Race To Wallaby Bay

Patrick groaned quietly. What could be worse than this?
“I… ah… sold a half share in the vessel a time back. Money for repairs…”

“Oh.” Their father sighed with relief. “Is that all?”

The Old Man shook his head but would not look at them. He studied the darkening shape of the Lady Elisabeth, as Patrick had done. “No, it’s not all. I agreed to deliver the boat to the new investor in Goolwa by the end of the month or lose the other half.”

“Or what?” thundered Mc. McWaid. “You’re telling me that you lose the entire boat if we don’t raise it up now and scoot all the way down the river by the end of the month? That’s thirty days! It can’t be done!” insisted Mr. McWaid, pacing back and forth in their camp. “We could be pumping here day and night and still not… Well it’s going to take weeks just to refloat the beast. And how are we going to patch the hole in the side?”

Book: Race to Wallaby Bay (Adventures Down Under #5) by Robert Elmer, Bethany House Publishers, 1998

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Boys 12-16

Subjects: Forgiveness, Helpfulness

Summary: He runs into trouble and never mind that he abandoned the family, he sends out the order and expects Patrick and his family to drop what they’re doing and run to the rescue. So that’s exactly what they do. Patrick’s Grandpa, or “The Old Man” as some call him, has a riverboat that has slightly sunk. Their Grandpa only has thirty days to get it raised, all the water pumped out, and the boat running again before losing it entirely. And being named after his dead wife, The Old Man feels he can’t just leave the boat. He has to give it his all. Patrick, his siblings, his parents and his two friends hop on board as the crew and begin the race against time to Wallaby Bay, encountering thieves, gamblers, and enemies in disguise, all threatening to slow them down. The task certainly seems impossible!

Notes: Race To Wallaby Bay is the fifth in the Adventures Down Under series. The books tell the story of Patrick, his sister and his little brother as they face the challenges of trying to survive in Australia shortly after it was being settled as a prison colony. The author found many of the adventures someone living there at that time would have faced and has Patrick, his family and his friends encounter them all throughout the course of the series.

This book focuses on the adventures that can be found on a riverboat. The author included elements on historical people, places and events. The note at the end of the book gives the true facts on these. The spiritual element Patrick wrestles with in this book is forgiveness. He doesn’t want to forgive The Old Man for abandoning his father, for being demanding and gruff with all of them now, for dragging them into this dangerous situation. Holding a grudge seems like a good idea – right up until the very end when his grandfather himself is the one to point Patrick back to God.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 3/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.