A Waltz for Matilda (The Matilda Saga, #1)

Jackie French

Dec 2010 · The Matilda Saga Book 1 · Sold by HarperCollins Australia

About this ebook

The story behind Banjo Paterson's iconic Australian song.

'Once a jolly swagman camped by a Billabong
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree
And he sang as he watched and waited till his Billy boiled
You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me...'

In 1894, twelve-year-old Matilda flees the city slums to find her unknown father and his farm. But drought grips the land, and the shearers are on strike. Her father has turned swaggie and he's wanted by the troopers. In front of his terrified daughter, he makes a stand against them, defiant to the last. 'You'll never catch me alive, said he...'

Set against a backdrop of bushfire, flood, war and jubilation, this is the story of one girl's journey towards independence. It is also the story of others who had no vote and very little but their dreams.

Drawing on the well-known poem by A.B. Paterson and from events rooted in actual history, this is the untold story behind Australia's early years as an emerging nation.

PRAISE

'Jackie French has a passion for history, and an enviable ability to weave the fascinating minutiae of everyday life into a good story.' -- Magpies Magazine

Ratings and reviews

This book really does carry you on an amazing journey of a 12 year-old. The way Jackie French incorporates the song 'Waltz for Matilda' in to the book is amazing. I Love this book!😍💕❤

Great start to the saga! It teachs you many things that you wouldn't know till you have read the book. It shows how loving Matilda is to all people.

not what I wanted ohh and it's also boring yeh so I wanted Matilda from the MOVIE and not what it got no pics no nothing just boring and bad bad bad 😔

About the author

Jackie French AM is an award-winning writer, wombat negotiator, the 2014–2015 Australian Children's Laureate and the 2015 Senior Australian of the Year. In 2016 Jackie became a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution to children's literature and her advocacy for youth literacy. 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 for a variety of age groups. ‘A book can change a child's life. A book can change the world' was the primary philosophy behind Jackie's two-year term as Laureate. jackiefrench.com facebook.com/authorjackiefrench