature strong-willed, independent young female protagonists who challenge traditional expectations. The books delve deep into coming-of-age themes and grapple with the social and cultural issues of their respective times and places. The masterful writing of all three authors is even more remarkable considering that two of these novels (Seven Little Australians and Anne of Green Gables) were debut novels, and all three authors were in their 20s/30s (Ethel Turner being the youngest at 24).
If you have never read Seven Little Australians, I highly recommend it to you for its captivating storytelling and vivid portrayal of Australian life in the late 19th century. Although this is a classic children's novel, I recommend reading it first before deciding to read it to your child.
What also struck me about Seven Little Australians is its deep connection to other novels that our book club has recently read—especially Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. All three narratives are deeply rooted in family dynamics. They each feature strong-willed, independent young female protagonists who challenge traditional expectations. The books delve deep into coming-of-age themes and grapple with the social and cultural issues of their respective times and places. The masterful writing of all three authors is even more remarkable considering that two of these novels (Seven Little Australians and Anne of Green Gables) were debut novels, and all three authors were in their 20s/30s (Ethel Turner being the youngest at 24).
If you have never read Seven Little Australians, I highly recommend it to you for its captivating storytelling and vivid portrayal of Australian life in the late 19th century. Although this is a classic children's novel, I recommend reading it first before deciding to read it to your child.
December 15, 2015
This is a charming little novel, but very much a product of its time.
Chapters in the beginning read almost like a serial, with each chapter containing a small, self-contained little narrative with uncomplicated complications and neat resolutions that lead into the next chapter with ease. However, as the book progresses, the stories elongate and spread across multiple chapters leading to a tragic - but not unpredictable - end.
With a large cast, she at times struggles to differentiate the characters. The younger ones, in particular, are distinguishable only by their sex. The elder ones are more fleshed out with failings and hopes - but the brevity of the story stops them from being realised in the same way that stories from similar eras (for example: Anne of Green Gables) have successfully realised unforgettable, dynamic characters.
Turner discusses the plot with her readers, warning them of what is to come so nothing comes as a surprise. For this reason it would make a good story to read aloud to children at night.
For adult readers, the most enjoyment comes from the values of Turner's Australia creeping into the text. It is a very rose-coloured tinted reminiscence of Australia at the turn of the century, with the children's naughtiness and their subsequent whippings tolerated and easily forgiven. I found the landscapes evocative of the dusty-country-town-to-outback childhood I was fortunate enough to share with the seven little protagonists, but a small part of this comes from my own fond memories, not just the skill of the author.
Chapters in the beginning read almost like a serial, with each chapter containing a small, self-contained little narrative with uncomplicated complications and neat resolutions that lead into the next chapter with ease. However, as the book progresses, the stories elongate and spread across multiple chapters leading to a tragic - but not unpredictable - end.
With a large cast, she at times struggles to differentiate the characters. The younger ones, in particular, are distinguishable only by their sex. The elder ones are more fleshed out with failings and hopes - but the brevity of the story stops them from being realised in the same way that stories from similar eras (for example: Anne of Green Gables) have successfully realised unforgettable, dynamic characters.
Turner discusses the plot with her readers, warning them of what is to come so nothing comes as a surprise. For this reason it would make a good story to read aloud to children at night.
For adult readers, the most enjoyment comes from the values of Turner's Australia creeping into the text. It is a very rose-coloured tinted reminiscence of Australia at the turn of the century, with the children's naughtiness and their subsequent whippings tolerated and easily forgiven. I found the landscapes evocative of the dusty-country-town-to-outback childhood I was fortunate enough to share with the seven little protagonists, but a small part of this comes from my own fond memories, not just the skill of the author.
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