1. Biography
2. Bravery
3. Compassion
4. Courage
5. Endpapers
6. Goldmining
7. History
8. Human rights
9. Mental health
10. Migration
11. Orphans
12. Schools
13. Soldiers
14. Women

This 32-page picture book biography traces key periods in the life of Caroline Chisholm, a pioneering philanthropist who, in 1994, was posthumously awarded the Order of Australia.

The book opens in the early-1800s with Caroline’s birth into a wealthy family in Northampton, England. Subsequent pages recount her marriage to an army captain, their move to Madras, India, and then to Australia.

Caroline’s strong sense of compassion is woven into every chapter of her life. As a young girl, she helps the old, poor and destitute. She agrees to marry her husband on the condition that she continue helping those in need. In Madras, she sets up a school to help soldiers’ children and takes on the role of their teacher and carer. On moving to Sydney, she takes young migrant women off the street and into her own home, then sets up a more formal establishment for them. Later, in Melbourne she organises shelters for families and individuals flocking to the Victorian gold fields.

Her determination to secure a future for those in need sees her approach high ranking government officials in Australia and, at one point, return to England to rally people of influence and wealth. It also sees her found a colonisation scheme that provides funds for women and children to sail to Australia.

As well as providing insights into Caroline Chisholm’s remarkable work, the book also focuses on her personal life. Readers will learn of her marriage, the birth of her children, her husband’s illness, her own ill health and death in poverty.

Her pioneering achievements are highlighted in a heartfelt afterword, which is followed by a timeline that provides a summary of the key events covered in the book.

In a broader context, this picture book takes readers back to a fascinating period in Australian history. The concise third-person narrative is filled with interesting facts about the time. The magnificent illustrations – a combination of acrylic paintings and pen and ink sketches of people and places – have an old-fashioned feel that is completely in keeping with the era. The evocative endpapers capture the Australian landscape and people during this time. Caroline Chisholm’s achievements are briefly listed at the conclusion of the book.

1. Australian Dictionary of Biography. ‘Caroline Chisholm’ by Judith Iltis. https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/chisholm-caroline-1894
2. Scholastic Teaching Notes. ‘Caroline.’ https://resource.scholastic.com.au/ResourceFiles/100126239_113717.pdf
3. Reading Time Australia 29 May 2024 review by Julie Deane of ‘Caroline’. https://readingtime.com.au/caroline/
4. Mark Wilson https://marklwilson.com.au/
5. Australian Geographic. 15 May 2024. ‘Defining Moments in Australian History: Assisted migration’. https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2024/05/assisted-migration/
6. Behind the News. ‘Gold Rush’. https://youtu.be/OCXCmzdjf6M?si=Y8i6PsbjW99bFWEh
7. CBC Kids News. CBC Radio Canada (video clip) ‘Explaining compassion for kids during Mental Health Week’. https://youtu.be/J73FT8kaEbQ?si=6YRVeIzBle8etiY-