The year is 1836 in dirty, crowded London. Thomas and his little brother Jem are unfairly accused and banished to a boy's prison in Australia. Can they escape and find their way home? When Thomas and his little brother, Jem, are unfairly accused of petty theft, they're afraid they'll never see their mother again. The boys are banished to a boy's prison in Australia--a place so far from home it's nearly impossible to imagine. Together, they must survive a harsh journey by ship across the ocean to a remote island prison compound. Conditions are terrible and their overseers are mean. When Jem becomes ill and is threatened by bullies, Thomas must protect his little brother. Against all odds, he must find a way to get them both home. But the prison is surrounded by ocean filled with sharks, and the bushland is filled with strange animals and bandits. How will they ever escape? Based on true facts about the 1800's Point Puer boy's prison in Tasmania. Bonus: Includes a map to help readers plot the boys' journey. - Black and white illustrations bring each chapter to life. This is the 12th children's book in the I Escaped Series about brave girls and boys who face real-world challenges and find ways to escape disaster. Sure to appeal to fans of Escape from Alcatraz by Eric Mark Braun, New York Times Bestseller Lauren Tarshis's I Survived Series , The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton, and Where Is Alcatraz (Where Is Series). The short chapters make for easy wins, and Thomas's gripping situation keeps even reluctant readers turning pages just to find out what will happen next. Great for kids' book clubs and classrooms--a study guide is available at https: //scottpetersbooks.com/worksheets Packed with a special section on facts about Tasmania's Point Puer boy's prison that's sure to satisfy curious minds. Flesch Reading Ease: 85.6 - Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 3.2 An essential, relevant read about bravery, kindness, and courage. Collect the whole I Escaped Series. "a must for every reading list" Can the brothers survive disaster? Read it and find out! Scott Peters has always been fascinated by history. Scott writes adventures for middle-graders who love to explore the world. In addition to writing, the author has created over 300 museum, science center and theme park installations for such places as the SMITHSONIAN, WALT DISNEY WORLD, PARAMOUNT PICTURES, and the WASHINGTON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. Peters also helped design an interactive TV show for the NICKELODEON CHANNEL. Born In Australia, Juliet Fry received her BA (English Literature) from Waikato University of Hamilton, New Zealand and her Masters Degree (Applied Linguistics) from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Her thesis was on how children learn vocabulary from high interest literature. Juliet taught fourth grade in Boston, Massachusetts, high school English in California and was a Lecturer in Composition in New Jersey. She also worked as an elementary school librarian in California.