The Ship That Never Was: The Greatest Escape Story Of Australian Colonial History
| Author: | Courtenay, Adam |
| Publisher: | ABC Books |
| ISBN: | 9781460708842, Related ISBNs: 1460708849, 9780733338571, 9781460708842 |
| Classification: | Non-Fiction |
Synopsis
The greatest escape story of Australian colonial history by the son of Australia’s best-loved storyteller
In 1823, cockney sailor and chancer James Porter was convicted of stealing a stack of beaver furs and transported halfway around the world to Van Diemen's Land. After several escape attempts from the notorious penal colony, Porter, who told authorities he was a 'beer-machine maker', was sent to Macquarie Harbour, known in Van Diemen's Land as hell on earth.
Many had tried to escape Macquarie Harbour; few had succeeded. But when Governor George Arthur announced that the place would be closed and its prisoners moved to the new penal station of Port Arthur, Porter, along with a motley crew of other prisoners, pulled off an audacious escape. Wresting control of the ship they'd been building to transport them to their fresh hell, the escapees instead sailed all the way to Chile. What happened next is stranger than fiction, a fitting outcome for this true-life picaresque tale.
The Ship That Never Was is the entertaining and rollicking story of what is surely the greatest escape in Australian colonial history. James Porter, whose memoirs were the inspiration for Marcus Clarke's For the Term of his Natural Life, is an original Australian larrikin whose ingenuity, gift of the gab and refusal to buckle under authority make him an irresistible anti-hero who deserves a place in our history.
Expand to learn more
Collapse
- IMPROVE YOUR CHILD'S READING LEVEL IN 3 MONTHS OR LESS - GUARANTEED!
- THOUSANDS OF BOOKS & EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS MATCHED TO YOUR CHILD’S LEVEL & INTERESTS!
Why read a book on LightSail?
Clozes
Embedded quick vocabulary assessments
Contextual Action Clips
Children visually experience what they are reading
Multiple choice questions
Assesses comprehension, graded automatically
Short Response Questions
Provide children with actionable feedback
Dictionary & Synonyms
Word definitions and synonyms in multiple languages
Related Videos
Educational videos embedded in a book
LightSail is Lexile® Driven
Included in your subscription
10,000 +
Books from top publishers
1,500 +
Audiobooks with real voice narration
20,000 +
Educational videos
40,000 +
Comprehension questions for all levels
50,000 +
World Book Encyclopedia articles*
1000’s
Multimedia resources
•Maps & Timelines
•360° photos and more
All from
$9.95*
per Month
*Included in the premium subscription
WHY PARENTS LOVE
“My daughter is dyslexic and we struggle to do any reading. With Power Texts and Word-by-Word Audiobooks, she can follow along with the words visually while hearing it read aloud. Total gamechanger!“
- Jenae, Mom of 1
“It manages everything! My complete Language Arts curriculum is here, taking the pressure off of me to plan the details.
- Madeline, mom of 5
“The ChildSafe Content Controls give me peace of mind. No other website allows parents to guide what their child sees and reads like LightSail!“
- Ross, dad of 3
WHY KIDS LOVE
“Become an Author helps me write my own books and share them with my family!
I can use videos and pictures and research on LightSail. It’s so cool!“
- Mateo, 9 years old
“I love space, and, on LightSail, I can read about astronauts, watch videos on space vehicles, write a letter to NASA, and even Livestream astronauts repairing a ship!“
- Maisie, 12 years old
“Earning badges is the best! I’m working on a Reading Badge now, and I like to see what my brother earns, too!“
- Aya, 6 years old
5 STAR RATING FROM EXPERTS AND TEACHERS ALIKE ...FOR TWO YEARS RUNNING!
Common Sense Media’s Graphite site for educators praises LightSail as “a powerful platform for developing engaged readers.” Real-time assessments and feedback were especially noted in awarding LightSail Graphite’s highest honor.
In addition, LightSail is one of the most highly-reviewed literacy products on Graphite by teachers.
Learning rating
Teacher rating
Our blog
Hook Your Kids on Poetry for World Poetry Day
Posted on 17.Mar.22 in Book Recommendations
Does the thought of reading antiquated love poetry fill your kids with dread? Let’s break down the poetry barrier with verses that are accessible and engaging. With LightSail’s incredible selection of poetry for kids, there’s a poem for every reader. 1. Modern Poems If your students are worried that poetry is going to be dry […]
10 Ways to Use Author a Book with your Young Writers at Home
Posted on 17.Mar.22 in Reading at Home Tips
Are you ready to introduce your kids to Author a Book? You’ll find countless ways to foster children’s literacy development with this feature. Here are 10 suggestions to get you started. Celebrate Write Your Own Story Day (March 14) by encouraging each of your kids to brainstorm a story and write it out. Explore the […]
16 Must-Know Women from History
Posted on 15.Mar.22 in Reading at Home Tips
Women’s History Month is a time to honor notable women from all walks of life. Your students can observe the month by digging into the biographies of must-know women. Where to begin? The 16 women below are sure to make an impression on the readers in your home. 1. Maya Angelou Poet Maya Angelou experienced […]