Ken Catran: Lin and the Red Stranger

Ken Catran is the author of more than 30 books and writes convincingly across a range of genres. His young adult novel Voyage with Jason was the overall winner in the NZ Post Children's Book Awards of 2001, and this new title is a finalist in the Young Adult Fiction section this year.

Set in the goldfields of Central Otago in the late 19th century, Lin and the Red Stranger traces the fortunes of two young people fighting for survival in a harsh new land.

Lin, a servant girl from China, meets an Irish teenager and they soon discover that with gold fever comes greed and violence. They also learn that human decency can cut across cultural differences and that no good deed goes unrewarded.

This is an enthralling historical tale that will bring to life the days of the gold rush.

Publisher: Random

Price: $16.99

Age: 12-14 years