Tearaway Coach
Age 4+
Picture Books
When Fenton and his father catch the coach to Geelong, they have no idea that their driver of the team of powerful horses is the famous Edward Devine - 'Cabbage tree Ned'-or of the incredible adventure that lies ahead.
A breathless story of bushrangers, danger, daring and escape as Fen finds himself holding the reins of the tearaway coach.
Creators
Neridah McMullin lives in the city, but is a country girl at heart. She loves history and true stories. An author of seven books for children, Neridah is also an award winning short story writer and poet. Her latest picture book, published by Allen & Unwin in 2016, ‘Fabish: the horse that braved a Bushfire’ is a true story set in the Black Saturday Bushfires in 2009. It was shortlisted for the CBCA 2017 ‘Book of the Year’ in the Eve Pownall Award. Neridah loves cricket, footy, birdwatching, walking her dog and meeting other people’s dogs.
Andrew McLean grew up in the Victorian country town of Bairnsdale. He trained as a painter and teacher, and taught in secondary schools before becoming a lecturer in painting and drawing at Caulfield Institute of Technology. He has been a full-time artist now for more than thirty years. Andrew and his wife Janet have created many picture books together, and Andrew also illustrates books written by other authors. Many of his books have been award winners: he has won the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award three times.
Reviews
This new book from Neridah McMullin, exploring the thrills and terror of riding on a coach in the nineteenth century and the dangers that come with it. The story, shown through Fenton’s eyes and experiences, is high stakes and exciting, taking readers aged four and over on an epic journey in a mode of transport that many readers will never have seen or heard of before, and in doing so, Neridah has brought history to life again.
Ashleigh Meikle
This is a near-perfect picture book with a rollicking story of a Cobb & Co coach journey told in a most engaging way, and outstanding illustrations that provide a convincing picture of the 1850s and the speed and beauty of the horses… As always with Walker Books, the design and attention to detail is impressive.
Reading Time
Informative and eventful, this historical journey brings to life a different way to travel.
Magpies
