The Black Snake
Ned Kelly was a thief, a bank robber and a murderer. He was in trouble with the law from the age of 12. He stole hundreds of horses and cattle. He robbed two banks. He killed three men. Yet, when Ned was sentenced to death, thousands of people rallied to save his life. He stood up to the authorities and fought for what he believed in. He defended the rights of people who had no power.
Was he a villain? Or a hero? What do you think?
Black Snake tells the story of the short but amazing life of Ned Kelly, Australia's most famous bushranger. Although this book is non-fiction, each chapter begins with a short piece of fiction. These fictional pieces look at Ned from the point of view of different people: some who loved him, some who hated him; some who admired him, some who thought he was a monster.
Children's Book Council of Australia Awards Nominee for Eve Pownall Award for Information Books (2003)
About the Drum Series
Books in series order
- 1.The Black Snake(2002)
- 2.Alexander the Great(2004)
- 3.Scarecrow Army(2005)
- 4.Joan of Arc(2006)
- 5.Red Haze(2006)
- 6.Mary Bryant(2007)
- 7.The Kokoda Track(2007)
- 8.Fly a Rebel Flag(2007)
- 9.The Games(2008)
- 10.The Long Patrol(2008)
- 11.Shakespeare: The Most Famous Man in London(2009)
- 12.The Death: The Horror of the Black Plague(2009)
- 13.Creforce: The Anzacs and the Battle of Crete(2010)
- 14.Closets Are For Clothes(2010)
- 15.Fromelles(2011)
- 16.Atmospheric: The Burning Story of Climate Change(2015)
Reading age: 12+ years
The Drum series combines first-person accounts and non-fiction to bring history roaring to life. The points of history are quite diverse in subject and time-period, ranging from historical figures such as Alexander the Great and Joan of Arc, sobering battles of the First and Second World Wars and Vietnam, to a lighter account of the highs and lows of the modern Olympic Games. These historical accounts are well-researched and written to be quickly engaging.