Mary's Australia: How Mary McKillop changed Australia by Pamela Freeman
Black Dog Books, 2014. ISBN 9781922077905.
(Age: 9+) The lifespan of Mary McKillop coincided with a period of
transformation in the Australian colonies. Pamela Freeman has asked
how Australia changed during that time and to what extent the
subject of her book contributed to that change.
The result is two narratives in one - the story of colonies that
united to form one nation, and the story of a woman with a passion
for teaching, who was determined to ensure that children from poor
families had access to education. Readers can follow Mary's life
story alongside the events of her era. The inclusive and
wide-ranging depiction of colonial society provides details of daily
life, as well as accounts of the social, political and economic
upheavals that helped to shape Mary's experiences. The author's
balanced and thoughtful approach to the writing of history ensures
that readers will learn much from her brief overviews of the issues
that emerged during Australia's development. Her focus on the lives
of children and the limited opportunities available to
underprivileged people, explains not only the social issues that
motivated a young governess to found a teaching order, but also the
significance of Mary McKillop's educational reforms.
Photographs, cartoons and illustrations on every page provide
further insights into colonial life. They are generously sized and
clearly captioned. The use of double columns and a small font are
common in history books but younger readers may find this format
challenging. Population statistics, an index and a limited glossary
are useful.
Mary's Australia will meet the needs of readers who want to know
only about Mary McKillop's life and achievements. However, Pamela
Freeman has succeeded in presenting her biography as part of a
larger canvas - the growth, discoveries, setbacks and social reforms
of an extraordinary era in Australian history.
Elizabeth Bor