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    A Bunch of Battlers
    A Bunch of Battlers
    A Bunch of Battlers
    Ebook84 pages41 minutes

    A Bunch of Battlers

    By Kylie Reynolds

    5/5

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    About this ebook

    When Peter (14), Robyn (11) and Billy (5) are left without parents or guardians, the Child Welfare Department take charge of them. The Department have a plan for the children’s future, but the children have their own plans. With the resourcefulness typical of Australian bush kids, they manage to “fly beneath the radar” of the authorities in such a way that they are never identified as missing. The children pack their gear on bicycles and travel the far outback regions of Australia looking for a home where they can live together. The young writer based most of the events on her own experiences. This is a fast moving story with plenty of humor.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMulga Mob Publishing
    Release dateJul 2, 2011
    ISBN9781466032613
    Author

    Kylie Reynolds

    Kylie was a bush kid from the far outback of Australia. She loved riding her bicycle on the long distance camping trips - often of several weeks duration that took us to the next job.. She loved writing stories she could share with other children. Kylie did her schooling by correspondence (distance education). On our trips (bikes being our only transport by the way) she did her lessons sitting under any convenient shady shrub or tree or by firelight. Several times during the long summer school holidays we made camp in a city and Kylie would get a newspaper delivery round - filling in for some kid who was on holidays. She enjoyed joining in the free school holiday programs run for kids in the high rise flats. Kylie wrote “A Bunch of Battlers” based on her experiences in the bush and in the city.“Trekking To The Sunset”, “Rascal” and “Flashing Pedals” are fiction based on actual happenings in her life. When Kylie developed a fatal illness she showed great courage, always thinking of others. Kylie asked that I try to get her stories published so other children could enjoy them. On her website (http://www.mulgatraining.com.au/littlebanjo/) Kylie wrote of “my musings on life, God, poems, ponderings, & thinkings..” Kylie's Mum

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    Reviews for A Bunch of Battlers

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    • 5/5
      A story to warm the heart. The children are typical Australian bush kids who show resilience, initiative, thoughtfulness, and a strong bond of love for each other. This is a story for all the family.
    • 5/5
      When three children are left without parents or guardians, the Child Welfare Department take charge of them. The Department have a plan for the children’s future. The children are quite unhappy with the plan and set about finding a way out of the dilemma. With the resourcefulness typical of Australian bush kids, they plan and carry out a course of action that enables them to “fly beneath the radar” of the authorities in such a way that they are never identified as missing. The children pack their gear on bicycles and travel the far outback regions of Australia looking for a home where they can live together. Based loosely on events that actually happened to the author, the dialogue and descriptions ring true. The reader is quickly drawn into the story and soon feels that they know Peter, Robyn and Billy very well. Sharing their fears, joys, adventures and challenges, the reader experiences all the emotions. This is a story that appeals to all ages – one that is hard to put down and one to reread over and over.

    Book preview

    A Bunch of Battlers - Kylie Reynolds

    A Bunch of Battlers

    By Kylie Reynolds

    Copyright 2011 Kylie Reynolds

    Smashwords Edition

    This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

    What others are saying about

    A Bunch of Battlers

    D. Morris says I just want to say, this is one of the best stories, I have read in my whole life. I read the whole story, in one sitting, because I could not stop till it was over. I wish it could have gone on longer, but the ending was the best. It brought tears to my eyes, it made my heart fill with joy,. I give this book a AAA . ...I would like to say, Thank You, to the author & you can take me on another cross-country journey, anytime you want to. You have made it into my Hall of Fame!!!

    R Jess says, I loved this book - so did my children. The story is so real that you feel you know Peter, Robyn and Billy well. Billy is such a cute little boy with all his funny sayings. I would say to anyone who is looking for a story for the whole family, don't miss this one!

    J. Miles says My grandson and I thoroughly enjoyed this book

    Chapter 1 - On the Track

    ‘’Clicketty clack’’ ‘’Clicketty clack’’ ‘’Going to Sydney’’ ‘’Going to Sydney’’.

    The train wheels were talking to Billy-telling him something he didn’t really want to know. For all of his five years he had known only life in a remote Gippsland valley. He knew nothing of Sydney except that he did NOT want to go there!

    He clutched his teddy bear defiantly and glared as he remembered the photographs he’d been shown, photos of children in neat school uniforms-boys in ties, blazers, long socks, straw boaters and shoes! Photos of tall buildings crowded together; crowded together on streets crowded with traffic and people. Even the photos of Sydney harbour had not pleased him-he knew about sharks!

    Billy looked quickly at his brother and sister but they weren’t taking any notice of him. Peter was reading the paper and Robyn stared out the window.

    Billy’s eyes smarted with tears as he thought of his beloved creek in the foothills behind his grandparents’ house. It was his favourite place. He would spend hours sitting on the tiny footbridge looking into the water and talking to the frogs.

    ‘’Going to Sydney’’, ‘’Going to Sydney’’.sang the wheels mockingly.

    We’re not going Ted, mumbled Billy. Suddenly the train wheels changed their song to ‘’Running away’’; ‘’Running away’’

    The little boy snuggled further into the corner seat and shutting his eyes he began to plan his escape. In a few minutes he was fast asleep.

    Eleven year old Robyn glanced at Billy and smiled at the blonde-haired child. He looked such a baby and so easily hurt. She reminded herself of the great responsibility that was now hers-to be both mother and sister to him, and hoped she could do the job.

    The events of the last month had left Robyn stunned. Since Billy was three months old the children had lived with their only grand-parents. Their parents had died in a car crash, and Robyn scarcely remembered them. There had been little money but lots of happiness in their home in the tiny valley. Peter and Robyn rode their bikes each day over dirt tracks six kilometres to the school. Billy was due to join them after these summer holidays. But then the dreadful thing had happened.

    A bout of Sars influenza had swept the district. The grand-parents became very ill and were put into hospital, where they died of pneumonia a few days later. The local authorities had located some distant relatives who would take the children. Neither the children nor the relatives, who lived in one of Sydney’s ‘better’ suburbs, were very keen on the arrangement. Robyn just knew she could never cope in the big city.

    Peter had a plan. He’d been quietly working on it for several days, but he did not want to tell the others. He didn’t want them to be disappointed. Also he did not want the child welfare officer to get even a slight suspicion of the plan, or it would certainly

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