Outlaw Girls is the second teen novel by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman. Their debut as a team was 2001’s Elsewhere Girls, a teen novel exploring the lives of two Australian girls living in different times. The new release, Outlaw Girls follows the same idea: a time-slip adventure, told from two perspectives at once. The novel illuminates the historical endeavours of The Kelly Gang in 1898 while focusing on Kate Kelly as one of its narrators.
Both Gale and Weetman are well accomplished Australian writers in the children’s and young adult genres. Prior to their critically acclaimed debut as a team, Elsewhere Girls, Gale was known for her Eliza Boom Diaries series and Weetman published the books The Secrets We Keep and The Secrets We Share, to name just a few. Their collaboration is proving fruitful in producing what looks like another series to be, this time with exciting stories about time travel.
Set in country Victoria, Outlaw Girls is a very Australian story retelling one of the most iconic events in our history: Ned Kelly’s battle against corrupt law enforcement at the close of the 19th century. The naughty country girl of our modern time, Ruby, befriends the famous Catherine Ada Kelly (Kate) when the latter time travels to the future following her mother’s arrest. Ruby then accidently follows Kate back to 1898 where she fits right in with the outlaw family and helps them hide from the police.
The educational adventure novel not only gives an insight into Australian history, but also explores the themes of family, friendship, loyalty and betrayal, right and wrong. Outlaw Girls is intriguing, heart-warming and cleverly written with both main characters portrayed as well rounded and growing. While very similar in many ways to start with, both Kate and Ruby evolve and change through meeting each other and experiencing each other’s time. Realising what matters most, they are both eager to return home to their family where they belong.
Outlaw Girls is a pleasure to read and a must have at any school library.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Outlaw Girls by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman is available now from Text Publishing. Grab yourself a copy from Booktopia HERE.
