Author(s): Greg Bastian

9-12 Years Middle Readers

A fascinating story of the goldfields - the hardships, injustices, and triumphs of the human spirit. In the mid-1850s, Australia is in the grips of Gold Fever. Muji and her older brother Dong-il, two Korean children, who have been abducted from their homeland, are working on the goldfields to save for a passage home. Sam and his father, Mister Bill, are also trying their luck on the goldfields in order to create a better life for their family. Both parties are eking out a living and then disaster strikes ... In the stealth of night, a group of men raid the celestial camp destroying everything. Sam and his father, who have been visiting the camp of Muji and Dong-il on the night of the raid fall victims to their fellow Europeans' hostility. Sam is appalled with this behaviour and helps Muji and Dong-il to safety, but he wants to do more. It is the puppy, Ah-Poo, that comes to everyone's rescue when gold dust is discovered in his fur. Sam must race to find his two friends, who have left the goldfields and convince them to come back and stake a claim. He must also convince his father that unity between the Celestials and Europeans is possible, if not for all, at least for them.