GETTING STARTED

Overview

When their statues come to life, Matthew Flinders and his cat, Trim, remember their adventures at sea together and apart. Matthew's father had wanted him to be a doctor but Matthew loved the book Robinson Crusoe and wanted to have adventures on the sea discovering new lands. He joined the navy and sailed to Botany Bay, where he met George Bass and his boat, the Tom Thumb. They explored rivers and Lake Illawarra, then discovered that Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) was an island, separated from the mainland Australia by a strait – Bass Strait.

Matthew Flinders wanted to fill in the gaps in Captain Cook's map. He circumnavigated Australia. He was caught by the French on his way back to England to see his wife, Ann. He was imprisoned in Mauritius and he didn't see Trim again after that. In this book, Trim tells Matthew how he took the letter that was meant to free him all the way to France, to Napoleon. Even though Napoleon said that Matthew should be freed, he was kept prisoner for another three years. He did finally get to sail home, see Ann and write his book, A Voyage to Terra Australis.

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Author profile

Cassandra Golds was born in Sydney and grew up reading Hans Christian Andersen, C.S. Lewis and Nicholas Stuart Gray over and over again - and writing her own stories as soon as she could hold a pen. Her first book, Michael and the Secret War, was accepted for publication when she was nineteen years old, and she has been writing a monthly cartoon serial, illustrated by Stephen Axelsen, for the New South Wales School Magazine for so many years now that she has become quite good at it...

She wrote The Mostly True Story of Matthew and Trim after seeing the bronze statue of Trim on the windowsill of the Mitchell Library in Sydney and thinking, for just a moment, that it was real.

Source: Penguin Books (used with permission)

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Illustrator profile

Stephen Axelsen was a highly decorated cub scout with plenty of badges. One of those was for map reading and finding his way around in the bush. He always thought he was good at this, until he got lost, map in hand, and had to spend a cold night out with his young son. So he wonders how Matthew Flinders found his way around with no maps at all, in leaky boats with bad food and his teeth falling out and no mobile phone. Stephen is in awe of Matthew Flinders' achievements and found it a privilege and a pleasure to draw him and his remarkable cat. He enjoyed the dodo too.

Source: Penguin Books (used with permission)

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Useful websites

• Statue of Trim
  www.sl.nsw.gov.au/flinders/biographies/trim1.html
• E-learning: National Maritime Museum (UK): Story about Trim
  www.nmm.ac.uk (follow links to Kids' stuff and e-learning)
• Sydney Heritage Fleet: Replica of Tom Thumb II
  www.australianheritagefleet.com.au/SmlBt/RepBoat.html
• Matthew Flinders collection: State Library of NSW
  www.sl.nsw.gov.au/flinders/ (includes electronic archives such as 'Realia' where there is a photo of Flinders' bicorn hat and other personal belongings)
• State Library of NSW: Student activity sheets
  www.sl.nsw.gov.au/pathfinder/kits/student_activity_sheets.pdf
• National Geographic XPeditions: Introduction to latitude and longitude
  www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/gk2/longlat.html
• National Geographic XPeditions: Crack the Code
  www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/01/crackcode.html

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Focus questions

Before reading the book

• What do you think the title means?
• Who might Matthew and Trim be?
• What might happen in this 'most exciting cartoon adventure in history'?
• How have materials like rope been used on the cover?
• Why is the cover background red?

During and after reading the book

• What is Matthew Flinders famous for? How did he achieve this?
• How was the coast of Australia mapped?
• Why would not wearing a bonnet on the ship stop Ann Flinders from being allowed to sail?
• How was Matthew Flinders treated unfairly?
• How did war interrupt Flinders' return home?
• Why was the dodo part of the story?
• Which parts of the story are true? Which parts aren't true?
• How is this book history?
• What was explored and mapped in the book? What is still to be explored and mapped?

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