30 Oct 2023
An illustration from 'Amazing Grace and the Sinking Ship' of four people riding a horse through waves away from a sinking ship.
Illustration from 'Amazing Grace and the Sinking Ship', a story from 'Courageous Kids'

Courageous Kids and Their Amazing Adventures by Stephanie Owen Reeder and Liz Duthie

From a forgotten circus star to the 1,000km solo journey completed by a 9-year-old boy, be inspired and amazed by the stories of incredible young people who helped shape Australian history. 

Courageous Kids and Their Amazing Adventures brings together 5 original stories and 2 brand new ones from Stephanie Owen Reeder’s Heritage Heroes series, published by NLA Publishing. Liz Duthie's illustrations also provide young readers with a visual springboard for imagining the story and picturing themselves as these courageous young people. 

The stories celebrate the incredible survival, persistence, and resilience of young people, and are a must read for those who want to learn about their country’s history. 

The book includes:

• Brave Bee and the Castaway Kids

• Will the Wonderkid and the Elusive Treasure

• Amazing Grace and the Sinking Ship

• Lennie the Legend and the Remarkable Ride

• Marvellous Miss May and the Wondrous Circus

• Clever Quong Tart and the New Gold Mountain

• Valiant Jane and the Disappearing Trail

This new format is designed for self-led reading, and each story contains fast facts and historical information. 

Courageous Kids and Their Amazing Adventures will be released in November 2023.

About the author 

Described as ‘The Story Whisperer’ for her ability to discover and bring to life amazing true stories from Australia’s past, Dr Stephanie Owen Reeder is a Canberra-based author, illustrator, editor and reviewer. Stephanie writes and illustrates books for both children and adults, as well as reviewing children’s books.

About the illustrator 

Liz Duthie is an internationally published children’s book illustrator and visual artist based in Castlemaine, Victoria / Djaara. Her first non-fiction children’s book, Wombat by Christopher Cheng, won the CBCA Eve Pownall Award in 2022. Liz’s hand-drawn style expresses humour, emotion and movement, using traditional mediums.

Additional Information 

Courageous Kids book cover featuring illustrations of the 7 courageous kids surrounding the book title in the centre of the image enclosed in a blue circle.

Images for media use are available for download via Dropbox.

Contact

Georgia McDonald, Media Liaison, National Library of Australia

M: 0401 226 697

E: media@nla.gov.au

The National Library of Australia acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples – the First Australians – as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders – past and present – and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cultural Notification

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website contains a range of material which may be considered culturally sensitive including the records of people who have passed away.

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