Tommy Bell is a young boy who has found an old
bushranger’s hat. When he puts it on he’s transported back in time 150 years to
the Bushranger era. Now whenever he wants an adventure, all he has to do is don
the hat and back he goes.
Book
5 - Gang of Thieves finds Tommy Bell at school camp which he sees as
both good and bad. The worst is Mr Porter, who is mean and nasty, with never anything
kind to say to anyone. The camp is at Young, formerly known as Lambing Flat,
the early gold mining town.
The children are there to pan for gold. But when
Francis, whose family is in desperate need of money finds a nugget, Mr Porter
takes it from him as punishment, claiming they had panned out of bounds. Tommy
and his friends are determined to fight Mr Porter’s decision and get Francis
his gold back.
Meanwhile, Tommy is off on one of his adventures
thanks to the bushranger’s hat. He travels back to a camp site where Ben Hall
sits. Tommy likes Ben even though he knows that good people do bad things.
Tommy finds himself with Ben’s gang on raids and
robberies. During this time, he again witnesses the cruelty and
hard-heartedness of the policemen, as they burn down Ben’s girlfriend’s hut for
revenge. He acknowledges that outlaws are hunted and jailed, but never given
the opportunity to reform.
In Book 6 - Mrs
Thunderbolt, Tommy is at Pony Camp with his beloved horse Combo. When separated
from the rest of his group due to his constant daydreaming, he decides to put
on the hat and enjoy an adventure. He comes across Mrs Mary Ann Thunderbolt, wife
of the bushranger Captain Thunderbolt (real name Fred Ward) and her two young
daughters. Although pregnant, this is no obstacle to the policeman who arrests
her for receiving stolen goods. But Mary Ann is clever. She pretends to go into labour and is left at
a farmhouse under guard.
Tommy finds himself with Thunderbolt and his gang
in several situations where they take what they want with guns and a simple bail up! He learns that many bushrangers
live for the excitement and daring that comes with their lifestyle; that they mostly
steal but never kill. The others are simply bad through and through.
At the end of every book in the series there are historical/biographical
details about the main character and a Q&A with them, where we hear their
side of the story.
This series delivers the Australian Bushranger
history to young readers through adventures and dilemmas that Tommy faces when
he dons the hat and keeps company with the bad guys. This is a terrific series
for reluctant readers. Although aimed mainly at boys, girls will also enjoy the
excitement and freedom that is reflected in the stories, as women also played a
big part in Bushranger history.
Title:
Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy Book 5: Gang of Thieves/ Book 6: Mrs
Thunderbolt
Author:
Jane Smith
Illustrator:
Pat Kan
Publisher:
Big Sky Publishing, $12.50
Publication
Date: April 2018
Format:
Paperback
ISBN:
9781925675238
For
ages: 8+
Type: Junior Fiction
