''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
William Bligh (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was a Vice-admiral (Royal Navy), Royal Navy vice-admiral and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New South Wales from 1806 to 1808. He is best known for his role in the Muti ...
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 States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
to farm in
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
. 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 1 ...
'' 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 Australian 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
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