Red Read doesn't set out to find trouble, but trouble sure has a way of findinghim. Expelled from school, he is whisked off by Captain Black Bowen, one ofthe most infamous smugglers ever to ply the coast of northern Australia inthe early years of the twentieth century. Together they battle demon storms,crazed pirates and killer diseases while hunting down a great lost treasure.Non-stop action, adventure and excitement!

Jack's family is based on Rottnest Island during WWII while his father helps build an airfield. Jack and his best friend Banjo have the run of the island and a remarkable knack for getting into trouble — but as Jack says, 'I'm not that bad, I just get caught a lot!' Dafty, a simple but loveable young boy, dotes on Banjo and Jack. When Dafty seeks revenge against the local schoolmaster for a punishment inflicted on Banjo, life suddenly becomes more serious. This poignant, multi-layered text offers young readers a valuable insight into life in Australia during the war.

Red Read's life takes a surprising – and alarming – turn when his mother sells him to an infamous smuggler plying his trade off the north-west coast of Australia in the closing days of the 19th century. From terrifying encounters with cut-throat pirates to battling the forces of nature in a tropical typhoon, from dining with head-hunting guerrillas to making meals of monkey stew, Red is in for a hair-raising adventure that may cost him his life.