Escape From Botany Bay

by Gerald Hausman, Loretta Hausman

Overview

Condemned to a penal colony in Australia for stealing a woman's bonnet,
young Mary Bryant braves every danger in Britain's newest colony,
Australia -- disease, famine, rape, and the cruelty of the penal system.
As the first convict married in Australia, Mary and her husband Will
learn from aboriginal friends how to survive. In time they also learn how to escape. Traveling three months and three thousand miles, Mary's courageous feat is yet unequaled by a woman with two young children traversing rough seas for so many miles in an open boat without training or navigational equipment. Mary's capture, return to England and the curious trial that determines if she lives or dies is filled with drama, and all the more interesting for the portrait of her real-life attorney, James Boswell.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940013021136
Publisher:	Irie Books
Publication date:	09/04/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	191
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

GERALD HAUSMAN and LORETTA HAUSMAN spent 22 years in the Southwest during which time Gerald translated stories with his Navajo artist friend, Jay DeGroat. Some of these tales, like The Turquoise Horse, have been used in anthologies and school programs for three decades. Gerald has spoken on the History Channel, NPR’s All Things Considered, and Pacifica Broadcasting. The New York Times Book Review called his collection of mythology Tunkashila “An eloquent tribute to the first great storytellers of America.” In 1986, Gerald and Loretta founded the Blue Harbour School for Creative Writing in Jamaica, West Indies and operated it as an accredited summer school until the mid-nineties. After moving to Florida in 1994, the Hausmans continued to do writing workshops throughout the United States. During this time Gerald was awarded an Aesop Accolade Award from the American Folklore Society. Other books that he wrote with his wife Loretta have received honors from the American Bookseller, Children’s Protective Services, Bank Street College of Education, the National Council of Social Studies, the International Reading Association, Parent’s Choice and The New York Public Library. Their more than 70 books have been published in a dozen languages and have made them popular speakers at festivals and colleges. Presently they are part owners of a publishing company dedicated to finding new writing. Gerald says, "As editors, Loretta and I have always been passionate about helping other writers. Over the years we have helped many authors find their voice and get into print with established publishing houses. But more than that, we never lose sight of the fact that writing like life is a joyous expression, a gift that makes each day a transcendent treasure freshly opened to eye and ear."

Editorial Reviews

"a successful combination of fictional narrative based on a real person and well-researched facts. Sentenced to hang for stealing a lady's bonnet in 1786, 19-year-old Mary becomes a remarkable survivor...a riveting adventure for fans of historical fiction."

School Library Journal - School Journal

"This book is a page turner."

Parent's Choice Magazine - Parent's Choice

"The hausmans use a vivid first person narrative to unfold Mary's incrdible story...a facinating, credible protagonist that readers will like and remember."

Booklist - Book List