Searching for Charlotte

The Fascinating Story of Australia's First Children's Author

In 1841, Australia's first children's book was published, the anonymous writer known only as 'a lady long resident in New South Wales'. The identity of the author was one of the most puzzling literary mysteries until 1981, when she was finally given a name: Charlotte Waring Atkinson. Today, her great-great-great-great-granddaughters Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell are also celebrated authors.

They grew up on stories about Charlotte's life of love, grief and violence - and her struggle to assert an independent spirit. Not only a best-selling author, she was also an early Australian artist and a pioneer in the fight for women's legal rights. In Searching for Charlotte, Kate and Belinda embark on a voyage of discovery that investigates family history, writing, motherhood, what changes and what stays the same. It is a journey that will transform everything they thought they knew about their family....

©2020 Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell (P)2021 Aurora Audio Books