This month Sarah Luke joins us to discuss her first children’s book, Marion and the Forty Thieves. Based on the real-life Marion Neitenstein, this ‘faction’ novel for children aged 8–12 offers an immersive and historically accurate experience of an unusual nineteenth-century school for neglected boys.

Marion’s life is anything but ordinary. She’s the daughter of the principal, Captain Neitenstein, and the only girl aboard his magnificent floating boys’ school, anchored permanently in Sydney Harbour in the late 1800s. Her best friend has left for France and now it’s just her and this ship full of ragtag schoolboys. One night, Marion discovers a new student, Alexander Walker, escaping the ship to meet up with his vicious gang, the Forty Thieves. Marion bravely follows Walker into the frightening world of The Rocks to investigate ... What are the Forty Thieves up to and will Marion be able to stop them before it’s too late?

Sarah Luke is a teacher and historian. She likes researching archives, finding information about people from the past, and writing non-fiction books about them. She also writes historical fiction stories inspired by the people who are like ghosts in the archives, so they have a chance to be remembered. Sarah likes exploring old places in Sydney — particularly sandstone palaces and mossy, dark graveyards. Marion and the Forty Thieves is her first children’s book.