Robert Runs

Winner of the Daisy Utemorrah Award 2022

Age range 12+

Compulsory reading for early teens and young adults. Based on true events, this gripping thriller sheds light on the brutalities of the past whilst championing the heroes who survived.

Robert Runs is a fast-paced thriller based on the author's great-great grandfather, Robert 'Goupong' Anderson, who was once the fastest man in Australia and world-record holder. Goupong, his little sister Dot, and his best friend Jonathan belong to the Ugarapul people, the Green Tree Frog tribe, and live with their families and others within the harsh confines of the Deebing Creek Mission - a place run by the malevolent Boss Man.

Goupong and Jonathan are focused on winning the mission's biggest running race that year, but when mysterious noises, unexplained occurrences and biblical events begin to plague the local area they are forced to investigate.

Robert Runs is a poignant look into the Deebing Creek Massacre and the tough reality of mission life. Weaving fact with fiction, this compelling story details the events leading up to that fateful day.

Will Goupong and Jonathan be strong enough to defeat the monster in the bush, or are the real monsters closer to home?

Mariah Sweetman is a proud descendant of the Ugarapul people. She is passionate about First Nations histories and engaging young people with stories. She loves to create with words and paint; often writing poetry and painting in her free time. She is a teacher by trade with Bachelor in Education and Arts, Master of Education, specialising in Indigenous Education.

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