''Sea Menace'' (1958) is a novel for children by Australian author
John Gunn, illustrated by Brian Keogh. It was joint winner of the
Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers in 1959.
Plot outline
At the time when
William Bligh
Vice-Admiral William Bligh (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. The mutiny on the HMS ''Bounty'' occurred in 1789 when the ship was under his command; after being set adrift i ...
was Governor of New South Wales, young Paul Harris, his cousin and uncle, journey from London to
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...
to farm in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
. Their ship founders and they are set upon by a group of desperate men.
Critical reception
A reviewer for ''
The Canberra Times
''The Canberra Times'' is a daily newspaper in Canberra, Australia, which is published by Australian Community Media. It was founded in 1926, and has changed ownership and format several times.
History
''The Canberra Times'' was launched in ...
'' found that nowhere "is there anything specially Australian about the people or the setting; except for one mention of 'eucalyptus' trees and some description of early Sydney it might all be happening anywhere. But all this matters little; the story is the important thing, and it is told in a straightforward and vigorous style that holds the interest even when the courage and skill of the two boys and their grown-up friends, and the succession of hairbreadth escapes, would otherwise seem just a little too good to be true."
"Adventure and Amusement for Youngsters", ''The Canberra Times'', 20 June 1959, p13
/ref>
See also
* 1958 in Australian literature
References
Australian children's novels
1958 novels
Children's historical novels
CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award-winning works
1958 children's books
Children's books set in Sydney
Children's books set in the 1800s
{{1950s-child-hist-novel-stub