Next time you see a $20 note check out the sweet old lady on it; she was a convict! As an introduction to a host of historical figures & events, M is For Mutiny engages with its unsentimental and, at times, tongue in cheek, representation of Australia’s invasion by the British. The birth of the white man’s Oz is dramatically portrayed by the artist Bern Emmerichs; he richly captures the excitement and narrative of some of our most important historical episodes.

This is a vibrant alphabet that will whet the appetite for more exploring and research for children (particularly for middle to upper grade at school). I hope subsequent editions will add an index to what is otherwise a distinctive book for 8 to 12 year olds.

Alexa Dretzke is the assistant manager and children’s book buyer at Readings Hawthorn.