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  By J. M. WHITFELD

  Tom who was Rachel

  A Story of Australian Life. Illustrated in Colour by N. TENISON.

  This is a story of Colonial life by an author who is new to Englishreaders. In writing about Australia Miss Whitfeld is, in a very literalsense, at home; and no one can read her book without coming to theconclusion that she is equally so in drawing pen portraits of children.Her work possesses all the vigour and freshness that one usuallyassociates with the Colonies, and at the same time preserves the besttraditions of Louisa Alcott. In "Tom who was Rachel" the author hasdescribed a large family of children living on an up-country station;and the story presents a faithful picture of the everyday life of thebush. Rachel (otherwise Miss Thompson, abbreviated to "Miss Tom,"afterwards to "Tom") is the children's step-sister; and it is herinfluence for good over the wilder elements in their nature thatprovides the real motive of a story for which all English boys and girlswill feel grateful.

  Gladys and Jack

  An Australian Story for Girls. Coloured Illustrations by N. TENISON.

  Gladys and Jack are sister and brother, and, up to the point when thestory opens, they have been the best of friends. Then, however, certaininfluences begin to work in the mind of Gladys, as the result of which acoolness springs up between her and her brother. Gladys puts on asuperior air, and adopts a severely proper attitude towards Jack.Gladys has been in society, has come to be regarded as a beauty, and hasbeen made a fuss of; consequently she becomes self-conscious. She goesto spend a holiday up-country, and here, too, her icily-regular line ofconduct seems bound to bring her into conflict with herfree-and-easy-going cousins. After some trying experiences, Gladysfinds herself In a position which enables her, for the time being, toforget her own troubles, and exert all her strength on behalf of therest. She comes worthily through the ordeal, earns the affection of hercousins, and Jack rejoices in the recovery of a lost sister.

  "We have a large number of characters all clearly differentiated, plentyof incident, and much sparkling dialogue."--_Morning Post_.

  The Colters

  An Australian Story for Girls. Illustrated in Colour by GEORGE SOPER.

  This book deals with a merry family of Australian boys and girls. Thereare a good many of them, and to each one Miss Whitfeld has imparted adistinct individuality. There is Hector, the eldest, manly andstraightforward, and Matt, the plain-spoken, his younger brother. Ruby,quiet and gentle, with an aptitude for versifying, is well contrastedwith her headstrong, impulsive cousin Effie. The author seizes upon theeveryday occurrences of domestic life, turning them to good account; andshe draws a charming picture of a family, united in heart, whilediffering very much in habit and temperament.