Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

The Family Conspiracy

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Language
  
Media type
  
Print

Preceded by
  
The Boundary Riders

Originally published
  
1962

Genre
  
Children's literature

Illustrator
  
Margaret Horder

Publication date
  
1962

Pages
  
188pp

Followed by
  
Threat to the Barkers

Author
  
Publisher
  
Angus & Robertson

Country
  
Australia

Similar
  
Works by Joan Phipson, Other books

The Family Conspiracy (1962) is a novel for children by Australian author Joan Phipson; it was illustrated by Margaret Horder. It won the Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers in 1963.

Contents

Story outline

The Barker family run a sheep farm in the Central West of New South Wales. When Mrs Barker is diagnosed with a medical condition that requires hospitalisation the family children create a "conspiracy" to raise the money required for her treatment.

Critical reception

Writing in The Canberra Times a reviewer was impressed by the characterisation of the children: "These are no juvenile prodigies, outsmarting adults at every turn; they are very real people, combining childish strength and faults, and their actions are entirely credible. There is a great deal more that could be said in praise of this book; of its unassuming but faithful picture of the Australian country, and of the people who help give it character; of its patches of breathless adventure; and of the competent way in which characters and plot are welded together."

Awards

  • 1963 - winner Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers
  • References

    The Family Conspiracy Wikipedia


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