A delightful adventure through Australian history

Paul Stafford ‘gets’ kids. He talks their kind of talk. And that is why his books are so successful and his young readers enjoy his work so much.  

I had the privilege of reading and reviewing Ned Kelly’s Helmet for Books at 60, so when this little tome arrived for review, I was excited to dig in and read it. Why? Because even as an adult reader, Paul Stafford manages to combine actual historical events with current kid speak and therefore manages to successfully engage his young audience.

Even I gained some insight into Captain Mathew Flinder’s historical circumnavigation of Australia in Captain Flinders’ Map. I find many historical events very dry going indeed, but wrap them up in a successful piece of fiction and you’ve got my attention.

The McGoogly gang are back, and they are on another mission. Having successfully completed their mission in Ned Kelly’s Helmet, they know that going back in time works – if you have the tools to do it. So when their teacher Ms Bracker finds a treasure map and buries the clue in a huge Milltown cornfield maze, she engages her class in the task of finding this elusive treasure. Like last time, Ms Bracker has her own agenda, but the children are keen to win, and so as an educational extra, they must learn the ancient art of navigation in order to find the treasure.

The McGoogly brothers are older now, and things are tough at home. Dad has lost his job and is now the family cook, and his culinary repertoire is unappetising, to say the least. Mum is working long hours and is seldom at home, so finding the treasure is a strong motivation to get the family back into the financial black.

But how can these 21st Century boys learn how to navigate? By going back to the seventeenth century and being aboard Captain Flinder’s ship the Investigator, the boys will certainly learn the art of navigation.

However, things do not go to plan. Mrs Fezzle, the elderly woman who introduced them to time travel is away while her house is being renovated, but the boys have a key, and therefore brothers Andrew, Robbie and Nigel get together with friend Frances to go back in time once again. Once again, events go off course, and so the fun and adventure begin as this rollicking adventure takes off.

The stinky bushranger Lovely O’Reilly somehow returns and becomes part of the unfolding plot as accidentally the youngest brother Nigel is transported back in time. Discovered as a stowaway by Trim, Captain Flinders enormous cat, Nigel becomes Captain Flinders cabin boy, and is now part of the team, though he has to be careful to keep his 21st Century origins hidden. And to add tension, Lovely O’Reilly is on the Investigator as well.

What follows is a funny, tight fast moving tale of all of the boys going back in time to be part of the crew. They cleverly disguise their origins and Andrew learns the art of navigation. Nigel builds a strong relationship with the cat Trim, and apart from the stale ship biscuits and the salted beef menu, the boys are happy.

However, Lovely O’Reilly is transported back to 21st Century Milltown, and finds love and shelter in a dog kennel, while plotting his revenge. This time Frances is involved in the adventure as her ancestors were slaves on the Island of Mauritius where Captain Flinders is imprisoned, and so is his cat. There is even more adventure, but I will leave that for you to discover.

Captain Flinders’ Map is a wonderful story.  The dialogue is witty, the characters are engaging and the plot gallops along.  It is a great way for children to get a handle on history. I even learned some historical events which I had previously not known about.

Being a bit of a stickler for accuracy, I was impressed by Paul Stafford’s adherence to actual historical events. What a fun way to learn about our past, and there is enough fast paced action, near misses and side-splitting humour to keep even the most disinterested kid reader engaged.

An excellent book for the young reader to ‘accidentally’ learn some history in a fun way, Captain Flinders’ Map by Paul Stafford is available from Dymocks. Click here to learn more.