The River Kings

Max Fatchen

PB 144 PP 198 x 130 1862546630 $16.95 Children’s EAN 9781862546639 Wakefield Press November 2004

‘Shawn’s head thumped like the paddle-wheels and the burn on his forehead throbbed painfully. The ropes were tight and cut his hands. The river slid by with a cool swish, and on the deck above the red-bearded man strolled out of the wheelhouse to the railing outside.’

Shawn runs away from home to join Captain Elijah on the Lazy Jane, an old river-boat trading on the River Murray in Australia at the turn of the century. But he finds that life aboard is tough and the Captain has enemies – particularly Red Morgan, the fearful red-bearded river pirate . . .

‘The characters are alive, the action intense, the style sinewy.’ – English School Librarian

Max Fatchen’s novels for children have been published across the world, and The River Kings was turned into a television mini-series. His poetry books have been bestsellers, and his poems much anthologised. For generations of South Australians, brought up on his intriguing, gently subversive daily columns and verse, Max has been the scribe of suburbia.

By the same author:

Songs for My Dog and Other Wry Rhymes

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